Topper Talk

"This was a “Fun Friday” classroom activity. We were working on team building strategies. These cuties earned parachute play after a long week of MAP and DIBELS Testing. Mrs. Mary Pat Martin and Mr. Jordan Hazen were kind enough to let us borrow the PhysEd parachute."

~Ms. Katie Tyson, Park Elementary Grade 1 Teacher

Who: Open to the Public -- ALL Community Members are Welcome

What: Guided Tour of the Chardon High School w/Opportunity for Q&A

Where: 151 Chardon Avenue (44024)

When: (3 tour dates to choose from)

• Thursday October 3rd 7:00PM - 9:00PM
• Saturday October 19th 9:00AM - 10:30AM
• Saturday October 26th 1:00PM - 2:30PM

Why: Get an Inside View of the Chronic Facility Challenges Facing CHS

Bring: A Local Friend, Family Member, Neighbor, Co-Worker -- or two or three or four or...

Share: This Invitation as we recognize there are community members who do not receive online communications and may not be familiar with the many facility challenges the District is facing.

CHARDON SCHOOLS HAS BOND ISSUE 21 ON THE BALLOT.

Election Day - November 5, 2019

Early Voting Begins - October 8, 2019

NEW VOTER Registration - register by OCTOBER 7, 2019 to be eligible to vote in this election.

(NOTE: 17 year olds who will reach their 18th Birthday BEFORE November 5 can likewise register BY OCTOBER 7 to vote in this upcoming election.)

Questions about where or when to vote or register? Contact Geauga County Board of Elections at 440-279-2030 or visit https://boelections.co.geauga.oh.us/

WALKING & WORKING WEDNESDAYS - Home Depot & Wendy's

"The students were able to create new plans for their bedrooms! They also had a chance to find the best lunch deals at Wendy's. Thank you to Chardon's Home Depot for the building kits.

First period Math block split our academic work with a little building time. Some were able to build their Home Depot kits, and some were able to work together to put together a new teacher chair." ~Mrs. Amanda Bunker, Chardon High School Teacher

GIRL SCOUT SERVICE PROJECT - by Madeline McDonald

Hello, my name is Madeline McDonald. I’m a senior at Chardon, and I am currently working on my Gold Award for Girl Scouts. For my Gold Award I am installing a handrail at Chardon Memorial Field at the East side entrance of the stadium. At the East side entrance of the stadium there is currently a steep hill that can be hard for handicapped, injured or elderly people to walk up or down.

My project adviser, Kim Vujaklija, first introduced this idea to me last fall telling me that it would be very beneficial for my mom and her dad. For those of you who don’t know my mom, Amy, has Huntington’s Disease, which is a fatal genetic disorder that causes the progressive breakdown of nerve cells in the brain. Huntington’s Disease is said to be a mix of Parkinson’s Disease, Alzheimer’s Disease and ALS. Since my brother Alex plays football, we are at the football stadium very often and it can be difficult to walk my mom up or down the hill by myself.

I am currently working with Chardon Welding to fabricate the handrail. A group of volunteers and I will be installing the handrail at the stadium once it is complete. If you would like to assist with the expenses of the handrail, please make checks payable to G.S.N.E.O. Troop 70563 and on the memo line write Madeline McDonald - Gold Award. Please send checks to P.O. Box 982, Chardon, OH 44024. Thank you all so much for your support!

#StartwithHello Week

"In my sixth grade classroom guidance lessons, we dug deeper into the effects of social isolation and how to create a more inclusive community - the final products of which are hung for display."

~Ms. Janelle Stuart, CMS Guidance Counselor

Music teacher Mrs. Samantha Puterbaugh's classes often go beyond singing by also incorporating a variety of additional elements, including movement and use of instruments. Last week, third graders at Munson Elementary were all smiles and giggles energetically dancing their well-versed "Kings and Queens" routine. The students also learned a new skill -- how to play boomwhackers to the song "Shake the Papaya". Boomwhackers are essentially flexible plastic pipes of different lengths, which result in different pitches. Turn up the volume and take a listen to these fine young Munson Musicians HERE

Breakfast with your Class is a longstanding special tradition (24 years & counting!) at Park Elementary School. Over those 2+ decades, various restaurants in Chardon have hosted the weekly event that runs from September through mid October. Each week, students from one Park Elementary School classroom takes its turn to have breakfast with parents/guardians in a reserved setting of the restaurant for a nominal fee. Cleats has been hosting the breakfast in recent years, including the current 2019-20 school year.

"It's so nice to work with the community and have a community event. Breakfast with Your Class provides a smaller class setting venue where parents get to meet and greet other parents. The teacher greets parents and students as they arrive, and I am available as well. Each child has a turn to stand up and introduces him/herself and his/her family. It's a nice opportunity to have breakfast with your class." ~Miss Rhonda Garrett, Park Elementary Principal

Last week was SPACE week! Enrichment activities included:

• listening to a book about space, stars, planets and astronauts
• reading in the literacy center about space
• following recipes to make space stew
• playing in the sensory area using "space rocks, aliens and stars"
• using fine motor skills in the art center to paint and draw the night sky and planets
• & MORE!

by Ms. Melissa Lichtler, Chardon High School Band Director

Learn about the multiple facility challenges experienced by the CHS Band Department, including:

• lack of performance space
• multiple flights of stairs must be ascended/descended when carrying instruments to a concert or other performance
• severe lack of instrument storage space
• lack of soundproofing
• no practice rooms
• most windows don't open or close (A/C unit was a donation from a parent 20 years ago)

Learn more HERE.

FAQ: What would the approximate timeline be for completion of the plan outlined by Bond Issue 21?

• Fall 2021 completion of Grade 6-12 school building design phase, transportation design phase, football stadium renovation, and demolition of existing athletic track
• Fall 2023 completion of new Grade 6-12 building with 700-seat auditorium
• Fall 2023 completion of new transportation facility
• Fall 2023 completion* of abatement and demolition of former Chardon High School, Munson Elementary and transportation buildings
• Chardon Middle School would house all grades 2-5
• Park Elementary would house all grades K-1
• Maple School would continue to operate as the District's Pre-K school

(*subject to schedule adjustment)

Questions? The District invites you to ask Facilities/Bond Issue 21 questions via email at facilities@chardonschools.org or call Superintendent Michael Hanlon at 440-285-4052.

MRS. KIMBERLY AVERY

Title: Athletic Director Secretary

School: Chardon High School
Years of Service in Chardon School District: 12 years

• 6 years at Munson Elementary
• 4 years at Park Elementary
• currently in my 2nd year at Chardon High School

Favorite Parts of My Workday

I love interacting with the kids. When they come into the office, I greet them with a “Good Morning, have a great day”. I hope those simple words will brighten their day, even for a minute.

A Favorite Book

"The Help" by Kathryn Stockett

Hobbies

• spending time with family and friends
• reading
• cross stitching
• movies

Favorite Flower

I love wild flowers.

A Perfect Day is...
spending time with my husband Mark and my two daughters Lydia and Gwendolyn

MS. CARLY MADDEN

School: Chardon Middle School

Teaches: Grade 4 Language Arts & Social Studies Teacher

Coaches: Grade 7 Girls Basketball

Ms. Madden is currently in her 6th year of teaching (5th in Chardon) and 2nd year of coaching.

On Teaching & Coaching

• One of my favorite aspects of teaching is building relationships with students. There is nothing more rewarding than creating a sense of community in a classroom and seeing your students come together and grow as learners.

• Last year was my first year coaching! I was very excited to start coaching last year. It was so fun to coach students that I have had in the past.

Favorite Children’s or Young Teen Book

• One of my favorite read alouds to do with my class is "Oh the Places You’ll Go" by Dr. Seuss. When I was a student teacher, my mentor teacher gave this book, and I always love sharing it with my students each year.

A Favorite Middle School Teacher

• When I was in middle school, my favorite teacher was Mr. Bradac. I went to Kirtland schools, and Mr. Bradac was my 6th grade social studies teacher. He was the type of teacher who went out of his way to get to know his students and make learning fun and engaging. He was also my middle school basketball coach and later became a mentor for me throughout my teaching career.

Hobbies

• I recently bought a house in Mentor, and I love house projects where I get to be crafty!
• Also enjoy watching and playing sports; being outside near water; and kayaking with my siblings.

When Chardon Middle School Principal Mr. Tim Velotta was previously serving as the Assistant Principal at Brecksville-Broadview Heights Middle School, it was at BBHMS that he developed the reading activities - game boards, bulletin boards, discussion questions, etc. and the Team Day activities that were put into action for CMS' One School One Book program last month. This year's OSOB program at CMS centered around the book "Rules" by Cynthia Lord.

"To help frame my vision of what I wanted to do here [at CMS], we recently borrowed everything from BBHMS (900+ books and Team Day materials). We just had to tweak it to make sense for our Grade 4-7 population and gather Team Day materials for one more grade level. Without BBHMS' support, we would have had to ask CMS PTO to spend $4,000 on books plus an additional $600 on materials for the team day."

The cost savings were so significant that Mr. Velotta is now working to reach out to other area middle school principals to see if future OSOB partnerships can develop as well. His idea is to create a rotation of OSOB book supplies and regularly share amongst the schools in order to save costs for all on the OSOB initiative.

Thank you Mr. Velotta for being so resourceful at your school! And much gratitude to BBHMS for its immense generosity towards Chardon Middle School's OSOB program.

• "...Coach Mitch Hewitt for bringing in Chad Johnson of Blue Financial to lead students through a financial self awareness & budgeting module! Community partnerships yield authentic learning experiences for students." ~Dr. Kelly Moran, District Curriculum Supervisor

• "...Munson PTO for all your planning. So much fun at our Fun Run today! The kids always love it!" ~Ms. Michelle Burress, Grade 3 Teacher at Munson Elementary
  

• ...Dr. Klein and the entire Chardon High School Guidance Department for plannning the following surprise for students: On Monday September 23, signs were placed in the yards of students who scored a FIVE on their Advanced Placement Exams! A super cool public recognition for those students to come home to at the end of the day.

• "...Dr. Steven Gajda of Northern Dental Specialists (NDS Orthdontics) for guest teaching our 5th grade STEM class! Students discovered how the 3D scanning and 3D printing skills we are currently learning are applied in the field of orthodontics." ~Mr. Brent Hilston, CMS STEM Teacher

• "...Chardon Schools Foundation for providing the resources to make this experience possible for our students: accessibility in music! STEM students at CMS are developing robotic arms that could allow for one-handed guitar playing (very early prototype stage)." ~Mr. Brent Hilston, CMS STEM Teacher

• "...Mrs. Katharine Collins from our guidance department for the reminders to all of us about different strategies we can use in our everyday life! She is providing lessons on conflict management and resolution to our 7th graders." ~Mr. Tim Velotta, CMS Principal

No problem! Check out the archives:

September 24, 2019

September 17, 2019

September 9, 2019

August 26, 2019

August 12, 2019

OCT 2...7th Grade Chicago Trip Parent/Guardian Info Mtg

(7:00pm CMS LGIR)

OCT 2...CHS Greece 2020 Parent/Guardian Info Mtg

(4:00PM & 7:30PM CHS Room 210 - RSVP here)

OCT 11..NO School for Students (NEOEA Day)

NOV 11..Veterans Day

NOV 27..NO School for Students (Conference Comp Day)

NOV 28..NO School (Thanksgiving Break)
NOV 29..NO School (Thanksgiving Break)

OUR MISSION: High achievement for all students, where learning is our most important work.

Email: communications@chardonschools.org
Website: chardonschools.org
Location: 428 North Street, Chardon, OH, USA
Phone: (440) 285-4052
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChardonHilltoppers/
Twitter: @ChardonSchools