Students Partake in Tradition on Memorial Day
Two students from Chagrin Falls Schools were chosen to be a part of a longstanding tradition on Memorial Day. Every year, Chagrin Falls Schools give students the opportunity to earn a place at the Memorial Day ceremonies at Evergreen Cemetery reciting the Gettysburg Address and Logan’s Order.
Students who memorized the address performed it in front of their peers and one winner was chosen from each class. The students who advanced to the finals recited their speech for a panel of staff members who chose the winners for 2018. Sixth-grader Sofia Clark recited the Gettysburg Address and sixth-grader Sven Nielsen read Logan’s Order.
Sofia and Sven rode in a float to the Evergreen Cemetery on Memorial Day where they recited their addresses. In addition to riding on the float, they had the chance to be interviewed by John Bourisseau from the Chagrin Falls Historical Society.
One School, One Book
During the month of May, Chagrin Falls Intermediate School students and staff participated in the annual all-school book club, called “One School, One Book.” Everyone enjoyed reading Katherine Applegate’s “The One and Only Ivan.”
Families were encouraged to read together and engage in the many fun activities the teachers planned.
“It is our hope to build a ‘community of readers’ at the Intermediate School,” said Principal Sarah Read. “Research shows that reading has a significant impact on student achievement. Students who read with their parents have increased reading comprehension, improved writing and communication skills and higher school attendance.”
Along with receiving a copy of the book, students received a reading schedule and were encouraged to read 15 minutes each night. Each school day, students were asked to answer daily trivia questions to encourage and reward attentive listening and in class, students explored the book through activities and discussions.
“The One and Only Ivan” examines the issue of animal rights. It also celebrates the transformative power of unexpected friendships. Inspired by the true story of a captive gorilla, Ivan spent 27 years behind the glass walls of his enclosure in a shopping mall, and grew accustomed to humans watching him. He hardly ever thought about his life in the jungle. Instead, Ivan occupied himself with television, his friends Stella and Bob, and painting. But when he met Ruby, a baby elephant taken from the wild, he is forced to see their home and his art, through new eyes.
Ivan is inspired by art and uses it to express himself. To kick off the book club, the students enjoyed an assembly featuring artist Richard Hight. Hight used his talent and passion to inspire students to find their gifts and talents. His presentation started by creating a beautiful chalk illustration on a large canvas of a tiger reading a book. He then shared an uplifting message about the ways he used art to overcome his challenges, just like Ivan. His message was positive and encouraging for students.
Students were able to give their opinions about using animals for movies and commercials, as mascots and as pets. They participated in a Google Expedition where they observed gorillas in the Congo. They also enjoyed the daily hunt for their own stuffed animal version of Ivan throughout the Learning Village classrooms and hallways. Students who found Ivan were entered to win gift certificates to Fireside Book Shop. Students also participated in trivia contests twice a week, where they responded to questions about the novel and about the species of animals in the novel to win candy and bookmarks.
Sixth-grade students examined the powerful language in the text by taking quotes from Ivan and illustrating these with mini posters that were displayed on their lockers. Students did activities in homeroom and in their classes, such as learning to draw gorillas and elephants, reading the true story of Ivan and exploring videos to better understand the experiences of the animals in the story. Students also were given the opportunity to listen to chapter podcasts read by Superintendent Robert Hunt and various educators from the district. Each grade level also held a fundraiser for animal conservation.
International Math Competition
A group of 18 third-graders at Gurney Elementary School participated in the international Math Kangaroo Competition. The competition takes place every year on the third Thursday in March and is open to grade levels 1-12. The goal of the competition is to encourage students to master their mathematical knowledge, give them confidence in their ability to comprehend math, show how math is important in all parts of the world and promote a commitment to studying math through the use of interesting problems and positive reinforcement.
The third-graders at Gurney spent weeks preparing for the competition by practicing sample questions individually and as a group during their enrichment class. On the day of the competition, the students had 75 minutes to complete 24 problems. The results were sent to the individual students in May.
Third-grader Anton Flach placed third in the state and 19th in the nation. All who participated receive a T-shirt, diploma, and special memento while the top winners receive special prizes.
“Congratulations to all students for their hard work and dedication to this competition,” said Sheri Halagan, third-grade teacher at Gurney Elementary School.
Google Advisory Board
Chagrin Falls Schools has been invited to participate in the Google for Education North America K-12 Customer Advisory Board (CAB). They received a letter from the Director of North America for Google Education to join the Board because Chagrin Falls Schools are considered “committed educators and forward-thinking leaders.” The goal of the advisory board is to ensure that Google is an effective tool for students, educators and districts across North America through feedback on how Google’s content is meeting the goals of schools.
As members of the board, Chagrin Falls Schools must attend 75 percent of the meetings every year either in person or through telephone. They must participate in at least one pilot per year to test upcoming features in Google products and give feedback. They must deepen the relationship between Google and the district by creating a cohort within the school to assist in giving feedback. They must provide ideas on how Google can better partner with the district and schools and nominate two students each year for biannual virtual student CAB meetings. Overall, the schools must work in good faith with fellow board members and Google toward reaching the board’s goals.
In return for being on the board, Google will provide a first look at pilots and early access programs, plan and deliver an annual in-person meeting for CAB members, plan and host quarterly CAB Hangouts and calls, and gather feedback on topics identified as important by the CAB members. They will also provide a forum for networking with other CAB members, promote Chagrin Falls Schools as a member of the Customer Advisory Board on the Google for Education Website, and share the company’s product roadmap on a quarterly basis.
The Customer Advisory Board will launch during ISTE week on June 25 and 26 in Chicago.
Chagrin Falls Schools has enjoyed a partnership with Google over the past several years. The district was one of the first districts in the country to participate in the Google Pilot Program as a “Google for Education Reference School.” They have been showcased in Google for Education keynotes and presentations, as well as featured in case studies and newsletters. Chagrin Falls Schools’ were the first district in the United States to achieve complete Google certification of its educators and staff. Last August, Chagrin Falls Schools’ Director of Technology and Information Systems Mike Daugherty was accepted into Google for Education Certified Innovator Program. He was only one of 37 people chosen for this North American cohort.
May Students of the Month
The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month program is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance. The students depict Tiger Techniques:Think, Integrity, Grit, Effort and Responsibility. Each month, the seventh- and eighth-grade teams collaborate and choose a male and female “Tiger of the Month” and the students receive desserts from the PTO.
Seventh-Grader Riley Myers is extremely helpful to all students in our classroom. She works hard to make our school and community a better place. She has a positive attitude and works hard in all of her classes. Riley is committed to analyzing her work and learns quickly if she notices any mistakes. Riley always has a smile on her face in French. She is a hard worker who asks great questions. She has an enthusiasm for the language and has had an amazing first year of French.
Seventh-grader Patrick Boje always displays a positive attitude in class. He is a leader and a role model both in school and on the ice as a hockey player. His diligence and patience make him a standout in the classroom. He takes constructive criticism with writing and speaking in stride, which has greatly impacted his writing and speaking in a positive way. Patrick is a delight to have in class. He is a quick learner and has jumped fully into his acquisition of the French language. He is kind to all and is very, very funny.
Eighth-Grader Sophia Avery is an enthusiastic learner who has had huge success this year. She never flinches from a challenge and is able to creatively solve all types of problems. Her talents and achievements are incredible, yet she always remains humble. She works well with all peers and staff members. She volunteers lots of extra hours, working behind the scenes to make the school a better place. You will see her work placing first in art shows and her Spanish work used as an example for her peers. You also will hear her voice daily on the morning announcements and will find her calmly setting a leadership example by treating everyone with respect and by always doing the right thing, even when no one is looking.
Eighth-Grader Sam Partain tries hard to do what is right in class. He takes his time on assignments and cares about his grades. Sam is always pleasant and respectful to his teachers. He also is a willing participant in class. Sam is a very special young man. Over the last two years he has spent countless hours enjoying an extra period of physical education class as a peer role model. Sam exhibits infinite patience and his gentle leadership has made a huge difference in the life of this student.