Engaged Citizens. Innovative Ideas.

Crowdsourced Conversations 2023 April – Our Public Schools

WELCOME TO THE RESOURCE PAGE FOR OUR CROWDSOURCED CONVERSATION FORUM ON THE TOPIC OF OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

On Wednesday, April 26th around 70 Heights community members gathered at Heights High School to participate in our first Crowdsourced Conversations event of 2023, this one on the topic of “Our Public Schools.”  Special thanks to Superintendent Elizabeth Kirby and Reaching Heights Executive Director Krista Hawthorne for their opening remarks!

ACTION STEPS: Each group identified meaningful action steps they could take, either individually or as part of the collective, to support our school district.  Here are some highlights from each group.

BLUE GROUP: Help broadcast what’s happening in the schools in non-school-related spaces to reinforce that school news IS community news.  Partner with local merchants to help mentor/spotlight Heights students.

GREEN GROUP: Story-sharing is everything!  Taking the time to talk about personal experiences can offer an “insider” perspective, especially regarding experienced excellence in academics, athletics, and music. Marketing towards students of all academic levels would benefit new families moving into the community who don’t necessarily have a kindergarten-aged child.  Leveraging The Heights Observer is another method for story-sharing.

ORANGE GROUP: Those in the community who have unfavorable feelings about the schools but have no direct/personal experience with the should be encouraged to attend Open Houses or tour the schools.  Supporting groups like the Heights School Foundation can bring forward stories from alumni. With school-related legislation going on at the state level, residents can write or call our State’s Representatives and Senators.

PINK GROUP: Think of school events as community events. Document the “FAQ’s” heard most often by the district and share those with the community.  Story-share about personal experiences in productive and meaningful ways.

PURPLE GROUP: Utilize the schools as community gathering spaces for non-school-related events. Create an “ambassador”-type relationship with current parents/families to partner with perspective students and their families.  Greater transparency between the schools and the broader community can build trust and answer resident questions related to the district.

RED GROUP: Online commentary about the schools can often turn negative/toxic — look to “unplug” and have real-world conversations instead.  Sign up for CHUH newsletters/bulletins and emails. Find more opportunities for Heights students/alumni to share their personal stories. Regardless of an individual student/family’s experience with the district, it would be a benefit to have more in-person or non-electronic ways to communicate those stories with the district.

YELLOW GROUP: Create space for even the “tough” conversations regarding the schools — this will increase transparency and trust-building.  Treating schools events as community events would also benefit those who wouldn’t otherwise be in one of the buildings.

Here are some additional ideas for action steps:

 

Resources:

Podcasts we recommend:

 

Topline Takeaways from our Heights-wide survey on the topic of “Our Public Schools”:

Access the complete CC’23 Survey Report on “Our Public Schools” here.

Crowdsourced Conversations 2022 Oct – Civic Engagement

Crowdsourced Conversations – 2022 TOPIC #4: Civic Engagement

On Wednesday, October 26, 2022, approximately 40 Heights residents gathered at the Fellowship Hall in Disciples Christian Church to participate in a discussion-based forum where small groups engaged in conversation about the importance and role of civic engagement. Special thank you to Councilman Tony Cuda and Jen Holland (Reaching Heights, CH-UH PTA, Building Heights) for their opening remarks!

While every group had sparkling dialogue around why civic engagement matters to them, how they first took steps to get involved in the community, and how to encourage others (especially younger generations) to get involved as well, we recognize that our event isn’t intended to “solve” anything, but, rather to spark ideas, to plant seeds, and to connect Heights residents with each other and build community.

A few suggested highlights and action steps that came out of each group’s discussion:

BLUE GROUP: Encourage more face-to-face meetups and conversations. Bridge the divide between the schools and the community to get more students and their families involved.  Maybe a book club focused on Susie Kaeser’s book Resisting Segregation.

GREEN GROUP: Build trust with each other through engaged dialogue.  Our world feels very divided but the more we can talk to each other and understand each other’s stories the more cohesive we can become.  Also, understanding what’s on a ballot and what the impact of voting means on your community matters a great deal.

ORANGE GROUP: No one should feel “bullied” into civic engagement — and/also civic engagement can manifest in a multitude of ways.  Groupthink makes it seem like there’s a “right” and a “wrong” and nothing in-between, which shuts down dialogue and widens the divide.  Civic engagement is being open to dialogue and working together.  They’d also love to bring youth/student into the mix to learn more about what they think and how they see civic engagement factor into their lives.

PINK GROUP: They note that people engage in issues that impact them directly — and, in turn, their participation in these issues can have an impact on the outcome or next steps of that issue.  “Squeaky wheel gets the grease.”  The more you speak up, the more change you see.

RED GROUP: There may be many issues we care about but we have to be mindful of our resources (time, money, health, other obligations) when getting directly involved.  They note that we can’t take on every cause that matters to us but if we can identify specific causes that matter to us the most, that’s a place to start.

ALL GROUPS: The theme of the night was community, community, community: get to know your neighbors, get to know people who care about what you care about, be less combative and more collaborative, and find ways to bring younger residents and students into the dialogue.  The better we know each other, the stronger our community can become!

Word jumble from all of the groups’ notes.

 

Here are some additional ideas for action steps:

 

Resources:

Books we recommend:

Podcasts we recommend:

Access the full Civic Engagement Survey Report here.

Crowdsourced Conversations 2022 Aug – Community Safety

Crowdsourced Conversations – 2022 Topic #3: Community Safety

On Wednesday, August 31, 2022, approximately 30 Heights residents gathered at Denison Park to participate in a discussion-based forum where small groups engaged in conversation about community safety.  Special thank you to Councilwoman Gail Larson and Robert Lampley, representing the City of Cleveland Heights Racial Justice Task Force, as well as Chief of Cleveland Heights Police Chris Britton, for their opening remarks!

 

We recognize that these conversations are first steps, not final solutions.  Each group identified something actionable they could do as everyday residents to be the change they wish to see in their communities:

A few suggested action steps that came out of each group’s discussion:

  • BLUE GROUP: Encourage more of a “front porch culture” to help neighbors not only keep an eye on the street but foster more opportunities to get to know each other.
  • GREEN GROUP: Advocate for a regular column in the Heights Observer for the police department to keep residents up-to-date about what is happening in the community — possibly also including opportunities for community members to write in questions for members of the police force to answer.
  • ORANGE GROUP: Complete the traffic calming petition for your street.
  • PINK GROUP: Organize a block party to get to know neighbors better and set up a way to communicate with each other about anything happening in the neighborhood.
  • RED GROUP: Streamline and simplify the who-to-call-when protocols if non-emergency situations arise — having a clear sense of the best number to call would empower residents to get the support they might need in an easy and clear way.

Word cloud generated from all of the group’s notes.

 

Here are some additional ideas for action steps:

 

 

Resources:

 

If you have suggestions for additional resources, please email info@futureheights.org.

Crowdsourced Conversations 2022 June – Housing & Neighborhood Preservation

Crowdsourced Conversations – 2022 Topic #2: Housing & Neighborhood Preservation

 

On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, approximately 60 Heights residents gathered at Forest Hill Church to participate in a discussion-based forum where small groups engaged in conversation about housing & neighborhood preservation.  Special thank you to Councilwoman Gail Larson (graciously pinch-hitting for Councilman Tony Cuda, who was unable to attend at the last minute) and Keesha Allen, Executive Director for Home Repair Resource Center, for their opening remarks!

 

We recognize that these conversations are first steps, not final solutions.  Each group identified something actionable they could do as everyday residents to be the change they wish to see in their communities:

 

A few suggested action steps that came out of each group’s discussion:

  • BLUE GROUP – Download the (FREE) Access Cleveland Heights app to document & report issues to the appropriate city department.
  • GREEN GROUP – “Put your best foot forward” and find a way to contribute that feels meaningful to you.  Be welcoming to new neighbors and make more connections with those who live nearby.
  • ORANGE GROUP – Advocate for a more robust Housing Department at the city.
  • PINK GROUP – Advocate for — and help create — a “Good Neighbor” welcome packet that can be shared electronically with new homeowners and new renters.  Show up to City Council Meetings to make your voice heard on issues you care about!
  • RED GROUP – Be a squeaky wheel.  Document & communicate. Show up.  Build connections.
  • YELLOW GROUP – Advocate for easily accessible resources for tenants so they know their rights. Advocate for more/affordable housing stock.  Advocate for code enforcement and a stronger housing department.

These are just a handful of the ideas that came out of the conversation — what fantastic, action-oriented first steps to take!

 

A word cloud generated from the small group discussion notes.

 

Here are some additional ideas for action steps:

 

Resources:

Have a resource to add or have a question about the series?  Let us know!  Email info@futureheights.org.

We hope to see you at our next Crowdsourced Conversation forum!

Crowdsourced Conversations 2022 April – Sustainability

Crowdsourced Conversations – 2022 Topic #1: Sustainability

On Wednesday, April 27, 2022, approximately 50 Heights residents gathered at Coventry PEACE to participate in a discussion-based forum where small groups engaged in conversation about earth-friendly practices.  Special thank you to Councilwoman Josie Moore and the Cleveland Heights Green Team for their opening remarks!

While it was undoubtedly an evening of energizing and enthusiastic dialogue, we recognize it is only a first step.  The goal of our forum series is to spark ideas and connect residents to keep the momentum going even after the event has concluded.

 

As folks arrived at our forum, we asked them to share what brought them to the event:

 

And if this is how it started, then, by the end, this is how it was going:

We all want to know, though:  What’s Next?

The answer is up to you.

 

Here are some ideas:

  • Host your own small group action-oriented discussions with your family, friends, and neighbors.  You can even use our Sustainability Forum – Small Group Discussion Questions to get you started!
  • Do small group/individualized research about the (for example) new recycling program and brainstorm ways to share what is recyclable versus not with neighbors.
  • Attend City Council meetings and, in general, be aware of what is on City Council agendas.
  • Write articles or op-eds — or maybe even inquire about being a columnist — for the Heights Observer.
  • Connect with Cleveland Heights Green Team, Friends of Heights Parks, or other neighborhood groups to engage with their activities.
  • Join us for the next Crowdsourced Conversation forum to meet other engaged Heights residents.

 

Resources:

Have suggestions about other resources or ideas to add to the list about how to get involved?  Email info@futureheights.org.

 

We hope you can join us for a future Crowdsourced Conversation event.  Learn more here.

 

 

CH Mayoral Debate 10.12.21

CH Mayoral Debate 10.12.21

FutureHeights co-hosted a debate among the two candidates vying to become the first directly elected Cleveland Heights mayor, Barbara Danforth and Kahlil Seren, on Tuesday, Oct. 12, from 7 to 8:40 p.m.

The debate was moderated by  Sara Schiavoni, a professor in the department of political science at John Carroll University where she’s taught for 19 years. Her focus is on American Politics, specifically the federal courts, and regularly publishes about the federal judicial nomination/confirmation process. She sits on the Board of the Shaker Chapter of the League of Women Voters. She also works with the Ohio Innocence Project and through that relationship developed a class on Wrongful Convictions, which is one of her favorites to teach at JCU.  She is active in City government in her home city of Shaker Heights where she was previously a citizen representative on the Recreation Committee and currently sits on the city’s Safety and Public and Works committee.

Due to the pandemic, there was no live audience for the debate.

The public was invited to submit questions to heights@lwvgreatercleveland.org.

The event was videotaped and livestreamed. The video is available on the LWV YouTube Channel.

Click here to view the video of the event.

Many thanks to our co-hosts, the League of Women Voters of Greater Cleveland and Heights Libraries.

FutureHeights Annual Meeting 2018

FutureHeights held its 16th annual meeting on June 20, 2018 at its offices in the former Coventry School building. FutureHeights Board Member Vince Reddy gave a brief analysis of housing issues in Cleveland Heights. Sally Martin, housing director for the city of South Euclid, delivered the keynote address that focused on her work with the city’s Community Development Corporation, One South Euclid, demonstrating the impact that a CDC can have. FutureHeights shared progress on its goals and objectives, including its partnership with the city of Cleveland Heights.

View Sally Martin’s keynote speech slides here.

View Vince Reddy’s slides here.

View video of the annual meeting here, and check out photos of the event below. Video by Digizoom Media and photos by The Dark Room Company.

FutureHeights 2017 Annual Meeting

FutureHeights held its 15th annual meeting on May 24, 2017 at its offices in the former Coventry School building. Judy Rawson, former mayor of Shaker Heights, delivered the keynote address that focused on the challenges and opportunities facing inner-ring suburbs today. FutureHeights shared its analysis of why a Community Development Corporation (CDC) is needed in Cleveland Heights and explained how the organization is uniquely qualified to take on that role.

View video of the annual meeting here, and check out photos of the event below. Photos by Stephen Cutri.

 

1 2
More News & Events
CONTACT INFORMATION

FutureHeights
2450 Fairmount Blvd. Suite M180
Cleveland Heights, OH 44106
Phone: 216-320-1423
info@futureheights.org

MAKE A DONATION

Support your neighborhood through FutureHeights. Your membership funds community-building efforts for neighborhoods within Cleveland Heights and University Heights, Ohio.

Become a member or make a secure online donation now.

FutureHeights




Copyright 2022 FutureHeights.