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2/28/2017 The @chs_dmurray: Week in ReflectionGratitude On behalf of the faculty and staff, I would like to personally extend my gratitude to every parent and community member for your kindness and thoughtfulness especially over the last month. We are surrounded by the beauty of your children each day. We remind each person of their value, gifts, and purpose. Together, we are raising a generation of Hilltoppers who live their lives to the fullest--striving for academic excellence; modeling our core values. Some people choose to see the world with a narrow lens that often leads to selfish choices, and individualism. We have chosen to educate your children to reach beyond the status quo in content mastery, collaboration, critical thinking, creativity, communication, and caring. We strive to be the beacon of excellence in providing a well-rounded student. The emotion of the past week bonded us closer together. We realize that healing has its own timeline, and trials. Our healing provides opportunity to share, grow, and strive to look inward. We have transcended many difficulties over the past five years, and vow to continue to demonstrate humility, kindness, and outreach to our community that loves your children---regardless of the students that have reached commencement or those beginning their academic years. I am grateful for my staff. I am grateful to those on our staff and in our community who have created foundations for the purpose of providing awareness, and solutions for school safety. Love is something that is hard to define and express in simple terms. With love comes responsibility and the opportunity for confidence and courage. Chardon is rooted in these values which we will continue to grow with our sustainable effort to treat every person as member of a greater purpose. Simple words cannot express how much we appreciate your support. Maple Leaf Article : This article provides an authenticity of who we are at CHS. Gymnastics: Team is State Bound!  Chardon is hitting Interstate 71 for the team competition for the first time since back-to-back appearances in 2006 and 2007 after placing fourth with a 140.000. The Hilltoppers were third on balance beam and fourth on vault. “It is super special,” coach Kasey Eichele said. “We are very excited. We’ll keep working hard at what we’re doing. We’re very happy." “We had our ups and downs with the meet, but we definitely nailed vault. We had some big vaults. There’s definitely improvements to be made, so we’ll be working at that in practice. But other than that, we’ll keep striving for the best.” Kayla Benjamin, in her return as a junior after a knee injury derailed her sophomore campaign, was sixth on bars with a 9.050. She also advanced on floor and all-around. Other area state qualifiers were Lillian Baker (vault, beam) and Emily Phillips (vault) CHS TEAM SCORE: (140) 4th place All district: Lily Baker Kayla Benjamin State individual qualifiers Vault: 10th Lily Baker 13th Emily Phillips Bars: 6th Kayla Benjamin Beam: 9th Lily Baker Floor: 10th Kayla Benjamin AA: 14th Kayla Benjamin The girls are leaving CHS Friday morning at approximately 8:30, and to celebrate their great accomplishment and to send them off properly with our best wishes, we will perform a Drum Line/Clap- Out at 8:15 am. Congratulations! Wrestling UpdateThe team finished in second place in the sectional tournament filling 9 of 14 weight classes. The 'Toppers finished very strong even after three season ending injuries. The Hilltoppers had five wrestlers in the finals with 2 champions (Rocazella and Ducca) and 3 runner-ups (Hamulak, Eldridge and Clute). Trevor Swick lost his first match of the tournament and won four in a row to place third and qualify to the district tournament. Nick Becker had an upset on the day--coming from behind to win in the opening round of the tournament. He followed with a pin in the consolation semifinals that allowed him to qualify to this weekend's district tournament by placing fourth in the tournament. Andrew McNaughton, who is Matt Klingberg's back up, also pulled off an upset win against a wrestler from Madison. Andrew, who lost to this wrestler two weeks ago, qualified for the district tournament. This week the eight district qualifiers will each compete for a state tournament berth. In order for that to happen they will have to place in the top four in their respective weight classes. We are so proud of these fine men and their coaches! National Signing We are so proud of Deanna Ogrinc and Mary Sweet who were surrounded by family, friends, and coaches as they signed their National Letter of Intent this week. Deanna has chosen to attend The United States Military Academy at West Point. The Academy's mission is to educate, train and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country and prepared for a career of professional excellence and service to the nation as an officer in the United States Army. The Academy provides a superb four-year education, which focuses on the leader development of cadets in the academic, military, and physical domains, all underwritten by adherence to a code of honor. We couldn't be any happier for Deanna and her commitment to excellence. Mary has chosen to attend The U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The Academy is proud to educate leaders of a multi-mission, maritime military force. Commissioned officers in the Coast Guard lead teams of men and women and are continually called on to serve their community, country and fellow citizens. While the United States Coast Guard is notable as the oldest life-saving service in the world, its roles include more than just maritime safety and security. The Coast Guard is also called upon for critical service in protection of natural resources, maritime mobility (management of maritime traffic, commerce and navigation) and national defense. We also couldn't be any happier for Mary and her commitment to excellence.   Science Olympiad: Regional CompetitionCongratulations to students participating in the Regional Science Olympiad Competition on February 25, 2017. The C Division team (representing grades 9-12) placed 3rd in their division. The B Division Team, representing grades 6-9, placed 6th. Both teams have now qualified to compete in the State Finals, to be held at The Ohio State University on April 1st, 2017. Awards in individual events are as follows: Division B (6-9th grade): 2nd Place Ecology - Alex Reed and Jason Watson 2nd Place Invasive Species - Josh Campbell and Brady Williams 2nd Place Reach for the Stars - Daniel Brill and Sebastian Marker 3rd Place Ecology - Noah Munoz and Owen Vokoun 3rd Place Fast Facts - Reagan Halford and Brady Williams 3rd Place Road Scholar - Ian Quinn and John Ellington 3rd Place Wright Stuff - Jason Watson and Michael Oh 4th Place Optics - Evan Baker and Zane Kuhnle 4th Place Rocks and Minerals - Ethan Fuerst and Owen Vokoun 4th Place Towers - Daniel Brill and Emily Fuerst 4th Place Wright Stuff - Evan Baker and Owen Vokoun 5th Place Mission Possible - Emily Fuerst and Evan Baker 5th Place Wind Power - Brady Williams and Sebastian Marker Division C (9-12th grade): 1st Place Chem Lab - Nick Schragal and Richie Wainio 1st Place Disease Detectives - Arman Bayat and Richie Wainio 1st Place Experimental Design - Drew Williams, Emily Stern and Heather Humbert 1st Place Forensics - Emily Munoz and Emily Stern 2nd Place Astronomy - Nick Schragal and Heather Humbert 2nd Place Game On - Colby and Drew Williams 2nd Place Materials Science - Nick Schragal and Richie Wainio 2nd Place Robot Arm - Alex Schragal and Drew Williams 2nd Place Towers - Halle Crtalic and Heather Humbert 3rd Place Microbe Mission - Liam Kerry and Rachel Yates 3rd Place Rocks and Minerals - Asher Vokoun and Colby Williams 3rd Place Towers - John Melesky and Liam Kerry 4th Place Dynamic Planet - Asher Vokoun and Emily Munoz 4th Place Helicopters - Drew Williams and Richie Wainio 5th Place Electric Vehicle - Alex Schragal and Connor Fuerst 5th Place Materials Science - Liam Kerry and Tyler Mothersbaugh The Learning CenterEnclosed are the latest issues of the Lav Report and LC Newsletter. In the Lav Report this month is an article about the Emperor Science Award, which is an essay contest for students in grades 10-11. 100 students will be chosen to receive a summer internship working on cancer research. Cash and a Chromebook are also included for the students fortunate enough to be chosen for this wonderful opportunity. A second article looks at ways students can determine fake news from the real thing when reading or doing research. In the Learning Center Newsletter readers will find two articles that focus on using video when presenting in the classroom. Both teachers and students can benefit from the resources and information found within. A third article speaks to the importance of making students aware of how they think. Otherwise known as metacognition, when students are shown ways to think about thinking, it can aid them to improve their learning. Thank you, Mrs. Eby for providing these publications. ACT InformationStarting this school year the state of Ohio is requiring that all districts provide students with an opportunity to take the ACT. The test can be used for graduation points and will also be a usable score for college admissions. One way for students to demonstrate readiness for college is through scores on two college admissions tests – ACT and SAT. In Ohio, a remediation-free score on either test is one of three ways a student can meet requirements for a high school diploma. We, at Chardon High School, will be administering the ACT on March 21st. Preparing for the ACT ACT FAQ's Contact Kathleen Kisabeth if you have any questions. More details will come in next week's edition of the Week in Reflection. Spring Musical: Les Miserables Art by: Abby Stocker Les Miserables, or Les Mis, is the much loved musical based on the 1860's novel of the same name by famous French poet and novelist Victor Hugo. The show premiered in Paris in 1980. Chardon High School's production will open Thursday, March 16th at 7pm. Shows will also be held on Friday, March 17 & Saturday, March 18th at 7pm and Sunday, March 19th at 2pm. Location Park Auditorium 111 Goodrich Court On Chardon Square Tickets Adults - $12 Students & over 65 - $8 Dates March 16th, 17th 18th @ 7:00 PM March 19th @ 2:00 PM Personal Care Item Drive Chardon Interact Club is hosting a Personal care Item drive to combat homelessness in Geauga County. Donation boxes will be by the cafeteria doors, donations would include: shampoo, conditioner, deodorant, hygiene items, and more! It will go through march 1st, through the 10th! Let's see if we can beat last year's total of 3,000 items!  Have a great weekend with family and friends! Remember, the 3rd quarter ends on 3/10--Finish Strong!
Douglas Murray, Principal Follow me on Twitter @chs_dmurray 2/23/2017 The @chs_dmurray: Week in ReflectionWe Define Our Story Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved. --Helen Keller Character defines the very essence of who we are, where we are, and demonstrates the pureness of our choices. At Chardon High School, we recognize the beauty of every student and every staff member's' story along with seeing the value of the human spirit. Our staff emulates compassion and love to the children that they encounter each day. People often ask me, "what makes Chardon unique", and I immediately tell them that our school community epitomizes excellence in every deed, word, and lesson. Our staff teaches students to understand the value of developing meaningful relationships and ways to pay their lives forward. These lessons transcend the curriculum to develop young men and women not only for college, and careers---but for life. Abraham Lincoln said, “Reputation is the shadow. Character is the tree. “ Our teachers express that character is much more than just reputation...it is who we are even when nobody's watching. Having a good character means doing the right thing just because it is right to do. This is the fabric that creates our outreach programs in Project Linus, Great Pal's, AC4P, FMP, NHS Tutoring, and other acts of servant leadership. Every family has their own story. As you reflect upon this- you may think about those inside of your circles that hurt or may be suffering from emotional or physical ailments. Just as your own capacity for handling situations vary---the person next to you is experiencing their own story. It is so important to recognize those who might need your patience and understanding with their situation. Just as every family has their own story, so do we at CHS as a larger family. Together, we define the paths set forth before us. We are Hilltoppers. As Hilltoppers, we climb higher than others, and model with humility our values as a beacon of hope for those that look up to us. The paths that we have faced have not been easy. There have been moments of difficulty, moments of sorrow, along with defining moments of integrity. We are not defined by a calendar. We are Chardon, born and raised. Defined by consistency in action and the determination to succeed by living the truth and leading the way with dignity. Kindness resonates into every fiber of who we are. It changes us to strive towards being better, it helps us to slow down and really pay attention to who we are and what our purpose in life actually is. Life is a journey up the side of a mountain, but we are 'Toppers. We love to live, and live to love. As Principal, it is important for me to tell you how much that you are loved. Anniversary Reactions: by JOHN C. FLANAGAN LCSW Heart-2-Heart DanceI just want to take a moment to thank Mr. Mizen, his Leadership class, and our amazing students for such a meaningful Valentine's Dance! Hosted by Chardon High School students, University Hospital Geauga Medical Center and the Geauga County Department on Aging, the party was a celebration for golden-agers and a means of connecting generations. A beautiful lady from the Senior Center said, "please tell the school, Thank you!" she continues, "sometimes we feel forgotten and disconnected with the youth and today reminded me of the beauty of humanity...it is the best feeling that I had in decades." If that doesn't give you goosebumps. WOW. Free Harmony: Mentor Show Choir Festival On Saturday, February 18th, Free Harmony, Chardon High School's show choir participated in the Mentor Show Choir Festival hosted by Mentor Top 25. The festival featured a variety of top groups from Mentor, Perry, Madison, Aurora, and Mayfield. It was a great program attended by over 1,000 audience members. Free Harmony brought high energy to the stage as they presented modern songs of Broadway including "Step One", "Brand New You", "Stronger", and "Dancing Queen". Congratulations to Free Harmony for an outstanding job representing themselves and CHS on the big stage! Emergency Medical Authorization FormsChardon Schools uses an Online Forms platform that allows you to verify the directory information we have on file for your child(ren), make changes if necessary, and submit beginning of the year forms electronically (Emergency Medical Authorization (EMA) Internet usage, photo permission, athletics, etc…). This electronic submission takes the place of the paper forms. Your child’s directory information, along with the district and athletic forms are ready for your review. For families who already have an Online Forms:
Ignite Your Career!Today’s students are facing very difficult choices as they graduate from high school. Most people believe that without a college education, students will not be able to get the jobs they want and need in order to support themselves. Yet, the amount of debt that these students face is staggering – and sometimes students are still not able to find good jobs that are satisfying and supporting of a reasonable life style. AND - there are many good jobs available that need a different kind of training. These jobs can appeal to students who are not interested in college - at least right now - they can offer good pay and benefits and good opportunities for growth. Geauga Growth Partnership and the Geauga County business community is working on this issue and there are some exciting possibilities right here in our county. We believe this can be a help to you in meeting State-mandated career education opportunities. We’re offering food, some great speakers, and an opportunity to meet individually with local business leaders to discuss options that will benefit your students. We’re hoping you will continue to help us get the word out to as many people as possible so that they can take advantage of this opportunity. Ignite Your Career! is more than a symposium, more than a job fair, and it can give students and their parents some crucial information as they consider options in this increasingly complicated world of work. The flier contains registration information which will help us with our planning. We appreciate your help with this and look forward to meeting local students and parents.   Stress relievers: Tips to tame stressIs stress making you frustrated and irritable? Stress relievers can help restore calm and serenity to your chaotic life. You don't have to invest a lot of time or thought into stress relievers. If your stress is getting out of control and you need quick relief, try one of these tips. Get active Virtually any form of physical activity can act as a stress reliever. Even if you're not an athlete or you're out of shape, exercise can still be a good stress reliever. Physical activity can pump up your feel-good endorphins and other natural neural chemicals that enhance your sense of well-being. Exercise can also refocus your mind on your body's movements, which can improve your mood and help the day's irritations fade away. Consider walking, jogging, gardening, housecleaning, biking, swimming, weightlifting or anything else that gets you active. Eat a healthy diet Eating a healthy diet is an important part of taking care of yourself. Aim to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables, and whole grains. Avoid unhealthy habits Some people may deal with stress by drinking too much caffeine or alcohol, smoking, eating too much, or using illicit substances. These can affect your health in unhealthy ways. Meditate or Pray During this mindfulness , you focus your attention and quiet the stream of jumbled thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. Meditation can instill a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit both your emotional well-being and your overall health. Laugh more A good sense of humor can't cure all ailments, but it can help you feel better, even if you have to force a fake laugh through your grumpiness. When you laugh, it not only lightens your mental load but also causes positive physical changes in your body. Laughter fires up and then cools down your stress response. So read some jokes, tell some jokes, watch a comedy or hang out with your funny friends. Connect with others When you're stressed and irritable, your instinct may be to wrap yourself in a cocoon. Instead, reach out to family and friends and make social connections. Social contact is a good stress reliever because it can offer distraction, provide support and help you tolerate life's up and downs. So take a coffee break with a friend, email a relative or visit your place of worship. Got more time? Considering volunteering for a charitable group and help yourself while helping others. Assert yourself You might want to do it all, but you can't, at least not without paying a price. Learning to say no or being willing to delegate can help you manage your to-do list and your stress. Saying yes may seem like an easy way to keep the peace, prevent conflicts and get the job done right. But it may actually cause you internal conflict because your needs and those of your family come second, which can lead to stress, anger, resentment and even the desire to exact revenge. And that's not a very calm and peaceful reaction. Try yoga With its series of postures and controlled-breathing exercises, yoga is a popular stress reliever. Yoga brings together physical and mental disciplines which may help you achieve peacefulness of body and mind. Yoga can help you relax and manage stress and anxiety. Try yoga on your own or find a class — you can find classes in most communities. Get enough sleep Stress can cause you to have trouble falling asleep. When you have too much to do — and too much to think about — your sleep can suffer. But sleep is the time when your brain and body recharge. The quality and amount of sleep you get can affect your mood, energy level, concentration and overall functioning. If you have sleep troubles, make sure that you have a quiet, relaxing bedtime routine, listen to soothing music, put clocks away, and stick to a consistent schedule. Keep a journal Writing down your thoughts and feelings can be a good release for otherwise pent-up emotions. Don't think about what to write — just let it happen. Write whatever comes to mind. No one else needs to read it, so don't strive for perfection in grammar or spelling. Just let your thoughts flow on paper — or computer screen. Music Listening to or playing music is a good stress reliever because it can provide a mental distraction, reduce muscle tension and decrease stress hormones. Crank up the volume and let your mind be absorbed by the music. If music isn't one of your interests, turn your attention to another hobby you enjoy, such as gardening, sewing, sketching — anything that requires you to focus on what you're doing rather than what you think you should be doing. Seek counseling If new stressors are challenging your ability to cope or if self-care measures just aren't relieving your stress, you may need to look for reinforcements in the form of therapy or counseling. Therapy also may be a good idea if you feel overwhelmed or trapped, if you worry excessively, or if you have trouble carrying out daily routines or meeting responsibilities at work, home or school. Professional counselors or therapists can help you identify sources of your stress and learn new coping tools. ConclusionWe are so grateful for your kindness, thoughts, and intentions as we transition into next week. Keep in mind the needs of our staff, students, and community.
Likewise, take care of each other. Be together. Douglas Murray, Principal 2/14/2017 The @chs_dmurray: Week in ReflectionWe are Chardon Often times, we wonder if our influence matters. Day in and day out---we live our values and educate with a clear purpose of lessons bigger than standards....wondering if our influence makes a difference. It does. Last Friday, we were able to see something bigger than a basketball game. In the closing minutes of the 4th quarter in the JV game at North, Austin Siracusa entered the game with a big heart and loving spirit. Austin works as the team manager and the sportsmanship of both teams transcended the outcomes of the scoreboard. Twitter Video I am so proud of the young men, the coaches, and the fans. This is a perfect example of living the core values and demonstrating integrity, dignity, and compassion. News-Herald Article Nick Schragel: National Merit Finalist Congratulations, Nick Schragal! Nick has been named a Finalist in the 2017 National Merit® Scholarship Program. As one of approximately 15,000 high school seniors who are Semifinalists, he has an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,500 National Merit Scholarships to be offered in March. What an outstanding accomplishment! We are so proud of you! Program Recognition Of the 1.6 million entrants, some 50,000 with the highest PSAT/NMSQT® Selection Index scores (calculated by doubling the sum of the Reading, Writing and Language, and Math Test scores) qualify for recognition in the National Merit® Scholarship Program. In September, these high scorers are notified through their schools that they have qualified as either a Commended Student or Semifinalist. Finalists In February, some 15,000 Semifinalists are notified by mail at their home addresses that they have advanced to Finalist standing. High school principals are notified and provided with a certificate to present to each Finalist. Winner Selection All winners of Merit Scholarship® awards (Merit Scholar® designees) are chosen from the Finalist group based on their abilities, skills, and accomplishments—without regard to gender, race, ethnic origin, or religious preference. A variety of information is available for NMSC selectors to evaluate: the Finalist's academic record, information about the school's curricula and grading system, two sets of test scores, the high school official's written recommendation, information about the student's activities and leadership, and the Finalist's own essay. FCS UpdateThe FCS department sent a team of junior leaders to the Annual Lake Geauga Youth Summit Leadership Training where they experienced a great day of bonding and learning. In addition to fundamental leadership training sessions, two nationally recognized motivational speakers, E J Carrion and Frank Kitchen, delivered high-energy presentations on student success and team building. Our leadership team will bring back to CHS lessons centered around positive social media and student empowerment. Students who attended the training are Lily Baker, Brandon Frania, Chase Kline, Devon Moses, Morgan Richard, Megan Sivula, Matt Smrdel and Mason Ziegenfuss.  Sports Nutrition Sports Nutrition students finished a unit of personal physical wellness. Students participated in a hands-on lab that enabled them to determine and analyze their blood pressure, flexibility, muscle/heart/lung endurance, target heart rate, and exercise skills. Freshman Mentoring Freshmen Mentoring students had a Valentine's Day bake off. Congratulations go to Isabella Patti and Grace Powell, who were voted the winners. Science Olympiad Congratulations to students participating in the Mentor Science Olympiad Invitational on February 11, 2017. The C Division team (representing grades 9-12) took a fourth place trophy. Awards in individual events are as follows: Division B (6-9th grade): 6th Place Bottle Rockets - Paige Yamamoto and Ethan Fuerst 7th Place Meteorology - Owen Vokoun and Noah Munoz 8th Place Rocks and Minerals - Owen Vokoun and Ethan Fuerst Division C (9-12th grade): 2nd Place Materials Science - Nick Schragal and Richie Wainio 2nd Place Remote Sensing - Nick Schragal and Colby Williams 3rd Place Astronomy - Nick Schragal and Heather Humbert 3rd Place Disease Detectives - Arman Bayat and Richie Wainio 4th Place Helicopters - John Meleski and Alex Schragal 4th Place Robot Arm - Connor Fuerst and Alex Schragal 4th Place Rocks and Minerals - Asher Vokoun and Colby Williams 4th Place Towers - Emily Stern and Heather Humbert 5th Place Chem Lab - Nick Schragal and Richie Wainio 5th Place Electric Vehicle - Connor Fuerst and Alex Schragal 6th Place Dynamic Planet - Asher Vokoun and Colby Williams 6th Place Game On Drew and Colby Williams 6th Place Helicopters - Drew Williams and Heather humbert 6th Place Towers - Connor Fuerst and Halle Crtalic 7th Place Diseases Detectives - Rachel Yates and Liam Kerry 7th Place Ecology - Nick Schragal and Emily Munoz 7th Place Wind Power - Arman Bayat and Nick Schragal 8th Place Wind power - Connor Fuerst and Halle Crtalic SportsMid-Season Gymnastics: by Madelyn Hamulak  This year, the gymnastics team has undoubtedly had their strongest season yet. With the additions of five new girls, a new practice gym, and head coach Kasey Eichle, they have had their best season and have been able to score their highest team score in years. On Sunday, February 6th, Chardon had one of their last home meets at Lake Erie Gymnastics School in Mentor. The girls were able to take first place scoring 139.95, their highest team score. They beat Mentor, Riverside, and Perry. This year they are hoping to get that score up to 140. The team has also travelled to Dublin, Brecksville, and Strongsville. They have had good luck at most meets so far. In January the team traveled to Dublin Ohio and took second place out of 15 teams. They beat some past state qualifiers which is a good sign. Sophomore Jaden Linn said,”We did very well at Dublin. We beat a few previous state qualifiers which gives us a lot of hope going into sectionals and districts.” Senior Jessica Liechty said,”This season has been great so far. Especially since it is my last season. We have gotten our highest team score as well. We are really hoping to make it to states and that would be a great end to my gymnastics career.” The team's main goal is to make it to states at the end of February. At the Dublin meet they had their second highest score of 139.9. Junior Kayla Benjamin said,”Recently I have come back from my knee surgery and it feels so good to be back. We all have so much fun together and meets have been going very well. Making it to states would be awesome. We are all super excited.” The team has also had some overall wins. At the Brecksville Invitational they took first overall, beating six teams. Also, at the Strongsville meet they were able to take first beating four teams. February 15th is the WRC competition. The girls are hoping to take first like they have the past five years. Junior Lily Baker said, “ Our next meet is the WRC and we have won for the past five years in a row. We are hoping to take home first again this year.” This meet is at home at Lake Erie Gymnastics School in Mentor. Since there is no gymnastics equipment at Chardon High, the girls travel to Mentor everyday to practice. Junior Emily Phillips said,”We have been practicing at a real gym in Mentor this year. We used to practice at West Geauga High School. This is a great advantage to us since we have very nice equipment now.” Also, at the end of February the team has their sectional tournament where they are hoping to qualify for Districts and from there to States. Two years ago the team did qualify for districts, but last year they did not. It is very tough competition so they are hoping for the best. Below are the results of the WRC Competition  Mid- Season Basketball Review: By T.J. Kinkopf The Chardon boys basketball team has been in gym as much as they can to do whatever they can to get better and to be the best that they can be. Head coach Chad Murawski preaches “Hard work always pays off every single time, you can't cheat the Grind and the Grind will never cheat you”. The boys basketball team has been in the gym grinding every chance that they get, the players and coaches believe that every opportunity to get better will help turn this program around. Hilltopper Junior, Alex Sulka, is the player to try and stop for the Hilltoppers, He's averaging 20 PPG and is the main guy the Hilltoppers look to get the ball to. When you have a squad behind the best player in the Western Reserve Conference, you have a pretty good chance of winning games. I got a chance to catch up with senior Shane Quin on his thoughts on how the season is going, this is what he had to say “The season is one of the funnest seasons I've ever been a part of, all the guys are really close and we've been winning some games so it's been really fun, but i'm not looking forward to the season coming to an end”. The Hilltoppers have had some nail biters this year including Kenston, Mayfield, and Madison. Senior Dan Ciolek had some words for their close game loses this year “It always stinks to lose the close ones, those are the ones that are almost must wins once you play that well and put all the hard work in every single week, it hurts but we bounce back with even more juice than we went into the week with”. The Chardon Hilltoppers are having the most successful season they've had in a couple years. First year Varsity Coach Chad Murawski said, “The players are coming to practice with the mindset of outworking their opponents. We have great senior leadership who brings effort and energy every day, which trickles down to the younger players. I am proud of how hard they are competing and learning to win. ”The boys look to face off at rival Madison this friday where they look to get a win against a good matchup. Chardon Wrestling: by Kyle McCaffrey  When you think of winter sports you may think of basketball, gymnastics, or maybe even indoor track but the sport I want to talk about is the sport that takes place deep behind the doors in the back of the gym. That sport is Wrestling. When you walk into the back through the metal doors that say “Three Days In March” painted across the top of it, a room emerges in which you may notice all the vibrant, red mats, but the first things most people notice is the temperature. Referred to as the “toaster oven” by some, Senior Captain Dustin Clute has his own opinion of it. “Sure the rooms hot, it feels more like summer than winter but it is necessary to stay in shape and be competitive because I love to eat.” Dustin is not the only one who loves to eat and is not the only Captain. All the Seniors on the team are Captains. Dustin, Trevor Swick, Justin Stanko, Sam the Rock, and Matt Klingsberg. Sadly, Matt has an injury and is out for the remainder of the season, which is a bummer, but he has been replaced with Sophomore Andrew McNaughton, who has been having some success with his win last week against Olmsted Falls. When asking Dustin how the team is doing he exclaimed “We have had a ton of success in duals lately, Jake Hamulak is very good, and Sam just got his 100th win a couple weeks ago as well.” Wrestling is one of the most physical sports in the world. Comparable to the UFC in my opinion… except you cannot punch and kick people or things like that, but it comes down to the same concept of who wants it more and who is more physical. It is not who can get into the endzone or who can make the baskets, it is who can put their opponent on their backs; which is not always easy. The Wrestling team recently hosted the Narrah Graham Duels Tournament competing against North, South, Riverside, and Brush. Chardon took first place with scores of : Chardon vs. North 72-6, Chardon vs. Riverside 49-19, Chardon vs. South 51-19, and Chardon vs. Brush 66-6. It was also Senior Night for the 5 Seniors. It was a memorable day for the Seniors and the rest of the Wrestling squad. While there are only a few matches and tournaments left, the Toppers plan to keep rolling and working hard. Chardon Swim Team: by Coach Parrish We had a great swim meet on Saturday. The girls went from 6th last year to 3rd this year (behind Mayfield and Solon) and the boys were 9th overall. Some of the most recent highlights include: District Qualifiers: Everett McFarland: 200 free and 500 free Jayne Sopenski: 100 fly and 100 back Katarina Valentic: 200 IM and 100 breast Anne Evans: 100 free Sarah Bennett: 50 free and 100 back Marissa Scerbo: 500 free Natalie Dumm: 100 fly Noel Rozic: relay Sectional Champs: 200 Medley Relay Katherine Jerry: 50 and 100 free Sarah Bennett: 100 back (2nd in 50 free) Team Records Set: 200 medley Relay: Bennett, Valentic, Sopenski, Jerry 200 free: Everett McFarland 500 free: Everett McFarland 50 free: Katherine Jerry 100 back: Sarah Bennett 200 IM: Katarina Valentic 100 Breast Stroke: Katarina Valentic Chardon Lady 'Toppers Season in Review: by Coach Harris The girls basketball regular season ended this past Monday 2/13 with senior night as the Toppers hosted Aurora. Senior night, like much of the season, ended in a victory for both the junior varsity and varsity programs. The freshman finished their season with a record of 13-3 despite only having 7 players for the majority of the year. The girls were led by first year coach Ali Gagne who helped to build a close knit team where everyone enjoyed playing together. The highlight of their season were nail biting victories over Kenston (42-40) and Mentor (33-29) in the final weeks of the season. These close wins provided the girls with the satisfactory feeling of seeing their hard work for the past 3 months pay off. The junior varsity team finished the year with an impressive record of 20-1, with their only loss coming against North by 4 points. In their 20 wins, the junior varsity team outscored their opponents on average of 47-22. The highlight of the junior varsity season was avenging their only loss to North when they traveled to Eastlake to win by a score of 30-22. The girls played hard under Coach Anjalia Lyons and came together as a group to get better each and every day. The varsity team ended their regular season with a record of 17-5, including finishing second in the Western Reserve Conference. The team received many contributions from every member of the team, but their success wouldn’t have been possible without the leadership of their 5 seniors Josie Cremeans, Bri Kuty, Kaitlin Kobuszewski, Tessa Ludwick, and Alexa Peters. Regardless of their roles on the team, the 5 seniors came to practice every day with the purpose of making sure their teammates were working hard and improving every day. The team finished ranked #4 in the News-Herald Top of the Crop and #16 in the Plain Dealer/Cleveland.Com Top 25. Consistently throughout the year there were many players who appeared in the statistical leaders in the News Herald including: Seniors - Tessa Ludwick (points, steals, assists), Kaitin Kobuszewski (steals), Alexa Peters (steals), Josie Cremeans (assists, 3 pointers made) Juniors - Grace Bradley (points, rebounds, blocks, steals, assists), Faith DiLillo (rebounds) Sophomores - Sydney Feller (points, 3 pointers made - currently tied for the school record with 70), Lindsey Nichols (steals, 3 pointers made), and Tori Butala (3 pointers made, blocks). As a team they have already surpassed the previous school record with 176 3 pointers made in a season. Individually, Sydney Feller put her name in the state record books with 9 threes in a single game against Willoughby South. The varsity teams begins the state tournament at home on Saturday 2/18 at 1 PM versus Madison. The successful year for all levels wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of parents, families, and the community. Maple Festival
I CAN Statements It really bothers me to hear people say they can’t do something they are more than capable of doing. I think to myself, why would you think that way? There’s nothing wrong with you. You can do it. Sometimes I want to ask, “If I gave you a million dollars, could you figure out a way to do it?” In my view, one of life’s greatest tragedies is people falling short of their potential because of self-limiting statements. Once the seed of a limiting belief is planted in the mind it’s generally fertilized with negative self-talk. Your self-talk is the internal dialogue you have with yourself. When it gets really negative you say things like, “I can’t do anything right”, “I could never do that”, “I can’t make good decisions” or something else along those lines. These statements are all false yet you allow yourself to think they are true. Many of these self-limiting statements are simply excuses. For example, if someone says, “I could never get in front of a group of people and give a presentation.” Unless they literally can’t speak, they are lying to themselves by saying they can’t do it. Nothing good comes from making such a statement. Don’t allow yourself to say you can’t do things that are actually feasible. You’re better off to admit you DON’T WANT to do something rather than to say you can’t do it. The more you make those types of false statements the more you will believe them. This is very important. Don’t allow yourself to think or say you can’t do something you are perfectly capable of doing. From this day forward, don’t allow yourself to say, ‘I can’t do something” unless it is something you really cannot do. Keep in mind that these types of statements limit your opportunities and prevent you from searching for solutions. Perhaps the most common of all limiting beliefs is the idea that you can’t reach a certain level of success. On a success scale of 1-10, you may think you can get to a 7 but not a 10. If someone has reached a 10, why can’t you? Really. Why can’t you? Why put up barriers? You are filled with gifts and talents — the ability to be all that you can be and take advantage of all that life has to offer. Accept the gift. The sky’s the limit.  Have a great weekend!
Douglas Murray, Principal 2/7/2017 The @chs_dmurray: Week in ReflectionPay It Forward Kindness is a simple concept, yet so very impactful. It can make the world a better place by ending suffering at the hands of war, hunger, human rights violations, and injustice. It has the power to drastically improve our own well-being as well as that of our families, friends, acquaintances, and strangers. The very act of expressing graciousness to one another can make us more empathetic of other people’s hardships. Within the workforce, kindness towards one another can inspire employees to be more productive and make businesses more profitable. And within our communities, kindness contributes to safer and cleaner schools and neighborhoods. Does the paragraph above sound a bit dramatic? Pay attention to how kindness has the ability to impact your life. Observe those moments when someone does something unexpectedly kind for you. How frequently does it happen? How does it make you feel? Does it transform your outlook on the day? We challenge you to commit a random act of kindness. Spend two minutes a day doing it for just three weeks. How does it make you feel? How does it make your recipients feel? With very little time (even just two minutes a day) and very minimal effort we can transform a human being’s day, week, or even life. The return on investment is off the charts! How can something so simple and so easy have such a tremendous impact on others and ourselves? Every act of kindness creates a ripple effect that spreads from person to person with no end in sight. Kindness is contagious like a disease in which the outcome is divinely beautiful. NHSOn Monday, we celebrated the induction of our National Honor Society. The National Honor Society (NHS) is the nation's premier organization established to recognize outstanding high school students. More than just an honor roll, NHS serves to recognize those students who have demonstrated excellence in the areas of scholarship, service, leadership, and character. Our ceremony was a beautiful reminder of how we value these pillars through the applied actions of our students. Sincere thanks and appreciation to Mrs. Lacey Jacobs for all of her work and service to NHS. The Four Pillars of National Honor Society Scholarship is characterized by a commitment to learning. A student is willing to spend the necessary time to cultivate his/ her mind in the quest for knowledge. This pillar can only be achieved through diligence and effort. Scholarship means always doing the best work possible, regardless of impending reward. Service: The pillar of service can be reached in a variety of ways. The willingness to work for the benefit of those in need without compensation or recognition of any kind is a quality that is essential in NHS members. As a service club, the National Honor Society is highly concerned with giving its all to the school and community at large. Leadership: Leaders take the initiative to aid others in a wholesome manner throughout their daily activities. Leaders sacrifice their personal interests in order to yield to the needs of others. Leaders need wisdom and self-confidence to affect change in all aspects of their lives. Some examples of leadership can include, but are not limited to, leading group activities in the classroom and in the community, being an officer in a club, being a primary member of the band or choir, or being the captain of a sports team. Character: Character is what distinguishes one individual from another. It is the product of constant striving to make the right choices day after day. Students with good character demonstrate respect, responsibility, trustworthiness, fairness, caring, and citizenship in all of their actions. Book ClubSophomores For their second independent book for the year, sophomores in Mrs. Newman's English II classes are part of a Book Club. Students were given a choice of ten books based on their interests and split into groups. They are discussing the books over the month of February. As in any book club, discussion is made better by refreshments brought in voluntarily for their group. On Monday, they brought in props that related to their books and discussed key passages. Some of the favorite book choices were: An Abundance of Katherines by John Green, Code Talker: A Novel About the Navajo Marines of World War Two by Joseph Bruchac, Payback Time by Carl Deuker, and The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. I am so grateful to Mrs. Newman and her continuous passion to challenge students to live beyond the moment, to dream beyond what can be authored, and to believe in the power of literacy. Freshman In Mrs. Kolcum's English I classes were given a choice of ten books based on their interests and split into groups. They are discussing the books over the month of February. The books include: A Separate Peace The Truth About Forever An Abundance of Katherines The Burn Journals The Art of Racing in the Rain The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night The Other Wes Moore A Child Called It I Am the Messenger Speak Mrs. Kolcum's dynamic approach with students challenge them to go beyond the status quo and enlighten the students to live the truth, question the unknown , and become the author of their own destiny. Curriculum/Scheduling This week, the School Counselors and Administration collaborated in presenting to the students in grades 9, 10, and 11 the bell schedule and courses of study. Most of the students have heard messages like this before...but this year, the tone was different. As a school, we have many new offerings to share and a new framework to work within. It is truly exciting to be a Hilltopper. I am enclosing presentations from each grade level, along with sharing the presentation from our Curriculum Night. I am so grateful to our School Counselors- Nikki Hetrick, Lacey Jacobs, and Tim Hurlbut for their efforts in refining the presentations. Likewise, I am grateful for my amazing staff who sacrificed their time to showcase why a Chardon education prepares students the best. Many department chairs work purposefully to demonstrate how our course offerings and teachers best prepare students for College, Career and Life Readiness. With the continued support of our Assistant Superintendent, Dr. Klein, the message was clear about who we are and what we do as educators. 
Science Olympiad Congratulations to students participating in the Solon Science Olympiad Invitational on February 4, 2017. The C Division team (representing grades 9-12) took a sixth place trophy. Awards in individual events are as follows: Division B (6-9th grade): 2nd Place Reach for the Stars – Sebastian Marker and Daniel Brill 4th Place Wright Stuff – Evan Baker 7th Place Fast Facts – Brady Williams and Alex Zaccarine (no photo of Alex Zaccarine) 8th Place Invasive Species – Josh Campbell and Brady Williams 8th Place Rocks and Minerals – Reagan Halford Division C (9-12th grade): 2nd place Remote Sensing – Heather Humbert and Nick Schragal 2nd Place Rocks and Minerals – Asher Vokoun and Richie Wainio 3rd place Disease Detectives – Arman Bayat and Richie Wainio 4th Place Astronomy – Heather Humbert and Nick Schragal 4th Place Experimental Design – John Mieleski, Drew Williams and Liam Kerry 4th Place Helicopters – Halle Crtalic and Richie Wainio 4th Place Microbe Mission – Arman Bayat and Asher Vokoun (no photo for this award) 4th Place Towers – Alex Schragal and Liam Kerry 5th Place Game On – Colby Williams and Tyler Mothersbaugh 5th Place Helicopters – Drew Williams and Alex Schragal 6th Place Ecology – Emily Munoz and Nick Schragal 6th Place Electric Vehicle – Connor Fuerst and Alex Schragal 6th Place Robot Arm – Connor Fuerst and Alex Schragal 7th Place Chem Lab – Nick Scragal and Richie Wainio 7th Place invasive Species – Emily Munoz and Asher Vokoun 7th place Remote Sensing – Drew Williams and John Mieleski 8th Place Wind Power – Halle Crtalic and Nick Schragal Photos (Courtesy of Laura Vokoun) Singing in the RainStudents in Deb Steytler's Art classes have beautifully designed umbrellas for the "Singing in the Rain" LIVE Auction at the Great Lakes Mall. This week, she was honored to hear results from this innovative art experience. Below are some of the details: The umbrellas will be hung in the Great Lakes Mall this evening from 7:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. They will be there until April 19th. The TOP 10 umbrellas will be auctioned off at the “Singing in the Rain” LIVE AUCTION at the Great Lakes Mall on May 4th at 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. A student (or the whole team!) will walk the fashion runway to display their work of art to the public, then their umbrella will be auctioned. Congratulations to CHS for making it into the TOP 10 . Teams are invited to participate in the LIVE AUCTION & fashion show (based upon judges scores): Positivity in the Natural Community Genevieve & Kateri Chardon High School Two of the teams will win either the $1,500 or $1,000 scholarship, pending the last student task of “Selfies at the Mall”. Each team can add two bonus points by taking a selfie with their umbrella at the Great Lakes Mall (by March 1st) and posting it to the Lake/Geauga Educational Assistance Foundation (LEAF) Facebook page AND the Great Lakes Mall Facebook page. Congratulations to the following umbrella team, in the TOP 25, who were personally chosen by the LEAF Executive Director to be raffled off at the LEAF Reverse Raffle event at La-Vera Party Center on Saturday, March 4th at 6:00 pm. Serenity and Peace Rains Rose Chardon High School One of the selected teams, along with their Parent/Guardian will win complimentary dinner tickets to the LEAF Reverse Raffle event. Please reach out to these students to determine their availability. Unfortunately, their umbrellas will only be on display at the Mall until March 3rd. Congratulations to these 3 CHS Teams that have been named a TOP 25 team. Their umbrellas will be Chinese Raffled at the LEAF “Singing in the Rain” Auction event on May 4th at 5:30 pm at the Great Lakes Mall. These students will not walk the fashion runway, but are welcome to attend and be introduced with their umbrella. Endangered Wildlife Communities Elizabeth, Rachel & Livia Chardon High School Our Unique Town - Chardon Emma, Brianna & Shalom Chardon High School Connect Through Architecture Natalie & Morgan Chardon High School All other umbrellas not listed above from various schools will be auctioned on-line at www.leaf-ohio.org beginning Friday, February 10, 2017 – National Umbrella Day. Anyone can bid and bids will be accepted until May 1, 2017 at 9:00 am. The minimum on-line bid is $50.00, while the maximum bid is $250 (the first person to bid $250 will automatically win that umbrella). LEAF is a non-profit organization, therefore any bid amount above the value of the umbrella ($50) is tax-deductible. ACT Information Starting this school year the state of Ohio is requiring that all districts provide students with an opportunity to take the ACT. The test can be used for graduation points and will also be a usable score for college admissions. One way for students to demonstrate readiness for college is through scores on two college admissions tests – ACT and SAT. In Ohio, a remediation-free score on either test is one of three ways a student can meet requirements for a high school diploma. We, at Chardon High School, will be administering the ACT on March 21st. Preparing for the ACT ACT FAQ's Contact Kathleen Kisabeth if you have any questions. AFS: Hosting a Parent As a leader in international high school exchange for more than 65 years, AFS differs from many other exchange organizations. Among the most important distinctions is that AFS has a network of thousands of volunteers in the US, many of whom have hosted themselves or studied abroad with AFS. These local volunteers support families, students, and schools in gaining the most from the hosting experience. Hosting an international student means more than providing a bed and meals. As an AFS Host Family, you’ll welcome a new member into your home, share your everyday lives, and grow as you get to know one another. You’ll be surprised at how much you learn about yourself, your family and community by hosting a student from another culture. If you are interested in this life-giving opportunity please contact AFS coordinator, Carrie Korenke for details. Night at the Races: THANK YOUThe Chardon Athletic Boosters supports all Chardon Middle School and Chardon High School interscholastic sports teams and the football and basketball cheerleaders; helps improve sports equipment and facilities; works cooperatively with other extracurricular support groups, and strives to become a community forum to encourage cooperation, good ideas, and constructive contributions for the general improvement of athletics. Thank you to every volunteer, patron, and organizer for making this year's Night at the Races such a huge success. Photos Chase Kline Visits OSUCheck out this awesome article about Chase Kline visiting The Ohio State University during Junior Day 2017 Commencement Speaker: Mr. Mitch Hewitt For several months, I have been sharing numerous communications that define the values we instill at Chardon. This communication is to share my continued vision in expressing who we are, and who we are becoming. For years, State Representatives on both sides of the aisle would come to Chardon to speak to the graduating seniors. Their message was strong, but the relatability was weak. As Principal, I have a responsibility to lead from start to finish every day. When reflecting upon our treasured 144 years, it was easy for me to see where I need to go...I need to look at our Alumni. Chardon Alum clearly know our history, the values, the grit, and drive that it takes to seize success. As teachers, you are able to see our future leaders model these pillars in your classroom. It brings me great joy to share with you that I have asked Mitch Hewitt to speak to our graduating seniors. Mitch was humbled and honored for this opportunity. Mitch has a sharp passion for our community and our students. Mitch's story of determination, work ethics, values, respect, and family will hallmark the 144th Commencement on May 27. Please join me in congratulating Mr. Mitch Hewitt!  Even after 56 hours in 4 days at CHS, Mr. Bandiera, Ms. Kisabeth, and I are so grateful for the opportunity that we have in serving the needs of your children each day! It's High Five Friday! Have a great weekend!
Douglas Murray, Principal |
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