Prom is May 19, 6-11 PM, at the Croatian Hall in Eastlake. The theme is the Roarin' 20's and the junior class prom committee has been working hard the past five months planning every intricate detail! 

In order to promote a healthy, safe, enjoyable evening for all students, the following procedures will be in place for the school dance.   We encourage families to discuss these rules together.

EXPECTED STUDENT BEHAVIOR

• Students will follow all applicable school rules as outlined in the CHS Student Handbook.
• Students will show respect and be courteous towards all students, faculty, and chaperones.
• The manner of dancing will be appropriate for a school function, and monitored strictly.
• Any student or guest suspected of being under the influence of any controlled substance, or in possession of tobacco or any controlled substance, is subject to removal from the dance, emergency removal, and criminal prosecution.                                                        

CONSEQUENCES

• Students violating the CHS Dance Code of Conduct will be given one verbal warning and their wristband will be removed by a faculty member.  With their second warning, they will be asked to leave the dance.  There will be no refunds given for students asked to leave before the end of the dance.
• Removal from the dance may affect future school disciplinary action, and/or school dance privileges.

In my four years with these procedures in place--we have not had a single problem.

No video available, yet they wanted you to know that their video was the personalized love that they shared with each of their friends this year.

Broadcast: 2018 Chardon High School Prom Assembly

Date: Friday, May 18th at 9:30am

2018 Chardon High School Prom Assembly from Chardon High School's gymnasium

To view this event just click the link below:
https://boxcast.tv/view/2018-chardon-high-school-prom-assembly-348135

Other notes:
​
Boys 4x800: 3rd place - Nate Kawalec (Sr), Tucker Keeney (So), Kyle Stropkay (Sr), Brad Knez (Sr)

All 8 athletes in the 4x8's set personal records!

Boys Discus:  3rd place - Ryan Smiddy

Providing the best opportunities for student success is at the core of why I serve in education. Over the last three days, I have been discussing the underclass exam schedule with staff and students. Several months ago, the Scheduling Task Force created the bell schedule with the exam schedule in mind. Over the last few days, several concerns were identified that weren't initially noted by the committee. Therefore, as we transition into next week, the following underclass exam schedule will be administered. No changes have been made to this week's schedule for Senior Exams (most of their projects have been completed prior to the scheduled exam day).

Wednesday, May 16                Senior Finals: Regular Red Day Schedule for ALL (Grades 9-12)
                                                             Senior Finals 2, 4, 6
                                                             AP Tests
                                                            After Prom Ticket Sales
                                                            Chromebook Collection for Seniors

Thursday, May 17                    Senior Finals: Regular Black Day Schedule for ALL  (Grades 9-12) 
                                                           Senior Finals 1, 3, 5, 7
                                                           AP Tests
                                                          After Prom Ticket Sales
                                                          Senior Awards: 6:30 pm LGIR
                                                         Chromebook Collection for Seniors


Friday, May 18                     Senior Finals (Make-up)
                                                     9:42-10:42 AM Prom Assembly
                                                     8:30 pm Movie Night (Memorial Field)
                                                     Chromebook Collection for Seniors


Saturday, May 19                 Prom (Croatian Hall) 6:00-11:00 PM
                                                        After Prom (Chardon High School) 11:30 PM-3:30 AM

Monday, May 21                  Last Regular Day For Students: 9th/10th Locker Clean-out 
  
Tuesday, May 22                  Underclass Finals: Open Campus for students- Show up only for your exams
                                                       1st Period Exam: 7:30-9:10 AM
                                                       3rd Period Exam: 9:20-11:00 AM
                                                       Make-up Exams: 11:40 AM -2:30 PM
                                                       Spring Sports Awards 
                                             

Wednesday, May 23:          Underclass Finals: Open Campus for students- Show up only for your exams 
                                                        Office Hours: Teachers will be in their rooms to assist students 
                                                        2nd Period Exam: 9:20-11:00 AM
                                                        4th Period Exam: 11:05 AM-12:45 PM
                                                       6th Period Exam: 12:50-2:30 PM
                                                       Make-up Exams: 11:40 AM -2:30 PM
                                                       Chromebook Collection

Thursday, May 24               Underclass Finals: Open Campus for students- Show up only for your exams 
                                                       5th Period Exam: 7:30-9:10 AM
                                                       7th Period Exam: 9:20-11:00 AM
                                                       Make-up Exams: 11:40 AM -2:30 PM

                                                       8th Grade Promotion 9:30 AM-11:00 AM
                                                        7th Grade Promotion 12:30-2:00 PM
                                            
                                                       Chromebook Collection
                                                       End of 4th Quarter/ 2nd Semester 

Friday, May 25                    Underclass Make-Ups
                                                     Record’s Day
                                                    Junior’s Last Day at Auburn
                                                    7:30 AM Graduation Rehearsal (Mandatory for Walking)
                                                   12:30 PM Senior Class Picnic
                                                     7:00 PM Baccalaureate

Saturday, May 26              Graduation 2:00 PM (Seniors report at 1:00 PM)

I am 40 years old. For nearly all of those years, I have lived in Chardon. Chardon is my home. It is where I rode my first bike, swung my first bat, read my first book, entered my first school, met my beautiful wife, and graduated from high school. 

I have so many treasured memories from this beautiful town nestled in the hills of Geauga County.

I have been employed in this county throughout my entire professional career, and it is where I vow that I will write my final reflection someday long into the future. 

Chardon is where my entire family calls home. It is where my parents, daughters call home and my in-laws call home. It is where we break bread, share our faith formation, and educate generations of Hilltoppers. I am proud to call Chardon my home. 

So much has occurred this year within understanding school funding, restructuring and reconfiguring---and every person has worked way beyond their capacity to communicate, articulate, and collaborate with teachers, parents, students, and community members more of our story--while treasuring our history.

Tucked inside the structure of Chardon High School is an unwavering structure that holds our walls strong. This unwavering reality lives in the actions of the people that I am able to encounter each day.

Our values make us strong. We value our community both inside and outside of our school. We recognize our shared response to raising young leaders in a very complex world that we live in. We demonstrate humility by acknowledging the opportunities that we have; the strengths that we are building while refining our areas of refinement.  Nearly 150 years (with commencements) ​of traditions, convictions, and achievements that have built upon the rich legacy of Hilltoppers that we honor.  The respect that we model and expect helps guide every student in their preparation for adulthood. Our graduates seek ways to express dignity to all people that we encounter regardless of their background and we embrace the beauty of every individual's story.  Most importantly, we nurture our family both in and out of the building and always seek ways to support each other. 

Thank you for seeing the values that together we instill in your children and supporting our mission of preserving high achievement for all students where learning is our most important work. 

Saying Yes means more than you can even imagine. Your Yes validates our commitment to not only live the mission of our school--it strengthens our vision to build upon the educational opportunities for our students and staff members in the present and the future!

PASSAGE OF ISSUE 3

We are extremely pleased with the level of support from our community on this important issue.  As a result of the passage of Issue 3 combined with operating efficiencies resulting from the of the district, we will be able to hold our budget constant given reductions in state funding support.  Our volunteers worked tirelessly to communicate this important message to the community. Approval of the levy will permit us to continue the programs and services that contribute to the exceptional educational experience that has become a tradition in the Chardon Schools.  

On behalf of our Board of Education, I  wish to extend appreciation to the Citizens for Chardon Schools and our supporters for their continued commitment to our school district.  The leadership of our Citizens Committee kept an unfailing focus on communicating the need for this issue. We appreciate the continued support and confidence that the community places behind the school district - this important partnership is an integral component that helps our school district perform at a very high level. It is also what makes Chardon and exceptional places for families to call home.​

I continue to be humbled to have the opportunity to serve as Superintendent of a truly outstanding school district with a supportive community and outstanding staff members that make everything happen for our students. Thank you!

Chardon High School is proud to recognize the following students who will be leading their classmates across the stage at graduation. These students are recognzed by their classmates as living a life of high character and leadership; embodying the core values.

Congratulations to the following students who were voted upon by their peers to lead their classmates as officers for 2018-2019.

Please consider joining the generations of parents that have served After Prom at Chardon High School.
​Sign up here

Throughout the course of this year, our bell schedule has created many opportunities for staff and students to expand upon the educational experiences at Chardon High School.  Throughout this year, the Schedule Task Force met to refine the implementation of this schedule. As the year progressed, staff and students shared their feedback regarding the schedule. The feedback was extremely positive and poignant aligning to the purpose of the outcomes of this original committee.

As the Reconfiguration process commenced this year, the team came back together to once again look at the schedule to meet the essential needs of adding a grade level. The building administration and school counselors built over twenty-six schedules based upon the principles set forth by the task force and the feedback that we received throughout the year.

After careful consideration for consistency and to maximize upon the time in which we are given, the task force recommended the following schedule to the staff and board of education. This schedule aligns closely with the times that our students are used to while maintaining the integrity of Topper Time, and additional lunch period, and scheduling the Circuit of Success. 

Enclosed are some highlights of the schedule:

• Similar to current hybrid bell schedule implemented in 17-18
• Added four-minute passing times
• Four lunch sessions with eighth graders having their own lunchtime
• Implementation of Circuit of Success for eighth graders
• A potential eighth period for students; regular school day is periods 1-7 for grades 8-12. A few classes or staff supervision may occur during period 8.

Enclosed is the presentation from last Monday.

Over the last several weeks, I have been sharing the enclosed information to best prepare you and your families with the end of year events. Please take the time to click on the links to verify your understanding of the end of the year.

Links:
Senior Handbook
End of the year calendar: March/April/ May

Here is the link to the online signup for the senior picnic.  
​
School Fees 

When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus also check their School Fees.
Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10.  It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees.
All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted in Infinite Campus takes a while.  

You may see a surplus recorded for your student.  This can be from a class fee or workbook fee canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made.

If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441.

CHARDON HIGH SCHOOL
Chromebook Collection 2018

It is hard to believe that we are closing out the 2017-18 school year. We have many things to be grateful for and accomplishments to celebrate this school year.

During the days of May 15-17th (Seniors) & May 22-24th (Grades 9-11), students will need to turn-in their Chromebooks & Chargers in the Learning Center (Room 1). School Fees may be accessed according to the condition of your device or failure to return a charger. Any parent interested in assisting us in this important task may contact Douglas Higham, douglas.higham@chardonschools.org. We would appreciate any parent assistance just like last Spring and this past Fall.

The following times will be allotted:
May 15-17, 2018     (8:30 AM - 12:00 PM) Seniors Chromebook Collection
May 22-24, 2018     (8:30 AM - 12:00 PM) Underclassmen (9-11) Collection

The task includes:

1. Report to the Learning Center when your last exam is completed to return the Chromebooks.
   
2. Students clean with wipes provided, dry, power on/off the devices.
   
3. Staff will access the Chromebooks for damage, etc. and document any device in need of repair.
   

What Do Students Need To Know?

1. Bring in your Chromebook charged.
   
2. Enter from the front entrance and head to the Learning Center (Room 1).
   
3. At the 1st station, assistants will verify Chromebooks and the student will clean/ dry the device/ place chargers in ziplock
   
4. Parents will verify the Chromebook/ Assess the machine for damage/ and place it in the proper bin
   
5. If there are any fees, they will need to be paid prior to graduation practice.
   
6. Exit the doors on the northeast corner of the Media Center.
   

Free Harmony, Chardon's Show Choir was busy with 10 community shows in the last 2 weeks.  The group presented a set of "Classic Rock" Tunes from the rock artists Queen, Hall & Oats, Steve Miller Band, Van Halen, Chicago, and Toto.  We performed for elementary and middle school students.  On Friday, May 4th, was the annual Free Harmony & Jazz Band Dinner Show held at Quail Hollow Resort.  The ensembles performed for over 200 friends and family members that joined us for a fun night of music making and dinner.  

Free Harmony auditions will be held on Monday, May 14th from 2:45-5:00 in the CHS Choir Room.  Students should bring a verse and refrain or approximately 20 measures to sing for the audition.  Participants will represent the choir department with their participation in Free Harmony throughout the 2018-2019 school year. 

On Monday, May 9th, the Geauga County Ovations Awards were presented at GLTG in Chardon.  This program honors the work of Geauga County high school's for their accomplishments pertaining to their musical theatre productions.  Chardon put on an outstanding production of "Evita".  Connor Prusha received an award for outstanding vocals.  Kirstin Henry received an award for her amazing acting in the production.  The Props Crew was awarded with the Tech Award for their notable contributions on the production and the Evita Chorus was awarded a "Show Stopper" award for the performance of the song "The Money Kept Rolling In".  Amanda Bryant received the MVP awards for the Chardon production for serving as an excellent Dance Captain for the production.  Congratulations to the Cast and Crew of Evita on a memorable and outstanding production.  

On Tuesday, May 8th, Ashland University Concert Choir visited the CHS Choirs for a performance.  It was wonderful to hear and interact with this university choir as they were on their tour headed to Toronto, Canada.  The CHS Choirs shared their pieces "We Belong" and "100 Years"

On Wednesday, May 9th, the CHS Choirs presented their spring pops concert featuring all "Classic Rock".  Free Harmony Women's Choir, CHS Chorale and Chamber Choirs all contributed to the rocking evening.  Congratulations to the CHS Choirs for an outstanding program!  

If you know of any singers that aren't currently in choir, please have them reach out to Mr. Streiff, in preparation for the 2018-2019 school year. 

​We are certainly blessed with the vision of Mr. Streiff!

The 2018 Student Art Show will be on display for ONE MORE WEEK ONLY! 

Our high school art students have been working hard to make sure it's the most unique and exciting show yet. Come to Heinen's and check it out! Don't forget to vote for the student with the most compelling work

Honors physical science students help Mr. Butala’s fourth grade and Mr. Mullaly’s second grade students build rockets.

Announcing an amazing travel and learning/leadership opportunity...
​
 2019 London & Davos, Switzerland Global Leadership Summit - 13-day Adventure 
JULY 6-15th, 2019

Journey to London, England  & Davos, Switzerland for an experience of a lifetime!  This is a chance for our Chardon Student Leaders (that means YOU!) to tour London and work with students from around the world to discuss a Global Issue - ¨The Power of Communication¨ in Davos, Switzerland.  There is CHS & College credit available for this exciting adventure.

Contact  Mrs. Niedzwiecki  - kristen.niedzwiecki@chardonschools.org with questions.

If you son/daughter is registered for at least one of the following courses for the 2018-19 school year:

Introduction to Business
Business Ethics
Business Communications
Introduction to Entrepreneurship
College Algebra
Trigonometry

We will hold a mandatory meeting at CHS on May 14th at 6:30pm with a Lakeland representative to officially enroll the students in the Lakeland course(s) and answer questions you may have.

​See the enclosed document for further details

For High School seniors interested in learning more about emplyoment opportunities with some extraordinary business partners--this is a must attend event!

Love you, mom!

After everything you've done for me — the opportunities you've handed me, the countless mood swings you've endured from me, the life you've given up for me — I'm supposed to send you a card with flowers, and that's supposed to be enough?

Flowers, cards and massage gift certificates do not get my point across. Taking you out to dinner won't do it justice. Buying you balloons isn't going to inflate my point. All of it seems so… trite.

A Hallmark card won't ever be able to explain exactly why I love you.
​
Exactly why I'm proud to call you my mom. Exactly how grateful I am for you.
Instead, I'll just tell you.

I'll tell you exactly why I respect you, not try and fit it into some two-by-two-inch card.

I will tell you exactly what I should say every day of every month of every year. I'll tell you exactly why I love you.

• Your contagious laugh
• How you would always read to me every night
• Your welcoming smile and how you make me smile
• The kindness you show everyone even if they don’t deserve it
• The sacrifices you’ve made so you could give me everything
• Because you taught me to be a better person
• How I know you’ll always be there for me no matter what
• How you lead by example and inspire me to be so much
• How you go out of your way to help others
• Your passion for life; even if you have a rough day you keep going
• Whenever I need a hand, you’re always will to lend me yours
• Your delicious cooking
• How you do so very much, but never ask for anything in return
• You’re always there to cheer me on and give me encouragement when it’s needed most
• Your warm loving hugs
• You taught me that it’s okay to laugh at yourself and make mistakes
• Because you gave me life and brought me into this world
• Most of all… I love you for who you are and who you’ve helped me become… you’re my role model, my mother and my friend

Happy Mother's Day!

Douglas Murray, Principal

Monday, May 14:         AP Tests
                                                After Prom Ticket Sales

Tuesday, May 15:         AP Tests
                                                11th/12th Locker Clean-out
                                                Theatre Arts Final
                                                After Prom Ticket Sales

Wednesday, May 16        Senior Finals: Regular Red Day Schedule for ALL
                                                 Senior Finals 2, 4, 6
                                                 AP Tests
                                                 After Prom Ticket Sales
                                                 Chromebook Collection for Seniors

Thursday, May 17        Senior Finals: Regular Black Day Schedule for ALL
                                                 Senior Finals 1, 3, 5, 7
                                                 AP Tests
                                                After Prom Ticket Sales
                                                Senior Awards: 6:30 pm LGIR
                                                Chromebook Collection for Seniors


Friday, May 18            Senior Finals (Make-up)
                                             9:42-10:42 AM Prom Assembly
                                             8:30 pm Movie Night (Memorial Field)
                                            Chromebook Collection for Seniors


Saturday, May 19     Prom (Croatian Hall) 6:00-11:00 PM
                                           After Prom (Chardon High School) 11:30 PM-3:30 AM

Tuesday, May 22        9th/10th Locker Clean-out
                                             Spring Sports Awards

Wednesday, May 23:         Underclass Finals:  Regular Red Day Schedule for ALL
                                              Finals for Periods 2, 4, 6
                                              Faculty Meeting 7:20 AM
                                              Departmental Meetings 8:20 AM
                                             Chromebook Collection

Thursday, May 24        End of 4th Quarter/ 2nd Semester
                                           Underclass Finals:  Regular Black Day Schedule for ALL
                                            Finals for Periods 1, 3, 5, 7
                                            Chromebook Collection


Friday, May 25            Underclass Make-Ups
                                             Record’s Day
                                              Junior’s Last Day at Auburn
                                              7:30 AM Graduation Rehearsal (Mandatory for Walking)
                                             12:30 PM Senior Class Picnic
                                              7:00 PM Baccalaureate

Saturday, May 26        Graduation 2:00 PM (Seniors report at 1:00 PM)

​

The students voted inside of Google Classroon this morning for class officers, honorarians, and prom court. Congratulations to the following students!

The American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) has launched the NIX Opiates Campaign to fight teen opioid abuse in Ohio by bringing emergency physicians into Ohio schools to speak candidly with students and parents about addiction, drug abuse and overdose.
​
Dr. John Queen, Chardon resident and Cleveland Clinic Emergency Room physician, presented to students, parents and community members at Chardon Middle School last evening. His message is absolutely essential for everyone to hear.  Dr. Queen's message cemented in my heart that the time is NOW to talk about addiction and prevention.  I have invited Dr. Queen to come back to Chardon High School this Fall to speak to our students and provided the opportunity for him to come into our Chemistry classes. I believe that this model (along with preventative programs) will  continue to educate our students and staff about the importance of knowing the signs, science, and preventive measures to slow this trend in our county, state, and nation. Please take the time to watch his message . Special thanks to our ASAP,  AC4P,  and Core Value team--along with Mrs. Blackburn, Mrs. Bertaud,  and Mr. Herner for their support and guidance. As always, the best in the land, Mr. Jevnikar and his G-TV team that streamed this video live.

In response to our community event, Inside My Head: The Pressure on Teenagers hosted last month at CHS, many parents inquired about ways that they can reach out to their teenagers.

Friday, May 4th Ravenwood Health is offering a free, confidential mental health screening for any interested Chardon High School student at Chardon High School. 
Signing up is easy using one of the following ways:

1. Stop by the Library Conference Center on May 4th and schedule a time. Ravenwood counselors will be on site at 8:00 a.m.
2. Notify your guidance counselor or Mrs. Blackburn and we will help you get scheduled.

Please bring the signed permission form with you. If you forget the form, please see Mrs. Blackburn.  Parental permission is required for students under the age of 18. 

For more information, please contact Joan Blackburn at joan.blackburn@chardonschools.org or 285-4057 ext. 1439.  

You must have the permission form with you at the time of your meeting.

​Congratulations to the members of the Chardon Science Olympiad teams. They participated in the annual Ohio Science Olympiad State Competition, held at The Ohio State University on April 28, 2018. We are pleased to share the news that Chardon’s Division B team, representing grades 6-9, won the sixth place trophy. The Division C team, representing grades 9-12, placed 13th.
​
Competition in Ohio is tough. Over 4900 students from 331 teams representing school districts throughout Ohio competed in Regional tournaments to qualify for spots at the State Tournament. Chardon students were among the over 1600 students who traveled to the Ohio State University campus for the state finals.
 
Individual Medal Winners in Division B (grades 6-9)
2nd Place: Aerial Scrambler - Evan Germ and Michael Oh
2nd Place: Herpetology – Brady Williams and Nathan Eads
3rd Place: Rocks and Minerals – Owen Vokoun and Ethan Fuerst
3rd Place: Solar System – Daniel Brill and Sebastian Marker
3rd Place: Thermodynamics – Zane Kuhnle and Daniel Brill
3rd Place: Towers – Daniel Brill and Jason Watson
4th Place: Crime Busters – Paige Yamamoto and Zane Kuhnle
6th Place: Meteorology – Brady Williams and Noah Muñoz
 
Individual Medal Winners in Division C (grades 9-12)
3rd Place: Mousetrap Vehicle – Alex Schragal and John Ellington
3rd Place: Rocks and Minerals – Asher Vokoun and Christen Niedzielski
4th Place: Detector Building – Josh Campbell and Will Kurtz
4th Place: Remote Sensing – Drew Williams and Heather Humbert
 
Thank you for your continuing support of Chardon Science Olympiad. (Photos)

Please read this amazing article written by Kristi Garabrandt of The News-Herald who took the time to spend her day with our students and staff members. I am so proud of the work of our students and teachers who recognize the good in all of our students---and  express the essential values that they have as members of our school community modeling our core values!

By Kristi Garabrandt, The News-Herald

>> PHOTOS: Chardon Students community service at Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow

The 40 students from the high school’s Guided Study Program, the Chardon Academy and the freshman baseball team, accompanied by teachers Sharon Zdesar, Christy Tyminski and Dan Dinko, also a coach, worked at getting Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow ready for the summer Christmas season. They pulled down an old wood post and wire fence around the property and laid out the pieces of vinyl that will be a new fence, even after the rain started.

Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow, located in Middlefield, is a nonprofit organization that provides a final Christmas for terminally ill children and their families.

“I think it’s fantastic (the students helping). We are getting ready for a very busy Christmas summer. We open this up to give families of children who are critically ill the chance to celebrate Christmas one last time as a family. Their child may pass before Christmas, so this gives them a chance to have memories and good thoughts of what was,” said the owner of Santa’s Hide-A-Way Hollow, who refers to himself as Santa Claus.

“(The students) are helping us get ready. We are coming out of the winter doldrums. Branches are down, grass needs to be cut, everything is sloppy,” the property owner said.

He also credited the students with doing a tremendous job, despite the cold and the rain, and said that he appreciated all the work they have done.

Dinko said he picked this location for the community service project after reading about it on the internet.

Dinko told about the first time he was there with students from the football team two years ago and they had been working on painting and staining fences, digging and raking.

He recalled the students spent most of the day working and not really understanding what the place was about until toward the end of the day when they were about done.

The students complained about ruined clothes and shoes, but once it was explained to them the purpose behind of the Hide-A-Way and who it served, it pretty much changed everything with the students, he said.

Dinko told the students before they began working to think for a second and be grateful for what they have.

“Maybe they are not the best students at times and maybe there are things going on in their life, but it can’t be anything close to what young kids that are terminally ill have to experience, and as a parent, I can’t even imagine having to go through something like that as well, so that is why we chose the place,” Dinko said.

Joey Cloonan, a 10th-grader, said he thought it was fun and better than school.

Ninth-grader Bobby Kosie said he enjoyed helping out and that the Santa seemed like a really nice guy.

“I think that it’s a good thing for people to do to boost their morale,” Bobby said.

“I find it nice to have the community and local schools to come out and help with this,” said Deleyney DiFranco, a ninth-grader. “It kind of helps get kids to do nicer things if they are, like, not in the best spot.”

According to Dinko, the last thing he told students as they got off the bus afterward was, “What they did today was more important than any online class, any assignment or test they had to complete and any baseball game they would play in.”

Each year, I share this information with students, and parents to help families prepare for this extraordinary time of the year.

Links:
Senior Handbook
End of the year calendar: March/April/ May

Here is the link to the online signup for the senior picnic.  
​
School Fees 

When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus also check their School Fees.
Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10.  It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees.
All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted in Infinite Campus takes a while.  

You may see a surplus recorded for your student.  This can be from a class fee or workbook fee canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made.

If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441.

Announcing an amazing travel and learning/leadership opportunity...
​
 2019 London & Davos, Switzerland Global Leadership Summit - 13-day Adventure 
JULY 6-15th, 2019
Information Meeting this Thursday, May 10th
7:00pm in CHS media center 

Journey to London, England  & Davos, Switzerland for an experience of a lifetime!  This is a chance for our Chardon Student Leaders (that means YOU!) to tour London and work with students from around the world to discuss a Global Issue - ¨The Power of Communication¨ in Davos, Switzerland.  There is CHS & College credit available for this exciting adventure.

Contact  Mrs. Niedzwiecki  - kristen.niedzwiecki@chardonschools.org with questions.

Throughout the course of this year, our bell schedule has created many opportunities for staff and students to expand upon the educational experiences at Chardon High School.  Throughout this year, the Schedule Task Force met to refine the implementation of this schedule. As the year progressed, staff and students shared their feedback regarding the schedule. The feedback was extremely positive and poignant aligning to the purpose of the outcomes of this original committee.

As the Reconfiguration process commenced this year, the team came back together to once again look at the schedule to meet the essential needs of adding a grade level. The building administration and school counselors built over twenty-six schedules based upon the principles set forth by the task force and the feedback that we received throughout the year.

After careful consideration for consistency and to maximize upon the time in which we are given, the task force recommended the following schedule to the staff and board of education. This schedule aligns closely with the times that our students are used to while maintaining the integrity of Topper Time, and additional lunch period, and scheduling the Circuit of Success. 

Enclosed are some highlights of the schedule:

• Similar to current hybrid bell schedule implemented in 17-18
• Added four-minute passing times
• Four lunch sessions with eighth graders having their own lunchtime
• Implementation of Circuit of Success for eighth graders
• A potential eighth period for students; regular school day is periods 1-7 for grades 8-12. A few classes or staff supervision may occur during period 8.

If you would like to learn more about the schedule, and ways in which we will implement programs during the 18-19 school year--please attend the parent meeting scheduled on May 7th at 6:30 pm in the gym.

Have a great weekend with family and friends!

Douglas Murray
​Principal

Time. This is one thing that is always inevitable. Yet, this one thing can be experienced differently by each of us. It is hard to believe how quickly our time has passed. Every second inside of every minute can pass how we choose to use it. If we chose to stare at a clock, time would feel like forever. The more we are all actively involved with tasks, events, and enjoyment--the faster time is experienced by each of us. The old adage, "Time flies when you are having fun" rings a persistent tone this time of year. Why, mostly due to the constant movement, experiences, events, and activities that happen inside of the time that we are given.  The last three months have been packed with events each week. Recently, I spoke to the senior class about all of the memories that they are making and how these moments should be cherished and remembered. These are great days for our class of 2018! 

Seniors:

21 school days can seem like a lifetime or can be a flash in front of you. The choice is yours. Seniors, it seems like the finish line has already come and gone...but there is still essential time left. Time for yourself, Time for each other, Time for learning, and memories to be made. You only graduate high school once, Embrace it, live each moment, be active in your choices. The choices that you make today can become the person that you become. Be true to who you are and keep your eyes on the goal--you are too close to let go of your dreams.

Juniors

Your 21 school days are going to be relentless. Focus on managing your time on what you can control. Your job is your academics. Your job is transitioning into the leaders of our school. Your job remains clear; YOU matter, YOUR grades matter; YOUR decisions matter. Learn from those that have gone before you and seize little opportunities that arise. We believe in you.

Sophomores

Your 21 school days linger with a reminder that you are about to transition into a challenging year. Many of you are learning the difference obetween dependence versus independence. The time is now to walk the talk. You are just coming out of your shell, and wondering what is up, down, and around you. You have seen so many challenging moments with relationships, coursework, and leadership but you are wondering if anyone notices you. We do, but we are not going to hold your hand through this--it is time to choose. We will always be there for you.

Freshman

Your 21 school days are determined by the habits that you have made. So many people have walked beside you, guided you, and assisted you. You recognize that you are a part of a bigger family but sometimes feel like the little sibling. You have an essential role. You are the key to the transition to our incoming 8th graders. What you say---they believe. What you do---younger students follow. In reality, your task is enormous in living our core values not only for yourself but for your classmates. Believe in YOU!

Staff

You are the conductor of the music that we hear each day. Sure, the sound may resonate well from a distance, but only you see what needs to be refined. Continue to coordinate the sound with the beauty that sets the tempo of our pulse as a whole. After most performances, the conductor bows while the orchestra receives the accolades. WE see your influence. WE appreciate your countless preparation. WE see your impact- especially after a long tour. 

Families of the Class of 2018: A Reflection

It is hard to fathom how fast our time has come and gone this year. Where did our time go? Did I do enough, say enough, or even prepare you enough for this moment? I look at you and see me. I look at my own struggles, joys, and moments of excitement (when I was your age) and wonder how quickly our time has come and gone.

Do you I am your biggest fan? Do you know that I will always be there during good times and bad? Do you know how much my love is unconditional for you?

I am so proud of you, and I know that these 21 school days are going to be tough for you. I know that you are spent, exhausted, and ready to move on...but, never forget how you got to this moment. Never forget the failures and success that refined you. Never forget the support that each of us provided for you and always will. 

So, in these last 21 school days live every moment in the present. Love every celebration, and know that journey only begins when you cross the finish line. You are almost there! Hang on, push forward, dig deeper, and know that my embrace is a door away. We believe in you--BELIEVE IN YOUR ABILITY-- your journey is a moment away!

"Your Life, Your Choice," an awareness program for local students with the intent of educating them regarding the dangers of operating a vehicle while intoxicated, was presented in dramatic fashion using real-life scenarios and testimonies of people whose lives have been forever changed by crashes caused by drunken drivers.

On Tuesday, April 24, students at Chardon High School attended Your Life, Your Choice and Parkside Church in Bainbridge. This program was first initiated in 2006 by Chagrin Falls Police Officer, Dick Goldsmith. Officer Goldsmith lost his daughter, Emily, in a tragic accident caused by a repeated drunken driving offender.  

The quiet, somber atmosphere permeated a gathering of more than 1,100 Geauga County high school seniors. Students came back to school moved by this presentation. We are grateful to the Geauga County Sheriff's office who sponsored this moving presentation. 

Now is the time to have a conversation about opioid use with someone you love. Summer is approaching, students have more free time for grad parties, hanging out and just being with friends.  Seniors are graduating and many will be leaving for college, have this conversation with them before their roommate does.  Please join Chardon resident Dr. John Queen of the Cleveland Clinic and Chardon High School for this very important event.

In response to our community event, Inside My Head: The Pressure on Teenagers hosted last month at CHS, many parents inquired about ways that they can reach out to their teenagers.

Approximately 1 in 5 teens  (21.4%) ages 13-18 are impacted by a mental health illness.  Only half (50.6%) receive treatment.

https://www.nami.org/learn-more/mental-health-by-the-numbers

Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-14, and the 2nd leading cause for those ages 15-34.

https://www.cdc.gov/violenceprevention/pdf/suicide-datasheet-a.pdf

On Friday, May 4th Ravenwood Health is offering a free, confidential mental health screening for any interested Chardon High School student at Chardon High School.
Signing up is easy using one of the following ways:

1. Stop by the Library Conference Center on May 4th and schedule a time. Ravenwood counselors will be on site at 8:00 a.m.
2. Notify your guidance counselor or Mrs. Blackburn and we will help you get scheduled.

Please bring the signed permission form with you. If you forget the form, please see Mrs. Blackburn.  Parental permission is required for students under the age of 18.

For more information, please contact Joan Blackburn at joan.blackburn@chardonschools.org or 285-4057 ext. 1439.  

You must have the permission form with you at the time of your meeting.

​On Wednesday, April 25, 2018, the queen of the 89th annual Geauga County Maple Festival was crowned. The judges had a tough job. Not only was each candidate a strong competitor, but the bond between the girls became so strong over their time together. At the end of the night, sophomore Kaity Nimmo was crowned the 2018 Geauga County Maple Festival Queen. The honors of the first attendant went to senior Jennifer Vandenberg, second attendant to Abby Harvey from Newbury, and court member sophomore Brigit Morgan. The girls all had a great time and look forward to this weekend. ​

​The International Thespian Society (ITS) is an honor society for high school theatre students. It is a division of the Educational Theatre Association. A few famous ITS alumni include Tom Hanks, Val Kilmer, James Marsters, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, and Stephen Schwartz. Membership currently stands at approximately 100,000 student members across 3,900 schools. The one millionth thespian was inducted in 1976 and the two millionth thespian was inducted in 2009. Last night, students were inducted into the Thespian Society.

Wednesday Testing will begin promptly at 7:30 AM, and it is imperative that your student is at school on time on their assigned testing day. 




AIR Tests this week :

• Students enrolled in US Government  - May 2, 2018
  • -Students enrolled in government, who did not take the exam first semester, including AP Government students who are not registered for the AP Exam.
  • -Students who need additional AIR points to meet state requirements.
• Students enrolled in Algebra 1 or Geometry - May 2, 2018

 
To maximize learning while administering the AIR exams, students will test during late-start. The bell schedule for those testing dates have not changed:
 
AIR Testing - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
2nd period - 10:34 AM - 11:39 AM
4A period - (Lunch 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM) 12:17 PM - 1:21 PM
4B period - 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM (Lunch 12:17 PM - 12:47 PM) 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM
4C period - 11:43 AM - 12:47 PM (Lunch 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM)
6th period - 1:25 PM - 2:30 PM

​The bell schedule for May 3 will be as follows:
    
1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM
3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM
5A period - (Lunch 9:48 AM-10:18 AM) 10:22 AM - 11:26 AM
5B period - 9:48 AM-10:18 AM (Lunch 10:22 AM - 10:52 AM ) 10:56 AM - 11:26 AM
5C period - 9:48 AM-10:52 (Lunch 10:56 AM-11:26 AM)
7th period- 11:30 AM-12:35 PM
​
Transportation will continue to operate at the normally scheduled times. If a student is not testing on a particular day and needs transportation to school, they will be picked up at their normal time and report to school (students not testing and who arrive before their first class will wait in the cafeteria).  
 
Students taking AIR exams should bring their Chromebook (fully charged), as well as a pair of headphones. We will provide extra sets of headphones if students are unable to procure them.  
 
Thank you for your patience and attention as we continue our preparations for the upcoming AIR exams.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Chardon High School Guidance Department at (440) 285-4060.

​​The Envirothon team, who named themselves Chardon Core Values, scored 2nd place out of 50 teams at the Area II Envirothon at the Cuyahoga County Fairgrounds in sunny but mucky conditions. They were awarded $300 toward the state competition expenses. First place was the Brecksville Bees.

The top 4 teams advance to the state Envirothon June 10-12 at Cedarville College in SW Ohio. 20 teams statewide compete to be the one to advance to the North American Envirothon in Pocatello, Idaho, in July. The qualifying team is comprised of Co-Captains Emily Munoz and Jason Tysl, supported by Heather Humbert, Asher Vokoun, and Kyle Gessel. 

Chardon's additional team, the Chardon Rats, came in 11th place. This is a great finish for- Alex Schragal, Neil Patel, Jackson Selent, Drew Williams, and Brad Knez. 

Chardon Library Book Buddies

​The Chardon Library is looking for Book Buddies volunteers for the summer.  You can encourage a student who has just finished 1st or 2nd grade to keep reading over the summer by meeting with him or her for 6 – one hour sessions at the Chardon Library.  This program wouldn’t be possible without the help of Chardon Schools student volunteers.  If you are interested in getting involved in your community and would like to be a Chardon Library Book Buddy, please call the Chardon Library @ 285-7601 ext. 1 to volunteer.  This is also an opportunity to earn Community Service hours!  Please plan to attend one mandatory informational meeting at the Chardon Library on Monday, May 14 at 7:00 OR Tuesday, May 15 at 3:00. 

2018-2019: CHS Bell ScheduleThroughout the course of this year, our bell schedule has created many opportunities for staff and students to expand upon the educational experiences at Chardon High School.  Throughout this year, the Schedule Task Force met to refine the implementation of this schedule. As the year progressed, staff and students shared their feedback regarding the schedule. The feedback was extremely positive and poignant aligning to the purpose of the outcomes of this original committee.

As the Reconfiguration process commenced this year, the team came back together to once again look at the schedule to meet the essential needs of adding a grade level. The building administration and school counselors built over twenty-six schedules based upon the principles set forth by the task force and the feedback that we received throughout the year.

After careful consideration for consistency and to maximize upon the time in which we are given, the task force recommended the following schedule to the staff and board of education. This schedule aligns closely with the times that our students are used to while maintaining the integrity of Topper Time, and additional lunch period, and scheduling the Circuit of Success. 

Enclosed are some highlights of the schedule:

• Similar to current hybrid bell schedule implemented in 17-18
• Added four-minute passing times
• Four lunch sessions with eighth graders having their own lunchtime
• Implementation of Circuit of Success for eighth graders
• A potential eighth period for students; regular school day is periods 1-7 for grades 8-12. A few classes or staff supervision may occur during period 8.

If you would like to learn more about the schedule, and ways in which we will implement programs during the 18-19 school year--please attend the parent meeting scheduled on May 7th at 6:30 pm in the gym.

​Have a great weekend with family and friends!

Douglas Murray
​Principal

Throughout the course of this year, our bell schedule has created many opportunities for staff and students to expand upon the educational experiences at Chardon High School.  Throughout this year, the Schedule Task Force met to refine the implementation of this schedule. As the year progressed, staff and students shared their feedback regarding the schedule. The feedback was extremely positive and poignant aligning to the purpose of the outcomes of this original committee.

As the Reconfiguration process commenced this year, the team came back together to once again look at the schedule to meet the essential needs of adding a grade level. The building administration and school counselors built over twenty-six schedules based upon the principles set forth by the task force and the feedback that we received throughout the year.

After careful consideration for consistency and to maximize upon the time in which we are given, the task force recommended the following schedule to the staff and board of education. This schedule aligns closely with the times that our students are used to while maintaining the integrity of Topper Time, and additional lunch period, and scheduling the Circuit of Success. 

Enclosed are some highlights of the schedule:

• Similar to current hybrid bell schedule implemented in 17-18
• Added four-minute passing times
• Four lunch sessions with eighth graders having their own lunchtime
• Implementation of Circuit of Success for eighth graders
• A potential eighth period for students

If you would like to learn more about the schedule, and ways in which we will implement programs during the 18-19 school year--please attend the parent meeting scheduled on April 30 at 6:30 pm in the gym.

​On Monday, April 23rd, Chardon High School will host the second blood drive of the year.  The American Red Cross has asked the students at Chardon High to host the second event this year due to the extreme shortage of blood.  Since the students of the Actively Caring Leadership class did such an amazing job last November organizing the collection of 48 pints of blood, the American Red Cross has set a higher goal of 50 units of blood, an amount that has never been accomplished at the high school before.  The deadline for permission slips is Friday, April 20th.  Please see Mr. Mizen for a permission slip or get one in the front office.  

The American Institutes for Research (AIR) had a computer glitch on Wednesday that prevented some students across Ohio from taking state tests online. In all buildings across our district, student login issues were intermittent with accessing part II of testing. Our testing administrators worked quickly to troubleshoot ways around the issues after contacting the Ohio Department of Education (ODE). This was not a remote situation to Chardon. This was a statewide issue as reported by ODE and Cleveland.com. A handful of students were unable to complete all sections of the test. These students were informed of their options to make-up this portion of the test.
 
As a reminder, the bell schedule on each Thursday after AIR exams will be adjusted, with classes concluding at 12:35 PM on April 12, 19, 26, and May 3. 
 
The bell schedule for Thursday, April 26 will be as follows:
 
1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM
3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM
7th period - 9:48 AM - 10:53 AM
5A period - (Lunch 10:57 AM - 11:27 AM) 11:31 AM - 12:35 PM
5B period - 10:57 - 11:27 AM (Lunch 11:31 AM - 12:01 PM ) 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM
5C period - 10:57 PM - 12:01 PM (Lunch 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM)
 
Wednesday Testing will begin promptly at 7:30 AM, and it is imperative that your student is at school on time on their assigned testing day. 
 
The administration of the AIR Test has NOT changed :

• Students enrolled in Honors English 2, English 2, or English 1 - April 11, 2018
• Students enrolled in Biology or Honors Biology - April 25, 2018
• Students enrolled in US History - April 18, 2018
• Students enrolled in US Government  - May 2, 2018
  • -Students enrolled in government, who did not take the exam first semester, including AP Government students who are not registered for the AP Exam.
  • -Students who need additional AIR points to meet state requirements.
• Students enrolled in Algebra 1 or Geometry - May 2, 2018

 
To maximize learning while administering the AIR exams, students will test during late-start on April 11, 18, 25, and May 2.  The bell schedule for those testing dates will be as follows:
 
AIR Testing - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
2nd period - 10:34 AM - 11:39 AM
4A period - (Lunch 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM) 12:17 PM - 1:21 PM
4B period - 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM (Lunch 12:17 PM - 12:47 PM) 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM
4C period - 11:43 AM - 12:47 PM (Lunch 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM)
6th period - 1:25 PM - 2:30 PM
 
Transportation will continue to operate at the normally scheduled times. If a student is not testing on a particular day and needs transportation to school, they will be picked up at their normal time and report to school (students not testing and who arrive before their first class will wait in the cafeteria).  
 
Students taking AIR exams should bring their Chromebook (fully charged), as well as a pair of headphones. We will provide extra sets of headphones if students are unable to procure them.  
 
Thank you for your patience and attention as we continue our preparations for the upcoming AIR exams.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Chardon High School Guidance Department at (440) 285-4060.
 
Sincerely,

The Chardon High School Guidance and Administrative Team

​Download this file.

Each year, I share this information with students, and parents to help families prepare for this extraordinary time of the year.

Links:
Senior Handbook
End of the year calendar: March/April/ May

Here is the link to the online signup for the senior picnic.  
​
School Fees 

When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus also check their School Fees.
Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10.  It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees.
All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted in Infinite Campus takes a while.  

You may see a surplus recorded for your student.  This can be from a class fee or workbook fee canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made.

If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441.

The Chardon Library is looking for Book Buddies volunteers for the summer.  You can encourage a student who has just finished 1st or 2nd grade to keep reading over the summer by meeting with him or her for 6 – one hour sessions at the Chardon Library.  This program wouldn’t be possible without the help of Chardon Schools student volunteers.  If you are interested in getting involved in your community and would like to be a Chardon Library Book Buddy, please call the Chardon Library @ 285-7601 ext. 1 to volunteer.  This is also an opportunity to earn Community Service hours!  Please plan to attend one mandatory informational meeting at the Chardon Library on Monday, May 14 at 7:00 OR Tuesday, May 15 at 3:00. 
Thank You!
 

One of my first jobs was working as a paperboy. This job was often underappreciated, yet always expected on time. The hardest part of the week was receiving all of the advertisements that needed to be filled in the Sunday edition. Yet, the one thing that this job taught me was the value of hard work.

Hard work and dedication is one variable that you will always receive from me. Each week, I spend hours gathering information to share with you. Years ago, I spent each week communicating with students on the morning announcements. Over the last year, with no fault assigned to anyone, the announcements have been played intermittently due to moving them later in the day. The reason simply was to assist the work aligned with the course that we created that recorded, edited, published and posted the announcements. With that in mind, I took it upon myself to write this newsletter posted each week. Over the last two years, the Week in Reflection has become a key element to communicate essential information to students, parents, staff, and community members all of the amazing things that we accomplish along with distributing information relative to the week to come. 

This newsletter is written on Weebly and posted to the internet. The next step is to send this information to staff and students using Gmail, followed by posting the information to Infinite Campus, ConnectED, and an application called Hootsuite to disseminate the newsletter to the multiple twitter accounts that I manage.

This week, in order to reach a deeper audience of students and parents on the go, I created a Remind101 account to send this information each Friday. Remind 101 is a great tool to safely communicate information to large groups that will send notifications to your phone. I am hoping that this will continue to build upon my mission of clear communication.

I do not mind the additional step. There is one thing that makes me shake my head...having someone say that they had no idea what is going on. As a parent, I want to know what is going on in my child's school. With the volume of tasks that we work on each day, if we can alleviate the "Gomer Pyle" surprise reactions to dates, events, and activities --we will create more time to collaborate with students and staff.

If you would like to join the Remind101 account, please follow the steps below. ​

This week, we commenced the AIR testing beginning with ELA. Special thanks to Mr. Higham, School Counselors, Tech Support, Teachers and our students for creating an arena for success. We are continuing our preparations at Chardon High School for the upcoming AIR exams.  The AIR exams are end-of-course exams mandated by the state of Ohio, and students earn graduation points regarding their results.  

Over the last week of exams, we have worked hard to meet the many needs of all of our students and their personalized schedules. During each day, we are not only executing our bell schedule, but also two Auburn schedules, and numerous CCP schedules with students. We built the AIR schedule based upon minimizing the most discrepancies in scheduling. Our teachers have worked with individual cases and we have communicated with parents, Auburn, and our CCP schools. Yet, several students could have missed one of their courses on Thursday up to four times. Therefore, through many conversations and collaboration, we have made some adjustments to our Thursday schedules during the month of April to mitigate scheduling issues.
 
The bell schedule on each Thursday after AIR exams will be adjusted, with classes concluding at 12:35 PM on April 12, 19, 26, and May 3.
 
The bell schedule for Thursday, April 12, and April 26 will be as follows:
 
1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM
3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM
7th period - 9:48 AM - 10:53 AM
5A period - (Lunch 10:57 AM - 11:27 AM) 11:31 AM - 12:35 PM
5B period - 10:57 - 11:27 AM (Lunch 11:31 AM - 12:01 PM ) 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM
5C period - 10:57 PM - 12:01 PM (Lunch 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM)
 
The bell schedule for Thursday, April 19, and May 3 will be as follows:
    
1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM
3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM
5A period - (Lunch 9:48 AM-10:18 AM) 10:22 AM - 11:26 AM
5B period - 9:48 AM-10:18 AM (Lunch 10:22 AM - 10:52 AM ) 10:56 AM - 11:26 AM
5C period - 9:48 AM-10:52 (Lunch 10:56 AM-11:26 AM)
7th period- 11:30 AM-12:35 PM
 
 No changes have occurred to AIR Testing
 
Wednesday Testing will begin promptly at 7:30 AM, and it is imperative that your student is at school on time on their assigned testing day.
 
 
The administration of the AIR Test has NOT changed :

• Students enrolled in Honors English 2, English 2, or English 1 - April 11, 2018
• Students enrolled in Biology or Honors Biology - April 25, 2018
• Students enrolled in US History - April 18, 2018
• Students enrolled in US Government  - May 2, 2018
  • -Students enrolled in government, who did not take the exam first semester, including AP Government students who are not registered for the AP Exam.
  • -Students who need additional AIR points to meet state requirements.
• Students enrolled in Algebra 1 or Geometry - May 2, 2018

 
To maximize learning while administering the AIR exams, students will test during late-start on April 11, 18, 25, and May 2.  The bell schedule for those testing dates have not changed:
 
AIR Testing - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
2nd period - 10:34 AM - 11:39 AM
4A period - (Lunch 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM) 12:17 PM - 1:21 PM
4B period - 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM (Lunch 12:17 PM - 12:47 PM) 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM
4C period - 11:43 AM - 12:47 PM (Lunch 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM)
6th period - 1:25 PM - 2:30 PM
 
Transportation will continue to operate at the normally scheduled times. If a student is not testing on a particular day and needs transportation to school, they will be picked up at their normal time and report to school (students not testing and who arrive before their first class will wait in the cafeteria).  

Student Example 1:   A freshman student enrolled in Algebra 1 and English 1 will report to CHS by 7:30 AM on April 11 (for the ELA 1 exam) and May 2 (for the Algebra 1 exam).  He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 18 and April 25 because he/she will not be taking the US Government, US History, or Biology exams.

Student Example 2:  A senior student currently enrolled in second semester US Government (not first semester US Government) will report to CHS by 7:30 AM  on May 2nd (for the US Government exam) .  He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 11, 18, and 25 because he/she will not be taking an ELA, Algebra 1, or Geometry exam.  
 
Students taking AIR exams should bring their Chromebook (fully charged), as well as a pair of headphones.   We will provide extra sets of headphones, if students are unable to procure them.  
 
Thank you for your patience and attention as we continue our preparations for the upcoming AIR exams.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Chardon High School Guidance Department at (440) 285-4060.
 
Sincerely,

The Chardon High School Guidance and Administrative Team

The enclosed images illustrate what the schedules would look like for students.

​Download this file.

​Each year, I share this information with students, and parents to help families prepare for this extraordinary time of the year.

Links:
Senior Handbook
End of the year calendar: March/April/ May
​
School Fees 

When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus  also check their School Fees.
Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10.  It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees.
All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted  in Infinite Campus takes a while.  

You may see a surplus recorded for your student.  This can be from a class fee or workbook fee  canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made.

If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441.
​
Cap and Gown

There are about 70 Seniors that have NOT purchase a cap & gown.  If you have not ordered on please see or call  Mrs. McBride.  These need to be ordered A.S.A.P.

If you are planning not to participate in the commencement let Mrs. McBride know that also.

Thanks for your attention to these important matters.

Huge Hilltopper thank you to the students who planned last Thurday's Community Event-Inside My Head: The Pressures on Teens.  Approximately 70 students and adults benefited by attending workshops facilitated by CHS students, Lake/Geauga Recovery Center, Family Pride, NAMI, Ravenwood Health Center, the Geauga Educational Service Center, the Chardon Police Department and Ubuntu Wellness. 

Parents have asked for additional resources throughout the survey that they filled out. Please read the articles attached.

CNN: Vaping now an epidemic among US high schoolers
KNOW: Empowering Parents to Raise their Children to Be Substance Free

What: Chardon Spirit Day  - to show off our schools and students and the importance they have in our community
​
- Sponsored by Chardon Tomorrow, with Chardon City, --Chardon Library also involved
-Everybody wears school colors, there is free ice cream, popcorn, hot dogs, fun activities
-The whole town is encouraged to be there.
-Discounts from local establishments.
-Rocket Car (from Euclid Beach) will take people up to the polls for early voting        

When:  May 5th  from 1:00 - 4:30

Where:  Chardon Square

Students can NOW** upload their video auditions to shiningstarcle.org with the chance to win a 
$10,000 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP! 
*Must be from Ashtabula, Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Lorain, Medina, Portage or Summit counties and have a 2019-2022 graduation date; includes home-schooled students.  **Through July 1, 2018.
Free to Enter and All Genres of Music are Welcome! 
College Scholarships:
1st Place Winner 
$10,000 and the chance to perform with the
Cleveland Pops Orchestra at Severance Hall
2nd Place Winner 
$5,000
3rd Place Winner  
$2,500
4th Place Winner 
$1,000
Bonus Prize 
$2,500 to the high school music department of the 1st Place Winner 

On Sunday, October 7, 2018 at 7 pm, the Top 10 Finalists will perform at the renowned Ohio Theatre at Playhouse Square and be judged by the audience and well-respected professionals in the entertainment industry. 
For questions, or to learn more, 
please visit our website shiningstarcle.org or call 216-910-2652.

Well, I hope my last edition of the Week in Reflection was heard...the weather has changed...for a few days!
Celebrate and enjoy this time with family and friends,

Douglas Murray
​CHS Principal

After celebrating this past break with my family on a trip to Disney to see our band perform...I was hoping that the 16-hour drive would have created a jet stream on the back of our vehicle.  Most educators would share that having inclement weather in the fourth quarter would help keep our students inclined to be more on task. Yet, the winter blues have set in. Most of us are used to the long winter, but this year seems relentless. I believe that even most of our skiers and snowboarders are ready for short sleeves and shorts. We all know that our spring coaches are sick and tired of being sick and tired of wearing hoodies and rain gear. Yet, like every year...this too shall pass...until the Maple Festival.

Moments like this remind us of the importance of patience and perseverance. Being patient creates opportunities for growth inside of us which will help us nurture our response to difficult moments. The next seven weeks are going to pass us by in a blink of an eye. It is so important to pause and reflect on each moment in front of us. Likewise, demonstrating patience will expand our ability to persevere through moments in our lives that impact us at school, sports, our jobs, and even relationships. 

As we have shared numerous times throughout this year, our response to any event creates the outcome that we expect. So, to model this for you I am going to end this portion with the Week in Reflection by exclaiming that it is a beautiful ​day to be the best version of ourselves and seize the opportunities in front of us during this beautiful ​time of year! There is no better way to transition into this newsletter than to share some awesome news from our proud new papa!

Dear Chardon Families,

On March 22nd my wife and I were woken up to the surprise of her going into labor with our first child.  The surprise was that our baby was not due until May 2nd.  After debating if we should both go to work that morning (my wife teaches Health and PE in Garfield Heights), we decided we should head to the hospital as a precaution.  By 4 that afternoon, we were holding our son, Anderson Jaxson Bandiera!  Being 6 weeks early, we were extremely blessed to find out that Anderson was an overall healthy baby.   Anderson was first treated in the NICU at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland to help with his lung development and feeding.  Anderson did great and within 48 hours, he was breathing room air with no assistance.   The next challenge has been eating.  Anderson is eating through a bottle, but he struggles with fatigue. He initially was receiving nutrients through an IV, but we were lucky enough to have that pulled on Sunday when we moved to the Step Down unity at Rainbow.  Anderson now just needs to eat a little more consistently without the help of the feeding tube.  Once that happens, he can go home!  My wife and I have been incredibly blessed with the love and support we have received from our family and friends. As we make the 40 minute commute to the hospital daily, our family and friends have cleaned our house, prepared meals for us, and taken care of our dog. We have not been given an official release date yet, as this is all dependent on Anderson's progress.   We cannot wait to bring our baby home and start our new role as Mom and Dad!  

I would like to take a moment to say thank you to all of the Chardon High School staff members and families who have sent out well wishes.  These encouraging notes are so helpful to my wife and I.   I am also thankful to all of those who are helping cover many of my responsibilities at Chardon High School as I am out of the office.   

Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. 
~The Bandiera's 

As we enter April, we are continuing our preparations at Chardon High School for the upcoming AIR exams.  The AIR exams are end-of-course exams mandated by the state of Ohio, and students earn graduation points regarding their results.  Students will take the AIR exams as described below:

• Students enrolled in Honors English 2, English 2, or English 1 - April 11, 2018
• Students enrolled in Biology or Honors Biology - April 25, 2018
• Students enrolled in US History - April 18, 2018
• Students enrolled in US Government  - May 2, 2018
  • ​​-Students enrolled in government, who did not take the exam first semester, including AP Government students who are not registered for the AP Exam
  • -Students who need additional AIR points to meet state requirements.
• Students enrolled in Algebra 1 or Geometry - May 2, 2018

To maximize learning while administering the AIR exams, students will test during late-start on April 11, 18, 25, and May 2.  The bell schedule for those testing dates will be as follows:
 
AIR Testing - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
2nd period - 10:34 AM - 11:39 AM
4A period - (Lunch 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM) 12:17 PM - 1:21 PM
4B period - 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM (Lunch 12:17 AM - 12:47 PM) 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM
4C period - 11:43 AM - 12:47 PM (Lunch 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM)
6th period - 1:25 PM - 2:30 PM
 
Testing will begin promptly at 7:30 AM, and it is imperative that your student is at school on time on their assigned testing day. 
 
In order to accommodate schedules of CHS, Auburn, and CCP students, the bell schedule on each Thursday after AIR exams will be adjusted, with classes concluding at 12:35 PM on April 12, 19, 26, and May 3. 
 
The bell schedule for Thursday, April 12, 19, 26, and May 3 will be as follows:

1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM
3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM
7th period - 9:48 AM - 10:53 AM
5A period - (Lunch 10:57 AM - 11:27 AM) 11:31 AM - 12:35 PM
5B period - 10:57 - 11:27 AM (Lunch 11:31 AM - 12:01 PM ) 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM
5C period - 10:57 PM - 12:01 PM (Lunch 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM)
 
Transportation will continue to operate at the normally scheduled times. If a student is not testing on a particular day and needs transportation to school, they will be picked up at their normal time and report to school (students not testing and who arrive before their first class will wait in the cafeteria).  

Student Example 1:   A freshman student enrolled in Algebra 1 and English 1 will report to CHS by 7:30 AM on April 11 (for the ELA 1 exam) and May 2 (for the Algebra 1 exam).  He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 18 and April 25 because he/she will not be taking the US Government, US History, or Biology exams.

Student Example 2:  A senior student currently enrolled in second semester US Government (not first semester US Government) will report to CHS by 7:30 AM  on May 2nd (for the US Government exam) .  He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 11, 18, and 25 because he/she will not be taking an ELA, Algebra 1, or Geometry exam.  
 
Students taking AIR exams should bring their Chromebook (fully charged), as well as a pair of headphones.   We will provide extra sets of headphones, if students are unable to procure them.  
 
Thank you for your patience and attention as we continue our preparations for the upcoming AIR exams.  If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Chardon High School Guidance Department at (440) 285-4060.

​The enclosed visual will help our students understand the day.

Huge Hilltopper thank you to the students who planned Thursday's Community Event Inside My Head: The Pressures on Teens.  Approximately 60 students and adults benefited by attending workshops facilitated by CHS students, Lake/Geauga Recovery Center, Family Pride, NAMI, Ravenwood Health Center, the Geauga Educational Service Center, the Chardon Police Department and Ubuntu Wellness. A special thank you to Beth Williams from the Geauga Mental Health Board for her opening remarks.  Program evaluation indicated a high level of appreciation for all of the presentations. The involvement and leadership shown by the high schools students was consistently noted as being a highlight of the night. Another consistent theme was the disappointment that with so many wonderful presentations attendees could only pick two to attend.  Thank you to all who participated in this event by coming out to support our students!

Each year, I share this information with students, and parents to help families prepare for this extraordinary time of the year.

Links:
Senior Handbook
End of the year calendar: March/April/ May

School Fees 

When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus  also check their School Fees.
Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10.  It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees.
All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted  in Infinite Campus takes a while.  

You may see a surplus recorded for your student.  This can be from a class fee or workbook fee  canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made.

If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441.
​
Cap and Gown

There are about 70 Seniors that have NOT purchase a cap & gown.  If you have not ordered on please see or call  Mrs. McBride.  These need to be ordered A.S.A.P.

If you are planning not to participate in the commencement let Mrs. McBride know that also.

Thanks for your attention to these important matters.

Attached are the latest editions of the Lav Report and LC Newsletter. 

In the Lav Report, students will find an article that covers where to find links they can use to access valuable resources such as Noodletools and INFOhio. Spoiler alert: links are located at www.chslearningcenter.weebly.com. Another article explains the Geauga Park District Writing Contest, which is open to both students and adults. 

In the Learning Center Newsletter, part one of a two part series covers the first four of 11 tips for protecting your privacy on Facebook. Anyone using Facebook should take a look at their settings to make sure they are not revealing too much information.

Remember the John Fogarty song from the mid 80's? The instant classic about playing Centerfield is now enshrined in Cooperstown. For over a century, baseball has been hailed above all other sports as America's National Pastime. No other game during the regular one-hundred sixty-two game season has been as eagerly anticipated as Opening Day. Ask any fan what the "official" start of Spring is. Chances are their answer will be Opening Day. It is much more than just an event, it is an experience. 

In a society that places so much emphasis on events, activities, programs, and sports...wouldn't it be exhilarating if we placed the same emphasis on academic achievements?  Being actively involved in high school is an essential part of growth and maturity. We cannot dilute the essential values learned from extracurriculars, but must place a mutual value on the essential fabric which holds us together as a society---literacy.

As we enter into the "crunch time" over the next seven weeks, working together towards the same goal should be our mantra.  As parents, we long for what is best for our children. We encourage our children to be kind even when it is hard, to work hard even when no one is noticing, and to never quit. 

But, beware...there is an epidemic that enters the vocabulary of of seniors this month. 

For those of you who have yet to experience the devastating and immobilizing effects of this dangerous disease, senioritis is a common affliction that reduces a senior’s focus, ability to finish an assignment and drive to do anything but sleep and watch Netflix. Symptoms include: aversion to studying, reduction in academic performance, and ongoing procrastination. Second-semester seniors are the most frequently diagnosed, but even first-semester seniors can be susceptible.

Juniors: Beware! You even have a  chance of premature infection.

Seniors – the poor, poor victims – are the students who most need to avoid such oppressive side effects. The list of to-dos is endless: visiting colleges, applying to scholarships, filling out online loans and grants, getting senior pictures taken, ordering graduation caps, gowns, and announcements, organizing a graduation party, homework, projects, and studying for finals and AP exams.

Check out this great list composed by Julie Spangler of the Wichita Eagle, a TeenTalk board which is made up of teens who write columns and features for their local paper in Kansas. 

1. Make a list: Write down all of the things you need to get done. Be sure to include the sub-steps for getting each thing done (e.g. under “grad party,” list all the things that entails such as photos, invitations, decorations, etc.). Getting all of your responsibilities down will help you stay organized and more easily break each task down into more manageable bites. 

2. Create a calendar: Either create or buy a calendar, and write down all due dates, tests, exams and events. This could include simple tasks, such as how many pages to read each evening to finish that book report on time, to more important events, such as, oh, I don’t know, graduation?!

3. Focus on the now: What task are you focusing on right now? Tackle that one, and only that one, first. Then, when you’re completely finished with it, move on. Dwelling on how much you have to do will only worsen your feelings of barely disguised panic, anxiety and overload. It also feels great to mark something off your list and know you won’t have to deal with it ever again.

4. Stay busy: This sounds like the opposite of what you want to do, I know. As a  survivor of senioritis, trust me. It’s better to stay busy than to be idle. Whenever you’re idle, you’re more prone to amplifying symptoms, such as compulsive tweeting and marathon watching of “The Office.” Also, the busier you stay, the faster you get your infinite responsibilities taken care of.

5. Brainstorm: Stuck on that scholarship essay or research paper? Get out a sheet of paper and brainstorm. Write down your main points, and then branch off from there. Not sure how best to tackle a big history project? Brainstorm the most efficient way of getting it over with while still maintaining the quality of your work. Brainstorming is a great way to stay focused while also giving yourself a needed change of pace.

6. Take a break: This is exactly what your senioritis is telling you to do. But honestly, there comes a point where you’re maxed out and the only thing left to do is take a break. It doesn’t have to be a long one to be effective; even 5 minutes will help. You can also use this break time to go out and breathe some of the fresh, spring air.

7. Remove temptation: Back. Away. From. The. Phone. Or the computer, or the TV. Everyone has a vice. Separate yourself from it when possible. Try tucking your phone away or going into another room where a TV connected to Netflix and the world of entertainment does not have the chance to entice you in your senioritis weakened state.

8. Create a Study Group: Gathering together with other victims can combine strengths and combat your weaknesses. Get a group together who all need to study for a test or get those pesky lab write-ups done, and lay down some ground rules: no phones, no gossiping, etc. Hopefully, the added pressure to focus and having others to help you with difficult concepts will help finish off some of your tasks.

9. Isolate yourself:  Get away from distractions---because even though you love them, they may be an enabler. Your friend might miss your company during the game, but you need to get stuff done! Move to your office to the kitchen table.  Focus. You can do this!

10. Treat yourself: You did it. You finished something. OK, so you finished a lab – and you have five more to go. But you still did it! Reward yourself with a small piece of candy or a short break. But be careful. Don’t reward yourself too much, and stay focused. The ultimate reward is getting everything done, so you’re in for the long haul.

All humor aside, I do not believe that Senioritis is contagious. The epidemic of lethargy is something that can be controlled. Everything that we do in life is a choice: what we think, what we say, and how we behave. Likewise, our attitude, effort, and approach is something that we can control. 

It would be unacceptable for any of us to just stop working just because our co-worker was in the months of April and May. School, especially at this time, refines us for the next phase of our life's journey--regardless of the grade level.

Our time is so short before we reach the finish line. Seize every opportunity to refine your purpose!

Stay Warm!
​Douglas Murray, Principal

In closing, congratulations to Dean Coso who committed to play soccer for Mount Union University. Watch this great video with some amazing footage of Chardon Memorial Stadium!

This was a phenomenal week of learning and serving at Chardon High School. While the 12th graders were working on their Senior Projects, Juniors were taking the ACT...our Freshman and Sophomore students were demonstrating our core values to their families, neighbors, and community. 

As you can see from the word cloud image (noted above), students spent their day focusing on numerous areas of service. From helping a sick sibling to serving a community member--students modeled our core values on the first day of Spring.

We are extremely grateful for your flexibility while we administered the ACT Test. Moving forward to next year, we will continue to communicate ways that we can meet the needs of all of our students.

Students in Mrs. Ricci's and Ms. Tekavec's third quarter Topper Time made (86) red baby beanies/hats for the American Heart Association's "Little Heads, Big Hearts" drive and made (34) blankets for Project Linus. Some students learned how to crochet and the "veterans" fine-tuned their crochet skills learning new techniques.

*Community Members*-Mrs. Ricci is accepting any donations of all colors of yarn and fleece to continue these great service projects. She can be contacted at Karin.Ricci@chardonschools.org

It is hard to believe that we are at the dawn of Spring Break! Looking back at all of the phenomenal work that our students and staff have accomplished this year is quite impressive. I cannot express (in simple words) how grateful I am for the extraordinary students that we educate at Chardon High School.

Spring provides us the opportunity to transition into a new season of growth. With such a LONG winter, we are all ready and optimistic for the snow to melt, and for new growth to spring from the earth.  Long winters can often create a lull and lethargy to our energy--not to mention a ton of yard work.

Throughout the long winter, the one guiding light each day are the students. They are kind, humorous, compassionate, and engaging. We truly have amazing students at Chardon High School! 

Take time this break to refresh, unplug, and spend time outside. I am looking forward to some personal time with my family---together!

Have a beautiful break!

Douglas Murray
​Principal