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4difference makersare recognized by chagrin falls schoolsstory on pages 8-11

Chagrin Falls SchoolS

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Messsage from Superintendent 1board briefs 2being of service 3super students 4-5speech & Debate team 6harvest for hunger kick-off 7difference makers 8-11one school one book 11pasta for pennies 12pipe dream makes video 13Orchestra superior at state 14spelling bee champs 15up with people 16-17 learning social graces and manners 18spring Art Show 19communicate with the district 20-21

front coverThis past February, the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools launched a recognition program asking for people in the community to submit names of individuals who have made a difference. On the cover are the teachers that were recognized. Story and photos can be found on pages 8-11 in this edition of the Super News.

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Message From Our Superintendent

Although the temperature has not reflected the change, spring has officially arrived and many are heading off to warmer climates for a much deserved break from this winter season.

The spring season also is the time for both state

and national standardized testing. The 10th grade students have already completed the Ohio Graduation Test and students in grades 3-8 will be finalizing preparations for the upcoming Ohio Achievement Assessment. Advanced Placement exams will be administered at the high school in May. We appreciate the hard work of our staff in preparation for these assessments. Spring is also the time in which we begin to prepare for the upcoming school year. We are very fortunate to work in a community that supports education. The landscape and expectations are changing in public education. Although change is difficult, the district is committed to continuous improvement as we manage mounting mandates while maintaining the fine tradition of our schools.

The district has conducted a comprehensive strategic planning process over the course of the last year. Action planning teams are finalizing plans that will be recommended to the Board of Education. This plan casts an aggressive mission

and vision that is focused on the development of a personalized learning experience for all students. We are very appreciative for the numerous community members, staff and students that have been involved in this process. The district is also finalizing staffing and budgets for the upcoming school year. We will be sharing permanent improvement and technology recommendations with the Board of Education at our April 7 work session. The sixth grade chrome book project this year has been very successful. The integration of 1:1 technology under the direction of our staff has demonstrated increased student engagement and extension of the learning environment for our students. Recommendations will include the expansion of this program moving forward. We wish safety and enjoyment for those that will be traveling over spring break. We look forward to the return of our students and staff as we celebrate the graduating class of 2014.

Sincerely,

Robert W. Hunt

SuperintendentChagrin Falls Exempted Village Schoolsbob.hunt@chagrinschools.org 440-247-4363

A review of the Board of Education meetings

chagrin falls “board briefs”

President:Mary Kay O’Toole(440) 338-8636

Vice President:Michael Hogan(440) 543-5280

Members:Anne B. Thomas, Ph.D.(440) 247-1227

Member:Harry Cashy(440) 338-3510 Member: Rob Weber(440) 247-7115

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools Board of Education

http://www.chagrinschools.org/boardofeducation.aspx

This section of the Super News is dedicated to providing the community highlights of the monthly Board of Education meetings. However, complete meeting agendas and minutes can always be accessed on the district website at www.chagrinschools.org.

The Chagrin Falls Board of Education conducted two meetings in March. The work session conducted on March 3 included presentations on Bridge to the World and Gifted Programming. Mr. Rob Winton, with assistance from Chagrin Falls High School students Avery Friedman and Tommy Collins, highlighted the impact of our exchange program. Students from Chagrin Falls High School will be visiting our sister school in China this school year and hosting our Chinese friends this fall. We are planning to participate in the Global Student Leaders Summit in the Fall of 2015. The program will be identifying annual opportunities for international travel, exchange and/or community service. Director of Curriculum Mrs. Becky Quinn provided gifted recommendations for this spring and next school year. This work began last year with an audit of our program. Initial changes were implemented coming into this school year and will continue as we modify programming to best meet the needs of these learners. The regular meeting of the Chagrin Falls Board of Education was conducted March 17. The meeting included the biannual report to the Board of Education on documented incidents of bullying, harassment and intimidation. State law requires this report and it is posted on the Assistant Superintendent’s main page. Mr. Hunt approved three Chagrin Falls Students as “Superintendents for the Day.” In addition, the Board of Education publically recognized the service of Nancy Lodge to the district prior to accepting her letter of recommendation.

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board of education meetings

change of START timeThe Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools Board of Education will be starting its

work sessions and Board of Education meetings at 6pm now. Please make a note of the new time.

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being of service Tune in and Consider Others

Each month throughout the year, the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools recognizes an employee that goes above and beyond in the area of customer service. This “Master of Service Award” is sponsored by Master Pizza and the employee is given a token of thanks with a donated Master Pizza gift certificate.

The March 2014 “Master of Service Award” winner is Jake Brent. Cold winter temperatures and record level snowfalls have put a burden on our HVAC equipment. Our HVAC system is often stretched to capacity (and sometimes beyond capacity) just to keep our buildings warm for our students and staff. Jake, who is on our Maintenance Team, did a significant amount of research to explore the option of repairing our own equipment by a process called brazing (metal-joining process whereby a filler metal is heated above melting point and distributed between two or more close-fitting parts). Jake’s intent was to do this process “in-house” instead of sending it out for repair. Sending it out has been both time consuming and costly. Jake pitched the idea and made a request for the equipment and supplies. Jake then took the initiative to teach himself how to braze. When a

heating coil was previously sent out for repair, it would take 4-6 weeks and was costly. Now, Jake makes the repair in house and bench tests the coil with air pressure before re-installing the coil. This has allowed for faster turnaround time and a significant cost savings to the school district. The cost of the equipment was about $400 and has paid for itself six times over within the last month. Brian McNally our On-Site Facilities Manager remarked, “Jake works hard and also works smart. We are thankful for him developing new skills and demonstrating initiative.” Thanks goes out to Jake for positive attitude and for “Being of Service.”

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StudentsSuperThe Chagrin Valley Rotary Club has chosen senior Shannon O’Toole as its Student of the Month for March.

Shannon is vice president of Student Council, president of the Chagrin Falls Education Association Student Board and a Write Place intern. She is also active in Key Club, school musicals, cross country, and the Orange and Black Review.

She is an Advanced Placement scholar, a member of the Cum Laude Society, and has earned honor roll status all semesters of her high school career. She was also named the Ohio Affiliate winner of the National Center for Women and Information

Technology award for Aspirations in Computing, and the most improved cross country runner for 2013.

Outside of school, she is a member of the leadership board of St. Joan of Arc Church high school youth ministry, and serves with the Technology Literary Club at South Franklin Circle Retirement Center. She is also on staff of Chagrin Valley Recreation.

Shannon is the daughter of Martin and Mary Kay O’Toole. She was recognized at a Rotary meeting.

Shannon O’Toole Named Chagrin Valley Rotary Club High School Student of the Month for March

The Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce has chosen Chagrin Falls High School senior Kevin Dole to receive its Student Business Leadership Scholarship. The scholarship is worth $1,000.

For two years, Kevin has taken part in the Excel TECC Digital Arts Production program. In addition, beginning in August 2013, he turned the skills he learned in class into a business called Black River Longboards, in which he creates and sells custom-made longboards. He is responsible for all aspects of the business, from design and production to marketing.

“What started as a hobby has grown substantially into a full-blown, successful small business,” said Jennifer Newton, Chagrin Falls High School counselor.

Kevin also takes part in track and field as a pole vaulter and runs cross country. He was named Cross Country Senior of the Year. His volunteer activities include Art by the Falls and teaching Sunday school. He plans to study industrial design with a minor in business.

Chagrin Valley Chamber President Dixie Singer presents Chagrin Falls High School Senior Kevin Dole with the Student Business Leadership Scholarship

Kevin Dole Receives Chamber Scholarship

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chagrin falls high school ap SPanish students

headed to spain this summerThis summer, six Chagrin Falls High School AP Spanish students will be able to spend part of their time studying in Spain. Hailey Baker, Kendal Baker, Julia Bartell, Matt Kohn, Quinn O’Brien and Kelsey Owen each wrote three essays on Spanish culture to earn scholarships for the Summer AP Spanish program offered by Mundo Lengua in Sevilla, Spain.

Spanish teacher Laurie Walsh explained that, under the strict tutelage of the College Board, Mundo Lengua professors developed a two-week independent program aimed at familiarizing students with the requirements of the AP Spanish course, as well as the revision of the exam’s content. The program fosters students abilities in oral Spanish, written composition, listening and reading comprehension, four skill sets necessary for the AP exam.

“Each day, students examine a different Spanish cultural theme of interest while practicing these skill sets,” Walsh said. “Students will also work to perfect their knowledge of Spanish grammar, as well as increasing their vocabulary related to specific topics.”

The two weeks will culminate in a final oral presentation and a mock “mini exam.” The students will live with Spanish host families and take excursions to Cádiz and Tavira, Portugal. They will also get to tour world-famous sites and see a Flamenco show.

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chagrin falls Schools kicks off

harvest for hunger campaign

chagrin falls high school

speech and debate team The Chagrin Speech and Debate team took 8 competitors to the State tournament in Wooster Feb. 28 to Mar. 1. Victoria Haber and Emily King qualified in Public Forum Debate, Liv Hauserman qualified in Dramatic Interpretation and Anna Kang, Michael Kampman, and Bob Stephen qualified in Congressional Debate. Congratulations goes to Chris Dobeck who made it to the semifinal round in Impromptu Speaking and Shantanu Kanvinde who made it to the octafinal round in Lincoln Douglas Debate.

First Row: (left to right) Anna Kang, Niels Kristensen, Liv Hauserman, Emily King, Cassie Sferra, Victoria Haber, Abby Meil, Ariella Khan, Emily Muckle,

Yvanna Todorova, Maddie Copley, Leah Gillespie, Alyson Bergomi, Delaney Collins, Laurel Jackson Second Row: Madelyn Hopkins, Alex Amata, Daniel Berlin, Michael Wiemann, Bennet Eagle, Bob Stephen, Grant Tyson, Karl Koenig, Matt Batos, Jocelyn Denton, Mr. Jeff Womack (head coach) Third row: Mr. Richard Haber (assistant coach and parent) William Westbrook, Nick Lenart, Chris Dobeck, Shantanu Kanvinde, Missy Hoover, Michael Kampman, Rem Weber, Daniel Brown

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chagrin falls Schools kicks off

harvest for hunger campaignChagrin Falls Schools kicked off its Harvest for Hunger campaign Feb. 23, with the help of the Chagrin Falls Fire Department.

Collection bins will be available at every school building through March 31. The most needed food items are peanut butter, cereal, and canned items such as soups, stew, tuna and vegetables. The food will go to the Cleveland Food Bank and will be distributed to local food pantries, shelters, and hot meal programs.

The school collection sites are not for public use, but residents are encouraged to leave food items at the bins located at the Chagrin Falls police and fire departments, the United Methodist Preschool, or the Village Nursery School at Federated Church.

Firefighter Jake Fried is coordinating the Chagrin Falls and Solon campaigns, with the help of Chagrin Falls Middle School teacher Christie Briggs, Chagrin Falls Middle School Student Council, and the Chagrin Falls firefighters union.

Photo Credit: Geoff Powers, Chagrin Valley Times, Solon Times

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chagrin falls Exempted village schools recognizes

difference makersThis past February, the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools launched a recognition program asking for people in the community to submit names of individuals who have made a difference in less than 100 words. The program first began on Twitter, and then a link to the nomination was placed on the district website, e-communications, and local newspapers. These individuals were soon called “difference makers” and the campaign was titled, “Who Cares.” The response was overwhelming. More than 70 teachers, community members, students, and staff were treated to breakfast and recognized publicly on March 6 in the Performing Arts Center.

Thanks to the financial support of the following support organizations for making this event such a memorable one: Anonymous Donation, Boosters Club, Chagrin

Soccer Association, Dads’ Club, Educational Foundation and PTO.

“Chagrin Falls is an amazing community to work at and live,” said Superintendent Robert Hunt. “We are surrounded by quality individuals that daily go above and beyond to positively impact another person. This campaign allows us to take a step back and say thank you to those making a difference in our schools, homes and community. We appreciate all those that took the time to nominate and we look forward to the program continuing next year.”

A complete list of “difference makers” and photos of the recognition program are posted on the district website at www.chagrinschools.org.

Lauren Avery, Dr. Thomas Coreno, Marty Culbertson, Mary Donley, Kathryn Garvey, Richard Haber,Carrie Hawk, Rebecca Hirsch, Jeff Hoffman, Jean Kanzinger, Neil Markey, Daniel Passalacqua, Bunny Salas, Mark Simone, Joelle Snavely, Jesse Weinberger, Katie Wetherbee

Bethany Bacus, Alexis Christie, Edie Doman, Michael Donley, Mary Frances Mahoney, Amelia Mickelson, Jenna Mrofchak, Joey Mrofchak, Tori Mrofchak, Will Richmond, Gabi Rini, Eli Tebeau, Michael Vinci

community members students

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Mary Jo Czerr, Rebecca Holthaus, Pam Hoover, Jill Koval, Ruth Loconti, Jeff McLean, Bridget Rini, Steve Rutherford, Diane Santucci, Pam Smith, David Wessel, Tomika Wiley

Bethany Bacus, Alexis Christie, Edie Doman, Michael Donley, Mary Frances Mahoney, Amelia Mickelson, Jenna Mrofchak, Joey Mrofchak, Tori Mrofchak, Will Richmond, Gabi Rini, Eli Tebeau, Michael Vinci

Stefanie Ashkettle, Shannon Beach, Richard Bondy, Barb Cymanski, Cindy Dean, Abby Dippel, Gary Dole, Carole Fahey, Amy Fenton, Christine Fishman, Kenn Hetzel, Lisa Janson, Ellen Jones, Elaine Konesky, Karen Lewis, Stephanie Malley, Jennifer Newton, Katherine Owen, Rick Painley, Carolyn Petite, Sarah Read, Heather Reeder, Matt Ricci, Rex Roberts, Jeremy Rothstein, Lisa Salyers, Dawn Serazin, Lisa Todaro, Kim Tressler, Justin Wise, Jeffrey Womack

students teachers

support staff

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chagrin falls Exempted village schools recognizes

difference makers

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chagrin falls Exempted village schools recognizes

difference makers

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gurney elementary

one school one book

An all-school reading project at Gurney Elementary School has sparked the imaginations of students, parents, teachers and staff. The “One School One Book” project kicked off Feb. 18 when Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools Superintendent Robert Hunt read the first chapter of “The Last of the Really Great Whangdoodles” by Julie Andrews Edwards. Each night, students and their families read assigned pages about the mysterious Whangdoodleland, where the motto was “Peace, love and a sense of fun.”

Each reading takes the children farther into the strange land, where the rivers play music, to search for the chameleon-like whangdoodle. The next morning classes take part in trivia quizzes and activities centered around the book. Guest readers are also taking part in the fun.Students can also log on to the project website: www.whangdoodlesosob.weebly.com to check the reading schedule or post photos, podcasts and blogs. One discussion included their thoughts on what the whangdoodle looks like. Children imagined it as a horse with big horns, a type of bug or butterfly with many-colored wings, a cross between a turtle, a dinosaur, a moose and a bird, or a strange creature with pink polka dots and purple stripes.

The journey will continue through March 21.

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chagrin falls middle and intermediate school

pasta for penniesBY CHLOE SLAVIN, Chagrin Falls High School Senior

Pasta for Pennies fundraiser is Olive’s Garden national fundraising program that helps the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is held every February with more than three million students participating in this nationwide service. Chagrin Falls Intermediate and Middle School students were among those that contributed.

Homerooms competed against one another to see who could raise the most money for the fundraiser, with the winning homeroom receiving a complimentary meal from Olive Garden.

The winning classroom for Chagrin Falls Intermediate School was Mrs. Sarah Read’s fourth grade class, raising a total amount of $519.26—one of the highest amounts a classroom has ever raised. The runner-up was Ms. Kathleen Gill’s fifth grade class raising a total amount of $296.86. As for the rest of the school, 15 out of 20 classrooms raised more than $100, and five of those homerooms raised more than $150.

The winning classrooms for Chagrin Falls Middle School were Mrs. Kathleen Aranavage and Mr. Curtis Howell’s classrooms. They went above and beyond collecting money to donate. For example, Mrs. Aranavage’s class even organized a concession stand at one of the school’s basketball games.

PAWS, the Intermediate School’s student service organization (led by Mrs. Read), and the Middle School’s Principal Advisory Council (led by guidance counselor Mr. Patterson), advertised the fundraiser using posters and writing morning announcements during homeroom to spread awareness.

Overall, the Intermediate School raised a total of $2,712.13 while the Middle School raised more than $5,000.

The fundraiser that the schools have been participating in for nearly 10 years leaves a positive impact on students and teachers. Fourth grader Casey Den Braber explained, “I learned giving pennies to a good cause is easy and fun!” Overall, the program teaches students the importance of raising money that can help support the fight against blood-related cancers, important life-saving initiatives, and provide critical services to patients and their families.

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music video not just a dream for chagrin falls band

pipe dreamThe musicians who make up the band Pipe Dream are from Chagrin Falls, but they hope their fans will visit them in “Boston.”

That is the name of the group’s first music video, recently released on YouTube. Pipe Dream had already released two songs on the Internet site Band Camp, and by last fall was ready to try another form of media, said Chagrin Falls High School senior and Pipe Dream Leader Spencer Hendricks.

“A lot of people liked the song when we played it live so we decided to try to make a music video. We contacted a local film company out of Twinsburg called Red Bicycle Media. They were more than happy to film it with us and a few weeks later we were on our way to the city of Boston,” he said.

They hired local actor Ammon Carmi, a Chagrin Falls Performing Arts Academy graduate, to travel to Boston to perform in the video.

“We met him there and we filmed all day. It was an exhausting day but it was very fun,” Spencer said. “In early December we went to the Chagrin Performing Arts Center to film the concert scene. That was a 14 hour day but it turned out so cool.”

Spencer, who plays guitar, drums and piano, formed the group in late 2012 with Chagrin Falls junior Jack Ellis (vocals and bass guitar), junior Sam Welch (guitar and piano), and 2013 graduate Ross Newbauer (guitar, drums and piano.) He describes the band’s sound as alternative or indie/alternative, with a lot of acoustic guitar and piano in its songs.

“I thought it would be just for fun, but then I discovered we work unbelievably well together. We then took it more seriously and before you knew it, we have a music video out,” he said. “It was such a wonderful experience.”

Pipe Dream performs live all over the Cleveland area, with an occasional show in Columbus or Akron. One of its more frequent venues is the Grog Shop in Coventry. Their plans are to keep performing locally, writing new songs, and to release more new music in the next few months.

For more on the making of “Boston,” check out Pipe Dream’s Behind The Scenes video at: http://bit.ly/pipedreamBoston.

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chagrin falls high school orchestra

receives SUPERIOR RATING at STATE COMPETITIONThe Chagrin Falls High School Orchestra traveled to Lakewood High School on Saturday, Feb. 22 for the High School State Orchestra Contest.They performed a concert in front of three judges. Afterwards, the group was asked to play a piece that they had never seen before. They received an overall “Superior” rating at the event–the best possible rating.

The middle school orchestra will be participating in this same event in May.

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cultural experience of a lifetime

up with peopleThe Up with People international organization made a significant impact on the Chagrin Falls community during the week of March 11. More than 100 students from all parts of the world spent one week in our town working with our own students in a variety of cultural workshops, doing community service in our neighborhoods, and ending their week with two incredible musical stage productions.

Up with People was founded on the principal of using music as a means to communicate with and inspire people. In each city they visit, Up with People cast

members perform a vibrant and inspiring musical stage show that brings the community together to enjoy a night of entertainment while sparking people to take action in meeting the needs of their community and world.

Special thanks to the Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation and PTO for their support, as well as all of the host families.

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cultural experience of a lifetime

up with peoplemembers perform a vibrant and inspiring musical stage show that brings the community together to enjoy a night of entertainment while sparking people to take action in meeting the needs of their community and world.

Special thanks to the Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation and PTO for their support, as well as all of the host families.

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chagrin falls students

learn social graces and mannersEarlier this January and February, over 120 Chagrin Falls sixth grade students took part in the annual Dance and Deportment Classes, led by the legendary Cleveland etiquette and dance expert Mr. Dick Blake. Mr. Blake has been teaching classes for more than 30 years.

This Chagrin Falls tradition took place over a course of 7 weeks and was held in the Chagrin Falls Middle School cafeteria. The classes taught students social manners and graces to help prepare them for the real world such as proper posture, shaking hands and looking people in the eye. Along with learning etiquette and charm, students learned several ballroom dances.

And while the learned the part of how to be a lady or gentleman, they had to look the part as well.

Girls were required to wear dresses or skirts and white gloves while boys were required to wear a sports coat and tie.

To end the program, Chagrin Falls’ sixth grade students showed off their etiquette and dance skills on February 26th to their parents at the “Grand Finale” party. Parents participated in the event also; fathers escorted their daughters and mothers escorted their sons.

These types of classes has been taught at Chagrin since the beginning, and the tradition continues on, turning girls into ladies and boys into gentlemen.

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August 2013Click here to read:http://bit.ly/ChagrinFalls_SuperNews_Aug2013

SUPER NEWS

August 20132013 Staff Employee of the Year is Mary Jo Czerr and Teacher of the Year is John BrownlowP. 9

Chagrin Falls SchoolS

September 2013Click here to read:http://bit.ly/ChagrinFalls_SuperNews_September2013

october 2013Click here to read:http://bit.ly/SuperNewsOct2013

november 2013Click here to read:http://bit.ly/SuperNewsNovember2013

december 2014Click here to read:http://bit.ly/SuperNewsDec2013

january 2014Click here to read:http://bit.ly/SuperNewsJanuary2014

february 2014Click here to read:http://bit.ly/SuperNewsFeb2014

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FLYER CENTRAL . . . NEWS YOU CAN USEBe sure to check out the new FLYER CENTRAL page of our district website for events, programs, and information from various community and school organizations. You can find the FLYER CENTRAL gray box located on the right side of the homepage at www.chagrinschools.org.

E-Communications

In the lower right hand corner under Quick Links, there is an “E-Newsletter” icon to select. Residents can choose to receive updates from the district and/or individual buildings. Once a resident is registered, he/she also will receive the district’s new monthly digital magazine, Super News. The magazine can also be found on the district’s website.

“I encourage all residents, even those that do not have children in the district, to sign up to receive our Super News publication,” said Superintendent Robert Hunt. “It is an excellent way for everyone in our community to stay connected with the great accomplishments and happenings in our district.”

Facebook • twitter • website • e-newsletters

follow us on social mediaThe Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools intends to use a variety of avenues to communicate to the district stakeholders. The list below outlines the various methods to connect with the district through social media.

District WebsiteVisit us on the web at www.chagrinschools.org

TwitterJoin the conversation on Twitter. Use #CFEVS. You can also follow the school district administrators:

Robert HuntSuperintendent@Hunt_EdLeader

Christopher WoofterDirector of Operations and Strategic Initiatives@ChrisWoofter

Mike DaughertyDirector of Technology@MoreThanATech

Steve AstHigh School Principal@steven_ast

Rob WintonHigh School Asst. Principal@robertdwinton

David WesselMiddle School Principal@CFMS_Principal

Rebecca HolthausIntermediate School Principal@RebeccaHolthaus

Rachel JonesGurney Elementary Principal@DrJ_cfprincipal

Charlie BarchDistrict Athletic Director@ChagrinAD

District All CallsOur district uses an automated calling system to send out important messages such as school closings, school delays, or other valuable information when necessary. This service is only for the parents of district students. Parents will be eligible to receive these calls when they enroll their students. If you are a parent in the district and you are not receiving the automated calls, or if you need to change the number that these calls go to, please contact Pupil Services at (440) 247-4564.

FacebookFind us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/CFEVS

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400 East Washington Street • Chagrin Falls, Ohio 44022 • 440-247-5500