Chagrin Falls PTO

Upcoming Dates

12/3  Picture Retakes

12/17 Holiday Shows

12/18 Holiday Parties

1/16 Gurney Night at the Girl’s Varsity Basketball Game

The Gurney School report was presented by Vicky Pelsozy.
•    Thank you to all of our PTO volunteers who provided us with such delicious dinners during conference nights!  They were perfect for a quick bite in between meetings.  We are truly grateful for your time and energy to do that for us.
•    BIG NEWS….Sheri Halagan is one of only 5 teachers to be a finalist for Ohio Teacher of the Year!!! She had a final interview in Columbus last week and we are just waiting to hear the results.  Regardless, we are so very proud to have a finalist among us!  Congratulations to Sheri Halagan!
•    Vaccinations:  The Geauga County Health Department will confirm with us tomorrow (Thursday) the exact day that they will be at Gurney to administer the H1N1 vaccinations to those students and staff who have consent.  Tentatively, they are planning on coming next week.  Once we have confirmation of the exact day, we will be communicating that information with parents via an email blast, teacher email distribution lists, reverse 911 call, and a ½ page flyer.  It looks as if we have approximately 60% of our students with consent to receive the vaccine.  Students 10 and under will receive a follow-up vaccine.
•    Lock Down Drill:  We conducted our annual lock down drill this week.  All classes had practiced ahead of time so the drill went very smoothly.  In checking classrooms, doors were locked and students were hidden from interior windows.  Classrooms with exterior windows propped up 911 signs as planned.
•    Halloween:  We had another successful Halloween parade with great costumes.  If you’d like to see staff costumes, we have pictures posted on the Gurney website photo gallery.  Many teachers have posted student photos of costumes on their class websites.  Thank you to all the parents that helped plan and run such fun parties.
•    Holiday Show: Winter Wonderland Lodge is the Holiday Show this year!  Classes have already been assigned songs and costumes are starting to be developed!  Speaking parts have been assigned and the excitement is upon us!  Once again we will be performing the two shows on December 17th.  We hope to see you all there!
•    Roller Skating:  Mr. Q has planned out his roller skating trips for December.  Students are excited and parents should be seeing a form coming home to note shoe sizes for the rink.  Extra help is always welcome…especially when it comes to tying shoes!
•    Gurney Night at the Girls Basketball Game will be Saturday, January 16th.  The JV game starts at 5pm and the varsity games follows.  We will have spirit week leading up to that game with all sorts of fun theme days!  Classes will make spirit banners for the high school gym and we’ll have our own Gurney Pep Assembly with a visit from the girls basketball team and some cheerleaders.

Upcoming Dates

o    November 25-27, Thanksgiving Break
o    December 8, Early Release Day
o    December 10, Band Concert

o    December 11, COSI Day

o    December 15, Orchestra and Select Choir Concert

0    December 16, CyberTour Assembly 5th and 6th Grade

o    December 21-January 3, Holiday Break

o    January 4, First Day Back
o    January 4-8, Sixth Grade Camp
o    January 12, Early Release Day
o    January 18, Martin Luther King Day

The Intermediate School report was presented by Sally Florkiewicz.
o    Bullying Assembly
Katherine Owen and her language arts classes organized a Bullying Awareness Week which was kicked off last Monday with a bullying assembly.  Her students led the assembly with Power Point presentations and video clips on the definition of bullying, school survey results, examples of bullying behavior and what should have been done instead of that particular behavior, and a “No Bullying Pledge.”  Last week we also did “Mix it Up” day, “Caught You Caring” campaign led by Mr. Bondy, morning meetings led by Katherine’s students, and one more reading of the “No Bullying Pledge” on Friday in the cafeteria.  Research shows that when bullying prevention programs are led by students’ peers it has a long lasting effect.
•   Early Release Day
This month we studied Understanding by Design.  This is something we work on every other month and now have finished going though the main points in the book.  Mr. Murphy did a PowerPoint review and next time we will be writing a unit using the UbD template.

•    Progress Book
It is our hope that all parents will use Progress Book as an aid in communication about assignments, homework and student grades.  Please take the time to look at Progress Book on a regular basis.  If you have any questions, please contact your teacher or Mr. Murphy.
•    Sixth Grade Camp
We are once again looking for parent volunteers to chaperone our sixth grade retreat.  This is an awesome event that creates memories that will last a lifetime.  We will be going on retreat for three days during the week of January 4th.  Please contact Nancy Kevern or Cory McNamara if you are interested in being a chaperone.
•    Thank You
Thank you so much for the blue ribbon cupcakes!  They were a big hit with the students and were the perfect ending to our Blue Ribbon Celebration.  Also, thank you for the delicious dinners at conferences.  Everything was so delicious and we have the best parents around!  You are Blue Ribbon Parents!
•    COSI Assembly
We are once again looking for parent volunteers for the annual COSI Assembly.  The theme will be Investigating Energy; more info about the program this year is available here..  The assembly will be December 11.  Thank you to the PTO for funding this event.  Our staff and students look forward to it every year.
•    Internet Assembly
The Cyber Safe Ohio Tour comes to the Intermediate School on December 16 for 5th and 6th graders. This assembly program from the Ohio Attorney General’s Office “impresses on students how their actions in the cyber world can have serious real world consequences.” Its goals are to enable to students to:
Recognize techniques bullies, predators, and criminals use to deceive them.
Refuse requests for personal information and how to respond assertively in uncomfortable or compromising online situations.
Understand the consequences for misuse of technology such as creating, downloading, or forwarding pornographic images or text (sexting).
Report suspicious or dangerous contact on the Internet.  Downloadable brochure about the program available here.
•    Concerts
Tis the season for Holiday Concerts at the Intermediate School.  Please join us on December 10 for the band concert and on December 15 for the orchestra and select choir concerts.  Both concerts start at 7:00 and are at the Intermediate School auditorium.

The Board of Education Report  was presented by Karen Penlar.
•    We have two new BOE members: Mary Kay O’Toole and Anne Thomas. We are still waiting for a final vote tally to determine the third.
•    All day kindergarten will start in 2011. There will be no charge to parents for all day. Half Day kindergarten will still be available.
•    House Bill 264 will help us to make our school system more green, which will help save us money.
•    The H1N1 virus seems to ebb and flow. Thanks to Geauga County, the vaccine will be available to students at Gurney on Tues. Nov 24th.
•    As to the lawn in front of the school: The landscaping cost $21,000 to repair and replant the lawn and trees. This was covered by the operating budget. We are a large part of this community and  are in a neighborhood and need to respect that and keep our property in good repair.

The District Administrative Report was presented by Christine Jackson.

RtI (Response to Intervention)

•    We are in the process of moving forward with development of a comprehensive “Response to Intervention” approach that addresses reading, mathematics, writing and behavior across all grade levels.  This process is a regular education initiative led by curriculum and special education that looks at screening data to determine who is in need of additional support in order to prevent the development of serious learning problems.  We have been utilizing universal screening within reading in grades K-8 for several years and, like most districts, have focused our initial efforts in the area of reading.  We are being aggressive in moving forward to develop RtI programming across all areas over the course of this school year so that we can better facilitate data-based instructional decision-making to meet the needs of our students.  Part of the process involves progress-monitoring for those students who are identified to be in need of additional support to insure programming is impacting the targeted area of need.   This process allows schools to identify those students who are struggling and provide intervention before the difficulty becomes severe.
•    Chagrin Falls Schools Requests Exceptional Children Advisory Team

The Chagrin Falls School District is in the process of forming an Exceptional Children Advisory Committee which will assist us in enhancing programming provided for students with disabilities, those having academic or behavioral difficulties and those who are gifted or achieving at high levels.  This committee will consist of school and community members who will work together to provide insight into programming for students demonstrating exceptionalities at both ends of the spectrum.  The committee will consist of approximately 15-20 individuals who will meet for three sessions this school year. Ideal advisory team members are those individuals who have children with exceptionalities or those who have a special interest in education for children with exceptionalities.     If you are interested in being considered to become a member of the advisory team and are able to make the time commitment,  you may take this survey to apply.   If you prefer you may also request a nomination form from the Pupil Services Office at 440.247.4564.  Forms must be completed on line or received by the Pupil Services Office by November 24,2009 to be considered.   Participants will be selected from those nominated to establish a representative sample of the local and school community.  Please respond by Tues. Nov. 24th.
•    Potential Strategic Plan Update Areas

Some of the items we will be exploring as part of the Exceptional Children Advisory Team may surface as update items for the strategic plan.  There are some internal operation protocols we are refining along with discussions regarding the feasibility of looking at a possible learning center for before and after school, integration of the RtI process, autism programming possibilities, and gifted programming options.

Upcoming Dates

12/3 Orchestra Concert

12/7 Choir Concert

12/14 Band Concert

5/10-12 Rescheduled 8th Grade Trip

The Middle School report was presented by Cindy Dean.


Thank-you to the PTO volunteers for a wonderful conference night dinner.
•    The middle school staff was notified on Friday that we have been nominated for the National Blue Ribbon award. The application was sent out on Monday and we will be notified at the end of the school year if we will receive the award.  This award is the highest honor that a school can receive.  The students and staff certainly deserve this great recognition.
•    Six 8th graders attended the Chagrin Valley Leadership Conference on November 6.  Grace Juergens, Reed Kreger, Kostas Parrish, Dana Savakis, Peter Berlin, and Juliana Petkiewicz represented Chagrin Falls at this conference.  We are working to develop student leadership within the middle school by starting with a core group of students who display strong leadership skills.
•    Our middle school students will be participating in the Kick-It program for the remainder of the year.  Each homeroom is fundraising prior to their scheduled kickball game.  All the money we raise will go towards pediatric cancer research.  If you would like to make a donation you may do that through the Kick-It website. Our students play their kickball games every Thursday during recess.  You are welcome to come out and watch.
•   Our PTO representatives are working hard to develop a middle school program that supports academic progress. We are still in the planning stages, but our hope is to encourage community businesses to support school success by providing store discounts.  We will also be providing a variety of privileges within the school day for those students who earn this privilege.  Students who meet criteria will be awarded a card that they may use at businesses and in the school.  We are hoping to initiate this program at the semester break.  Thank to our PTO representatives for their support.
•    Winter sports are in full swing. Basketball players, cheerleaders and wrestlers have been practicing for the past month and are ready for games and matches.  We are excited about another great season.
•    With Christmas coming, we have several performances on the calendar. Our orchestra will hold their concert on December 3, our choir will perform on December 7, and the band will hold their concert on December 14.  We invite all of you to come to hear our students perform.

Upcoming Dates

• 12/8             Professional Development Day – early release 1:25
• 12/9             College Application Deadline
• 12/14           Winter Sports Picture Day – after school HS Gym
• 12/21-1/1    Winter Break
• 1/4               School Resumes
• 1/12             Professional Development Day – early release 1:25
• 1/13 -15      Semester Exams
• 1/15             Semester Ends




The High School report was presented by  Karen Lewis.

A heartfelt thank you for the fabulous dinner that you provided for Parent/Teacher conferences last Wednesday.  It was outstanding and appreciated by all.  The conferences were well attended and faculty were very positive about their interactions with parents.  This was also an opportunity for me to visit with many of the parents who were waiting for conferences.

•    Principal/Student Advisory Committee - I met with twenty-four students during their lunch periods last Thursday.  Items of discussion were behavioral expectations in classes and our hallways and appearance guidelines.
•   What’s New at the High School – “Kindness Committee” I have met with Bill Kline and junior Danny Driscoll as we move forward with development of a new committee at the high school.  The creation of the kindness committee is in progress.  Karen Kreinberg and Bill Kline will serve as the faculty representatives (volunteers).  The intent of this committee is to promote and recognize random acts of kindness and silent initiatives in our building.  This committee will also honor a male and female student of the month.  Our first pair of students being recognized for the month of November are Matthew and Kaitlyn Weinert-Stein.  Mathew and Kaitlyn are the children of Richard Stein and Dayna Weinert. This high achieving brother-sister team organized the costume collection project at the high school.  These costumes will be taken to an inner city school in Cleveland and distributed to underprivileged children.
•    Honors/ Pep Rally – Our plan is to have an Honor/Pep assembly on Friday, November 20th in the afternoon. The assembly would include: (1) Student council officers and representatives who would address the student body on several items including behavioral expectations in classes and our hallways and appearance guidelines, (2) recognition of our students who have achieved high academic honors (National Merit – Cum Laude Status), (3) recognition of students involved in the fall play, (4) and also recognition of the outstanding achievements of all our fall athletes this year.
•    Academic Coaching Lab – We were confident when discussing this lab last year that it would have a positive outcome.  I am reporting that the ACL is working very well.  With the increased number of students who are receiving academic support from IEPs and 504 plans, there was a need for a support lab.  The Academic Coaching Lab is designed to assist students who are currently on 504 plans.  Nikki Lustig supervised the lab during the lunch periods.  Nikki is doing an outstanding job assisting students with organization, assignment completion and reinforcing good habits.  For the past two years, Nikki served in a capacity as a monitor in the cafeteria.  This change of assignment has been a win-win for our students and Nikki.
•    Winter Sports picture day has been changed to Monday, December 14, in the High School Gym.  Photos will be taken of all winter sports teams beginning a 2:45.

•    A bit about the Naviance program used at the High School:     This is a web-based Counseling program.
•    It has three components, the student, the parent and the counselor.
•    It has many facets: to help students find a college, to help parents with the college search, to determine learning styles and possible career choices, to track college applications and determine who might be behind.
•    The students have been trained on how to use Naviance.
•    As a parent, if you would like training on how to use Naviance, please call your counselor. They would be happy to help.
•    FYI: Over 600 college applications have been submitted by our senior class to 179 different colleges. 86% of the class has already submitted their applications. The highest number of applications going to Ohio State, second most to Miami of Ohio. The counselors have hosted a Saturday morning class to help students with the Common Application for Colleges.