Distinguished GPA Achievements
At Chardon Middle School, 566 students, or 77 percent of the school’s total enrollment, earned honor roll or merit roll recognition for their grade point averages for the first quarter of the current, 2021-22, school year. Of this total, 379 students earned a spot on the school’s honor roll with a GPA between 3.5 and 4.0; and 187 students reached merit roll status with GPAs between 3.0 and 3.49.
Chardon High School recognized 200 students by name and photo in a Nov. 23 congratulatory piece in the school’s Week in Reflection newsletter, commending the Hilltoppers on maintaining a GPA of 3.75 or higher throughout the previous, 2020-21, school year and thereby earning Topper Club Awards.
Eighty-five first-year winners earned certificates; 68 second-year winners received academic letters; and 47 third-year winners attained commemorative pin status. Students who maintain a GPA of 3.75 or higher in their fourth year receive a medal for their graduation gown.
To view the full list of CHS Topper Club Award recipients, access the Nov. 23 Week in Reflection newsletter in the 2021 archives at chardonhs.org/newsletter.
Volunteers Launch Economics Program
Chardon Middle School’s eight sixth-grade social studies classes launched the 2021-22 Junior Achievement® Economics for Success program last month, an endeavor made, in large part, possible by community volunteers. The program, which is directly tied to the economic standards in social studies, provides students with lessons on financial literacy, work and career readiness, and entrepreneurship.
One volunteer is assigned per sixth-grade social studies class. Students are taught once each week by their class-assigned volunteer using JA® materials and curriculum together with assistance from the classroom teacher. The school’s sixth-grade social studies teachers are Ms. Ellen Bostwick, Mr. Bob Francis, Ms. Hallee Habeeb, Mr. Kent Hadden, Mrs. Rachel Holub, Mrs. Lacey Kallay, Mr. Ed Mullaly and Mrs. Suzanne Whiteman.
“Thank you so much to community volunteers Sarah Core, Brent Dickerson, Matt Fullerman, Jamie Miller, Brian Muoio, Les Murphy, CJ Paterniti and Melanie Scanlon for their willingness to support this initiative,” said CMS principal Tim Velotta. “A very special thanks also to CMS parent Courtney Erminio who took an impressive lead in recruiting volunteers through her network and connections to help get the program off the ground at CMS.”
Mr. Velotta said that it is his goal to expand JA® programming to all grade levels at CMS, and Mrs. Erminio’s recent support and future recruitment efforts of business partners and associates are equally appreciated.
As a big step in that direction, Mrs. Erminio’s employer, The Middlefield Banking Company, has generously agreed to sponsor and provide all volunteers for the school’s fourth-grade JA® in a Day event this upcoming May. This high-impact, condensed event provides JA® lessons to students in the course of one school day.
All JA® programming at CMS is advised by Mr. George Phillips who serves as the program manager for JA® of Greater Cleveland Inc., a regional branch of JA® USA. To learn more about the initiative, visit cleveland.ja.org.
Book Tasting Activities
Upon their return from winter break on Jan. 4, Park Elementary and Munson Elementary English Language Arts classes kicked off Wit & Wisdom® “book tasting” activities. Book tasting activities are designed as a fun and engaging way to introduce students to books being used for a new curricular unit.
At Park Elementary, the outer space unit was launched for third-grade students co-taught by Mrs. Barbara Francis and Mrs. Stephanie Seabeck.
“Students previewed each book, jotted some notes about what they noticed, and wondered about each book while having space-related snacks —Starburst candies, fruit ring cereal for Saturn rings, and cheese ball puffs for the planets,” said Mrs. Seabeck. “The kids loved it. They were engaged with the books and activities the entire lesson.”
Munson Elementary second-grade students in Mrs. Leigh Ann Ferguson’s class initiated a unit on the American West.
“We celebrated the start of Wit & Wisdom® module two with a book tasting on the American West along with cornbread, jerky, and other pioneer snacks,” said Mrs. Ferguson.
Life Skills Cookie Social
Ten Chardon High School students hosted their first annual holiday cookie social for staff during the school day on Dec. 17. The two-hour open house event was held in a room adjacent to the school library and showcased the dozens of confectionery creations the students had made on-site earlier in the week, including peanut blossoms, sugar cookies, buckeyes and candy cane bark.
Real-world life skills opportunities for students included following recipes for success, exercising social etiquette skills, and serving food in a safe and professional manner to others. The HIlltoppers also donated many cookies to the community’s first responders.
The 10 students who made the event possible included eighth-grade student Deanna Fairbanks; freshman Trevor Wascovich; sophomores Jack Geraci, Dylan Gribbons, Jessica Kitchen, Will Longar and Brittney Metz; juniors Justin Friedman and Delaney Hagan; and senior Austin Snow. The project was facilitated by faculty members Mrs. Amanda Bunker, Mrs. Karen Beran, Mrs. Maggie Cook and Ms. Kim Koynock.
The social event’s ambience was amplified by a beautiful presentation of the cookies on trays; glass bowls of punch; seasonally decorated tables with centerpieces; and a video of a flickering fireplace looping on a screen in the background.
A regular stream of attendees partook in cookies and conversation, including school resource officer Derek Carlson, the school’s principal and assistant principals, many CHS faculty members, and the district treasurer/CFO Deb Armbruster.
“The students’ hard work was very much appreciated as so many staff reached out praising their baking, serving and social skills,” said Mrs. Bunker.
The Chardon Fire Department touted the students’ cookies for first responders through a Dec. 17 message on the CFD Facebook page:
“Students in the CHS life skills class made cookies for the Chardon Fire Department, Chardon Police Department, and Ohio State Highway Patrol. Thanks for supporting all of us first responders. We’ll be nibbling between fire and EMS calls!”
CHS French IV
