As Cleveland begins to look ahead to the next year, the question of school modernization remains inconclusive. The committee leaders now look to the students to help guide them toward a solution that works for both students and staff.
The Design Advisory Group (DAG) will meet every six weeks in order to share ideas with the Office of School Modernization; on May 9 the first meeting took place in the Cleveland library. According to the Cleveland High School DAG Charter, their goal is to “advise the Cleveland Modernization Project Team in developing a comprehensive, equitable, integrated and visionary design for a modernized Cleveland High School through authentic community engagement.”
Although DAG members will not be making the choices, their input will play a crucial role in the decisions reached by the Office of School Modernization. “For this next year while we’re really working out the design this is a really critical time to get our community’s feedback,” said Erik Gerding, PPS senior project manager, at the first DAG meeting.
Student and community involvement fueled many of the decisions leading up to this point. In total, there were six Comprehensive Planning Committee meetings and three Community Design Workshops, as well as meetings with others in the Cleveland community. In fact, the decision to start with an entirely new building was decided by 81 percent of community members in a vote.
Now, with the help of DAG, decisions will be reached about specific design options and ideas for the new building. This marks the beginning of the design phase, which is expected to last two years. Funding for the following construction phase will come from a future bond.
Future DAG meetings will focus on finalizing the scope of the remodel, designing the exterior and determining the interior experience.
“[The focus is on the] big picture so we won’t be getting into the interior details until later,” said Gerding.
Their next meeting will take place on June 6, when the group will finalize the scope for the remodeling project.
