Learning Fair Success
Chardon Middle School’s highly anticipated two-hour learning fair on Jan. 26 featured hundreds of student science projects via eye-catching tri-fold presentations, as well as a wall of stunning artwork by seventh-grade students and live music performed via impressive solos, duets and trios by student musicians from all grade levels. The event was an open-house format held on the second floor of the school.
The fair’s science segment, the culmination of many months of work and planning for staff and students, was led by science teachers Brent Hilston, Melissa Efantis and Jackie Brown, while the student art display and student live music segments were made possible by the leadership of art teachers Kathleen Dafoe and Kristie Heron and music teachers Sharon Monarchino and Michelle Watson.
The science showcase represented a long-term assignment from all seventh-grade students. Although it was an optional assignment for fourth, fifth and sixth-grade students, many of these younger students did take the challenge and submitted projects as well.
Among the hundreds of questions scientifically explored by students via their experiments were which type of potato produces the most energy; how much salt has to dissolve in water to make an egg float; whether ice would melt faster in salt, sand or gravel; and whether cats prefer to play with jingly toys or quiet toys.
Students posited their hypotheses and ran their experiments over the past few months to test those hypotheses, collecting and recording data to generate results. Through this work, students discovered their results were conclusive or inconclusive, and they then elaborated on what the implications were for their studies.
A steady stream of families and community members braved the single-digit weather on the evening of Jan. 26, making the learning fair a smashing success. Photography and videography was provided courtesy of Geauga-TV.
Special thank you to City of Chardon Mayor Chris Grau for his support of the event, working together with G-TV to create a one-hour video production from the evening that included up-close, live interviews with CMS science teachers and students.
The one-hour video production can be accessed through the on-demand video link at geaugatv.org.
Rhodes Speech Event Champion
Chardon High School sophomore Charlotte Jons, in her fifth year as an Ohio Speech and Debate Association competitor, continues to shine in the program oral interpretation event for Chardon High School’s speech and debate team this season, emerging as the POI event champion in the Cleveland district’s Rhodes tournament held on Jan. 22.
Making Chardon proud and going strong as the school’s sole speech and debate competitor, Jons placed third in the POI event at the Hathaway Brown tournament held just one week earlier on Jan. 15.
The POI event provides students with the opportunity to hone their skills in interpreting prose and poetry selections in a unique way that evokes both intellectual and emotional responsiveness from the audience.
Jons shared that her private social media account includes an ongoing story she dedicated to her speech and debate activities. She said she enjoys sharing not only her achievements with her peers but also digestible bits of information on what she does as an OSDA competitor and how she presents herself.
“I love that I get to represent our school in POI, and it means so much to me that I have some people cheering me on,” added Jons. “I’m having so much fun.”
Students interested in learning more about competing on the CHS team are encouraged to contact CHS principal Doug Murray at douglas.murray@chardonschools.
Hearty Cards for Meals on Wheels
Chardon resident Samantha Mucciarone spread an extra dose of kindness in her daughter Juliana’s Chardon Early Learning Center kindergarten classroom last month by initiating a Valentine card-making community service project for students to participate in during a segment of the school day. Mrs. Mucciarone generously provided all the pre-planning and materials for the project she led in Jenny Maheu’s kindergarten class on Jan. 27.
The students’ cards will be delivered through the Geauga County Department on Aging’s Meals on Wheels program on Valentine’s Day to bring a dose of Tiny Toppers cheer to meal recipients in the community.
2022-23 Enrollment
Registration for the 2022-23 school year opened on Feb. 1 for new students who reside in the Chardon Local School District and will be entering grade levels pre-Kindergarten through grade 12 this fall. Chardon Schools looks forward to welcoming you and your student(s) to the Hilltopper school community and making this a smooth transition for you.
Parents and guardians can begin the enrollment process by clicking the online registration button accessible from the district homepage at chardonschools.org. Children must be five (5) years old on or before Aug. 1 to begin kindergarten in fall 2022. The date and time of a welcome and informational night for parents and guardians of incoming kindergarten students will be announced at a later date.
Questions can be directed to the district registrar, Corine Casalina, by calling 440-285-4052 during school hours or through email to corine.casalina@
CELC School Then and Now
