MEDINA – Board of education and council members alike counted 38 different collaborations that occur between Medina City Schools and the City of Medina and members of both groups said they are open to exploring opportunities for more partnerships in the future.
The two bodies gathered for a joint meeting Oct. 16.
“We have a list of over 38 examples of collaborations but there could be more,” Council President John Coyne said.
Mayor Dennis Hanwell said that one of the more recent collaborations was the addition of a K9 officer at Medina High School. He said the school district secured a grant to pay for the officer and the city secured a grant through the Thomas and Jill Lincoln Foundation to cover the cost of a K9 vehicle for the new officer.
“We have recently increased to three full-time school resource officers so now we have one at each middle school and one at the high school,” Hanwell said. “I think sometimes we take for granted how well our two entities work together. We support each other and work together to save taxpayer dollars and do things more effectively and efficiently. I’m very proud of what we do and we are always open to more opportunities to work together whether that is sharing equipment or resources or staffing.”
Superintendent Aaron Sable said he has worked in several different school districts during his career and added that this level of collaboration between a school district and city is rare.
“I think many people are aware of our collaboration with the rec center, but I don’t know if people are aware of the conversations and work that goes into making that facility better for our students and for the community,” he said.
Sable said there are two collaborations that stand out to him. One is the construction of the pickleball courts at Root Middle School. He said the city had obtained a grant to construct the pickleball courts and was looking for a good location. The school district was trying to decide what should be done with the tennis courts at Root and eventually offered up the property to the city to install the pickleball courts.
“That has been a great partnership,” Sable said. “Every time I go over there, the pickleball courts are being used and our students also get to use the courts during P.E.”
Sable also mentioned a time last winter when a heavy snowstorm made the sidewalks on Union unpassable, and students were forced to walk in the street to get to school. He said the school district and the city got together and worked quickly to remove the snow so the students could safely walk on the sidewalk again.
“I want to thank the city for working to make Medina a better place,” Board President Jeanne Pritchard said. “That includes joining forces with the rec department as well as the after school program they just instituted and the second grade swimming program. The new police dog has also been a hit.”
Councilor Regi Haire said she has gotten an in depth look at the school district as a substitute teacher for the last two years.
“I have found that everyone I would interact with whether it be administrators, teachers or other employees, they all took a full-hearted interest in working with students and with one another,” she said.
Board member Rebecca Parkhurst said she thinks the community might not be aware of all the ways the city and the school district collaborate.
“I think it would be a good idea for us to get that list out to the public,” she said.
