Staff Member Receives HonorChagrin Falls High School’s Advanced Placement computer…

December 20, 2012

Staff Member Receives Honor
Chagrin Falls High School’s Advanced Placement computer science teacher Carolyn Petite has been named as The Plain Dealer Crystal Apple Award winner during Recognition Period 2 in the high school category. The award is presented to an educator who has inspired, challenged, supported or helped a student realize their true potential. Mrs. Petite was nominated by one of her students, junior Shannon O’Toole.
In her nomination letter, Shannon said, “Mrs. Carolyn Petite is the most passionate, selfless, and caring teacher I have ever known.” Shannon added, “Mrs. Petite particularly encourages female students to study computer science because she has experienced that women are still underrepresented in the field.”
Recently, two representatives from the Educational Services Department at The Plain Dealer and a representative from Bryant & Stratton College, who serve as the exclusive sponsor of the Crystal Apple Award, made a surprise presentation in Mrs. Petite’s classroom. During the presentation, the Crystal Apple Award was explained, and Shannon read her essay that had earned Mrs. Petite the award.
To be nominated, an educator must currently teach full time in any grade K-12 in a school within the Plain Dealer’s seven county distribution area. There are four recognition periods each year. An independent panel of judges selects three outstanding educators from nominations received for each of the following grade categories: k-5, 6-8, and 9-12, for a total of 12 Crystal Apple winners in the school year. All 12 winning 201213 Crystal Apple winners will receive their official crystal apple at an awards banquet held at the Plain Dealer in May.
5th/6th-Grade Holiday Concert
With two weeks left for students until the winter break, excitement is in the air, particularly for students in a music ensemble. The students have been preparing for concerts and combined rehearsals since the end of October. At the Intermediate School, the fifth and sixth-grade bands have been diligently working hard on their holiday selections.
On Dec. 4, the CFIS fifth-grade band successfully performed its first concert of the year. Students have been studying and practicing the fundamentals of their instruments since August.
The group played six pieces to feature each section of the band: “French Folk Song” (flutes), “Merrily We Roll Along” (clarinets), “Lightly Row” (alto saxes), “Hot Cross Buns” (trumpets), “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” (bells) and “Good King Wenceslas” (low brass/French horn). Congratulations to all fifth-grade band members and to Mr. David Clare, Mr. Youssef Hamid and Mrs. Susan Smith on a successful holiday concert.
The sixth-grade band has prepared four selections for its performance. The first, “12 the Clock Strikes,” is a favorite among the students. Trombones slide away to glissandos while the percussion tick-tock, and the band provides the bell effects as the clock strikes at the top of the hour. The remaining selections are all tunes of the season.
“Bells, Bells, Bells” combines two well-known carols, both with bells in the title: “Carol of the Bells” and “Jingle Bells.” Next, “Celebrating Chanukah” brings the joy of this holiday with melody to these tunes: “The Dreidel Song” and “Chanukah, Oh Chanukah,” not to be confused with “O Christmas Tree.” Finally, the band concludes with “Jammin’ on the Rooftop,” an upbeat take on the popular “Up on the Housetop.” This song will feature the percussion section, with all sorts of instruments and effects.
Each instrument section has music classes with either Mr. Youseff Hamid, Mr. Peter Haubert or Mrs. Susan Smith, though it truly is a magical sound when all instruments come together and present their performance.
Here’s wishing everyone a very joyous holiday season.
Rotary Student of the Month
The Chagrin Falls High School Rotary Student for December is Bradley Munday. Bradley was the October English student of the month as well as being named to the Chagrin Valley Conference All Academic team this fall.
He is active in school serving as a member of the Student Athletic Advisory Committee, the Superintendent’s Advisory Committee and Key Club. He is also very active in sports, earning two varsity letters in basketball and three varsity letters in both track and football.
Brad has also earned CVC honors in track and football and was named to the 2nd Team All District Football team. In addition, he holds the school record in the long jump and was a part of the school record setting 4×200 relay team.
Outside of school, Brad is a member of the Breathe Program and is an alter server at St. Joan of Arc. His academic resume includes eight Advanced Placement courses.
Brad has not chosen a future college yet, but he hopes to major in engineering or biomedical engineering while continuing his football career.
Holiday Workshop Volunteers
Chagrin Falls High School Key Club members joined Valley Art Center staff, board members, instructors and community volunteers at the recent Valley Art Center’s annual Children’s Holiday Workshop. A sold-out crowd of 80 area kids moved from station to station creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces to share with family and friends.
Much creative energy was flowing from the 13 art stations throughout the building. The volunteers were kept very busy painting, gluing, folding paper, tying ribbons, printing, cutting and restocking snacks,
Kids turned ordinary slate into holiday inspired wall hangings; ordinary paper into origami styled, ribbon-tied books; ordinary felt circles into rainbow colored festive trees; and ordinary small gift boxes into vibrant pop-up mobiles. Rest assured that 80 children departed the art center, each with a bag full of 2-D and 3-D unique art pieces and great memories to share.
The Valley Art Center is dedicated to promoting and teaching the visual arts in the Chagrin Valley and wishes to thank the citizens of Cuyahoga County for their support through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture.