Chagrin Falls School News
The mission of the Chagrin Falls Middle School Students of the Month is to acknowledge and reward students for exemplary performance...
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 personalized tiger water bottles from the PTO.
Students of the Month for October are seventh-graders Grace Sushko and Caden Leffler; and eighth-graders Zadie Stepnowsky and Chris Solvesky.
Grace Sushko is a positive force in the seventh-grade class. If she sees you in the hallway, you will be stopped with a greeting and a smile every single day. Grace is consistently prepared for each of her classes and adds meaningful conversation. Grace is a leader in the seventh-grade orchestra program as well. She consistently performs well and always helps others during rehearsals. Grace always has a positive attitude and a smile on her face. Grace works well with others and is always there to lend a helping hand.
Caden Leffler helps the whole class learn by being willing to speak up when he has questions. He is prepared and careful with his work. Caden is a positive influence on his peers, and sets a great example in class with participation. He is very patient in group work and lets others share their thinking, while also bringing up new ideas about his reading. Caden was always positive and encouraging during the cross country season. He also made great strides in his running. During the last home meet he beat his personal best by over a minute with a time of 13 minutes and 2 seconds. In the band, Caden is responsible and serves as a role model to others.
Zadie Stepnowsky is conscientious, consistently comes to class ready to learn, and demonstrates outstanding work completion and attention to detail. She has many leadership roles at Chagrin Falls Middle School, serving as a captain of the cheerleading squad, Student Council representative, peer tutor and an officer of the Spanish Club. Her leadership is demonstrated in her willingness to share her talents with others and help her classmates as well as taking on extra responsibilities in her extracurriculars. She is always kind, respectful and thoughtful of others.
Chris Solvesky is a brilliant and kind leader. His preparation and questions help everyone in our class learn as much as possible. Chris helps to make Chagrin Falls Middle School a better place by serving on the student council as secretary. Chris is always inclusive of others. His willingness to listen to peer ideas and come up with realistic solutions helps to create a better environment for all.
Creation Lab Showcased at BOE Meeting
At the Oct. 18 Board of Education meeting, Chagrin Falls Middle School students showcased the school’s Makerspace/Creation Lab and how it provides high quality learning opportunities. It is enhancing student engagement through innovative hands-on projects. The lab provides opportunities for students to design, build, and create, making deeper connections between classroom lessons and real-world skills.
Principal Laila Discenza explained that the lab aligns with the school’s philosophy of developing students’ strengths and talents through active, challenging learning. Students Emily Allen, Milo Quintin, Sammie Benzel, Lauren Eikhoff, Ethan Gisher, Jenna Haddon and Max Beatty led demonstrations of projects highlighting the lab’s 3Cs: Challenge, Create, and Connect. They explained how the Creation Lab has implemented monthly challenges to allow students to utilize different technologies like 3D printers, laser cutters and sewing machines. Students can earn certifications on equipment and develop proficiencies over time. Popular challenges have included designing stuffed animals, laser etching coasters and sublimating custom bags.
Science teacher Matt Volk and technology teacher Dave Kimball explained how the space adapts to enable diverse, complex instruction. Classes enable students to harness technology and apply problem-solving skills through design thinking.
When asked about their experiences, students shared how the hands-on learning in the Creation Lab teaches perseverance, ignites their creativity and helps them see real-world connections. They were excited to share with the board and community the lab’s value in sparking innovation. The board members were delighted to receive wooden pumpkins that the students created for them while earning their Glowforge machine certification.
In order to bring all the resources available in the Creation Lab into the curriculum, students have been able to make Viking ships and monuments in social studies, mini geometry models in math, masks in Spanish, custom pop creations in art, toys to display at a convention in science and numerous products in high school business.
The Creation Lab is not only being used and enjoyed by students, but teachers as well. There was a teacher t-shirt challenge as well as a professional development day option to come into the space to learn basic skills, gain an understanding of how to enhance their current lessons, and develop a lesson of their own.
The presentation provided a glimpse into this innovative learning environment preparing students with 21st century skills.
