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4/4/2018 @chs_dmurray Week in Reflection: 4/6Oh Spring, Where Art Thou?
After celebrating this past break with my family on a trip to Disney to see our band perform...I was hoping that the 16-hour drive would have created a jet stream on the back of our vehicle. Most educators would share that having inclement weather in the fourth quarter would help keep our students inclined to be more on task. Yet, the winter blues have set in. Most of us are used to the long winter, but this year seems relentless. I believe that even most of our skiers and snowboarders are ready for short sleeves and shorts. We all know that our spring coaches are sick and tired of being sick and tired of wearing hoodies and rain gear. Yet, like every year...this too shall pass...until the Maple Festival.
Moments like this remind us of the importance of patience and perseverance. Being patient creates opportunities for growth inside of us which will help us nurture our response to difficult moments. The next seven weeks are going to pass us by in a blink of an eye. It is so important to pause and reflect on each moment in front of us. Likewise, demonstrating patience will expand our ability to persevere through moments in our lives that impact us at school, sports, our jobs, and even relationships. As we have shared numerous times throughout this year, our response to any event creates the outcome that we expect. So, to model this for you I am going to end this portion with the Week in Reflection by exclaiming that it is a beautiful day to be the best version of ourselves and seize the opportunities in front of us during this beautiful time of year! There is no better way to transition into this newsletter than to share some awesome news from our proud new papa! A Message From The Bandiera's
Dear Chardon Families,
On March 22nd my wife and I were woken up to the surprise of her going into labor with our first child. The surprise was that our baby was not due until May 2nd. After debating if we should both go to work that morning (my wife teaches Health and PE in Garfield Heights), we decided we should head to the hospital as a precaution. By 4 that afternoon, we were holding our son, Anderson Jaxson Bandiera! Being 6 weeks early, we were extremely blessed to find out that Anderson was an overall healthy baby. Anderson was first treated in the NICU at Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital in Cleveland to help with his lung development and feeding. Anderson did great and within 48 hours, he was breathing room air with no assistance. The next challenge has been eating. Anderson is eating through a bottle, but he struggles with fatigue. He initially was receiving nutrients through an IV, but we were lucky enough to have that pulled on Sunday when we moved to the Step Down unity at Rainbow. Anderson now just needs to eat a little more consistently without the help of the feeding tube. Once that happens, he can go home! My wife and I have been incredibly blessed with the love and support we have received from our family and friends. As we make the 40 minute commute to the hospital daily, our family and friends have cleaned our house, prepared meals for us, and taken care of our dog. We have not been given an official release date yet, as this is all dependent on Anderson's progress. We cannot wait to bring our baby home and start our new role as Mom and Dad! I would like to take a moment to say thank you to all of the Chardon High School staff members and families who have sent out well wishes. These encouraging notes are so helpful to my wife and I. I am also thankful to all of those who are helping cover many of my responsibilities at Chardon High School as I am out of the office. Thank you for your continued thoughts, prayers, and encouragement. ~The Bandiera's AIR Test Information: The 4 Week Journey Starts
As we enter April, we are continuing our preparations at Chardon High School for the upcoming AIR exams. The AIR exams are end-of-course exams mandated by the state of Ohio, and students earn graduation points regarding their results. Students will take the AIR exams as described below:
To maximize learning while administering the AIR exams, students will test during late-start on April 11, 18, 25, and May 2. The bell schedule for those testing dates will be as follows: AIR Testing - 7:30 AM - 10:30 AM 2nd period - 10:34 AM - 11:39 AM 4A period - (Lunch 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM) 12:17 PM - 1:21 PM 4B period - 11:43 AM - 12:13 PM (Lunch 12:17 AM - 12:47 PM) 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM 4C period - 11:43 AM - 12:47 PM (Lunch 12:51 PM - 1:21 PM) 6th period - 1:25 PM - 2:30 PM Testing will begin promptly at 7:30 AM, and it is imperative that your student is at school on time on their assigned testing day. In order to accommodate schedules of CHS, Auburn, and CCP students, the bell schedule on each Thursday after AIR exams will be adjusted, with classes concluding at 12:35 PM on April 12, 19, 26, and May 3. The bell schedule for Thursday, April 12, 19, 26, and May 3 will be as follows: 1st period - 7:30 AM - 8:35 AM 3rd period - 8:39 AM - 9:44 AM 7th period - 9:48 AM - 10:53 AM 5A period - (Lunch 10:57 AM - 11:27 AM) 11:31 AM - 12:35 PM 5B period - 10:57 - 11:27 AM (Lunch 11:31 AM - 12:01 PM ) 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM 5C period - 10:57 PM - 12:01 PM (Lunch 12:05 PM - 12:35 PM) Transportation will continue to operate at the normally scheduled times. If a student is not testing on a particular day and needs transportation to school, they will be picked up at their normal time and report to school (students not testing and who arrive before their first class will wait in the cafeteria). Student Example 1: A freshman student enrolled in Algebra 1 and English 1 will report to CHS by 7:30 AM on April 11 (for the ELA 1 exam) and May 2 (for the Algebra 1 exam). He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 18 and April 25 because he/she will not be taking the US Government, US History, or Biology exams. Student Example 2: A senior student currently enrolled in second semester US Government (not first semester US Government) will report to CHS by 7:30 AM on May 2nd (for the US Government exam) . He/she does not need to report to school until 10:34 AM on April 11, 18, and 25 because he/she will not be taking an ELA, Algebra 1, or Geometry exam. Students taking AIR exams should bring their Chromebook (fully charged), as well as a pair of headphones. We will provide extra sets of headphones, if students are unable to procure them. Thank you for your patience and attention as we continue our preparations for the upcoming AIR exams. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact the Chardon High School Guidance Department at (440) 285-4060. The enclosed visual will help our students understand the day. 
Community Event: Inside My Head
Huge Hilltopper thank you to the students who planned Thursday's Community Event Inside My Head: The Pressures on Teens. Approximately 60 students and adults benefited by attending workshops facilitated by CHS students, Lake/Geauga Recovery Center, Family Pride, NAMI, Ravenwood Health Center, the Geauga Educational Service Center, the Chardon Police Department and Ubuntu Wellness. A special thank you to Beth Williams from the Geauga Mental Health Board for her opening remarks. Program evaluation indicated a high level of appreciation for all of the presentations. The involvement and leadership shown by the high schools students was consistently noted as being a highlight of the night. Another consistent theme was the disappointment that with so many wonderful presentations attendees could only pick two to attend. Thank you to all who participated in this event by coming out to support our students!
Senior Information
Each year, I share this information with students, and parents to help families prepare for this extraordinary time of the year.
Links: Senior Handbook End of the year calendar: March/April/ May
School Fees
When you check your student's grades in Infinite Campus also check their School Fees. Statements will not be sent to grade 9 or 10. It is your responsibility to monitor your student's fees. All Spring Sports adjustments have been made and the process of recording payments that have come in previous to the fee was posted in Infinite Campus takes a while. You may see a surplus recorded for your student. This can be from a class fee or workbook fee canceled, changed or an adjustment for 2nd or 3rd sport has been made. If you have any questions please call Mrs. McBride 440-286-0441. Cap and Gown There are about 70 Seniors that have NOT purchase a cap & gown. If you have not ordered on please see or call Mrs. McBride. These need to be ordered A.S.A.P. If you are planning not to participate in the commencement let Mrs. McBride know that also. Thanks for your attention to these important matters. The Learning Commons
Attached are the latest editions of the Lav Report and LC Newsletter.
In the Lav Report, students will find an article that covers where to find links they can use to access valuable resources such as Noodletools and INFOhio. Spoiler alert: links are located at www.chslearningcenter.weebly.com. Another article explains the Geauga Park District Writing Contest, which is open to both students and adults.
In the Learning Center Newsletter, part one of a two part series covers the first four of 11 tips for protecting your privacy on Facebook. Anyone using Facebook should take a look at their settings to make sure they are not revealing too much information.
Remember the John Fogarty song from the mid 80's? The instant classic about playing Centerfield is now enshrined in Cooperstown. For over a century, baseball has been hailed above all other sports as America's National Pastime. No other game during the regular one-hundred sixty-two game season has been as eagerly anticipated as Opening Day. Ask any fan what the "official" start of Spring is. Chances are their answer will be Opening Day. It is much more than just an event, it is an experience.
In a society that places so much emphasis on events, activities, programs, and sports...wouldn't it be exhilarating if we placed the same emphasis on academic achievements? Being actively involved in high school is an essential part of growth and maturity. We cannot dilute the essential values learned from extracurriculars, but must place a mutual value on the essential fabric which holds us together as a society---literacy. As we enter into the "crunch time" over the next seven weeks, working together towards the same goal should be our mantra. As parents, we long for what is best for our children. We encourage our children to be kind even when it is hard, to work hard even when no one is noticing, and to never quit. But, beware...there is an epidemic that enters the vocabulary of of seniors this month. For those of you who have yet to experience the devastating and immobilizing effects of this dangerous disease, senioritis is a common affliction that reduces a senior’s focus, ability to finish an assignment and drive to do anything but sleep and watch Netflix. Symptoms include: aversion to studying, reduction in academic performance, and ongoing procrastination. Second-semester seniors are the most frequently diagnosed, but even first-semester seniors can be susceptible. Juniors: Beware! You even have a chance of premature infection. Seniors – the poor, poor victims – are the students who most need to avoid such oppressive side effects. The list of to-dos is endless: visiting colleges, applying to scholarships, filling out online loans and grants, getting senior pictures taken, ordering graduation caps, gowns, and announcements, organizing a graduation party, homework, projects, and studying for finals and AP exams.
Check out this great list composed by Julie Spangler of the Wichita Eagle, a TeenTalk board which is made up of teens who write columns and features for their local paper in Kansas.
1. Make a list: Write down all of the things you need to get done. Be sure to include the sub-steps for getting each thing done (e.g. under “grad party,” list all the things that entails such as photos, invitations, decorations, etc.). Getting all of your responsibilities down will help you stay organized and more easily break each task down into more manageable bites. 2. Create a calendar: Either create or buy a calendar, and write down all due dates, tests, exams and events. This could include simple tasks, such as how many pages to read each evening to finish that book report on time, to more important events, such as, oh, I don’t know, graduation?! 3. Focus on the now: What task are you focusing on right now? Tackle that one, and only that one, first. Then, when you’re completely finished with it, move on. Dwelling on how much you have to do will only worsen your feelings of barely disguised panic, anxiety and overload. It also feels great to mark something off your list and know you won’t have to deal with it ever again. 4. Stay busy: This sounds like the opposite of what you want to do, I know. As a survivor of senioritis, trust me. It’s better to stay busy than to be idle. Whenever you’re idle, you’re more prone to amplifying symptoms, such as compulsive tweeting and marathon watching of “The Office.” Also, the busier you stay, the faster you get your infinite responsibilities taken care of. 5. Brainstorm: Stuck on that scholarship essay or research paper? Get out a sheet of paper and brainstorm. Write down your main points, and then branch off from there. Not sure how best to tackle a big history project? Brainstorm the most efficient way of getting it over with while still maintaining the quality of your work. Brainstorming is a great way to stay focused while also giving yourself a needed change of pace. 6. Take a break: This is exactly what your senioritis is telling you to do. But honestly, there comes a point where you’re maxed out and the only thing left to do is take a break. It doesn’t have to be a long one to be effective; even 5 minutes will help. You can also use this break time to go out and breathe some of the fresh, spring air. 7. Remove temptation: Back. Away. From. The. Phone. Or the computer, or the TV. Everyone has a vice. Separate yourself from it when possible. Try tucking your phone away or going into another room where a TV connected to Netflix and the world of entertainment does not have the chance to entice you in your senioritis weakened state. 8. Create a Study Group: Gathering together with other victims can combine strengths and combat your weaknesses. Get a group together who all need to study for a test or get those pesky lab write-ups done, and lay down some ground rules: no phones, no gossiping, etc. Hopefully, the added pressure to focus and having others to help you with difficult concepts will help finish off some of your tasks. 9. Isolate yourself: Get away from distractions---because even though you love them, they may be an enabler. Your friend might miss your company during the game, but you need to get stuff done! Move to your office to the kitchen table. Focus. You can do this! 10. Treat yourself: You did it. You finished something. OK, so you finished a lab – and you have five more to go. But you still did it! Reward yourself with a small piece of candy or a short break. But be careful. Don’t reward yourself too much, and stay focused. The ultimate reward is getting everything done, so you’re in for the long haul.
All humor aside, I do not believe that Senioritis is contagious. The epidemic of lethargy is something that can be controlled. Everything that we do in life is a choice: what we think, what we say, and how we behave. Likewise, our attitude, effort, and approach is something that we can control.
It would be unacceptable for any of us to just stop working just because our co-worker was in the months of April and May. School, especially at this time, refines us for the next phase of our life's journey--regardless of the grade level. Our time is so short before we reach the finish line. Seize every opportunity to refine your purpose! Stay Warm! Douglas Murray, Principal
In closing, congratulations to Dean Coso who committed to play soccer for Mount Union University. Watch this great video with some amazing footage of Chardon Memorial Stadium!
Dean Coso from Shooting Stars Videography on Vimeo. Coming Up in April
a good kid
4/7/2018 09:38:49 pm
this is great Comments are closed.
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