2/28/2018 The @chs_dmurray Week in Reflection: 3/2GratitudeOn 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. Winter Sports in ReviewWhat a season! Congratulations to the amazing tasks accomplished and to all of the teams still competing in the state tournament! See the great highlights from the coaches below. Basketball: Playing as WE![]() Girls season recap from Coach Harris: The season started out with a lot of ups and downs - with a 2-6 record through the first 8 games. The girls kept working hard and went 12-5 in their next 17 games to finish with a 14-11 record - 6 of those loses coming by 5 or fewer points. The girls never quit and kept working hard for one another. Playing our best basketball at the end of the season - we were able to win our second sectional in the last four years - defeating Mentor by a score of 62-58. Our team was blessed with the leadership and experience of seniors Grace Bradley, Faith DiLillo, Clara Lundblad, and Paige Steffen. Their 4 years of dedication to our program helped us grow and get better every day. I am thankful for their hard work and am excited for what the future holds for those young ladies. ![]() Boys update from Coach Murawski: I have really enjoyed this season. We have great senior leadership who have lead our team to success this year. Alex, Mike, Joe, Jake, and Robbie have done an excellent job producing a competitive environment every day in practice... We won our first home playoff game since 1999. We are excited to travel to Edgewood this Friday for the District Sectional Final! Alex Sulka is the area's leading scorer averaging 28 points per game. Mike Laudato is leading the area in made 3 point field goals. Gymnastics: Heading to State (Vol 2.0)![]() Words from Coach Eichele: This season has been incredible. The girls have worked extremely hard, and it has shown. Some highlights of our season include our WRC Team Championship, a team high score of 145.5 and earning our ticket to the State Meet as a TEAM and 2 individual qualifiers Senior Kayla Benjamin & Freshman Margaret Hamulak. Being able to compete in the State Meet is an honor, and we are very excited to represent Chardon. Our team has grown to be really close and supportive. The girls know how to shake off a bad routine, be there for one another, and motivation each other to get better. We all give 110% effort day in and day out of the gym. This team is full of potential and excellence. Every day is a chance to get better, and we are excited to showcase our hard work and talent this weekend at the 2018 Gymnastics State Meet!
Indoor Track: Zoooooooooooming to the Finish Line![]() From Coach Bartley: Indoor track & field is having an exciting season in preparation for the 2018 outdoor season. We had 80 student athletes participate, including several from our middle school. Many of the athletes have set life time bests and indoor personal bests. Highlights include qualifying for the OATCCC Indoor State Championship meet. Those athletes are Jenna Oriani in the 200m dash, Lily Baber in the pole vault where she set our indoor school record of 11’0”, the girls 4x400m relay team consisting of Elizabeth Rodriguez, Cassidy Robinson, Andrea Mann, and Jenna Oriani, Nate Kawalec in the 3200m, and Jon McKnight in the 400m dash. With so many outstanding efforts this winter, we are heading into the outdoor season with high expectations. Swimming: Building a Strong Future![]() From Coach Parish: The high school swim season official started the first week of November, but it didn’t… This season started last May when the Rec Swimmers began practicing every summer vacation morning at 7am, running, lifting and swimming. This season didn’t even start there, it started 7+ years ago when Chardon High adopted swimming as a Club Sport; with the help of Kim Marra. This season has been an accumulation of every year, every season, every week, every meet, every practice, every yard, and every stroke since we started 7+ years ago. We started with a handful of swimmers (we got second at PAC conference meet with 9 female swimmers, and a few boys). Every year, every season we continue to grow and topped out this year at 36 swimmers on the Varsity Swim Team (another far fetched concept when we started). This season was an accumulation of so many struggles, battles, victories and personal growth. This season was a pivotal role in Chardon Swimming, but by no means is it the pinnacle, for you see we are going to continue to get better. This 2017-2018 season was a monumental success for both our Mens and Womens programs. In summary, we placed higher at a state, district, and sectional level than we ever have before. We broke numerous school records for both men and women. On the Mens side: Chardon Men placed 6th overall at the Div 2 Mens Sectional meet (Spire site). Relays: Medley scoring 6th, 200 free scoring 5th, and 400 free relay scoring 5th. There were many top 10 individual finishes as well. Including : Jackson Selent (50/100 free), Lachlan Koenen (500 free/100 backstroke), Dominic Arganti (100 butterfly). Chardon qualified more swimmers in relays and individual events than ever before to the District Meet: including Jackson Selent (50/100 freestyle), Lachlan Koenan (500 free, 100 backstroke), Domitic Arganti(100 fly), Parker Carson (200 IM), and Sam Rodriguez (50 freestyle), with the 200 medley relay qualifying (placing 13th with a new team record), 200 freestyle relay qualifying (placing 10th), and a 400 free relay qualifying (placing 12th). Chardon Men placed 18th overall (not bad considering they had 5 swimmers there). New Team records were set in the following events by the following people: Jackson Selent (100 free, 100 breast), Lachlan Koenan (100 backstroke), Dominic Arganti (100 butterfly), 200 Medley Relay (Lachlan Koenan, Parker Carson, Dominic Arganti, and Sam Rodriguez. On the Womens Side: Chardon women won the following Invites: Chardon Hilltopper, Perry Invite, and (for the first time ever in the WRC) Western Reserve Conference title. The WRC title is the first team (other than Mayfield) to have won the conference title. Every woman who swam an individual event, scored a point for Chardon High School. Sectionals : the Women were 3rd at Div 1 Sectionals (3 points behind Solon). Individual Champs include: Katherine Jerry (50 freestyle), Sarah Bennett (100 backstroke), 200 Freestyle Relay (A. Evans, S. Bennett, J. Sopenski, K. Jerry) were also champs. Districts: Women placed 7th overall; top 10 finishes: Sarah Bennett 3 rd(100 back), Katherine Jerry 7th and 8th (50/100 free), Jayne Sopenski 9th &10th (100 back and 100 fly), Medley Relay (Bennett, Valentic, Sopenski, Jerry) 6th, 200 free relay (Evans, Bennett, Sopenski, Jerry) 5th. States: Div 1 State Meet (only the top 24 make it per event) 200 free and Medley: 24th, Katherine Jerry 50 free 22nd, 100 free : 11th, Sarah Bennett 19th (100 back). Chardon women were 47th and scored points at State Meet (our first time doing so). In summary: we lose only a few Seniors, as mighty and as impactful as they are/were… we are a young team with many years of great swimming coming up through the Chardon Schools and Programs. Chardon Swimming will continue to grow, get better-- have an impact on many lives, give structure and teach life long lessons to children through sport. We pride ourselves on becoming better people through the great sport of swimming. So watch out, give us a high five, a nod, anything...because we are working our fins off to make Chardon Swimming a beacon of light in this community. Wrestling: Working Hard Today for a Strong Tomorrow![]() From Coach Kriwinsky: Our kids have poured blood, sweat, and tears into this season. They have been working extremely hard all year, and all the hard work is starting to finally come to fruition. Everything these young men did throughout this season and the offseason was to help prep them for the postseason. At this point, they have to believe in themselves and just wrestle. They have to trust everything they have done this year on and off the mat has put them in the best position to succeed. They set goals at the beginning of this year, now its time to achieve those goals, or in some cases surpass the goals they set. All six of our wrestlers wouldn't be in the position they are without all of their teammates, teachers, and family. Congratulations to Sam Eldridge and Jake Hamulak for placing first, Nick Becker for placing third and Charlie Brosch, Noah Carlozzi, and Ethan Ducca for placing fourth place. These six wrestlers are advancing to districts this Saturday. Chardon's Academic Decathlon: State Bound Again!![]() The Chardon High Academic Decathlon team will head to State Competition this weekend at John Carroll University. This year's topic is Africa, and our students have been studying the topic from all angles. With momentum from their Division II regional championship, the team is optimistic that they can defend their Division II State Championship from last year. After graduating six seniors from the 2017 team, it was unclear how the team would perform this year. But, as happens time and again here at Chardon High School, new leaders have emerged and taken up the mantel of excellence. Noah Bena is in his fourth year on the team and has provided a wealth of information to the newcomers. These students come together from very diverse academic backgrounds (one of the strengths of Academic Decathlon) but work together to raise every team member up to compete to the best of their ability. This year's team consists of: Noah Bena, Johnathan Brandt, Kara Connolly, Kyle Gessel, Molly Greene, Michael Lobosky, Meredith McKeon, Marko Milic, Casey Mezerkor, Doug Mulford and Paige Steffen. Chardon's Science Olympiad: Heading to State!![]() Congratulations to Chardon Science Olympiad! Both the High School and Middle School teams have now qualified for the State Finals to be held at The Ohio State University in late April 2018. The Northeastern Ohio Regionals Competition was held at Mentor High School on February 24, 2018. Chardon Middle School qualified for State finals with a Second Place Trophy and Chardon High School qualified for State finals with a Fourth Place Plaque. Individual Winners for the C Division (grades 9-12) are: 1st Place Remote Sensing - Drew Williams and Heather Humbert 2nd Place Disease Detectives - Heather Humbert and Asher Vokoun 2nd Place Rocks and Minerals - Asher Vokoun and Christen Niedzielski 3rd Place Materials Science - Asher Vokoun and John Meleski 4th Place Chemistry Lab - Asher Vokoun and Connor Fuerst 4th Place Helicopters - Alex Schragal and Emily Muñoz 4th Place Mission Possible - Alex Schragal and John Ellington 4th Place Mousetrap Vehicle - Alex Schragal and Evan Baker 4th Place Thermodynamics - Drew Williams and Connor Fuerst 4th Place Towers - Heather Humbert and John Ellington 5th Place Anatomy and Physiology – Serena Gromack and Rachel Yates 5th Place Astronomy - Evan Baker and Connor Fuerst 5th Place Dynamic Planet - John Meleski and Drew Williams 5th Place Game On - Drew Williams and Christen Niedzielski 6th Place Optics - Alex Schragal and Drew Williams Individual winners from the B Division (grades 6-9) are: 1st Place Wright Stuff - Jason Watson and Elise Cousens 2nd Place Battery Buggy - Ethan Fuerst and Ian Quinn 2nd Place Ecology - Jason Watson and Paige Nells 2nd Place Optics - Daniel Brill and Zane Kuhnle 2nd Place Rocks and Minerals - Owen Vokoun and Ethan Fuerst 2nd Place Solar System - Daniel Brill and Sebastian Marker 2nd Place Thermodynamics - Daniel Brill and Zane Kuhnle 2nd Place Towers - Jason Watson and Daniel Brill 3rd Place Crime Busters - Evan Germ and Joseph Joaquin 3rd Place Herpetology - Brady Williams and Nathan Eads 3rd Place Mystery Architecture - Evan Germ and Jack Dvorak 3rd Place Wright Stuff - Michael Oh and Joseph Joaquin 4th Place Anatomy and Physiology - Paige Yamamoto and Jillian Morrison 4th Place Hovercraft - Ethan Fuerst and Sebastian Marker 4th Place Meteorology - Brady Williams and Noah Muñoz 4th Place Mystery Architecture - Jason Watson and Zane Kuhnle 5th Place Crime Busters - Zane Kuhnle and Paige Yamamoto 5th Place Experimental Design - Paige Nells, Noah Muñoz and Brady Williams 5th Place Fast Facts - Grace Fullum and Callie Wainio 6th Place Fast Facts - Elise Cousens and Noah Muñoz 6th Place Herpetology - Thomas Tomasch and Aidan Murphy 6th Place Hovercraft - Tim Meleski and Graham Husek 6th Place Potions and Poisons - Zane Kuhnle and Paige Yamamoto 6th Place Road Scholar - Brady Williams and Ian Quinn The Chardon Science Olympiad teams thank you for your support and encouragement. Here is a link to pictures from this season. Science Olympiad Photos 2018 Winter Band Concert
Chardon High School Bands Winter Concert Tuesday, February 27, 2018 ~ Lakeland Community College, 7:00 PM Melissa Lichtler, Director; Michelle Watson, Percussion Director *Ian Oddo, Student Teacher, Case Western Reserve University Sherry Niederkorn, Phil Kish, Melissa Lichtler, Darcy Maas ~ Accompanists PRE-CONCERT MUSIC 6:30 PM Mackenzie Brown, Trumpet; Anna Gerstner, Trumpet; Mitchell Ewaska, Tuba; Jacob Moses, Clarinet; Jennifer Vandenberg, Clarinet JAZZ ORCHESTRA You’d Be So Nice to Come Home To………………….…………..Cole Porter/Baker Jacob Moses, alto saxophone A Nightingale Sang in Berkeley Square……......Maschwitz/Sherwin/Holmes Heather Humbert, trombone *Tweet Fatigue…………………………………….……………………….Gordon Goodwin Connor Prusha, drum set *Brazil…………………………………………………….……………….Ary Barroso/Stitzel PERCUSSION ENSEMBLES South of the Border…………………………...…………………………...Edward Freytag Six Slick Stix Click Licks…………………...….…………………………..Paul Goldstaub Katie’s Bossa……………………………………….………………………...Chris Crockarell SYMPHONIC BAND Marauder’s March…………………………….……………………….……..Darren Allen Follow the River………………………………..………………..…….James Swearingen Conducted by Connor Prusha, Class of 2018 As If On Wings………………………….…………….………….………...Tracy Behrman Olivia Means, alto saxophone; Anna Gerstner, trumpet Pixar Movie Magic…………….…………..….………..Arranged by Michael Brown Hallie Mezerkor, flute; Jesse Decipeda, trumpet WIND ENSEMBLE *Inglesina…………………………………...……….……………...…...Davide Delle Cese Perthshire Majesty……………………...…….……………………...…….Samuel Hazo Jacob Moses, clarinet Powerhouse……………………….……………..……………Raymond Scott/Murtha Drew Cressman, tenor saxophone Arabesque………………………………………...……………….…………...Samuel Hazo Shalom Decipeda, flute The CHS Bands would like to dedicate “Follow the River” and “Perthshire Majesty” to all of those affected by school tragedies. IMPORTANT DATES!!! March 1 - Scholarship (from Crescendo Club) Deadline for Seniors March 15-18 - CHS Spring Musical at Park Auditorium March 16, Friday - Jazz Orchestra to Lakeland Jazz Festival - 9:00 AM - 2:15 PM Disney Rehearsals to be selected from: Tuesday, March 20 and/or Wednesday, March 21 and/or Thursday, March 22 and/or Friday, March 23 ~ 2:45 PM - 3:30 PM March 25-30 - Hilltopper Marching Band to Florida! April 20, Friday - CHS & CMS Jazz Festival at Auburn Career Center - 7PM April 28, Saturday - Hilltopper Marching Band in Maple Festival Parade - 3PM May 4, Friday - Jazz Orchestra & Free Harmony Dinner Show at Quail Hollow May 5, Saturday - Spring Band Extravaganza at Mentor Performing Arts Center! Evening concert. All CMS & CHS Bands. Each band will have an hour and a half time window sometime after 5:30 PM May 12, Saturday - Tag Day - Required for All Members - 9AM - Noon May 26, Saturday - Wind Ensemble at CHS Graduation - Mentor Performing Arts Center 12:30 PM - 4:30 PM May 28, Monday - Hilltopper Marching Band Memorial Day Parade - 10AM - 12:15 PM Band Camp 2018! July 23-27, 8:30 AM - 4:30 PM CRESCENDO CLUB MEETINGS March 6, Tuesday - Crescendo Club Meeting, 7:15 PM, CHS Library April 3, Tuesday - Crescendo Club Meeting, 7:15 PM, CHS Library May 1, Tuesday - Crescendo Club Meeting, 7:15 PM, CHS Library MR. IAN ODDO, STUDENT TEACHER We are happy to have Ian Oddo from Case Western Reserve University in our Band Department. Mr. Oddo is an accomplished clarinetist and currently is performing with the Lakeland Civic Band. Mr. Oddo’s responsibilities at Chardon are: Fifth Grade Band, Sixth Grade Band, Seventh Grade Music Theory, CHS Wind Ensemble, CHS Jazz Orchestra, and CHS Pit Band. He is a 2014 graduate of Mentor High School. Coming Soon: Free Harmony is headed to the Mentor Show Choir Festival on Saturday, March 3rd at 7:00 PM. Chamber Ensemble, CHS Chorale, and Woman's Choir will be participating in the OMEA Large Group Contest on Friday, March 9th at Mentor in the Paradigm Building. Musical: Evita- March 15-18![]() Evita is based on the historical story of María Eva Duarte de Perón, a poor Argentinian girl who grows up to be the wife of the president of Argentina, worshipped by her people. As a young woman who longs for an acting career, fame, and fortune, Eva quickly learns that her feminine wiles hold power among a culture, and a political system, run by men. Once she makes it to Buenos Aires, Evita finds fame and power in her powers of seduction, eventually seducing the rising political figure, Juan Perón, who becomes the President of Argentina. As First Lady of Argentina, she aligns herself with the poor, winning herself, and Perón, popularity among Argentinians. Evita becomes a hero to the poor and the working class—and an enemy to the rich. A young and unknown revolutionary, Ché, narrates the rise and fall of the beloved matriarch of the Argentinian people. This blockbuster musical, made even more famous as a 1996 Hollywood film, shows both the righteous determination, and the ruthless power, of Argentina’s 20th century matriarch. ACT Test/Blending Learning Day: March 20Chardon High School, in accordance with the Ohio Department of Education, will administer the ACT to all juniors (including students taking classes at Auburn Career Center, and students enrolled in CCP courses), on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. Auburn classes for Juniors are cancelled for this day. Students who attend a CCP course in conflict with the ACT administration must make arrangements with their professor. Seniors who attend Auburn or CEVEC should attend their respective program. In accordance with the ODE, this is a one-time administration of the ACT, offered at no cost to the student/family. The ACT, a nationally-normed, college readiness exam, provides students and families college and career information. All juniors must report to the high school by 7:30 am on Tuesday, March 20, 2018. ALL other students (grades 9, 10, & 12) will have a blended learning day and should not report to Chardon High School this day (See below for details). All Juniors taking the ACT will be assigned testing locations at Chardon High School prior to testing. The testing protocols for administering the ACT are strictly enforced by the ACT.
Those students not completing the ACT (Freshman, Sophomores, and Seniors), must complete the following assignments outside of school to be counted as in attendance on this day. Failure to complete the assignment will result in an Unexcused Absence. The link sent to Infinite Campus and Gmail accounts will become active the week of 3/19/2018 Download the PDF If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Murray, Mr. Bandiera, or Mr. Higham at Chardon High School (440)285-4057. EntrepreneurshipMr. Herner's- CCP Intro to Entrepreneurship class had a round table discussion with Author and Entrepreneur Kip Marlow, and Mario Jurcic who developed his business while a student at Lakeland Community College. Both of them volunteer for the non profit LakeStart, providing support for those seeking to start a business. AP ExamsJust a reminder that the AP (Advanced Placement) Exam registration period will open on March 12. The College Board has set the AP Exam fee at $94/test this year. Your child will receive registration information during the week of 3/5. It is HIGHLY RECOMMENDED that all students enrolled in an AP class register for the AP Exam. Please plan for this upcoming expense. If you feel your child qualifies for a fee reduction through College Board, please reach out to Tim Hurlbut at timothy.hurlbut@chardonschools.org in the Counseling Dept. Attention seniors and parents of seniors. If you have not submitted your senior picture for this year, be sure to get it into Mr. Hauber ASAP! Requirements for your senior picture:
Spain/France/ItalyInterested in traveling and earning credit at the same time? If so, join us as we travel to Spain, southern France, and Italy in June 2019. We are having an informational meeting Thursday, March 8 at 7 pm in the media center. Come see what it's all about! Any questions, please see Senora Tekavec in room 204 and Mrs. Ptasznik in room 400. Reminder: New York City Spanish TripThe final payment of $239 is due March 14th. Parent Meeting will be held on Monday, March 19th at 7:00 pm in the CHS Cafeteria. Payments may be: Sent to R & E Tours, 7620 Buchanan Court, Mentor, OH 44060 Paid online: www.randetours.com - password: nyc18 or brought in to Señora Niedzwiecki in Room 210 Topper BistroFinal FormsFinalForms allows you to complete and sign athletic participation forms for your student-athlete(s). The most exciting news is that FinalForms saves data from season-to-season and year-to-year, meaning that you will never need to enter the same information twice! FinalForms also pre-populates information wherever possible, for each of your students, saving you time and eliminating the need to enter information twice. You will need to review your information once per school year to verify information is current and sign the forms. Click on the Parent Playbook (ATTACHED) to get started in FinalForms. If you require any support during the process, scroll to the page bottom and click “Use Support”. We are asking that ALL parents of athletes use FinalForms. Please register at https://chardon-oh.finalforms.com now and electronically complete ALL forms! If your son/daughter has a current physical on file, it is still valid for one calendar year, as always. Please do complete all medical information on Finalforms, and it will repopulate to future seasons and school years. Thank you in advance for your assistance in streamlining our paperwork processes for CHS Athletics. Reconfiguration: CHSA resounding message from parents, staff, and community members throughout our analysis of reconfiguration has been that we need to unify as a district: in our message, in our purpose, and in our programming. We must unify as one district, because we are all Hilltoppers! Moving forward, we will be unifying under the Chardon Hilltopper brand. As part of this effort, we are calling attention to the core values firmly established in the culture and climate of Chardon High School: Transition Activities We understand that providing for a smooth transition to new schools will be important to our students. Building administrators are already working together to plan for spring and summer activities that will help students become comfortable with new schools. We recognize that change can be difficult and it often brings new challenges. This reconfiguration effort also provides us with an opportunity to reaffirm our purpose and align our school district for greater efficiency and effectiveness. There is still much work to be done: we must arrange for student schedules, further transportation planning, staffing assignments, and logistics of transitioning. I am confident we are prepared to meet these challenges moving into the future. Over the next several weeks, further communications will entail regarding details of staff meetings, parent meeting, and student communications. 7th Grade Parent Night7th grade parent night will take place on March 6. The informational session will be held in the high school gymnasium and will begin at 6:30 pm. The high school counselors will address the transition to the high school building as well as any scheduling questions you may have. Commencement Speaker: Mr. Tim Armelli![]() It is a beautiful day! Every single day, our students are greeted by the voice of comfort, love, and compassion. For several decades, Mr. Armelli has worked in so many capacities at CHS. This week, I have asked Tim to speak to our graduates at commencement. I want to personally congratulate Mr. Tim Armelli who has graciously accepted to speak to graduating class of 2018. How Cool: We know that Guy!Synchronized skating is a popular discipline both within U.S. Figure Skating and around the world. Last weekend, WKYC featured a local team which featured Logan Coles! Shaw loves ShawThe nationally known dancing SRO has made he news again! It was a beautiful week at CHS! Thank you for sharing your children with us! Have a great weekend!
Douglas Murray, Principal Community: We 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 members' 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 within ASAP, Core Value Team, Great Pal's, AC4P, FMP, NHS, Interact, Student Council 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. Humility: It is Giving that We Receive
Mr. Tim Armelli, along with many Chardon High School students were able to visit Broadmoor School in Mentor on Friday, February 16. Broadmoor School is a school for special needs students from all of Lake County. CHS students participated in a basketball game vs the Broadmoor Bobcats and were defeated by 3 points. All of the students from both schools had such a memorable day. After the game, CHS students enjoyed lunch with the Broadmoor students which was followed with a tour of the facility. The students were able to observe the services provided to the students at Broadmoor. Lastly, our CHS students finished the day by assisting the teachers in the gym with physical activities for several classes.
We are so proud of the compassion, humility, and servant leadership that our students displayed during their visit. Students and staff came away with a better understanding of our their uniqueness and a greater appreciation for living life to the fullest. Enclosed is a video that a Broadmoor graduate recorded during the first quarter!
Achievement: Seizing the World
Grace Kilfoyle earned the Highly Commended Delegate Award (like a silver medal) for her work in the Economic and Social Committee at the Cleveland International Model UN Conference this past weekend. The conference was hosted by St. Edwards High School, partnered with Cleveland Council of World Affairs, and held at the Cleveland Metropolitan Bar Association. Over 61 delegations attended with some students traveling all the way from Chile and New Zealand.
Grace's committee focused on four issues: (1) the question of fostering global economic partnerships (2) integrating refugees into European society (3) reducing religious tensions in Europe and North America (4) the economic and social impact of currency manipulation Grace submitted a resolution on European refugee integration that was debated and passed in committee. Grace continues to grow and demonstrate an outstanding penchant for taking a bold approach to her Model UN experience. Of course, she continues to be rewarded for her hard work. Achievement: Discovering the World
Sixty members of the Chardon Science Olympiad team competed at the Mentor High School Science Olympiad Invitational on February 17, 2018. Over one thousand students representing 52 High School teams and 52 Middle School teams enjoyed a day of friendly competition.
Here is a link to pictures from this season. Science Olympiad Photos 2018 Congratulations to the B Division (grades 6-9) for their overall Seventh Place trophy. Individual winners competing in the B Division are: 2ndPlace Meteorology - Brady Williams and Noah Muñoz 3rd Place Experimental Design – Brady Williams, Paige Nells and Noah Muñoz 3rd Place Potions and Poisons – Evan Germ and Paige Yamamoto 4th Place Herpetology – Brady Williams and Nathan Eads 5th Place Microbe Mission – Lailah Pugh and Callie Wainio 5th Place Solar System – Daniel Brill and Sebastian Marker 6th Place Crime Busters – Evan Germ and Paige Yamamoto 6th Place Potions and Poisons – Joseph Joaquin and Noah Badovich 6th Place Road Scholar - Brady Williams and Ian Quinn 7th Place Rocks and Minerals – Owen Vokoun and Ethan Fuerst 7th Place Wright Stuff – Michael Oh and Quintin Marker 8th Place Crime Busters - Joseph Joaquin and Noah Badovick 8th Place Towers – Graham Husek and Grace Fullum Individual winners from the C Division (grades 9-12) are: 3rd Place Towers – Emily Fuerst and John Ellington 3rd Place Write It Do It – John Ellington and Megan McCartney 4th Place Rocks and Minerals – Asher Vokoun and Christen Niedzielski 5th Place Helicopters – Alex Schragal and Emily Muñoz 5th Place Mousetrap Vehicle – Alex Schragal and Josh Campbell 6th Place Mission Possible - Alex Schragal and Josh Campbell 7th Place Forensics – Asher Vokoun and Emily Muñoz 8th Place Dynamic Planet – Drew Williams and Will Kurtz 8th Place Remote Sensing – Drew Williams and Will Kurtz The Chardon Science Olympiad teams thank you for your continuing support and encouragement. Respect
By Chris Lillstrung, The News-Herald
It’s not that the effort wasn’t there before, but it wasn’t that long ago Chardon was an afterthought in swimming. Treading lightly, classifying the Hilltoppers as a blip on the radar in comparison to other area schools in the sport might have been kind. Forget being a blip — on the girls side, Chardon is now a major part of the discussion, seeing the fruits of building a foundation in what is a bright present and what appears to be a bright future. The Hilltoppers may draw a few stares this weekend in Canton at the Division I state meet as a debutant with whom familiarity is starting to increase. They will send program staples Katherine Jerry (50- and 100-yard freestyle) and Sarah Bennett (100 backstroke) and their 200 medley and 200 free relays to state, a major breakthrough given where it all began. >> 2017-18 swimming and diving area state preview “It’s amazing,” Jerry said. “I am so proud of (Chardon coach Matt Parrish) for building it up. Our younger kids that are coming up are doing outstanding in YMCA swimming and USA Swimming. And it’s just exciting to see such a popular sport in our community, because it wasn’t before.” As the statistics indicate, she’s not kidding. From 2005 to 2015, the Hilltoppers scored just two points in Cleveland State District competition, a 15th place finish in 100 butterfly in 2014 by Charlotte Sopenski, older sister of Chardon senior Jayne Sopenski, who will swim on both of the Hilltoppers’ state-qualifying relays this weekend. In the first three years of the Premier Athletic Conference meet from 2011 to 2013, Chardon won one event (Amanda Casamatta, 500 free in 2013). The development curve has ascended rapidly, though, under Parrish. “Coach Matt has a summer swim league, a YMCA league,” Jerry said. “And with the Y league, you can choose to do USA Swimming as well. So a lot of those younger kids are on the Y team and on the summer league. A lot of the older kids will go to their meets and just try to encourage them. Yeah, they are doing outstanding.” As are the current edition of Hilltoppers, whose stats on the girls side are a lot better now than the aforementioned ones. In the last three seasons, Chardon had scored 227 points at district, including 115 at CSU on Feb. 17 to take a solid seventh. The Hilltoppers had never had a top-five district placer on the girls side since 1999 until this past weekend, when Bennett took third in 100 back and the 200 free relay was fifth. One of the best parts is the present is set for a little while, with Jerry a junior and Bennett a sophomore. “That’s all I really want is to carry on what we’ve been doing and prepare it for all the little kids coming up,” Bennett said. “I have been lucky enough to coach over the summer and a little bit in the winter, and working with all these kids, it’s such as amazing process. “And I am so proud of Matt for sticking with this team and this area, because it is difficult when you work from nothing up. It’s just such an amazing turnaround and turnover and everything. I can’t wait to see where this goes.” There is still work to do — all of the Chardon qualifiers will have to drop some time to entertain thoughts of ‘B’ final swims on Day 2 in Canton at the state meet this year. But it’s a start — and a glowing example of laying a foundation the right way. “I started swimming when I was 6 years old with the Mentor Marlins,” Jerry said. “And I just had so much fun with the sport, I fell in love with it. I just went from there. I’ve never stopped since.” Added Bennett: “It’s amazing what they are doing right now. I work with some of the little kids, and I see them at practices and stuff at times because ours overlap slightly. And just talking to them and teaching them what we already know, seeing how well they are doing is so encouraging. “A lot of them are coming up my senior year, and it’s kind of scary that they’re already as fast as they are. I know that’s how Jayne felt about me the way I feel about them, so many young children coming up. It’s so exciting to see what we’re passing on and how they’re going to keep carrying it on and making it better and better.”
Dignity: A Message from Officer Mike Shaw
By: Officer Mike Shaw
A couple of months ago, the dance team asked me to be a part of their halftime entertainment. Since then, I joined the team for after school practices, worked with them on song choices and dance moves, and helped them get their 80's outfits together for the show. I got to know some students that I have never met before and they, in turn, got to know the 'man behind the badge'. The moment I walked onto the gym floor with the team this past Friday evening, I could feel the energy from the crowd begin to build. As the team and I performed, the audience was a visual blur... everyone, that is, except our student section. I could clearly see the excitement, happiness, laughter, and surprise on each and every one of their faces as I attempted to complete my dance moves. It was at that very moment that I knew my reason for taking part had worked - our students had been thoroughly entertained! The fact that the video has gone mildly viral is just a bonus. I know the dance team is very thankful to be in the spotlight for a little while - bringing attention to the hard work they put into design routines, perform at our basketball games, and take part in national and regional competitions. I hope you all enjoyed my moment of silliness... while I can't promise it to be the last thing I do like this, I can promise you won't have to suffer through watching me try to dance anytime soon! Optimism
The last several months have provided the district the opportunity to discuss ways to maintain and grow programs while being fiscally responsible. Chardon High School has worked extensively to provide our students, staff, and community members information about ways that our school will meet the needs of all students next year. Over the next few weeks, we will continue to run our day-to-day tasks while communicating with our new students and families. Please read the enclosed document from Dr. Hanlon.
7th Grade Parent Night
7th grade parent night will take place on March 6. The informational session will be held in the high school gymnasium and will begin at 6:30 pm. The high school counselors will address the transition to the high school building as well as any scheduling questions you may have. Nurture
Mohandas “Mahatma” Gandhi spent his life working to fight discrimination and poverty against Indians, both at his home in India and for 20 years in South Africa. He was a leader in the Indian independence movement from Britain and a pioneer in non-violent protests. He chose nonviolence as a method of resistance because he never believed violence was the answer to what’s best.
Gandhi had these 10 Words of Wisdom: 1. Be the Change “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” said Gandhi. He communicates with great simplicity the potential we all have to make change. If we want to see more kindness, then our acts of kindness will inspire others to do the same. If we want to see that no one goes hungry, then we can find a way to provide food to those in need. With any change we’d like to see, no matter how small or big, we can take the first step – create a website, start a group, or write to our Congressman. It may seem small at first but taking a stand for something and enrolling others in the cause, can lead to a movement and make real change in the world. 2. What You Think You Become “A man is but the product of his thoughts. What he thinks, he becomes,” Gandhi said. Learning to recognize and stop thoughts that don’t serve us can be life-changing. Our often habitual, self-sabotaging thoughts that come from certain beliefs that we have about ourselves create fear and resistance. Mastering our thoughts helps guide us to where we want to go. Learning to control the nature of our negative thoughts and then turning them around to more positive ones will help attract what we want. 3. Where There is Love There is Life When life becomes chaotic, stressful and hard in general, focusing less on the fear of the situation and more on the love around us helps ease the pain. Love is there for us in many forms, a romantic relationship, a parent and child, a friendship, a kind gesture from a stranger, or an unexpected smile. Love makes us feel alive and is the most enduring and constant in all that changes in life. We are all united through love’s power, and its energy compels us to reach out to one another, transcending hatred, fear and suffering with peace, joy and harmony. 4. Learn As If You’ll Live Forever When Dr. Suess said, “The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,” he understood, as Gandhi did, that to learn is to grow. Each day brings an opportunity to expand ourselves by reading, taking classes, asking questions, and listening to others. We can view learning as a great adventure and soak up all the knowledge and wisdom that surrounds us. The gift to learn is always there and to be taught and to teach enriches life. 5. Your Health is Your Real Wealth We have all experienced sickness and some of us even a chronic disease or devastating illness. All we can think about is getting better. To wake up in the morning and feel good, with no pain, rested and ready for the day, is a great day. Once we do not feel ourselves or can’t get around, is when we long to be healthy again, and no matter how wealthy we are, we would give away all our riches, to be well again. Feeling good and energetic means that we can go to work, pursue our goals, be happy and have relationships. No amount of money can replace our true wealth, our health. 6. Have a Sense of Humor A sense of humor is a great thing to have and needed in so many situations where we may be “sweating the small stuff”. When we are around people who make us laugh, it’s so refreshing. Life can become all about the chores and responsibilities and not about having fun and being happy. Laughter is a relief for so many situations and makes us feel alive. When was the last time you had a really good laugh? Perhaps a good sitcom or funny movie with family and friends is in order for a change in perspective. 7. Your Life is Your Message What beautiful words, “your life is your message!” How we choose to live life is a model for the young and old. But we don’t always see it this way, do we? But maybe it’s good to ask yourself how people see you? Do they respect you? Admire you? Want to be around you? Seek your advice? How people respond to you can be so telling in how you are being in the world. It is interesting to stop and think about how we are being in the world instead of always thinking about what we are doing in the world. This knowledge can be quite revealing. 8. Action Expresses Priorities Gandhi’s words above go right along with Johann von Goethe’s words, “Things which matter most must never be at the mercy of things which matter least.” What we do with our days tells us what we are committed to, good or bad. For example, if someone has a dream of writing a book and it’s something that is of great importance to them, then writing everyday would be the appropriate action. But so many times, we get caught up in other things, sidetracked on the way to fulfilling our deepest desires. So the book becomes at the mercy of taking care of everything else in life and 20 years may go by and something so important was lost. Thinking about what we are making a priority in life is a great exercise. 9. Our Greatness is Being Able to Remake Ourselves At any time, we can reinvent ourselves. If one day we choose to give-up the career we have had for over 25 years for something entirely new, we have that power. We may have to work to get there, either prepare ourselves financially or pursue additional schooling, but we can turn our lives in another direction, a better direction for ourselves. This is what makes us great! Anything is possible in our life, and we are limitless to what we can do. 10. Find Yourself in the Service of Others Gandhi’s life was surely a life of service. He chose to take a stand against discrimination and poverty for his people, and he succeeded. As Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said, “…Anyone can be great because anyone can serve.” We have the ability to help others and what a gratifying feeling it is to know what a difference we are making in someone’s life. The virtue of service takes us out of ourselves which can be the perfect healing for what ails us. Being of service can help others and change lives, even our own. News You Can Use
Interested in traveling and earning credit at the same time? If so, join us as we travel to Spain, southern France, and Italy in June 2019. We are having an informational meeting Thursday, March 8 at 7p.m. in media center. Come see what it's all about! Any questions, please see Senora Tekavec in room 204 and Mrs. Ptasznik in room 400.
Just a reminder that the ski trip planned to Holiday Valley Ski Resort in New York is fast approaching. The day trip is planned for Saturday, March 3 and is open to all students at the high school. Students do NOT have to be part of ski club to participate in this opportunity. Now I know what you might be thinking as you look out to your backyard... the weather has not been particularly favorable for skiing. But conditions on the slopes are far better than you would expect. And students attending the trip will have 9 hours to enjoy the trails at Holiday Valley.
If your son/daughter is interested please see the attached file for more details, including an overview of the itinerary for the day. Please notify Alison Fisher by the end of the day on Friday, February 23 if your son/daughter plans to attend the trip and/or have your child turn in her registration form. If there are not 20 students planning to attend the trip by Friday afternoon the trip will be canceled. For any questions, please contact alison.fisher@chardonschools.org
ICYMI: Information shared last week
Course Lists
Last week, the School Counselors and Administration collaborated in presenting our course offerings to each grade level during Topper Time. I am enclosing the course selection sheets that were provided to your child(ren). These documents will create great talking points as the scheduling process begins. I am so grateful to our School Counselors- Nikki Hetrick, Lacey Jacobs, and Tim Hurlbut for their efforts in refining the presentations. chs_18-19_course_lists_-_freshman__1_.pdf Download File chs_18-19_course_lists_-_juniors.pdf Download File chs_18-19_course_lists_-_sophomores.pdf Download File chs_18-19_course_lists_-_seniors.pdf Download File 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 lifestyle. 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. University of Akron The University of Akron’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section is planning a high school shadow day on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 8 am to 2pm. Shadow Day is a great way for female students interested in engineering to tour a college campus and attend actual engineering courses. The day would start at 8 am and would include a welcome breakfast where the high schoolers will meet the engineering student that they will be shadowing, at least one college/engineering class, campus-dorm-classroom tour, and end the day with lunch –mingling with more female engineering students and faculty. Members of SWE will be hosting the event and the students during the day. SWE was founded in 1960 to help promote diversity in engineering. This is a national organization that advocates women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and as leaders. Our section at The University of Akron provides a variety of events including social, outreach, community service and professional development. We provide a community that supports women engineers 110%. If you have any future women engineers who are interested in coming to the University of Akron to shadow a college student for a day, please have them fill out the survey using the link below: High School Shadow Day Survey High school students will need to provide their own transportation to and from The University of Akron. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have. My email is hyg1@zips.uakron.edu. Final Forms FinalForms allows you to complete and sign athletic participation forms for your student-athlete(s). The most exciting news is that FinalForms saves data from season-to-season and year-to-year, meaning that you will never need to enter the same information twice! FinalForms also pre-populates information wherever possible, for each of your students, saving you time and eliminating the need to enter information twice. You will need to review your information once per school year to verify information is current and sign the forms. Click on the Parent Playbook (ATTACHED) to get started in FinalForms. If you require any support during the process, scroll to the page bottom and click “Use Support”. We are asking that ALL parents of athletes use FinalForms. Please register at https://chardon-oh.finalforms.com now and electronically complete ALL forms! If your son/daughter has a current physical on file, it is still valid for one calendar year, as always. Please do complete all medical information on Finalforms, and it will repopulate to future seasons and school years. Thank you in advance for your assistance in streamlining our paperwork processes for CHS Athletics. Shining Star CLE Great news! Due to the overwhelming popularity of the competition, we have added three new Northeast Ohio counties, in addition to Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Medina & Summit, students from Ashtabula, Lorain & Portage may now participate as well. Free to Enter and All Genres of Music are Welcome! It's easy! All your students have to do to start their Shining Star CLE journey is upload their video auditions to shiningstarcle.org between April 1 and July 1, 2018. For any questions, or to learn about Shining Star CLE 2018, please visit our websiteshiningstarcle.org or call 216-910-2652. Please help spread the word and forward this email to staff/students/parents from your school! ![]()
Proving once again that technology students lead the way, students in Game and App Design class took advantage of a warm day in February to test location apps that use GPS technology. The students created the apps using MIT App Inventor, and they tested them on individual Android devices. The apps include latitude and longitude readings along with Google map capabilities. These guys are learning techniques and developing 21st Century skills that guarantee they never get lost again!
This was a very robust Week in Reflection.
Thank you for sharing your children with us. They are a gift. Remember that, and have a beautiful weekend! Douglas Murray, Principal National Honors SocietyThe 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. Language Arts LIVEOn February 9, Lynn Monaco and Dawn Weaver hosted a panel of parents and professionals to speak with our seniors. The panel included James Laudato, CPA at Laudato & Company; Amie Peters, IT at Lubrizol; Jeff Cornute, Human Resources at Morton Salt; and Sheldon Firem, psychologist and CLSD board member. The goal for the panel was to share how we use our language arts skills, including the 21st century skills such as the 4Cs (critical thinking, communication, collaboration, and creativity - they added character), in our careers. A take-away for our seniors is to value the learning opportunities they have in light of the skills they will need. Finalists!Congratulations, Drew Cressman, Andrew Williams, and Asher Vokoun. These fine gentlemen have been named Finalists in the 2018 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. Course ListsThis week, the School Counselors and Administration collaborated in presenting our course offerings to each grade level during Topper Time. I am enclosing the course selection sheets that were provided to your child(ren). These documents will create great talking points as the scheduling process begins. I am so grateful to our School Counselors- Nikki Hetrick, Lacey Jacobs, and Tim Hurlbut for their efforts in refining the presentations.
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. University of AkronThe University of Akron’s Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Section is planning a high school shadow day on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 from 8 am to 2pm. Shadow Day is great way for female students interested in engineering to tour a college campus and attend actual engineering courses. The day would start at 8 am and would include a welcome breakfast where the high schoolers will meet the engineering student that they will be shadowing, at least one college/engineering class, campus-dorm-classroom tour, and end the day with lunch –mingling with more female engineering students and faculty. Members of SWE will be hosting the event and the students during the day. SWE was founded in 1960 to help promote diversity in engineering. This is a national organization that advocates women to achieve their full potential in careers as engineers and as leaders. Our section at The University of Akron provides a variety of events including social, outreach, community service and professional development. We provide a community that supports women engineers 110%. If you have any future women engineers who are interested in coming to the University of Akron to shadow a college student for a day, please have them fill out the survey using the link below: High School Shadow Day Survey High school students will need to provide their own transportation to and from The University of Akron. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or comments you may have. My email is hyg1@zips.uakron.edu. NHS: Soup KitchenFinal FormsWe are very excited to announce that the Chardon High School Athletic Department has partnered with FinalForms, an online forms and data management service, beginning with the Spring 2018 sports season. FinalForms allows you to complete and sign athletic participation forms for your student-athlete(s). The most exciting news is that FinalForms saves data from season-to-season and year-to-year, meaning that you will never need to enter the same information twice! FinalForms also pre-populates information wherever possible, for each of your students, saving you time and eliminating the need to enter information twice. You will need to review your information once per school year to verify information is current and sign the forms. Click on the Parent Playbook (ATTACHED) to get started in FinalForms. If you require any support during the process, scroll to the page bottom and click “Use Support”. We are asking that ALL parents of athletes use FinalForms. Please register at https://chardon-oh.finalforms.com now and electronically complete ALL forms! If your son/daughter has a current physical on file, it is still valid for one calendar year, as always. Please do complete all medical information on Finalforms, and it will repopulate to future seasons and school years. Thank you in advance for your assistance in streamlining our paperwork processes for CHS Athletics. Community NewsShining Star CLEGreat news! Due to the overwhelming popularity of the competition, we have added three new Northeast Ohio counties, in addition to Cuyahoga, Geauga, Lake, Medina & Summit, students from Ashtabula, Lorain & Portage may now participate as well. Free to Enter and All Genres of Music are Welcome! It's easy! All your students have to do to start their Shining Star CLE journey is upload their video auditions to shiningstarcle.org between April 1 and July 1, 2018. For any questions, or to learn about Shining Star CLE 2018, please visit our websiteshiningstarcle.org or call 216-910-2652. Please help spread the word and forward this email to staff/students/parents from your school! YOU AND THE FLU—Your Best Defense Is To Be ProactiveIt is especially important this school season to be proactive against the flu. Taking preventative measures is your best defense against the ‘seasonal’ flu. As we opened this school week, I had to stay home after flu-like symptons ran through our house. Taking care of yourself is really important when recovering--likewise, defending yourself is just as important. Read these helpful reminders to protect you and your family. The seasonal flu outbreak usually occurs between mid-fall thru early spring. Each year a vaccine is developed to target the type of virus that is anticipated. The seasonal flu spreads mainly from person to person through coughing or sneezing by people with influenza. You can also become infected by touching something with the flu virus on it such as a doorknob, computer keypad, gym weights, classroom desk, and then touching your nose, eyes, or mouth. Everyday Steps to Protect Your Health Common sense to avoiding germs is the best approach, such as not sharing sports bottles or drinking from friend’s glass or pop can. The Center for Disease Control [CDC] recommends the following: Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Stay away from an ill and contagious person until 24 hours after their fever has broken. Their fever should be completely gone for 24 hours without the use of a fever-reducing medicine [i.e. Advil, Tylenol, Excedrin, etc.] Wash your hands OFTEN! Use lots of soap and scrub your hands by counting to 15 slowly before rinsing with water. If you do not have access to water, alcohol-based hand cleaners and disposable wipes [antibacterial] are effective—rub hands vigorously until hands are dry. Do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth—this is how the germs are spread. Practice good health habits to keep your immune system strong—get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat healthy nutritious foods. Parent Teacher ConferencesAs you prepare your schedule, please click on the link below to sign up a timeslot for parent-teacher conferences for Session 4: February 22, 2018. https://www.ptcfast.com/schools/Chardon_High_School Stress Relievers: Tips to tame stress![]() Is 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. Responding with CompassionAfter the absolute tragedy that struck Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida---many emotions surface that impact our staff and students in different ways. It is important for me to remind you that we are cognizant of the needs of our students and staff members. Senseless tragedies can steal our personal and communal growth. It is not fair to simply say that we are from Chardon--that we are strong--that we have faced many trials over the years. Yet, what is very important for us to remember is that our family: at school and home have defined our outcomes. Our established community has unveiled our purpose through the compass of our core values. Keep our staff in your thoughts.
It seems that moments like this are way too frequent. You may ask-- what can I do? My response is to love your children and celebrate their lives. Our children need us to be present. Our children need us to listen. Likewise, our children need to share. We are stronger as a community when we respond with compassion, and understanding. Thank you for reaching out and sharing your thoughts with us over the last few days. We appreciate your kindness. Douglas Murray, Principal Kindness is ContagiousKindness 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 gratitude to one another can make us more empathetic to other people’s hardships. 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 to purposeful acts of kindness each day. Spend two minutes a day doing it for just three weeks and create your new habits. 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. Heart to Heart DanceYou put your right foot in You take your right foot out You put your right foot in And you shake it all about You do the hokey pokey And you turn yourself around That's what it's all about! The cold weather didn't stop Chardon High School students from connecting with new friends and community members on Thursday, February 8 at Park Auditorium. Hosted by Chardon High School students, University Hospital Geauga Medical Center and the Geauga County Department on Aging, the party was a celebration of life and a means of connecting generations. This event hallmarks our core values in action. Simple words cannot express what this day means to our students within the leadership curriculum taught by Mr. Robert Mizen. Moments like this epitomize what servant leadership is all about! We are grateful for everyone who spent months planning for this experience and look forward to build upon our relationship with University Hospitals and the Department of Aging. Special thanks to Mr. Mizen, his students, and Sandy McCloud for putting together this annual event. This week and into next, the School Counselors are presenting to the students in grades 9, 10, and 11th pertaining to the scheduling process. The presentations will be as follows: Current freshmen - Friday 2/9 Current sophomores - Monday 2/12 Current juniors - Tuesday 2/13 I am so grateful to our School Counselors- Nikki Hetrick, Lacey Jacobs, and Tim Hurlbut for their efforts in refining the presentations. Science OlympiadThe Chardon Science Olympiad teams participated in the Solon Science Olympiad Invitational on February 3, 2018. Solon welcomed 66 High School teams and 46 Middle School teams to their campus for a full day of competition. Congratulations to the B Division (grades 6-9) for their overall Fourth Place trophy. Individual winners competing in the B Division are: 1st Place Meteorology - Brady Williams and Noah Muñoz 1st Place Thermodynamics - Daniel Brill and Zane Kuhnle 4th Place Rocks and Minerals - Owen Vokoun and Ethan Fuerst 6th Place Experimental Design – Brady Williams, Paige Nells and Noah Muñoz 7th Place Anatomy – Paige Yamamoto and Jillian Morrison 7th Place Ecology – Paige Nells and Jason Watson 7th Place Mystery Architecture – Daniel Brill and Paige Nells 7th Place Write It, Do It – Paige Yamamoto and Elise Cousens 8th Place Herpetology – Brady Williams and Thomas Tomasch 8th Place Solar System – Daniel Brill and Sebastian Marker Individual winners from the C Division (grades 9-12) are: 2nd Place Remote Sensing – Drew Williams and Heather Humbert 3rd Place Rocks and Minerals – Asher Vokoun and Christen Niedzielski 7th Place Helicopters – Alex Schragal and Emily Muñoz 8th Place Experimental Design – Serena Gromack, Drew Williams and Heather Humbert The Chardon Science Olympiad teams thank you for your support and encouragement. Here is a link to the photographs from this season Science Olympiad Photos 2018 Signing DaySki ClubStudents in the CHS Ski/Snowboard Club had another great evening on the slopes of Brandywine. This past week they were joined by Assistant Principal Mr. Ryan Bandiera. Thanks for coming out to ski with us! I would also like to remind you about the ski trip planned to Holiday Valley Ski Resort in New York. The day trip is planned for Saturday, March 3 and is open to all students at the high school. Students do NOT have to currently be part of the ski club to participate in this opportunity. If your son/daughter is interested please see the attached file for more details, including an overview of the itinerary for the day. Space for this opportunity is limited to just one bus, so please make sure your son/daughter turns in his/her registration to Miss Fisher as soon as possible! If you have any questions, please email Alison Fisher at alison.fisher@chardonschools.org Topper BistroHappenings at CHSStudents in Mrs. Newman's class are having fun during their book club Patrick Culliton (Geauga Public Library) was at CHS to show English classes how to use the "Three for Me" library card and resources for book checkout and research purposes.
Cleveland Clinic Summer Internships Spend your summer at the Cleveland Clinic, one of the nation's leading healthcare systems, where you'll gain knowledge, make relationships and earn hands-on professional work experience. Internship opportunities will be available for students to apply starting on February 17th through February 27th. Students are encouraged to sign-up for job alerts to be notified when the opportunities are available. See Guidance for any questions. Learning About Business Since 1980, Learning About Business (LAB) has provided an award-winning, total-immersion, interactive business experience for high school students on the Lake Erie College campus in Painesville, Ohio. LAB students get a taste of college life away from home during LAB week. See Guidance for any questions Geauga Growth Partnership GGP’s Internship Program is helping high school students prepare for the workplace by offering a real-world work experience. Hear from several interns as they share their experiences. The Internship program is open to all Geauga County resident Junior and Senior high school students. The paid internships are awarded through a competitive application process and in-person interview experience. See Guidance for any questions Ignite Your CareerAttention Parents, Teens! Geauga Growth Partnership is hosting an exciting, high-energy Event, designed to connect Geauga students with Geauga businesses. Register NOW for this FREE Event GGP Presents the 2nd Annual Ignite Your Career! Pathways to Success for Students Monday, March 5th - 6:00-8:30 PM Sisters of Notre Dame Education Center, 13000 Auburn Road, Chardon. Registration is required. Parents & Students, register at this link for this Free event. More than a symposium | More than a job fair Students: This evening is designed for You ... to light your path to opportunities that will guide your education plans, career plans and more. Graduating Seniors: Bring your resumes for an opportunity to meet with employers. - Learn and explore the many pathways to building a fulfilling career. - Explore career options across multiple industries - Learn about education & training options, and tuition reimbursement programs - Talk one-on-one with a broad selection of Geauga County companies - Learn how to make a career decision Parents: Discover multiple ways for funding your child's education and guiding them toward their greatest potential. Featuring guest speaker Mr. Jesse Srpan, owner and president of Raw Iron Choppers, who has made a career and built a business around what he loves. Not yet 30 years old, this Geauga native has a thriving business building custom motorcycles, while working as a welding instructor for Lakeland Community College. He knew by the time he was 13 that he loved welding and building bikes, and with his father's encouragement and support, built his skills sets around these passions. He developed his own shop Newbury Township. Jesse was the 2014 winner of Discovery Channel's #Bikerlive (Rust belt episode-ohio). 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. Have a beautiful weekend with family and friends!
Douglas Murray, Principal |
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