Cleveland City Schools Technology Director Joanne Bradburn will also be required to submit a five-year spending plan to the board which will be reviewed annually. According to Denning, in order for Cleveland City Schools to remain on the “cutting edge” the school system would “have to stay up with the current technology.”
The school board approved a long-range facilities plan which will reach into the 2014-2015 school year. The plan is divided into five tiers. Items to be completed in Tier I (2009 - 2010, 2010 - 2011 school years) include the construction of the Cleveland High School Science Wing, renovations at George R. Stuart Elementary School, painting Yates Primary, painting restrooms and hallways at Cleveland Middle School and resurfacing the parking lot at the Teen Learning Center.
Items to be completed in Tier II (2011 - 2012) include re-paving the parking lot at Arnold Elementary, replacing carpet in 27 classrooms at E.L. Ross Elementary, replacing 700 desks and renovating the Little Theater at Cleveland High School, replacing 357 classroom desks and chairs at E.L. Ross Elementary and adding new lights and bleachers at Cleveland Middle School. In Tier III (2012 - 2013) three new school buses would be purchased, a cost of approximately $270,000. Tier IV (2013 - 2014) would focus on parking at Arnold Elementary.
Tier V 2014 - 2015 items include building a new elementary school — approximately $15 million cost expectancy — adding a new kitchen and cafeteria at Arnold Elementary, adding an eight lane aquatic facility at the TLC, adding tennis courts at Cleveland High and Cleveland Middle Schools, replacing exterior doors at E.L. Ross Elementary, cleaning and painting the retaining wall at Mayfield Elementary and adding a sound system for the dining hall at Cleveland High School. City School Board members will hold a special-called meeting May 13 at 8 a.m. to discuss the Race to the Top funds. In April, it was announced Tennessee received $500 million in the federal Race to the Top program.
Cleveland City Schools will receive $1.39 million, over the course of four years, from the RTTT program. Spending the funds, which will be made available in July, come with stipulations which include a minimum of spending 25 percent within the first year, funds must be used on bold and innovative projects and align with the school system’s strategic and school improvement plan.
The following were recognized during the school board’s spotlight recognition: The Cleveland Middle School Dance Raiderettes won the international AmeriDance competition in Orlando, Fla. Cleveland High School Engineering instructor Renny Whittenbarger was featured in an article of City Scope magazine for his excellent teaching skills and commitment to students. Cleveland High School students recently attended the Model United Nations Conference in Washington, D.C. Cleveland High School student Ben Murphy was selected to represent the Cleveland City School Board at the Sept. 7 TSBA meeting.
