Facilities FAQ

Gilbane Building Co. has erected tree protection fencing in various locations around the Ludlow building to protect trees and their root zones. Foundation footers have been poured on the southern vestibule addition at Ludlow. Excavation has begun for the northern vestibule, and footers will follow. New window installation has also begun on the second floor of the building. Drywall installation, painting, and wood floor staining is ongoing. The Ludlow Early Learning Center is slated to open in Fall 2025. Subscribe to the Facilities Newsletter for weekly updates.

The Woodbury building closed last summer to prepare for renovations. Classroom furniture, HVAC units and other equipment has been removed from the building. Contractors have been working on asbestos abatement throughout the year. The construction fence was erected around the building in May, and mass demolition of the wings is slated to begin in July 2025. Subscribe to the Facilities Newsletter for weekly updates.

The playground at the Ludlow Early Learning Center will have equipment for preschool students and older children. The District has partnered with the City of Shaker Heights and the Shaker Schools Foundation to fund a playground suitable for Ludlow students and older children. Click here to learn more about the Ludlow playground or make a donation.

Woodbury is scheduled to open as the new Middle School in Fall 2027.

Woodbury Road will be the access driveway for construction at Woodbury. Construction trucks will travel down South Woodland Road to reach Woodbury and avoid Aldersyde Drive and Onaway Road (the Oval). There is now two-way traffic on Woodbury Road.

The Shaker Heights Schools are committed to creating minimal disruption to the community while we implement our Long-Term Master Facilities Plan. Aaron Jones, project manager for Gilbane Building Co., has met with neighbors around Ludlow and Woodbury prior to the start of renovations. The contractors work within the noise ordinance hours for the City of Shaker Heights. At Woodbury, contractors plan to keep building materials wet to minimize dust during mass demolition.

Neighbors are encouraged to contact Aaron Jones at ajones@gilbaneco.com with questions or concerns. Community members may also reach out to District Communications Specialist Julie Hullett at hullett_j@shaker.org for more information on facilities plans.

We are having ongoing conversations with the City recreation and District athletic departments. The plans for athletic facility use likely won’t be solidified until closer to the reopening of Woodbury, as we are still working through the use of existing and new athletic sites. The Middle School and High School could both be using fields at the current Middle School site, for example. Middle School and High School teams will also likely share athletic spaces on the Woodbury site, too. 

The Shaker Heights Schools are responsible for grounds maintenance, such as lawn mowing, outside the construction fence. Gilbane Building Co. is responsible for grounds maintenance inside the construction fence at Ludlow and Woodbury.

The Ludlow Early Learning Center is scheduled to open Fall 2025.

We offer full-day and half-day programming for the 2025-2026 school year. Our program is a Universal PreKindergarten (UPK) site funded by Invest in Children. For more information on our PreK programs, visit shaker.org/preschool.

Enrollment is now open for the 2025-2026 school year and families are encouraged to enroll as soon as possible. To start the enrollment process, go to shaker.org/enroll.

The certified arborists report provides a tree inventory and condition assessment, an analysis of each trees’ critical root zones (CRZ) and recommendations for tree protection (TPZ) during the Ludlow Early Learning Center renovation project.

Yes. The tree assessment informs the site design.

The elementary school design and renovation phases will start with Lomond and Onaway. Boulevard and Mercer will follow. Pre-planning for the Fernway addition has begun. The timeline for construction will be shared as it becomes available.

Please email hullett_j@shaker.org with your name, street address, email and phone number to join the Woodbury Neighbors Group.

The District is working with Education Elements to create a Middle School design framework. This work is focused on the middle years experience for students, faculty and staff. This includes curriculum and instruction, instructional practices, scheduling, staffing, communications and family engagement.

The Shaker Heights Schools partner with various stakeholder groups to implement the Long-Term Master Facilities Plan. This includes the Facilities Advisory Committee, made up of parents, residents, and staff, in addition to neighbors of the Woodbury building, the Ludlow Community Association, and a joint working group with the City of Shaker Heights. The District provides regular updates on facilities to the Board of Education.