Cleveland Metropolitan School District students head back to school

(Plain Press, August 2019)           Most Cleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) students will start back to school on Monday, August 12^th, according to information supplied by the CMSD e-Communicator.The first day of kindergarten will be Friday, August 16^thand the first day of preschool will be Tuesday, August 20^th.

There are some exceptions listed. In year-round high schools, 9^thgrade classes start July 29^th, with 10^ththru 12^thgrade students, at those schools, starting on July 30^th. High school students at Cleveland School of Science and Medicine, and Cleveland School of Architecture and Design report on Monday, August 5^th. For information about registration, school hours, uniforms, supplies and other subjects, go to clevelandmetroschools.org/backtoschool.

Thee-Communicatoralso notes that Mayor Frank G. Jackson’s Youth Summit and CMSD’s Back to School Fair will be held on Saturday, August 3^rdat Public Auditorium, 500 Lakeside from 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Registration for free breakfast begins at 8 a.m. There will also be a free lunch at the end of the program and distribution of free school supplies for participants attending at least three workshops.

This year’s 9^thgrade students that are residents of Cleveland or of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District service area are eligible for Say Yes to Education scholarships if they are continuously enrolled in CMSD schools from 9^thgrade through graduation, says an article in the e-Communicator, titled “Enroll 9^thgraders to meet Say Yes requirements”. According to the article, “The scholarships fill gaps in tuition at all public two- and four-year colleges and universities and Pell-eligible trade or industry certificate programs in Ohio. The assistance also can be used at more than 100 private colleges and universities across the country.”

According to a July 24^tharticle in the Plain Dealerby Patrick O’ Donnell, titled, “Council agrees to fund wraparound services”, Cuyahoga County Council agreed at its Tuesday, July 23^rdmeeting to help pay for wraparound social support services at eleven additional schools this fall.

According to the Plain Dealerarticle, a total of 16 schools will have Say Yes to Education plan wrap-around services this school year. Five schools that already have wrap-around services are included in the plan – those services will be adjusted to meet Say-Yes requirements. According to the Plain Dealerarticle, funding will be used to hire specialists whose job it will be to “identify student needs and connect them to social services and agencies for help, while also coordinating and running after-school and summer programs at the school.”

The Plain Dealerarticle says that in addition to funds from the Cuyahoga County ($242,000) general fund, federal child welfare grants that Cuyahoga County manages ($679,000) will be used as well as CMSD funding ($493,000) to hire the specialists for the first 16 schools this year. Additional schools will be added each year with all CMSD schools having wraparound services by the 2022-23 school year.

Schools in the Plain Pressservice area that will be receiving the Cuyahoga County funded Say Yes Wrap-Around services this year are: Almira, Buhrer Dual Language Academy, Joseph M. Gallagher, Orchard, Wilbur Wright, John Marshall School of Civic and Business Leadership, Lincoln West School of Global Studies, Max Hayes High School and Rhodes College and Career Academy. Both Almira School and Lincoln West School of Global Studies have existing wrap around programs that will be adjusted.

In addition to the wrap around services, according to the CMSD e-Communicator, Almira school has been selected as one of four schools to participate in Shoes and Clothes for Kids pilot program. Through the program, students in Almira’s kindergarten through third grade classrooms will receive uniforms and other clothing as well as school supplies. Shoes and Clothes for Kids will replenish the goods monthly during the pilot program which will last for three years.