Shaker
Schools
State of the Schools
From the Superintendent
Dr. Gregory C. Hutchings, Jr.
During my first months as Superintendent,
I have studied data from many sources
to better understand patterns of student
achievement. I have visited more than 250
classrooms to gain an overview of instructional
practices. And I have talked with
hundreds of residents, students, parents,
community leaders, and staff members.
I must say that people in Shaker Heights are
not shy about sharing their opinions.
All of this information has led me
to some observations, conclusions, and
recommendations about who we are, where
we are going, and how we will get there.
Our school district has tremendous
strengths. We have a highly qualified, deeply
committed faculty and staff.
We have remarkable students – for
example, 140 Advanced Placement Scholars
this school year alone; student artists whose
award-winning work has been displayed at
the airport for thousands of visitors to see;
and the highest SAT scores in Cuyahoga
County. These points of pride and many
more are detailed in “Measuring What
Matters,” a special report mailed to every
household earlier this year.
We offer a broad range of challenging
courses, excellent services for students
with special needs, a global focus that
includes international travel for hundreds of
students, and unparalleled programs in the
fine and performing arts. When it comes to
challenging students, our high school is in
the top two percent in the nation, according
to Newsweek. These are the things that
attract families to Shaker Heights. This is
the experience my wife and I want for our
children, and for all children.
Yet there are areas in which we need
to improve significantly. We must increase
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opportunities and achievement for all
students, including students who are not
performing as well as we want them to be.
This includes some of our students who are
“in the middle,” some of our students who
are African-American, some of our students
who are economically disadvantaged, and
some of our students who have disabilities.
We will pursue these goals through
cohesive curriculum design, greater use
of online learning resources, expansion of
preschool opportunities, and sustained,
strategic professional development for the
faculty to give them the tools and techniques
they need to meet the needs of diverse learners.
The Board of Education and administration
are committed to getting the most out
of your tax dollars. We have already reduced
expenditures by $250,000 this year, on top
of the reductions made over the past several
years. We are currently focusing on ways to
make our operations more efficient in the
areas of maintenance, transportation, custodial
services, and food service. We will make
every effort to spare academic programs.
In December, I appointed a 44-member
team made up of educators, parents,
students, and other community members
with passion and expertise. Together, we
are developing a five-year strategic plan
incorporating my recommendations and
other efforts that the District had in place
prior to my arrival.
The strategic plan will be organized
around six broad areas of focus that the
Board of Education and I jointly developed at
our organizational work session in January:
• The Shaker Experience
• Continuous Improvement
• Policy
• Human Resources and Facilities
• Communication
• Finance
The new plan will be presented to the
Board of Education and public in June, to go
into effect July 1.
I am convinced that if we pursue these
directions, we will be able to maintain the
courses that challenge our highest-achieving
students, provide more rigor for those in the
middle, and narrow our achievement gaps.
I am convinced that we can continue to
provide top-notch offerings in the fine and
performing arts and co-curricular activities,
which provide every child with opportunities
for leadership and personal growth.
I am convinced that we can devote the
maximum possible resources to where they
really count: the classroom.
We cannot do it alone. We need
community members to volunteer to mentor
and tutor students, and to speak to classes
about careers, so that students see the
relevance of their education. We need to
expand on our partnerships with businesses
in Shaker and in Greater Cleveland. We need
the passage of the levy in May to ensure that
we have the resources to move forward.
I invite you to follow our progress
online at shaker.org. On our Strategic
Planning web page, you will find readings,
a timeline, my complete 90-day report,
committee reports, and a way to submit your
feedback via e-mail.
Adapted from the Superintendent’s State
of the Schools Address, February 10, 2014. The
text and video of the address are available at
shaker.org/StateoftheSchools2014.aspx.