A message from Dr. Jarred Zapolnik, Superintendent of Schools
Dear South Range Community,
The 2024-2025 school year is proving to be an unforgettable journey! We are thrilled to continue showcasing the programs, events, and opportunities that align with our vision to Get Better Every Day (GBED). Through our collective efforts, South Range Local Schools remains committed to academic excellence, student success, and a strong sense of community.
Celebrating Our Achievements
Congratulations are in order for two of our staff members, Nicole Fryfogle and Diane Krumpak. We take immense pride in these accomplishments, which reflect the dedication of our staff.
Nicole Fryfogle, Speech & Debate
- Congratulations on being inducted into the Ohio Speech and Debate Association Coaches' Hall of Fame. The dedication that you have given to speech and debate and the impact you have had on your students over the past two decades is immense! Thank you!
- Congratulations on being inducted into The Ohio Association of Track and Cross County Coaches Hall of Fame. The dedication that you have given to Ohio cross country and track and the impact you have had on your students over the past four decades is outstanding! Thank you!
Recognizing Our Winter Sports & Extracurriculars
I want to give a huge shoutout to our winter sports teams and extracurricular groups for their outstanding performances this season! Our student-athletes, musicians, artists, and club members have excelled beyond expectations, demonstrating the unstoppable spirit of what it means to be a Raider. Their dedication, hard work, and sportsmanship inspire us all.
Engaging Our Community & Planning for the Future
In November and January, we hosted the Raider Way Fall Forum and the Raider Ambassadors meetings, where we gathered community feedback. As noted with the school calendar, we gather community feedback as part of our decision-making process. Embarking on spring, we will continue these efforts.
The Raider Way: Pillars of Our Success
At the core of South Range Local Schools is The Raider Way, a framework that strengthens our commitment to providing the best educational experience possible. This approach is built on four key pillars:
๐ดHigh Expectations โ Setting the bar high for student involvement in opportunities in academics, athletics, and the arts
๐ดCommunication & Collaboration โ Strengthening partnerships, transparency, and synergy
๐ดStudent Performance โ Using data-driven processes to foster positive student academic outcomes
๐ดSafety & Resources โ Prioritizing student well-being and ensuring a supportive environment
These guiding principles ensure that every student is supported, challenged, and empowered to succeed.
Looking Ahead: A Bright & Exciting Spring
With spring on the horizon, we eagerly anticipate warmer days and new opportunities for our students to shine and thrive. Whether in the classroom, on the field, or on stage, we know our Raiders will continue to excel. We look forward to celebrating their achievements, upcoming events, and the strong sense of Raider pride that unites us all.
As always, stay informed by visiting our districtโs website: South Range Local Schools.
With great enthusiasm for the months ahead,
Go Raiders!
Dr. Jarred Zapolnik
Superintendent
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๐ Keep Up to Date with All Board Policies ๐
South Range Schools works each month to revise, update, and adopt several NEOLA policies.
Community members are encouraged to familiarize themselves with these policies, as they play a critical role in guiding the district's operations and decision-making. All board policies are available for review on our website at BoardDocs.
South Range Students and Staff Excited About Lunches!
The South Range Cafeteria has introduced numerous engaging events and new menu items over the past few months. In January, we launched the year with a โFruity Fridayโ event during middle and high school lunches, where students created their own fruit salads. Additionally, we hosted a waffle action station, featuring homemade Belgian waffles prepared in the cafeteria, allowing students to top them with blueberries, strawberries, and chocolate chips.
In February, we introduced smoothie bowls and smoothies, along with our Snack Attack boxes, which have been well received by both students and teachers.
For March, we kicked off National School Breakfast Week by offering smoothie bowls, a pancake bar, and breakfast sandwiches. We also continued the tradition of Fair Week in the cafeteria, featuring fun fair-themed food items for all lunches. Mid-month, we celebrated a belated Dr. Seuss birthday with a special green eggs and ham lunch, which was a favorite among elementary students!
Our cafeteria team remains dedicated to providing exciting and nutritious dining experiences for our students and staff.
๐Read Across America Week Celebrated at South Range Local Schools๐
South Range Local Schools celebrated Read Across America Week from March 3-7, honoring the legacy of Dr. Seuss, whose birthday is March 2nd. The week, previously recognized as Right to Read Week, featured a variety of activities aimed at fostering a love for reading among students.
Each day showcased a Dr. Seuss-themed dress-up day, bringing excitement and creativity into classrooms. Teachers incorporated Dr. Seuss books into their lessons, with some inviting guest readers, including parents, staff members, and community volunteers, to share their favorite stories.
Adding to the fun, the cafeteria hosted Canfield Fair Week, which culminated in a special Green Eggs and Ham Day on Wednesday, March 12th. The event combined literature, creativity, and community involvement, making it a memorable week for students and staff alike.
South Range High School Celebrates Student Performances
Speech and Debate
The South Range Speech and Debate team competed at the OSDA State Finals at Austintown Fitch on Friday, February 28. Nearly 1,000 competitors from 85 schools participated in the event.
Qualifiers:
Ava Ward, Solena DeJesus, Addie Sell, Ruby Cleevely, Lilah Angus, Harper Bailey, JJ Kennedy, Ashley Kersten
Octa-Finalists:
Steven DiMuzio and Ethan Viano (Public Forum)
Quarter-Finalists:
Peyton Hines (POI)
Callie Roller (DEC)
Toby Sell (HI)
Finalists:
Quincy Bailey โ 2nd Place in the State (Humorous Interpretation)
Zaeda Stiles โ 2nd Place in the State (POI)
Senior Recognitions:
Toby Sell, Peyton Hines, and Zaeda Stiles were celebrated as Four-Time Qualifiers. Additionally, Toby Sell received a $100 scholarship from the OSDA.
The team was recognized as one of five teams named a School of Excellence in Interpretation.
National Honor Society (NHS)
South Range High School inducted 39 new members into the National Honor Society on March 11, 2025, at 6:30 PM in the auditorium. The ceremony also honored the 36 current NHS members. Attendees enjoyed desserts and refreshments following the ceremony.
High School Robotics Team
The South Range Robotics A-Team won the MCCTC 2024-2025 VEX VRC League Tournament in February, marking their first-ever league tournament championship among 41 competing teams.
The team also received the Build Award for their robot's robust design and construction. As tournament champions, South Range and their alliance partner, Jefferson High School, secured state championship spots. Since South Range had previously qualified for state with a Design Award, their additional qualification will be allocated to a skills-based ranking. Notably, South Range ranked second overall in the league for skills points.
Team Members:
Toby Sell, Max Freeze, Josh Burns, Dillan Walker, Chris Hickey, and Keith Williams
High School Drama Team
Join the South Range High School Drama Team as they take audiences on a journey to Hadestown from April 30 to May 3, 2025.
Hadestown intertwines two mythological talesโthe story of young dreamers Orpheus (Daniel Landis) and Eurydice (Julian Dispenza) and that of King Hades (Toby Sell) and his wife, Persephone (Peyton Hines). This production challenges students to explore both the world we dream of and the reality we live in today.
The production is led by Hermes (Zaeda Stiles) and features the Fates (Olivia Leskey, Addie Sell, Ava Burnett). The Workers' Chorus includes Claire Perry, Harper Bailey, Steven DiMuzio, Nic Thomas, Nick Wellington, and Callie Roller. The ensemble cast consists of Emmy Licata, Autumn Blackburn, Abigail Edwards, Mackenzie Mariotti, Lila Merrill, and Justin Dawson.
With a balance of humor and heartbreak, Hadestown delivers a haunting yet hopeful theatrical experience that captivates audiences from start to finish.
Student Recognition
At the Board of Education in February, our staff celebrated five of our elementary students who demonstrated the qualities and characteristics of our K-4 Raider Profile. Elementary students are selected for this honor based on the answers to three questions: What are the hopes, dreams and aspirations our community has of our students? What are the skills and mindsets our children need for success in this rapidly changing, complex world? What actions do successful Raiders demonstrate? Throughout the year, many of our elementary students have shown outstanding leadership skills and answered the question, โWhat does it mean to be a Raider at South Range Elementary?โ Congratulations to the following students for going above and beyond and receiving the South Range Elementary Raider Profile recognition in February: Kindergarten - Konnor Klim; First Grade - Elanor Nash; Second Grade - Gadsden Martin; Third Grade - Sophia Quiroz; Fourth Grade - Jaxon Coburn.
PTO
The elementary PTO sponsored two events in February for our students. First, on Saturday, February 8th, the PTO held our 2nd annual Father/Child Dance for our third and fourth grade students. If a father could not be present, any other male role model was invited to attend the dance as a chaperone with our students. The boys and girls danced to the tunes of DJ Munson, took pictures at two different Magic Moments photo booths, had their faces painted and enjoyed refreshments from the PTO. Over half of our third and fourth grade students attended the dance and we look forward to more events like this in the future. Next, on Wednesday, February 12th, the PTO organized our K-4 Valentineโs Day classroom parties for our students. The boys and girls exchanged their Valentineโs Day cards, while they enjoyed a healthy snack and played games. Also, our PTO has been busy as their spring fundraiser took place in the beginning of March and they have generously approved the purchase of decodable readers for our K-4 classroom libraries, as well as other furniture and items to help with curriculum organization.
Building Leadership Team
Our Building Leadership Team (BLT) has been meeting this year to discuss how we can improve our studentsโ reading fluency and writing skills in the elementary school. These goals were created in the fall when our BLT initially discussed common areas in our K-4 classrooms where we consistently see a need for improvement. Our teachers have been working on creating writing rubrics to track their studentsโ writing progress as we look to improve in various ways at each grade. For reading fluency, each grade level has different benchmarks they are trying to reach in the fall, winter and spring. Our staff tracks their studentsโ reading fluency by recording how many words they are able to fluently read in one minute. By tracking this information and collecting various types of data, our staff is able to adjust their instruction and provide interventions to meet all of our studentsโ needs.
SRE Student Spotlight
Our elementary students have been working hard and demonstrating their skills in both math and art. On Sunday, March 1st, The Butler Art Museum held its 3rd Annual Butler Institute of American Art Celebrates Young Artists Exhibition. This was our first time participating as a school and we are very proud of all the students! Not only was their artwork outstanding, but it was quite the honor to be chosen out of our entire K-4 building since Mrs. Stewart could only select 6 pieces of artwork! Each of the students received honorable mention and one placed 2nd in his grade level! The artwork could be from any medium and the students could be from any grade in the elementary. All of the students received a certificate for their hard work and creativity. Congratulations to the following students for their excellence in art: Ravenna Stiles, 3rd Grade - โColor Wheel Snowflakeโ, Camryn Heffinger, 3rd Grade - โShaded Landscapeโ, Alivia Frank, 3rd Grade - โCandy Caneโ, Nate Wanee, 3rd Grade - โFalling Leafโ, Bethany Slagle, 3rd Grade - โHeart Snowflake in Mittensโ (not pictured) and Landon Kutchel, 2nd Grade - โZentangleโ. Landon was the 2nd Place Winner for all 2nd Grade students!
Also, this year one of our elementary parents, Mrs. Jones, introduced a new math game to our 4th grade students called the โ24 Game.โ Students who were interested in the โ24 Gameโ had the opportunity to join The Challenge 24 Math Club. Students in the club learned more about the game as they met after school and played the 24 Game with other club members. Then, on March 6th, 10 of our 4th grade students from the Challenge 24 Math Club competed against almost 100 other 4th grade students in Canfield at their first Challenge 24 competition. Our students showed great sportsmanship and represented South Range well. All 10 of our mathletes were in on the scoring action, with one of our students, Jameson Kutchel, advancing to the top 16 and earning a medal. We are proud of the hard work and determination from all of our Raiders!
Fourth grade Challenge 24 Math Club
A group of 10 students competed in their first competition at Canfield Local Schools. Nearly 100 fourth-grade students participated, and all 10 of South Range's fourth-grade students contributed to the scoring. Jameson Kutchel advanced to the top 16 and earned a medal.
National Honor Society
Congratulations to the 2025 NHS Inductees!
2025 South Range High School Inductees
- Hayley Ackerman
- Anna Aey
- Adam Albaugh
- Quincy Bailey
- Heidi Bartels
- Keira Brogan
- Josh Burns
- Natalia Chadbourne
- Heath Crouse
- Taylor Dado
- Katie Dance
- Solena deJesus
- Novia Fee
- Will Gehring
- Gia Guerrieri
- Billy Humphrey
- Ashley Kersten
- Olivia Leskey
- Cassidy Less
- Michael Lucas
- Mya Markulin
- Julia Massacci
- Mia Massacci
- Macy McCullough
- Reese McNee
- Nathan Meyers
- Michael Nicholson
- Kiren Pal
- Kellen Pitzer
- Natalie Purton
- Ava Regule
- Brayden Richardson
- Tyson Seesholtz
- Emmitt Slabach
- Abigail Steenge
- Kailee Thompson
- Dillan Walker
- Addison Wardle
- Katie Wojton
Tony Foster, South Range High School
Tony is a Social Studies and Career Based Intervention teacher that has mostly students in grades 10-12. He provides many opportunities for our students looking at career pathways. He is our work -study coordinator and also plays a vital role with students that are credit deficient and need help with credit recovery.
Brenda Petit, South Range Middle School
After many years of service, support and dedication to our South Range students and community, Mrs. Petit will be retiring at the end of the school year. Words cannot explain how impactful she has been, as our middle school counselor, with everyone with whom she associated. While we wish her well, we hope she understands how thankful we are for her commitment to SRMS! Good luck, Mrs. Petit! You will be missed.
Anna Yoder, South Range Elementary School
Anna is a proud alumna of South Range High School, class of 2007, and has been teaching at South Range Elementary for the last four years. She attended Mount Vernon Nazarene University for her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education and Intervention Specialist, graduating in 2011. She then became employed as an Intervention Specialist at Lincoln Elementary in the Gahanna-Jefferson Public Schools, where she continued to teach for 7 years. It was during this time that she focused on her passion for helping students learn to read and earned her masterโs degree in the Science of Reading from Mount St. Joseph University. In 2018, Anna and her husband moved back to Canfield to be closer to family. She then worked for three years at Heartland Christian School, where she co-taught a high school intervention English class and continued to work as an Intervention Specialist. Finally, when a door opened to become part of the Raider family again, Anna was hired at South Range Elementary in 2021. In her words, Anna shares that โit is truly a blessing to return home to South Range and get to teach alongside people who made a tremendous impact on her life and inspired her to be a teacher herself.โ A Raider for life!
Anna lives with her husband, Damon, and two children, Jolie (5 years old) and Wesley (2 years old), in Canfield. Damon works as a Senior Financial Analyst at Middlefield Bank. The Yoder family loves to be outside together, enjoying nature, and traveling to the beach. Annaโs favorite hobbies include cooking, reading, and singing. A fun fact about Anna is that she sings in a few different bands and groups! She leads worship at Greenford Christian Church, and you might catch her performing with the Dickey White Band around town or at the Columbiana Arts Theater.
Jack Nemergut, Transportation Department
Jack Nemergut has been a familiar face at South Range for many years. He taught at South Range and was a Track Coach for many years. After retirement from teaching, Jack stayed with South Range and became a dedicated, caring excellent bus driver. Jack has truly been a blessing to our bus family.
St. Patrick's Day Spirit! ๐
- Old Irish Blessing (Have students write their own! Click here)
