The Chagrin Falls High School Speech and Debate Team had great success at the National Speech & Debate Association’s final competition of the 2021-22 school year on June 15.  The competition was held in Louisville, Kentucky.

Thanks to the efforts of Ali Holtz and Sophia Avery, Chagrin Falls Schools was once again named a Debate School of Excellence, awarded to the top 20 debate schools in the country. They both finished their careers as the two most accomplished Lincoln Douglas debaters in Chagrin Falls High School history.  Holtz finished 11th in the country and Avery finished 13th.  Both finished in the top 14 in the country two years in a row.  Avery also was awarded the sixth best speaker at the Louisville debate.

Grace Hoy and Eric Feucht made it to quarterfinals for DUO and placed top 30 in the nation. Adam Hamdan also competed on one of the North Coast District’s World Schools Debate teams with students from other high schools in the area. His team, North Coast Brown, made it to Double Octafinals and placed top 32 in the country.

While Avery was in Louisville, back in Cleveland she won the cleveland.com/Plain Dealer Standout Award for Debate.

In addition, Corinne Lashley, the Speech and Debate coach for Chagrin Falls High School has earned the Donus D. Roberts Coaching Excellence Award from the National Speech & Debate Association. “Receiving the Donus Award is a remarkable achievement and indicates that Corinne has earned 10,000 coaching points. Coaches earn one point for every merit point earned by their students through competition, service, and leadership activities. Each point represents hours of practice, revision, and growth for your students and dedicated coaching by Corinne,” said Executive Director J. Scott Wunn, National Speech & Debate Association.  Both Lashley and Coach Ken Kasee were with the team at the national competition.

Students in Sandra Goodin’s third-grade unit 5 math class took on a real-life math problem and learned about the grant writing process along the way. Students determined how much outdoor classroom furniture could fit in Gurney Elementary’s garden courtyard by measuring area, perimeter and determining cost.

Mrs. Goodin facilitated the group as they determined all they would need to calculate and from whom they would need to get advice. They consulted with the head custodian for measurement tips and tools as well as furniture considerations for outdoors. They consulted with the secretary for advice on companies used for furniture purchases. They consulted with the principal for advice on grant writing. After calculating the details, students contributed to writing a grant proposal for the money to buy the furniture. The Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation awarded them $9,898 to purchase outdoor tables, umbrellas with bases and outdoor stools.

Students wrote answers to the grant application questions themselves. In response to the application asking to describe the project, one student wrote that the outdoor classroom furniture “will benefit the kids so they don’t have to look around the classroom all day long. It helps kids learn and have a change of scenery. Another student outlined the process for choosing the type of furniture, noting the size, color and style that would best accommodate all Gurney students and possible usage scenarios. Once the furniture is purchased, it will take 10 weeks to complete the project. This outdoor classroom furniture will establish a space more conducive to teaching and learning in order to integrate the various garden areas with specific units of study at each grade level. 

“This grant proposal allowed students to think through and experience ‘real life’ problem solving,” said Goodin. “They also engaged in a project that directly impacts their learning and the learning for hundreds of students to come.”

Chagrin Falls Schools once again received The Association of School Business Officials (ASBO)  International Certificate of Excellence (COE) in Financial Reporting. This certificate recognizes districts that have met the program’s high standards for financial reporting and transparency. The School District earned the Certificate of Excellence for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ended 2021. 

 “The Certificate of Excellence promotes and recognizes excellence in financial reporting,” said ASBO International Executive Director David Lewis. “The Annual Comprehensive Financial Report informs stakeholders about the financial and economic state of the district, making it an important communications tool for building trust and engaging with the school community.”

By participating in the COE program, school districts demonstrate their commitment to financial transparency. Applicants submit their ACFR for review by a team of financial professionals who provide feedback to improve future documents. If the report meets the requirements of the program, it may receive the Certificate of Excellence. A district’s participation in the COE program can facilitate bond rating and continuing bond disclosure processes.

At the June 8, 2022, Chagrin Falls Board of Education meeting, Michael Janatovich was hired as the new high school principal and Jarrod Mulheman was hired as director of student advancement.

Janatovich previously was the principal of Cuyahoga Heights Middle and High School.  Prior to that, he was the assistant principal at Harmon Middle School at Aurora City Schools and the assistant principal, athletic director, and middle school science teacher at Cuyahoga Heights Schools.  In his time at Cuyahoga Heights, he developed and implemented a multi-tiered system of support that has positively impacted all students in a variety of aspects including academic success, end of course remediation, social-emotional needs, and other needs based on individual learners.  He also implemented a teacher leadership collaborative to grow teacher leadership, was involved in the district’s strategic planning process, created a positive working culture for staff and students, and developed a master schedule which included 14 AP classes and flexible options for students. He also was named president of the Chagrin Valley Conference.

“Mike was a candidate who stood out above the rest from the very beginning of the search,” said Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski.  “His depth of experience at various grade levels set him apart.  Parents, staff and students who participated in the search process commented that he was approachable and genuine. He will be a fantastic addition to our team."

Janatovich received his Bachelor of Science from Baldwin Wallace College in middle childhood education and a Masters of Science from Indiana Wesleyan University in curriculum and instruction.  He received his principal licensure from Baldwin Wallace and superintendent and educational leadership licensure from The University of Findlay.  He is expected to receive his Doctorate of Education from The University of Findlay in 2023.  He has presented at numerous local, state and national conferences.  He also is a member of several professional education organizations.

“I am excited and honored to join the team as the next principal of Chagrin Falls High School,” said Janatovich.  “Chagrin Falls is a community that values academic excellence, their students, and all stakeholders in their community. I look forward to making connections with the students, staff, and parents in the community in order to provide the best educational setting for all of our students,” said Janatovich.

Jarrod Mulheman is the District’s new director of student advancement. In this role, Muhleman will join the administrative team to advance academic initiatives to support continuous student improvement, create meaningful experience-based educational opportunities, as well as foster social and extracurricular connections.

“Every person who interviewed Jarrod was able to make an authentic connection, including our students,” said Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski.  “Jarrod’s background, especially in counseling, uniquely positions him to elevate academic, career and post-graduation planning for our students.” 

Prior to joining Chagrin Falls Schools, Mulheman was associate principal of Mayfield High School at Mayfield City Schools.  He also was the high school assistant principal for curriculum, instruction and staff development.  

Mulheman has a Bachelors of Science in Education from Kent State University, a Master of Education in School Counseling from John Carroll University, and a Master of Science in Educational Leadership from Ursuline College.  He is a part-time instructor at Cleveland State University for the Counseling, Administration, Supervision and Adult Learning Department.

He is a member of several professional education organizations and serves on various committee work in the areas of instructional leadership, literacy framework, English language arts, mathematics, science, social studies, technology and high school scheduling.

“It is an honor and a privilege to be joining the Chagrin family,” said Mulheman. “I am looking forward to working with the students, staff, parents, and community members to continue a tradition of excellence at Chagrin Falls Schools.” 

At the May 11 Excel TECC “Senior Sendoff” ceremony, several Chagrin Falls High School seniors received recognition for their involvement in the program and for earning thousands of dollars in scholarships.

Excel TECC (Technical Education Career Consortium) is a consortium of 10 schools that offers both one and two-year programs in a variety of fields to prepare students for college, work or a career. Students earn college credits, engage in hands-on learning, and participate in internships and organizations.

Senior in the performing arts program category, Grace Hoy, joined in the program by singing the National Anthem along with two other students. Many other seniors were recognized for their accomplishments in a variety of program categories:

Owen Gasser, auto technology; Ava Freucht, Dylan Frank, digital arts and technology; Cole Ettinger, exercise science and sports rehabilitation; Megan Pandy, Fire/EMS training academy; Alexander Maciech, Benjamin Thurman, information technology and programming; Carson Montz, interactive media; Cadyn Firehammer, licensed practical nursing; Nicholas Calabrese, Frederick Clark, William Croasdaile, Charlie Goodin, Will Gottschalk, and Ryan O’Neil, marketing; Emma Jones, medical technologies; Eric Feucht, Fiona Markey, Liam Oettinger, performing arts; Ally Wrench, teach; and Eric Morrison, Hayden Mullapudi, welding technologies.

Several of the seniors were also awarded scholarships from area schools.

Owen Gasser received a $1,000 Babcock Scholarship in auto technology. Carson Montz received $3,677 in scholarships from the Savannah College of Art & Design for academics, achievement, and student incentive.

Cadyn Firehammer received a $1,500 Babcock scholarship, and a $12,000 scholarship from Kent State University for licensed practical nursing. Nick Calabrese received a $100,000 scholarship from Xavier University.

Frederick Clark received a $94,000 scholarship from the University of Denver. Cam Croasdaile received a $28,000 scholarship from Miami University and a $188,000 scholarship from St. Lawrence University.

Will Gottschalk received an $80,000 Butler University scholarship and a $120,000 Lake Forest College scholarship. Ryan O’Neil received a $30,000 scholarship from the University of California/Santa Cruz and $32,000 from Miami University.

In addition to earning scholarships, a select few students were officers of Excel TECC’s junior achievement marketing student organization. Nicholas Calabrese was a VP of Production; Ryan O’Neil and Will Gottschalk were VPs of Human Resources; one of the VPs of Sales was Charlie Goodin.

Kindergartners at Gurney Elementary School recorded a courage hotline with various messages to bring courage to the callers. The hotline number is (440) 247-4791. 

The hotline message begins with “Thank you for calling the Kindergarten Courage Hotline. Everybody needs some courage once in a while. You’re not alone. We have learned a lot about courage this year and we want to share some advice with you.” 

The students recorded four different options for those seeking out courage. Once a number is selected, the students speak several different messages of encouragement and kind words.

• If you need to hear to hear about having the courage to say goodbye, please press 1 

• If you need to hear about having the courage to try new things, please press 2 

• If you need to hear about having the courage to take a risk, please press 3 

• If you need to hear about having the courage to shine your light, please press 4

“The kindergarten team created the hotline, but it is intended to be used by people of all ages– everyone needs courage at different times in their lives and they've provided an additional resource to help people,” said Principal Rachel Jones, Gurney Elementary School.  “Instead of talking to someone or reporting a problem like other hotlines, this one provides you with recorded wisdom and advice from kindergarten students who have been studying and discussing courage all year long. After listening to it, they hope you’ll feel inspired to take on whatever your challenge is.”

The students from third period AP Environmental Science at Chagrin Falls High School created a video on how to recycle for their final project. This informational video shows how to properly recycle on the school campus.  They researched the District's recycling provider, recycling methods, and availability of recycling bins around the School District.

The students plan to show the video at the beginning of the year to faculty during staff meetings and to students during their welcome assemblies.  

CLICK HERE to watch the video.

Congratulations to Chagrin Falls High School graduate Camille Paoletta for winning the Ohio Educational Library Media Association's READ On! Ohio Award for Children & Teens for Northeast Ohio, 9-12 division. She made our libraries a better place! #CFChooseCourage

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Matthew Daniels has been selected as the May Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Daniels was chosen based on his leadership and service qualities he has displayed in the community.He has received several awards during his academic career including National Merit Scholar, Cum Laude Society, Presidential Scholar Nominee, Ohio Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, AP Scholar with Distinction and earned a perfect ACT score.

Daniels was the head of the school engineering club, ran track for one year and was a member of the tennis team for three years.

He participated in a variety of extracurricular activities including four years playing percussion in the band, four years in jazz band, three years in speech and debate and working crew for theater productions.

Outside of school, Daniels participated in Boy Scouts for seven years, culminating in earning his Eagle Scout Rank. He also assisted in nine other Eagle Scout projects that benefitted the Chagrin community. He is also a skier, enjoys model design and construction.

While at CFHS, Daniels took the following accelerated classes: AP World History, AP US History, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Physics 1 and 2, AP Seminar, AP Government, AP Economics, AP Statistics, AP Spanish, College Credit Plus English with Tri-C, and Intro to Engineering program at Notre Dame.

After graduation, Daniels plans to major in mechanical engineering at the University of Dayton.

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.
 
SEVENTH GRADERS

Sadie Conrad is friendly, kind, and always willing to help others. She is attentive and engaged in class discussions.  Her work stands out for its creativity and Sadie helps our class see things from interesting new perspectives. She always gives 100% in class and completes the finest work. She is focused, diligent and determined to always do her best and asks questions when a topic is unclear. Sadie takes initiative and is a leader during any classroom projects, socratic seminars, book clubs, sports or activities. Her effervescent personality is contagious.

Ashton Martin is an attentive, friendly and polite student who always says hello. He is almost always in a good mood no matter the task or the day. He is a leader by example and is not afraid to do the right thing even when it’s unpopular.  Ash is a super student who consistently completes his work and gives his best effort. Ash participates in class sharing ideas and providing thought provoking questions. It is easy for others to collaborate with Ash as he accepts other’s viewpoints, isn’t afraid to ask questions, make mistakes, or get messy. He takes his time on assignments and asks great questions if he gets stuck.
 

EIGHTH GRADERS

Audrey Solvesky is a quiet leader and is always willing to help others.  She has a good work ethic and is punctual, hardworking and focused in class.  Her observant persistence is a benefit to her classmates, and she helps us think critically on a topic or character or to solve important problems.  Audrey is an amazing violinist in the 8th grade orchestra. She also brings enthusiasm and a smile each day to the Intramural committee.

Jack Orazen is a pleasure to have in class. He is a positive student who is excited about learning and puts forth the effort needed to understand the material and isn’t afraid to ask questions and take risks!  He brings a great attitude to class and gives his best effort! Jack is kind, respectful, and helpful to others. He always has a smile on his face. He has great ideas and his enthusiasm infects the whole class every day and we appreciate his ability to focus on vital tasks.

Nine teams from Chagrin Falls Schools (a total of 216 students) competed in the Noetic Learning Math Contest in April 2022.  Students in grades 2-5 competed in a 45 minute, 20 question problem-solving contest.  Here is a link to the Chagrin Falls Spring Honors Board.

Students can earn Honor Roll if they score in the top 10% and Honorable Mention if they score in the top 50% of all the students nationwide at their grade level.  A total of 97 students earned Honorable Mention and 17 students earned Honor Roll awards from the District.

Teams are also able to earn recognition in the Noetic Math Contest.  The top six scores in each team are added together, and if the score is in the top 10% of teams in the respective grade level, a Team Achievement Award is earned.  Two of Chagrin’s teams earned this award - the 2nd grade Team Orange and the 3rd grade Team Orange.

“These amazing students are to be commended for their continued interest in stretching and challenging themselves in Math,” said Director of Curriculum Becky Quinn, Chagrin Falls Schools. “Our students are highly motivated and truly love math,” said Chagrin Falls K-12 Math Coach Barb Cymanski.

The District recognizes the following students for their outstanding achievement which has designated them as award winners from the Noetic Learning Math Contest program.

List of students who earned Honor Roll (top 10%) and Team Winners:

2nd grade:
Honor Roll - Graham Linczak, Silas Hardwick, Jake Sanson, Archer Osborn and Patrick Quigg
Team Orange Winner- Graham Linczak
Team Tiger Winner- Julia Detweiler
Team Achievement Award (top six scores): Silas Hardwick, Patrick Quigg, Jake Sanson, Graham Linczak, Archer Osborn, Liam Dixon

2nd grade Team Achievement Award winners

Patrick Quigg, Silas Hardwick, Liam Dixon, Graham Linczak, Archer Osborn, Jake Sanson

2nd grade medal winners

Silas Hardwick, Patrick Quigg, Graham Linczak, Archer Osborn, Jake Sanson, Julia Detweiler

3rd grade:
Honor Roll: Quintessence Hui, Carter Wozniak, Greg Warner, James Fracci, Christine Krug, Leo DeGeorge, Gaby Honsa-Hicks
Team Orange Winner-Greg Warner
Team Tiger Winner-Carter Wozniak
Team Mortimer Winner-Miles Warren
Team Achievement Award (top six scores): Christine Krug, Gaby Honsa-Hicks, Greg Warner, James Fracci, Leo DeGeorge, Quintessence Hui

3rd grade medal winners:

Gabriele Hicks, Carter Wozniak, Leo DeGeorge, James Fracci, Miles Warren, Quintessence Hui, Christine Krug

3rd grade Team Achievement Award

Christine Krug, Gabriele Hicks, Quintessence Hui, Leo DeGeorge, James Fracci, Greg Warner

4th grade:
Honor Roll - Danny Flaiz, Jameson Byrne
Team Orange Winner-Jameson Byrne
Team Tiger Winner-Danny Flaiz

5th grade:
Honor Roll - Lucia Detweiler, Alyssa Johnson, Quinn Warren
Team Orange Winner- Alyssa Johnson and Quinn Warren
Team Tiger Winner-Lucia Detweiler

Chagrin Falls High School senior cross country/track runner Rose Hoelzel has committed to run Track/Cross Country at Ohio State University. Rose is a four-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in cross country and a four year letter winner in track. She also participated in Swimming. Rose made it to the state cross country meet each year, and to the state track meet each year (except 2020 when there was no state tournament. Rose plans to major in computer science.

Chagrin Falls High School art student Sophia Avery won the Chagrin Falls Board of Education Art award, in which the board chooses a student in the senior class and recognizes their work from the Spring Art Show at Hamlet.

“The arts have the ability to help students develop grit and resilience in unique ways,” said Board Vice President Lori Bendall.

Avery is part of the high school’s AP 2D design program. In this open-ended course, each student chooses a concentration to focus on, resulting in a portfolio of 10 to 12 works of art. Avery chose the idea of self-healing and returning to a sense of normalcy and balance after a difficult time.

At the May 18 Board of Education meeting, she displayed her piece titled “Beyond the Linear,” which shows that going from a difficult time back to normal has not been a straight process. “It’s had its ups and downs,” said Avery.

“Anyone that sees this piece can relate to the feeling that you’ve captured in that,” said Board President Sharon Broz.

To carry on the Board’s tradition, the piece will be displayed in the Sands Community Room at the high school for one year.

Eric Morrison, a Chagrin Falls High School senior, paid homage to the trades by welding a sculpture with the letters “CF” to be displayed within the school.

Janet Coriell, intervention specialist for Chagrin Falls Schools, had Morrison as a student in a math class. She required seniors in the group to complete a capstone project in the form of community service. Each student had to develop a project, plan, and budget it. Morrison knew he wanted to do welding from the start. He said, “I want to do it for the school, but I also want to promote welding and the trades.”

The project had to include math, so Eric measured dimensions and weight when determining the size and materials he needed to create the sculpture, and created a budget for his project. Along the way, he ran into some red tape and sent countless emails to complete his project.

“You navigated all the unexpected obstacles and made it happen,” said Coriell.

Teachers from Chagrin’s Excel TECC program, of which Morrison is a member, donated over half of the project funds in material alone. Tiger Prep and the Chagrin Falls Dads Club gave money for the sculpture mounting, powder coating, and plaque.

Fabrication of the letters began March 4 and finished at the end of the first week of May. The letters were welded, powder coated and mounted. “I built it as a service to promote trades and bring awareness to how the trades are dying,” said Morrison. “In all honesty, if we don’t have trades, we don’t have anything.”

When he picked up his project from being powder coated, Morrison received a job offer from the shop after employees saw the work that he did. The sculpture will be displayed within the high school library

World language teachers at Chagrin Falls Schools have developed and implemented a successful K-12 world language program that acknowledges and reinforces language proficiency and cultural awareness by encouraging students' proficiency in multiple world languages.

To recognize student achievement in World Languages, the Ohio Department of Education has established the Seal of Biliteracy. This prestigious designation means that the student is proficient in two languages after taking a nationally normed assessment (AAPPL).  Students must score at a proficiency level of at least Intermediate High in all modes of the tested language, which indicates that they would be able to effectively use their language skills in a business or professional setting.  

Chagrin Falls High School World Language teachers Lisa Fetterman, Jen Stone, and Laurie Walsh are pleased to announce that the following seniors have earned this distinction and will wear an honorary red cord at graduation: Ella Angel, Genevieve Armstrong, Sophia Avery, Christopher Baker, Duncan Bannerman, Joseph Cimperman, Samuel Clark, Madalyn Couch, Aleeta Cowan, Isabelle Coy, Matthew Daniels, Aubree Daugherty, Noah Elconin, Leo Fornara, Peyton Gellin, Alyson Kaplansky, Emma Murphy, Azzura Opperman, Brenna Sincaglia, Claire Stinson, Calvin Struk-Marn, Maximilian Tucker, Alison Tull, Kinga Turoczi, and Amanda Williams.

Before the Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior class said goodbye, they first said hello to the new kindergarteners who will be starting at Gurney Elementary School in the fall.

CFHS seniors were invited to be part of setting a new tradition - welcoming kindergarteners with a personal visit to their home! Every spring, students registered to start kindergarten in the upcoming school year receive yard signs saying, “A new Tiger is coming to Gurney Elementary School! Welcome to Kindergarten!” All summer long the signs help the future students feel excited and proud to be starting school. And now the experience is made even more special as graduating seniors hand-deliver the signs with a personal welcome.

On Saturday, May 7, each participating senior wore their CF spirit wear or clothing representing the college they’ll be attending in the fall as they introduced themselves to the future CF Tigers and their families. Then, with parent permission, the graduating senior and incoming kindergarten student took a photo together next to the sign. Photos were posted on the school’s social media with the hashtag #CFChooseCourage or #Classof2022and2035.

With this new tradition, the high school seniors will exemplify what they learned from reading the book Courage and diving into courage themes throughout the year as part of the District’s One District One Book program. Needing courage or having courage are experiences to which people of any and all ages can relate. These incoming kindergarten students will need courage to go to a new school building, meet a new teacher and all new classmates. These graduating seniors will need courage to possibly live away from home for the first time and meet all new teachers and all new classmates. The class of 2022 and the class of 2035 have this similar, courageous experience ahead of them and so it is only fitting for them to meet one another! Gurney Principal Rachel Jones said, “In this one simple act, you are demonstrating the courage to say goodbye and showing how we give courage to each other for what lies ahead.”

Chagrin Falls Schools teacher Heather Reeder was awarded the 2021-22 Chagrin Valley Rotary Club Teacher of the Year award after nearly 30 years teaching in the Chagrin Falls School District.

Reeder had an affinity for working with children at a young age as a babysitter and day camp counselor. She was surrounded by education as her mother was a preschool teacher and her father trained employees in his field.

“There was no other choice for me,” said Reeder.

She attended Bowling Green State University where she double majored in early childhood education and elementary education. She later earned her Master’s Degree and reading endorsement from John Carroll. After her graduation in the early 90s, she began substitute teaching locally and became a long-term sub for a fifth-grade class at CFEVS. She was later hired as a full-time fifth-grade teacher in 1993. 

Reeder started teaching fifth grade, was moved to the fourth grade for five years, taught third graders at Gurney Elementary School for nine years and kindergarten for 10 years. She‘s enjoyed every age she has taught over the years.

When the district needed Intermediate School teachers in 2018, Reeder volunteered to teach fourth graders and is still in that classroom today. There, she teaches math, science, social studies, and English language arts (ELA).

“I loved everything I have taught, but I have a real passion for reading and writing,” said Reeder.

Curtis Howell, principal for Chagrin Falls Intermediate School, nominated Reeder for the Teacher of the Year award. Following the nomination was an interview with Rotary Club members.

Reeder said as part of the interview process, she had to write a resume, requiring her to look back at her years of teaching and committee work. “There were a lot of memories,” said Reeder. “My daughter is taking a great business class at the high school this year and helped me update my resume. A few things have changed since 1992.”

She was invited to a celebratory breakfast where she received a plaque naming her Teacher of the Year and a plate with her name on it to be displayed by the Chagrin Falls Board of Education.Reeder said she was excited to receive the honor. “I teach with such amazing people; it’s a privilege to be chosen,” she said.

Reeder moved to Chagrin Falls at a young age and is now raising her two children, Charlie and Caroline, in the village along with her husband, Chris. She enjoys spending time with her family- including her two dogs, crafting, playing paddle and volleyball. Her popular 2010 book, Chagrin Falls Our Village Letter by Letter, was recently updated and republished as a “10 year +1 Anniversary Edition.” 

After the pandemic resulted in a hybrid classroom model, Reeder is very glad to have students back in person. “I missed seeing their smiles!”

Her oldest students are now in their late 30s and she has had some of their children in her classes. Reeder said the kids are her favorite part of the job and she loves finding out what they are up to after leaving her classroom. “Catching up with a student from years ago is one of the most gratifying experiences. It fills me with pure joy.”

The Tigers of the Semester Award is presented to students who exemplify a positive attitude, work ethic, achievement in the classroom and service to fellow students and teachers at Chagrin Falls High School. Teachers nominate one student from their classes that impressed them with their achievement, attitude, hard work, willingness to help others and growth during the first half of the year. First semester Tigers were honored with a virtual presentation. The award program is sponsored by Interact Club and advisors Karen Sindelar and Janet Coriell and organized the interactive presentation that featured personalized messages from each teacher who nominated a student.

Tigers of the Spring Semester of the 2021-22 school year are Matthew Angelino, Xander Burnight, Brandon Castelluccio, Hannah DiGiampietro, Mia Eaves, Maddie Ferguson, Mason Hart, Calvin Hill, Edward Jansen, Marie Kanzinger, James Kosmides, Alexis Lagemann, Margaret Malarney, Cece Mergenhagen, Natalie Nemunaitis, Saturn Owens-Paquette, Nicolina Reid, Carlo Ricco, Nick Rohde, Ava Rose, Julian Seese, Lauren Vasko, Gavin Welter, Kyla Williams and Greg Wilson.

“Recognition like this is so important as we want to encourage characteristics like kindness, compassion, work ethic and service,” said Principal Monica Asher, Chagrin Falls High School.  “We are so proud of the accomplishments of our students but we are even more proud of the kind of people they are becoming.”

Library Media Specialist Angie Jameson partnered with Chagrin Falls High School English teacher Jean Kanzinger to bring Sora to the Chagrin Falls English curriculum for the entire 2021-22 school year, resulting in an award in the Global Schools Stars contest.
 
The Schools Stars global contest celebrates how schools promote Sora around the world. Created by Overdrive, Sora is a digital reading app for schools.
 
Chagrin Falls Schools was selected as the Best Use of Sora in the Supporting Learning Objectives category. Jameson submitted a video outlining the Sora integration.
 
Throughout the school year, she and Kanzinger planned choice outside reading units for students. The units included genres such as science-fiction, graphic novels, verse novels and story collections. Jameson used funding from an ARPA grant to support each genre and its needs.
 
In December 2021, students participated in an audiobook unit, in which they used Sora to listen to a book and took digital notes including sketches to improve their digital literacy skills. This paired art and note taking while utilizing school iPads, funded by the Education Foundation.
 
Another curriculum example was linking Google Slides with Sora text directly so students could choose a novel or verse book from the slides and click to view the digital text.
 
Jameson said the lead times for delivery of physical books was excessive. “Without Sora we wouldn’t have seen success with this reading unit,” she said.
 
One of the larger projects involved high schoolers reading a picture book aloud and recording themselves reading it. In the submission video, Jameson showed clips of tenth graders JP Zimmer and Zoe Jones reading from their favorite childhood books. Students then used the design program Canva to create a postcard for the book, which included a QR code that Gurney Elementary students could scan to view the recorded reading.
 
A Sora sticker was included with each postcard to remind people of the Sora connection. Chagrin Falls eighth-grader Maya Ochiai designed the sticker and printed it using the school’s wide format printer.
 
Jameson said the read aloud project was taken a step further when employees from the Tiger Café, a school café that employs both typical students and those with special needs, came to Gurney Elementary. Every student at Gurney watched Zoe Jones’ reading of “Just Ask” by Associate Justice of the US Supreme Court, Sonia Sotomayor, as part of a kickoff to a discussion on adversity, acceptance and kindness.
 
Jameson said the Sora opportunity “allowed us to bring Sora to our K through 3 building in ways that I could have never imagined at the beginning of the school year.”

As the end of the 2021-22 school year approaches, Chagrin Falls Schools is completing phase one of the District’s strategic planning process by holding in-person community engagement roundtables (focus groups).  These roundtables will be opportunities for staff, parents, alumni, and community to come together and have the opportunity to listen and learn from each other.  Students in grades 7-12 are also welcome to attend and share their experiences with parent/guardian permission. Each session will have a maximum of 100 people. 

Sessions will be held on Thursday, May 19 in the Chagrin Falls High School commons and Tuesday, May 24 in the Chagrin Falls Intermediate School cafeteria.  There are three 1 ½ hour sessions on each day ranging from 3:30 - 9:30 p.m.

“Based on what we have learned so far from our school community through conversations with our students, staff, parents, alumni, and community partners and through the Listen/Learn Questionnaire and Board meetings, we have five areas of focus that we will be discussing,” said Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools.

1. How could the District strengthen or extend its current mission, vision, and values? Why?

2. How could the District strengthen or extend its preliminary profile of a graduate based on what has been learned these past two years? Why?

3. What could the District do to advance student and staff mental, physical, and emotional well-being? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

4. What could the District do to advance academic excellence and future fluencies in a learner and learning-centered experience? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

5. What could the District do to provide students with the tools, partnerships, infrastructure, and resources they need? What’s working well and not working well? Why?

For community members that have not had the opportunity to share their thoughts and opinions about their School District yet, these community engagement roundtable will give them that opportunity.  If residents are unable to attend these roundtables, the District has more opportunities to participate throughout the strategic planning process.

An email communication was shared on April 29, 2022, to parents and those residents who have signed up to receive District news and information through ConstantContact about the upcoming Community Engagement Roundtables and how to sign-up.  Information can also be found on the District website homepage.

If residents have any trouble accessing the information or sign-up form, please contact Mike Daugherty at Mike.Daugherty@chagrinschools.org.

“Thank you to our residents for their continued support and willingness to partner with us to elevate the educational experience for all of our students,” said Penczarski.

Story was written by Katie Jones, Student, Chagrin Falls Middle School
Interviews completed by Katie Jones and Gus Bando, Students, Chagrin Falls Middle School
By Katie Jones and Gus Bando, Students, Chagrin Falls Middle School

Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools Instructional Technology Coach Molly Klodor recently won the PBS Ideastream Innovative Educator Award.

Mrs. Klodor co-teaching with Mrs. Hinesman to introduce the first-annual Toy Convention. (Katie Jones)

Klodor accepted the award on Tuesday April 12, 2022 at the ceremony where she presented the key to her success to the Ideastream audience and guest attendees.For a chance to win this honor, nominees had to thrive as an innovative technology user as a teacher, and she was nominated by Director of Technology and Innovation Mike Daugherty and library media specialist Angie Jameson.

Daugherty chose to nominate Klodor because she has done an amazing job building relationships and serving the students, teachers, and staff across the whole district. Daugherty said, “Mrs. Klodor has been an excellent addition to our Chagrin team.  We are lucky to have such a talented, caring individual in our district.”

So far at Chagrin Falls Schools, Klodor has accomplished many achievements. Klodor has been working on strengthening areas of communication. She said, “this year we have worked on improving how we communicate our technology and the tools that we have to the teachers.”

Klodor has accomplished a lot at Chagrin in one year, which has been really exciting for her. She also stated that this year she has worked on making a new website, making lots of new posters, and emailing with students and teachers more frequently. But what she found most enjoyable and most exciting was being able to get into different classrooms and create some new projects.

In addition, Klodor has recently been working on a science project with seventh-grade science teacher Alison Hinesman, seventh and eighth-grade science teacher Emily Moore and Angie Jameson.

Hineman said the team wanted to come up with a project for all seventh-grade science students that would allow them access to the Creation Lab. The idea of the project was that students would have the ability to use the innovation center to create a toy that utilizes energy transfers to work. Students were allowed to use any of the machines in the Creation Lab to create prototypes of their toys.

This is the first major project Klodor and Hinesman have worked on together, but Hinesman loved being able to see their ideas come to life. Hinesman said, “Mrs. Klodor was a huge asset in helping come up with a plan and developing the lesson materials we would use.”

Klodor’s day-to-day job at Chagrin is different every day. Some days she spends with classes like science and Project Lead The Way, but other days, when she doesn’t have a lot of classroom visits, she spends much of her time researching and finding new resources, communicating with teachers, and trying to build out plans for when she can be in their classes.

Klodor has impacted both students and staff during her first year in Chagrin Falls. Hinesman said, “she’s amazing at bouncing ideas off of and has pushed me to be a better educator.”

Students in the Project Lead the Way class learned about digital citizenship when Klodor served as a guest teacher.  Eighth-grader Ethan Johnson said, “digital safety is extremely important in our generation, and I am glad we are able to learn about it at a young age.”

Another eighth-grader, Molly Macioch, stated, “It seemed like she was very happy to be doing her job and she seemed very passionate about what she was teaching, and I was able to learn about some other ways I can be safe online.” Klodor really knows her stuff and is very helpful.

Before Chagrin, she taught at Streetsboro City Schools for eight years, and while she was there she taught 9th, 10th, and 12th grade advanced placement English literature.

Klodor earned her undergraduate degree from Ohio University, and she has a master’s in curriculum and instruction, which she earned from Kent State University, and she is currently in school to get her Doctorate degree at the University of Findlay.  Klodor plays a very important role in many digital initiatives throughout all of the Chagrin Falls Schools. 

The Chagrin Falls Schools’ Spring Art Show was held April 28 through May 1 at Hamlet at Chagrin Falls.  Hundreds of pieces of art from Chagrin Falls’ middle and high school students were on display.

At the award ceremony on April 28, Debbie Cirillo, executive director of Hamlet at Chagrin Falls, welcomed the students, families, and Hamlet residents.  Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski gave the opening remarks and introduced and thanked the talented art department staff.  The awards presented to students were done by art teachers Libby Harrold, Dawn Serazin, Jill Eisert and Amy Fenton. 

During the award ceremony, music was provided by students Mathew Leibold, Hanson Song, Trey Taylor, Jilian Vehar, Sofia Clark, Carter Kilby, Kate Stephenson and Lliam Baskette.

Award Highlights include:

VALLEY ART CENTER AWARDS - Ella Publicover and Chloe Nightwine 

CLEVELAND PRINT ROOM BLACK & WHITE FILM AWARD - Colin Weaver

 HAMLET BEST IN SHOW - Annie Mills 

HAMLET HIGH SCHOOL GOLD - Ryan Hill 

HAMLET HIGH SCHOOL SILVER - Marie Kanzinger 

CHAGRIN FALLS VILLAGE COUNCIL - Charles Taylor 

DADS’ CLUB AWARD - Hollie Markham, Tatum Yanchar and Andrew Thompson 

BOARD OF EDUCATION AWARD - Sophia Avery 

PTO AWARDS Anna Baker, Elizabeth Rankin, Caitlyn Young and Wade Daugherty 

OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPHY/COMPUTER GRAPHICS - Ella Spremulli and Julia Stotter 

OUTSTANDING 2-D ARTISTS - Celia Hawk and Jennie Wouters 

OUTSTANDING 3-D ARTISTS - Delainey Wyville and Maya Rooney 

HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S AWARD - Riley Myers 

MIDDLE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL’S AWARD - Harper Stewart

View all the award-winning artwork and videos at www.cfsartshow.com.

The co-chairs of this year’s show were Dr. Nancy Burnham and Beth Gresh.  

Students who have committed to attending art school and/or studying visual arts after graduation include Delainey Wyville (College for Creative Arts - Art Education and Art Practice); Rose Hoelzel (Animation/Illustration); Smith McKee (University of Miami - Architecture); Casper Calder (Cleveland Institute of Art - Animation); Abigail Laws (Fashion Studies - Arizona State University); Mia Charlton (University of Cincinnati - Fine Arts); and Ella Publicover (Art Career Bound).

Chagrin Falls Middle School (CFMS) seventh graders in Alison Hinesman and Emily Moore’s class participated in the CFMS First Annual Toy Convention this past April.  Working alongside Tech Integration and Instructional Coach Molly Klodor, Library Media Specialist Angie Jameson, and Makerspace Implementer Dave Kimball in the Creation Lab of the District’s Innovation Center, students created or modified a toy that demonstrated how energy transfers.   “Our goal was to encourage students to use and explore new tools and find new ways to create,” said Hinesman.  “They used the design process foundations from Project Lead the Way to create a toy using the 3D printer and other equipment.  Their toys were then judged in our first ever Toy Convention.”

Students from the 7-12 Chinese Program offered within Chagrin Falls Middle School and Chagrin Falls High School earned top awards from the 8th Ohio K-12 Chinese Essay Contest. 

The Ohio K-12 Chinese Essay Contest is an annual competition for elementary, middle, and high school students from Ohio.  During the March 2022 competition, students competed by composing an essay written in Chinese characters on a selected topic. The essays were then judged by experienced Chinese language teachers.

Nine students from Chagrin Falls Middle School and Chagrin Falls High School  placed in this year's competition:

Gold Award winners:

• Ethan Nielsen - Grade 7, Chagrin Falls Middle School

• Hailey Haddon - Grade 8, Chagrin Falls Middle School 

• Abraham Thurman - Grade 9, Chagrin Falls High School 

• Marnie Demangone - Grade 11, Chagrin Falls High School 

Silver Award winners:

• Bethany Vehar - Grade 7, Chagrin Falls Middle School

• Hailey Haddon - Grade 8, Chagrin Falls Middle School (competed in 2 topics)

• Rory Rohde - Grade 8, Chagrin Falls Middle School

Honorable Mention:

• Anna Khudyakov - Grade 7, Chagrin Falls Middle School

• Juliet Oliver - Grade 7, Chagrin Falls Middle School 

• Layla Hauserman - Grade 8, Chagrin Falls Middle School

Elizabeth Rankin, a junior at Chagrin Falls High School, wrote a paper last school year for her AP Seminar class on the effects of fast fashion on the environment.  She was intrigued by this subject and decided to explore the topic further this school year in her AP Research class.  She wrote her paper on the effects of the greenwash market by fast fashion companies on the purchasing habits of high school students. This work dovetailed into further exploring the effects of fast fashion in the form of an art project in her 3D Portfolio art class.  

Fast fashion is a business model designed to make trendy clothing available to the consumer at low prices. Greenwash marketing occurs when a company says it is environmentally conscious for marketing purposes but is not making any notable sustainability efforts.

“This interdisciplinary learning experience reflects the personalized opportunities available to our students at Chagrin Falls Schools,” said Director of Curriculum and Instruction Becky Quinn. “Students like Elizabeth are able to maximize their potential in ways that are relevant, cohesive, and meaningful. 

In the Chagrin Falls Schools’ Spring Art Show, Rankin received an award from the PTO for her pieces. 

Matthew Daniels and Alexandra Holtz, seniors at Chagrin Falls High School, have been named National Merit Finalists in the 67th National Merit Scholarship Program.

Daniels and Holtz will receive corporate-sponsored awards that are financed by corporations, foundations and other organizations.  These awards can be renewable for up to four years of undergraduate study and range from $1,000 to $10,000/year.  Students and a high school official submitted a scholarship application, including academic records, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards.

On April 28, approximately 38 Tiger Perk students from Chagrin Falls Middle and High School took a field trip to Gurney Elementary School. During their visit, they visited the classrooms to give presentations that include a video about Tiger Perk Cafe and talk about their work experience. There was also an opportunity for the younger students to ask questions. 

Launched in 2018, Tiger Perk Cafe is a student-run coffee service that is a fun and functional job skills program to benefit Chagrin Falls’ students who have special needs.

Before the Tiger Perk students visited the elementary school, Gurney classroom teachers showed a video of high school student Zoe Jones reading the story “Just Ask: Be Different, Be Brave, Be You!” which celebrates everyone’s differences and goes along with the theme “Courage is my Superpower” as well as April’s District-wide theme of “the courage to take a risk and persist.” 

The goals of the visit included sharing about the courage to persist and take a risk, recognizing differences are what make people special, and that uniqueness is a super power. “The high school and middle school Tiger Perk students were able to develop as leaders and connect with the elementary students and Gurney staff members were able to reconnect with former students,” said Principal Rachel Jones, Gurney Elementary School. 

Afterward, the teachers facilitated the start of a construction paper classroom banner where the students colored and wrote what makes them unique on the patches. During the Tiger Perk students' visit, each elementary student had a chance to share what they wrote on their patch and the Tiger Perk students helped the Gurney students attach their patch to the class quilt. 

Throughout the day, Tiger Perk students also prepared and delivered appreciation drinks for the teachers between their presentations. Each Gurney student received a Chromebook/water bottle Courage Superhero sticker.

Chagrin Falls High School ranks in the top 1% of high schools nationally, based on the 2022 rankings from the U.S. News & World Report.   Chagrin Falls High School is ranked #2 in Cleveland, #8 in Ohio and #353 in national rankings.  In addition, the school was nationally ranked #89 in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) high schools and ranked #1 in STEM in the State of Ohio. Nearly 24,000 schools were nationally ranked and 750 schools were ranked in Ohio. 

Ranking factors included college readiness; college curriculum; math and reading proficiency and performance and graduation rate.

The detailed report can be found here.

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.

SEVENTH GRADERS

Alaina Woyt is a quiet leader.  She leads with integrity, is kind to her peers, and is always patient and willing to help others. She comes to class prepared each day, ready to learn.  She is a hard worker, works well with peers, stays focused, and produces high quality work.  Alaina seeks out feedback and then is willing to make revisions in order to make her writing stronger and more focused. You never have to wonder if Alaina has questions, she’s a fantastic self-advocate. Her follow up questions enhance not only her own learning, but that of her peers as well. She is a fantastic contributor to her math team, works well with all her peers and always has a positive attitude. 

Cortland Miller has an inquisitive mind. His ability to assess situations from different angles pushes others to think outside the box. Cortland is always on task and prepared for class.  He is kind, polite, and willing to ask questions and help others.  He always has a smile on his face and will engage in conversations with his peers and teachers. Cortland has been working very hard this year to practice and prepare for his classes.  This effort has helped him and his teammates make some fun discoveries.  Cortland is a leader in English language arts.  He raises thoughtful discussion questions in class, is always prepared with his assignments, and stays focused the entire period.  He is very reliable and works well with his peers. Cortland is an amazing violinist in the seventh-grade orchestra. He is always prepared for rehearsals and has made tremendous progress this year. 

EIGHTH GRADERS 

Claire Hoelzel is a true leader in the eighth grade.  She is a great teammate both inside and outside of the classroom. Claire is always attentive, helpful and consistently produces outstanding work. She is a valuable classmate who always carefully considers several points of view to help her make the best choices. Claire volunteers her time every week as a peer tutor, where she humbly and skillfully helps the students master material.  Claire is a leader and a great competitor for the middle school track team as well.

James Wagner is consistently prepared, hard-working, and willing to help his peers. He continually produces quality work and is engaged in class discussion, and his early morning energy and enthusiasm help us all do great work.  James is a great example of a model student. He is engaged in the class activities and discussions. He comes prepared and ready to focus throughout the class period.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) inducted 35 students from the Class of 2022 into the Cum Laude Society. This society is among the oldest academic honor organizations in the country for high school students.

The Cum Laude Society was organized by Dr. Abram W. Harris, Director of the Tome School in Maryland, in 1906. He envisioned a society modeled after the well-known Phi Beta Kappa that would encourage and recognize true scholarship. Harris believed that a student’s scholastic achievement in secondary school was as important to recognize as other accomplishments made while in school.

The society is still based on three core values that come from Ancient Greece. These are Arete, which means moral goodness and living up to one’s potential; Dike, which is the concept of justice; and Time, which relates to being true to what is right and acting with honor.

The Cum Laude Society has 382 chapters throughout the United States, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, France, and Spain. Approximately 4,000 new student members are inducted each year and only 20% of the senior class may be inducted.

CFHS held the Cum Laude induction ceremony on April 7. It began with a welcome from CFHS Principal Monica Asher. Advisor to the society, Lisa Salyers, then gave a history and motto of the Cum Laude Society. The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools, and following her talk was the introduction and induction of the new society members by Assistant Principal Amanda Rassi.

This year’s Cum Laude Society members are: Ella Angel, Sophia Avery, Robert Brosnan, Lance Buescher, Claire Coffey, Madalyn Couch, Aleeta Cowan, Matthew Daniels, Aubree Daugherty, Jozef Deruytter, Leo Fornara, Adam Hamdan, Celia Hawk, Calvin Hill, Rose Hoelzel, Alexandra Holtz, Carter Kilby, Sarah Lynch, Fiona Markey, Ryan Mateyo, Anne Mills, Emma Murphy, Emily Nemunaitis, Azzurra Opperman, Camille Paoletta, Jane Peck, Joshua Rooney, Brenna Sincaglia, David Skocic, Hansen Song, Claire Stinson, Trey Taylor, Maximillian Tucker, Brett Vaccaro and Andrew Zimcosky.

With a district-wide theme of Choose Courage: Overcoming Adversity for the month of March, students and staff at Chagrin Falls Schools participated in the Harvest for Hunger Food Drive to help the one out of six children in Northeast Ohio that face hunger each day.  Donations were given to The Greater Cleveland Food Bank.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank distributes food to nearly 1,000 local food pantries, hot meal programs, mobile pantries, programs for the elderly and other nonprofit agencies serving more than 300,000 people yearly.

Gurney Elementary School, in partnership with the Chagrin Falls Fire Department, collected non-perishable food items for the Greater Cleveland Food Bank as part of their annual Harvest for Hunger campaign. Students and staff collected more than 5734 pounds of food and raised $586.75 in monetary donations.

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School, also in partnership with the Chagrin Falls Fire Department, collected non-perishable food items to support the Greater Cleveland Food Bank as part of their annual Harvest for Hunger campaign. Starting on March 14, students brought in non-perishable food items to the collection boxes located in each grade level Learning Commons area.  They also created an online virtual food drive.  Students and staff collected more than 600 canned goods and 100 boxed meals.

The Harvest for Hunger Food Drive at Chagrin Falls Middle School is coordinated by the Student Council each year.  The school typically competes in a March Madness style tournament where different advisory classes compete against one another in various rounds to see who can bring in the most items. This year, Polly Mitchell's homeroom was the winner, bringing in more than 700 items. CFMS brought in more than 2,000 items this year to be donated to the Cleveland Food Bank. Top contributing students from each grade are looking to volunteer on an upcoming day at the Food Bank.

Water for South Sudan is a nonprofit charity whose mission is to deliver sustainable quality-of-life services to and with the people of South Sudan by efficiently providing access to clean, safe water, and improving hygiene and sanitation practices in areas of great need.

By raising $25,576.47, the Chagrin Falls Middle School (CFMS) Class of 2026 won the Iron Giraffe Challenge Super School for raising the most money in the country. 

By winning this year's Super School Award, CFMS will have a video call with the founder of Water for South Sudan, Salva Dut. 

Salva Dut was born in a rural village in southwestern Sudan to the Dinka tribe. At 11 years old, the Sudanese Civil War reached his village and separated Salva from his family. He joined thousands of boys, famously known as the "Lost Boys," on their journey by foot to seek safety in refugee camps in Ethiopia and Kenya. After living in refugee camps for 10 years, Salva was given the opportunity to move to the United States, where he was embraced by a family in Rochester, New York. Several years later, Salva learned that his father was still alive in Southern Sudan but was suffering with disease caused by waterborne parasites. His father’s illness inspired Salva to help both his father and his country by bringing clean water to those in need. This was the beginning of Water for South Sudan. 

This past February, Water for South Sudan was able to put two new wells in South Sudan because of the efforts of CFMS. This makes a total of three wells CFMS has been able to raise enough money for. There are hopes to build a fourth well after this year's fundraising efforts. They are only $7,400 away. Each well costs $15,000 to build. 

This year’s Cardboard Regatta event will take place the morning of June 2 at the Chagrin Rec pool.  Students are currently forming teams and organizing their fundraising efforts. Students should be sending out links to their fundraising pages within the next few weeks. 

“This project is inspiring for so many reasons. The teachers work collaboratively to create meaningful, relevant connections while students work towards a common goal and develop deep understanding in multiple contents and global empathy,” said Principal Laila Discenza, Chagrin Falls Middle School. “Community members donate and support and the outcome is fresh water access is for those in need. What a wonderful way we all come together. It’s a true experience for all involved.”

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) inducted 35 students from the Class of 2022 into the Cum Laude Society. This society is among the oldest academic honor organizations in the country for high school students.

The Cum Laude Society was organized by Dr. Abram W. Harris, Director of the Tome School in Maryland, in 1906. He envisioned a society modeled after the well-known Phi Beta Kappa that would encourage and recognize true scholarship. Harris believed that a student’s scholastic achievement in secondary school was as important to recognize as other accomplishments made while in school.

The society is still based on three core values that come from Ancient Greece. These are Arete, which means moral goodness and living up to one’s potential; Dike, which is the concept of justice; and Time, which relates to being true to what is right and acting with honor.

The Cum Laude Society has 382 chapters throughout the United States, Philippines, Puerto Rico, Canada, England, France, and Spain. Approximately 4,000 new student members are inducted each year and only 20% of the senior class may be inducted.

CFHS held the Cum Laude induction ceremony on April 7. It began with a welcome from CFHS Principal Monica Asher. Advisor to the society, Lisa Salyers, then gave a history and motto of the Cum Laude Society. The keynote speaker for the ceremony was Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools, and following her talk was the introduction and induction of the new society members by Assistant Principal Amanda Rassi.

This year’s Cum Laude Society members are: Ella Angel, Sophia Avery, Robert Brosnan, Lance Buescher, Claire Coffey, Madalyn Couch, Aleeta Cowan, Matthew Daniels, Aubree Daugherty, Jozef Deruytter, Leo Fornara, Adam Hamdan, Celia Hawk, Calvin Hill, Rose Hoelzel, Alexandra Holtz, Carter Kilby, Sarah Lynch, Fiona Markey, Ryan Mateyo, Anne Mills, Emma Murphy, Emily Nemunaitis, Azzurra Opperman, Camille Paoletta, Jane Peck, Joshua Rooney, Brenna Sincaglia, David Skocic, Hansen Song, Claire Stinson, Trey Taylor, Maximillian Tucker, Brett Vaccaro and Andrew Zimcosky.

On April 19, Gurney Elementary School students enjoyed a performance by Dancing Wheels Company, a physically integrated dance company that includes both “sit-down” (wheelchair) and “stand-up” dancers. 

Students learned how the wheelchair dancers in The Dancing Wheels Company have mobility impairments. They may not be able to stand or walk without assistance, so they use a wheelchair as an adaptation to move. In the dance world, it is usually assumed that people need to have full use of their legs to be dancers. The Dancing Wheels dancers, however, use their creativity, talents, and determination to show people that the ability to walk is not always necessary to dance.

Students also learned that by being open to accessibility options, the Dancing Wheels dancers are able to dance, which is something they enjoy doing and want to do. Other dancers who have worked with Dancing Wheels may or may not have other types of disabilities such as hearing or vision impairments. For each person, the type of adaptations that are made, the way that person dances and the contributions to the dance company are truly individual.

“These dancers exemplify COURAGE and are beautiful performers,” said Principal Rachel Jones, Gurney Elementary School. “It was especially fun when they taught students some of their dance moves.”

Special thanks to the Chagrin Falls PTO for helping to make this assembly possible for the students and staff.

The dance troupe was established in 1980 by Mary Verdi-Fletcher. Verdi-Fletcher who was born with Spina Bifida and uses a wheelchair for mobility, created the dance company to provide an opportunity for all people of all abilities to experience the artistic expression that dance provides. The Dancing Wheels School is located in Cleveland and is the only school in Ohio focused on fully physically integrated movement and dance classes.

Disney’s The Jungle Book KIDS will be performed at the Chagrin Falls Intermediate School (CFIS) auditorium on Friday, April 29 at 7 p.m., Saturday, April 30 at 2 p.m. and Sunday, May 1 at 2 p.m. The high energy youth musical is based on the Rudyard Kipling novel and the beloved 1967 Disney film. This Chagrin Falls Community Education Showtime Junior! production includes a cast of 64 and a student crew of 14.  The show is designed and directed by retired Chagrin Falls Music Teacher, Pat Keller Haynish, with assistance from CFIS teacher Kathy Ohlrich.

The jungle is jumpin’ with jazz in this exciting adaptation of the classic Disney animated feature film.  Join Mowgli, Baloo, King Louie, Bagheera and the gang as they swing their way through madcap adventures and thwart the ferocious tiger, Shere Khan.  Classic Disney song favorites include: “The Bare Necessities” and “I Wan’na Be Like You.”  With colorful characters and that toe-taping jungle rhythm, The Jungle Book KIDS is sure to be a crowd-pleaser for all ages! 

Tickets are available for all performances (Adults $12, Students $9) and may be purchased online at:  Tinyurl.com/CFCEtickets or by calling Chagrin Falls Community Education (440)247-5375.

Chagrin Falls High School senior tennis player Andrew Zimcosky has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Cleveland State University. Andrew is a four-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in tennis. Andrew has won the state championship in 2019 and 2021. He has been the CVC MVP those two years as well. Andrew plans to major in computer engineering.

Chagrin Falls High School senior cross country/track runner Hunter Longo will continue his athletic career at Wagner College. Hunter is a four-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in cross country and a four-year letter winner in track. This past fall he made it to the state meet in cross country. Hunter plans to major in finance.

Chagrin Falls High School senior football player Max Moore will continue his athletic career at Bluffton University. Max is a two-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in football and a three-year letter winner in lacrosse. This past fall he made all conference and all Ohio in football. Max plans to major in criminology.

Chagrin Falls High School senior cross country runner Isaac Bourne will continue his athletic career at John Carroll University. Isaac is a four-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in cross country and a three-year letter winner in track. This past fall, he made it to the state meet in cross country. Isaac plans to major in political science or marketing.

Chagrin Falls has been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.  Now in its 23rd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, Band Director Casidy Reed answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“One of my goals of my first year at Chagrin was to honor the hard work and dedication of my wonderful colleagues and our students. We have incredible support from our community, especially through our Music Lovers booster organization, and I wanted to highlight that excellence. Our students continue to make our jobs rewarding and fulfilling, and I hope to continue honoring our accomplishments in years to come. We as a music faculty are grateful to be a part of such a wonderful District,” says Reed.

Chagrin Falls is one of 47 schools in Ohio to be recognized this year. In the United States, 738 school districts and 80 schools were recognized for their outstanding efforts by teachers, administrators, parents, students, and community leaders and their support for music education as part of a well-rounded education for all children.

Since the passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) in 2015 and a stated emphasis on a well-rounded education, many school districts have re-committed to music and arts education programs. During the pandemic, music and arts programs were a vital component to keeping students engaged in school. ESSA provides designated funding for well-rounded educational opportunities through Title IV Part A Student Academic Success and Achievement grants. NAMM Foundation research has revealed that these grants are being widely used by school districts to address instructional gaps in access to music and arts education.  

Research into music education continues to demonstrate educational/cognitive and social skill benefits for children who make music: After two years of music education, researchers found that participants showed more substantial improvements in how the brain processes speech and reading scores than their less-involved peers and that students who are involved in music are not only more likely to graduate high school, but also to attend college as well. Everyday listening skills are stronger in musically trained children than in those without music training. Significantly, listening skills are closely tied to the ability to: perceive speech in a noisy background, pay attention, and keep sounds in memory. Later in life, individuals who took music lessons as children show stronger neural processing of sound: young adults and even older adults who have not played an instrument for up to 50 years show enhanced neural processing compared to their peers. Not to mention, social benefits include conflict resolution, teamwork skills, and how to give and receive constructive criticism.

Chagrin Falls Schools provide each student with opportunities for music education and growth throughout K-12. Students have the opportunity to be a part of general music classes, music theory, songwriting, choir, orchestra, and band. Chagrin Falls students have auditioned and been accepted in the OMEA Northeast Regional Orchestra, OMEA All-State Orchestra, OMEA All-State Bands, and the NAfME All-National High School Orchestra. Chagrin Falls students have also been members of the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra and Chorus, Cleveland Contemporary Youth Orchestra, Cleveland Pops Orchestra, Akron Youth Symphony, CIM Preparatory Orchestras, the Cleveland Youth Wind Symphony, and various OMEA District and State Honors Bands.

Community outreach is an important part of the Chagrin Falls music program, including community events, parades, concerts, and theater performances. The Chagrin Falls Music Department partners with Chagrin Arts and other community organizations to host and perform with world-renowned musicians including, “Project Trio”. All music ensembles have the opportunity to perform for the public, performing multiple concerts a year. In the spring, the Chagrin Falls High School Marching Band, Orchestra, and Concert Choir will be performing at Walt Disney World as a part of their musical showcase.

The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,300 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Celia Hawk has been selected as the April Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Hawk was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community. 

During her academic career, Hawk has earned several awards including the Student of the Semester award in her junior year, the Girl Scout Gold Award, the Expected AP Capstone and AP Scholar Diploma and was chosen to perform with Apollo’s Fire at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. In addition, she was the Scholastic Art Silver Key recipient for drawing,

She is also a member of the school’s design team as a PRISM editor, was a member of the feminist club, sang in the select choir, and was a four-time state qualifier in DUO Interpretation.

Hawk’s extracurriculars include time on the stage as she performed in three years of fall plays such as “Alice in Wonderland,” “The Butler Did It,” and “Almost Maine.” She also sang as a member of the ensemble in the Chagrin Falls High School Theatre production of “Mamma Mia!”

Outside of school, Hawk has kept busy as a member of the Girl Scouts since first grade, during which time she earned a Gold Award for hosting a clothing swap and running a website, clothingswapgs.com. She interned at the Chagrin Valley Chamber of Commerce, volunteered at the Chagrin Historical Society and volunteered as an usher at both Playhouse Square and the Chagrin Valley Little Theatre.

Her involvement in the arts continued as she performed in Hathaway Brown Theatre Institute’s “Children of Eden,” “Side Show,” “Music Man,” and “Oliver!” Hawk sang for five seasons with the School of Rock including shows like The Pretenders, Cage the Elephant, No Doubt, New Wave and Abbey Road. In addition to her thespian interests, Hawk was a phone banker for the Michigan Democrats during the 2020 election season and attended the remote material science camp through ASM international.

While in school, Hawk took several AP courses including AP World History, AP US History, AP Seminar, AP English Language and Composition, AP Research, AP Government and Politics, AP Environmental Science, AP Calculus AB, AP Studio Art-Drawing, AP Biology, AP English Literature and Composition, AP Spanish Literature, AP Statistics, and AP Psychology.

Following graduation, Hawk plans to pursue a major in Environmental studies and potentially minor in English Literature with a goal of getting a career focusing on conservation.

Chagrin Falls High School Junior Phoebe Gleeson participated in the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Student of the Year Campaign to help raise money to support patients and families affected by blood cancers. Chagrin Falls High School is a legacy school with LLS, and the school community offered great support to Gleeson and her team.

The campaign officially kicked off on January 29 and ended March 19.  Gleeson and her team attended the recognition ceremony/dinner held at The Hilton Downtown Cleveland on Saturday, March 19.   In addition to Gleeson, team members included Ava Kane, Faith Pfaff, Julia Ashkettle, Mary Catherine Cain, Erin Hartle, Nathan Hill, Ryan Hill, Avery Polcar, Jenna Santamaria, Michaela Plante, Kate Stephenson, Kendall Guddy, Evan Johnson, Mira Haines, Hannah Salmons, Elizabeth Rankin, Julianne Rankin, Maya Sutte, and Sam Kleid.  

Last year, Gleeson participated in this campaign as a team member, however, this year, she was chosen to be the candidate for Chagrin Falls High School. Their team, called Team
Tigers Tackle Cancer, was determined to raise $30,000 in hopes of being one step closer to finding a cure.  The total amount the team raised was $37,401.

Team Tigers Tackle Cancer held various fundraising activities. In January, the team organized Super Bowl squares and sold them at school to teachers and students to try and get many others involved. Additionally, the team also held a school fundraiser towards the end of their campaign called Pie-A-Teacher. They had teachers who would be willing to be pied volunteer, and sold raffle tickets. Students could use these tickets to vote for the teacher they wanted to be pied, and an assembly was held before the beginning of spring break where the official “Pie-ing” was done.

“From my first-hand experience of watching my dad and grandpa struggle with cancer, I have realized how painful a battle against cancer can be for a family, and I want to be able to prevent other families from going through the same,” said Gleeson.  “Additionally, to really continue my father’s efforts, I am going to study medicine in college to eventually become a surgical oncologist. Finding a cure to blood-borne cancers means so much to me, my family, and my team.”

Chagrin Falls Schools is a legacy school for their annual participation in the Student of the Year campaign since 2015.  This year, the campaign raised over $1 million to fight blood cancer.

Led by Ms. Alex Klusmann, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School (CFIS) partnered with the Ohio Invention League to provide 4th-6th graders an opportunity to solve problems, explore STEM, and practice the 21st-century skills they will need to invent their own future. 

After practicing the seven steps in the inventing process, students worked hard to create inventions that would solve real problems. They kept invention logs, made prototypes, and got all of their information ready to present. They held their Invention Convention after school on March 16 and invited families and teachers to come support them as they showcased their inventions. There were 12 inventors from CFIS who received invitations to take their invitations to the state Ohio Invention League competition to compete for prizes and 529 College Savings Awards.  

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.

SEVENTH GRADERS

Lainey Holmes work ethic is admirable. She is always putting forth her best effort in class and that hard work pays off. She has a talent for analyzing her work and learning quickly from any mistakes she sees. Her willingness to ask questions demonstrates not only a passion for learning, but sets a great example for her classmates. Lainey is sincere in all peer and teacher interactions. She is a valuable member of the Speech & Debate team where she competed at the State level. Lainey gives 150% both in class and in debate.

Ethan Nielsen always has a positive attitude, works to his fullest potential and makes learning fun! He is kind and respectful to his teachers and peers. Ethan is very thoughtful and diligent in his work and takes his time to ensure he understands the material. He does a great job of staying focused on his work.  Ethan is an enthusiastic participant in any class activity or project, always taking the initiative and is ready to share his ideas. His engagement and participation makes the class extra fun! Ethan is a valuable member in Chinese class, as well as the Speech & Debate Team. 

EIGHTH GRADERS 

Harper Wyville brings a lot of enthusiasm to the building. She always goes out of her way to greet and include others. She has positive energy that enhances the building each and every day and makes the school a better place for everyone.  Her work ethic and kindness makes her easy to work with on her math team.  She is helpful on the Intramural Committee. Harper is an excellent violist in the eighth-grade orchestra. She is always prepared for rehearsals and comes to class with a positive attitude.

Quin Bargar is a great student to have around and has been a pleasure to have in his classes. Quin has a positive attitude and eagerly embraces classroom activities and the learning process as a whole. He is kind, respectful, dedicated and hardworking. Quin enjoys school and being in esthetic teams. He brings a consistent positive attitude and an “I can” approach to everything he does. He is focused and hard-working and both his verbal and written contributions have been well-reasoned and insightful. Quin is a helpful member of the Intramural Committee.

Chagrin Documentary Film Festival Illuminate Student Program Co-Directors Jean Kanzinger and Dee Dee Pearce organized a school-wide film event on Monday, March 14 during the Tiger Period.

Students in grades 9-12 viewed the short film Full Picture, featuring Santina Muha and directed by Jacob Reed. The 12-minute short documentary addresses how during the pandemic, Santina, for the first time since she’s been wheelchair bound, had the choice to choose when (or if) she disclosed her disability.

Before students watched the film, they had classroom discussions reflecting on what they learned about themselves during the pandemic, especially throughout the experiences participating in school on Zoom. Students also discussed how they define themselves. After the film, students participated in a group activity graphically organizing commonalities they share. To wrap up the activity, students brought the discussion back to the theme of courage.

Students who watched the film previously in the school year had the opportunity to Zoom with the director and subject of the film. They were able to ask questions and discuss perception and how it relates to courage.

This event was inspired by the work of the entire District to incorporate the theme of “Courage” into conversations and programming in grades PreK-12. Kanzinger worked in collaboration with Chagrin Falls Schools’ Library Media Specialist Angie Jameson and Choral Director Nate Bachofsky to add this event to the calendar to support the March Courage Theme: Finding the courage to face adversity.

Chagrin Falls High School’s girls soccer team had a personalized tour of the Ohio House and Senate building on March 16.  They were also invited to enjoy lunch with Senator Matt Dolan.  Afterwards, they proceeded to the Senate floor where Senator Dolan spoke about the accomplishments of the team and their season.  He presented the team with a resolution plaque  honoring them as the 2021 OHSAA Division II State Soccer Champions. In addition, Senator Dolan presented a resolution plaque to both coaches with their own proclamation plaque.  “The team and Coach Malone did an outstanding job on the field and also work hard to better the community,” said Dolan on his Twitter feed.

Chagrin Falls High School students junior Kate Stephenson and senior Hattie Sherman competed at the Chagrin Valley Rotary Four-Way Test speech contest on March 14.  This is an annual competition between Chagrin Falls High School and Kenston High School.  There is one winner from each school that moves on to compete in the district competition at Kent Roosevelt High School on April 9.  Stephenson wrote a speech about the importance of music education in schools. As part of the high school’s Speech and Debate team, she competes in Original Oratory.

Sherman, who won for Chagrin Falls High School, wrote a speech about the importance of instituting government regulations regarding the labeling of GMO and non-GMO foods. She competes in Humorous Interpretation.

The competition gives students the opportunity to apply the principles of Rotary International’s Four-Way Test to a current ethical issue. Students are challenged to identify a topic they feel strongly about and to adopt a point of view from which they will seek to persuade others.

The speech must be five to seven minutes in length. Each part of the Four-Way Test should be addressed during the speech: Is it the truth? Is it fair to all concerned? Will it build goodwill and better friendships? Will it be beneficial to all concerned?

The Chagrin Falls Middle School Speech and Debate team had an amazing season that ended with competing in the state tournament on March 12-13.

“This team of dedicated and diligent students were recognized over and over throughout the season placing and ranking in every tournament,” said Coach Courtney Polcar.  “After many tournaments on many Saturdays and countless hours of practice, Chagrin Falls Middle School is yet again home to three speech and state champions for speech and debate.”

Sofia De La Cruz won the state championship in Original Oratory.

Rory Rohde and Will Allen tied after seven grueling debates and proved to the judges that they both deserved to hold the title of state champions for extemporaneous debates.

Jennah Hamden made it to the quarter finals.

All of Chagrin’s state competitors ranked in the top 12 in their category for the State of Ohio.

“The students who competed exuded courage to the fullest,” said Principal Laila Discenza, Chagrin Falls Middle School. “They were excited to compete, hopeful for a victory and well prepared. Congratulations to our state winners! Their strong performances represent their expertise and commitment.”

Several outstanding math students representing Chagrin Falls Middle School participated in the 6th/7th/8th Grade Math Problem Solving Tournament sponsored by the Greater Cleveland Council of Teachers of Mathematics (GCCTM) on Saturday, March 6, 2022, held at Hawken.  

GCCTM identified the purposes of this tournament as a way to:
 - Promote enthusiasm for mathematics among students in the sixth, seventh, and eighth grades.

- Recognize students for their interest, perseverance, and talent in mathematics and problem solving.

- Challenge these students in an energizing and competitive setting.

- Celebrate community-wide the achievements of these young mathematicians.

The Chagrin Falls Middle School team of Will Allen, Westley Quintin and Jack Shein earned the Champion Award, awarded to the top 20% of teams participating.  They aced 2 of the 4 rounds and answered 9/10 correctly in the third round.  

The District is extremely proud of the efforts, work, and motivation of these students.  CFMS Principal Laila Discenza expressed her pride in these students, “Their incredible achievement really reflects the commitment these students show every day to maximize their potential.”  The team’s coach, Mr. Todd Thombs, echoed this sentiment, adding, “These students show an incredible enthusiasm for learning and challenging themselves.”

Preschoolers at Gurney Elementary School participate monthly in Early Sprouts, a seed-to-table research-based nutrition and gardening curriculum that includes sensory experiences, fruit and vegetable exploration and cooking lessons.  The goal is to foster a love of vegetables and fruits among young children.  

Their target fruit in February was bell peppers. Students cut, stirred, measured, poured, scooped and cooked together to make Bell Pepper Couscous Castles. Students also took home a family recipe kit with all of the ingredients necessary to make the recipe again at home with their families.  In March, the students are excited to learn about squash and make butternut squash pancakes.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Peyton Gellin has been selected as the March Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Gellin was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community.She has earned a variety of achievements in sports during her time as an athlete on the women’s soccer, basketball and lacrosse teams.

As a member of the soccer team, she was named All-American in 2021, All-Greater Cleveland player of the year in 2021, and State Champion in 2021. In 2019, 2020, and 2021, she was a News Herald All-Star, 1st team All-Conference, and 1st team All-Greater Cleveland. Gellin was the 2nd team All-Conference in 2018 and 2019, Honorable Mention All-Greater Cleveland in 2018, State Semi-finalist in 2019, 1st team All Region in 2020 and 2021, 2nd Team All State in 2020 and 1st Team All-State in 2021.

In basketball, Gellin was 2nd team All-Conference in 2020 and 2021 and received an Honorable Mention All-district in 2022. In lacrosse, she was a State Runner Up in 2019, 1st Team All-Region in 2021, and 2nd Team All-State in 2021.

Gellin has been involved in several clubs outside of sports during her time at CFHS including president of Art Club, a Link Crew member, International Club member, and Women in Sports Cadre member.

She has also taken on leadership roles as a Spanish tutor, lacrosse club coach and lacrosse camp counselor. Outside of school, Gellin is a lifeguard at a recreation center, volunteers for Empower sports, and enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

In her academic career, she has taken AP Spanish language and was named Tiger of the Semester in 2019. Following graduation, she plans to attend Kent State University where she will study nursing and play Division I lacrosse.

The Ohio Speech & Debate Association (OSDA) State Finals took place on March 4-5 at Wooster City Schools.  Chagrin Falls High School Speech and Debate Team had exceptional results.

Grace Hoy and Eric Feucht placed fourth in DUO Interpretation. 

Ryan and Nathan Hill won the State championship in DUO Interpretation. 

Brenna Sincaglia was a semifinalist in Dramatic Interpretation- top 12 finish. 

Wren Opperman was a quarterfinalist in Original Oratory  - top 24 finish. 

Sophia Avery was a quarterfinalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate - top 8 finish. 

Ali Holtz was an octafinalist in Lincoln Douglas Debate - top 30 finish. 

The Chagrin Falls Speech and Debate Team placed 18th out of 79 teams. 

The team won the School of Excellence in Interpretation award, given to the top 10 schools in that category.

“After nearly two years virtually competing, we went to Wooster for the in-person State tournament ready to compete. The team showed so much heart and all had exceptional results. I’m proud of the way we performed and also the way the team represented Chagrin Falls High School,” said head coach Ken Kasee.

Founded in 1927, the Ohio Speech & Debate Association is the governing organization for high school and middle school Speech & Debate throughout Ohio. OSDA and its partners create and foster speech and debate competition and education promoting effective communicators, critical thinkers, and ethical leaders.

The Ohio Association of Secondary School Administrators (OASSA) has selected Monica Asher, principal of Chagrin Falls High School, as the 2022-23 Ohio Principal of the Year. Asher was selected from a large field of talented and experienced nominees for the Ohio award.

Asher has been the principal of Chagrin Falls High School since 2017. Prior to becoming principal of Chagrin Falls High School, she was the assistant principal of Rocky River High School and was an assistant principal at Avon Lake High School. She served as an athletic director and English teacher at Huron High School after coming from Sig Rogich Middle School in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Asher received both her B.S. and M.Ed. from Bowling Green State University and is a Doctoral Candidate (Ed. D) with an expected graduation in the spring of 2022 from Bowling Green State University.

Victor Puskas, a former science teacher at CFHS, nominated Asher and spoke of her as a true instructional leader who “...encourages teachers to take risks and encouraged me along the way, was excited about my progress, and asked me to share my work.” Puskas complimented her communication style and her encouragement as he sought employment in administration.

In a letter of recommendation, Janet Coriell, an intervention specialist at Chagrin Falls High School, described Asher as someone whose “...door is always open. I know I can come to her to talk not only about curriculum, students, special education, but also big issues like diversity, personal growth, relationships, and women in leadership roles.”

Asher has been a member of OASSA since 2012, served as the Diversity At-Large Director, chaired the OASSA Women’s Committee, and has spoken at numerous conferences. She has served for many years on the Ohio Educator Standards Board. Her involvement in helping other leaders across Ohio succeed sets her apart; she strives to make everyone she interacts with “seen.”

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO
 
SEVENTH GRADERS

Isabelle Deioma has an outstanding attitude and work ethic. She asks questions, shares ideas and is focused on the topic of the day. Izzy is kind, thoughtful and willing to help any and all of her peers when she can. Izzy goes above and beyond to prepare for English language arts class, in both her reading and writing. Her inquisitive mind makes her a stellar scientist and she has such a vast knowledge of animals we are always amazed at her animal facts.

Grayson Fisher is a kind and thoughtful student who always comes to class prepared and sees any task through to the end. His diligence and work ethic make him a consistent force in any group or class activity. Grayson is a great class partner when working in groups. He is considerate of others and work ethic make him a leader in his own quiet, calm way.

EIGHTH GRADERS

Tess Snyder is an amazing bass player in the eighth-grade orchestra. She is always prepared for rehearsals and comes to class with a positive attitude. She brings a fresh perspective and rich depth to all class discussions, socratic seminars, and projects.  Tess’s preparation and perseverance make her a great partner in class.

Ian Bencsath is an excellent bass player in the eighth-grade orchestra. He has made tremendous progress throughout this year and continues to work really hard every day. Ian has a talent for noticing important patterns that help him and his teammates solve problems.   Ian is a dedicated and diligent worker. He is a fantastic teammate and works well with others during class.

Students at Gurney Elementary School were challenged by their art teacher Laine Keener to create a sculpture out of a large variety of scrap paper.  Keener challenged them to make the tallest paper sculpture they could only using paper, scissors and glue.  No tape or other materials were available. Each sculpture needed to be free standing.  "Many students chose to focus more on the aesthetic rather than the height, so we saw such a great variety of innovative ideas," said Keener.  "The students had so much fun creating their 3D art!"

In January 2022, various stakeholders completed a “Listen Learn” survey to help begin the District’s strategic planning process. “The depth of information provided, the time and care each stakeholder took to reflect on their experiences, and the thoughtful suggestions for growth based on personal experiences was extremely valuable,” said Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools.
 
Currently, the administration is reviewing the more than 350 responses, using qualitative research to discover common themes and identify areas to be explored deeper as a school community. A summary of findings will be shared with the Board of Education and school community in the next few months.
 
The next step is to reach back out to various stakeholders and establish focus groups to dive deeper into each of the identified areas. The number of groups and sessions will be determined by the outcomes of the survey and the District’s desire to learn more. These identified areas will become target areas for growth and the foundation of the District’s new strategic plan. “From there, we will create a road map to identify the best pathway to transform these target areas into goals and action steps we can put in place over the next three to five years,” said Penczarski.  The hope is to have an approved plan in place by January 2023.

The Tigers of the Semester Award is presented to students who exemplify a positive attitude, work ethic, achievement in the classroom and service to fellow students and teachers at Chagrin Falls High School. Teachers nominate one student from their classes that impressed them with their achievement, attitude, hard work, willingness to help others and growth during the first half of the year. First semester Tigers were honored with a virtual presentation. The award program is sponsored by Interact Club and advisors Karen Sindelar and Janet Coriell and organized the interactive presentation that featured personalized messages from each teacher who nominated a student.

Tigers of the Fall Semester of the 2021-22 school year are Ashton Beresford, Tamara Birola, Ellie Conrad, Timotha (T.J.) Grobelny, Audrey Holmes, Magnolia Howard, Alexis Kaseler, Carter Kilby, Sam Kleid, Avery Kohanski, Griffin Laws, Jailin Lesieutre, Ruby Manthe, Tyler McCort, Shannon McElhinney, Max Mignogna, Luke Munday, Henry Myers, Lyndsey Nielsen, Carson Ollila, Sarah Porter, Emily Shisila, Paige Smith, Ruby Snavely, Libby Taylor, Giulia Verdier, Trace Williams, and Olivia Wirbel.

“It is easy to celebrate test scores and athletic achievements when recognizing students, however, recognition like this is important as we want to encourage characteristics like kindness, compassion, work ethic and service,” said Principal Monica Asher, Chagrin Falls High School.  “We are so proud of the accomplishments of our students but we are even more proud of the kind of people they are becoming.”

Chagrin Falls High School is pleased to announce that eight students have been named Finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) program.  They are Trey Brosnan, Matthew Daniels, Rose Hoelzel, Alexandra Holtz, Anne Mills, Wren Opperman, Josh Rooney and Hansen Song.

In February, some 15,000 Semifinalists are notified that they have advanced to Finalist standing. High school principals are also notified and provided with a Certificate of Merit to present to each Finalist.

All winners of Merit Scholarship awards are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. A variety of information is available for NMSC to evaluate: The Finalist's academic record, information about the school's curriculum and grading system, PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score, the high school official's written recommendation, information about the student's activities and leadership, and the Finalist's own essay.

Beginning in March and continuing to mid-June, NMSC notifies approximately 7,500 Finalists that they have been selected to receive a Merit Scholarship® award.

The Write Place sponsors a monthly "courage" writing contest.  Winners are selected from each building.  PTO has sponsored a $10 gift card from a variety of locations for each building every month.  The school year theme is “choose courage” throughout the District.

March 2022

Gurney Elementary School: Gregory Warner, Grade 3

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Gabby Byrne, Grade 6

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Mackenzie Verderber, Grade 8

Chagrin Falls High School: Isabelle Coy, Grade 12

February 2022

Gurney Elementary School: Charlie Rose, Grade 3

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Paige Devan, Grade 5

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Colin Struk-Marn, Grade 7

Chagrin Falls High School: Marie Kanzinger, Grade 11 and Calvin Hill, Grade 12

January 2022

Gurney Elementary School: Kyle Thompson, Grade 3

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School:  Felicity Fisher, Grade 5

Chagrin Falls Middle School:  Emmaline Laws, Grade 7

December 2021 

Gurney Elementary School: Amelia Hanley, Grade 1 

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Charlie Bird, Grade 6 

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Izzy Deioma, Grade 7 

Chagrin Falls High School: Colin Joyce Grade 12

November 2021 

Gurney Elementary School: Miles Warren, Grade 3 

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Avery Gebler, Grade 4 

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Izzy Deioma, Grade 7 

Chagrin Falls High School: Abigail Laws, Grade 12 

October 2021 

Gurney Elementary School: Ty Gebler, Grade 1 

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Daisy Adelman, Grade 5 

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Izzy Deioma, Grade 7 

Chagrin Falls High School: Celia Hawk, Grade 12 

September 2021 

Gurney Elementary School: Isabel Igoe 

Chagrin Falls Intermediate School: Maelin Livingston 

Chagrin Falls Middle School: Claire Hoelzel 

Chagrin Falls High School: Courtney Myers

Chagrin Falls High School is excited to be back on the Performing Arts Center stage presenting their spring musical, “Mama Mia” on March 10, 11, 12, 2022 at 7 p.m. and March 13 at 2 p.m.  Tickets can be purchased at https://app.arts-people.com/index.php?show=135083.

On a small Greek island, Sophie dreams of a perfect wedding — one which includes her father giving her away. The problem? Sophie doesn’t know who he is! Her mother Donna, the former lead singer of the 1970s pop group Donna and the Dynamos, refuses to talk about the past, so Sophie decides to take matters into her own hands. Sneaking a peek in her mother’s old diaries, she discovers three possible fathers: Sam, Bill, and Harry. She secretly invites all three to the wedding, convinced that she’ll know her father when she sees him. But when all three turn up, it may not be as clear as she thought! Told through the legendary music of ABBA, “Mamma Mia”! has become a worldwide sensation that has audiences everywhere dancing.

The “Mamma Mia!” cast includes…

Donna Sheridan- Brenna Sincaglia
Sophie Sheridan- Grace Hoy
Rosie- Delainey Wyville
Tanya- Cara Myers
Sam Carmichael- Eric Feucht
Bill Austin- Liam Oettinger
Harry Bright- Ryan Hill
Sky- Nathan Hill
Pepper- Sam Clark
Eddie- Lyndsey Nielsen
Ali- Maya Sutte
Lisa- Claire Stinson

Ensemble: Aya Harvey, Lena Tucker, Celia Hawk, Katherine Quinn, Ashley Mattson, Isabelle Coy, Trey Taylor, Sofia Clark, Freya Brattebo, Camille Paoletta, Julia Stotter, Ava Kane, Claire Guddy, Ella Snyder, Jane Peck, Frankie Ashkettle, Julia Ashkettle, Avery Polcar, Phoebe Gleeson, Fiona Markey, Rose Zabik, Mary Ann Hoelzel, Wren Opperman, Olivia Wirbel, Kate Stephenson, Mia Eaves, Gretchen Bush

On January 15, the Chagrin Falls Schools' Inner Council members had an opportunity to tour the alumni area of the high school with Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski and Board President/Alumni Liaison Sharon Broz.  The Inner Council consists of leaders of all the District's support organizations who meet monthly with the superintendent to receive updates from the District as well as talk about current issues and trends in education.

Beginning January 2022, the Chagrin Falls Board of Education regular meetings are being rotated throughout the four school buildings.  Each building will have the opportunity for a Student Showcase that will occur at the beginning of each meeting. "We feel it also was important for our Inner Council leaders to start experiencing different places in our District where they provide funding or support a particular program," said Penczarski.  "So during some of our meetings, we will tour these places.  We decided our first focus area would be the alumni center located in the Sands Community Room."

"It was such a great experience," said Broz.  "So many people on the Inner Council had no idea that this room existed." The group started in the Performing Arts Center so the tour began with showing them the art cases that are on the wall leading to the alumni room. They also were able to see original minutes from the first Board of Education meeting in 1849 in the hallway by Sands Community Room. “They are hand-written by candlelight…everyone should have a chance to see them,” said Broz. “It’s really powerful to recognize that education has been foundational and important to this community for a very long time. This first school was built on this site before many areas had one comprehensive school.”  The alumni room itself has all kinds of memorabilia.  Alumni Director Brian McKenna was on hand to talk with the group and point out all the artifacts and memories that have been collected throughout the years.

At their next meeting, leaders of the Inner Council will be touring the Innovation Center.

Support organizations represented in the Inner Council include the Alumni Association, Booster Club, Chagrin Athletic Association, Chagrin Soccer,  Chagrin Falls Historical Society, Chagrin Valley Rec Center,  Community Education,  Dads’ Club, Educational Foundation, Music Lovers, PTO, Safe Routes Chagrin, Spark, and Tiger Prep.

Chagrin Falls High School Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Aubree Daugherty has been selected as the February Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Daugherty was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community.Daugherty has earned several awards for both her academic and athletic performance including AP Capstone, AP Scholar with Distinction, Seal of Biliteracy in Spanish, Ohio D2 Region 6 second team in lacrosse, Academic All-Ohio in lacrosse and cross country, and CVC Honorable Mention in cross country.

She is involved in clubs as well as sports teams at CFHS with four years on the cross country, basketball and lacrosse teams and four years in marching band, where she was the flute/piccolo section leader for one year. She also played in wind ensemble for two years.
In addition to her activities, Daugherty shows her tiger pride as a member of the Tiger Society for three years; Student Board of the Education Foundation for four years, with three years as the philanthropy chair; and Book Club.

Outside of school, she is a CAA volunteer for basketball and lacrosse and an Empower Sports volunteer. In her free time, she enjoys knitting, hiking, and mountain biking.

In her academic career, Daugherty has taken accelerated classes in a multitude of subjects including AP World History, AP United States History, AP Seminar, AP Physics, AP Research, AP Computer Science, AP Calculus AB, AP Chemistry, AP Calculus BC, AP Micro/Macroeconomics, AP Spanish language, AP Biology, AP Statistics, and AP English language.

After graduation, she plans to attend Swarthmore College where she will study engineering and computer science as well as play lacrosse.

Nick Dalessandro

Chagrin Falls High School senior football player Nick Dalessandro has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Colgate University.  Nick is a three-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in football and has won a letter in lacrosse.  Nick has been named All-Conference and All-Ohio the past three years. Nick plans to major in economics.

Aubree Daugherty

Chagrin Falls High Schools senior Aubree Daugherty has signed a National Letter of Intent to play lacrosse at Swarthmore College.  Aubree will be a three-year letter winner for Chagrin Falls in lacrosse.  She has won four letters in cross country and participated in basketball all four years.  Aubree was named second All-Region last year.  Aubree plans to major in engineering and computer science.

Leo Fornara

Chagrin Falls High School senior basketball player Leo Fornara has committed to play at the University of Mount Union. He received the University of Mount Union's Presidential Scholarship award, which is a full-tuition, four-year scholarship.  Leo will be a two-year letter winner at Chagrin Falls.  He has been named the Rotary Student of the Month.  Leo plans to major in biochemistry.

Two Chagrin Falls High School Students have been chosen as candidates in the U.S. Department of Education’s 2022 U.S. Presidential Scholars Program  Trey Brosnan and Matt Daniels are two of 5,000 students chosen out of 3.6 million graduating seniors.   Both students scored exceptionally well on either the SAT or the ACT college admission test

The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors.  In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. In 2015, the program was again extended to recognize students who demonstrate ability and accomplishment in career and technical education fields. Each year, up to 161 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.

Semifinalists will be notified in mid-April. Scholars will be notified in May.  A national recognition program is tentatively scheduled for June 2022.

By Charlotte Kleid, 8th-Grade Reporter/Photojournalist, Chagrin Falls Middle School Tiger Tales

Throughout the past two months, Chagrin Falls Middle School (CFMS) honored School Resource Officer Mike Baldwin and School Counselor Kyle Patterson. School Resource Officers Week was held January 10-14 and School Counselor Week is being celebrated February 7-11.  Both Officer Baldwin and Patterson are voices at CFMS that make it a welcoming and safe environment for everyone.

Officer Baldwin serves to protect, support and guide students. He began working in the District in 2017. He has four children and has been happily married for 20 years. He loves going to church, reading, and spending time with his family. OfficerBaldwin also served in the Army. He said that his favorite part about his job is the opportunity to work with varying people throughout the day.  “No day is really the same,” said Baldwin.  “I’m working with a kindergartener at one moment and a high schooler during another.” Baldwin also expressed that he truly values the Chagrin Falls’ community and its small town feeling. “People really look out for each other in a lot of different ways,” said Baldwin.

To any student who is struggling, Officer Baldwin wants them to know, “Don’t be afraid to be real. I think a lot of times when we struggle we think we need to portray strength or we think that we can get through it, or If I ask for help I’m weak. That’s just not true. Everybody needs help. People are people.” He emphasized the importance of asking for help, as it is a hard but necessary step in getting the support you need.

Eighth-grader Molly Macioch said, “I am very grateful for Officer Baldwin. I know I’m safe at school with him here.”

School Counselor Kyle Patterson began working at CFMS in 2013. He has two children, and he is also happily married to his college sweetheart. He loves playing music and spending time with his family.  “I enjoy the connections I have made with students, colleagues, and parents and getting to know new people and being around them every day,” said Patterson.

Patterson also talked about support, sharing that “every single person at some point needs support, and that support can look very different. I want to be a positive support for anybody in any way that they need.”  Patterson stated that his door is always open and whether students run into a small question or have a big problem, he is there.

“If you’re having a bad day, he’s always open to talk to you about your issues. You’ll come out of his office feeling better than when you came in,” said eighth-grader Owen Stull.

Eighth-grader Owen Adelman shared that “Mr. Patterson has great responses to questions you ask.”

Chagrin Falls Schools has received $90,000 from the Ohio Department of Education School Bus Purchase Program for the replacement of two school buses.  
 
This funding is from House Bill 110 which provides $50 million (in total) for school districts to?replace older school buses as part of a competitive grant process.
 
Transportation Supervisor Michael Morgan submitted the grant application data and this is the second time the District has been awarded such funds.  This current award of $90,000 will help to offset the expected cost of $170,000 from the District’s permanent improvement annual expenditure, bringing the effective cost of two buses down to about $80,000.

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.
 
SEVENTH GRADERS

Marley Cluney’s kind and welcoming smile is a delight to see each day. She is kind and helpful to all her peers. Marley does not hesitate to share ideas and participate in class.  She’s a valued team member, who pulls her weight and brings out the best in others, a true leader by example. In English, Marley is always prepared for book group, brings up thoughtful topics for discussion, and works well with her peers.  In writing, she has creative ideas and takes her time on revising and editing.  She always has a smile on her face and adds positive energy to the classroom.

Andrew Thompson is a hard worker and always puts forth his best effort. Andrew’s participation, effort, and quiet leadership is noticed in class. Andrew is a great teammate and works well with all of his peers.
 
In English class, Andrew has been a wonderful example to his book club group of being organized and coming prepared for book group with questions and analytical thoughts to share which creates a much richer book conversation. Andrew models an interest in reading and shares his recommendations with others.  He is a great addition to our class and helps out by participating frequently.  Andrew is respected by his peers and teachers.

EIGHTH GRADERS

Mackenzie Verderber is a consistent worker and excellent teammate in Algebra class.  She brings a great attitude to class every day.  Mackenzie’s reflective and calm demeanor keeps her focused. Her self-awareness allows her to know when to advocate for herself.  She helps others, catches on quickly in all topics.  Mackenzie has a wonderful work ethic and a positive attitude in band. She works so well with her horn section, and always participates during class. 

Will Wagner is a hard worker and engages so well with his peers! He brings so much to band class, and works so well with his flute section. Will is an excited and curious learner. He has great questions, and finds ways to connect class topics to his everyday life.  Will’s incisive questions help everyone in the class understand concepts more deeply.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Wren Opperman has been selected as the December Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Opperman was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community.During her academic career, she earned a variety of awards including National Merit semi-finalist, AP Scholar with Distinction, AP Capstone Diploma, Yale Book Award for Outstanding Personal Character and Intellectual Promise, third place winner in the Hope and Stanley Adelstein Free Speech essay contest, and second place winner in the Eurofishion International Song Competition.

Opperman has been an active member of the track and cross-country teams where she participated in the 4x800, was 800 Meter district champion, 4x800 state fourth place, Academic All Ohio, All Ohio 2018, Academic All Ohio 2019 and state qualifier in 2018 and 2019. On the speech and debate team, she is the original oratory squad leader, club president and a national tournament qualifier.

In her extracurriculars, she was a crew member for the school musical where she was also an ensemble member. Her blog post “A soundtrack for Earth Day-and a Youthful Alternative” was published on medium.com.

Her publications have exceeded past medium.com with research and publications including “Traditional Ecological Knowledge is Myanmar,” published in Asian Journal or Fisheries Science and selected poster for American Fisheries Society Report, Fauna and Flora International; “Dolphins, Cooperative Fishing and Ecotourism,” selected poster for The Wildlife Society; “Dolphins Adventures in Myanmar,” published in New Moon Girls Magazine; and “Playful Interactions on vs offline,” presented poster at Ohio Junior Symposium and outstanding achievement in STEM.

In school, she took AP World History, AP US History, AP Seminar, AP Calculus, AP Language, AP Government, AP Environmental Science, AP Research, AP Stats, AP Spanish Language, AP Spanish Literature, AP 2D Portfolio Prep, AP Psychology, and AP Economics.

Outside of school Opperman has played piano for 11 years and worked as a dishwasher for three years. She has also volunteered with Asia Services in Action where she was a tutor and refugee coordination volunteer and also volunteered for the NEO Voter Advocates.

After graduation, she plans to attend a liberal arts college and major in international relations.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Anne Mills has been selected as the January Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Mills was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community.Mills earned many awards during her academic career including National Merit semi-finalist, Smith College Book Award, AP Scholar with Distinction, Scholastic Honorable Mention, and the CHFS Art Show Gold Award.She is also a student athlete, acting as the co-captain of the Varsity Girls Swimming team and participating in club swimming.

Mills has taken multiple accelerated courses including AP Computer Science A, AP Physics 1 and 2, AP Calculus AB and BC, AP Micro and Macro Economics, three college English classes through CCP, and a Flexible Credit Great Books course that focused on literary analysis.

Outside of school, she is an Associate Concertmaster with the World Youth Symphony Orchestra, Assistant Principal Second and Associate Concertmaster for the Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, plays the solo violin, and plays chamber music. Her involvement in the arts extends to include an RISD “Drawing and Abstraction” course and Carleton “Art in a Changing Landscape” summer program.

Mills will attend Dartmouth in the fall with an interest in cognitive neuroscience and design.

Chagrin Falls Schools received a grant for $25,000 for digital texts.  This grant is funded in part through a federal Institute of Museum and Library Services grant awarded by the State Library of Ohio.  After submitting a grant request over the summer, Chagrin Falls Schools’ Library Media Specialist Angie Jameson spoke at the State of Ohio Library Board meeting on September 16 to discuss the needs of the District and how these digital texts would be used to support leisure and curricular reading at all four buildings.  The grant was officially awarded that day.  There were only three schools in the State of Ohio to receive this grant.

“As we move through the pandemic, I wanted to ensure access to books for leisure and curricular needs on a digital platform,” said Jameson. “We’ve seen the need for flexibility, and we’ve had to pivot so quickly to changes over the last two years. It was important to me to feel secure in our digital collection moving into the 2021-22 school year.”

Our fourth through twelfth graders have been introduced to Sora, our digital book provider, for four years, but roll out for Gurney just happened this January. To go along with the District’s “Choose Courage” January theme of trying something new, Jameson and Molly Klodor, Technology Integration Coach, visited each Gurney classroom to share the process of logging in and using the platform with students and staff.

Chagrin Falls High School Senior Hattie Sherman has been named Academic All American by  the National Speech & Debate Association.  Sherman is a four-year team member. She is the current squad leader of the interpretation squad. She competes in Humorous Interpretation and recently bid in to the State Tournament to be held at Wooster High School, March 3-5.The Academic All American award recognizes students who have earned the degree of Superior Distinction (750 points); completed at least five semesters of high school; demonstrated outstanding character and leadership; and earned a GPA of 3.7 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent).

“Hattie is not only an accomplished speaker but also a leader on the team,” said Speech and Debate Head Coach Ken Kasee.  “She has spent much of her practice time this year in service to her teammates, bringing food to practice and even driving them home. She is thoughtful and compassionate in everything she does.”

Here is the link to the Wednesday, January 19, 2022, Board of Education regular meeting.  The meeting will be recorded and live streamed.  

Please note the time and location... the meeting will start at 7 p.m. and will be in the Chagrin Falls High School library.  Thank you!  
https://bit.ly/CFEVSBOEJAN19

The forms can be found under the “Final Forms” header. Both half-day and full-day kindergarten is available through the District. Full-day kindergarten is tuition-based at Gurney Elementary School. There is a $200 non-refundable deposit required to hold a spot for your child for the full-day kindergarten class. All students who are signed up for full-day kindergarten before May 13 will be guaranteed a spot.  Questions can be directed to 440-893-4030 ext. 4102.

The Gurney Elementary School Preschool program serves children ages three through five years who have both developmental and typical educational needs.  We believe that every young child, regardless of ability, benefits from participating in a broad range of activities and experiences that focus on building a sense of belonging and membership, developing positive social relationships and friendships, and supporting others to reach their full potential.  Research has shown that children learn best through the effective modeling of age-appropriate skills from peers around them.  We are looking for students to participate in our peer program.  

Students who participate in our peer program will not only have an opportunity to share their strengths but will also learn about likenesses and differences while receiving an exceptional early childhood experience.  

Students attend classes Tuesday through Friday.  Mondays are reserved for assessment, team meetings, and teacher planning and professional development.

The morning session meets from 9:00 am - 11:30 am.  The afternoon session meets from 12:30 pm - 3:00 pm.  

The cost of the peer program is $2970 for the school year and can be paid in quarterly installments.  A $270 non-refundable deposit is required at the time of registration.  An Open House is being planned for the end of January 2022.  Interested families will be able to learn more about the program as well as tour the building.

At Gurney Preschool, we encourage young children to be explorers, communicators, questioners, thinkers, socializers, creators, interactors, problem solvers, and reasoners! We are a nature-based program, committed to spending up to 50% of each day outside engaged in hands-on scientific inquiry and outdoor experiential learning.   Our behavior management philosophy is centered on positive behavior support, with the goal of developing each student’s sense of self-esteem, responsibility, social justice, and self-regulation.  Other opportunities include library, technology, music and movement, outdoor gross motor and experiential learning, and field trips – all in addition to typical early childhood learning activities supporting the Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS). 

The Gurney Preschool has received the highest Step Up to Quality rating by becoming a 5-Star Award winner!  Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) is a rating and improvement system overseen by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. This system recognizes and promotes learning and development programs that exceed licensed health and safety regulations using a five-star quality rating system.

We welcome your inquiries!  Please contact Carrey Nielsen at 893-4030 ext 4124 for more information.  

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.
 
SEVENTH GRADERS

Harper Stewart’s patience, preparation and thoughtful questions all help her class learn more.  She is willing to explore topics beyond the normal curriculum and her curiosity is exciting to see.  She is kind and respectful to adults and peers.  Harper is always on task and an excellent role model for her peers.  Harper is one of the kindest children I have ever met.  She is helpful, caring and willing to share ideas to help students work through difficult topics in social studies.  She is supportive and helps peers find the correct answers.  She is on task and meticulous when completing her assignments.  Harper knows who she is and has the courage to let her light shine.  Her compassion and zest for life makes her a unique individual and role model.

Braden Mooney’s effort and preparation don’t go unnoticed.  His written work is lucid and his observations during class have been helpful for everyone.  Braden shares ideas with the class, asks questions when the topic is difficult, and helps his fellow peers anyway he can.  He is a great partner to work with in class and is conscientious about his work.  Braden consistently propels his class to the far reaches of knowledge, pushing those around him to explore and learn more.  His hard work and dedication to learning are admirable.  

EIGHTH GRADERS

Eveleen Malley stands out as a student with a huge variety of interests. Her engaging and positive attitude makes class fun and her questions help everyone better understand important new ideas.  She is a valuable member of the Speech and Debate Team where she always gives 120% to her team and each debate.  Her leadership is an essential component to the team and classroom success.

Siebrand Hilbers puts forth his best effort on each English language arts assignment.  He asks questions when he needs support and often works to revise work, showing mastery of new concepts.  Siebrand’s keen observations help his teammates solve important problems.  Siebrand is always ready to lend a hand and he is a quiet leader who is respected by his peers.

Chagrin Falls High School Girls Soccer Coach Pamela Malone is the United Soccer Coaches National Coach of the Year.  The award will be presented at the annual Awards Banquet on Friday, January 21, 2022, in the Imperial Ballroom of Marriott Downtown Hotel, Kansas City, MO in conjunction with the 82nd annual United Soccer Coaches Convention.

The girls soccer team finished with a record of 18-3-2 with one of the hardest schedules in the state. They won the Chagrin Valley Conference, district championship,regional championship, and state championship. It was the second time the team has won the state championship (1996 was the other). The state championship vs. Wyoming came down to penalty kicks and Chagrin was victorious. It was a very exciting match. Sarah Burgess and Peyton Gellin were named all Ohio, and Peyton was then named All American. They had multiple girls make academic all CVC and academic All Ohio and the team finished with over a 3.9 GPA. The team was also coached by Joe Ciuni and assisted by Dale Sheptak, Dan Passalacqua, and Kelly DiFranco.

Pamela Malone was named CVC Coach of the Year, along with Joe Ciuni, and she was named Greater Cleveland, State of Ohio, Regional, and now National Coach of the Year. She finished her career at Chagrin Falls with a record of 398-141-59 and two State Championships. She is the winningest high school female soccer coach in the history of the State of Ohio.

“Pamela has been such an asset to our athletic department. She is obviously a terrific coach but she is a great mentor to other coaches, and builds great relationships with her players. The coaches and officials in the area respect her and always know her teams will be prepared for every contest. She is very deserving of all the accolades she has received and I am glad she is being recognized,” said Athletic Director Charlie Barch, Chagrin Falls Schools.

Chagrin Falls Middle School November 2021 Students of the Month

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.

SEVENTH GRADERS

Abigail Babic is a leader in math class. She always works hard in class and is willing to step up and help her classmates. Abby is a willing participant and always asks great questions. Abby is a true asset to her class. She is always polite and kind in English class, and brings so much joy and depth when talking about and engaging with literature and creative writing. In Social Studies, Abby is interested in the topics taught, she is quick with an answer and very kind to her classmates. She takes time to help others during class. Abby was a rock star in the first quarter of Project Lead the Way.  She led every class in the discussions and showed incredible innovation and creativity.

Josh Vasko is a well-rounded student who brings dedication to all his work both in and out of class.  In Book Club, students can count on him to do his part and take initiative. During Writing Workshop his enthusiasm is contagious and sets an engaging and motivated tone. Josh is a motivator, loves to work above and beyond the requirements that are expected. Josh is helpful and continues to focus and stay on topic in class. Josh leads with integrity in the classroom and is always participating and engaged. He encourages others to do their best and is a positive and caring student.

EIGHTH GRADERS 

Reagan Burnight is a polite and kind young lady.  She always gives her best in all she does.  She works hard to understand new ideas. Reagan’s smile is contagious, even through her mask, and she has a great sense of humor. In English class, Reagan works hard on her assignments and cares about her grades. She is kind to everyone in every class, and is a true leader in the 8th grade, especially in showing what an exemplary work ethic looks like.

Harrison Horvath is always on task and prepared for class.  He is kind, polite, and willing to ask questions and/or help others.  Harrison excels at modifying and learning from mistakes in his practice work! He always has a smile on his face and will engage in conversations with his teachers. In English class, Harrison is always trying to better himself. He is kind, funny, and polite. He goes above and beyond and uses each opportunity that he has to continue his learning.  He has been engaged with his team and willing to think outside the box.

Chagrin Falls Middle School, in its commitment to serve others, planned a variety of Mo-Vember activities to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS). Money was collected to see which female staff member would wear a wild wig all day on November 23.  Male staff continued to "Gro a Mo" and on November 23, got a pie in the face before shaving. Students sold mustache masks, headbands, squishies, stickers, earrings, and bracelets in the Innovation Center to raise money as well. Students enjoyed the planned daily dollar contests like Pin the 'Stache on the Turkey, Stubble Selfies, Name that Celebrity 'Stache, Name that 'Stache Style, and Horseshoes.

Students continued to discuss the importance of gratitude, charity and service and donated funds raised to LLS on Giving Tuesday. CFMS students and staff created gratitude journals, reflected on them each week and completed cost and benefit appraisals. “Actions have a new meaning when one determines how their life would be different if someone or something didn’t happen.  It helps us all to value one another more” said Principal Laila Discenza. “Reinforcing philanthropic beliefs and tasks help students build empathy and positive relationships.” In total, the No Shave November activities collected $820 which was donated to the Leukemia Lymphoma Society, who tirelessly work to find cures and ensure patients can access the lifesaving treatments they need.

Fifth-grade students at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School took a virtual field trip to see Aztec historical sites in what is now Mexico and New Mexico. In Amy Acton and Ellen McElvey's classes, students learned about the Aztec culture. Students journeyed  to Tenochtitlan and Templo Mayor, where they saw the ancient city and its temples. Students connected what they learned about the architecture, cultural heritage, and daily lives of the Aztec people with the ruins they saw in virtual reality.

Fourth graders, after learning about weathering, erosion, and deposition, visited the Grand Canyon in science with their teachers Whitney Miller, Alex Klusmann, and Heather Reeder.  They toured a trail on the Grand Canyon, where they noticed that the jagged edges of the rock indicated that weathering and erosion had occurred. They then travelled to the bottom of the Grand Canyon, to the Colorado River, where students noticed broken rocks and a rushing river, and made the connection between the erosion and deposition that formed the canyon. 

The headsets and software were purchased through a generous grant from the PTO. Future virtual field trips include Ancient Egypt with the sixth-grade history classes, biomes with the Intermediate School science class, and France with the Advanced Placement French class.

The fall season for Chagrin Falls High School was memorable.  More than 300 student-athletes (65 seniors) competed the fall season. Chagrin Falls had 13 student-athletes named 1st team CVC, 14 named 2nd team CVC, and 20 named honorable mention CVC. 

In state competition, our girls cross country team came in 3rd at districts, and placed 3rd at regionals and qualified for the state meet. Mila Gresh finished 24th to make All Ohio The boys cross country team finished in 3rd place at districts, and 8th at regionals, and two boys qualified for state. The girls soccer team won the Chagrin Valley Conference, district championship, regional championship, and state championship. It was the second time the team has won the state championship (1996 was the other). Co-Head Coaches Pamela Malone and Joe Ciuni were named CVC Coaches of the Year. Pamela Malone was named the State Coach of the Year. Sarah Burgess and Petyon Gellin were named all Ohio for girls soccer along with Alex Cantor for boys soccer.

Not only was it a successful season on the field of play, but also in the classroom. 36 student-athletes were named to the CVC All-Academic Team. In order to be named to the CVC All-Academic Team you must be a senior, have a 3.25 Cum GPA, and lettered twice in your sport

Leo Fornara, Senior at Chagrin Falls High School, Selected as November Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month

Chagrin Falls High School senior Leo Fornara has been selected as the November Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Rooney was chosen based on his leadership and service qualities he has displayed in the community.

Fornara is one the High Honor Roll all seven semesters.  He also was a Tiger of the Semester in ninth grade.  He enjoys being a member of the Interact Club, Ultimate Frisbee Club, a Link Crew Leader, and plays baseball.

Outside of school he works more than 20 hours a week at Heinen’s and also is active at St. Rita Parish as an altar server and volunteering at the Thea Bowman Hunger Center.

Throughout his time in the classroom, Fornara took several accelerated classes including Honors English 9, Honors Geometry, AP Seminar, AP US History, Honors Algebra 2, Honors Spanish 3, Honors Chemistry, AP Physics I, AP Research, AP English Language, AP Government, Honors Pre-Calculus, Honors Spanish 4, AP Calculus AB, AP Statistics, AP Biology, AP English Literature, and AP Spanish.

After graduating, Fornara plans to study biochemistry and play baseball at the University of Mount Union.

Chagrin Falls High School senior girls lacrosse player Jane Peck has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at LaSalle University. Jane lettered three years for Chagrin Falls. She also was a cheerleader  (2 year letter winner). 

Chagrin Falls High School senior wrestler Sam Partain has signed a National Letter of Intent to wrestle at Lake Erie College. Sam lettered all four years for Chagrin Falls. He also played football for a year. Sam made all conference all four years at Chagrin. In 2020 he was a state alternate. 

Chagrin Falls High School senior girls lacrosse player Peyton Gellin has signed a National Letter of Intent to play at Kent State University. Peyton lettered all four years for Chagrin Falls. She also has participated in Girls Soccer (4 year letter winner) and Girls Basketball (4 year letter winner). Peyton was all Ohio in girls lacrosse and soccer. 

Chagrin Falls High School senior baseball player Andrew Kirkpatrick decided to commit to Wittenberg University. Andrew lettered all four years for Chagrin Falls. He also played football and hockey at Chagrin lettering three times in each sport. Andrew made all conference in all three sports.

At the November 3 Chagrin Falls Board of Education meeting, numerous students were recognized for maximizing their potential in their studies.

Congratulations to the following students . . .

Northwestern University’s Midwest Academic Talent Search (NUMATS) Top Scoring Students
NUMATS is a research-validated, above-grade-level testing program that currently offers the ACT and SAT to eligible identified gifted students. These tests are internationally recognized measures of academic ability designed for older students.  Each year, our district recognizes the top-scoring NUMATS participants per grade level, per test.  Students recognized as top-scoring SAT students include:
6th grade (in 2020-21) – Claire Rubin
7th grade (in 2020-21) – Jacob Kay
8th grade (in 2020-21) – Grace Mossad

Bridging Program Student Recognition
Bridging is the provision of content to students who have evidenced readiness to move into advanced coursework in math and/or science.  It is designed to provide a “bridge” to avoid skipping over content through accelerating forward in coursework.  It allows students to work in a blended learning environment, engaging in independent learning online, along with in-person teacher support and instruction, as needed.  It assists current students and students who join the district.

Math: These 17 students worked through summer 2021 to complete Math Bridging and move into more rigorous Math programming this fall: Mia Beavers, Zachary Blair, Audrey Bricker, Melanie Brosnan, Gavin Chan, Isabelle Deioma, Reece de Leon, Hadley Hoch, Daria Kuzmenko, Connor Laval, Tessa Martin, Nathan Nelson, Gregory Perry, Sophia Pitts, Eloise Pulte, John Rankin and Ella Young

Physical Science: These 48 students worked in spring through summer 2021 to complete the Bridging to Physical Science program, illustrating their readiness to complete Physical Science for HS credit as a middle school student in the 2021-22 school year:  Aedan Aerni, William Allen, Alexa Apshago, Eva Austin, Joshua Baraona, Ella Beatty, Dominic Bellini, Ian Bencsath, Matthew Busby, Marie Cain, Kiersten Chaney, Henry Cimperman, Wade Daugherty, Patrick Davidson, Sofia De La Cruz, Brady Farah, Liam Gambrill, Emily Gasser, Hailey Haddon, Jennah Hamdan, Layla Hauserman, Elias Havas, Abigail Herman, Siebrand Hilbers, Claire Hoelzel, Ethan Johnson, Katie Jones, Sophia Link, Duncan Lyle, Eveleen Malley, Lucas Martin, Eric Nemunaitis, Westley Quintin, Rory Rohde, Kaya Sherman, Tess Snyder, Allison Stephenson, Isabella Thompson, Mackenzie Verderber, James Wagner, William Wagner, Jack Watson, Margaret Watson, Thomas Wilkinson, Harper Wyville, Natalie Zalud, Caleb Zelch and Ari Zimmerman.

2022 National Merit Scholarship Corp. Commended Students

The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced its list of Commended students.  The following fours Chagrin Falls High School students took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2020 and have been identified as National Merit Commended Students: Sophia Avery, David Skocic, Calvin Struk-Marn and Trey Taylor.

2022 National Merit Scholarship Semifinalists
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation has announced its 2021 list of Semifinalists, who will compete for a share of 7,600 scholarships worth more than $31 million.  Finalists will be announced between April - July 2022.  The following nine Chagrin Falls High School students took the PSAT/NMSQT in October 2020 and have been identified as National Merit Semifinalists: Robert (Trey) Brosnan, Matthew Daniels, Rose Hoelzel, Alexandra Holtz, Anne Mills, Azzurra (Wren) Opperman, Joshua Rooney, Hansen Song and Jude Zimmerman.

National Speech and Debate Association Award Recognition
The National Speech and Debate Association (NSDA) recognizes students who through point accumulation have earned the degree of Superior Distinction, have completed a minimum of five semesters of high school, have demonstrated outstanding character and leadership, and have earned a 3.7 GPA on a 4.0 scale and/or a 3.5 to 3.7 GPA WITH an ACT score of 27 or higher, or a new SAT score of 1300 or higher.  NSDA recognizes only 2% of member students nationally with this award. The following Chagrin Falls High School students have recently received this award: Sophia Avery, Alexandra Holtz and Carter Kilby.

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO

SEVENTH GRADERS
Katie Rosner has been a leader in Project Lead the Way class since day one.  Her participation is excellent as well as her focus on turning in quality work.  She comes to school consistently with a positive attitude!  In English class, Katie participates often.  She has insightful thoughts to share and goes above and beyond in preparing for class with her post-it notes about her reading.  Katie works well with others.  She is kind to all students.  She has determination and wants to understand the topic she is researching.  Katie participates in extracurricular activities.  On the cross country team, Katie was a great teammate.  She always cheered on others whether they were on her team or not.  Katie cares about her school, showing this by participating in Spirit Week activities, Say Hello Week and in the Speech and Debate Club.

Jacob Vasko is a science superstar who put together an exemplary biome project.  Jake participates in class, is kind to all students, works well with others and reaches out to teachers if he has questions. Jake finds topics that interest him and “goes to town” in his efforts to understand and apply the topic to an activity, in class work or participating within a group. Jake gives 110% effort on every assignment in English class.  He stays focused, works hard, and works well with his book club groups.  He is a quiet leader in our class.  

EIGHTH GRADERS 

Charlotte Kleid is an exceptional student.  Her participation in class makes others around her excited about learning.  Charlotte’s positive outlook and new perspectives are refreshing.  Charlotte has made an impact on Project Lead the Way class since her first day at Chagrin.  She is consistent with her participation and builds relationships with her classmates and teachers.  Charlotte hit the ground running after switching into physical science and has excelled at the toughest part of the physics unit.  New to the District this year, in just a few short months, she has helped organize speakers, prizes, and communications for the Kick-It for Cancer event, helped to plan the Halloween dance, and stood out as a leader in all her classes. 

Caleb Zelch works hard to learn from his mistakes and takes each assignment seriously. He is a fun member of the class. Caleb always comes to class with a smile and a positive attitude. He is a great team member and is always willing to help out a peer. Caleb has a super positive attitude and is always willing to go the extra mile.

Congratulations to the 2021 Chagrin Falls High School Homecoming Court Members and Queen . . . 

9th grade Lillian Stukus 

10th grade Mila Gresh 

11th grade Ruby Manthe 

12th grade Abigail Laws, Claire Coffey, Ella Angel 

Homecoming Queen: Abigail Laws

The Chagrin Falls High School Interact Club is sponsoring a gift card collection to support the Geauga County Sponsor-a-Family program.  The campaign runs from November 1 -19.  Giant Eagle gift cards and monetary donations will be accepted to support the growing number of families facing food insecurity this holiday season.   Please drop off your donation to the main office of the high school.  You can also mail your gift card or check to Karen Sindelar, Interact Club Food Drive, 400 East Washington Street, Chagrin Falls, OH  44022.

All gift cards and checks will be delivered to the Geauga County Jobs and Family Services office.  Their staff will use the cards/money to purchase food for donations.

Congratulations to Hansen Song for auditioning and being accepted into the NAfME (National Association for Music Education) All-National Orchestra. Hansen will join other high school orchestral musicians from all over the country virtually this January 22-24, 2022. The 2022 virtual event will include several rehearsals with the 2022 All National Honors Ensembles Conductors, workshops with renowned clinicians, and each ensemble will create a final, recorded performance which will be premiered online during the 37th-annual Music In Our Schools Month (MIOSM).

The Chagrin Falls Schools' music department was delighted to host Mr. Darian Sanders on October 14. Mr. Sanders is currently on tour playing the role of “Simba” in the Broadway version of the Lion King. After his debut performance at Playhouse Square, Darian will travel with the show to San Antonio, Texas and to other major cities throughout the United States. While visiting Chagrin, Mr. Sanders spoke with some of the high school music students and he also performed a song from the broadway musical Wicked.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) has earned the 2020-21 Leading Chapter Award in the North Coast District. This honor, based on student participation throughout the school year, is the highest recognition a school can receive from the National Speech and Debate Association. Only the top school in accumulated members and degrees per district earns the designation each year. Out of more than 3,000 member schools nationwide, CFHS is one of 108 to receive the Leading Chapter Award.

Chagrin Falls Schools Ranks #6 out of 608 Districts in Ohio 

The Ohio Department of Education (ODE) released the 2020-21 Local Report Card for all districts on Thursday, October 14. For the second year in a row, the ODE did not issue school rankings because of the impact of the pandemic on schools. However, the report cards do contain data related to many components which measure student achievement at the district and school levels. While ratings and grades were not issued by the ODE this year, the results suggest that the Chagrin Falls Schools continue to perform at the highest level of academic achievement. 

“The data in the school report card reflects the resiliency and commitment of our students, staff and community during unprecedented times,” said Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools. “We celebrate the accomplishments that the report card represents yet continue to work towards finding ways to develop the whole child.” 

Below you will find an overview of each component with the District’s relative performance: 

Achievement: The achievement component represents the number of students who passed state tests and how well they performed on them. The District’s performance index score was 105.5. This was the 6th best performance index in the state. The district met 17 of its 19 achievement indicators. An indicator is met when 80% of students testing score proficient or better on a given test. 

Gap Closing: The gap closing component shows how well schools are meeting the performance expectations for all students and subgroups. Chagrin Falls Schools exceeded the achievement goal as a District for each subgroup reported. 

Graduation Rate: The graduation rate looks at the percent of students who are successfully finishing high school in four or five years. The District reports a 99.5% four year graduation rate and a 96.1% five year graduation rate. 

K-3 Literacy: The K-3 literacy component looks at how successful the school is at getting struggling readers on track to proficiency in kindergarten through grade 3. Chagrin Falls Schools does not report on this component because the District had fewer than five percent of its students in kindergarten reported as “not on-track” to meet the Third Grade Reading Guarantee. 

Prepared for Success: The prepared for success component looks at how well prepared students are for all future opportunities. It includes college entrance exam remediation-free scores, number of Honors Diplomas awarded, Advanced Placement exam scores and College Credit Plus credit accrual. Chagrin Falls Schools received a score of 102.4% on this component. 

The District Administrative team will present to the Board of Education on data reflected within the ODE Report Card for the 2020-21 school year at the Board Meeting scheduled to occur on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. During this session, additional details about other data showcased in the district and school report cards will be presented. 

CLICK HERE for more information on the Ohio Department of Education Report Card.

On October 13, Chagrin Falls High School senior class members volunteered at a variety of nearby organizations for the school’s annual Philanthropy Day. 

Service opportunities included helping clean up the gardens at Holden Arboretum, interacting with students at Gurney Elementary School and the Intermediate School. Other volunteer locations included Meals on Wheels, Life Act, Chagrin Falls Historical Society, and Santa’s Hide-a-Way Hollow. Philanthropy Day has been growing each year since 2014, when that year’s seniors ventured out beyond Chagrin Falls to volunteer in Ohio City. 

“When I became the assistant principal, I wanted to use this as an opportunity to engage students in meaningful community service and to build on the school’s relationships with community partners," said Assistant Principal Amanda Rassi, who organizes the day each year. "We believe that service work is a social responsibility and that a single person performing an act of kindness does have the power to make a difference. our students are making a difference.”

Chagrin Falls High School senior Josh Rooney has been selected as the October Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Rooney was chosen based on his leadership and service qualities he has displayed in the community.

Rooney is a National Merit Semi-Finalist and he is an AP Scholar with Distinction.  He has received a math department award as well as the Bausch and Lomb Honorary Science award.  He also is on the Chagrin Falls High Honor Roll.  In addition, he is a four-time all-state swimmer.  In addition to swimming, he also participates in lacrosse.

Rooney is a member of Student Council, Superintendent Advisory Committee, a tutor for the Tiger Society, and he is on the Honors Advanced Data Structures App Team.

Outside of school, he is involved in club swim and is a lifeguard and swim instructor.

Throughout his time in the classroom, Rooney took several accelerated classes including AP World History, AP Statistics, AP United States History, AP Calculus AB, AP Seminar, AP Computer Science A, AP Chemistry, AP Physics I, AP Calculus BC, CCP English Composition, AP Spanish Language, AP Government, CWRU General Chemistry II, CWRU Organic Chemistry I, and CWRU Calculus III.

After graduating, Rooney plans to study at a four-year university in the fall, currently undecided in his major.

On Wednesday, October 6, approximately 400 students participated in the annual Walk to School Day.  Chagrin Falls students have celebrated Walk to School Day since 2009 but had to skip a year last year due to Covid-19. There were 264 Chagrin Falls Intermediate School students (73% of the school) and 106 Chagrin Falls Middle School students (41%) who walked to school.

This year, the fun community event, organized by Safe Routes Chagrin, was held in conjunction with International Walk to School Day - a global celebration that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day.  “This is a day to celebrate what makes Chagrin Falls special: a walkable, accessible community where students, parents, teachers, retirees, and community members all appreciate and enjoy being able to walk to the schools, shops, parks, and businesses that Chagrin Falls has to offer,” said Kathryn Garvey, Safe Routes Chagrin Board President.

Chagrin Falls Middle School students started their day by meeting their friends at the Chagrin Falls Intermediate School parking lot on Philomethian Street to walk to Harris Stadium where they enjoyed an Einstein Bros. bagel.  Chagrin Falls Middle School Student Council awarded prizes to student teams that dressed in costumes that best represented this year’s theme “Movies & TV Shows.”  

At Chagrin Falls Intermediate School, students enjoyed a walk to school either from home or by being dropped-off at either the Chagrin Falls municipal parking lot or Harris Stadium. At school, walkers also enjoyed an Einstein Bros. bagel. Prizes included gift cards to local stores so that students can return to town to shop locally and enjoy the downtown area. The Student Council designated it "Rainbow Day" as part of their Spirit Week and students wore a rainbow of colors in addition to the Safe Routes mask provided to them as part of the event.

Safe Routes Chagrin is a cooperative endeavor between the Village of Chagrin Falls, the Chagrin Falls Local Schools, the Chagrin Falls Police Department and the community. 

The first set of library wellness grab-and-go bags were distributed on October 1 to students at Chagrin Falls Middle School and Chagrin Falls High School. 

This idea was developed during the Covid-19 pandemic to stay connected with both our remote and in-person students. The bags were so well received by students that Media Specialist Angie Jameson and her student interns have continued creating them through each month and season. 

Students Fraya Brattebo and Audrey Holmes planned and assembled these engaging activity bags that included personalized book lists featuring Brazilian authors, supplies for four crafts, and a wellness message. 

On October 9, Brattebo and Holmes joined Jameson at the Ohio Educational Library Media Association Conference in Columbus to present to librarians from around the state on their experience designing, marketing and assembling the bags.

Government Finance Officers Association of the United States and Canada (GFOA) has awarded the Certificate of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting to Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District for its comprehensive annual financial report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2020. The CAFR has been judged by an impartial panel to meet the high standards of the program, which includes demonstrating a constructive "spirit of full disclosure" to clearly communicate its financial story and motivate potential users and user groups to read the CAFR.

The Certificate of Achievement is the highest form of recognition in the area of governmental accounting and financial reporting, and its attainment represents a significant accomplishment by a government and its management.

Students at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School took an educational field trip to the Chagrin Falls Popcorn Shop in the center of town.  Every week, the students will be able to transfer the skills they are learning in the classroom to real-world experiences. Some of these skills include counting money, staying within a budget, reading from a menu, and placing an order with an employee. “We will visit a variety of businesses in town to not only promote the generalization of these learned skills, but also strengthen the bond between CFIS and the surrounding community,” said teacher Hannah DeWolf.

Other businesses they will be visiting include Heinen’s, Yours Truly, Parkside Grille, Dave’s Cosmic Subs, Sugar Me Desserterie, Einstein Bros. Bagels, and the Chagrin Falls Public Library.

The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance.  The students depict Tiger Techniques: Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female "Tiger of the Month" and the students receive personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO

SEVENTH GRADERS

Juliet Oliver constantly is looking for opportunities to lead and to help make our school better for everyone. She is a friendly, welcoming face, and a huge support on the Guidance Advisory Council and Student Council. In class, Juliet has the courage to ask questions, make mistakes, and get messy!  She’s a fantastic group member, always making sure her and her partner are working together towards a common goal.  She speaks up and advocates for herself when she doesn’t understand or needs help.  Juliet is a super student and an even better person.

Jude Bidar is a kind and conscientious leader. He jumps into any opportunity with friendly, positive enthusiasm and is welcoming to everyone. He always has a smile on his face and makes people around him smile, too. He has been an invaluable member of the Guidance Advisory Council.  Jude is an enthusiastic problem solver who takes on challenges.

EIGHTH GRADERS 

Jennah Hamdan is a hard worker who is always putting forth her best effort. She is not afraid to ask questions and is sincere in all peer and teacher interactions.  Jennah is quick to notice patterns and her ideas help our class solve interesting problems. She is a valued member of the Speech and Debate Team where she is a diligent and tenacious competitor at tournaments. She is simultaneously helpful and supportive to her own Chagrin teammates which is a winning combination.

Zach Flaiz is a hard-working and dedicated English student. He always has a positive attitude and works to his fullest potential! Zach is so kind and respectful to not only his teachers, but his peers as well. He is very thoughtful and diligent in his work.  In addition, he goes out of his way to help others and demonstrates what leadership is about in all of his classes and in Student Council.

Ken McClintock, an educational aide for Chagrin Falls Middle School (CFMS), won a “Support Staff of the Year” award from the Ohio Middle Level Association. CFMS Principal Laila Discenza nominated McClintock for this award, which recognizes a staff member who fosters positive, trusting relationships with staff, students and parents.

The state of Ohio is divided into eight regions and McClintock won the award for North East region. 

Excerpts from his nomination read…

Ken epitomizes a team player. 

He is very flexible and can work with anyone. The students he works with have a wide variety of needs.  He works with students throughout the day to help with executive functioning skills, work completion, social emotional supports, and core tutoring. He meets with teams to compile his roster, identify the needs and tasks, dedicate time with students and progress monitor in order to share dates with teams and families. 

Ken gets results.

He shows students he cares with his patience and positivity. He motivates students by building caring relationships and scaffolding supports. He exhibits kindness, concern and mutual respect. He takes time to talk to students and get to know their interests to build positive rapport to ensure results when working with those students in an academic setting. He knows how to meet each student where they are and nudges them from there. 

Ken is reliable.

One can always count on Ken. Teachers constantly use him and his work as a response to intervention for kids who need focused support. He can cover a study hall in a pinch, direct traffic before school or monitor the locker room after school. He needs little direction and uses creativity and common sense when helping a young adolescent find their place. 

Ken cares about others.

He offered not to take lunch this year in order to work with more kids.  If he reached out to meet with a student, who maybe missed a meeting, he would reschedule it for any time, even after school.

Ken is truly a fan favorite. 

Everybody likes Ken because he is so good at what he does. He always follows the middle school golden rules. He is consistent, compassionate and helps all students become confident learners.  

McClintock will be recognized during an awards reception at the Ohio Middle Level State Conference in Columbus, Ohio on October 28.  

Chagrin Falls High School is pleased to announce that Sophia Avery, David Skocic, Calvin Struk-Marn and Trey Taylor have been named National Merit Commended Students. More than two-thirds (about 34,000) of the approximately 50,000 high scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT® receive Letters of Commendation in recognition of their outstanding academic promise.

Chagrin Falls High School Seniors Ali Holtz and Carter Kilby earned the National Speech and Debate Association’s (NSDA) Academic All American Award. They both join Sophia Avery and many other past teammates in the top 1% of all NSDA members.

As the national authority on public speaking and debate, NSDA provides the infrastructure for speech and debate competitions around the world. They create a platform for youth voices to be heard and celebrated, which culminates with an annual National Tournament, the pinnacle of public speaking.

Chagrin Falls High School (CFHS) senior Ali Holtz has been selected as the September Chagrin Valley Rotary Student of the Month. Holtz was chosen based on her leadership and service qualities she has displayed in the community.

During her academic career, Holtz placed seventh in the National Lincoln Douglas Debate and fifth place in speaker points, was an AP Scholar with Distinction for the 2020-21 school year, earned an AP Capstone Diploma, was a National Merit Semifinalist and was on the Chagrin Falls High Honor Roll from 2018-2021. Additionally, she placed first in the District 6630 Rotary 4-Way Speech Competition and is a Cleveland Technical Societies Council Honor Junior.

Holtz has been a member of the Speech and Debate team for four years and participated in the Lincoln Douglas debate. She has also been a Link Leader during her junior and senior years of high school and played Chagrin Falls High School lacrosse her freshman and sophomore years. She has played on the golf team for four years and has been a varsity letterman for three years and a varsity co-captain of the team.

Outside of school, Holtz keeps busy with playing the piano, which she has been practicing since the age of five. She also plays ice hockey and has played since age six, even participating in the first delegation to the International Children’s Games for Girl’s Ice Hockey where she was a bronze winner. She not only is athletic but is community-focused as she founded a mentorship community project called Debate Exchange. When she is not involved in sports or community projects, she is a neighborhood babysitter.

Throughout her time in the classroom, Holtz took several accelerated classes including AP World History, AP Calculus AB & BC, AP Physics 1 & 2, AP Seminar & Research, AP Government, College Level Analytic Geometry and Calculus III, AP Computer Science A, Honors Advanced Data Structure, AP Computer Science Principles, APES, AP Chemistry, AP Economics, AP Statistics, and Honors Spanish 3.

After graduating, Holtz plans to study at a four-year university in the fall, currently undecided in her major.

Chagrin Falls Schools Treasurer’s Department received the “Highest Achievement in Open and Transparent Government Award” from Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber. The District is in the top 14% of all governmental entities they audited for transparency.

In March of 2019, Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber announced his plan to create a program that would encourage public entities to be more open and transparent. Previously, while serving as Ohio Senate President, Auditor Faber worked with the Court of Claims to establish an independent and affordable process for citizens to have their public records complaints heard and determined. To build upon the success achieved with the public record mediation program and further promote more open and transparent government operations, the “StaRS” public records system was launched in November of 2019. The stars ratings were created to acknowledge the accomplishments of those that were meeting Ohio’s public record and open meetings laws, and also to recognize those public bodies that were exceeding those legal standards by implementing a number of identified best practices. 

Since initiation, 4,181 entities have been audited for public records compliance. More than 59% have achieved compliance meaning they have received, at minimum, a single star rating for meeting Ohio’s public record laws. This includes 559 local governments, schools, first-responder agencies, and other public bodies that have achieved a four star rating – the highest honor. 

By receiving the highest award possible with a four star rating means Chagrin Falls Schools implemented five or more of these best practices… 

1. The public office employs a method to track public records requests, such as record requested, date received and date provided. 

2. To assist the public in making a request for records the public office has standard request forms that are available to requestors to use if they wish, as well as for the staff to use when a request is made via phone. 

3. The public office provides an acknowledgment to the requestor when a public records request is received, consistent with how the request was made. 

4. To assist the public in making a request for records, the public office has publicized (website, public records poster, etc.) the name or office title of the records custodian and his/her contact information. Further, the public office’s staff has been trained on how to route public records requests to the record custodian, who also has been trained on fulfilling the public records requests, including guidelines for negotiating ambiguous or large requests. 

5. All elected officials or their designees, as well as community school administrators, have taken the required public-records training within the applicable time frame. 

6. The public office has an online presence that provides the office’s agendas, policies, and schedules. 

7. The public office has an online presence that provides access to official documents, such as the annual budget, salaries, and contact information.

Chagrin Falls Schools is pleased to announce that nine students have been named National Merit Semifinalists by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The students are Robert (Trey) Brosnan; Matthew Daniels (also scored a perfect score on the ACT); Rose Hoelzel; Alexandra Holtz; Anne Mills; Azzurra (Wren) Opperman; Josh Rooney; Hansen Song and Jude Zimmerman.

There are approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 67th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These academically-talented high school seniors have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships worth nearly $30 million that will be offered next spring. To be considered for a Merit Scholarship® award, Semifinalists must fulfill several requirements to advance to the Finalist level of the competition. About 90 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain finalist standing, and about half of the finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title.

The Chagrin Falls Orchestra program is pleased to welcome student teacher Ms. Brianna Miller. Ms. Miller is currently a student at The University of Akron and will graduate this December with her Bachelor’s degree in music education. She will be working with all of the orchestras in grades 5-12. In her free time, Ms. Miller enjoys spending time with her cat and two guinea pigs. She is looking forward to getting to know all of the students in our orchestra program and is looking forward to a great semester. 

Congratulations to high school Sophomore Sofia Clark who, over the summer, auditioned and was accepted into the Contemporary Youth Orchestra. The Contemporary Youth Orchestra is an ensemble that performs purely contemporary repertoire. This includes music that has been written in the last 100 years. The group consists of advanced high school instrumentalists from across the Cleveland area. Practicing and performing at the Cuyahoga Community College Metro Campus, CYO’s season follows the school calendar, and hosts up to five concerts per season. 

Congratulations to Hansen Song, a senior violinist at Chagrin Falls High School. Hansen auditioned and was recently accepted into the OMEA Northeast Regional Orchestra and the All-State Orchestra. The OMEA Northeast Regional Orchestra will be performing at The University of Akron on Sunday, November 7. The All -State orchestra will be performing at the Ohio Music Education Association annual conference on February 5, 2022 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland.

Second graders in Ellen Jones’ class at Gurney Elementary School read the book “A Spot of Courage” to continue the conversation of “courage” with the One District, One Book program this year. 

The book talks about all the different ways people can show courage throughout their lives, from asking a new friend to play, going onstage to perform, or asking for help.  Students then made spot monsters to help remind them that they have courage to chase their fears and worries away. Each child then thought of one way this year that they are going to try and show courage in the classroom. “Some of the courage goals the kids had were doing the right thing even when others aren't, raising my hand in class, and reading a book that is good for me even if others think it is easy,” said Jones.  “We will continue to revisit our courage goals throughout the year.”

Chagrin Falls High School ranks in the top 1% of high schools nationally, based on the 2021 rankings from U.S. News & World Report. Chagrin Falls High School is ranked #2 in Cleveland, #8 in Ohio and #291 in national rankings. In addition, the school was nationally ranked #71 in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) high schools. Nearly 18,000 schools were nationally ranked and 683 schools were ranked in Ohio. 

Chagrin Falls High School has had continued improvement in these rankings through the years. The school was nationally ranked #539 in 2019, #330 in 2020 and now #291 in 2021. 

“Academic excellence is a result of a strong partnership with all members of our school community,” said Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools. “The hard work, dedication and commitment of our students and staff has not gone unnoticed. It is evident that all members of our school community value a high quality education, and I am honored to be part of the work of this District. Congratulations to the students, staff, administration, and Chagrin Falls Schools’ community!” 

Ranking factors included college readiness; college curriculum; math and reading proficiency and performance and graduation rate.

CLICK HERE for the detailed report.

The Chagrin Falls High School E-Commerce class is an elective course designed to help students explore the ideas of entrepreneurship and running their own business through a partnership with Junior Achievement. It is taught by business teacher John Bakalar.

Students in the class have focused on creating different types of pitches to entice investors so they can scale their business to meet their goals. One way students have learned this is by recently watching an episode of ABC's Shark Tank that featured 2003 graduate Kevin Consolo and his product SneakErasers. Consolo and his partner were able to successfully pitch their product with The Sharks, Alex Rodriguez and Lori Greiner. Chagrin Falls High School Alumni Director Brian McKenna was able to connect with Consolo and provide the episode and product for the class. The course hopes to connect with Consolo later in the semester and learn from his experience on Shark Tank and successfully managing his own business.

Our Gurney Preschool (Early Childhood Intervention Services) is an inclusive, nature-based program designed to serve children ages three through five years who have both developmental and typical educational needs. What exactly is an inclusive program? Early childhood inclusion embodies the values, policies, and practices that support the right of every young child and his or her family, regardless of ability, to participate in a broad range of activities and contexts as full members of families, communities, and society. The desired results of inclusive experiences for children with and without disabilities and their families include a sense of belonging and membership, positive social relationships and friendships, and development and learning to reach their full potential. Research has shown that children learn best through the effective modeling of the age-appropriate skills of the peers around them. Students who participate in the peer program will not only have an opportunity to share their strengths but will also learn about likenesses and differences, in addition to receiving an exceptional early childhood experience. 

At Gurney Preschool, we encourage young children to be explorers, communicators, questioners, thinkers, socializers, creators, interactors, problem solvers, and reasoners! We are a nature-based program, committed to spending up to 50% of each day outside engaged in hands-on scientific inquiry and outdoor experiential learning. Our behavior management philosophy is centered on positive behavior support, with the goal of developing each student’s sense of self-esteem, responsibility, social justice, and self-regulation. Other opportunities include library, technology, music and movement, outdoor gross motor and experiential learning, and field trips – all in addition to typical early childhood learning activities supporting the Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS). 

The Gurney Preschool has received the highest Step Up to Quality rating by becoming a 5-Star Award winner! Step Up to Quality (SUTQ) is a rating and improvement system overseen by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. This system recognizes and promotes learning and development programs that exceed licensed health and safety regulations using a five-star quality rating system. 

This year, the Gurney Preschool is thrilled to announce the expansion of its award-winning program! We have added an additional AM and PM class and welcome a new general education co-teacher, Vanessa Mattson, and a new early childhood intervention specialist, Brooklyn Benkowski. We are so grateful for the opportunity to provide more children with the unique and high-quality learning environment that our community has come to treasure. 

We welcome your inquiries! Please contact Marianne Canter at marianne.canter@chagrinschools.org with any questions or for more information. If you are interested in placing your child on the waitlist, please contact Carrey Nielsen at 893-4030 ext 4124. There are spaces available for typically developing peers! These students must be residents of the Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District and 3.5 years of age by August 1.

Chagrin Falls Schools will be conducting a year-long One District One Book for the first time.  With the success of the One School One Book for so many years at its schools, District administration is looking forward to using the theme of “Choose Courage” and have all students and staff read the book “Courage” by Bernard Waber throughout the 2021-22 school year. The theme will be integrated in all subject areas and in all grade levels throughout the year.  The District will use #CFChooseCourage on social media.

Each month, students and staff will focus on different courage-related themes.  Examples include the courage to meet new people, start a new school year, stand up for others, set goals, and make the right decisions.  There will be activities and lessons that are cross-curricular, cross-grade level, cross buildings and take place in homes and in the community. Connecting younger students with older students in the District enhances the younger students’ sense of belonging and provides older students with leadership roles they may otherwise never experience. 

Thanks to the support of the Chagrin Falls PTO, every kindergarten through eighth-grade student will receive a copy of “Courage” on the first day of school.  High school students will receive an electronic version of the book.

At the staff’s opening day convocation meeting, a video was played that showed many alumni, staff, students and community members sharing what courage means to them.  “Creating a community of readers across grade levels and between home and school, all engaged in connected activities and discussing the same book, leads to an excitement for learning that has a long-term impact,” said Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski, Chagrin Falls Schools. “Extending that community from just one school to the entire K-12 District presents us the opportunity to create a sense of connectedness throughout Chagrin Falls like never before.  As we all make our way through this pandemic, realizing all the challenges, changes in school learning, quarantines and isolation we have faced, our theme of ‘Choose Courage’ could not be more timely and relevant to unite our entire school community.”

We believe this to be an ideal time for the theme “Choose Courage” as students, staff and families find their way back from all the pandemic has caused - personal health challenges, changing school models, polarizing beliefs, quarantine feelings of isolation and more. Courage is a concept that knows no age restrictions and has no bias related to ethnicity, religion or gender. A kindergartener and a high school senior have a common experience they can share in which they have needed courage - walking into a new school, meeting all new friends, separating from their parents, and so on. The courage you need to try something new, to ask for help, to stick up for yourself and others, to face danger, to take a test, to be different, to fail and try again ...think of the connections that students of all ages can make with each other - and your children can make with YOU - through this one simple theme, Courage.

On August 16 during the Chagrin Fall Schools’ convocation meeting to welcome back staff, Director of Operations Chris Woofter presented the Ray Markuszka 20-Year Service Award to the following employees: Amy Acton, Katherine Adick, Amy Belew, Amy Fenton, Lisa Fetterman, Tracie Guggenheim, Cindy Hanculak, Heather Heartz, Ellen Jones, Rachel Jones, Stephanie Malley, Cindy Matejcik, Colleen McHugh, Julia O’Neill, Debbie Sirk.

At the August 16 staff convocation meeting, Chagrin Falls Schools surprised Justin Wise, a first-grade teacher turned virtual kindergarten teacher last school year with one of the highest awards given by the District.  Principal Rachel Jones presented both of these employees with the award.  

Excerpts from Justin Wise’s nomination read… 

“Mr. Wise volunteered to teach kindergarten virtually for the entire school year. This was a feat - not exaggerating! First, Mr. Wise is a long-time first-grade teacher who was switching to teach kindergarten for one year because he needed an additional kindergarten teacher and one less first-grade teacher. He had to learn all of the kindergarten curriculum, adjust to teaching kindergartners and then figure out how to teach them virtually. These were five-year-olds who had/have never been inside Gurney Elementary School at all. They didn't know how to navigate and use a Chromebook, organize their materials -they didn't know how to read! Some were shy and some were overbearing. They all had some adult support at home which meant that Mr. Wise was doing all of this in front of parents, grandparents and sitters. He was in an unbelievably stressful situation. And in that situation, he taught his students to use the Chromebook, to participate in a zoom, to participate in break out rooms, to use school materials at home, to show their work on camera, to make friends and connections with others, to add, to subtract, to read and to write and more. Mr. Wise stepped up and showed incredible enthusiasm and care for these children all year long. He built rapport with students he had never met in person. When I told these parents that Mr. Wise would be teaching first grade next year, I was flooded with these parents requesting that their child loop with him because they had built such a strong relationship with him - through the computer. He spent one-on-one time with students when they needed it. He grouped students to share stories from their weekends and make friends. He praised them and used their work as models in lessons. Mr. Wise. He truly saved kindergarten for over 20 Gurney Elementary School students last school year.”

“Mr. Wise did an AMAZING job teaching our virtual Kindergartners this year. I am in awe at how engaging he is over a Chromebook. He truly made a connection with all the children in a year in which I didn’t think it would be possible, especially with our youngest learners. Personally, my daughter learned and grew so much, purely based on the instruction of Mr. Wise. Her first year of school ended up being a complete success! He is truly an exemplary teacher!”

At the August 16 staff convocation meeting, Chagrin Falls Schools surprised Shawn Carlson, head custodian at Gurney Elementary School, with one of the highest awards given by the District.  Principal Rachel Jones presented both of these employees with the award.  

Excerpts from Shawn Carlson’s nominations read… 

“Mr. Carlson is so much more than the Gurney head custodian that it's difficult to describe. Shawn is a critical pillar to the success of our school every day. The students and parents know him well because he's personable, approachable and eager to know them and help them. He helps people even without being asked - just from overhearing someone talking about a need or quietly observing someone struggling with something in their room/office - they show up the next day to find an item fixed for them, an item built for them or an item replaced for them. He is always looking for how he can make life better for everyone at Gurney Elementary School.”

“There is no problem that Shawn Carlson cannot handle. During a very challenging year filled with uncertainty, he was always there ready to help and problem solve. He is really good at anticipating when people need his help. Shawn could be seen checking in and helping with car arrivals. He never hesitates to take care of something right away - whether it's a water spill in the hall, a mess in the bathroom, or something heavy that needs to be moved. He could be found everyday at lunch to make sure we had the cleaning supplies needed, but also to help. He worked side by side with us to clean and disinfect for the next group. Even down to the final days of the school year, Shawn was out helping with various tasks to make Tiger Trek/Field Day a success. Perhaps the best part about him is that he does all this with a sense of calmness, confidence, a smile and good conversation.”

“Shawn never lets us down! He is quick to respond to requests and does so with such an amazing attitude. He helps, builds, assembles, takes things down, fixes everything, hauls heavy furniture, repairs whatever in your room needs a tune-up, and is obviously an incredibly hard-worker. The kids enjoy him and often ask to write thank yous to Mr. Carlson for his help! At the elementary level, he is understanding of young students' mishaps and often helps students fix their messes - like mopping up spills and wiping handprints off walls of budding artists! This nomination is well-deserved!”

Certified Staff:

John Bakalar - Business Teacher, Chagrin Falls High School 

John Bakalar graduated from Lakewood City Schools in 2003 where he participated in baseball, basketball, rugby, and Student Council. He obtained his Bachelor’s Degree from Kent State University in 2008 majoring in Integrated Business Education with a Minor in Physical Education. In 2014, he earned a Master of Arts in K-12 Technology from Bowling Green State University. For the past 13 years, he has taught at Crestwood High School and Middle School as a Business/Finance/Technology Teacher. He has taught courses titled Financial Management, Financial Literacy, Business Management, Sports Management, Entrepreneurship, Introduction to Technology, Web Design, TV Productions, Graphic Design, and Animation Effects.

Mr. Bakalar holds a (4-12) ODE License in the teaching field of Integrated Business with an additional endorsement for Computer Technology (PreK-12).  He has pursued additional coursework beyond his Masters from Notre Dame College, Ohio University, and Hiram College. 

Mr. Bakalar had some very positive references.  Professionals in the field spoke about Mr. Bakalar and said some very excellent comments…”He is gifted in positive connection with students in the classroom.”  They also mentioned that John has a “high standard for the learning of his students and always prepares lessons with a great deal of detail and organization.”

In 2010, he was selected as Crestwood High School’s Teacher of the Year. During his tenure at Crestwood, he has served as the head varsity baseball coach for the last 10 seasons, leading Crestwood to eight seasons with a .500 record or better. In 2019, Mr. Bakalar was selected by his peers to be the President of the Ohio High School Baseball Coaches Association and has 

served in that capacity since. 

Mr. Bakalar lives in Reminderville and has some very positive experiences in the Chagrin Falls area with family and friends.  John is very excited to bring his expertise and be teaching here in Chagrin Falls School next year. 

Brooklyn Benkowski - Preschool Early Childhood Intervention Specialist at Gurney Elementary School

Brooklyn Benkowski is the new Early Childhood Intervention Specialist at Gurney Elementary School Preschool.  Ms. Benkowski grew up in Twinsburg, Ohio. She graduated from Twinsburg High School where she also played softball and volleyball.  Ms. Benkowski went on to graduate from Bowling Green State University where she earned a bachelor’s degree in Inclusive Early Childhood Education. After graduation, Ms. Benkowski was hired at Mentor Public Schools for last school year (20-21 SY) where she served as an Early Childhood Intervention Specialist.  The program she worked in at Mentor was an Integrated Preschool Program where Ms. Benkowski serviced students with special needs as well as their typically developing peers.  This program matches the same design as the preschool program at Gurney.   Also during her time at Mentor, she became the JV softball coach. 

Hailey Bockbrader - Science Teacher, Chagrin Falls High School 

Hailey Bockbrader is a native of northeast Ohio and currently living in Stow with her husband and rescue pup. She pursued her degree in Integrated Science at Kent State University and graduated this past May with a Bachelor of Science in Education. This will be her first year teaching with her Ohio licensure. She completed her student teaching at Highland High School with Biology and Environmental Science students, working with students in all grades 9-12. In addition to her student teaching, she has completed three semesters of various fieldwork with Kent State and also taught English and Science in El Salvador while working with an after-school organization in the spring of 2019. 

During the interview process, she discussed her participation in Science Olympiad.  She also stood out as a teacher who highly values collaboration and input from other teachers.  She discussed her lessons and units with the Chagrin High School science department teachers in the interview process and she did an excellent job in her teaching demonstration lesson during the final interview round.  

Ms. Bockbrader was inspired to become an educator based on her love of science, in combination with her love of education for the growth of future generations. 

Hannah DeWolf - Intervention Specialist, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School

Hannah DeWolf grew up in Pepper Pike and attended Orange City Schools. In high school, she played volleyball for Orange but could never seem to beat Chagrin.

She graduated summa cum laude from Miami University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Upon graduation, she will obtain both Mild/Moderate and Moderate/Intensive licenses, as well as a certificate in Autism Spectrum Disorders. During her time at Miami, she played club volleyball, coached a local club volleyball team, and tutored middle school students in math and reading. 

Ms. DeWolf stood out in the interview process as a teacher that has a warm and genuine connection to students, but also a high degree of professional training for special education and intervention work. 

Molly Klodor - Technology Integration Coach

Mrs. Klodor has taught high school English for 10 years serving most recently at Streetsboro High School where she also acts as a district technology specialist.  Mrs. Klodor has a Masters from Kent State University in Curriculum and Instruction and is a Google Certified Teacher and Trainer. 

Mrs. Klodor has the ability to help teachers and students with a variety of issues through her technology skill set coupled with her upbeat and optimistic personality.  Her collection and analysis of data demonstrates how she makes informed decisions and adjusts her strategies based on feedback. 

Some of her former colleagues say...

“Molly is a master teacher. She knows her curriculum well enough to teach it professionally and passionately. However, she is always striving to learn more. She goes into a situation with the mindset that she can always grow. This mindset directly transfers to her the people she is around and they want to learn more and grow.”

Molly frequently faces challenges related to the many extra duty positions she has (technology coach, quiz bowl coach, prom coordinator, professional development instructor, along with many more). She manages her time and stress levels with such ease that others look up to her.  Others consistently rely on her levelheadedness and expertise. Molly works to overcome every challenge by doing everything possible to keep things moving forward in a positive and productive way.”

Nicole Martorello - RTI Tutor 7-12

Ms. Martorello  has her Middle Childhood Education Licensure with a focus on mathematics and science.  She completed her undergraduate degree at Kent State University where she majored in Health Sciences with a minor in Psychology.  Following her time at Kent, she attended John Carroll University to get her Master of Education in Middle Childhood Education.  She holds an ODE teaching license in Middle Childhood in the areas of mathematics and science.  She has a true passion for working with children and loves teaching math.

Since graduating, Ms. Martorello  has had the opportunity to teach math in a variety of grade levels and learn about the trajectory of math throughout the middle school years.  Ms. Martorello is finishing a one year long-term substitute teaching position with Solon Schools and in the 2019-20 school year, held a long-term teaching position in Kenston.  In 2018, Ms. Martorello served as a long-term substitute at Chagrin Falls Schools as a seventh-grade math teacher where she made a very positive impact with her students.  

After school, Ms. Martorello  enjoys teaching gymnastics, walking her dog, and spending time with her friends and family.

Grace McDevitt- Intervention Specialist, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School

Grace McDevitt grew up in Fairview Park, Ohio.  She graduated from Kent State University in May 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Special Education, where she completed field experience in a wide range of settings, including student teaching at Crestwood High School in Mantua, Ohio.  Ms. McDevitt is in the process of obtaining her teaching license in the area of Special Education (mild to moderate) and her letter from Kent noted she is on track for obtaining her license.  

Ms. McDevitt is knowledgeable in the area of special education.  She believes that helping a child learn to read and building their confidence in school is incredibly powerful.  In her free time, she enjoys playing music, participating in community theater, and spending time outside.  

Caitlin McPheron - RTI Tutor 7-12

Caitlin McPheron was born and raised in Somerset, Kentucky. Caitlin graduated from Eastern Kentucky University with a B.A. in English, then from the University of the Cumberlands with a M.A. in teaching. Caitlin taught English Language Arts for two years in Kentucky, and spent one month teaching English in Madrid, Spain. She holds a Ohio Teaching license in the area of 7-12 Integrated Language Arts/English. 

Ms. McPheron has two years of teaching experience in Kentucky at both Wayne County Middle School and Winburn Middle School then this past year completed two long-term substitute teaching positions at Chagrin Falls Middle School where she has ended the school year in supporting students as an RTI tutor.  

Ms. McPheron enjoys gardening, cooking, hiking, camping, playing piano and guitar, reading, spending time with her family and friends, and spending time with her two cats. 

Jennifer Nagano - Computer Science, Chagrin Falls High School

Ms. Nagano has 20 years of experience teaching mathematics and computer science in a variety of educational settings.  She graduated with honors from Case Western Reserve University with a B.S. in Computer Engineering. After graduation, she joined the Peace Corps and taught mathematics in French in Guinea, West Africa for two years.  Her most recent teaching experience has been at Western Reserve Academy where she also coordinated math contests and served as a student advisor.  She also holds a Master's degree from Cleveland State University in Mathematics Instruction.  Ms. Nagano holds an Ohio Department of Education Teaching license in 7-12 mathematics and qualifies for an endorsement for adding Computer Science to her license.  Ms. Nagano's capabilities of computer coding and knowledge in computer science are excellent.  Ms. Nagano lives in Solon, Ohio with her family. She enjoys running, dancing, and reading bedtime stories with her two daughters.  

Casidy Reed - Band Teacher, Chagrin Falls High School

Casidy Reed is a musician, educator, and advocate for music education.  She is native to Buffalo, New York and is currently teaching 7-12 Band in the Rochester area.  She is also currently finishing her Master of Music in Music Teaching and Learning at the Eastman School of Music. She graduated with her Bachelor of Music Education as a trumpet primary from the Baldwin Wallace Conservatory of Music in 2019.  Casidy has also spent the past several summers teaching music to special education students through Erie 1 Region - BOCES (Boards of Cooperative Education Services).

Professionally, she has presented at the New York State School of Music Association (NYSSMA) conference, the Gender Equity in Music Conference at the Eastman School of Music, and is an editor of the International Women’s Brass Conference journal. She also is the host of her own podcast which focuses on issues of equity in the music industry.  Ms. Reed holds a PK-12 Music Teaching license in both Ohio and New York.  

Ms. Reed looks forward to moving back to Northeast Ohio to the area that was once her home and hopes to establish here in Chagrin as a dedicated teacher to creating music and teaching others. 

Melinda Sawicki - Grade 4 Teacher, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School

Melinda Sawicki grew up in the Youngstown area, attending Youngstown State University and graduating with a degree in Elementary Education in 2001. From there, she married her husband, Mark, and moved to the suburbs of Cleveland. She has 12 years of prior teaching experience across numerous subjects. She graduated from Kent State University with her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction in 2005. Mrs. Sawicki spent a few years raising her family before returning to the classroom again in 2019, as a third-grade substitute teacher in Solon. This past year, Mrs. Sawicki was the permanent building substitute at Gurney Elementary. During her time at Gurney, she was inspired by the intellectual community of teachers and staff and found great rewards in working with every student in the school. 

Mrs. Sawicki has a great deal of experience in teaching literacy and writing to middle-grade students.  She impressed the teaching team with her understanding of assessment in literacy as well as her collaborative approach to team teaching.  

Mrs. Sawicki and her husband have two daughters, Katie and Kara, along with two feisty miniature schnauzers, Moses and Cecil. 

Courtney Mooney - Tutor, Gurney Elementary School

Courtney Mooney has been serving in the School District as an educational aide this past school year, where she is primarily supporting a small group of students in second grade.  Over the course of this school year, she has exemplified everything we look for in a teacher at Gurney Elementary School. Mrs. Mooney is great at building rapport with students. She has quickly learned the Gurney Responsive Classroom strategies and language. Mrs. Mooney stood out this past school year in helping other staff work on special projects.  At Gurney, Mrs. Mooney has taken over the Sunshine Committee, providing staff morale ideas to implement throughout this challenging year, and has been an encouragement to many of her colleagues.

In collaboration with Mrs. Czerr, Courtney turned the Gurney Learning Lab into a place that students were excited to be in every day. Mrs. Mooney created a community feeling in there along with adding some predictable routines, some fun breaks, and continuous learning support. 

Mrs. Mooney holds a bachelor's degree in education from Bowling Green State University and has over 10 years of teaching experience focused on elementary classrooms.  Prior to Chagrin Falls Schools, she served most at St. Anselm School in Chesterland.  Before that, she was a teacher at Valley Christian Preschool in Chagrin Falls.  Courtney started her teaching career in a fifth-grade classroom at St. Francis of Assisi School in Gates Mills.  

Classified Staff:

Nicole Kennedy - Aide - Gurney Elementary School

Claudia Thompson - Aide - Gurney Elementary School

Stefanie Hanley - Aide - Chagrin Falls Intermediate School 

Sally Goss - Aide - Chagrin Falls Intermediate School 

Kelly Sukol - Transportation Secretary 

Marc Jacobson - Bus Driver 

Diane Phifer - Food Service Helper - Chagrin Falls High School 

Sue Rebszenko - Food Service Helper - Chagrin Falls High School 

Exempt:

Eileen Curtis - EMIS Coordinator - Central Office 

Lisa Salyers, a science teacher at Chagrin Falls High School, has been named the Ohio State Board of Education District 5’s Teacher of the Year for 2022.

“Ohio believes that each child is challenged to discover and learn, prepared to pursue a fulfilling post-high school path and empowered to become a resilient, lifelong learner who contributes to society,” said Jacinda Yonker, Territory Lead for the State Board of Education of Ohio. “The State Board of Education is proud to support the Ohio Teacher of the Year program by recognizing exceptional educators across the state and it is an honor to celebrate your dedication in the classroom and your voice as an advocate for the profession.” 

As a State Board of Education District 5 Teacher of the Year, Salyers stands alongside some of the most distinguished educators in the state. “Teachers are the most important factor for a student’s academic success and play a very important role in the lives of their students,” said Yonker. 

Her application now moves forward to the 2022 Ohio Teacher of the Year state selection committee. The four finalists will be announced at the end of July. The Ohio Teacher of the Year is selected in the fall. 

Salyers also is the advisor of the Cum Laude Society and president of the Chagrin Falls Education Association. She has been with the District for 26 years and has taught for 27 years. 

“Mrs. Salyers exemplifies all of the characteristics of a great educator; she maintains high expectations for her students, is creative, and always willing to go the extra mile,” said Principal Monica Asher, Chagrin Falls High School. “I’d be remiss if I did not place an emphasis on how students feel about ‘Mrs. Sal.’ Her students describe her as compassionate, understanding, funny, engaging, and kind. She is truly deserving of this honor and I am so incredibly proud to have the ability to work with her.”