Welcome to Gurney Elementary School

It is our pleasure to welcome you to our Gurney website and hopefully to our school as well! Gurney Elementary School is an amazing place where the WHOLE child is developed through a combination of school wide social/emotional programming and high caliber, academic instruction. Our students thrive in this child-centered environment, which has truly been developed by a very devoted staff and supported by very dedicated parents.

Gurney Elementary School is the only primary school in the District and houses approximately 500 students in preschool through third grade. Our student population comes from seven surrounding villages and townships in two different counties. Our school building sits on a 35-acre campus with beautiful woods, two playgrounds and a legendary sled-riding hill! The campus includes the District's high school athletic fields for softball, lacrosse and junior varsity soccer. We also house the District bus garage. The school opened in 1966 and was closed in 1983 for five years due to declining enrollment. The building reopened in 1988. The District reconfigured in 1998 establishing Gurney as a preK-3 facility.

Gurney Elementary Teaching Staff

The Gurney teaching staff is an amazing family! The caliber is exceptional with at least 90% of the teachers holding advanced degrees, 100% holding Google Educator Certificates, several teachers with National Board Certification, and many more working on and/or holding a variety of endorsements/certificates such as Reading Endorsements, Wilson Dyslexia Practitioners, Gifted Education Endorsements, Adaptive Phys Ed. Endorsement, Certified TEACCH Practitioners, Certified Crisis Prevention Intervention Trainer, etc.! More importantly, you’d be hard-pressed to find a staff more devoted to their students' academic, social, and emotional success!

At Gurney Elementary School, This We Believe... LINK

The teachers at Gurney focus on providing research-based, differentiated instruction to meet the needs of all students. Naturally, in an early childhood setting, there is an emphasis on developing strong skills in the areas of language arts and mathematics. Staff development opportunities and school goals reinforce this commitment. Our teachers incorporate multi-sensory approaches to teaching, addressing the learning needs of all students. Teachers use a balanced approach to literacy instruction combining strong programming such as Benchmark, FUNdations and Heggerty Phonemic Awareness. Math instruction using the Bridges Math program incorporates research-based strategies to enhance students’ learning, problem-solving, and skill development. To secure competency in math, multiple strategies for obtaining answers are explored. In both language arts and math, the teachers at each grade level use common pretests, formative assessments, diagnostic assessments, rubrics and summative assessments to monitor student progress throughout the year. Science and Social Studies units are packed with engaging, developmentally appropriate activities and learning experiences. Units are designed with over-arching understandings as instructional targets, project-based learning activities, formative and summative assessments, and exciting lessons. Every teacher uses the Responsive Classroom Program to develop a sense of community in their classrooms so that all children feel valued, connected, and comfortable to learn. Our team of encore teachers provide exciting units of study for our students in music, art, physical education, Spanish, STEM, library/keyboarding, and guidance. Because our encore teachers see all students in every grade level, they also infuse their content with the Center for Responsive Schools' CARES lessons/objectives focusing on cooperation, assertiveness, responsibility, empathy and self-control. It has been this phenomenal combination of academic rigor and the efforts directed at developing students' social/emotional strengths that has led Gurney Elementary School to being named an Ohio Hall of Fame School in 2004, 2012 and 2023!

School Leadership

Patrick Carpenter, Principal Gurney Elementary School

Patrick Carpenter, Principal of Gurney Elementary School beginning August 1, 2025

Patrick Carpenter joins Gurney Elementary School as the building principal for the 2025-26 school year. He brings with him over a decade of experience in elementary education including serving as principal of Noble Elementary School in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District for six years. Mr. Carpenter has also worked as a ReadOhio Literacy Coach with the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce, supporting schools across the state in the implementation of evidence-based reading instruction.

His career in education began in Boston, Massachusetts, where he taught second grade while completing postgraduate studies at Boston College. After returning to Northeast Ohio, he continued his work in education as a third grade teacher and building reading specialist in Cleveland Heights-University Heights, reinforcing his commitment to fostering literacy development in young learners.

Mr. Carpenter is deeply committed to creating a child-centered, literacy-rich learning environment. At Gurney Elementary, he looks forward to building on the school's strong traditions by collaborating with students, staff, families, and the broader community. His focus is on ensuring engaging instruction, experiential learning opportunities, and meaningful partnerships that support the success of every child.

He holds a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Boston College, an Administrative Licensure from Cleveland State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood Education from John Carroll University.

Eva O'Mara, Interim Principal of Gurney Elementary School

440-893-4030 ext. 4102
Eva.OMara@chagrinschools.org

The Chagrin Falls Board of Education has appointed Eva O'Mara as the interim principal of Gurney Elementary School, effective February 1, 2025. A dedicated educator with 48 years of experience, O'Mara retired in 2019 from the Brecksville-Broadview Heights City School District, where she taught art at all levels and later served as an assistant principal at both the high school and middle school. She concluded her career as principal of Highland Drive Elementary School, which earned recognition as a U.S. Department of Education Blue Ribbon School under her leadership.

Since retiring, O'Mara has remained actively involved in education, serving in interim leadership roles and supporting classroom instruction. She is also deeply committed to community service, contributing to initiatives like Yuletide Hunger and serving on the Brecksville-Broadview Heights Board of Education. O'Mara holds both bachelor's and master's degrees from Baldwin Wallace University and maintains credentials in OTES and OPES.

Brittany Ceci, Assistant Principal of Gurney Elementary School

440-893-4030 x4013
Brittany.Ceci@ChagrinSchools.org

Brittany Ceci was named the Assistant Principal of Gurney Elementary School in 2024 and also serves as the on-site administrator who supervises the Gurney Preschool. Mrs. Ceci taught as an intervention specialist and co-teacher in grades 4 and 6 at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School for 17 years. In addition to being a teacher leader, Mrs. Ceci was the special education department chair, served as a mentor teacher for resident educators and participated on the Chagrin Falls District Leadership Team.

Mrs. Ceci received her Bachelor's Degree in Special Education, Mild to Moderate Disabilities, from Ohio University. She went on to earn a Master's Degree in Special Education, Moderate to Intensive Disabilities, from Kent State University. Most recently Mrs. Ceci earned a Master's Degree in Educational Administration from Ursuline College.

Mrs. Ceci resides in Aurora with her husband, Dan, who is also in education and serves as a school counselor in Solon. They have a son in 5th grade and a daughter in 2nd grade this year.

Gurney Elementary School

1155 Bell Road
Chagrin Falls, OH 44022

Grade Levels

PreK - Grade 3

School Hours

8:35 a.m. - 3:25 p.m.
Students may enter the building beginning at 8:25 a.m.

Important Numbers

Clinic: 440-893-4030 x4105
Fax: 440-338-4272
Guidance: 440-893-4030 x4112
Main Office: 440-893-4030 x4102
Pre-School: 440-893-4030 x4124

Report an Absence

Safety Concern?
Contact the SAFER OHIO SCHOOL TIP LINE
844-723-3764

Transportation Changes

Changes to your child's transportation must be made by 2 p.m. by calling 440-893-4030.

No transportation changes will be accepted after 2 p.m. unless it is an emergency. Please do not contact the teacher directly during the day with any changes.