Chagrin Falls School News
Kindergarten registration for the Chagrin Falls Schools opens on Feb. 1...
Kindergarten Registration
Kindergarten registration for the Chagrin Falls Schools opens on Feb. 1. Registration takes place online at www.chagrinschools.org. The forms can be found under the menu header “How To…Register a Student.” Both half-day and full-day kindergarten are available through the district. Incoming kindergarten students must be 5 on or before Aug. 1, 2023.
Full-day kindergarten is tuition-based at Gurney Elementary School. There is a $200 non-refundable deposit required to hold a spot for one’s child for the full-day kindergarten class. All students who are signed up for full-day kindergarten before May 12 will be guaranteed a spot.
Questions can be directed to 440-893-4030 ext. 4102.
AP English Literature Students Meet Richard Blanco
On Dec. 19, Bobbie Serensky’s AP English literature classes hosted a virtual discussion with Richard Blanco, President Barack Obama’s 2012 inaugural poet. According to Blanco’s online biography, he is the youngest, first Latino, immigrant and gay person to serve in the role. Before meeting Blanco, Serensky’s class studied several of his poems, many from his third book of poetry, “Looking for The Gulf Motel” (2012).
Due to a generous grant from the Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation Student Board, Serensky immediately secured Blanco as a speaker when he agreed to meet with students. Blanco relayed his enthusiasm, “This feels wonderful. I love connecting with high school students and am grateful for teachers who love poetry.”
Serensky could barely contain her enthusiasm when telling her students about plans to work with Blanco.
She shared, “I always look for opportunities for my students to interact with living writers. Working with esteemed poet Richard Blanco was truly a unique honor.”
Upon reflection, students shared that they benefited in numerous ways from conversing with Blanco.
“Sharing our class’s collective love for poetry with such an accomplished poet was a great opportunity,” said senior Nathan Hill. “I have come away from Richard Blanco’s visit even more enthused about poetry and creative writing than I was before.”
“Following our interaction with Richard Blanco, I was left with this incredible impression of a poet whose work reflects man’s depth and vulnerability,” said senior Sarah McCort. “I am definitely going to read more of Blanco’s poetry for its beauty and cleverness.”
“Richard Blanco provided an incredible experience for us to learn from a true master of poetry,” said senior Ryan Hill. “I think we all feel incredibly inspired to make our writing more authentic and creative because of him.”
Chagrin Falls Educational Foundation Student Board President Andrew Nachtwey shared, “The experience I had with Richard Blanco will forever resonate with me due to his understanding and recognition of topics that apply to most, if not all, Americans.”
In the past, Serensky has taken her students to downtown Cleveland to listen to writers such as Billy Collins and Matthew Desmond and met online with famous local novelist Thrity Umrigar. Serensky’s students continue to enjoy this type of transformative experience.
“I value giving students opportunities to engage in live moments with authors,” said Serensky. “They understand the writing process and the power of literature in a way that simply cannot happen within the confines of our classroom.”
Noetic Math Contest
Students in grades 2-5 and sixth-grade advanced/gifted students competed in the fall 2022 Noetic Learning Math Contest. Students currently in advanced/gifted math clusters in second and third grade, advanced math 4, advanced math 5 and cluster students in grades four through six were invited to participate.
There were two teams of second-graders (43 total students), two teams of third-graders (44 total students), four teams of fourth-graders (95 total students), three teams of fifth-graders (57 total students) and one team of sixth-graders (23 total students) that participated.
“Our advanced/gifted math students are truly maximizing their potential and elevating their learning experience through this contest,” said Director of Curriculum/Gifted Coordinator Becky Quinn.
“The test is challenging and truly measures our students’ ability to think outside the box and exhibit their mental stamina,” said K-12 math coach Nick Leskiewicz.
The following students were award winners:
The National Honor Roll Medal recognizes the top 10 percent of all participants in each grade who will receive National Honor Roll medals. Students recognized include: third-graders Silas Hardwick and Jake Sanson; fourth-graders Carter Wozniak and Romola Hicks; and fifth-graders Kenneth Kang, Jameson Byrne and Harrison Venezia.
The Team Winner Medal recognizes the highest scorer of each team and receives a medal and certificate. Students recognized include:
Second-grade – Team Tiger winner: Jackson Wojciechowicz / Team Orange winner: Braden Rutherford; third grade – Team Tiger winner: Parker Lower / Team Orange winner: Silas Hardwick; fourth-grade – Team Tiger winners: Chelsea Tattershall, Savannah Thatcher and Will Uehlinger (three-way tie) / Team Orange winner: Sloane Thompson / Team Chagrin winner: Carter Wozniak / Team Mortimer winner: Romola Hicks; fifth-grade: Team Tiger winner: Kenneth Kang / Team Mortimer winner: Harrison Venezia / Team Orange winners: Kyle Novy, Oliver Riffle and Olivia Tallman (three-way tie).
The Honorable Mention award recognizes the top 50 percent of all students who participated at the grade level and receives a certificate.
Second-grade: James Bearsley, Sammy Brown, Brendan DeJohn, Ben Dobies, Henry Erdman, Luke Geiger, Amelia Hanley, Harrison Hoynacke, Graham Igoe, Evan Joseph, Liam Joseph, Josie Kazaglis, Bo Liederbach, Paige Lower, Colton Marong, Aoibhe McAvinchey, Eilleen McGroarty, Cemil Morton, Judah Pace, Paige Ross, Braden Rutherford, Lincoln Stull, Jack Takacs, Peter Vehar, Lilu Wascak and Jackson Wojciechowicz; third grade: Tate Canter, Soren Demming, Julia Detweiler, Liam Dixon, Elliette Edgerly, Luke Falbo, Olivia Falbo, Landry Glavic, Silas Hardwick, Blake Hoopingarner, Sofie Jacobson, Parker Lower, Michael Mooney, Sanders Nystrom, Archer Osborn, Patrick Quigg, Hadley Reed, Emma Ross, Jake Sanson, Vivian Self, Charlotte Thompson and Parkes Warren; fourth grade: Brooke Angle, Margaret Baumgart, Abigail Bond, Jade Borger, Lauren Burns, Leo DeGeorge, William DeJohn, Harrison Doringo, Ryan Furlong, Ari Gross, Zayne Hamid, Kazuya Harvey, Ryerson Henry, Romola Hicks, Gabriele Hicks, Grant Houston, Tyler Johnson, Devan Lagemann, Daniel Lareau, Graham Linczak, Tucker Littman, Emerson Morton, Jameson Raleigh, Rachel Schaffer, Chelsea Tattershall, Savannah Thatcher, Sloane Thompson, Sam Turchan, Will Uehlinger, Gregory Warner, Miles Warren, Jack Wenham, Stella Wetzel and Carter Wozniak; fifth-grade: Jameson Byrne, Jacqueline Clegg, Cameron Demming, Preston Drum, Amelia Edgerly, Gwendolyn Fink, Daniel Flaiz, Logan Geiger, Madison Graves, James Hamerstone, Alexander Hardwick, Amelia Ingold, Jenneth Kang, Jacob Kumins, Cruz Lopez, Giavanna Marino, Zachary Martin, Mya Mihalek, Tiernan Moloney Kyle Novy, Henry Pace, Molly Quigg, Oliver Riffle, Robert Rugh, Nolan Schultz, Miles Stark, Olivia Tallman, Ryals Thompson and Harrison Venezia; and sixth-grade: Henrik Nystrom and Jordan Apshago.
Behind Their Screens Book Study and Presentation
Parents with children of all ages are invited to participate in two opportunities being presented by Chagrin Falls Schools on better understanding the role of technology in their lives. There will be a study, based on the book “Behind the Scenes: What Teens are Facing (And Adults are Missing),” on Feb. 2 and 16. Two sessions are being offered from 10-11 a.m. and 7-8 p.m. in the Sands Community Room. On March 1 at 7 p.m., parents are invited to attend a panel discussion in the Sands Community Room. Parents can come to just the book study, just the parent information night, or both.
The book discusses what children are doing on their smartphones. According to the book summary, contrary to many adults’ assumptions, they are not simply “addicted” to their screens, oblivious to the afterlife of what they post or missing out on personal connection. They are just trying to navigate a networked world.
In “Behind Their Screens,” authors Emily Weinstein and Carrie James, Harvard researchers who are experts on teens and technology, explore the complexities that teens face in their digital lives, and suggest that many adult efforts to help —“Get off your phone!” “Just don’t sext!”— fall short.
Through the program, parents can understand the complicated nature of their child’s online life rather than issue commands, and they should normalize—let children know that their challenges are shared by others —without minimizing or dismissing them.
Visit the district website to locate the registration link.
The program is co-sponsored by Chagrin Falls School and Chagrin Falls PTO.
