In this episode, we talk with Heather Weingart and Jeffrey Issacs, both members of the School Board for the Shaker Heights School District. I asked Heather and Jeff a series of questions relating to the financial cost of the levy as well as a number of issues associated with how the Board determined the needs to be addressed by the levy. In addition, Heather and Jeff field a number of questions posed on social media.

The questions discussed include but are not limited to the following:

• How did the Board identify the needs to be addressed by the levy?
• What process was used to prioritize those needs?
• When was the last time the Board went to the citizens for a capital levy and what lessons were learned from that experience?
• How did the Board obtain community input for this levy?
• Describe the meetings the Board had with members of the Shaker Architects and Planning Committee and what impact, if any, those meetings had on the final proposed designs for the levy?
• During the past 24 months, the Board considered many options. Why did it consider a “single elementary school” option?
• Describe the process of working with the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCC).
• What incentives does the Board have to keep construction costs under control and what processes has it embraced to achieve these cost control objectives?
• What plans, if any, does the school district have to enable Shaker residents to get “off hour” access to school recreational facilities?
• What will the Board do if the levy doesn’t pass?

This one hour discussion goes to the heart of many concerns raised by Shaker Heights citizens.
If you would like to have further conversations with either Heather or Jeff, please reach them through these email addresses:

• Heather Weingart (weingart_h@shaker.org)
• Jeffrey Isaacs (isaacs_j@shaker.org)

This podcast is hosted and produced by Mark Goode, a resident of Shaker Heights, on behalf of the Committee for Shaker Schools, a grassroots, citizen-based campaign organization that works to help pass Shaker Heights City School District levies and bond issues. The committee's primary mission is to inform voters about upcoming school levies and bond issues and to direct efforts toward ensuring their passage.