How you can help keep Ginn Academy!

As editorizlized in yesterday's Plain Dealer, the school district is considering moving Ginn Academy from its new South Collinwood home into Glenville High School. Such a move will close Margaret Spellacy Junior High. The move will also move the all-male program into a coed environment.

For more about the Plain Dealer's editorial, check out:
http://www.cleveland.com/opinion/index.ssf/2010/01/let_clevelands_all-male_high_s.html

Councilman Polensek also shared some thoughts about how you can expresss your interest to keep Ginn Academy at Margaret Spellacy. His comments are as follows:

I am sure that you read by now about the proposed relocation of Ginn Academy from the former Margaret Spellacy School on East 162 Street to Glenville High School for the next school year. Many of you know I worked diligently with Coach Ted Ginn, Sr. over the last three years to find a permanent suitable location to house “Ted’s dream” of a stand –alone, all boys, single gender, academy; one that placed safety, security and academic excellence as its core value.

To hear that Ginn Academy is now being proposed to be relocated into a general high school is a tragic turn of events. After CMSD put $2.5 million into renovating the present building, their consultant from Boston recommends, in order to shore-up Glenville, that the District should place Ginn Academy in the building with an all-girls academy, as well. This would totally defeat what Ginn was supposed to be about from day one.

Time is of the essence. We cannot let them destroy this vision because “Ted’s dream” is working. I am in the process of organizing parents, concerned citizens and anyone else who believes that the young men in Ginn Academy have a right to succeed and to become somebody. I urge you to contact CMSD Board members at (216) 574-8585 or email them via Kevin Burtzlaff, Board Liaison, at kevin.burtzlaff@cmsdnet.net or mail a letter to them at the Board of Education; Administration Building; 1380 East Sixth Street, Room 152; Cleveland, Ohio 44114, to express your outrage and concerns. Members names are online at www.cmsdnet.net.

On Saturday, February 13, 2010 from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM, at Ginn Academy, located at 655 East 162 Street, there will be a Parent/Community meeting with CEO, Dr. Eugene Sanders, to discuss this proposal. We need everybody who cares about the students and their future to be in attendance. Furthermore, we have petitions available for anyone wishing to circulate them in opposition to the proposed relocation.

Feel free to contact my office at (216) 664-4236 or email us at council11@clevelandcitycouncil.org to request a petition. Completed petitions should be returned to my office. You can mail them to me at: Councilman Michael D. Polensek; Cleveland City Hall; 601 Lakeside Avenue, Room 220; Cleveland, Ohio 44114.

To quote Ted Ginn, Sr. “It takes courage to be different; to be a Ginn man.” I told Dr. Sanders that the fight has just begun. I refuse to let CMSD wreck a program and a philosophy that is working to save young men in our very community. You have all heard the old saying, “If it isn’t broke; don’t fix it!” Ginn Academy isn’t broke; it needs to be nurtured and protected and I plan to do whatever I have to do in order to safeguard Ginn Academy. I need your help, though. Please join with me in making sure that CMSD Board of Education rejects this proposal outright.

“Keep the faith for we can win this battle if we all work together!”

Sincerely Yours,
Michael D. Polensek
Councilman, Ward 11