The community is invited to join for the State of the Schools address Jan. 31 at 7 p.m.
State of the Schools Address
The community is invited to join for the State of the Schools address Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. Members of the administrative team will share the district’s goals and accomplishments.
Thank You, Kenston BOE
Thank you to Kenston board members for the countless hours and immeasurable energy that they have spent to assure that the schools are providing the best education possible for the children of the community. The students expressed their gratitude to this All-Star team with thank you cards, artwork, signed photographs and a video.
At the organizational meeting of the Kenston Board of Education, Dr. Beth Krause was elected president. Mrs. Neysa Gaskins was named vice president for 2019. Board members are Mr. Tom Manning, Mr. William Timmons and Mrs. Beth Ward.
Board of education regular meetings are generally held the third Monday of the month in the Timmons Elementary School multi-purpose room. The meetings begin at 7 p.m. The board added work sessions to their calendar on the first Monday of most months.
For more information about the Kenston Board of Education, visit the district’s website atwww.kenstonlocal.comunder Board of Education. There one will find meeting dates, agenda and minutes.
Kindergarten Parent Night
Information night for incoming kindergarten parents will be held Feb. 25 at 7 p.m. at Timmons Elementary School for children entering kindergarten in August. Children must be 5 years old on or before Sept. 30, 2019. Registration information and online registration instructions will be distributed.
Kindergarten registration will be held on March 4 from 8-11 a.m. and 4:30-7 p.m. at Timmons Elementary School. Online registration should be completed prior to registration. Please bring supporting documentation for copying and be prepared to schedule kindergarten screening at the beginning of May.
Rotary Senior
Grant Nelson has been selected Kenston’s Chagrin Valley Rotary Club Student of the Month in January. He has a 4.344 GPA and has been on the 4.0 High Honor Roll every semester since his freshman year. He is an AP Scholar with Distinction; President’s Award for Service and Academic Excellence winner; Academic Letter recipient; and received the Harvard Book Award honoree.
Grant maintains a rigorous course load; he is a four year member and president of the KHS Math Club and president of Kenston High School Mu Alpha Theta Honors Math Society chapter. He is also a longtime member of Creating Exceptional Character Club.
He is a saxophone player in the marching band and serves as a squad leader and historian. Within the music program, he has also participated in the Concert Winds and Symphonic Band. He is also a member of Kenston’s elite Jazz Band where he plays baritone saxophone. He dabbled in singing participating in chorus as a freshman and senior. He is an active member of the National Honor Society.
He is involved in volunteering in his community and around the world. Through his church, Lord of Life, he has traveled in the summer to Cincinnati, Texas, West Virginia and inner-city Cleveland to volunteer.
Grant plans to attend a four-year college to major in computer engineering with a pre-med undergraduate degree.
Selling Bee Winner
Timmons Elementary School third-grader Zach Radefeld finished in the top five of the K-4 category of the selling bee sponsored by the Young Entrepreneurial Institute. Zach proposed the idea for “The Silencer,” a hearing aid that blocks out noise. His business project was judged on Quality of Thinking, Quality of Presentation and Overall Creativity.
Teacher Renews National Board Certification
Kristine Elvin-Edwards, an elementary school teacher at Timmons Elementary School, is one of 4,446 teachers across the United States to renew their certification as a National Board Certified Teacher (NBCT).
The National Board works across the country, helping set the expectation that all teachers should demonstrate accomplished teaching via National Board certification and become leaders in their schools and communities. Every child should have the opportunity to learn from an accomplished teacher.
GCRTA Grant
Thank you to the Geauga County Retired Teachers Association for awarding a $250 grant to Kenston first-grade teacherm Kristine Edwards. The funds will be used to create a “Mindfulness Teaching Tool Kit” to be used in her classroom.
Zoo Crew
Timmons Elementary School third-graders who work hard and show great effort were named to the Zoo Crew. Members of the Zoo Crew are rewarded with goofy and crazy games and activities before school each week for eight weeks.
Second quarter Zoo Crew members are Jacob Allen, Timmy Baker, Jacob Beisner, Lainey Bockmuller, Rory Booher, Katie Colwell, Claire Cufr, Darryn Dallas, Lily DeCourcey, Drew Devlin, Luke Fender, Kaitlyn Gilbert, Emerson Hallen, Jax Kantura, Emma Kosmerl, Mia Kwon, Oliver Lewis, Addison Lowe, Noah Maloney, Riley O’Hare, Elijah Park, Cole Pealer, Alden Peterson, Careese Rice and Kendall Robertson.
Speech & Debate Update
Kenston High School speech and debate had a successful December. At the Mentor Tournament, Anthony Alandt placed second in Declamation; Laura Parsons placed third in Original Oratory; Mike Greenberg placed fourth in Humorous Interpretation; Stephen Kale placed sixth in Congressional Debate; Tia Speece placed sixth in Lincoln-Douglas Debate; and Okan Kardzhala and Marcus Novak placed eighth in Public Forum Debate.
At the Vermilion Tournament, the team placed seventh out of 30 teams. Individually, Tia Speece took first place in Lincoln Douglas Debate; Anthony Alandt placed fifth in Declamation; and Cadence Matty came in fifth place in Congressional Debate.
Kenston hosted their second annual speech and debate tournament where close to 400 students from 28 schools attended. Kenston’s high school team placed second. Laura Parsons became Kenston’s third state qualifier of the season while placing second in Original Oratory. Kenston had two tournament champions: Jessica Sunderhaft in Program Oral Interpretation and Tia Speece in Lincoln-Douglas Debate. Placing individually were Adler Weber and Phillip Witmer-Rich, placing third in Duo Interpretation. In Declamation, Valerie Brown placed third and Samara Benza placed fourth. In Congressional Debate, Samantha Stephens placed third, while Stephen Kale and Nick Sanchez placed sixth. In Public Forum Debate, Marcus Novak and Okan Kardzhala placed fifth. In Humorous Interpretation, Maggie Eibler placed sixth.
The middle school speech and debate team hosted its annual tournament on Saturday and competed against 10 middle schools. In Big Questions Debate, Jacob Gertsburg placed second, Elena Perrine placed third, Aiden Truax placed fourth, Brett King placed fifth and Peter Como placed seventh. In Oratory, Michael Surtel placed fourth. Eden Truax placed fifth in Interpretation.
Gold Cards Available
All residents of Auburn and Bainbridge who are 60 years of age or older may obtain a free, lifetime “gold card,” which will admit them free of charge to any school sponsored event in which students participate, including home athletic events, musical and dramatic performances. Gold cards are not valid when an event is sponsored by an organization other than the schools (P.T.O., Booster groups, etc.) as a fundraiser. Cards cannot be used for athletic events such as conference, regional or state playoffs.
Gold card membership can be obtained at the Kenston Board Office, 17419 Snyder Road.
