Garfield Heights City School District

The Garfield Heights City School District is the public schools system of Garfield Heights, Ohio consisting of 5 schools and a student enrollment of 3,823 in the 2004/2005 school year. [http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/districts/Report.asp?Dssid=BB63FF60428CCCACAF68A3A1E0765A6E&desc=D.3.4%20-%20Enrollment%20(District)&str=044040,Garfield%20Heights%20City,Cuyahoga%20County]

In 1996, The Garfield Heights City Schools system was named a "B.E.S.T." district.

Board of Education

The Garfield Heights Board of Education consists of five elected members that serve four-year terms, headed by a President and Vice-President.

As of 2006, Garfield Heights' Board of Education consisted of:
President June A. Geraci, Vice-President Frank J. Geraci, Jr., Robert A. Dobies, Sr., Joseph M. Juby, and Christine A. Kitson. The Board also has several sub-council positions, such as Vice-Superintendent (who also serves as "Director for Pupil Services"), Director of the Center for Technology, Director for the Center of Business Services, Director of the Center for Social Services, and the Finance treasurer. [http://www.garfieldheightscityschools.com/upload/gallery/ORGANIZATIONAL%20CHART%20variation%2005-06.pdf]

Garfield Heights' Superintendent as of 2006 is Jeanne A. Sternad, Ph.D. The previous Superintendent, Ronald L. Victor, was elected in 1991 and served until 2003.

William Foster Elementary

Named after World War II Medal of Honor recipient William A. Foster, Garfield's first Elementary School serves children Kindergarten through 3rd grade, and is currently under Principal Karen Ruane and Associate Principal Sandy Powers.

William Foster Elementary School was built in 1957 and in 2003 an addition was added to the school. William Foster Elementary School has a square foot gardening program and a choir. It is the largest of the primary schools in the Garfield Heights system with 850 students.

Elmwood Elementary

The second of the two Elementary schools in Garfield, located on Turney Road and Elmwood street, is also 1-3 and under Principal Jody Saxton.

Maple Leaf Intermediate

The only intermediate school in Garfield, it is located at the corner of Mapleleaf Drive and Turney, servicing grades 4 and 5 under Principal Thomas Matthews (former Principal of William Foster.)

Maple Leaf Intermediate School was built in 1925 with additions added between 1949-1952. In the 1980-81 school year, The Garfield Hts City Schools closed Maple Leaf School. From 1981-92, Maple Leaf School served as the Garfield Hts Senior Center and Historical Society museum. In 1992, The Senior Center moved to the new City Hall Complex. In 1993, The Historical Society moved to a home on Turney Road. From 1993-1996 Maple Leaf School became an alternative school for troubled children.

In the 1996 school year, citing overcrowding in the districts two primary schools-William Foster and Elmwood, the Garfield Hts City School board voted to reopen Maple Leaf School as an Intermediate school. It reopened on 22 August 1996 with fanfare.

In 2004-2006 Maple Leaf School was renovated and updated with the latest technologies and there have been physical renovations of new windows, air conditioning, and other improvements.

Maple Leaf school's distinct features are its chimney which serves as a geographical landmark for the neighborhood. The school has two owls above the front doors facing Turney Road.

Garfield Heights Middle School

The building that currently serves as Garfield Heights' Middle school (or 'Junior High', although that term is not used in Garfield Heights) served as the High School until the move at the end of Winter Break, January 2003. Before that, the Middle School-building was a 76-year old building next to where the new High School was being built (which started life off as a High School itself.)

Garfield Hts Middle School was built in 1962 originally it was the high school complex until 2003. The Middle School has about 117,645 square feet of space. It was designed by George S. Voinovich AIA.

Garfield Heights middle school serves grades 6, 7 and 8, and up until the Fall 2003 School year started, was under Principal Terrance Olszewski. He was promoted to Principal of the High School. The current Principal is Mr. Keith Ahearn. The Assistant Principals are Mr.Brian Siftar and Mr. Terry Kowalski.

Garfield Heights High School

The building that currently serves as the Garfield Heights High School was built in 2001, and was completed and opened in January 2003. The new building was designed by a design team: Dale L Swearingen, AIA, Principal-in-Charge; Bruce Fisher, RA, Project Manager; Greg Turner, RA, Senior Project Manager; Dave Sablotny, RA, Project Architect; Melanie Osiecki, Interiors by FPS Architects & Engineers, Inc. of Cleveland.

At a cost of $30,125,000 and a total area of 224,164 sq. ft., the building is capable of holding 1,400 students and staff. [http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1:81109800/Garfield+Heights+High+School,+Phase+One~R~+(Work+In+.html?refid=ency_topnm]

The first, and to-date only, principal of (the new) Garfield Heights High School is Mr. Terrance Olszewski.

Ground was broken next to the High School (at the location of the former middle school) on the Performing Arts complex, housing an auditorium and student arts and music rooms, set to be completed in the 2007/2008 school year. [http://www.garfieldheightscityschools.com/school_zone.asp?id=144]

Former schools

"Garfield Heights Middle School"

The former Garfield Heights High School was built in the 1950s, and housed one of the city's fallout shelters. It was three stories, with a basement. The basement consisted mainly of a secondary gymnasium and secondary male locker rooms (usually used for visiting teams of several sports.)

When a new high school was built, this building was turned into Garfield Heights Middle School. It stayed Garfield Heights Middle School until Winter Break (2002-2003), when the students were sent to the then high school, and the high school students were moved to their new building right next to this one. In the spring, an auction was held for most of the older items left in the school, such as out-of-date desks, and an old school bus. The building was demolished on the last day of school of the 2002-2003 school year, shortly after school let out, so the students could watch. Although the news reported a wrecking ball would be used, initial destruction was started by then-Superintendent Ronald Victor, who destroyed a small wall of the building with an excavator, after which a construction worker took over. Once the workers stopped, for about five minutes, teachers and students were allowed to run up and take a brick, then ordered to leave as a fence was put up around the school. By the end of summer 2003, the building had been completely removed and the school ground was turned into a field until work could start on the Performing Arts complex for the new High School.

External links

* [http://www.garfieldheightscityschools.com/index.asp Official Website]
* [http://ilrc.ode.state.oh.us/districts/District_Questions.asp?sel=044040,Garfield%20Heights%20City,Cuyahoga%20County Ohio Department of Education District Report for Garfield Heights School System]
* [http://www.ghhs66.org/ghhs66/ghhs/ghhs.html Garfield Heights High School "Class of 1966" Website]
* [http://www.ghhs06.com Garfield Heights High School "Class of 2006" Website]