Bay Village schools are a living example of the ways in which a community and its school system can work in close harmony with each other.

"Our community expects and supports excellence in our schools," says Bay Village Schools Superintendent Denny Woods. "Residents are involved in much of the planning and implementation of some of our most important programs. Our block schedule at the high school, for instance, has been very successful in large part due to parent and community participation. We were able to anticipate issues like scheduling enough time for music when we understood that kind of flexibility was a priority for parents."

This small town integration of schools and community is probably best exemplified by School Board President Amy Huntley, who is a 1983 graduate of Bay High School and has six children who currently attend or have graduated from the district. "Many of our alumni still live in Bay Village many years after their high school graduations," says Woods. "Our alumni association is extremely active, and they bring a sense of history and continuity to our students, as well as an amazing level of school spirit."

The Bay Village City School District serves about 2,400 students in their four school buildings: Normandy School (grades K-2), Westerly Elementary School (grades 3-4); the new Bay Middle School (grades 5-8) and Bay High School, which has an enrollment of a little more than 800. The community's closeness is exemplified by the fact that each grade level stays together in the same school through high school graduation. The school district also offers childcare and a special preschool center that provides before- and after-school supervision, a half-day kindergarten extension program, and a special needs preschool, as well as full daycare for infants through preschool-aged children. The childcare and extended kindergarten programs are funded through individual fees.

Bay Village is a consistently high-achieving school district; the Bay Village Schools have earned Ohio's highest academic rating of "Excellent" for years, earning a performance index score of 101.1 out of the goal of 100 on the most recent Ohio Report Card. About ninety-five percent of graduating seniors go directly to colleges or universities, and SAT and ACT test scores are consistently above national averages. Eighty percent of students take both tests.

The district consistently earns many awards, both locally and nationally, including being named to the Best 100 Communities in Music Education in America, top rankings for sources of relocation information, and two Harvard Business Club of NE Ohio awards for school management. The school district has also earned one of the highest bond ratings available to school districts, an Aa2 rating, from Moody's Investors Service.

This school year has really been a demonstration of how close the schools and the community have become. The school district demolished an old middle school, and then opened a brand new one at the beginning of 2004.

The new Bay Middle School, which uses geothermal heating and cooling technology, gives students in grades 5 through 8 a learning environment that was specifically designed for their age level. Each grade has its own academic wing. Large classrooms are fully wired for Internet, telecommunications, and video. The school's designers put the state-of-the-art facilities for music, art and athletics far away from the quieter academic areas. The beautiful and bright library is also fully wired for the enhanced use of technology.

The school houses a second community gymnasium, in addition to the main school gymnasium, which will more than double the amount of gym space available for community recreation activities, as well as adding additional fitness center space.

In January, hundreds of residents attended the new building's dedication ceremony. The excitement in touring this major construction project had both young and old visitors smiling with pride. Alumni representing a span of decades from the past 82 years spoke at a "decommission ceremony" to bid farewell to the old school (whose original section was built in 1922). The community was invited to tour the old building and to purchase mementos and salvage items before the demolition. (Bricks from the demolished school are still being sold at the school board office, each with a certificate of authenticity.) "While the school is mainly for students, it is for community members as well," said Woods. "Everyone will be able to meet here and play here. We expect this facility will continue to promote the Bay Village Schools family that has always existed between our students, staff, parents and extended community."

Academic standards are high. Bay Village schools require 28 credits to graduate, which are six more than are required by the state of Ohio's Department of Education. In addition, students also complete a senior project, an in-depth research project that requires field research and a presentation to a jury of faculty and community members.