We Give Thanks

Mr. Higham

As I reflected on Thanksgiving, I remind my family and close friends how much I truly love this time of year. Thanksgiving to me means family and friends, something near and dear to most everyone. Ponder this for a moment about thanksgiving; it takes on average nearly ten hours to shop and plan for the big meal, then it is gone in twenty minutes and everybody lies around sort of in a food coma and then it takes another four hours to clean everything up.  So I ask, is twenty minutes of food worth nearly fourteen hours of work. I believe wholeheartedly it is! Saying thank you to others is worth whatever it takes. Thanksgiving is a word of action.

For many reasons, “thank you” isn’t said enough.  It is easy to get wrapped up in daily obstacles, work dynamics, or an overloaded email box.  As a result, many individuals find themselves obsessing over what they could have more of: more time off, more money, more time in a day.  Because of this, we often forget to be grateful for what we do have and to reach out to the people who we really are thankful for.

As Chardon High School continues to grow, we will continually find opportunities to come together and work in a focused fashion to make certain that students have the best experiences possible.
Thanksgiving is a time of togetherness and gratitude at the Higham’s, with that HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

​-Mr. Higham

Mr. Bandiera

Happy Thanksgiving! Chardon Community.  Another Thanksgiving has come and I am again provided with time to reflect on all the blessings I receive daily through my role as Assistant Principal at Chardon High School.  The greatest part of my job is the time I get to spend with students. As I mentioned in years past, it was a big jump for me to leave my classroom and take on the role of an administrator.  When making this leap, I feared I would lose my positive interactions with students. At Chardon High School, I have found quite the opposite to be true. Everyday I am provided with the opportunity to bring students into the office to talk about their day; the good, the bad, relationships, and future plans.  I cherish these conversations because it provides me time to get to know our students. I feel most thankful when I can walk the halls of Chardon High School and address a student by name and discuss an area of interest with them because I have learned part of their story.

As we approach this holiday season, it is my hope that all of the Chardon High School Students, Families, and Staff take the time needed to rest, relax, and regroup.   Chardon High School looks very different than it did a year ago. We have been blessed with the presence of our 8th grade students and new staff members. The majority of our classrooms are used 7 periods a day.  Our students and staff and learning and achieving at a record rate. In all these great accomplishments, I ask that we all seek the much needed balance in our lives by resting and relaxing. Spend this time with your family and take your mind off school.  When we return, we will once again carry out our mission of High Achievement for All Students!

My break will be filled with this time of rest and relaxation.  It is an exciting time for my wife and I as we celebrate our first holiday season as Mom and Dad.  Our son is a little young to understand all the excitement of the holidays, however that is not breaking our spirit.  This Thanksgiving, we are lucky enough to spend it with both of our families who love and support us and our son daily.

Thank you for the constant love and support I receive daily from the Chardon Community.  I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and blessed holiday season. ​
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-Mr. Bandiera

Mr. Murray

Wow. This semester is flying by.  Thanksgiving gives us the opportunity to pause and reflect on the simple things of life. It is important to take the time to reflect on all of the beauty of the semester.  Every single day provides for us an opportunity to give, to learn, and to serve. I am forever grateful to the friends that I have as I walk down each hallway. It is easy to call the staff at CHS my friends. The teachers and staff members energize me with their passion for learning and love of our students. The staff at CHS have rallied this year around one single focus: Community. This simple, yet valuable word has created a culture of caring, and a focus on high achievement. I love my staff, and I am forever grateful for their gifts that they provide our students.

This has certainly been a monumental year for every student in Chardon Schools. At the high school, we have quickly adapted to our new normal and spent hours connecting with all of our students and staff members. Every person had to adjust to new habits and routines--yet, our mission continued to be our compass and our values calibrated our responses to every situation. 

One of the best parts of my day is interacting with students. It is hard to believe that we are almost at the halfway point of the school year. We have such wonderful students! I truly love their kindness, energy, creativity, and leadership. I am so grateful for the beauty they give to the Chardon community. I am a better man just by working beside each of them. From sitting with our eighth graders to meeting with our seniors-- I love spending my time with each of them.

I am grateful for the support, encouragement, and assistance that our parents have provided not only me, but to our teachers, coaches, and community. You continue to model servant leadership to each of us!

Most importantly, I am grateful to my beautiful family that sacrifice so much to be with me. My wife is truly my best friend. She is beside me at many events, and often waits up for me for all the dances, and evening events. I am blessed to have our daughters at Chardon, and I look forward to sharing many memories with them through their years in our district.

Thanksgiving is an opportunity to give thanks to the simple things in life: family, friends and familiar fellowship. Let this day be a reminder of how the simple things in life are strongest reminders of why we work, why we give, and why we serve.  Have a beautiful week with your family!

​-Mr. Murray

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There will be no Week in Reflection this Friday. Stay warm!