Berea City Schools superintendent extols student, staff resiliency at annual address

BEREA, Ohio — Berea City School District Superintendent Tracy Wheeler presented her annual State of the Schools address to the Middleburg Heights Chamber of Commerce March 30 and to the Board of Education April 4 by highlighting the resiliency of students, their families and district staff throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our diversity in this district is our strength,” Wheeler said. “It is our responsibility as public educators to ensure all students feel welcome, safe and loved.”

She said teachers and staff worked hard to re-engage students who had struggled during remote learning.

“The pandemic forced us to quickly adapt to new ways of teaching and learning, and we continue to do that to this day,” Wheeler said. “This past year, we were able to remain in person all year.”

She talked about the district’s strategic plan, as well as last year’s instructional audit.

“Academics are what we do all day, every day,” Wheeler said. “Our work is about how we’re going to improve academics.”

She also shared five-year financial forecast information.

“The forecast shows deficit spending of approximately $1.7 million beginning in fiscal year 2024, based on numbers provided last November,” Wheeler said, noting that an annual forecast update occurs in May.

“We have done a very good job over the last couple of years of being fiscally responsible with our taxpayers’ money and being very, very critical of staffing.

“We think right now we’re in a good place, but our goal is always to stay out of the red,” she said.

Wheeler reiterated the district’s stance on controversial topics. They include JEDI (Justice, Equity, Diversity, Inclusion) Task Force efforts and public misinformation about critical race theory and social-emotional learning.

“There have been a lot of false narratives created around JEDI,” she said. “We foster a learning environment that validates and supports the diversity, uniqueness and individual talents of our students and staff. The task force was created to focus on developing a collective vision … that represents the voices of all stakeholders in our community.

“This is nothing new,” she added. “This district has had a longstanding commitment to non-discrimination.”

Regarding critical race theory in curricula and classrooms, she said, “It does not exist in this district.”

“Since this narrative started in March of last year, I have not had a single person come to me and provide any proof the district is teaching critical race theory,” Wheeler said. “There is no K-12 CRT curriculum in any of Ohio’s public schools.”

Social-emotional learning in the district simply focuses on social skills, self-awareness, self-regulation and safety skills, she said.

“It is not CRT, and it is not about changing people’s values, beliefs or mindset,” Wheeler emphasized about social-emotional learning. “And it is not comprehensive sex education.”

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