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. 

I wish to thank everyone who signed petitions, wrote letters, emails and made phone calls on behalf of Ginn Academy. You should be aware that we collected approximately 2000 signatures of concerned individuals against the original proposed move of Ginn.  The community united in an effort that was unprecedented when it came to saving a local public school. Just as we came together to save our four historic Catholic churches and our East 185th Street Post Office, our community, once again, rose to the occasion to send a clear message that we care and will not let anyone or any entity stop our efforts to rebuild and reposition our community.

What we need to do now is to make sure that Ginn Academy is nurtured and protected so as to become a symbol of academic excellence city-wide. 

My friends, this only reinforces to me once again, that when we join together and set our sights on common goals we can accomplish great things. I was told, right out of the gate, that we couldn’t stop or alter the Transformation Plan; it was too big and had too many powerful institutions behind it. However, we did.

We are Collinwood and Collinwood folks don’t give up nor give in.

My friends, this should tell all of us, once again, that when we work together for a common goal there is nothing that we as a community cannot achieve.

To see the full text of Councilman Polenskek's letter to the community, go to www.collinwoodobserver.com,  scroll down the Front Page until you reach "Ginn Academy Saved."