I
am writing today to share with the community the fact that the Garfield
Heights Board of Education officially accepted my
retirement/resignation as superintendent of the District effective July
31, 2019. This news comes after 7 years serving in this capacity, 22
years in the GHCS in total, before as high school principal and middle
school principal, and more than 35 years in public education. Though I
am saddened that I will no longer work with so many people whom I have
come to know, respect and genuinely love in this District, I certainly
believe that the GHCS is better today than when I took this position. I
express my gratitude to you all.
Without question, during our tenure together over the last seven
years we have collectively experienced many accomplishments, successes
and achievements. I share that credit with each and every one of you in
our partnership to prepare students with the skills and opportunities
that will help them succeed in the future. Some of those accomplishments
we experienced together have included:
- The completion of the physical upgrades to many of your buildings that you call home
- The institution of the breakfast, lunches, salad bar and snack programs for our students
- The enhancements to the safety/security personnel, systems and protocols to keep our students safe
- Upgrading technology when and wherever possible
- Aligning important business partnerships, such as with OverDrive, to get more reading opportunities for our students
- The video and communications work that helped promote the successes at your building for your staff and students
- Building the High School
- Creating community events that brought people together like
the Family Fun Nights, City Council Meetings with our academic Top Ten
and athletic teams, Fathers Walk and All Pro Dads
- Establishing late arrival Thursdays for TBT meetings
- Strengthening the relationship with Jennings Hall and the
Senior Center so that our students could have meaningful
intergenerational interaction with our senior citizen population
- Adding all-day kindergarten and Pre-school
- Developing a framework for the teaching and learning
department that can now do the work that needs to be done in the
classroom to change how we instruct students.
- Providing time for teachers to develop as instructional leaders in their classrooms
- Starting the Middle School fresh food donations
- Enhancing the musical and performing arts opportunities in the
district with more than 35 instrument donations for our elementary
students and the grand piano donation to our high school.
- Continuing to add technology resources.
- Incorporating anti-bullying measures so that parents, staff
and students could know that we would only tolerate positive and
affirming behavior
- Keeping our facilities clean and maintained
- Solidifying the brand of BEING a PROUD BULLDOG.
Thank you to everyone who helped along the way. Always remember,
being a Bulldog is not just a mascot...it's a mindset. It's not just a
logo...it's a lifestyle. It's not just an animal...it's an attitude. An
attitude of success; an attitude of achievement. YOU ARE ALL BULLDOGS,
and I know you will stay that way! Though I have a heavy heart, my head
is held high... I can email you all...and sign-off one final time...
saying that it's been a privilege to serve as your PROUD SUPERINTENDENT.
Thank you for your enduring support...and as always....
GO BULLDOGS!!
Terry Olszewski, Superintendent
Garfield Heights City Schools