Meet Us
Six guiding principles drive the work of our small, but mighty team:
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Our children deserve an excellent education and our community is responsible for making it available.
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Our community benefits from highly valued, successful public schools.
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An informed public is important to successful public schools.
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Vital schools depend on the support, interest, and involvement of the families and community they serve.
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An independent community-based organization can help citizens contribute to their public schools and can build confidence in them.
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Supporting teachers, who are at the core of the educational process, fosters educational success.
staff
Executive Director
Krista Hawthorne
Krista was selected by the Board of Directors to be Executive Director in April 2014 after serving roles as Assistant Director and Communications Assistant since 2009.
For more than 20 years, Krista has been a lead volunteer with the international student exchange organization, AFS Intercultural Programs.
She and her husband have lived in Cleveland Heights since 1988. Their two daughters attended Coventry and Boulevard Elementary Schools, Roxboro Middle School, and Cleveland Heights High. They have hosted seven AFS exchange students who also attended Heights High and are Tiger Proud!
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Program Manager
Jennifer Holland
Jen and her husband have lived in Cleveland Heights for over 40 years and are proud parents of four children who attend Roxboro Elementary School, Roxboro Middle School, and Heights High. She has served as the Roxboro PTA President and PTA President for CHUH PTA Council. She continues to serve on the PTA Council Enrichment Committee as the Chair of Building Heights. She is Co-Founder of Heights Middle School Shorts, a summer camp for Heights middle schoolers and she is also a board member of Ingenuity.
Jen is a proud Heights High Alumna who works to support the important mission of Reaching Heights.
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Parent Mentor
Joy
Howard
Joy Howard has been a University heights resident for 12 years and proud mother of 5 children. Joy has 16 years’ experience in the medical field and 8 years of experience as an informatics specialist. She is a highly energetic parent advocate with valuable experience leveraging outstanding organizational, communication and leadership skills. She has worked with ECAG for several years providing support and resources to parents in need. Joy brings her medical knowledge, technology skills and 25 years of personal experience nurturing and supporting her exceptional children.
Admin. Assistant
Linda Dudzinsky
Linda and her husband have lived in Cleveland Heights for over 33 years and are the proud parents of a daughter and son who attended Fairfax Elementary School, Roxboro Middle School and Cleveland Heights High. She is a past Fairfax PTA President and former member of the CH-UH PTA Council Executive Board. Linda also worked for eight years as Media Ancillary at Fairfax Elementary School. She is an active member at her church and also volunteers for Thea Bowman Center, a community center in the Mt. Pleasant neighborhood. She is proud to be working in support of the important mission of Reaching Heights.
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board
Reaching Heights is a membership organization that is governed by a board of directors who live or teach in the school district. One director is a member of the CH-UH board of education. The superintendent of the CH-UH schools is an ex-officio member.
Non-profit Administrator
Museum Director
Licensed Professional Counselor & Art Therapist
Paramedic & Professional Baker
Marketing Professional
Accounting Professional
CHUH Board of Education Member
Pastor
Professor of Philosophy & Religious Studies
Ethnomusicologist
Communications & Marketing Professional
School Guidance Counselor
Licensed Social Worker
Mathematics Teacher
Inventory Manager
Librarian
Retired Non-Profit Administrator
Cleveland Heights High School Teacher
Environmental Professional & Energy Coach
If you are interested in joining our dynamic and involved Board, please contact Krista Hawthorne.