The Leighton News

Dear Leighton Families,

I can not believe there are only 9 more days of school left in the 23-24 school year. This week was teacher appreciation week and we celebrated our amazing Leighton staff each day with a special treat and sentiment of appreciation for all they do to support our learners. We truly are lucky to have such an outstanding group of educators leading, serving, and loving all of our learners each day. Thank you to our PTO for helping to make this week so special for our staff.

It has been such a wonderful school year and the growth our student have shown, both academically and social emotionally, has been amazing to watch. We have just finished up our last round of spring bench marking assessments called Aimsweb in both reading and math and we have so much to celebrate! This is such a testament to the resiliency, support, and fostering of ideals of our entire educational community to ensure our learners are future ready. The end of the school year is also a time of reflection to allow us to celebrate our successes and make modifications to areas in which we would like to continue to grow. While our teams within the building are getting ready for summer break, we are also setting ourselves up for another success school year by using data to continually plan for curricular and SEL needs. In the hustle and bustle of the end of the school year we continue to keep the lense on our learners and ensuring to create those small and big moments together to ensure they continue to thrive and celebrate the closure of another wonderful school year.

We have some great news to share as our Adaptive Playground Equipment was shipped to us early this week and the installers began the installation process!! We are so excited to be able to get this much awaited endeavor underway and we can not wait to see the joy on our learners' faces when it is completed for the start of next school year. We have to once again extend our most heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to our entire community for their generosity, support, care, and resilence in helping us raise over $160,000 to add two pieces of inclusive equipment to the Leighton Playground, a We- go- round and Zipline. There are so many community organizations, our district, and staff including Alisa Deininger, Jen Simmerman, Kasie Burroughs, Lisa Leone, and Jackie Skeels who helped to bring this idea to fuition. Special thanks to Alisa Deninger whose outreach and engagement efforts with our community allowed us to reach out monetary goals and helped this dream become reality for our learners.

Please be sure to reference the important dates section included at the end of each newsletter for up to date information including 2nd to 3rd Grade trip to Leighton, 5th to 6th Grade trip to Harmon, Band and Orchestra concerts; 5th Grade Clap out and Field Days (With Dilly Bar Treats at lunch). Thank you to our amazing PTO who has once again organized an amazing Field Day experience for our students and helped support several of our end of the school events. Please be sure to check out the pictures for some of the fun events that occurred this past week! There will be many more to come!

Thank you for entrusting your children to our care. We are looking forward to having an outstanding end of the school year together. We appreciate all your support, patience, and partnership as we head into the home stretch of this school year. Stay tuned for all the end of the year memories we capture in our upcoming newsletter!!

Lastly, we want to wish a very Happy Mother's Day to all of our moms. We hope your day is filled with love, laughter, family, and fun!

Have a wonderful weekend!

Kind Regards,

Mrs. Michelle Nizen, Building Principal

Mr. Benjamin Lehman, Assistant Principal

Each year some lucky students partake in being Principal for the Day through the Aurora Sports Boosters Fundraiser. This year we celebrated Kaitlyn Gallo and Cooper Stask. We had a fantastic day of helping with morning announcements, taking a tour of the "behind the scences" building areas such as the cafeteria and custodial spaces, conducted building walkthroughs, made posters to display around the building, had a special pizza lunch, and dismissed the busses and car riders at dismissal to name a few. We had such a great day sharing the principalship with these two awesome principals!

This year, we were excited to bring back the Fishing Club to Leighton this year. After having the dock repaired this fall, we were able to host several fall groups for the club, and then had a couple more groups this spring. A big shoutout to Ms. Martin and the other teachers who facilitated this 5th grade club, we look forward to expanding our club and having much more fishing fun next year and

The end of the school year is filled with many celebrations! While we are celebrating Mr. Lehman's next adventures in education, we are also celebrating the addition of Mr. Jeff Morris as the New Assistant Principal to Leighton Elementary for the '24-'25 school year. Mr. Morris is currently the Assistant Principal at East Woods Elementary in Hudson where he leads and serves students and staff in grades 3-5. Mr. Morris has 12 years of experience in this role supporting students and staff and is invested in building relationships, supporting building and district initiatives, and helping to foster forward momentum. He has an accomplished track record and a philosophy that directly aligns to our strategic vision, building goals, and frameworks. I am looking forward to welcoming Jeff to Leighton Elementary as our new Assistant Principal. He is equally overjoyed and can't wait to get started. As part of his transition plan, he will be visiting Leighton Elementary to meet the staff and students one morning in May.

As this school year draws to a close, please be reminded to visit the Leighton School Counselor Google site over the summer. We have a myriad of topics and information available for your viewing pleasure over the summer months! As always, THANK YOU for your continued support!

https://sites.google.com/aurora-schools.org/leightonschoolcounselor/home?authuser=1

Tami S. Mazzella

School Counselor

tmazzella@aurora-schools.org

330-562-2209 Option 3

Lindsey Ambrosia

School Counselor

lambrosia@aurora-schools.org

Miller Elementary School/ Leighton Elementary School

330.562.6199, ext. 5414.

Our 3 pillars make up the heart of our Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports framework in our K-5 Elementary Buildings. During our January PBIS "reboot", teachers have taught and reinforced these 3 pillars and what each of them looks like and sounds like in all areas of the school. This has been followed by teaching and reinforcing of our 11 "focus skills", which support students in making good behavior choices and positively reinforces those choices. This allows us to continue to support and promote the prosocial behaviors we want to see! This week's focus skill is " I can have a safe body".

Students are hard at work earning poms and filling up their classroom jars! When these jars are filled, student bring their classroom jars to the office and empty them into the Building Wide Pom Pom Pail!!

Our Pom Pom Pail is located in the office and we are so happy to report that we have filled it once again which means another building wide celebration! We can not wait!

"Silver Spoon" award winners abound as our classes are doing a great job demonstrating our 3 pillars during lunch and recess. Classes are always working to earn "positive compliments" during lunch and recess. Every two weeks, classes who earn the most "positive compliments" earn the right to display the "Silver Spoon" outside their classroom door for all to see and enjoy popsicles at lunch or an extra recess with Mrs. Nizen and Mr. Lehman.

Pom Pom Shout Out are shared over the announcements every day where we acknowledge students over announcements who have earned a special shout out for outstanding efforts in demonstrating our 3 pillars in their academic or behavioral pursuits. Students will receive a pom pom shout out classroom reward and those names are entered into a monthly drawing to pick out of our PBIS store at the end of the month.

Leighton Pride is Building Wide!

Good afternoon parents and students of current 5th graders,

This is Mr. Abramovich, Principal of Harmon MS, reminding you about some important upcoming events. On Wednesday, May 15th @ about 9:15am, the 5th graders will be coming over to Harmon MS to get a tour of the school and learn about what is available to them and see their classrooms.

Then in the evening at 7:00pm, all the parents are invited to attend the 5th Grade Parent Orientation in the Harmon MS commons. During this event, the guidance counselors, assistant principal , and I will be providing you with information about your child's upcoming three years to be spent at Harmon MS. There will also be the opportunity for questions along with a tour of the school as many 5th grade parents have never been inside of Harmon MS (Did you know the gymnasium is downstairs? Did you even know there was a downstairs?) Looking forward to seeing you on Wednesday, May 15th!!!

Thank you,
Mark Abramovich

Principal of Harmon Middle School

Each year we get to recognize and celebrate our fabulous fifth grade learners going to Harmon Middle School through our annual clap out event! This year we are, once again, so excited to be able to welcome our parents to this event. Fifth Grade Clap Out will be held on the last day of school, Thursday, May 23rd at 1:15pm. This change will allow us to welcome fifth grade parents and not interfere with bussing and dismissal processes. The fifth grade team will be sharing more detailed information about this event, arrival times, and where parents should stand as the whole school will be assembled outside around the garden area, playground, and cement loop leading to the black top. Fifth Graders will walk out through the back fifth grade doors and up towards the playground and take a loop around the cement loop (or "happy lap") towards the third grade doors. Students will line up by classes and parents may join them at the conclusion of the clap out at the designated areas. Students are permitted to leave at that time or can stay for afternoon activities. We plan to also record the clap out and share it in the newsletter for any parents who can not attend. We are excited to share this special moment with you and our Leighton staff and students. More information from your child's teacher will be forth coming. Looking forward to a fun filled clap out event.

Attention Third Grade Families!

Please join us for our First Annual Leighton STEAM Fest!! (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math).

TUESDAY, MAY 14 from 6-7:30

We are so excited to announce our first-ever Third Grade STEAM Fest! Pencil us in for a night of inquiry-based, interactive presentations...fun for the whole family!! We are looking forward to an amazing event, see you there!!

Come join us for a fun-filled evening with plenty of Inquiry-based activities from slime-making to fossil digs!!

Sincerely,

The Third Grade Team

AEPTO will be updating Craddock’s Teachers’ Lounge over the Summer. The committee plans to paint the walls and reorganize the space so that it is more useful for the teachers. The plan is to keep costs minimal and to use donated items. If have any home furnishing items that you would like to donate, please take a photo and send it to auroraptocesvp@gmail.com

Wednesday, May 22

3rd Grade 9:15 am - 11:00 am

4th Grade 1:00 pm - 3:00 pm

Thursday, May 23

5th Grade 9:30 am - 11:30 am

Volunteer link will be sent to PTO Members before the end of the month.

This year, during Field Day, PTO will be providing Dilly Bars from Dairy Queen. See the below information for the nutritional, and ingredients for both the dairy, and dairy-free ice-cream bars.

UPCOMING DATES TO REMEMBER

MAY

5/13: LES Band Concert at High School (7:00 PM)

5/15: LES Orchestra Concerts at High School 5th-Grade (5:30 PM) & 4th-Grade (6:30 PM)

5/15: 5th to 6th Student Orientation at Harmon (9:15AM)

5th to 6th Grade Parent Orientation at Harmon (7:00 PM)

5/22: LES- 3rd and 4th Grade Field Day

5/23: Last Day of School

• End of 4th Grading Period
• Report Cards Distributed
• LES- 5th Grade Field Day
• LES - 5th Grade Clap Out (1:15 PM)

Please be sure to utilize our new attendance and transportation form found below as we are moving away from handwritten notes and morning attendance calls in our K-5 buildings. This form is a way of communicating if your student will be absent or a late arrival, if there is a change in transportation, or if they will be picked up for an early dismissal.

*Note: Any permanent changes to bus transportation will require an "Alternate Bus Stop" form be filled out and sent to the transportation department. You can find a link to the form on the Transportation Website, or you can pick one up in the Leighton School Office.

**Please remember that when you take your child out of school for a doctor or dentist appointment, the State of Ohio requires that a doctor's note be brought back to the school for attendance purposes. You can give the note to the secretaries in the main office. If you have any questions please contact the secretaries in the Leighton office at 330 562-2209.

Thank you!

As a reminder, you can find our arrival and dismissal procedures here.

Car rider lines reminders:

Morning Arrival - Car riders will start being unloaded at 8:50 am and then will be able to enter the building at 8:55 am through the 3rd Grade Wing Doors (Door 2) Our goal is to make sure all students are in the building by 9:05 am.

PM Dismissal - Dismissal procedures will be the same as last year by having students line up in alphabetical lines. A staff member will be calling last names for students to line the loading lanes to get into their cars when they pull up.

1. Please remind your child to load cars quickly to keep the line moving

2. Pull all the way up to the top of the pick-up lane to the sign for loading cars. We have found this allows us to load the maximum number of cars possible.

3. Please DO NOT PASS cars unless waved on by the adult outside to do so. The adult on duty will help facilitate the continual traffic flow pattern and movement of cars throughout the line. This is for safety purposes.

4. Please be sure to have your orange car tag in the rearview window so staff can visibly see it when calling students' last names.

** Please see the traffic flow pattern included below for drop off in the mornings and afternoons.

Thank you for your patience as we have worked very hard to ensure a safe, smooth, and rapid arrival and dismissal process. We appreciate your support with these few reminders.

May

6 2nd to 3rd Grade Parent Orientation (5:30 PM)

9 Exceptional Greenmen Track Event

6-10 BOGO Book Fair

13 LES Band Concert at High School (7:00 PM)

15 5th to 6th Grade Student Orientation at Harmon (9:15 AM)

15 5th to 6th Parent Orientation at HMS (7:00 PM)

15 LES Orchestra Concerts at High School 5th-Grade (5:30 PM) & 4th-Grade (6:30 PM)

22 3rd & 4th-Grade Field Day

23 5th-Grade Field Day

23 End of 4th Grading Period / Report Cards Distributed

23 5th Grade Student Clap Out - 1:15 PM

23 LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

• Please monitor your child for illness symptoms. If your child has a temperature greater than 100 F, or is experiencing diarrhea or vomiting with illness, they must stay home until they are free from fever/diarrhea/vomiting for 24 hrs without medication. For coughing, congestion and sore throat that are disruptive or not well contained, please consider contacting your health care provider. If you have any questions regarding symptoms and attendance please contact Mrs. Tanski in the clinic.

• Students sent home from school with the above mentioned illness symptoms also may not return to school until they are free of them without medication for at least 24 hours. If your child does return too soon, our school nurse will be calling for you to come to pick him/her up. Thank you for your support and efforts in this area.

• Cough drops are permitted for minor scratchy/sore throats or mild cough if you wish to send a few in with your child. Please confirm your child has your consent by including a brief note, calling the clinic, or emailing your child’s teacher, or Mrs. Tanski in the clinic.

• We continue to have cases of Strep throat and Pink eye, as well as Flu-like illnesses. These are all contagious and may require prescribed treatments and/or exclusion from school during the initial contagious period. If antibiotics are prescribed, students must receive them for a full 24 hours before returning to school. If antibiotic eye drops need to be given by the school nurse for a midday dose, written instructions from the health care provider must be included. If your child has illness symptoms and has been exposed to one of these, please contact your health care provider. Confirmed cases should be reported to the clinic or office. To align with the recent change in the CDC’s Covid-19 guidelines, students are no longer required to stay home/isolate for 5 days after testing positive for Covid, and are no longer required to wear a mask when they return. Current recommendations are to remain at home until you have been fever free for 24 hours without fever reducing medication, and your symptoms are improving. If your child tests positive for Covid please contact our school nurse, Mrs. Tanski at 330 954-2285 or atanski@aurora-schools.org.

• Finally, please consider sending in a change of clothes, particularly pants, for your child to keep in their locker. Spilled milk, bathroom accidents and slipping on mud do happen, and the spare clothing options in the clinic are not always what is needed. Also, chap stick or lip balm kept in your child’s backpack will reduce time out of class to come to the clinic for chapped lips.

Mrs. Michelle Nizen - Principal

mnizen@aurora-schools.org

Mr. Ben Lehman - Assistant Principal

blehman@aurora-schools.org

Email: lschoenman@aurora-schools.org
Website: aurora-schools.org
Location: 121 Aurora Hudson Road, Aurora, OH, USA
Phone: (330)562-2209
Twitter: @michelle_nizen

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