Important District Updates
Thursday, December 5, 2024
Dear Avon Lake City Schools Community,
Hope you’re staying safe and warm as temperatures have taken another step towards winter the last several days. While a slight rise in temperature is on the horizon next week, keep in mind once again that school closures due to inclement weather are a possibility at any and all times during the winter season. The district references www.weather.gov to help make its decision to close school, and when this happens a phone call will go to all families, an alert will be posted online, and I will share school cancellations on my superintendent social media account. Our local broadcast media will be given updates as well. Whenever possible, the decision to close school will be made the previous evening, but may be announced as late as 6 a.m., depending on a variety of factors. Though there is not a specific temperature policy for the schools, we do use the National Weather Service Wind Chill Chart as a guide, based on their methodology found at the National Weather Service.
Road conditions are another important factor, since this impacts the ability of our buses to run on time. We will most likely have school if the temperatures remain in the lightest blue color on the chart and the buses are running on time. There’s a strong likelihood that school will close when the wind chill is -15°F or colder for a sustained period of time, particularly during key times when students may be outside going to and from school. Ultimately, we make decisions with staff and student safety as our number one priority. Thank you for your attention to the matters pertaining to our weather.
Elementary Redistricting Updates
ALCS leadership is dedicated to sharing updates about the important forthcoming decisions impacting our district as they are finalized. First, pertaining to elementary school redistricting in light of the pending Erieview closure, please accept the following updates:
- After looking closely at redistricting, the ALCS has determined that all elementary students attending Eastview, Redwood, and Westview WILL REMAIN in their current buildings next school year.
- Open enrollment students currently at these buildings will be required to complete the normal yearly paperwork and will be permitted to remain at their same building so long as space permits.
- Students at Erieview will be split between Eastview and Redwood based upon geography. See below.
- Current Erieview students who live on the East side of Jaycox Road and East of Jaycox Road to the Bay Village border will attend Eastview Elementary School next year.
- Current Erieview students who live on the West side of Jaycox Road and West of Jaycox Road to the current Redwood boundary will attend Redwood Elementary School next year.
- Please know that there are approximately 5 or 6 streets in the attendance boundaries currently assigned to Redwood that will transition into the Westview Elementary boundary for incoming Kindergarten and new students for the 2025-2026 school year.
- The ALCS advises you to please see the recently revised Redistricting Map for elementary students in the ALCS for a visual reference.
Staffing Reassignments
With regard to staffing, ALCS district leaders remain intent to share staffing reassignment plans with those who work at Erieview during the month of December, and a full district-wide staff overview with the public before March 1, 2025. Once again, district leadership is doing everything possible to minimize significant impacts and maintain current class sizes.
Kindergarten Updates for 2025-2026
ALCS has worked diligently to offer a full-day option for Kindergarten that will be limited to 120 spots with a tuition rate of $6,280 for next school year. Should the district receive more than 120 interested applicants, we will conduct a lottery, in order to fairly fill total available Kindergarten spots. An online information night for Kindergarten next year is currently planned for Tuesday, January 28, 2025, and you can learn more by visiting the district website.
Athletics and Pay-to-Participate Information
Pay-to-participate fees for High School athletics during the 2025-2026 school year will increase to a sport-specific amount within a range of $300-$700 per student/per sport. This increase, in addition to other cost-saving measures that will be taken, allows the Avon Lake City Schools to offer ALL ATHLETIC PROGRAMS currently available to students for next school year. At Learwood Middle School, pay-to-participate athletic fees will increase to $200 per student/per sport. While we recognize the hardship this presents to some, district leaders and other stakeholders are brainstorming on scholarship opportunities for our student-athletes to offset these costs. Updates to ALCS rental fees for building and facility usage are still under review and analysis, and we will share updates with the community soon.
Our leadership team is dedicated to communicating openly with the community as decisions continue to be made and are finalized. Thank you for your attention to these important matters.
Community Survey to be Conducted by Professional Research Firm
The Avon Lake City Schools will be sponsoring a community survey that will be scientifically administered by a professional research organization in the very near future. Respondents will be randomly contacted by email, text, or by phone by the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research, a Northeast Ohio survey research firm retained by the district. While not everyone in the community will be contacted, all data will be anonymously collected, and used in the district’s consideration of the important decisions over the next several months. Please be on the lookout for this outreach from the Center for Marketing and Opinion Research and thank you in advance for your participation.
Great Stories from the Buildings…and Join our ALCSD PTA Organizations!
Over the last several weeks, acts of generosity, donations, and community-based support have taken place at just about every building in the Avon Lake City Schools. Our parent-based organizations are lending helping-hands, and inspiring our students to help those in need. The season of giving is certainly alive and well in our school district, and we ask you to consider joining the PTA associated with the school that your child attends to help get involved with these great causes. You can help support the teachers, staff, and students in a significant way! Please make the decision to get more involved today! Click on each building below for a link to each school’s PTA membership:
Westview PTA
Redwood PTA
Erieview PTA
We also encourage you to click the links below to see the most up-to-date newsletter from each of our buildings as well!
Thank you all for your continued support. Stay warm!
Sincerely,
Joelle M. Magyar
Superintendent of Schools
Upcoming Important Dates
Dec. 23 - Jan. 3 - Winter Break
Jan. 17 - End Second Quarter/Semester and Early Release for Students
To view the complete district calendar, click here.
Building newsletters
Just in case you missed a newsletter from your child's school, or have multiple children in our district at different buildings, we have links below from each building principal for your convenience with the most recent information sent to families. A link to our quarterly District Facility Focus newsletter is also below.
