Chagrin Falls Community Education presents a production of “Disney The Lion King Jr.” at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School...
“Disney The Lion King Jr.”
Chagrin Falls Community Education presents a production of “Disney The Lion King Jr.” at Chagrin Falls Intermediate School. Performance are Nov. 21 at 7 p.m., Nov. 22 at 1:30 p.m.and 6:30 p.m. and Nov. 23 at 1:30 p.m.
The production is a restaging of the original 2015 production directed by Robb Sapp and Patricia Haynish. Local director and choreographer Kirk Eichelberger and Patricia Haynish are directing this 2025 production with creative contributions provided by Robb Sapp. The original costumes and masks created for the 2015 performances are being used.
Tickets are $14 for adults $14 and $10 for students. Visit chagrinfallschools.org for ticket information.
Antarctic Experience Brings Science to Life
Few classroom moments capture authentic engagement quite like the sight of penguins on the move. During Superintendent Jennifer Penczarski’s visit to Gurney Elementary, second-graders watched with fascination as penguins waddled across the Antarctic ice, an experience that deepened their understanding of their recent unit on penguins and habitats.
“Our second graders had just finished their penguin unit when I learned that Dr. Penczarski had traveled to Antarctica,” said second-grade Mrs. Jones. “The timing couldn’t have been better. The students were already so curious, and hearing from someone who had seen penguins in their natural environment made everything we’d studied come alive. They were absolutely fascinated.”
Dr. Penczarski shared photos and videos from her recent expedition to Antarctica, where she observed King, Chinstrap, Gentoo and Magellanic penguins in their natural environments. The images of vast ice fields, floating bergs, and colonies huddled together under an open sky transformed the library into a window to the southern hemisphere. Students leaned forward as she described how to spot penguins in the wild. Together they tried watching for small dark shapes on icebergs or subtle movement in the water near the edge of the ice in Dr. Penczarski’s videos.
The presentation was a true exchange of learning. Students eagerly shared facts they had learned in class, how Emperor penguins are the tallest species, how they live on the ice so they can be near the ocean to eat and how they take turns keeping eggs warm. Their observations reflected both knowledge and wonder, connecting textbook study to lived experience.
“Being in classrooms with our students is one of my favorite parts of this job,” Dr. Penczarski said. “Their curiosity is contagious, they’re eager to learn and love sharing what they know.”
Throughout the visit, Dr. Penczarski emphasized curiosity and observation, the foundations of scientific discovery. Her firsthand accounts invited students to think about what it means to study animals ethically and to appreciate the delicate balance of life in extreme environments. Moments like these, where classroom learning meets real-world experience, remind students that curiosity can take them anywhere.
Art in Action
Chagrin Falls High School’s Advanced Art students found creative inspiration during a field trip to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History on Oct. 28. The visit gave students the chance to observe, sketch and photograph animals and artifacts in the museum’s newly updated taxidermy room.
Portfolio Prep students are currently working on a series of observational animal drawings and used the trip to study details, textures and proportions from life. AP Art students also took the opportunity to create sketches and capture reference photos to support their portfolio work.
“The museum provides such a rich environment for observation,” said art teacher Jill Eisert. “Seeing the animals up close allows students to understand form, structure, and texture in a way that deepens their artistic process. It’s an invaluable experience for both our Portfolio Prep and AP Art students.” The experience blended learning, creativity and inspiration, helping students bring new depth to their artwork back in the classroom.
CFMS Students of the Month
The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month 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 tiger water bottles from the PTO.
October Students of the Month are eighth-graders Brooklyn Stepnowsky and Walker Langworthy and seventh-graders Taylor Bordner and Bennet Bosley.
Brooklyn Stepnowsky is the kind of student who leads by example. A quiet leader, she doesn’t seek the spotlight, yet her positive influence shines throughout our school. She is thoughtful, kind and always ready to lend a helping hand. Brooklyn’s strong sense of responsibility and attention to detail make her an outstanding student. She is always prepared, meticulous with her work and consistently achieves at an exceptional level. Beyond her academics, Brooklyn contributes to the school community in countless ways. She serves as an officer in the Spanish Club, member of Guidance Advisory Council, volunteers for Student Council tasks and tutors her peers with patience and care. Teachers and classmates alike appreciate her willingness to work with anyone and her steady presence in any group.
Walker Langworthy comes into my classroom with a big smile every day. He always brings a positive attitude and works hard in class. Walker truly cares about his learning and sets high expectations for himself. He works well with others and is constantly participating in class. He is respectful to both classmates and teachers. Walker takes responsibility for his own learning. He not only works hard and puts forth his best effort, but also never hesitates to ask for help. This helps him achieve meaningful learning in Chinese class. Walker is very polite and always wants to do well on everything that he does. He is thoughtful, kind and always inclusive of others.
Taylor Bordner has already made a big impact in her short time in the middle school. She is enthusiastic about helping other people and willingly shares her dreams and goals of making the world a better place.
She is a constant participant in class and a role model for other students. Taylor is respectful of her teachers and classmates alike. She works well with all groups and always has a smile on her face. She is polite and greets each of her teachers with a warm hello.
Taylor has a positive attitude in class and consistently shows outstanding effort and curiosity in math. She approaches challenging tasks with determination and is ready to lend a helping hand to peers. Whether working independently or within her math team, Taylor always demonstrates enthusiasm for learning.
Bennet Bosley’s friendly smile is a welcome sight each day. His thoughts and actions are full of care as he strives to learn as much as possible. Bennet consistently puts forth his best effort and always comes to class with a positive attitude and is an all-around great student who is responsible, respectful and always puts forth his best effort and kind to his peers and teachers.
Bennett is an active participant in class discussions. He works well in his book group with discussion and sharing his thoughts about the story. He perseveres through challenging math problems and is always ready to help out his peers.
