The Weekly Update #4

Happy October! What do you think about when October rolls around? It’s the only month that starts with an “O.” Summer’s over and where did I put the jacket that I last wore in March? It’s bonfire time. Do we have enough Halloween candy (especially if I keep eating it)? The leaves are changing colors and are beautiful. I hate raking leaves (again, and again, and again…..)! Or, it’s Pumpkin Spice anything time (not a fan, except for pie). Everybody has positive and/or negative thoughts when it comes to October.

For Avon Lake City Schools, October is a transition month. Though it is hard to believe, October 28th is the end of the first quarter of school. Even with the smoothest of starts there are some wrinkles to iron out, but we are “firing on all cylinders” going into the middle of the school year. Again, hard to believe, but the fall extra-curricular and co-curricular regular seasons are heading to their finishes, and the state play-offs are beginning. Everybody is working hard inside and outside the classroom. We wish them all the best as we move into the winter months.

As the school year progresses, the Avon Lake Facilities Committee continues to gather information in order to plan for the future facility needs of the school district. You can stay up-to-date on the facilities committee, click here.

Mark your calendar:

Community Forum

Thursday, November 10 at 6:30 p.m. in the Commons at Avon Lake High School

The Avon Lake Facilities Committee, in conjunction with Fanning Howey Architects, will be holding an interactive input session for parents and community members. There will be a short information portion to the program outlining the facilities committee’s process up to this point followed by activities geared to share information and receive input from all attendees.

Have a great October. Thank you to all of the organizations and people who do so much for our staff and students. October is also National Principals Month so take a second and say 'thank you' to a building principal for their hard work and passion.

Sincerely,

Bob Scott

Superintendent

#ALCS100

Four Avon Lake High School seniors, Coryn Cummings, Ryan Jung, Annelise Klenz, and Camille Rasch, are among the 16,000 semifinalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. The nationwide pool of semifinalists represents less than 1% of U.S. high school seniors. The students will have to fulfill several requirements to advance to the finalist level of the competition and be considered for a Merit Scholarship award. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in college.

To become a finalist, the semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application with information about the semifinalist’s academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, as well as honors and awards received. Finalists will be announced in February.

Avon Lake High School also boasts eight Commended Students from the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program: Celia Gannon, Omar Kamhawi, Thomas Kennedy, William Kennedy, Alan Martinez Vacca, Pierden Pepe, Kendra Robert-Atsu, and Rachel Sheehan.

Congratulations!

Unity Day, the signature event of National Bullying Prevention Month (October), has been recognized in the United States since 2011. On Unity Day, individuals, schools, communities, and businesses are encouraged to wear or share orange to unite for kindness, acceptance, and inclusion to prevent students being bullied.

The ALCS will participate in a district-wide Unity Day Oct. 19 as all staff and students are encouraged to wear orange. Schools throughout the district will also have age-appropriate inclusion activities in their building.

Thank you Ohio Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)!

Starting with the Avon Lake High School locker rooms, the district is beginning to purchase and implement the water bottle filling station program through our grant from the Ohio EPA.

ALCS received $10,000 to purchase bottle filling stations throughout the district. Each building will receive at least one station.

Hydration is essential. Bottle fillers help us Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle while we do it.

We are grateful for grant funding as each one of the station costs just over $1,000, not including installation.

A group of Avon Lake teachers, administrators and parents recently accompanied representatives from Fanning Howey to visit four different school sites in the region (schools were all PK-5 elementary or 6-8 middle schools) for ideas and feedback.

At the June 7 regular Board of Education (BOE) meeting, the BOE approved Fanning Howey's pricing proposal "for the necessary design and related construction administration services" for the district-wide facilities project. These services include items such as site visits and assessments, stakeholder meetings, and other facility-related activities.

The ALCS are currently working with our district website provider, Emerge, to update and organize information on the district website. We are currently auditing our website and we would like to hear from our school community regarding features and additional items you would like to see on our new website design. Please click here to provide your feedback. Thank you!

Oct. 28: End of First Quarter

Nov. 7: No school (staff PD Day)

Nov. 8: BOE meeting 6:30 p.m. L.A.K.E. Center at ALHS

Nov. 10: Community Forum at 6:30 p.m. in ALHS Commons

Nov. 11: Learwood Veterans Day assembly

Nov. 23-25: Thanksgiving Break