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Kevin Dreyfuss-Wells sits at a table with 4 senior women, guiding them in a design exercise for the Shaker Recreation plan

THRIVING STUDENTS. THRIVING SCHOOLS.
A THRIVING COMMUNITY.

Our schools and our community are deeply interlinked, in ways that are unique to Shaker. 
We've much to be proud of, and still much work to do. To be strong, our schools can't serve just one group of our students, they have to serve all of them well. To be strong, our schools need community support. To be strong, our community needs schools that are wildly successful.
BUILD UP OUR STUDENTS.
Every student deserves to be a high-performing student. And our goal should be that every parent views Shaker as a school district of choice, providing challenges, opportunties, and support for their students whatever their specific needs.
I'm committed to building on the strengths of our district.

Our district is unique. Our long history as a school with broad racial and economic balance is valued by long-time Shaker families and new arrivals alike. But that doesn't mean we've got everything right - what we're doing is immensely challenging and complicated work. We need to stay focused on  improving equity for our kids. And we need to be sure we're lifting all children, providing a premier education for every student.

  • Continue to strengthen a culture of inclusivity. Every child has a home here and deserves to be supported and feel they belong. Keep our schools safe and welcoming.

  • Make student metrics and performance tracking data more easily available so that all community members can see where there are opportunities to continue improvement.

  • Support our kids by supporting our teachers and staff. Retain experienced personnel, build a workforce that reflects the diversity of our community. Continue the training opportunities which are so critical to effective teaching.

  • Listen openly and honestly to the experiences of every family. Provide opportunities for conversation and dialogue that work for schedules of busy parents.

BUILD GREAT FACILITIES.
Our current school facilities project may be our community's largest public investment in our lifetimes. It will touch neighborhoods across our city, and impact our children's learning for generations to come. We've got to get this right and create quality schools integrated in our walkable neighborhoods, using our resources wisely.
As a board member, I'll  bring expertise to keep this project on track.

We're at the start of a six school project. If we  proceed to the high school, we'll be investing well over $300 million.

We must:

  • Ensure that our schools can accommodate the latest thinking in how students learn best, and provide not only today’s technology but be adaptable for future needs.

  • Refine how we integrate sustainable design strategies.

    • Research shows that learning can improve and teachers can be more effective when classrooms are properly daylit and ventilated.

    • Our resources are scarce. Operating costs can be reduced with efficient buildings.

  • Find opportunities for shared community use: to learn, to gather, to recreate, to celebrate.

  • Make sure our buildings fit well within our unique neighborhoods. Maintain a high quality of design, and consider pedestrian and bicycle access.

  • Create high-quality buildings, with appropriate oversight to insure they are durable and long-lasting.

  • Carefully manage budgets and schedules and minimize construction impacts on neighbors to maintain community trust.

BUILD COMMUNITY RELATIONSHIPS.
Our schools can't do this work alone. We succeed at our highest level when we work in partnership as a community, collaborating not only to support our children but to make our entire community stronger. 
I'll work to find ways to work together - with our city, and with all our residents.

Shaker Heights is incredibly fortunate in having amazing neighborhood residents: smart, successful, creative, and hard-working people with an enormous range of backgrounds and perspectives that can make our schools and community stronger. By trusting each other and working together, we can:​

  • Create a culture of two-way communication, where our schools find ways to reach all corners of the community wherever they are, to hear concerns, to offer opportunities, and find solutions.​

  • Improve transparency. We can make it easier for residents to find and understand the complex finances of the schools and support their work. We can make it easier to know what's happening with our facilities.

  • Leverage expertise. We live in challenging times, but we've got great human resources that can help solve problems for our students and our community

  • Come together as a community to fight for all students in the face of rapid changes in state and national policy. Public education as we know it in Shaker is under threat, and this is not just a fight for the schools. 

  • Continue to build on our partnerships with the City, the Library, the Shaker Heights Youth Center and others.

    • Explore creative ways to serve our youth outside of school hours​

    • Strengthen recreation opportunities with opportunities to share facilities

LET'S BUILD TRUST. TOGETHER.
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