Chardon High School student Charlotte Jons, who as a freshman was the school’s 2020-21 - and Chardon's first-ever - Ohio Speech and Debate Association state qualifier...
Hilltalker Invitational Debut
Chardon High School student Charlotte Jons, who as a freshman was the school’s 2020-21 – and Chardon’s first-ever – Ohio Speech and Debate Association state qualifier, is now a sophomore and still going strong as a speech and debate trailblazer for Chardon.
Charlotte, an OSDA competitor since she was a sixth-grade student at Chardon Middle School, most recently made history competing and assisting with Chardon’s first-ever hosting of a speech and debate tournament. The Chardon Hilltalker Invitational, which was conducted virtually on Jan. 8, hosted 43 Ohio schools in all comprising approximately 400 high school and middle students and 20 events.
“This is a big win for the school,” said Charlotte. “I placed seventh in my event, Program Oral Interpretation. It was a day of wins.”
The CHS speech and debate team’s soft launch in 2020-21 was made possible by the leadership of school Principal Doug Murray and Charlotte’s mom, Amy Roediger.
Mrs. Roediger is a seasoned OSDA speech and debate coach at Mentor High School where she teaches chemistry. With her many years of experience as a coach, Mrs. Roediger has helped pave the way at CHS for this new opportunity for Hilltoppers.
Students interested in learning more about the CHS speech and debate team are encouraged to contact Mr. Murray at douglas.murray@chardonschools.org.
School Board Recognition Month
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted issued a proclamation on Jan. 1 recognizing January as School Board Recognition Month. The annual tradition serves as a formal acknowledgement of the important, year-round contributions of Ohio school board members to public schools.
Chardon Schools Superintendent Michael Hanlon emphasized this special recognition during the district’s regular board meeting, which was held on Jan. 10 at Park Auditorium following the board’s organizational meeting.
“Each year, we take time out to thank the members of our board for their commitment to public service and the recognition that the work of a board member is largely voluntary in nature and that each of our members is committed to working to continue to promote positive learning experiences for our students and to the building of strong schools within our community,” said Dr. Hanlon.
Chardon Schools board members Karen Blankenship, Keith Brewster, Todd Albright, CJ Paterniti and Guy Wilson, as well as Dr. Hanlon and treasurer/CFO Deb Armbruster, were recognized by the district’s schools with tokens of appreciation displayed at the Jan. 10 meeting table, including handmade artwork and cards from students.
In addition, Chardon High School seniors Morgan Fisher and Sebastian Marker expressed their gratitude for board members past and present during their student liaison presentation that evening.
Meanwhile, Park Elementary School students have been busy rehearsing a “Thank You” song under the leadership of music teacher Samantha Puterbaugh since their Jan. 4 return from winter break. The district looks forward to airing this student-produced audio recording for board members at the next regular board meeting, which will be held on Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m.
Career Assessment Opportunity
Chardon High School offers the ASVAB Career Exploration Program assessment for students in grade levels 10-12. This year’s assessment will be held on Jan. 26 at 8 a.m.
The ASVAB CEP, which is a robust career aptitude assessment that goes beyond English language arts, math, and science knowledge to look at mechanical, automotive, electronics and spatial understanding, is encouraged for students who are unsure of the career they wish to pursue as well as for students who are planning on college, technical school or the military. The career assessment aids in helping students explore their interests and identify their strengths.
Students interested in participating in this assessment are asked to reach out to the high school guidance department to register. Parents/guardians with questions for the guidance department can reach out via email directly to their student’s guidance counselor or by calling 440-285-4060 during school hours.
To learn more about the ASVAB CEP assessment, visit www.asvabprogram.com.
