A friend of mine has an opportunity to student teach at Willson Middle School on Ansel Rd. in Cleveland, Ohio. She asked me for my opinion on the area and the school, however, I have never been to the Hough neighborhood and it seems that this school is new and I couldn't find any information on the school. So, I was wondering if someone could give me information on the school and/or tell me about the school's neighborhood and location (1122 Ansel Rd.). If you need more information from me, just ask. Thanks in advance!

You sure it's a middle school? I didn't think Cleveland has any middle schools. They are either K-8 elementary schools or 9-12 high-schools. I know there are some variations in some areas, so I don't know if this is one of them.

 

A friend of mine teaches at an elementary school on the east side -- Glenville. Many of the parents consider Glenville to be a stable inner-city neighborhood, but that's a relative term to anyone who has lived their entire lives in the suburbs. Glenville residents view the areas to the south of Superior as more dangerous, and this is where Hough is. Don't get me wrong, Hough has made remarkable strides since its days as a war zone from the 1960s-80s. But it is still an inner-city school in an inner-city neighborhood with many inner-city problems.

 

My friend who teaches at the nicer setting in Glenville frequently has to cope with gang influences and turf battles -- among 10 year olds! Sadly, the parents are often not part of the child's education. Many fathers are not around and the mother often has to work long hours, commute on multiple buses to suburban jobs, or work more than one job to give their kids a better life but that means sacrificing time to be a part of their kids' education. And many other parents simply don't recognize that they are the most important person to their child's education. It is very challenging yet many of the younger children are eager to learn, as are some of the older children. The many stories my friend has told me has boosted my hopes for the city's future one day, and dashed them the next.

 

And that's her experience in Glenville. The situation will probably be more difficult in Hough. But that's just my speculation. Your friend should talk with at least one person who has taught at the school your friend will teach at.

I don't know much about the school, but I used to work just around the corner from there.  It's not actually Hough, it's St. Clair-Superior.  It's a rough neighborhood.  Ansel, at least a couple years ago, had a reputation as one of the main open air drug markets in the city.  There are less vacant lots than some parts of Cleveland, but a lot of standing vacant or abandoned houses.

I don't know much about the school, but I used to work just around the corner from there.  It's not actually Hough, it's St. Clair-Superior.  It's a rough neighborhood.  Ansel, at least a couple years ago, had a reputation as one of the main open air drug markets in the city.  There are less vacant lots than some parts of Cleveland, but a lot of standing vacant or abandoned houses.

 

IIRC, this was considered Hough.  Over the years the legislative borders of Hough, Glenville and St. Superior changed.

 

Most old timers consider Ansel Road the Western border of Glenville.

 

This school isn't listed, are we sure this is the correct name and/or location of the school?

This must be the brand new school behind the old Polish church?

http://maps.google.com/maps/mm?ie=UTF8&hl=en&ll=41.523989,-81.627898&spn=0.002092,0.005681&t=h&z=18

 

I think Ansel may indeed be the western edge of some of the Glenville census tracts. I'd be surprised, though if folks considered anything west of MLK to be still part of Glenville.  I also didn't think this part of Ansel was considered part of Hough by residents, unless it was in the 1970s or 80s.  Through the 1960s (and really, into the 1980s and 90s closer to E55th), Superior was a major racial divider between white ethnics (to the north) and blacks (south).  I don't have any first hand knowledge of how residents think of the neighborhoods at this seam though, just speculatin'

Thanks for all the responses. Yes, this is a new school and I am not sure what neighborhood the school is in, I assumed it would be Hough, but I could be wrong.