• CMSD News Bureau’s Top 10 stories of 2021

    CMSD produced major news in 2021, with headlines that involved not just COVID-19 but also achievements that occurred because of or despite the pandemic.

    The District began making big moves that are transforming learning and teaching -- career planning for all students, a dramatic new vision for education and a popular summer program that served as a prototype for that vision.

    Pre-COVID, these developments would have competed for top story. But the grit and determination of students, families and educators made progress possible in the midst of crisis, and for that reason, their resilience in returning to buildings is the winner.

    Here is a list of the CMSD News Bureau’s Top 10 stories of 2021, plus some standout honorable mentions.

    Top Ten Stories of 2021
    Back to School

    BACK TO SCHOOL. After a year in remote learning, students went hybrid in the spring and returned five days in person in the fall. Readjusting among lingering COVID concerns hasn’t been easy, but students and educators have carried on. Read more.
    Back to School

    PACE. The Planning and Career Exploration program, announced in November, complements the 2-year-old Say Yes to Education scholarship program. PACE will put all students, college bound or not, on a clear path to living-wage jobs that fit their interests. Read more.
    Back to School

    VISION OF LEARNING. The District is reinventing a system disrupted by the pandemic, creating one that is more fair, just and good for all learners. The emerging vision calls for more engaging and personalized student-led learning that is based on mastery of content, takes into account social, emotional and cultural wellbeing and can occur anytime and anywhere. Read more.
    Back to School

    SUMMER LEARNING EXPERIENCE. The CMSD Summer Learning Experience, which served as a prototype for The Vision, drew 8,400 students. Lester Holt and NBC Nightly News visited Cleveland to get a preview. Read more.
    Back to School

    MORE NATIONAL RECOGNITION. A Council of the Great City Schools study, “Mirrors and Windows,” showcased CMSD among urban school systems that are beating the odds. Education Week picked up on the study and featured CMSD in a piece titled “The Fastest-Improving City School Districts Aren’t the Ones You Might Expect.” ABC News featured CMSD’s work to bridge the Digital Divide. Read more.
    Back to School

    CMSD’s OWN. School board Vice Chair Robert M. Heard Sr. finished as a finalist for Urban School Board Member of the Year. He also took office as president of the Ohio School Boards Association. Read more.
    Back to School

    CMSD’S OWN, PART 2. Carla Neely, a science teacher at Warner Girls’ Leadership Academy, was a finalist for Ohio Teacher of the Year. Read more.
    Back to School

    CMSD’S OWN, PART 3. Christine Fowler-Mack, a top CMSD administrator, was named the first female superintendent of schools in Akron, her hometown. Read more.
    Back to School

    REMEMBERING TAMIR. Tamir Rice, a central figure in the nation’s debate over social justice, would have graduated from CMSD in 2021 had his life not been tragically cut short in 2014. The District presented an honorary diploma to his mother, Samaria, at summer commencement. Read more.
    Back to School

    FIRST SAY YES RECIPIENTS GRADUATE. Leann Andino, New Tech West Class of 2019, became the first Say Yes scholarship recipient to receive a four-year degree. A dozen other Say Yes scholars graduated from Cuyahoga Community College. Read more.

     

    Honorable mentions