Our Graduates Are Going Places!

Staff Retirees

Mindful Music Moments in the Classroom

In this issue:

Important Dates

OCT 9

Board of Education Meeting

OCT 12

Meet the Candidate Night @ Ford Auditorium

OCT 19

End of First Quarter

OCT 20

No School, Teacher Work Day

OCT 23

Board of Education Meeting

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The 2017-18 school year is officially off to a great start and on behalf of the Board of Education and the entire school district, I want to express my gratitude to the students, parents, staff members, and the whole community for their hard work in making the beginning of the 2017-18 school year so successful.

When voters approved the November 2016 bond issue, we made a commitment to our residents to use the funds entrusted to us from the bond issue to make much needed improvements to our buildings and construct new buildings. A great deal of behind the scenes preparation has been occurring.

After multiple meetings to gather input from community members, staff, and administrators on needs for the new high school and new Brook Park elementary school, the preliminary designs are progressing.

Some students have noticed changes as renovations to Middleburg Heights Junior High School and Big Creek Elementary School have started. Schedules have been finalized that will move 3-5 classrooms for a 2-3 week period while work is being performed. This process will continue until work is completed sometime in the spring. Classrooms will have windows replaced, old unit ventilators removed, and new duct work above the ceilings for the addition of air conditioning.

I will continually update the community regarding the building and renovation projects as it is important that our community understands how their tax dollars are being spent. Project updates will also be found on our website and social media. You may also contact me with any questions.

Our school district continues to excel in so many ways, and it is my privilege to share with you some of those successes. In May, we graduated 502 students who earned nearly 3 million dollars in scholarships. Many of these students have now started their advanced education, while some have joined the military to serve our country. Others have pursued employment or internship opportunities to launch their careers. In all, we are very proud of the BMHS Class of 2017 and we welcome them as alumni of the Berea City School District.

My message to the Class of 2017 is one that is also beneficial to our entire community. If you want to change the world, just start with one thing — be kind to others.

Have a great school year!

Michael Sheppard Superintendent

Welcome to the 2017-18 School Year

Camp Mi-Bro-Be Scholarship Fund

Quality Profile

Fall 2017

Our graduates are going places!Students from the Berea-Midpark High School Class of 2017 are attending:

Best of luck to the Class of 2017!

Allegheny CollegeAshland UniversityBaldwin Wallace UniversityBowling Green State UniversityBryant and Stratton CollegeCase Western Reserve UniversityCleveland State UniversityCoastal Carolina UniversityCollege of WoosterCulinary Institute of America, NYCCuyahoga Community CollegeDenison University

Duke UniversityHeidelberg UniversityHillsdale CollegeKent State UniversityMiami UniversityMuskingum UniversityNotre Dame CollegeOhio Wesleyan UniversityPennsylvania State UniversityPurdue UniversityThe Ohio State UniversityThe University of Akron

The University of TampaThe University of ToledoTiffin UniversityUniversity of CincinnatiUniversity of DaytonUniversity of IndianapolisUniversity of MichiganUniversity of Southern CaliforniaWalsh University

And many more!

Imagine an entire elementary school -- students, teachers and administrators -- taking time each morning to turn inward together, listen to a brief mindfulness prompt and world class music.

Every school morning, students, teachers and administrators at Big Creek Elementary, Brook Park Memorial Elementary, Brookview Elementary, and Grindstone Elementary Schools listen to an excerpt of classical music over the morning announcements, practicing mindful listening to provided prompts. The first week of school featured the Olympic Fanfare and Theme by Composer John Williams. On the first day of school, students learned that a ‘fanfare’ is a piece of music often played to announce the arrival of someone important - a King or Queen, or, in this case, Olympic athletes. Brass instruments such as trumpets, trombones, and horns are featured prominently in fanfares. Students were asked to listen for those instruments. On day 2, students were asked, “If school were the Olympics, what would be your best academic events? Imagine yourself winning in math, science or the class in which you feel you can best succeed. Visualize yourself stepping up to win a Gold Medal.”

Students are given a purpose or focus for listening each day. Mindful Music Moments provides tangible tools for mental and emotional well-being, and a deeper appreciation of classical music.

The program teaches and strengthens mindfulness, and introduces different calming techniques to students. It establishes a focused environment for learning so students can start the day in a positive way. It also improves learning and behaviors, decreases anxiety in students, and increases exposure to classical music.

Mindful Music Moments Brings Mindfulness and Beautiful Music to the Elementary Classroom

Students practicing mindfulness to start their day with a moment to calm their minds and prepare for learning.

Camp Mi-Bro-Be Scholarship FundSince 1972, sixth grade students in our district have been given the opportunity to attend the 5-day Camp Mi-Bro-Be Outdoor Education experience. Students are able to experience hiking, canoeing, cooking by a campfire, archery, ecology, and environmental education as well as other outdoor activities. This is also a great team building experience for the students, teachers, and counselors.

Throughout its time, the camp has served thousands of sixth graders, over a thousand high school counselors, and approximately fifty of our professional staff (each year). Parents, students, and teachers report that there are intangible benefits that make the Mi-Bro-Be experience special. Currently, camp costs each student $200 to attend. In the 2016-2017 school year, there were approximately 105 (22%) of sixth graders that did not attend camp with the greatest reason for not attending being financial reasons. This year, we have set up a scholarship fund for anyone who would like to contribute to sponsoring a sixth grader to go to camp.

Every little bit helps! $40 pays for a day of camp, $200 pays for a student!

Donation levels:Memory Book $1-$25

Canada Hike $26-$50

Dead Skunk $51-$100

Mi-Bro-Be Born and Bred $101+

How to donate to the Camp Mi-Bro-Be scholarship fund: Cash, Checks, and Online Donations are accepted. Checks can be made payable to Berea City Schools.

All donations can be sent to Ford Intermediate School, 17001 Holland Rd., Brook Park, OH 44142 c/o Laura Fagan. Please be sure to enclose your name, address and memo that you are specifically donating to Camp Mi-Bro-Be scholarship fund with your donation.

Your donation is tax deductible. A receipt and deduction form will be sent to you at the contact information you provide.

390 Fair Street | Berea, Ohio 44017216-898-8300 | berea.k12.oh.us

Board of EducationAna Chapman | President Fred Szabo | Vice PresidentCori FarrisNeal PostelDave TresselMike Sheppard | SuperintendentRyan Ghizzoni | Treasurer

Cristina Carosielli | Director of Marketing and Community Relations ccarosielli@berea.k12.oh.us Photography courtesy of: Cavanaugh Photography

Best Wishes to our 2016-17 Staff RetireesSandra Ayyash

Debra BaughmanAndrea Brojstan

Elaine BudkaChris BusanusDeborah ButtsLinda Collins

Marilyn CuiksaDenise Falivene

Audrey FoglesongMolly Force

Sandra GantoseDouglas Goldie

Lana GraySandra HammerKaren Heidinger

Margaret JayKaren Johncock

Anita KosmowskiMarilyn Krull

Joline MarshallMary McConnell

Donna McLendonVickie MeierDavid MillenLee MurrayNancy ParisKaren RohdeLinda RonskeJohn Schroth

Debra ShannahanPhilip Smith

Georgene SpittalCarolyn Sprouse

Frances TursiPamela Wurm

Quality Profile Defines Educational ValueBerea City School District, along with approximately 85 school districts throughout Ohio, released a more comprehensive assessment of their districts’ performance to supplement the state’s district report card. Because the state report card focuses primarily on how well students perform on state mandated assessments, school districts felt it was important to once again inform their communities of this additional information to provide them a greater understanding of how their district is addressing and meeting community expectations.

Called a “Quality Profile,” the report includes additional accountability measures that define a high quality education that are not captured by the state report card. This Quality Profile helps to evaluate the effectiveness of a school district beyond standardized testing and other statistical measures provided in the state report card.

Residents can view the Quality Profile at www.berea.k12.oh.us. In addition, a limited number of printed copies will be available by request by calling 216-898-8300.