I am sure that you heard the news by now that at the CMSD School Board meeting on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, Dr Eugene Sanders, CEO of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District recommended to the Cleveland Board of Education, that Ginn Academy should remain in its present location at the former Margaret Spellacy School site. I cannot begin to tell you what a victory this is for the students, parents, administrators and the greater Collinwood community. 

On Tuesday, February 23rd, nearly 100 supporters attended the 2nd annual North Collinwood Taste of the Neighborhood and Awards Dinner. The event was a fundraiser to support the efforts of Northeast Shores, the local community development corporation improving the North Shores Collinwood community.

On Wednesday, March 3, 2010 at 10:45 AM, Mayor Frank G. Jackson’s Board of Control passed a long anticipated resolution authorizing the City to enter into contract with Panzica Construction for the development of the new state-of-the-art Collinwood Community  Recreation Center to be located at 16300 Lakeshore Boulevard at the former K-Mart / Big Lots property. This facility will be like no other center constructed in the history of the City of Cleveland.  

As we all know the Economy has hit us hard this year. This has caused some of us to abandon or give up our pets. About a month ago a family found a playful puppy in the Villa Angela/Lake Erie area. The family has been fostering this dog for about a month and needs someone to either take him into their home or foster him.

So far the family is calling the dog ‘Sandy’. He is black and brown and needs a good amount of attention. The family Sandy is with now has to keep him in the basement away from their older dogs, so he is very hyper. But the family is sure that if Sandy was able to walk around the house he would calm down. If you are looking for a dog or are interested please call: (216)-692-0667.    

Stand up, sit down, lie down, it doesn't matter what you are doing, as long as you are counted.

Just don't let that census form that will be arriving by mail in mid-March sit at the bottom of your junk mail pile.

Please open it up and fill in the 10 simple questions, doing so is vital to the health of our neighborhood, our city, and our state.

This could be the single most important thing that you do in the next couple of weeks.

On February 20th,  the SS&W Boardwalk hosted a benefit party for the recently laid-off Cleveland Police officers. We are proud to share that $2,600 was raised and will be directly distributed to those officers.

The Historic LaSalle Theatre Building located at 819-829 East 185th Street is about to undergo repairs to the limestone façade and roof repairs. The repairs are being funded by the Ohio Finance Fund in the amount of $100,000. Northeast Shores applied for and received funding for the project through a competitive process. The building was purchased by Northeast Shores in October of 2009 from Park View Federal Savings and Loan with financing provided by Village Capital Corporation.

On February 9th, the East 185th St. Block Watch hosted an Information Fair in lieu of their regular monthly meeting. There were representatives from over 25 city and county services at tables all around the hall. The water department was there explaining the new rates and bills. ESOP was there to help those in danger of foreclosure.

Rose-Mary Center, located in Euclid, and other related organizations celebrate Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month in March and invite you to consider the true meaning of this year’s theme, “Just Like You.”

Henry Longfellow and Collinwood High school have been involved in a project called vertical teaming. Vertical teaming is when a high school partners up with our elementary school and staffs from each building work together on various projects. One such project has been “My Buddy Reading Program”.  Each week members of the Collinwood ROTC come to Henry Longfellow and read to students in Pre-K thru the 2nd grade. This program benefits each building. Students from the Collinwood ROTC earn service hour credits and Longfellow Students develop a relationship with the high school students. Our upper grades at Longfellow are involved with the English classes at Collinwood in a pen-pal program. This program benefits writing communication skills between the schools. The writing provides insight to the activities offered at both buildings.

St. Jerome Elementary School has been the stoic brick fixture at the corner of 152nd and Lakeshore since 1922. After decades of changes in the community, the Cleveland Catholic Diocese, and in Ohio education, St. Jerome remains a jewel for the Collinwood neighborhood.

Ms. Reagins, Library Media Specialist, and Ms. Smith, teacher, initiated the 'Have A Heart' Campaign to raise money for Haiti victims. East Clark students and staff purchased candy grams, candy, pencils, and hearts to place on a heart tree displayed in the cafeteria. The lovely heart tree showcases the names of students who donated for this worthy cause.  The earthquake tragedy of Haiti has allowed educators to provide a lesson in human compassion and good citizenship. Students and staff raised over 300 dollars. All proceeds were donated to the Red Cross. East Clark cares and definitely has a heart.

Imani, Gregory and Mariah had an educational adventure writing about their amazing characters. They encountered many animals in the Big Books of our reading series. They found many fascinating facts in the Big Books and were eager to write about the animals after the stories. They became the illustrators for our class book. It was fun drawing and coloring the pictures for each story. Mariah’s favorite story is "Clyde the chameleon". Gregory liked "The Hibernating Bear" best. Imani enjoyed the story about "Farfollina the Caterpillar."  We are enjoying our student treasures.

Jonathan Newsome was a member of St. John Class of 2005. Five years later, he and his teammates enjoyed Ohio State's Rose Bowl victory on New Year’s Day.  After graduating from Glenville High School last year, Jonathan chose to continue his education at The Ohio State University.  He is a member of the Ohio State Football team and is now a Rose Bowl Champion. Jonathan was a pleasure to have as a member of our St. John Nottingham Family.  Congratulations to Jonathan and we wish him God’s richest blessings at Ohio State.

St. John Nottingham has once again accomplished school history. Last year the 7th and 8th Boys Basketball Team made school history by winning the city championship of the Cleveland Lutheran Elementary League. This year they repeated as the champions once again, once again making school history.  Congratualtions St. John Jets. They will represent Cleveland in the All-Ohio State Basketball Tournament held this year at Lutheran High School East.

In the beginning of the year I really wanted to join the Techno Team. Being able to compete in the first competition was very exciting. Also, getting an envelope telling us that we were going to compete in the state competition was very exciting.

Dear Ladies,

My kids do not pick up the house.  It gets to a certain point and yelling is involved, and then they pick up.  As soon as it’s picked up they start messing it up again.  I don’t have time to stand over them; I feel like throwing out all their stuff.  Please help.  Thank you, Single Dad.

Don’t miss your chance to witness the Spring musical performances of one of Northeast Ohio’s hardest-working children’s theater companies, UpStage Players. From March 26th through March 28th, the group will be producing and performing Aladdin, Jr., where many all-time favorite characters come to life in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit.

UpStage Players’ opening performance will take place at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, March 26th at the Slovenian Workmen’s Home (15335 Waterloo Road; Cleveland), their permanent performance residence. The group’s second show will commence on Saturday, March 27th, also at 7:30 p.m. Their final performance of the Spring will begin at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, March 28th.

On January 18, 2010, fifty students and thirteen teachers from Collinwood High School chose to honor Dr. Martin Luther King’s memory by participating in a “day ON, not a day off.” Joined by City Year corps members, community volunteers, and the Cleveland Cavaliers, the students and staff of Collinwood painted over 25,000 square feet of hallways and helped Collinwood Principal Deborah D. Moore launch the “Be Like Lebron” campaign, a school-wide initiative to foster teamwork and collective responsibility amongst the students.   

The thing that makes this newspaper project unique is that all the articles are written by members of the community. School kids, moms and dads, grandmas - all have contributed. For many the idea of writing for a newspaper was very new, yet they have done a marvelous job.

I am sure that you read by now about the proposed relocation of Ginn Academy from the former Margaret Spellacy School on East 162 Street to Glenville High School for the next school year.

Many of you know that I worked diligently with Coach Ted Ginn, Sr. over the last three years to find a permanent suitable location to house “Ted’s dream” of a stand–alone, all boys, single gender, academy; one that placed safety, security and academic excellence as its core values. To hear that Ginn Academy is now being proposed to be relocated into a general high school is a tragic turn of events.

After CMSD put $2.5 million into renovating the present building, their consultant from Boston recommends, in order to shore-up Glenville, that the District should place Ginn Academy in the building with an all-girls academy, as well. This would totally defeat what Ginn was supposed to be about from day one. Time is of the essence. We cannot let them destroy this vision because “Ted’s dream” is working.

I am in the process of organizing parents, concerned citizens and anyone else who believes that the young men in Ginn Academy have a right to succeed and to become somebody. I urge you to contact CMSD Board members at (216) 574-8585 or email them via Kevin Burtzlaff, Board Liaison, at kevin.burtzlaff@cmsdnet.net or mail a letter to them at the Board of Education, Administration Building, 1380 East Sixth Street, Room 152, Cleveland, Ohio 44114, to express your outrage and concerns. Members names are online at www.cmsdnet.net.   

Hello. My name is Robin Belcher and I am the State Representative for House District 10. On May 27, 2009, I was appointed to the vacated seat by a unanimous vote of the Ohio House Democrats. I am a native of Cleveland, born and raised. As a matter of fact, I have lived in House District 10 for most of my life, outside of the years spent obtaining my education: a B.A. in Political Science from Bowling Green State University; Master’s in Public Administration from The Ohio State University; and Juris Doctorate from University of Missouri-Columbia. I usually boast of my pride and joy at being a graduate of Collinwood High School. As a student, I stayed quite active in sports and organizational activities. 

Where E.156th Street meets Waterloo Road, Gadi and Sarit Zamir are creating a most appropriate intersection of their own. Within the walls of the old Jepson’s Pharmacy and Abby Theatre buildings on the southeast corner, development is merging with sustainability and art to bring a unique new vision to the heart of the neighborhood. 

It's February. By now you've received 2009 tax forms from your employer and any other forms you need to deal with your taxes. If you're feeling confused about filing (Do I need to file some schedule? Can I claim the Earned Income Tax Credit that can bring a refund of several thousand dollars? And how can I get my refund faster?) you might be thinking about taking your taxes to one of the tax preparing businesses that, like winter's slushy piles of snow, are suddenly all over Collinwood. 

To help eligible Ohioans claim tax credits and public benefits, Governor Ted Strickland is supporting an initiative called the Ohio Benefit Bank, www.governor.ohio.gov/obb.

Seasonal Positions are available with the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Cleveland Lakefront State Park which includes Euclid Beach, Villa Angela, Wildwood, Edgewater, Gordon and Headlands Beach Parks.  Applicants may express an interest in these positions by visiting: http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/hr/jobinterest/job.aspx

Natural Resources Specialist ($7.39/hr.)

Lifeguard (hourly rate varies)

Although it was not a sure bet, I would have wagered the farm on the Health Care Reform bills becoming law.

This past Christmas instead of bonuses 67 Police Officers got pink slips. Due to city budget cuts they lost their jobs, and countless others took demotions or switched departments to stay on the force.

4th grade thoughts:

“Mr. Pla was a very loving and caring principal. We will always keep him in our hearts.”

“Mr. Pla was a great man, he always gave me credit when I told the truth. He made me feel better when I talked to him. He really cared about the students at St. Mary's. We had a personal relationship. I really liked Mr. Pla and I hope he is in heaven looking down on us.”

“Mr. Pla was a hard worker for us. He gave up his time if we needed help from him. I know he is watching over us making sure we do the right thing and making sure we do well in school. He wanted to make sure we all did good in school so we can go to high school and college. So just for him I'm going to do my best in school.

5th Grade thoughts:

"Mr. Pla loved the kids at St Mary Collinwood. He'd do anything he could to help and protect them"

On January 19, the membership of Northeast Shores Development Corporation attended the 2010 Annual Meeting, which always features the election of new board trustees. Members checked in and renewed their annual dues in order to be able to receive their ballot and vote.

The meeting commenced with each of 12 candidates sharing why the membership should elect him (or her) to one of the eight available slots on the Northeast Shores Board of Directors. After hearing from the candidates present, two more members were nominated from the floor. These two additional nominees were Jim Valentino and Miles Kennedy, who shared key details about why they should be elected. Having heard from all interested candidates present, the membership proceeded to complete their ballots.

If you ask most Cleveland Municipal School District students if they have ever been to the Cleveland Museum of Art, chances are the answer would be no. Regrettably, a visit to this jewel in the University Circle cultural crown has become unattainable because field trips are so costly. However, guided tours for groups of fifteen or more are available on a first come, first serve basis and teachers can apply at the CMA Education Department section at www.clevelandart.com. Fortunately, before Christmas break I was able to take five Collinwood High School students on a tour of the newly renovated galleries of CMA, which is ranked as one of America’s top five art museums. Their enthusiasm was a delight to witness. Here are some of their comments:

The Collinwood High School Science Department hosted its 14th Annual Science Fair on January 25th and 26th in the school’s Media Center.

When I look into this mirror

I see a 16 yr old girl

Someone who feels misunderstood

And lost in this world

When I look into this mirror

I see pain and regret

Confusion, broken hearts

And tears I won’t forget

When I look into this mirror

I drift slowly away inside

And I reach for that woman

That for some reason I hide

ok into this mirror

The Collinwood High School Varsity boys’ basketball team has always been good, but this year, 2009-2010, the boys have had one of their best seasons ever. In this wonderful season, Otis Cloud has been our lead scorer, averaging 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. In addition, Otis has been named as Most Valuable Player for the Cleveland Boys’ Senate. Gary Little was our second highest scorer with 18 points per game. Our third highest scorer of this great season is Tiran Goines with 10 points, 10 rebounds and 5 assists per game.

Villa Angela - St. Joseph High School held their annual Spaghetti Dinner and Tri Match on Sat. Jan. 30th. VASJ hosted North Ridgeville High School and Rhodes High School. 

Now is the time to sign up your son or daughter for the only nationally recognized Little League in the city of Cleveland - right here in North Collinwood!! If you are between the ages of 5-16, you can sign up this coming weekend at the Slovenian Workmen's Home at 15335 Waterloo Road. Sign up days and dates are as follows: Saturday and Sunday, the 13th and 14th of February - from 1-4 PM.

Join Northeast Shores for the annual Taste of the Neighborhood, a chance to sample foods from our neighborhood’s many restaurants and eateries, plus help us honor local residents, block watches and businesses for their accomplishments making this a better community to live in. 6:00 PM - food/drink, 7:00 PM - program. Lithuanian Hall. 877 East 185th St.

AWARDS "Outstanding Residents" Regular folks who go that extra mile. "Amazing Block Watches": Neighborhood groups that have made great achievements throughout the year. "Best Businesses": Celebrate the achievements of your favorite local businesses and their owners.

Our kindergartners began praying for Mr. Pla ever since he went into the hospital in late October. Although they are young children, they firmly believe in the power of prayer. They prayed for improvements in his health, for the comfort of his family and that he would soon be able to return to school. Some of the children even prayed for things only a kindergartner would think of: they prayed that he would not get bitten by a scorpion in the forest and that they would point arrows for him to get away from the monsters.

How would you like to see a movie on a 60 foot movie screen with an all digital computerized presentation, complete with Dolby surround sound? One of the only places left in Northeast Ohio to experience this treat is at the Lakeshore Theatre, a part of the Atlas Cinema family.

On Thursday, January 21, 2010, the School Parent Organization of OH Perry held a Family Literacy Night. About 100 family members came to OH Perry where they participated in various literacy activities planned by the staff. All attendees received two books each for their family home libraries. At the end of the evening, Principal Victoria Mousty and Family Liaison Beverly Chunn served the families and staff members dinner. The families all enjoyed eating together and getting to know one another. Liaison Mrs. Chunn planned the event and has many more events coming to OH Perry, including the Father-Daughter/Mother-Son Dance, Black History Month Program, Carnival Night, and Talent Showcase. We look forward to more great things -- things that happen everyday at OH Perry.

On Thursday, January 28, 2009, OH Perry held their annual Science Fair. Nearly 300 students entered. This year, Science Subject Area Specialist and fourth grade teacher, Karen Shepherd earned a FUSE Grant from Case Western Reserve University. Through the grant, Perry received funds to support the fair. We also had the support of Case engineering students volunteering their time to assist the students with the completion of their individual Science Fair Projects. Various members of the community, including Case students and retired teachers, served as judges. Parents were invited to view the projects on Friday afternoon. Thank you to Ms. Shepherd for all her efforts to plan the fair and to promote the learning of scientific researching skills in our OH Perry students. Bravo to all the OH Perry students who worked very hard to complete a project this year!!

The U.S Congress passed a resolution declaring September 23, 2009: "National Job Corps Day" to acknowledge 45 years of Job Corps training which has helped over three million disadvantaged American youth. The Job Corps delegation heading to Columbus to celebrate included Governor Ted Strickland, State Representative Robin Belcher, Job Corps student Mandisa Black and Congresswoman Marsha L. Fudge. Job Corps is the largest and most successful academic and vocational training program in the U.S. It is administered by the Department of Labor. Their brand new residential 25-acre campus is located in the South Collinwood area.

What can I do?

I've asked that at times. What can I do to help? There is so much need around and my resources are so low: little money, no extra time, my own family to care for!! How can I help lift up the neighborhood when I have so little?

Denise Wright and Mike Clark may help me answer by having so little themselves and yet helping so much. They recently moved to the neighborhood, don't own a car, don't have steady jobs, but give what they can to help out. So they joined the Nottingham Youth Center and now head the tutoring program. About 10 elementary kids twice a week and only 3 or 4 adults at a time. Some of the children need one to one attention but that can be difficult without a couple more helpers. Mike and Denise give what they have but they can only stretch themselves so far. 

While not a real person, Cupid was the God of Love to ancient Romans, and many Italians believed in his powers. Even in the modern world, references to Cupid and his bow and arrows of love are found everywhere on Valentine’s Day.

Arts Collinwood is proud to be sponsoring The Portfolio Project, a collaboration between teenagers and senior citizens, and is now accepting student nominations from teachers and others familiar with student work.

This project is a unique intergenerational experience in which a small group of high school students work with senior citizens to create poetry, oral history, video, still photography and portraiture. The sessions will be led by artists pre-eminent in their fields, who will also teach the young artists how to develop a portfolio, curate an exhibit and participate in the jurying process -- by helping to select a finalist for a mural installation at the Arts Collinwood center. 

A CALL TO ARTISTS

The All-City Art Show, sponsored by the National Arts Program, will be held at the Arts Collinwood gallery March 26 to April 9, with an official opening reception on April 1. Submissions are due by March 22. The exhibit is judged by professional artists and art educators in Amateur, Intermediate, Professional and Youth classifications. Entry is free. Participants must live in or work for the city of Cleveland, or belong to a city employee’s family. All entries must be the artist’s own original work (no kits!). There’s $1800 of prize money for the nine adult classes; $600 for the eight under-eighteen classes; and the possibility of an Honorable Mention, besides a Certificate of Participation for all entrants. For information and registration forms call: 216-664-2562, or visit www.nationalartsprogram.org.

“Dear Grandmothers, Up until recently I have been a stay-at-home mom with several small project-based jobs I could do online for extra money during early morning hours.  In October, I took on a real online part-time job, because our family needs the money, with paycuts (but no cuts in hours) that have been made by my husband’s employer. I now work on my laptop at the kitchen table while I cook, while the kids do homework, etc. and my kid time (I have two, 6 and 8) has been severely cut. My kids are unhappy, “hating mommy’s job,” acting out, making it hard to concentrate when I HAVE to. I feel bad for them, and want things to be better but I have to keep this job. Any advice?” – Samantha R., Lakeshore Blvd. 

Dear Samantha,