Lakewood City SchoolsREPORTCARD

A Lakewood community newsletter March 2015

INSIDE:

See CONSTRUCTION Page 4

Preschool programs earn state’s top rating

Page 2

Garfield team top scorer in academic competition

Page 2

Reflections ceremonoy honors student art

Page 2

Emerson students hear history come alive

Page 3

See ARTISTS Page 3

Progress continues at new building sites

Clinic Children’s Hospital to operate on-site mobile health clinicA partnership between the

Lakewood City Schools and Cleveland Clinic Children’s Hospital this spring will bring a mobile health unit to our dis-trict on a weekly basis to deliver health care services to students

while they are at school.Opening a school-based

health clinic has been a goal of Superintendent Jeff Patterson’s since he became leader of the district in 2011. This partner-ship will enable students to get

the services they need without parents having to take time off of work or students having to miss more than the minimal amount of valuable class time. The easily accessible clinic should translate into higher

student attendance and thus improved student performance.

A mobile unit will initially be present at Harrison Elementary and Garfield Middle school. When the new construction at Lakewood High School is com-

plete, a permanent clinic will be housed in the new building. The mobile clinic will be staffed by a Nurse Practitioner provid-ed by the Cleveland Clinic and will alternate its location weekly

See CLINIC Page 3

Lincoln Elementary was the first building to come down for the final phase of the Master Facilities Plan. Roosevelt is next on tap with Grant to follow.

HS students reel in top awards in regional art contestLakewood High School and

the West Shore Career-Tech Interactive Media program combined have earned the most number of Gold Key awards of any area school in the annual Scholastic Art & Writing Awards regional competition.

Left: Senior Nina Scavone’s Gold Key winner in Drawing.

Winners of a Gold Key, the highest honor given, were led by senior Jacob Corder, who captured five top awards. In total, seven LHS and West Shore stu-dents won 13 Gold Keys. Seniors Alex Marek and Grace Roberson were also multiple winners with two Gold Keys each. Gold Key winners move on to be judged at the national level of the 91-year-

old contest.Corder and Marek’s work were

also selected as two of five from the region to vie for the Best in Show, American Vision Medal, which will be awarded in May.

Lakewood students were also well represented at the Silver Key and Honorable Mention lev-els. Five students won six Silver Keys, with Corder winning two

Silvers. Eleven students earned Honorable Mention designations for their art.

Corder, who began entering the contest in 8th grade, over the years has earned one national Gold Key, seven regional Gold Keys, two regional Silver Keys and numerous Honorable Men-tions. The Cleveland Institute

If you’ve driven down Clifton Boulevard in the last couple of months, you know that great progress has been made with our school rebuilding project as Lincoln Elementary has been demolished and its site being prepared for a new foundation.

A ceremonial groundbreak-ing was scheduled to be held on March 13 at the Lincoln site with participation from our Board of Education members, Superinten-dent Jeff Patterson, Mayor Mike Summers, Lincoln PTA represen-tatives and students.

Demolition work is now in

progress at Roosevelt and Grant Elementary Schools. Demo crews are expected to finish at those sites by May 1.

Groundbreaking ceremonies will also be held at each of these sites at dates still to be deter-mined. Please check our website for updates.

Much work has also been done at Lakewood High over the win-ter. The bulk of the activity cen-tered around creating new food preparation and seating areas for cafeteria services. Equipment was installed at Garfield Middle

Lakewood City Schools

Awards & Recognitions

Times & Cinema earn first places in contest

HIGH SCHOOL

The 2013-2014 Lakewood Times and the LHS Cinema each received first-place awards in the annual American Scholastic Press Association contest for high school yearbooks and magazines. The ASPA reviews hundreds of publications from across the country and offers critiques and assigns awards for first, second and third places as well as some special category and merit awards.

Of the Cinema, the judges said: “Your yearbook shows excellence in the fields of writing, photogra-phy and page design and contains all the elements/sections of an effective yearbook that will be treasured for years to come.”

Judges’ comments on the Times: “Creating a newsmagazine teaches the fundamentals of publishing, good writing skills, proofread-ing and editing skills, concepts

Garfield Academic Challenge Team (front row from left): Aidan Bohac, Evan Bell, Colin Sabo, Patrick McCallum (back row, from left: Renee Jones and Emma Carson.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

of design and composition and promotes a community of young writers. Your magazine does all of that and showcases the superior efforts of talented and creative editors, artists, photographers and graphic designers. Your staff and advisor are to be congratulated.”

LHS English teacher Dennis Ebner serves as adviser to both publications. Last year’s Times editor was Matt Morgenstern, a current senior who continues as editor this year. The Cinema was led last year by then-senior Hailey Davis.

W. Shore students’work ethic recognized

Congratulations to the follow-ing students who received the Lakewood Chamber of Com-merce / Lakewood – Rocky River Sunrise Rotary Work Ethic Award for their exemplary per-formance in their West Shore Ca-

Preschool programs earn top state ratingAll the district’s Early Child-

hood Programs have earned a 5-Star rating from the State of Ohio for meeting the qual-ity standards established by the Ohio Department of Job & Family Services and the Ohio Department of Education.

The Emerson, Harrison, Hayes and Horace Mann programs have all earned the state’s top rating. The 5-Star Step Up To Quality rating and improvement system was created to recognize and pro-mote early learning and develop-ment programs that meet quality standards above the health and

safety licensing requirements.Participating programs can

earn a one- to five-star rating. In addition to meeting all standards of a four-star rating, programs with five stars may also: have lower staff/child ratios; use child assessment results to plan activi-ties that best support learning and development goals for each

child; share assessment results and create goals for children; develop plans to support chil-dren as they transition to a new classroom or educational setting; work with other organizations or businesses within the community to support children and their families; have an active and or-ganized parent volunteer group; and use input from families and community partners’ inform the program’s continuous improve-ment process.

Preschool registration is now open for the 2015-2016 school year. Call 216-529-4214.

PTA Reflections honors student creativity

Lakewood students’ creativity and imagination were celebrated at the annual Lakewood PTA Council Reflections Ceremony, held Feb. 3 at the Civic Audito-rium. One hundred twenty seven works from preschool through high school were honored and 24 pieces were chosen to move on to the state PTA judging.

The ceremony offered the young artists a chance to be rec-ognized and congratulated by the Superintendent, Board of Educa-tion members and other city leaders. The audience heard Matt Charboneau, Director of Music Education at Beck Center.

The Reflections program offers students from schools with active PTAs the opportunity to create works of art for fun and recog-nition. Students in preschool through grade 12 are encouraged to submit works in six arts areas: literature, dance choreography, film/video production, musical

composition, photography, and the visual arts. All entries must follow a chosen theme, which this year was “The World Would Be A Better Place If….”

Of the works entered distric-twide, 127 were chosen for con-sideration for the next level. Each school can send up to 24 entries to district level. Among works chosen for district recognition, the highest scoring 24 works as deemed by a panel of nine judges move to compete with students’ work from around the state. The following students’ work moved on to statewide judging:

Early Childhood PTA: Mya Galdun; Grant: Audrey Deluca, Max Deluca,Ethan Thomas; Harrison: Isabella Lara, Gavin Stimac, Delilah Wiemer; Hor-ace Mann: Helen Miller, Simon Miller; Lincoln: Kira Brown, Joe Daso, Una LoPiccolo, Caden San-doval, Iris Wright, Lila Wright; Roosevelt: Meghan Walcheck; Harding: Ella Atfield, Halina Dreger, Jacob Cavc, Audrey Warren, Jake Wright; Lakewood High: Nick Bilski, Franchesca Bodnar, Gregory Watson.

DISTRICT

Garfield academic team top scorer in contestThe Garfield Middle School Aca-demic Challenge Team on Jan. 21 won the monthly St. Ed’s Class-room of Champions competition with a season-leading score of 600 points. Team members Evan Bell,

Patrick McCallum, Aidan Bohac, Colin Sabo, Emma Carson, and Renee Jones did a tremendous job preparing for the competi-tion, said adviser Josh Thorns-berry. The team is in an excellent position to have a score high enough to be invited back for the championship round in May.

reer Technical District program: Biotechnology: Devon ChodzinBusiness Mgmt.: Michael FaskoCommunity Based Train-

ing: Transition to Work: Glenn McMillan

Culinary Arts: D’Nautica DavisElectronic Technology: Viktor

KoromyslichenkoHealth Careers Technology:

Aidan O’DonnellInteractive Media: Madeline

Listkowski Medical Office Mangement:

Karamella McCoyNetworking/CISCO: Christian

UlsenheimerProject Lead the Way: Matt

BangoThe Work Ethic Award recogniz-

es students for their commendable attendance, attitude, and achieve-ment. Work Ethic nominees have met the following criteria:Academic Challenge team wins TV show segment

Congratulations to the Aca-demic Challenge team, winners of the NewsChannel 5 Academic Challenge episode taped Feb. 22. The team, composed of senior Ben McKinsey, junior Robbie Fehrenbach and sophomore Ian Bell, beat teams from Strongs-ville and Massillon Jackson high schools. The show will air on NewsChannel 5 on May 2. The team finished its season 7-0 and won the West Shore Conference.

confer-ence champ for the third straight year.

Lakewood City Schools

between Garfield and Harrison. Most primary care services will be available to the students and their families. The district will continue to employ the ser-vices of two licensed nurses and health aides for each of our 10 buildings.

There will be no co-pays for services and insurance will be billed directly. Financial assis-tance will also be available for families who qualify.

“Several school districts in the First Ring Superintendents Collaborative have been work-ing together to develop this concept,” said Superintendent Patterson. “The goal is to bring

Cliniccontinued from PAGE 1

Emerson oral history project ties generations together

Artistscontinued from PAGE 1

Second-grader Rilynn Birth sits down with Claire Haney to find out what life was like growing up as a child in the first half of the 20th century.

of Art hosts the regional com-petition that recognizes creative achievement in area grade 7-12 students. The young artists compete for cash prizes, medals, and scholarship awards. A panel of local professional artists, art educators, writers, and writing educators jury the exhibit and select the awarded pieces from nearly 3,000 entries. Students who receive Portfolio Awards and Gold Key Awards continue to the national competition held in the spring in New York City at Carnegie Hall.

Congratulations to all the win-ners and art teachers Anne Mc-Quay, Sandy Norris, Arline Olear and Amy Sedlak and English

teacher Barbara Comienski.Gold Key Winners: (7-10% of

regional entries)Jacob Corder – Mixed Media

(2), Digital Art, Photography, Painting

Alex Marek – Film & Anima-tion, Photography

Grace Roberson – Poetry, Portfolio

Nathaly Rodriguez – Ceramics & Glass

Isabel Romeo – Drawing & Illustration

Nina Scavone – Drawing & Illustration

Kaitlin Stanaitis - PrintmakingSilver Key Winners: (10-15%

of regional entries)Madeline Baker - Photography Jacob Corder – Printmaking,

PortfolioHannah Randall – Photography

Kaitlin Stanaitis – Mixed Me-dia, Printmaking

Andrea Thompson – Mixed Media

Honorable Mentions: (15-20% of regional entries)

Jacob Corder – PrintmakingKatherine Kunze – Comic ArtMadeline Listkowski – Film &

AnimationHannah Randall – PhotographyCooper Robar – PrintmakingGrace Roberson – PoetryWilly Rodriguez – Ceramics

& GlassRobert Searles – PhotographyOwen Smith – PhotographyKaitlin Stanaitis – Printmak-

ing, Drawing & IllustrationGregory Stropki – Photogra-

phyClare Toole – Ceramics &

Glass

The past, present and fu-ture came together recently at Emerson Elementary School as second graders in Mary McCool Berry’s class embarked on an oral history project that will give the students a rich understanding of how childhood has changed – and stayed the same - over the generations.

Ten adults from the Lakewood Division of Aging Senior Center traveled to Emerson on Feb. 9

to sit and chat with the students about how it was for them to grow up in America during the first half of the 20th century. The students were well-armed with questions they prepared together that ranged from early childhood memories, to hobbies and interests, growing up during wartime, to lessons learned from loved ones.

“I really believe kids need to know the stories of their elders,”

Berry said about why she cre-ated the project for her students. “It is hard to get kids to under-stand what life was like 50 years ago….Oral histories can give us a much more accurate picture of the past.”

The project combines many aspects of the Common Core Standards: researching, writing, analyzing, using technology, presenting. Students were bro-ken into groups of two or three with one child dedicated to recording the interview sessions and the others asking questions. The students will analyze their recordings and then prepare Venn Diagrams to compare and contrast their childhoods with their guests’ experiences and create a memory quilt of paper that will illustrate some of the experiences the seniors shared with them.

Prior to the seniors coming to the school, the class delved into life in Lakewood in the early 20th century as a guest speaker from the Lakewood Histori-cal Society shared artifacts and

stories from that era. While the usual suspect – tech-

nology – was the greatest differ-ence between childhood of youth today and those of yesteryear, the children were maybe surprised to hear that many of the ways the seniors’ spent their free time was the same today: doing chores, homework, playing with friends. They even shared in playing the same outdoor games such as hide-and-go-seek and tag.

Before the seniors left, they each shared a wish for the

students as they march toward adulthood. With the benefit of wisdom gleaned over their many years, the answers were simple and heartfelt: world peace, a drug- and disease-free world, higher education for everyone, and simply to be loved.

The students plan on continu-ing their connections with this group of seniors in the spring when the tables turn and the adults ask the students about their life growing up in Lake-wood today.

Students learn how childhood has changed....or not

Emerson Elementary teacher Mary McCool Berry and her second-grade students offer their thanks and appreciation for spending time with them on the oral history project. Each senior received a flower and a thank you card from the students.

“The goal is to bring important health

services to students at the same time reducing

absenteeism and improving student

achievement.”

Superintendent Jeff Patterson

important health services to our students, at the same time reducing absenteeism and improving student achieve-ment. Our mobile unit pilot at Harrison and Garfield will provide us with an opportunity to provide valuable feedback on the success of the program.”

Lakewood City Schools

The Lakewood Board of EducationEmma Petrie Barcelona, President

Tom Einhouse, Vice PresidentLinda Beebe, Member

Edward Favre, MemberBetsy Bergen Shaughnessy, Member

Administration Editor Jeffrey W. Patterson, Superintendent Christine GordilloKent Zeman, Treasurer 216-529-4074All courses and programs offered by the Lakewood City Schools and the West Shore Career Technical District are without regard to race, color, religion, national origian, creed, gender, marital status, disability, or age in its educational programs, activities, employment policies or admission plicies as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 and Section 504 of the Rhabilitation Act of 1973. The district provides equal access to Boy Scouts and other designated groups. Dr. Debra Cahoon serves as Title IX Coordinator and Dr. Christine Palumbo as 504 Coordinator.Printed by Vedda & Sons Printing, owned by a Lakewood High School alumnus, Class of ‘51

ECRWSS

Postal Customer

Board of Education1470 Warren RoadLakewood, OH 44107

Non-ProfitOrganizationU.S. Postage

PAIDCleveland, OH 44107

Permit No. 2512

Constructioncontinued from PAGE 1

School, where the high school food will be prepared, and class-rooms in the west building of the high school were converted to large eating spaces for students. New transition spaces were also created for the band and choir programs.

Asbestos abatement has be-

gun in the east end of the high school. Demolition will follow once the abatement is complete with the entire east end struc-tures expected to be razed by the end of June.

For updates throughout the construction process, please visit our School Construction page on our website at www.lake-woodcityschools.org/content/construction.

Hayes’ Choristers Contingent

Fifteen Hayes Elementary 4th- and 5th-graders will sing with the Oberlin Choristers Children’s Honor Choir on March 21 at 3 pm at Lorain County Community College. Hayes Choir Director Lisa Van Scyoc nominated the 15 for their vocal talent and dedication. Members are Cristian Burgos, Noelle Eubanks, Lavinia Grandt, Myles Harper, Deidre Hupcey, Lennah Papadoro-theou, Adrianne Schlenkerman, Arianna Schlenkerman, Gabrielle Sever, Dania Shean, Doniah Shean, Scarlette Sullivan, Gabriella Trnvasky, Megan Winters and Graci Yost.

The Lakewood City School District has undertaken a study of its gifted programming this year. A committee of administrators and parents have been studying the current gifted programming to determine whether changes could be recommended to the program to enhance educational opportunities for students.

Currently, the district serves gifted students in grade 3-8 with a self-contained classroom model, and through AP and advanced courses at Lakewood High. The charge of the commit-tee was to recommend to Super-intendent Jeff Patterson a plan for a continuum of service for the district that casts a wider net to serve more specifically identi-fied academic students as well as those students who are currently in the self-contained program.

Another need that was identi-fied was a communication plan that would include online and paper resources for parents and

teachers that more clearly define the program components.

The large committee’s work was shared at community meet-ings in late February. The sub-committees are now reconvening to review the strengths and needs identified by the committee and community, in order to incorpo-rate those suggestions into the formal recommendation present-ed to Superintendent Patterson later this month.

The ultimate goal of the gifted review is to retain aspects of the programming that are valued by our learning community while strengthening and casting a wider net to reach students who might currently qualify for gifted programming, but because of the current model of service are not receiving services at this time. Look for more information to come on our district web site in regards to the recommenda-tions and the future model of our Gifted Program.

District examines Gifted Program with eye toward more inclusivity

Winter sports season had its hot spotsThe high school winter sports

season was one of transition and success. While the basketball and wrestling teams adjusted to new home locations with the East Gym shut down, the athletes did what they do best and shined in competition. Here are some highlights:lSophomore swimmer Kel-

ley Reis qualified for the State Championship Meet in two events. Reis qualified for the Finals in 100-yard-backstroke, finishing 13th and setting a new school record with a time of

57.77. She placed 17th in the 50-yard freestyle, one place shy of the Finals. Her backstroke time qualifies her for National Club Swimming Association’s Junior Nationals. Reis was the Section-al champion in 100 back.lSophomore diver Allen Van

Houten finished 5th at Districts to qualify for the State meet. Unfortunately, an injury barred him from competing.

The girls’ varsity basketball team were Sectional champs before falling to Westlake in the District finals.

lThe girls’ freshman basket-ball team won the West Shore Conference tournament.lThe boys’ varsity basketball

team at press time was scheduled to play its opening playoff game vs. Parma.lOn the middle and elemen-

tary school level, six wrestlers advanced to the Ohio Athletic Committee’s State Tournament set for later this month: Othman Awad, Brandyn Bates, Jayden Jackson (elementary), John Kri-zan, Austin Allender and Yousef Awad (middle school).