Photo of Ms. Kelly Susa

Congratulations, Ms. Kelly Susa!

Ms. Kelly Susa, Cleveland Public School Agriculture Science Teacher, sent a Request For Proposal for a greenhouse at Cleveland Public School. The amount approved was $87,004. Ms. Gwen Wolters, Regional Career & College Readiness Coordinator at South Central Service Cooperative, stated, “Ms. Kelly Susa wrote an excellent Request For Proposal, budget and timeline. The team reviewed your submission and has no further questions. Job well done!! I would love to come over and take a look at what opportunities this has brought to your district, your students and your industry partners! Thank you for your creativeness and this opportunity for your students!”

Ms. Susa also applied for, and will be getting funding for, her Work Based License. Ms. Wolters stated, “Don’t forget about the Work Based Learning Endorsement approval that you received earlier.” This program will allow our students to possibly work for credit during the school day. If your business is interested in being an industry partner, or work study partner, with Cleveland Public School, please contact Ms. Susa at susa.kelly@isd391.org or Mr. Lusk at lusk.scott@isd391.org.

Here is a summary of Ms. Susa’s vision:

  • Develop high-quality programming for our new agriculture department.
  • Provide real-world opportunities for students to develop a variety of skills that will serve them in a wide range of future careers
  • Construction of a greenhouse.
  • Funding for our ag teacher’s work-based learning endorsement;
  • Our greenhouse will be operated by students and overseen by our ag teacher. They will be in charge of all aspects of greenhouse management. This includes things specific to the physical operation:
    • Climate control, irrigation, and routine and minor maintenance.
    • Students will decide the year’s plants to be grown, plant the seeds, and transplant and monitor the plants’ health as they grow.
    • Students will run the business side of the greenhouse.
    • Student run fall and spring plant sales, as well as facilitate the plantings in the existing school garden that will be operated in partnership with the school’s food service department.

Moving into other areas of our plan, students taking Food Products and Processing class will:

  • Utilize our existing commercial kitchen to process and prepare food products from the produce of our greenhouse.
  • Be connected with a variety of businesses in the horticultural and agricultural fields.
  • Have the opportunity to complete internships and hold positions in these companies through the work-based learning program, giving them real-world experience and the possibility of securing a full-time position in the future.

We are lucky to have Ms. Susa as part of Cleveland Public School’s faculty. Thank you for all your hard work and dedication to our students!