LAKEWOOD CITY

SCHOOLS

Keith Ahearn, Principal Harding Middle School April 2010

Harding

Herald

Principal’s Message

It is hard to believe that we are already into the beginning of the fourth quarter. When we return from

Spring Break, we will be involved in the final preparations for the administration of the Ohio Achieve-

ment Assessments. The Harding community has much to be proud of in our past performance on these

assessments. Last year Harding received an ―Excellent‖ rating on our state school report card. This

was due in larger part to the commitment from parents, teacher and students to put forth their best each

and every day. I feel confident that all of our students will show continued growth on these tests as we

prepare them for the 10th grade Ohio Graduation Test.

Please note the following dates for achievement tests this year.

April 19th—Reading Test 8th grade

April 20th—Reading Test 7th grade

April 21st—Math Test 8th grade

April 22nd—Math Test 7th grade

April 23rd—Science Test 8th grade

April 27th—Reading Test 6th grade

April 29th—Math Test 6th grade

Please remember to make sure that your students have a healthy breakfast and get a good night’s sleep

before their exams. Please make sure that students are at school on time during testing. Students that

are absent or late will have the opportunity to make up missed exams.

We appreciate your continued support. Have a great Spring Break!

Sincerely,

Keith Ahearn, Principal

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MESSAGE FROM THE DISTRICT:

In March, Mayor FitzGerald delivered his State of the City speech from Horace Mann Elementary School. The

location was appropriate as one of the points the Mayor highlighted in his speech was how important good

public schools are to the success of a city. He emphasized how the two must work together to make sure that

Lakewood remains a thriving community and the Schools remain a strong and excellent district.

Lakewood is lucky in that the City and the Schools both recognize our symbiotic relationship and work hard to

maintain a positive collaborative spirit. So much so, that the Mayor and Councilman Mike Summers are serv-

ing as co-chairs for the Citizens for Lakewood’s Children levy committee. This is rather unique for a city to

have this level of cooperation.

Our district would not have earned this cooperation if city leaders did not feel we have been accountable with

the taxpayers’ dollars. We have been consistently rated as one of the top districts in Northeast Ohio for spend-

ing the highest percentage of its budget on class instruction and among the lowest in percentage of money

spent on administration.

When voters were asked to approve the last operating levy in 2002, they were promised it would last three

years. The district made it last eight. However, due to a collapsing economy that resulted in significant cuts in

state and local funding, revenue from a 6.9 mill levy is needed to protect the programming that has produced

the academic excellence our community expects. The levy on the May 4 ballot is crucial to maintaining the

strong foundation that has developed in our community over many years. We are confident that working to-

gether with the support of Lakewoodites, our Schools will remain one of our city’s best assets.

Dr. P. Joseph Madak

Superintendent

Board of Education

Betsy Shaughnessy, President

Matthew John Markling, Vice President

Linda Beebe

Edward Favre

John Kamkutis

Harding Herald

CHANGES IN IMMUNIZATION REQUIREMENTS!

Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the Ohio Department of Health is making a change to

the required immunizations needed for incoming kindergarteners and students entering 7th grade:

Kindergarten: A second dose of Varicella (chicken pox) is needed

7th grade: Either a Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis) or Td booster is needed

Unless otherwise exempt, students not providing evidence of the shot being given or an appoint-

ment date will be excluded from school within 14 school days.

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6th Grade News Test Time Is Growing Near

Teachers have been working diligently to prepare

your child for the sixth-grade Ohio Achievement

Assessment. Your middle schooler will feel more

prepared if he/she listens carefully in class, does all

homework and class work, and stays organized by

using his/her plan book. Periodically, you might

wish to ask to see the plan book and check organi-

zation skills.

On the days of the test, a good breakfast,

parent love and concern, academic prepa-

ration, and good attendance will lead to improved

test scores.

Math Competitors

On Saturday, May 8, the GCCTM will sponsor a

math competition. The event is for grades 5 and 6,

and is held at Emerson Elementary. Let’s give our

support to our Harding math problem solvers!

More Learning to Follow!

A full grading period remains, with many excit-

ing things to learn. Final year-end grades consider

all four grading periods. Please continue to check

your child’s planner and/or sign contracts.

Materials Matter

Teachers would appreciate regular blue/

black ink pens and #2 pencils. However,

with a quarter of the school year remain-

ing, most students will need more pencils, paper,

pens, and coloring materials for the remaining

weeks. Please check with your child to see if more

supplies are needed. Thank you for your help!

Read, Read, Read!

Were you careful to initial your child’s

―Book It‖ calendar? One of the best ways to

learn to read is by regular practice sessions.

By providing this quiet time for your child, you will

play a major role in his/her success as a reader. Al-

though the Book It program will be ending for the

school year, we hope that you will continue to encour-

age your child to read in a regular, enjoyable way.

Where Am I?

Which region of the world is your son/

daughter ―visiting‖ now? Ask to see what

countries he/she is learning about in Social

Studies class.

MOCK TRIAL

The Mock Trial play-offs last month invited six

attorneys and three judges, Judge O'Donnell,

Judge Ambrose, and Judge Keough to help de-

cide which students would make up the Middle

School Mock Trial team. These students will

represent Harding in Columbus at the State

House on April 16th.

Congratulations to: Kathryn Urban, Cole Karel,

Ann Elaban, Katherine Renaudin, Renee Klann,

Maggie Pizzo, Sean Weddell, Devon Chodzin,

Connor Cimino and Callan Foran. The team is

hoping to win the 1st place Superior ranking!

Wish them well!

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7th Grade News

In Ms. Pollner’s social studies class, students are

studying the Middle Ages. We will look at

feudalism, castles, knights, the Crusades, the

role of the church, life on a manor, and

guilds. Attendance is very important. If a

student is absent, he or she should plan to

stay after school upon his or her return in order to

catch up on missed material.

In Ms. Pollner’s language arts class, students are

busy reviewing for the April achievement tests.

We also are working on persuasive essays and sub-

ject/verb agreement. Attendance is very important.

If a student is absent, he or she should plan to stay

after school upon his or her return in order to catch

up on missed material.

Mrs. Hoy class

We have been working hard on Earth’s At-

mosphere. Projects will continue to be a

big part of our grade so class attendance is

vital. Students brought in some wonderful ane-

mometers and rain gauges, just in time for our

weather unit.

Coming up –

Zoo Field Trip on Monday, May 24th

Turn in dates are May 3rd through the 7th in science

class only. $6 per person to cover costs of trans-

portation and pavilion. We will take students on a

first come first serve basis, per bus capacity. So,

we will take units of 51 students per bus. A word

to the wise, get your permission slips in on-time

and early.

The 7th graders in 312 and 314 are struggling

to stay alive and avoid the Black Plague

during the Middle Ages. Immersed in an

Interact simulation, they have designed their

POWER OF THE PEN

We are anxiously awaiting to hear the results re-

vealing which writers will be heading to The Col-

lege of Wooster May 20th to compete in Power of

the Pen at the state level.

Representing the Harding team at the Regional

competition on March 27th were: 8th graders

Nora Varcho, Jameson Foran, Sarah Neff, Mad-

die Burns, Georgia Cole, and 7th graders Kathryn

Urban, Renee Klann, Maggie Pizzo, Sarah Smith,

and Ann Elaban.

Good luck at state!!

own manors, fought academic jousts, created a coat of

arms, practiced monastic silence, and tried to collect

enough feudal farthings to be crowned a king or queen

at the medieval feast. Reading pieces of historical fic-

tion in language arts has supplemented and enriched

this unit.

The 8th graders in 312 are at the head of the

class covering all the conflicts and compro-

mises made during the early part of the 19th

century. Their lessons included

historical research, accuracy,

multi-media and creativity to make the

drama that is history come alive for their

classmates. The final unit of the year will be a study

of the causes and effects of the great War Between the

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Harding Herald

8th Grade News In Spanish, students are learning new

songs and a new dance. They are also per-

forming skits and songs. Several language

arts classes are finishing the reading of the

play The Diary of Anne Frank. Social stud-

ies classes have introduced political parties

and our the formation of our new govern-

ment and will begin exploring the Lewis

and Clark expedition through

the text as well as through the

use of the internet. We will

continue to move westward!

Congratulations to the 5 eighth grad-

ers that entered the Northeast Ohio

Science and Engineering Fair. All

5 students were recognized in some

way at the fair which was held at Cleveland

State University the week of March 14-

16th. Zach Moran and Christian Styles won

2nd place in their categories in the Physics

section, Zach’s project was about the effect

of temperature on air pressure and Chris-

tian’s project was about the amount of water

needed to get the highest altitude flight for a

water bottle rocket; Jade Borocz won Hon-

orable Mention in psychology for her pro-

ject on The Stroop Effect. Eli Zettler won

2nd place in biology for his project on bacte-

ria present on loose produce versus bagged

produce, and George Harkenrider won a

$50.00 cash prize from an engineering

group which was a special interest judging.

Also, mark your calendars for the

Science Circus coming your way on Thurs-

day, May 13th from 6-8pm. We will have

carnival games, a star lab, science shows,

and of course carnival food. More informa-

tion will be sent home as the date approaches

The eighth grade Science Day at Cedar

Point will be Wednesday, May 26. Students

will complete a science activity

packet in the morning and will be al-

lowed to enjoy all of the rides at the

park for the rest of the day. The cost

will be approximately $40-45, which will in-

clude bus transportation and entrance to the

park. All school fees and fines must be paid in

order to participate in this trip. Money for Ce-

dar Point will be collected in April.

8th Grade Washington D.C. Trip Reminder

The 8th grade trip to Washington D.C. is only a few

short weeks away!! You should have received a

packet of information that was sent home with

your child before spring break. Enclosed are neces-

sary medical forms and an update about the trip.

Please be sure to return these forms by Friday, April

23rd.

Mark your calendars for the informational meeting

that will be held on Monday, April 26th at 7:00

p.m. in the Harding gym. Please note that this date

has been changed from the one previously pub-

lished in the Harding Herald. All students should

plan on attending with at least one parent. You

will be receiving important information from the

tour company and have an opportunity to ask

questions. If you have any questions or concerns in

the meantime, please feel free to contact Mrs. Bat-

kiewicz at 529-4261. We look forward to the ex-

citing few weeks ahead!

8th Grade Washington DC Trip

May 5-7, 2010

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Harding Herald

Harding PTSA Doings A big thank you goes out to all the parents, staff AND students who helped with the last all-school dance of the year on March 26. We appreciate all that you did and hope everyone had a great time.

Jot these dates on your calendar: SPRING BREAK! April 2-9. Be careful, have fun! April 15: Parents meeting for the 8th grade D.C. trip: 6:30 p.m. in the gym. Afterward, sign up to

help at the 8th grade dance scheduled for June 4. April 19: OAT testing begins for 2 weeks. Please, please, please encourage your child to eat a good

breakfast and get lots of sleep. April 20: PTSA meeting, 7 p.m. in the LRC. We’ll be voting on our slate of officers for 2010-2011,

so come join us. April 27: Market Day pickup.

Martha Mueller Neff, PTSA president marthaneff@sbcglobal.net

Market Day Pick-up

is April 27, 2010

Harding will be having their

first talent and variety show !

April 16th

-

Performance at 6:00 pm.

Doors open at 5:45

April 14th-April 16

th

Dress Rehearsal

on the

Stage after school

Come and See how much talent

we have here at Harding!

Harding Middle School students have been using the following rules for the Anti-bullying campaign at the school. There was a door decorating con-test to further highlight the four rules. The results of that contest are on the next page.

Rules about Bullying

1. We will not bully others 2. We will help students who are being bullied 3. We will include students who are left out 4. If we know someone who is being bullied, we

will tell someone at home or at school.

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Baby Bargain Bonanza – April 24, 2010

Lakewood Early Childhood PTA will hold the annual Baby Bargain Bonanza sale at Emer-son Elementary School (13439 Clifton Blvd.) on April 24, 2010. Doors will open at 9:00 a.m., and the sale will continue until 1:00 p.m.

Don't miss this opportunity to purchase gently used items for baby and youth, as well as the mother-to-be, at great prices. The sale will include clothing and accessories for babies and chil-dren (birth to size 14/16, toys, baby/youth furniture, maternity clothing and more. Check out our bake sale for your favorite homemade treats plus Phoenix Coffee!

Admission to the sale is $5.00 from 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m. and only $1.00 from 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. All proceeds will support programs of the Lakewood Early Childhood PTA. To learn more about shopping or selling at the Baby Bargain Bonanza call Margo Bondar at 216-227-8372 or email her at margobondar@gmail.com.

Harding Middle School will be sponsoring an

American Red Cross blood drive on

Friday, May 7th 2:00—7:00 pm

All students will be receiving material from our ARC Representatives for the Pint size heroes program dur-

ing the homebase assemblies on April 15, 2010.. Please consider donating on May 7th at Harding Middle

School. To register online go to www.givelife.org and type in the sponsor code HardingMiddleSchool or

44107. Thank you for your help in making this event a success at our school.

Anti-Bullying Committee sponsors

Door Decorating Contest All Harding homebases participated in the Door Decorating Contest from March 1st to March 15. The goal of the contest was to highlight Harding’s Anti-Bullying campaign, and to promote the four rules of anti-bullying. Ms. Carol Kerr’s homebase won the contest with a very clever and timely idea displaying cell phones and the role texting plays in the lives of middle-school students. Ms. Martzolf’s homebase came in 2nd place, and Mrs. Kehn’s home-base was a close 3rd. Ms. Kerr’s homebase was treated to a pizza party. Mr. Ahearn, Harlon Chase, and the contest judges Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Adkins, Mr. Costello, and Student Council representative, Tristin Jimenez were guests at the party. Thank you to all the homebase teachers who encouraged their students to

design such fabulous door decorations

Lakewood City Schools

1470 Warren Road

Lakewood, OH 44107

NONPROFIT

US POSTAGE

PAID

CLEVELAND, OH

PERMIT NO. 2512

April

2010

1 3rd Quarter

Awards

4º 6th Grade 5º 7th Grade

6º 8th Grade

2 Good Friday

Spring Break

Begins

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4 Easter

5 6 7

8

9

10

11

12 School Resumes

13 H2O Mtg.

14 Classroom of

Champions

@ St. Ed’s

15 ARC Blood

Drive assemblies

during homebases

16 6:00 Talent Show

in Café

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18

19

20

7:00 PTSA Mtg. in

LRC

21 22 Earth Day

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24

25 26

7:00 pm

Washington DC

Trip Parent Mtg. in the Gym

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H2O Mtg.

4:00 Market Day

Pick-up Café

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29 30 Arbor Day April showers bring

May flowers

OAA Testing—All Grades

OAA Testing—All Grades

SPRING BREAK