
Bee Informed
Newsletter from Medina City Schools-September 2021
Bee Informed
Medina High School 2022 National Merit Scholar Semifinalists Named
On September 15, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of 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 more than $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 95 percent of the Semifinalists are expected to attain Finalist standing, and approximately half of the Finalists will win a National Merit Scholarship, earning the Merit Scholar® title. Medina High School has three students who are among the National Merit Semifinalists: Alex Holthouse, Bradon Timms, and Olivia Rudd.
To become a Finalist, the Semifinalist and a high school official must submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about the Semifinalist's academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, and honors and awards received. A Semifinalist must have an outstanding academic record throughout high school, be endorsed and recommended by a high school official, write an essay and earn SATR or ACTR scores that confirm the student’s earlier performance on the qualifying test.
From the approximately 16,000 Semifinalists, about 15,000 are expected to advance to the Finalist level, and in February they will be notified of this designation. All National Merit Scholarship winners will be selected from this group of Finalists. Merit Scholar designees are selected on the basis of their skills, accomplishments, and potential for success in rigorous college studies, without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference.
National Merit Scholarships
Three types of National Merit Scholarships will be offered in the spring of 2022. Every Finalist will compete for one of 2,500 National Merit® $2500 Scholarships that will be awarded on a state-representational basis. About 1,000 corporate-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards will be provided by approximately 220 corporations and business organizations for Finalists who meet their specified criteria, such as children of the grantor's employees or residents of communities where sponsor plants or offices are located. In addition, about 180 colleges and universities are expected to finance some 4,000 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards for Finalists who will attend the sponsor institution.
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2022 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. These scholarship recipients will join more than 362,000 other distinguished young people who have earned the Merit Scholar title.
NMSC, a not-for-profit organization that operates without government assistance, was established in 1955 specifically to conduct the annual National Merit Scholarship Program. Scholarships are underwritten by NMSC with its own funds and by approximately 400 business organizations and higher education institutions that share NMSC's goals of honoring the nation's scholastic champions and encouraging the pursuit of academic excellence.
Note: Information provided in this release was used, in part, from a release from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation dated September 15, 2021, 1560 Sherman Avenue, Suite 200, Evanston, IL 60201-4897.
Welcome to the Class of 2033 and 2034
Akron Children's Hospital School Health Services Offers On-Site Flu Vaccinations
Homecoming Parade Route Changed for 2021
Medina High School is ready for Homecoming 2021. This year’s theme is Family Game Night. Festivities began with Spirit Week September 20-24, followed on Friday, September 24 by the Homecoming Parade beginning at 6:00 PM from Medina High School, and football game at 7:00 PM as the Battling Bees take on the Euclid Panthers.
Due to ongoing COVID concerns, the District has made the difficult decision to shorten this year’s Homecoming parade route. Participants will only include the Medina High School Musical Marching Bees, the Homecoming Court, and high school sports teams and clubs. Thanks to continued collaboration with the Medina City Police Department and the City of Medina, we will use an alternate parade route to avoid excessive student, staff, and community congregating.
The alternate route will have the parade staged at Medina High School in the C Lot. The parade will leave the C Lot at 6:00 PM on Union Street to N. Spring Grove; left on N. Spring Grove to Friendship Street, right on Friendship Street to Broadway; right on Broadway to Union Street; right on Union Street to Medina High School. If you plan to view the parade, please be sure to be along this alternate route as the parade will not follow the traditional route this year around the Square.
The culminating event of the annual Homecoming festivities is the dance on Saturday, September 25, at Medina High School at Ken Dukes Stadium. Doors open at 7:00 PM, with the dance beginning at 7:30 PM.
Online Ticketing Through Hometown Ticketing
Medina City Schools Hall of Fame Ceremony Postponed
Musical Marching Bees
Community Members Paint with Tiny Robots
One of a Kind Artwork
Aaron Harrison Appointed to Board of Education
On Thursday, July 15, 2021, the Board of Education met during a special meeting at Medina High School in the Professional Development Center to complete the interview process to appoint a Board member to fill the vacated seat of Brian Hilberg who resigned June 27, 2021. Upon completion of the interviews, the Board deliberated and selected Aaron Harrison. Harrison was sworn into office following the executive session on July 15, 2021, and will serve until December 31, 2021, unless he runs in the upcoming election in November to retain the seat for the balance (2 years) of Hilberg’s term.
District Announces Administrative Changes
Over the summer, the District has had some changes in administrative positions at both the middle and high school levels.
Terri Horton is the new associate principal at A.I. Root Middle School. She replaces Holli Weber who resigned at the end of the 2020-2021 school year to take a head elementary principal position at Avon Lake City Schools. Horton brings over 10 years of experience to the District and was most recently an intervention specialist at A.I. Root Middle School. She holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona.
Kathy Ashcroft, the former supervisor at Helping Hands Preschool, currently located within Northrop Elementary, is the new associate principal at Claggett Middle School. She replaces John Telloni who has taken a head middle school principal position with Wellington Local Schools. Ashcroft joined the District on September 1, 2018, with over 30 years of teaching and administrative experience. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Elementary Education from Kent State University and a Master of Science degree in Educational Administration from the University of Akron.
The District also welcomes to Medina City Schools Jessica Ross as the new associate principal at Medina High School. Ross replaces Joe Gaudio who has taken a curricular position with the Northeast Ohio Educational Services Center. She brings about 14 years of diverse teaching experience at the elementary and middle school levels previously working at schools in New York City, West Geauga, Solon, and most recently, Aurora City Schools and Chagrin Falls Exempted Village Schools in administrative intern positions.
Ross holds a Bachelor’s degree from Amherst College in Amherst, MA, and a Master’s degree from Bank Street College of Education in New York, NY.
Terri Horton
Kathy Ashcroft
Jessica Ross
Board of Education Meeting Calendar
Monday, October 4, 2021
Board of Education Work Session
6:00 PM-Performing Arts Center (location subject to change)
Monday, October 18, 2021
Board of Education Regular Meeting
6:00 PM-Performing Arts Center (location subject to change)
The Board of Education meetings will temporarily be held at the Performing Arts Center and will be open to the public. Location may be subject to change. Meetings may also be viewed live on Medina City Schools' YouTube channel and Armstrong channel 201.
Replays of the meeting will also be available on Medina City Schools' YouTube Channel and Armstrong Channel 201.
Food Distribution Continues Through End of the 2021-2022 School Year
The United States Department of Agriculture has once again extended FREE meal benefits to all students for the 2021-2022 school year. This means ALL students enrolled in and attending Medina City Schools will be able to receive one breakfast (if your building offers breakfast) and one lunch at no charge every day school is in session.
Medina City Schools Mobile App
Medina High School Seniors Paint Parking Spots for Local Charity
Two days this August, Medina High School seniors painted their own parking spots spending five hours each day creating their masterpieces. Interested students submitted sketches and paid $20 to donate to a local charity on which the participating students voted. This year, Feeding Medina County will be the recipient of the funds raised through this effort.
Almost 70 seniors took the challenge and the results were amazing. Student Council advisors Laura Calaiacovo, Marcie Komar, and Justin Brantner, along with Medina High School teacher Mike O’Brien and retired art teacher Bobbie Foy organized the event. These brightly colored spaces are located in the lower lot adjacent to the stadium.
Medina High School Debate Team Takes National Stage
Students actively competed for four hours each day for the week in two different events: Congressional Debate and Big Questions Debate.
Junior Emma Bush finished just short of the quarterfinal round in Congressional Debate and is an impressive first-year debater. "We look forward to having her back next year," Medina High School debate coach Scott Quade said.
In Big Questions Debate, senior Sophia Alber finished in the quarterfinal round, losing in a split decision and tying for fifth in the nation. A two-time national qualifier, she will be attending Cornell in the fall.
Roughly 300,000 students compete in high school speech and debate in the United States. Since the team's founding 28 years ago, Medina Debate has participated in 11 national championships. The debate season runs from early September through the middle of June, with competitions available on all but three Saturdays during the season.
Junior Leadership Medina County Named Class of 2022
Junior Leadership Medina County proudly announced the Junior Leadership Medina County Class of 2022. The program is open to students entering their junior year of high school who are looking for ways to serve their community and meet new people.
“This program develops student skills in leadership, professionalism, communication, and team building,” said Junior Leadership Director, Carrie Park. “It’s a great opportunity for students to meet juniors from other schools across the county and interact with many community leaders.”
The class year begins in August and ends in April. The class meets once a month. The focus of the program is a trifecta of learning: individual strengths, teamwork skills, and philanthropic engagement. Based on Best Practices, Junior Leadership helps students refine their goals and recognize what they have to offer. By meeting with community leaders, professionals, and entrepreneurs, students are encouraged to formulate their own pathways and see that the future is truly what they make it.
Among students from Black River, Buckeye, Cloverleaf, Highland, Lutheran West, Wadsworth, and the Medina County Career Center, Medina is represented by 22 students: Trinity Bonitz, MaKayla Burton, Samantha Colbert, Lexi Davis Romine, Ella DiCola, Hope Givelekian, Zach Graham, Marina Halkiadakis, Lindsey Hallock, Kaitlin Horner, Matthew Horner, Lydia Ilg, Colleen Johnson, Allison Klinge, Macy Maxworthy, Rudy Neil, Emma O’Neill, Preston Pennington, Mylie Roberts, Nathan Sabol, Sophie Schoch, and Ella Silvis.
Northrop Elementary Recipient of Ohio PBIS Silver Recognition Award
PBIS has been shown to improve student achievement, student behavior, and school climate. This year, Northrop applied and earned the Silver Recognition Award for 2021. They are one of 354 award-winning schools to be recognized at any of the three levels; gold, silver, and bronze.
Northrop Elementary will be honored for its achievement at the 2021 Ohio PBIS Showcase in conjunction with the Ohio Leadership Advisory Council (OLAC) virtual conference on December 9, 2021.
BUS DRIVERS NEEDED
Fire-Dex Receives OSBA Business Honor Roll Recognition
Local Businesses Donate School Supplies
Mental Health Awareness Training
Free Youth Physicals Offered
Summer Sports Camps and MORE Can Be Found on Flyer Central
Student Registration for 2021-2022 School Year
Website: https://www.medinabees.org/Page/1851
Location: 739 Weymouth Road, Medina, OH, USA
Phone: 330.636.3100
MHS Senior Represents Medina in the 2021 Shining Star CLE Competition
The first-place winner received a $10,000 scholarship and an opportunity to perform with the Cleveland Pops and second through fourth places also received scholarships ranging from $1000-$5000. The winning student's school music program also received $2500. Medina High School sophomore Olivia Douglas was selected as a Top 25 Semi-finalist. Proceeds from the show benefit the Montefiore Foundation.
Medina City Schools
Email: busbya@medinabees.org
Website: www.medinabees.org
Location: 739 Weymouth Road, Medina, OH, USA
Phone: 330.725.8831
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MedinaCitySchools
Twitter: @MCScomm1