Kindergarten registration for the Chagrin Falls Schools opens on Feb. 1...
Kindergarten Registration Opens
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, 2024.
Full-day kindergarten is tuition-based at Gurney Elementary School. There is a $200 non-refundable deposit required to hold a spot for your child for the full-day kindergarten class. All students who are signed up for full-day kindergarten before May 10 will be guaranteed a spot.
For more information related to kindergarten at Gurney, visit the school’s kindergarten webpage.
Questions can be directed to 440-247-5500 ext. 4004.
CFMS Students and Teachers Bring ELA Learning to Life at Board Meeting
A group of middle school students recently presented an interactive English language arts (ELA) showcase at the Jan. 24 Chagrin Falls Board of Education meeting. Their goal was to highlight the creative ways students are immersed in literacy skill-building across the curriculum.
The event began with an introduction from Principal Laila Discenza, who explained the middle school’s commitment to “learner-centered experiences” that spark student engagement and ownership. ELA classes embrace essential questions, discussion, and critical thinking to advance both academics and life-long learning skills.
Seventh- and eighth-grade ELA teachers Jessica Johnson and Tara Gallo then facilitated demonstrations on popular programs that bring reading and writing to life. Small groups of students acted out rounds from their Socratic Seminars–text-based discussions that teach listening, analysis, and thoughtful responses. They also explained the student-led book clubs that dive deep into literature over several weeks. These students were Scarlett Beech, Samantha Benzel, Audrey Bricker, Dimitri Kosteas, Maddie Livingston, Jackson Raleigh, Jack Rubin and Sarah Walker.
Individual students proudly shared their works-in-progress from Writing Workshops, where mini-lessons lead to crafting quality essays, arguments, and creative writing pieces. Outside reading motivation strategies like the Tower of Books challenge, Million Word Campaign, and peer Book Talks were also highlighted. Students Lauren Eickhoff and Bradley Field discussed these learning opportunities.
Finally, interdisciplinary connections were showcased. Seventh graders participate in Greek Olympics after their unit on Greek mythology. They also participate in the annual Regatta and raise money to dig freshwater wells in South Sudan, Africa. This is based on the book, “A Long Walk to Water.” Face-to-face field trips are always a favorite, including the Kol Israel Foundation’s Holocaust Education Programs. Field learning allows students to extend literacy skills into science, history, and community action.
From independent reading incentives to group debates, the ELA showcase provided a glimpse into the vibrant learning community fostered at Chagrin Falls Middle School. Students gain both academic excellence and essential life-long learning skills through their literacy immersion.
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.
Tigers of the Month for January are seventh-graders Sarah Walker and Grant Brugger; and eighth-graders Anna Hively and Tommy Florkiewicz.
Sarah Walker is a conscientious and positive person. Sarah is a valuable student in Chinese class. She regularly contributes to class activities, goes above and beyond, and helps her peers around her. Sarah exemplifies what a model student is. She is respectful to her peers and adults, she always gives 100% in everything that she does, and she leads by example.
Grant Brugger is a hard worker and works well with his peers. He is polite and respectful to everyone in the classroom and regularly participates in classroom discussions and activities. Grant is a leader in class. He is patient and helpful with his partners. Grant is happy to share ideas and suggestions to the class when completing an activity. Grant brings a positive feeling to the class, showing that he is willing and ready to learn every day.
Anna Hively is a very caring and kind person. She is patient and listens well to others, and her planning and homework habits have helped to make her a successful learner. Anna is a hard worker. She advocates for herself and asks questions when she is confused which teaches other students that it’s okay to ask for guidance. Anna is an excellent violinist and is a leader in the eighth-grade orchestra.
Tommy Florkiewicz continues to be a strong leader to his peers. He always comes to class with a smile on his face and is ready to work. He is respectful, kind and intelligent. Tommy participates often and works well with his classmates. You can tell that he truly cares about his learning. He continues to stay on top of his work in all classes, and always strives to do his best in everything he does.
CFHS Tigers Of The Semester
The Tiger of the Semester Award is presented to students who exemplify a positive attitude, work ethic, achievement in the classroom and service to fellow students and teachers at Chagrin Falls High School. Teachers nominate one student from their classes who impressed them with their achievement, attitude, hard work, willingness to help others and growth during the first half of the year. The award program is sponsored by Interact Club and advisors Karen Sindelar and Janet Coriell organized the interactive presentation that featured personalized messages from each teacher who nominated a student.
Tigers of the Fall Semester of the 2023-24 school year are Reem Aitelkadi, Sidney Austin, Christopher Barth, Ted Brown, Addilyn Brudno, Sofia Clark, Ella Crlenjak, Brigitte Edwards, Bianca Fant, Ella Goyzman, Hailey Haddon, Layla Hauserman, Tys Hilbers, Audrey Holmes, Bryce Jones, Spencer Kaas, Ben Lewis, Reed Livingston, Braden Mooney, Luke Nelson, Eric Nemunaitis, Isabella Radomsky, Isabella Rothschild, Vika Ruban, Valerie Spieth, Owen Stull, Lauren Sutliff, Braeden Thompson, Lily Victoroff and Thomas Wilkinson.
5th-Graders Immersed in Natural History at Museum
Fifth-grade students from Chagrin Falls Intermediate School recently enjoyed a trip to the Cleveland Natural History Museum aligned with their earth science curriculum. The field trip allowed hands-on exploration of concepts like seasons, climate shifts, habitats and more.
In the museum’s planetarium, students were transported into space via a visually stunning show titled “Reason for the Seasons.” This supplemented their previous unit on Earth’s orbit and tilt which creates seasonal changes. The realistic 3D movie on the Ice Age also gave students a look back in time to grasp the science behind glaciation patterns.
Venturing into the wildlife exhibits, students discovered local animal habitats up close. An attentive eagle, foxes, coyotes and a wolf pack were highlighted. Most exciting, the young learners came face-to-face with towering dinosaur fossil skeletons profiling species from millions of years past.
“The immersive museum trip offered an impactful learning experience by connecting classroom lessons to scientific phenomena students could see, hear and feel,” said teacher Bryan McKenzie. “Students left excited about science and our planet’s incredible history.”
