3 By Douglas J. Guth Generations their older son Brett’s graduation from Beachwood High School (BHS). Upon picking up his diploma during a ceremony at Severance Hall, Brett became the third generation of his immediate family to matriculate from the high school since it opened its doors in 1958. Brett is believed to be the first graduate whose parent and grandparent graduated from BHS. Generations one, two and three gathered at the Dubin home on Hurlingham Road in early June. Sitting around the kitchen table were Brett, Jackie (Class of ‘61) and her son Larry (Class of ‘84). Joining the party was Larry’s wife, Hayley (Class of ‘86). The Dubins’ younger son Justin, though not in attendance this day, will earn his BHS sheepskin in three years. The Dubins who have marched down the aisle in gown and mortarboard view the state-ranked school as a cornerstone of a good life in a safe, family-oriented and economically robust suburban setting. These attributes have kept the Dubins in Beachwood over the decades, a time when the community also built a vibrant retail and commercial area where farmland once stood. Jackie lived on Hilltop Drive during the late 50s in one of the first houses built on the street. As one of about 70 tenth-graders who became part of Beachwood’s first high-school class, she and her mates had a hand in choosing the school’s Bison mascot along with the traditions BHS now enjoys. “We were the innovators,” says Jackie. “We were so proud to be part of that first class.” Students from other schools called BHS attendees “farmers” and other unkind names, Jackie recalls. Still, the friendly, close-knit atmosphere, bolstered by smaller class sizes than what she had at Shaker, made those taunts easy to disregard. That intimacy remained as successive Dubins attended BHS. The high school was almost like a small community, says Larry, who played basketball and golf during his years as a Bison. “You pretty much knew everyone,” he says. Beachwood’s 2014 graduating class, the 54th in its history, was made up of 132 students. Brett, a varsity letterman in both tennis and golf, was happy for the smaller classes, which allowed him to get individual attention from his teachers if he needed it. “If you wanted the help, they were always there for you,” says Brett, who will continue his education at Shenandoah University in Virginia. There have been several renovations at BHS since Brett’s grandmother walked the high decades ago; most recently a $35.6 million expansion completed in August 2013. The high school’s award-winning academic curriculum was combined with cutting-edge technology, including a television production class, that allowed Brett to conduct real broadcasts in front of a green screen. The school system’s advanced educational environment is just one perk of life in the community, maintain Larry and Hayley. The Dubins have been on Hurlingham Road for eight years, moving from Halcyon Road and before that a brief stint in a Shaker Heights apartment upon getting married. Larry always had plans to return home after completing his undergrad at The Ohio State University and picking up a juris doctorate degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law. He and Hayley, who run a nutrition and wellness company for cancer survivors out of the family home, were immediately impressed by a school district that had never failed a tax levy. They were also drawn to the community’s recreational opportunities, thriving retail area, strong business backbone and array of city services. Larry has been working in Beachwood since the mid-90s, starting with a law practice on Commerce Park Drive. Today he’s COO and general counsel for Beachwood-based Fidelity Voice and Data, a company that supplies full-service Internet and voice services to businesses. The suburb’s business-friendly tax structure and educated labor force have helped Fidelity to grow in recent years. These perks have also attracted corporations like Eaton Corp., now headquartered in the Chagrin Highlands development. On the home front, the Dubins are grateful for services like timely rubbish and recycling removal and a diligent police force. Brett enjoys the tennis courts and pool, while Hayley likes the invigorating walks she takes with friends she’s made in the neighborhood. Tying all this together is the high school, a bright beacon for a family of alumni who carry fond memories of BHS and the community surrounding it. “Bottom line is, we’re happy here,” says Larry. of Beachwood High School Grads D uring the mid-1950s, the suburbs of Beachwood and Shaker Heights were growing rapidly, to the point where Shaker schools declared that Beachwood students could no longer attend their overpopulated high school. Construction on Beachwood High School began soon after the announcement, and for families like the Dubins, the rest was history. Last month, the Dubin family celebrated 6 Beachwood Buzz n July 2014