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November 2016 Beachwood Buzz
7
By Arlene Fine
A drumroll please.
Although she can't do the splits and it's
been quite some time since she did a double
somersault, Charleen Factor is Beachwood's
most buoyant cheerleader.
Whether she is greeting people at the
Beachwood Aquatic Center, bringing her
own brand of brightness to a classroom as a
Beachwood City Schools substitute, or selling
tickets and rooting from the bleachers at
Beachwood Bison games, Factor cannot hide
her pride in her hometown.
"I love this city - there is no better place to
live as far as I'm concerned," says Factor. "The
B in Beachwood stands for beautiful. This is
a fantastic place to play, work, raise a family
and retire ­ and I have done all those things
here and more."
Factor's enthusiasm for the city was in play this
summer while she was working at the Beach-
wood Family Aquatic Center's reception area.
"Seeing Mrs. Factor at the pool was like
greeting a dear friend or a favorite neighbor,"
says Amy Schwartz. "With her infectious grin
and welcoming manner, she made me feel glad
to be part of the Beachwood community ­ she
is this city's greatest goodwill ambassador."
Factor has been a Beachwood booster
since she moved to the city 62 years ago. As
a proud and active member of Beachwood
High School's second graduating class in
1962, she fondly remembers her teachers and
fellow classmates, many of whom remained
her friends throughout the years.
"When my folks moved to Beachwood
from Shaker Heights, this was considered a
rural community," says Factor. "Beachwood
kids attended Shaker Heights schools for
junior high and high school until the city built
its own buildings. That was one smart move,
and it helped Beachwood attract more young
families."
As a freshly minted college graduate with
an Ohio Teacher's Certificate, Factor's first stop
was the Beachwood Board of Education. "I was
offered a teaching job on the spot and that was
one of the luckiest days of my life," she says.
Factor initially taught third grade at Beach-
wood's Fairmount School and then brought
her contagious enthusiasm to the classroom
as a kindergarten teacher for 25 of her 39
years with the district.
The
Charleen
Factor
Continued on page 9.