The #Finishline: Where Did The Time GO! “Are we there yet? Are we there yet?” We’re all familiar with those plaintive cries from the kids in the backseat. The end of the school year is a lot like those long car trips...but, wait...we are only starting the fourth quarter! We are stopping at a rest area...or are we? With the calamity day last week and relentless pockets of lake effect, some students feel that it is time to sit in the back seat and wait until they have idled through the finish line. Regardless of what grade that your son/daughter is in, the fourth quarter is the moment to finish...the moment to refine….and the moment to define who they are. Two decades of teaching and coaching have cemented in my mind the sheer purpose of preparing for beyond the finish line. Many students and athletes look at the endpoint of a year or season as the goal. The reality is that goals are defined well before the year, and season. I wouldn’t prepare for a state title without establishing the backward design model of off-season/pre-season/in-season preparedness. Likewise, school provides us with many finish lines to pause and reflect which culminates towards the ultimate finish line at commencement. Wherever you are plotted on the sixteen ‘quarter-markers’ along the high school experience, every stopping point is an opportunity to refine your purpose along the path. Think of it as ending the year WISEly. “W” stands for Willpower: At the end of any long project or school year, there’s a natural tendency to become idle. At such times, it takes willpower to see things through to the end. Our students don't necessarily know that yet. To help your son/daughter understand their emotions and develop the willpower they need, you can:
“I” stands for Initiative: When students are struggling with end-of-year motivation, it’s actually a great time to inspire them to reach within themselves and take the Initiative to manage their own learning processes and emotions. Encourage your son/daughter to:
“S” stands for Stamina: The grit it takes to stay focused and persevere-- day in, day out … and to work really hard to make the goal a reality takes stamina. This type of grit and stamina is a more reliable predictor of academic and professional success than IQ or talent. So, the end of the school year is actually a great opportunity to help your student strengthen this critical quality.
“E” stands for Enthusiasm: The ability to maintain enthusiasm over the long haul is an acquired skill. Teachers model creative ways of regenerating enthusiasm right up until the last day of class. The equation for student success is four main ingredients: Student Engagement, Parent/Guardian Encouragement, Teacher Strategies, and Clear Communication. When all of these “ingredients” are present--the outcomes are endless. The Motivated Student By helping your son/daughter finish the school year WISEly, you can ensure he or she develops the qualities needed to succeed not only for school, but in life. I will take complete ownership of the outcomes of this quarter, and work tirelessly to motivate every student and staff member to finish what they start.  Ski Trip to New YorkThis past weekend a group of 14 students headed to Holiday Valley in New York on a ski trip. Holiday Valley got 16 inches of fresh snow the day before the trip which made for some really awesome conditions on the slopes and a really fun experience for the students. Miss Fisher, the adviser, would like to thank all the students that went on the trip for making the experience great. These students truly represented Chardon well! Free HarmonyFree Harmony headed to the Mentor Show Choir Festival on Saturday, March 3rd Math Department News: American Mathematics Competition (AMC) ResultsResults from the AMC problem solving competition are now in! Congratulations to Jessica Krebs for the highest score on the AMC 12. Congratulations to Natalie Dumm and Natalie Fullerman who tied for the highest score on the AMC 10. Other students in the top three included Joey Jeckering (AMC 12), Tyler Mothserbaugh (AMC 12) and Chris Carter (AMC 10). Great work! Thank you to all students who participated in this challenge. To find out your score please see your math teacher or stop by Miss Fisher's classroom (Room 307). Also, just a reminder that Math Club meets every Tuesday morning in room 307 from 6:45 to 7:30. Any student who enjoys math and would like to improve their problem solving skills is welcome to come join the fun. The Learning CenterThe Lav Report contains information on GO! Ask Act Achieve, which is a tool from INFOhio that students can use when working on a research assignment. This resource takes students through the research process. It begins with asking questions to find a topic, covers how to evaluate sources, and ends with a self-evaluation and presentation ideas. Check it out today! This month's Teacher Newsletter includes the latest digital enhancements to INFOhio content. Ancestry.com, Read Aloud, and Science Online have all undergone recent improvements. In addition, there is an article featuring current resources available from EBSCO. EBSCO provides several research databases to students and teachers through INFOhio, but there is so much more they offer. Links contained in the article lead to a science article, a literature lesson plan, and finally to a webinar summary that deals with "Asking Questions in the Age of Google". Something for everyone! Musical: Evita 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: Blended Learning Day Chardon 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. Delay/ School ClosingDelayed Start: If we implement a delayed start (see schedule). We will move the end of the quarter to meet the educational needs of our students until Monday, March 12. School Closing: At this point, we have met our ceiling of days. If/When we enter into day (6) or even (7), the teachers need to create "blizzard bags" (Content/Curricular Relevance) for each class that you teach using either Google Classroom or Infinite Campus by 10:00 AM on the calamity day. We will move the end of the quarter to meet the educational needs of our students until Monday, March 12. Misc Details:
AP Exams Just 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. Yearbook 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:
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. Recap: 7th Grade PresentationTopper Bistro
Sap's-a-Risin'!
Swine Creek is also a featured stop on two drive-it-yourself tours on March 4 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tour maps with complete lists of participating sugar houses are available from the Ohio Maple Producers’ Northeast Ohio Maple Madness Tour and the Maple Producers of Northeast Ohio’s Maple Tour of Northeast Ohio. School Transportation remains in the CHS drive and Alcan until 2:45 PM. Car riders need to use the teacher lot as a means for picking up their children. The main drive is closed for car riders until 2:45 PM. We have adult supervision in the building if you choose to pick up your child at 2:45 PM in the main drive. The current configuration of our school with driveways, and parking lots are hard to change. Please be patient as we continue to assess ways to create proper dismissals. S.T.A.R.S-Supporting Tears, Anger, Remembrance and SadnessBeginning Tuesday, March 20th, Hospice of Western Reserve will be facilitating a group for students who have experienced a loss and would be interested in participating in a small group experience during the school day. Grief is a normal reaction to loss and the STARS group provides a caring and accepting space to assist students in the healing process. If you would like your student to participate or want more information please email joan.blackburn@chardonschools.org or contact guidance. Have a great weekend with family and friends,
Douglas Murray Principal Comments are closed.
|
