Orchard's Weekly Parent Newsletter

In our pursuit of a more fair, just and good system of education, it is CMSD’s vision that each of our learners, both our scholars and each of their educators, is individually and collectively presented with academically/intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their productive struggle and allows them authentic opportunities to demonstrate their work and their learning of academic content and transferable skills in a joyful and adventurous environment.

To transform teaching and learning through technology integration and provide the highest quality education experience that ensures creative and inventive thinking with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) focus in student-centered classrooms.

• Exhibits Creativity and Innovation
  
• Skilled at Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
  
• Possesses an Academic Mindset
  
• Prepared for Global Citizenship
  
• Skilled at Collaborating
  
• Literate in Communication and Information Technology
  
• Exhibits Social and Cross Cultural Empathy

Student & Community Focused

Care & Well-being

Equity & Inclusion

Growth & Learning

Excellence & Achievement

Dear Families and Friends,

Great things happen every day at Orchard including a career chat with Judge Ryan, a visit from CEO Morgan, and our awards program. Unfortunately, our Popcorn & a Movie event has been postponed. We will update you soon on the new date and time. We will release early on Wednesday at 12:55 pm. Our doors will reopen at 1:40 - 6:05 pm for parent-teacher conferences. We hope to see you there! If you have not turned in money for our chocolate fundraiser, please see Ms. Jackson in the planning center. Kalahari tickets and scratch offs have been distributed by Ms. Jackson. If your scratch off is a winner, please turn it in to Ms. Moss to collect your prize. Please remind your child to visit our loss and found located near the cafeteria, and stand in line and refrain from cutting in front of others during arrival, breakfast, and lunch. The NWEA in ELA and mathematics is underway for grades 1 - 8. The OELPA for English language learners started on January 29. Please ensure that your child attends school every day, on time, prepared and ready to learn and pass these assessments.

This newsletter and the ones to follow each week is what we hope will be a weekly review of the innovative and creative happenings at our school. You can also check us out on Facebook (Orchard S.T.E.M. School) and Twitter (@OrchardSTEM) or visit our website at clevelandmetroschools.org/Orchard.

We have revised many of our procedures to keep you and your child safe. During arrival, to ensure the continuous flow of traffic and for safety, please drop off your child at the drop off sign. If you need to park, please use a parking space. At the beginning of the school day, Orchard becomes a phone free zone. Students in grades 5 - 8 must place their phones in their Yondr pouch. At 3:30 pm, Orchard becomes a closed campus. That means, to avoid disrupting learning, we will not release students after that time without prior notice. At arrival and dismissal, please avoid parking in the u-shaped drive as we use this space for our buses, cabs, and vans. At dismissal, Orchard Avenue becomes a one-way street. Please enter Orchard Avenue from West 44th street. At the end of the school day, all middle school students will exit the building from the West 41 street door, except for bus, cab, and van riders and after-school program participants. Walkers and car riders in kindergarten - grade 5 must exit through the gym doors located on Orchard Avenue. Please pick up your child at the gym doors by 4:05 pm. We also ask that you refrain from entering the building, without admittance by security, before, during, and after school. We will dismiss the first floor at 3:55 pm, third floor at 3:57 pm, and 2nd floor at 4:00 pm to end our school day on time at 4:05 pm. During the school day, all students must use an electronic hall pass to enter the halls, unless accompanied by a staff member. As for dress and appearance, we believe that it rests with parents and guardians and strongly encourage our students to dress appropriately. Please remind your child of these expectations. We commit to providing a safe and orderly environment and delivering high-quality educational services free from disruption.

We are pleased to have you as partners and want to assure you that we will do our best to help your child experience academic, social, and emotional growth. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at 216.838.7350 or 216.544.4012. We welcome all inquiries and concerns. Thank you for your support and cooperation!

Orchard School Hours:

• Office Hours: 8:30 am - 4:30 pm
• NOTE: Our secretary will be unavailable from 12 - 1 pm daily for her break. Other staff members will offer you assistance and try their best to meet your needs.
• 0 Period (Students in grades 4 - 8 and their siblings in K - grade 3): 8:35 am - 9:25 am
• Breakfast: 9:05 am - 9:35 am
• Instruction: 9:35 am - 4:05 pm
• After school program with Open Doors Academy (ODA) takes place Mondays - Thursdays, 4:05 - 6:30 pm, Fridays, 4:05 - 6 pm.

I trust this message finds you well. I wanted to express our gratitude for the ongoing support and collaboration from your school. It's with great enthusiasm that I extend a formal invitation to your school and its students to participate in this year's Health Scholars Internship Program.

Program Overview:

The Health Scholars Internship Program is designed to provide underrepresented students with a unique opportunity to gain valuable insights into the healthcare field and to engage with a diverse array of healthcare disciplines. Our comprehensive program is dedicated to nurturing the existing talents, skills, and gifts of participating students while preparing them for healthcare careers beyond their primary and secondary education. We achieve this by providing students with the dedicated support of UH clinicians, practitioners, community partners, and local organizations. Students receive guidance in the college application process and access to career development opportunities that are designed to foster academic and professional success. Our ultimate objective is to see these students become healthcare professionals within the Cleveland area, contributing to the community where they were raised.

Benefits:

We also offer a range of valuable benefits to our Health Scholars, including a summer stipend, ACT/SAT testing coverage, assistance with college application fees, and more!

Application Information:

Our application cycle for the 2024 program year has commenced. We encourage you to invite students who are interested in pursuing healthcare careers to apply. Attached to this email, you will find our program flyer for your convenience. We kindly request you to share this information with your students, along with the link to our official Health Scholars website, which can be accessed at https://www.uhcedi.com/.

If you have any inquiries, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. Our program coordinator, Brittany Stone (Brittany.stone@UHhospitals.org), is available to provide assistance and support to you and your students as needed.

We encourage you to explore further information and access the application by reviewing our flyer or visiting the application link below: https://www.uhcedi.com/application

Application Due Date: February 16, 2024, by 11:59 PM.

Thank you for considering this invitation and for your continued support in empowering our students toward a future in healthcare!

It is tournament time. I will take the best chess players in 6th - 8th grades to the District-wide tournaments. Participants will be notified in advance. Transportation will be provided by the district. Matches will start at 2:00 pm and end at 5:30 pm. We expect to be back at Orchard between 5:40 pm and 6:00 pm. Parents are also welcome to pick up students at East Professional Center, 1349 E 79th st, Cleveland, at 5:30 pm.

Here is the schedule:

Tournaments

1. Thursday, November 16, 2023

2. Thursday, December 14, 2023

3. Thursday, January 18, 2024

4. Thursday, February 22, 2024

I have sent home 3 forms that need to be filled out prior to the tournaments; a participant form, a field trip form, and a media consent form. Thank you for allowing your child to be a part of the Orchard Chess Club. It is a special group, we have a lot of fun.

Mr. David Hoydic, M.Ed.

Chess club sponsor / Art teacher

As your Family Support Specialist, I am here to support you and your Scholars. Please let me know how I can help. Also consider enrolling your student in the following programming: Open Doors Academy (after school programming which also has tutoring), the Integrated Health Task Force (Care Alliance, Applewood) and the Ohio State Young Scholars program.

Integrated Health Task Force

The Integrated Health Task Force addresses medical and mental health needs of our students. Medical (which includes Dental) health services are provided in a mobile unit by a Nurse Practitioner. If a student has acute or chronic issues or needs a sports physical, they can be seen. Please schedule with the Nurse for your child to be seen. Metro Health will provide medical care to our students. Metro Health is at Orchard monthly on the following dates: February 29, March 19, April 29 and May 20. A student will need a completed medical consent form to access these services. Please contact the school Nurse for medical consents or access this link: Health Consent Form

One of the goals with Integrated Health is to address the needs of our students and to make medical and mental health more accessible to support our students and their families. The hope is that additional support will stabilize families and ultimately students can focus on their academics. Please contact our School Nurse, Mrs. Augustine if you have additional questions regarding medical or mental health questions and about Metro Health’s schedule for Orchard. She can be reached at 216-838-7357.

Ohio State Young Scholars Program The OSYS Program will have a virtual session for parents and students February 12. This is a great opportunity for 8th graders to prepare for college with the hope of scholarship money to attend The Ohio State University. Please encourage your 8th graders to apply. If you or your students have questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to me. Attached are flyers about YSP.

Say Yes Survey

I ask that you complete the parent survey. The survey guides me in supporting your scholar. You will need their Student ID to complete the survey. Please feel free to contact me regarding your child's Student ID number. The survey allows me to support our scholars with resources within our school and local community. This is the website to the survey https://cleveland.sytepps.org/#/login

Please see the attached flyers about events in the community.

IdeaStream's STEM Day

Young Scholars Program

Free Winter Coats

If you are new or returning to Orchard, I'd love for you to meet me or just check in. I will be at parent Teacher Conferences on February 7. I can be reached at blee@sayyescleveland.org and 216-219-1330. You can also find me at Orchard daily.

Ms. Bethany Lee, Family Support Specialist

Say Yes Cleveland

Monday, February 5, 2024 (POG Competency - Academic Mindset)

• Mindset Monday
• Girls Basketball tryouts at Orchard 4:05 pm
• NWEA in ELA and mathematics
• OELPA for English language learners

Tuesday, February 6, 2024 (POG Competency - Social and Cross Cultural Empathy)

• Together Tuesday
• ODA After-school program 4 - 6:30 pm

• NWEA in ELA and mathematics
• OELPA for English language learners

Wednesday, February 7, 2024 (POG Competencies - Collaboration, Global Citizenship)

• Work-Together Wednesday
• No ODA After-school program
• NWEA in ELA and mathematics
• OELPA for English language learners
• Early dismissal at 12:55 pm

Thursday, February 8, 2024 (POG Competency - Critical Thinking and Problem Solving)

• Thinking Thursday

• ODA After-school program 4 - 6:30 pm

• NWEA in ELA and mathematics
• OELPA for English language learners

Friday, February 9, 2024 (POG Competencies - Creativity and Innovation, Communication and Information Technology)

• Fun Friday
• ODA After-school program 4 - 6 pm
• NWEA in ELA and mathematics
• OELPA for English language learners

Email: andrea.moss@clevelandmetroschools.org
Website: https://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/orchard
Location: 4200 Bailey Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
Phone: 216.838.7350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423101557956541
Twitter: @OrchardSTEM