When the pandemic limited in-person interactions that were the basis of many school events, Angie Jameson, director of library media services for Chagrin Falls Middle School, took action...
Library Media Specialist Earns Award
When the pandemic limited in-person interactions that were the basis of many school events, Angie Jameson, director of library media services for Chagrin Falls Middle School, took action.
Jameson had come across the idea for virtual interactive landscapes when searching for the hashtag #remotelearning on Twitter. The result was a domino effect of several departments using GIFs and graphics editing to connect with students and keep both academics and extracurriculars alive.
After creating a virtual library with lockers and a GIF of herself, Jameson found it was easier to connect with the students. She was able to take a video of herself, remove the background from it and then insert herself into the virtual environment as a moving picture.
The method was used to welcome families to the CFMS “Interactive Curriculum Night.” During the event, a Google Slide showed a photo of each of the teachers at CFMS, all waving and smiling on the screen thanks to the GIF capability. Families could click on a teacher to see their teaching philosophy, personalized Google presentations, and a 360-degree classroom tour.
It was this event that earned Jameson and her staff a Collaborative School Library Award from the Ohio Educational Library Media Association (OELMA). According to a letter from the OELMA, “The Collaborative School Library Award recognizes and encourages collaboration of partnerships between the school library media specialist and the school community through joint planning of a program, project, or event in support of the curriculum, using school library resources, and incorporating the AASL standards.” The team consisted of Principal Laila Discenza, assistant Principal Amanda Rassi, music teachers Nathan Bachofsky and Kendra Karriker and Spanish teacher Kathleen Aranavage.
The CFMS team will be honored for her project at the OELMA Annual Fall Conference on Oct. 9. However, her efforts do not stop at the award; many other school departments have used virtual GIF creation to teach and connect with students.
Kathleen Aranvage’s Spanish classes recorded videos of themselves presenting in both English and Spanish and used multiple GIFs to make it seem like they had a travel log. This was opposed to the usual guided walk through the library where students learn the culture.
The music department also had the chorus and orchestra create presentations sharing recorded concert music. It was later shared through GIFs on a virtual performance stage where people could click on the stage to hear the recorded music.
Finally, Link Crew leaders, who connect with incoming high school freshmen, sent digital postcards to the incoming students to give them tips and share a connection with them as a way to compensate for not having in-person activities for the new students.
In an article written by Jameson for the “Teacher Librarian” journal for school library professionals, she wrote, “While we waited for the day when all students could safely return to classrooms, taking the time to create interactives gave virtual students a sense of connection. As students of all ages are active digital citizens, we can empower them with positive ways to use and share media.”
Noetic Learning Math Contest
Advanced/gifted students in grades 2-5 competed in the spring 2021 Noetic Learning Math Contest. Students currently served in advanced/gifted math clusters in second and third grade, advanced math 4, or advanced math 5 were invited to participate, with two teams of second-graders (56 total students), two teams of third-graders (37 total students), two teams of fourth-graders (42 total students), and two teams of fifth-graders (53 total students) participating.
“We are so very proud of these amazing students for their continued interest in stretching and challenging themselves in Math,” said Director of Curriculum Becky Quinn.
“These students are incredibly driven and truly love math,” said Chagrin Falls K-12 math coach Barb Cymanski, “It will be exciting to watch them continue to flourish in the future.”
The district recognizes the following students for their outstanding achievement, which has designated them as award winners from the Noetic Learning Math Contest program.
The National Honor Roll Medal recognizes the top 10 percent of all participants in each grade who will receive National Honor Roll medals and certificates. Students recognized include second-graders Christine Krug and Carter Wozniak; third-grader Jameson Byrne; fourth-grader Quinn Warren; and fifth-grader Abraham Somogyi.
The Team Winner Medal recognizes the highest scorer of each team and receives a medal and certificate. Students recognized include second-grade recipients – Team Tiger Winner: Jameson Raleigh and Team Orange winners: Christine Krug and Carter Wozniak (TIE). Third-grade recipients include Team Tiger winner: Jameson Byrne and Team Orange winner: Jaqueline Clegg. Fourth-grade recipients include Team Tiger Winner Miles Warren and Team Orange winners: Alyssa Johnson, Lavanya Rao and Nicholas Turchan (three-way tie). Fifth-grade recipients include Team Tiger winner Abraham Somogyi and Team Orange winner Gabrielle Byrne.
The Honorable Mention award recognizes the top 50 percent of all students who participated at the grade level and receives a certificate. Second-graders receiving this award include: Jameson Raleigh, Ryerson Henry, Ari Gross, Charlie Gile, Harrison Dorringo, Gabriele Hicks, James Fracci, Lilah Pace, Miles Warren, Norah Fuller, Romola Hicks, Sam Turchan, Turner Geib, Tyler Johnson and Helena Yoder.
Third-graders receiving this award include: Alex Hardwick, Cameron Demming, Ciarna McAvinchey, Danny Flaiz, Dominic Giordano, Harrison Venezia, Jack Hanley, James Hamerstone, Kenny Kang, Logan Geiger, Molly Quigg, Zach Martin, Amelia Edgerly, Carson Exline, Dylan Nelson, Gia Marino, Henry Brandenburg, Jacob Kumins, Jaqueline Clegg, Madison Graves, Mya Mihalek, Nolan Schultz and Tripp Bellamy.
Fourth-graders receiving this award include: Alyssa Johnson, Benjamin Woyt, Colton Gile, Hannah Neumann, Jack Bundy, Jeffrey Perry, Lavanya Rao, Liam Taylor, Lucas Guddy, Lucia Detweiler, Mallory Coble, Nicholas Turchan, Samantha Benzel, Daisy Adelman, Dimitri Kosteas, Addison Sprenger, Ameer Hamid, Hayden Lawrence, Jack Rubin, Jackson Raleigh, Lane Schaefer, Madison Livingston, Maia De La Cruz, Malcolm Livingston, Nathan Baraona, Owen Flieler, Scarlett Beech, Stella Pace and William Davis.
Fifth-graders receiving this award include: Abraham Yoder, Alexander Bilger, Beckett Buescher, Benjamin Havas, Cormac Kruchko, Dominick Pantuso, Lilia Cowan, Lyla Mihalek, Nolan Fowler, Olivia Horvath, Terri Kruse, William McMullen, Annabella Fracci, Chase Deimling, Gabrielle Byrne, Jonathan Tenebria, Lucas Serino, Macy Littman and Zoe Nesbitt.
Chagrin Earns Award for Financial Reporting
Chagrin Falls Schools has received the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International’s Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting for the fiscal year ended 2020. The award represents a significant achievement and reflects the district’s commitment to transparency and high-quality financial reporting.
“The Certificate of Excellence award’s mission is to promote and recognize excellence in financial reporting,” said ASBO International Executive Director David Lewis. “The Comprehensive Annual Financial Report informs stakeholders about the financial and economic state of the district, making it an important communications tool for building trust and engaging with the school community.”
By participating in the COE program, school districts demonstrate their commitment to financial transparency. Applicants submit their report for review by a team of financial professionals who provide feedback to improve future documents. If the report meets the requirements of the program, it may receive the Certificate of Excellence. A district’s participation in the COE program can facilitate bond rating and continuing bond disclosure processes.
CFHS Students Receive Seal of Biliteracy
World language teachers at Chagrin Falls Schools have developed and implemented a successful K-12 world language program that acknowledges and reinforces language proficiency and cultural awareness by encouraging students’ proficiency in multiple world languages. The state of Ohio recently passed a law allowing a Seal of Biliteracy to be affixed to high school diplomas. The prestigious designation means that the student is proficient in two languages after taking a nationally normed assessment (AAPPL). Students must score at a proficiency level of at least Intermediate High in all modes of the tested language, which indicates that they would be able to effectively use their language skills in a business or professional setting.
AP world language teachers Laurie Walsh (Spanish), Lisa Fetterman (Spanish) and Anita Boumitri (French) are pleased to announce that the following seniors have earned this distinction. They wore an honorary red cord at their graduation ceremony:
Madison Armstrong – French and Spanish; Talie Avatichi – Spanish; Jeremy Cavanaugh – Spanish; Sarah Clarke – Spanish; Elise Concannon – Spanish; Matisse Despres – French; Adelaide Doman – Spanish; Marley Goodwin – Spanish; Lillian Karyo – Spanish; Iolana Monteux Arraiza – Spanish; Catherine Morris – French; Sadie Nachtwey – Spanish; Jackson Quinn – Spanish; and Julia Santamaria – Spanish.
Cardboard REC Regatta Raises Funds
The annual Chagrin Falls Middle School Cardboard Boat REC Regatta took place on May 25. This schoolwide project has been a collaborative effort between teachers, support staff, administrators, community members, local businesses, parents, the PTO and students.
“We believe strongly in hands-on, interactive and cooperative learning,” said teacher Kathleen Aranavage and Brian Johnson. “Using this philosophy, the seventh-grade team designed a Cardboard Regatta unit for the school, which required students to work in teams. We give them the overall directions, materials and encouragement to create both a cardboard boat that would float, and produce an original video appealing for funds in order to provide life-sustaining clean water to groups of people from the other side of the world.”
The annual Cardboard Boat REC Regatta is also a culminating interdisciplinary unit designed where students must synthesize skills learned from all classes with an overarching objective to promote global awareness and demonstrate the power of working together to help others, even when they are in other parts of the world.
The kickoff to the project took place in language arts classes with seventh-grade students reading the novel, “A Long Walk to Water” by Linda Sue Park. The novel is a historically accurate portrayal of the life of a young Sudanese boy forced to survive against all odds shown alongside the story of a young African tribal woman who walks miles every day to procure water for her family’s survival.
In eighth-grade, students reviewed “A Long Walk to Water” and connected the concepts from the book to life in Chiquimula, Guatemala. Megan Hart, founder of H(e)arts 4 Guatemala spoke to the eighth-graders about life conditions in Guatemala and the power that clean water has over people’s lives.
Additionally, math, science and English classes enhanced student lessons by incorporating various nonfiction articles and videos about engineering, philanthropy and the worldwide water crisis. Students tapped into their skills in the arts by collaborating and designing team logos, boat and flag designs. Both technology and language arts skills were integrated as the student groups created water crisis commercials for the charity fundraising aspect of the unit. The students learned about emotional appeal (ethos, pathos, logos) in language arts classes to further customize their commercials and stress the importance of clean water for all citizens of the world. Math and science classes contributed to the interdisciplinary unit by integrating lessons using the applied skills and knowledge of buoyancy, scale factor, measurement and material constraints.
In addition, community members and business owners became involved in the interdisciplinary event.
“This could not be possible without the generosity of the REC opening a day early, to allow this unforgettable event to take place within walking distance of our school,” said teacher Brian Johnson.
Other companies have supported the students by providing much-needed donations of materials such as truckloads of cardboard, 160 rolls of Duct tape and monetary donations to the actual GoFundMe and Classy fundraising pages. Additionally, numerous community businesses recognized that friendly competition can help raise funds for a good cause. To provide small prizes for students who raise the most money, get the most donors and design the best boats, several sponsors and the PTO have donated gift cards.
Total raised for Water for South Sudan was $25,358 and H(e)arts 4 Guatemala was $19,046 making the grand total raised to help people have access to safe water $44,404.
“Within our school, we promote teamwork and building relationships,” said Aranavage. “The annual REC Regatta creates the perfect activity for students to practice cooperative working skills and develop the ability to advocate, discuss, negotiate and resolve conflicts which naturally arise when working with others to produce a quality product. Students need to develop these 21st-century skills while performing real-world tasks, such as designing, creating and sharing with other citizens. Students will also benefit from successfully demonstrating various STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) standards while involved in the processes of researching, designing and constructing floatable team boats for our CFMS Regatta. We are very grateful for the opportunity to create a memorable school experience for all of our students and to form such successful partnerships with our community.”
