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3/4/2022 The Week in Reflection: 3/44th Quarter: It is time to finish what we started
The third quarter ends today, March 4.
Three fourths, the fourth, rounding third and heading home, crunch time, the finish line. Down the stretch they come...the list goes on to ways that we can describe the transition to the fourth quarter. On one hand, it feels that we just started...on the other hand, it feels like things never ended. It's all about perspective. As you already know, the Week in Reflection provides the lens of my perspective. The school is my second home. For the past two years, I have spent more time in this home making sure that we were prepared for every single pivot like preparing for a rodeo dance. I used to absolutely hate checklists. Bare with me as I reflect on why checklists have prepared me in my life. I am the youngest child with siblings who are five and eight years older than me. Growing up in a household with two working parents created many moments for mom and dad to leave a list of tasks to do. Sure, they would get done, but usually after 5 hours of backyard baseball. College, marriage, career, and children taught me the underline value of a good checklist. Now, I live by them and usually can be found with a list to a list in both written and digital formats. Taking care of long-term details comes with the territory of someone who is an idealist thinker and worker. Transitioning into the fourth quarter is an exciting time for every grade level. We have all of the senior events, all of the activities, and opportunities. It is a time when many details can slip in the midst of taking your kids to numerous activities, preparing for the week, or making sure that our own children don't walk out of the door without all of the things that they need for the day. For the past two decades, I have used a three-month calendar to finalize the school year. As much as our calendar is posted online and can be viewed in weekly segments, having the freedom to see all the events in a printable format is extremely useful for all our educators, students, and parents. This can be used as a checklist for each day for the big ideas of the academic calendar. As we walk together this quarter, other checklists are important to survive the wear and tear of the quarter. I have put together a suggested list of 12 important things to check off your to-do list to create new habits in your life. 1. Say, I love you to those you embrace each day. This simple task can speak volumes to your parents, spouse, children, and siblings and has no age limit to express. Our brain fire so many neurons which release dopamine causing you to feel happy. What a wonderful way to start your day! 2. Actively listen to others When we actively listen, we pause. Listening allows us to seek the depth of any story and allows us to respond with empathy, understanding, and kindness. Take the time to really listen to your friends, parents, and siblings and watch your relationship change for the better. 3. Read something that engages you every single day We are always reading. Whether we are perusing signs, billboards, articles, posts, or messages...reading becomes a habit that we often can take for granted. When we read things that engage us we not only become a better reader-we become a diplomat to literacy. Read something that engages you each day and experience a new you that can articulate in ways that you never thought you could. 4. Walk or be physically active for 20 consecutive minutes Physical activity is so beneficial for our physical, social, and mental well-being. Scheduling the time each week to walk, workout, and a little fresh air can provide more energy and positivity to your own outlook on living. 5. Remove fear by thinking more positive about YOU We can control three things in life: What we think, what we say, and how we behave. Furthermore, these three things can allow us to control our attitude, effort, and approach to everything that we aspire to be or do. Do not be afraid to fail. Face your fears with what you can control and watch parts of your life grow in positive ways. 6. Meditate, Pray, or Journal You do not have to be religious to reflect on the simple things in life. A sunrise, sunset, smile, a moment of kindness. These moments can allow you to reflect on all of the good that surrounds you in your life and ground you to things bigger than ourselves. 7. Unplug without a device for 1 hour or more each day. When we unplug, we communicate in natural ways that can simplify life. Disconnecting for periods of time can re-center relationships and actually can lower our blood pressure as we live in the present. 8. Never give up If at first, you don't succeed... we all have heard the story. However, through the trials of losing the battles of our day- we expand our territory to do more and be more. Never give up. 9. Surround yourself with positive people We become an amalgamation of our surroundings. Therefore, surround yourself with people who challenge you to be a better person at all times. It can be hard to do, but when we do this- we learn how to happy and the best version of ourselves. 10. Write down your gratitude The thousands of words that I write each week are my ways to show gratitude to you. I do not have to do this. I choose to. I write from my heart to show you why I care. Send someone a short note this week, an email, or a card. Pay it forward! 11. Prioritize As I started this newsletter by talking about checklists...write your goals down. Post your goals. Write a mission statement. Live it, Love it, do it. Do not procrastinate over tasks. Live with purpose! 12. Finish what you start Is the finish line a barrier, opportunity, or mile marker? The choice is in the eye of the beholder. Once you figure where you are on the map, remove the barriers that hold you back and seize every opportunity along the markers of your life. As Robert Frost notes, choose the road less traveled by....it will make all of the difference! 4th Quarter Calendar of Tasks
This calendar is beginning to evolve. It will continue to be added to each week.
Important Communication Regarding March 9, 2022: ACT (Read Online)
ACT Directions
What: ACT Test ... Wednesday, March 9th, ALL Juniors will be taking the ACT at CHS Why: State requirement to administer the ACT or SAT to Juniors as a pathway to graduation. Questions about ACT/SAT Requirement Testing Day:
8th Grade 4E Exploration Day (Auburn Career Center/ Lake Erie College)
Schedule For Next Week
Monday, March 7, 2022: White Day Schedule
Tuesday, March 8, 2022: White Day Schedule Wednesday, March 9, 2022: ACT/ 4E Exploration Day (See Above) Thursday, March 10: Red Day Schedule Friday, March 11: Black Day Schedule Spring Musical: Beauty and the Beast
The enchanted tale of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast will be gracing the stage at Park Auditorium starting on March 10, 2022, when the student cast of this year’s Chardon High School spring show present the Broadway stage version of the classic story.
Beauty and the Beast involves the telling of Belle’s journey as she becomes exposed to life beyond her provincial town. She meets her father’s captor, the Beast—a cruel and terrifying creature, physically cursed by a wise enchantress. Belle feels condemned to spend her life imprisoned within the walls of the Beast’s castle—until she recognizes goodness within the monster and becomes more of an enraptured guest than a prisoner. As this love story unfolds, audiences may enjoy all the classic, rousing, musical numbers including the selections, “Be Our Guest,” “Gaston,” and, of course, “Beauty and the Beast.”
In-person sales:
3/1 - 3/3 ….4:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 3/8 - 3/9 ….4:15 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. 3/10 - 3/12 …. 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. 3/13 …. 12:30 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. Online sales 3/1 - 3/13 (https://www.chardonschools.org/TicketsDonations.aspx) Pre-Order Flower Sales
CHS Principal Podcast: Season 3, Episode 29: Haidyn Bunker USA Luge
By Sandy Caligiore
PARK CITY, Utah – From one Olympic track to another – three weeks after the conclusion of the Beijing Olympic Games, USA Luge heads to the site of the 2002 Winter Games competitions in March for the Norton Youth and Junior National Championships. The youth national races will be held March 5-6 at the Utah Olympic Park, followed by the junior national events on March 12-13. The Norton youth lineup will feature Youth A Men, Youth A Women, Youth B Men, Youth B Women and Youth Doubles. Race times are 12:30 PM MT on Saturday and 10 AM MT on Sunday. Junior World Championship bronze medal winner, Matt Greiner, will enjoy his home track on the latter weekend. Greiner, who also had two Junior World Cup victories in an abbreviated season due to injury, secured his Junior World Championship bronze medal in Winterberg, Germany at the end of January. The doubles team of Maya Chan and Reannyn Weiler, fourth place at the inaugural women’s doubles World Championship in Winterberg, are entered amongst the men in the Norton junior doubles event. Chan, of Chicago, and Weiler, of Whitesboro, N.Y., recorded three World Cup doubles bronze medals in the recently concluded season. They were also fourth in the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in St. Moritz. Junior men and junior women are the other two divisions that will be contested. Race times for the junior nationals are set for 1:30 PM MT on March 12 (tentative) and 10 AM MT on March 13. Live streaming will be offered both weekends by logging on to https://www.youtube.com/user/UtahOlympicPark and clicking on the Live banner. Chardon Goes to the Musicals
Chardon Goes to the Musicals is excited to announce ticket sales for Disney's Frozen. All money is due to CMS Hilltoppers PTO by Tuesday, March 15.
We are proud to promote the arts at Cleveland's own Playhouse Square, the second largest theater district outside of Broadway. Over the years, Chardon Goes to the Musicals has sold hundreds of tickets. A reminder this is not a fundraiser, but simply a way for community members to obtain tickets at discounted prices. Topper Bistro
Image of the Week
Mr. Herner scheduled an amazing opportunity for our students preparing for the WEWS Academic Challenge to compete against the teachers. This "Challenging" Scrimmage was to prep our Academic Challenge team who will be taping the real thing next Wednesday at News Channel 5 in Cleveland.
The game was won by the Riverside Beaver stand-ins of Mr Mosnik, Mrs. Weaver and Mrs. Niedzwiecki. Our Hilltopper team; Jake Schneider, Morgan Fisher, and Josie Aitkin came in a close second and 3rd place goes to Avon Lake's (CHS Alternate) Sebastian Marker, Mrs. Ptasznik and Mrs. Newman. This practice was invaluable to us so thank you to those individuals. Thank you Mr. Bandiera for being our all-time scorekeeper and sometimes judge. The game was played on a state of the art buzzer system that was procured through a CSF fall grant back in 2016. Those grants just keep on giving. Academic Decathlon
Update: Chardon ACADEC hosts their own awards ceremony as medals arrive from the virtual regional competition that took place in January.
Left to right: Joey Grano, Jake Schneider (Captain), Andrew Delaria, Austin MacCartney, Colin Youdath, Danny Greene, Meghan Kekish, Sarah Douglas, Kayla Schneider School/Community Resources
Weather Related Information Mr. Murray’s YouTube Page The Hilltop Echo (School Newspaper) Video Announcements: Link for the Morning Announcements Week in Reflection: This is the Weekly Publication for Parents/Students/Staff Chardon High School: Program of Study Chardon High School Bell Schedule; Google Document of our bell schedule Chardon High School Student Handbook Teacher Resources for CHS Students Student Acceptable Use Policy (All Students Must Sign) Chardon High School Google Calendar Chardon Athletics Sports Calendar Remind101 Text Message: https://www.remind.com/join/chs21-22 Twitter- Follow @chs_dmurray @chardonhs @toppernation @chs_AP_Higham @mrs_bondi Spring is in the Air
Think Spring. Think Spring. Think Spring
I was taught to think positively and say a mantra of good thoughts. With the dark days of winter literally in the rearview mirror, and the beauty of the sun and longer days---you have to stop and remind yourself of a couple things: (1) We literally just melted an iceberg of snow over a few short days and (2) Spring is literally two weeks away! Just as February is a month of gratitude, March is a month of wellness. We have to take the time to take care of ourselves and get back into routines that help our mind, body, and spirit. The fresh air and sunlight help each of us get out of the winter lull, and can help spring back a feeling of joy, gladness, and growth. This year has been trying on all of us, and as we roll into March, the time we have this month is going to quickly pass us by if we don't stop and see the things around us blossom: nature, relationships, and our own personal growth. March will come and go without notice. It is so important to seize every moment in front of us as we close out another quarter and transition to the 4th quarter. I really appreciate your continued support of your children along with the support you provide to us. Have a great weekend, Douglas Murray, Principal Comments are closed.
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