LOVELAND MAGAZINE

News and Events from the Loveland, Ohio Area

Without fear or favor
Since 2004

Tag: Community Advisory Team

  • Strengthening Our Schools Through Collaboration: Reflections from the Community Advisory Team

    Strengthening Our Schools Through Collaboration: Reflections from the Community Advisory Team

    by Brad Goldie

    Dear Loveland Community,

    It has been my honor to work with Community Advisory Team (CAT) this year and to represent them as I have presented their feedback to the local school board. Working alongside a group of passionate and dedicated community members to support the continued success of our students and schools. This team, which includes numerous volunteers from throughout the community, has been a cornerstone of the district’s commitment to authentic community engagement, and our discussions have brought fresh perspectives to key issues facing our schools.

    Our first meeting focused on the well-being and academic success of our students. The CAT was given the opportunity to learn about district efforts to address student mental health, and various intervention programs for both gifted students and students facing various challenges including students for whom English is not their primary language. One of the most significant pieces of feedback shared by our group was the growing concern about student fatigue. I presented this feedback to the school board, emphasizing the need for changes to better support students’ mental health. I was heartened to see their thoughtful consideration of our input. As a result, the district is planning to implement a later high school start time beginning with the 2025-26 school year, a decision rooted in research on the benefits of better sleep for teenagers.

    In our second meeting, we turned our attention to school finance. Treasurer John Espy provided an in-depth look at the district’s finances, sparking engaging conversations about how to make this information clearer and more accessible to the public. The creation of the “Finance Fridays” video series is a direct response to the input from our team, offering a new way for the community to better understand the district’s funding and expenditures.

    Looking ahead, our team will tackle discussions on the Loveland Tiger Pathways program and district facilities. I am confident these conversations will yield actionable ideas to further strengthen our schools and ensure we are meeting the needs of all students.

    Throughout this process, I have been consistently impressed by the district leadership’s openness and responsiveness. Superintendent Mike Broadwater and the school board have not only welcomed our input but acted on it, demonstrating their commitment to fostering a true partnership with the community. This collaborative approach underscores the spirit of the #beLOVEland initiative and highlights why our district continues to excel on so many levels.

    I would like to encourage everyone in our community to get involved in whatever way you can—whether by attending Town Halls, completing district surveys, or even joining the CAT in the future. Your voice matters, and together we can ensure that Loveland schools remain a source of pride and opportunity for our entire community.

    On behalf of the Community Advisory Team, I want to thank Superintendent Broadwater, the school board, and all of the district staff for their hard work and dedication to our students. Together, we are creating a district that listens, grows, and continues to thrive.

    Sincerely,
    Brad Goldie
    Community Advisory Team Member

    Brad Goldie lives in the Symmes Creek neighborhood in Symmes Township. He is a professor at Miami University.

  • Community Advisory Team Op-Ed by Superintendent Mike Broadwater

    Community Advisory Team Op-Ed by Superintendent Mike Broadwater

    by Mike Broadwater
    Superintendent
    Loveland City Schools

     

     

     

    Dear Loveland Tiger Community,

    When I joined Loveland City School District as Superintendent in 2021, one of the first things we began to work on was our #beLOVEland Strategic Vision. Parents, students, staff, and community members worked together to set shared goals for our district. Our #beLOVEland Strategic Vision serves as our north star, and by focusing on that, we’ve achieved some amazing results. Loveland City School District is in the top 3% of public school districts in the state, earning five stars in every category on the Ohio School Report Card. We produce above average results at below-average costs, with per-pupil expenditures lower than 62% of Ohio public school districts.

    One of the goals of our #beLOVEland Strategic Vision is Community Engagement. To reach that goal, we created a Community Advisory Team. More than 80 people volunteered to join us for four meetings throughout the school year for a deep dive into important issues and give district leadership important feedback. We are halfway through the year, and I want to deliver a progress report on our work.

    Community Advisory Team (CAT) Meeting #1 focused on student success topics, including student mental health, supporting English Language Learners, our gifted and intervention programs, and the Ohio School Report Card. We presented data to CAT members during the meeting, had great discussions, and gathered important feedback. All of that work has led to a few action steps. First, beginning with the 2025-26 school year, we are moving to a later high school start time. Studies show that starting school later has a positive impact on students’ sleep schedules and mental health. Second, we will continue focusing on academic success and preparing students for life after high school. The feedback has made it clear that this remains a priority for our community. The state of Ohio has also focused more attention on this area, and the Ohio School Report Card is expanding to score schools on College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness.

    CAT Meeting #2 was an in-depth discussion about school finance. Treasurer John Espy provided important information to the CAT members about the district’s current financial outlook, sources of revenue, and expenditures. Ohio’s public school funding system can be challenging to understand, but our community has made it clear they want to know even more about school finances. Thanks to the feedback from the Community Advisory Team, Treasurer John Espy has launched a series of “Finance Friday” educational videos. We will share these videos via social media, the school district website, and our monthly Community Newsletter. You can follow this link to learn more about the Community Newsletter and subscribe.

    These action steps – a later high school start time, continued work on College, Career, Workforce, and Military Readiness, and our new series of Finance Fridays educational videos, are just the first steps we’re taking based on the Community Advisory Team’s work. The CAT will hold two more meetings this school year to discuss our Loveland Tiger Pathways program and district facilities.

    Relationships are at the heart of what we do here in Loveland City Schools. We’re only successful because of the amazing relationships between teachers and students, between staff members and parents, and between the district leadership and our community. By building relationships and showing our #beLOVEland spirit, we’ll continue to grow and improve together.

    I encourage community members to get involved by attending Town Halls or joining efforts like the Community Advisory Team. We extend the invitation, but it is up to our community members to share their voices with us. You can complete our Community Survey by following this link, or if you have questions, you can email me at mikebroadwater@lovelandschools.org.

    Go Tigers!