Cuyahoga Heights Middle and High Schools

August/September 2017 Volume 3, Issue 1

The Monthly Update

PLANNING AHEAD

August 17

Students’ First Day of

School!

Middle/High School

Open House at 5:00

p.m.

Community Pep Rally

at 7:15 p.m.

August 23

CVCC First Day

Board of Education

Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

August 31

PTO Welcome Back

Meeting at 7:30 p.m.

September 4

Labor Day – School

Closed

September 6

Board of Education

Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

September 8

MS/HS Picture Day

Hall of Fame

Luncheon at 12:00

p.m.

September 20

Board of Education

Meeting at 7:00 p.m.

September 25

Staff Professional

Development Day, No

School for Students

October 13

NEOEA Day, No

School for Students

On behalf of the administration and staff at Cuyahoga Heights Middle and

High Schools, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all of our

students and parents back for the start of the 2017-18 school year. I hope

that your summer was exciting and memorable. My name is Matt Young,

and, as I begin my 23rd year in public education, it is my privilege to serve

as your principal.

As a parent, I am sure you share my enthusiasm for the start of the school

year. With two high school students myself, my boys needed to go back to

school several weeks ago. As a building principal, I am eager for the start

of the school year because my profession is, and always will be, about the

students. From the moment they enter in August until they leave in June,

the students are a source of energy, inspiration, and motivation.

For the third year now, I am pleased to be joined in the administrative

office by Assistant Principal and Co-Curricular Director, George Burich,

who offers a wealth of experience from his 19 years in education. I am also

fortunate at both the high school and middle school to have a professional,

veteran staff of teachers, counselors, secretaries, aides, custodians, food

service and transportation employees all dedicated to the safety and

education of our students. As a collective staff, we have high expectations

for ourselves and our students. We are devoted to delivering the highest

quality programming in academics, arts and athletics by the most effective

means possible.

Thank you for being a part of our family and for choosing the Cuyahoga

Heights School District. The safety, success, and future of our students is,

and always should be, our highest priority. I look forward to the coming

year and working with you in this educational partnership!

Principal’s Message

The new year also signifies a new beginning for many in our school, including many

new staff members. Please welcome to our district and middle/high school families:

Kerry Dougherty, Library Assistant

Carlie Horodynski, Medical Assistant

Jackie Palumbo, Student Attendant

Miles Paterson, Science Teacher

Frances Sullivan, Occupational Therapist

These individuals bring to our students a unique blend of experience, intelligence,

character, and compassion. They all place student success and safety as their highest

priorities and will no doubt contribute vastly to enriching our students’ educational

experiences.

New Staff to Cuyahoga Heights MS and HS

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The Monthly Update

Open House for the 2017-18 school year is scheduled for Thursday, August 17 from

5:00 to 7:00 p.m. The evening begins with a brief convocation in the Auditorium, after

which parents will follow their student’s schedule. During that process, parents will

meet the teachers in 9-minute increments. Information pertinent to classroom

expectations and procedures will be explained that evening. Students who accompany

their parents may attend the girls soccer scrimmage, the volleyball scrimmage, or sit

quietly in the cafeteria. The schedule is as follows:

OPEN HOUSE TIME SCHEDULE

Welcome in Aud. 5:00 – 5:12 p.m.

1st Period 5:15 – 5:24 p.m.

2nd Period 5:27 – 5:36 p.m.

3rd Period 5:39 – 5:48 p.m.

4th Period 5:51 – 6:00 p.m.

5th Period 6:03 – 6:12 p.m.

6th Period 6:15 – 6:24 p.m.

7th Period 6:27 – 6:36 p.m.

8th Period 6:39 – 6:48 p.m.

9th Period 6:51 – 7:00 p.m.

Following Open House, a Community Pep Rally will be held at 7:15 p.m. at the

stadium. The event will include refreshments, spirit wear for purchase, booster club

membership registration, and an opportunity to meet our Fall sports teams, coaches and

Senior athletes. Parents will also have a chance to meet our Senior band members and

watch the fall show performance. Please join us on the 17th for this exciting evening to

kick off the new school year.

Open House and Community Pep Rally are August 17

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The Monthly Update

InfoSnap is the Cuyahoga Heights School District’s online student registration system. This

online process replaces all the hard copy student registration and permission forms that your

child used to bring home on the first day of school. You have received a letter from the district

with instructions on how to access the system for your child that includes a “snap code.” If you

are having difficulties, please contact a Main Office Secretary at 216-429-5707. If you do not

have computer access, you can schedule a time to use a school computer.

InfoSnap Registration

ProgressBook, the web-based gradebook program, allows you to have access to information

about your child’s educational progress. Parent and student account information is the same as

last year. Students and parents new to the district will receive their access codes the first week of

September. If you do not remember your account information, click on the “Forgot your

username or password?” link on the login page or contact the Technology Department at 216-

429-5805 or support@cuyhts.org with any questions.

ProgressBook Access

School Fees

During the first of September, an invoice will be mailed to parents of students who still owe

school fees that he or she has been charged for the upcoming school year. These fees can be

paid online through payforit.net or through a check made payable to Cuyahoga Heights Board of

Education and submitted to the main office secretary. School fees are due by the end of the first

grading period. Students who fail to pay fees by this time may not be permitted to participate in

any extra-curricular events or activities. Student fees are as follows:

Lunch: Lunch and milk pr ices for the 2016-17 school year remain the same as last year:

Type A Lunch, K-5: $2.55 Type A Lunch 6-12: $2.80 Milk, K-12: $0.50

Please note: The fee for courses that have an attached required fee may be waived if the

family qualifies for the free lunch program. This waiver does not apply to families who

qualify for reduced price meals. Please call the appropriate principal with questions.

COURSE FEE COURSE FEE COURSE FEE

AP BIOLOGY $10.00 GLOBAL FOODS - SEM $50.00 TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION VARIOUS

AP CHEMISTRY $10.00 HONORS BIOLOGY $10.00 9TH GRADE FEES $5.00

ANATOMY $20.00 HONORS CHEMISTRY $10.00 10TH GRADE FEES $10.00

ART I, II & III $10.00 HONORS PHYSICS $5.00 11TH GRADE FEES $15.00

ART FOUNDA-

TIONS

$10.00 INDUSTRIAL TECH

(WOODS)

$45.00 12TH GRADE FEES $20.00

ASTRONOMY $5.00 INDUSTRIAL TECH II Per Project

SKI CLUB MEMBERSHIP $40.00

BIOLOGY $10.00 NUTRITION $50.00 REPLACEMENT LOCK $5.00

CERAMICS I &

II

$40.00 PHOTOGRAPHY I & II $15.00 MUSICAL METHOD BOOK $8.00

CHEMISTRY $10.00 PHYSICAL SCIENCE $5.00 MUSICAL INSTRUMENT

RENTAL (max = $120)

$60.00

PE UNIFORM

SHIRT

$8.00 REGIONAL FOODS - SEM $50.00 SCIENCE (6-8) $10.00

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The Monthly Update

Cuyahoga Heights Middle/High School administration and faculty believe that exemplary

attendance directly influences academic achievement and prepares students to be successful in

college and careers. Attendance guidelines and policies have been established to set reasonable

expectations for attendance that will ensure the appropriate, active involvement of students in

school and to help them achieve their goals.

House Bill 410 limits the time that students are permitted to be absent from school, with or

without legitimate excuse, to 65 hours per year (equivalent to 10 school days). Once the 65-hour

limit is met, the Ohio Department of Education is notified, the parent is notified (within 7 days)

and an Attendance Intervention Plan is developed to “make up” for missed time. All non-school

related absences from school count in the total – tardies, appointments, illness, funerals,

hospitalizations, vacations, etc.

Please refer to pages 18-20 of the Student Handbook and pages 17-19 of this newsletter for more

information.

Absences from School - 65 Hour Limit

Please call the Attendance Line at 216-429-5707 and choose option “1” to report a tardy or

absence. It is the parents/guardians responsibility to call their child off school each day they are

absent no later than 8:00 a.m. You will be asked to provide your student’s name and grade, your

name and relation to the student, the reason for the absence and a parent phone number. Doctor

and dental absences should be accompanied by a note upon return to school. If you have any

questions, please contact Ms. Bacci in the Main Office.

Reporting Absences—Grades 6 through 12

Student of the Month is an award given to students in grades 6 through 12, monthly, who

model our character traits, performs exemplary in the classroom, and is a role model to others.

This student should represent the best our school has to offer. The recipients are recognized at

a special student recognition ceremony by the Board of Education.

Athlete of the Week is a weekly honor awarded to a student-athlete who excels in athletic

performance, leadership and sportsmanship. This student is also recognized in the monthly

newsletter.

Pride Tribe is a program designed to recognize any student in the school who exhibits

character on a daily basis. Students are recognized in the newsletter and receive a small token

of appreciation from Mr. Burich.

HEIGHTS Student of the Week is a recognition aligned to our Positive Behaviors

Intervention and Support (PBIS) program. Teachers nominate students weekly for exhibiting

the following characteristics: Helpful, Engaged, Inspired, Grateful, Honest, Tolerant, and

Successful.

Student Recognition

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The Monthly Update

FAMILY VACATION ABSENCES

Family vacations are absences that will count in the 65-hour limit on approved

absences. Parents and students must complete a Pre-Planned Absence Form

and submit it 3 days prior to the absence. The form is on page 20 of this

newsletter or can be obtained in the Main Office. The absence will be

unexcused unless all of the following criteria are met:

One of the student’s parents or legal guardian accompanies him/her on the

vacation.

The Pre-Planned Absence Form, obtained in the Main Office, is submitted 3

days prior to the absence.

The student must not be in danger of failing any classes and must have an

acceptable attendance rate.

The student must obtain assignments and submit them before the vacation or

on the first day returning to school, as determined by the individual teacher.

Note: Maximum of 5 vacation days for the school year allowed. Vacations

approved during the last five days of any semester are discouraged and may be

marked unexcused.

COLLEGE/CAREER-RELATED ABSENCES

Students are encouraged to make college, post-secondary technical school, or

career-related visitations during times school is in recess and/or during the

summer months. In the event that one must schedule a visitation while school is

in session, students must submit a College Visit Approval Form to the building

Principal or his/her designee at least three (3) days in advance for it to be

excused. The form is found on pages 21-22 of this newsletter or can be

obtained in the Main Office.

Students are permitted 2 visits per school year. Proof of visitation is required in

the form of a signature or business card from a staff member of the College’s

Admissions Office. College visits will be considered field trips and not count

toward a student’s absences so long as the required documentation is

provided. If documentation is not provided, this visit will be counted

toward the student’s 65-hour yearly limit as set by the State of Ohio.

Vacations, College Visits and Forms

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The Monthly Update

Planning has begun for the eight grade trip to Washington, D.C. The dates for the trip are March

21-23, 2018, which are adjacent to Spring Break. A parent information meeting will be held on

Monday, September 11 at 6:30 p.m. in the high school auditorium. While all details will be

shared at that meeting, here is a tentative summary of the trip:

Dates: March 21 – 23, 2018

Departure from CHMS: 6:30 a.m.

Return to CHMS: 9:00 p.m.

Management: Nowak Tour Company

Cost per Student: $421

Cost Includes:

Deluxe Mobile Coach

Eight (8) Meals

Panoramic Photo

Private Night Supervision

All Admissions

All Taxes and Gratuities

Online Trip Management

Hotel Information: Hyatt Place, 21481 Ridgetop Circle, Sterling, VA 20166, (703) 444-3909

Historical Monuments and Experiences:

Memorials – Iwo Jima, Air Force, Pentagon, WWII, Korea, Vietnam MLK, FDR,

Lincoln and Jefferson

Arlington National Cemetery – Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, Changing of the Guard

and JFK Gravesite

Smithsonian Museum – Air & Space, American History and Natural History

Holocaust Museum

National Archives

Gettysburg, PA

8th Grade DC Trip Parent Meeting

Athletics–The Cuyahoga Heights Redskins NEED YOU! The purpose of our Athletic Booster

Club (ABC) involves students, students’ families, and the school through active participation in

the Club’s activities and working closely with the coaches and Co-Curricular Director.

Membership in the Athletic Booster Club is required for your senior to be eligible for the ABC

Grant. The Athletic Boosters earn funds through various fundraising events during the year

(membership, program ads, spirit wear, picture buttons and the concession stand). Please see the

attached flier.

Music–Please consider joining our outstanding Music Booster Club to further benefit our

students’ music education. There are many opportunities to volunteer or share your talents.

Through our fundraising efforts, we help pay for uniform purchases and maintenance, pay for

accompanists at concerts, help fund school plays and musicals, decorate for concerts and serve

refreshments, award an annual senior scholarship, purchase music for our programs and award

mini-grants to teachers. Please see the attached flier.

PTO–Our Parent Teacher Organization is “ALL IN” for the students at CHES, CHMS and

CHHS! To learn more about PTO, upcoming volunteer opportunities and party planning, please

consider attending our “Welcome Back PTO Meeting” on Thursday, August 31 at 7:30 p.m. For

more information, see the attached flier or contact Joellen Podoll at joellenpodoll@gmail.com

Join a Booster Club or the PTO

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The Monthly Update

Districts and community schools must administer a state-funded college and career

readiness test to juniors in spring 2018 as one of their three diploma options. Each district

and community school will choose to either administer the state-funded ACT or SAT

college and career readiness test. State law is clear that both tests meet Ohio’s graduation

requirements to earn a high school diploma. A decision regarding which test will be given

to Cuyahoga Heights students will be made in the near future and will be communicated

to students and parents in the months to come. For questions about the ACT or SAT,

please contact Mrs. Douglas in the Guidance Office.

State-Funded College Readiness Test for Juniors

2017-18 ACT and SAT Dates

SAT Test Dates and Deadlines

SAT Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration SAT Scores Available

August 26, 2017 July 28, 2017 August 15, 2017 September 14, 2017

October 7, 2017 September 8, 2017 September 22, 2017 October 27, 2017

November 4, 2017 October 6, 2017 October 20, 2017 November 23, 2017

December 2, 2017 November 3, 2017 November 17, 2017 December 21, 2017

March 10, 2018 February 9, 2018 February 23, 2018 March 29, 2018

May 5, 2018 April 6, 2018 April 20, 2018 May 24, 2018

June 2, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 18, 2018 June 21, 2018

ACT Test Dates and Deadlines

ACT Test Date Registration Deadline Late Registration ACT Scores Available

September 9, 2017 August 4, 2017 August 5-18, 2017 September 19, 2017

October 28, 2017 September 22, 2017 September 23-October

6, 2017

November 14, 2017

December 9, 2017 November 3, 2017 November 4-17, 2017 December 21, 2017

February 10, 2018 January 5, 2018 January 6-19, 2018 February 21, 2018

April 14, 2018 March 9, 2018 March 10-23, 2018 April 24, 2018

June 9, 2018 May 4, 2018 May 5-18, 2018 June 21, 2018

Page 8

The Monthly Update

What State Tests Will My Child Take This Year?

Throughout the school year, information will be communicated regarding Ohio Department of

Education mandates and the effects they have on our students. One area of great interest is

testing. In the spring of 2018, students in grades 6 through 12 will take the following

assessments:

Grades 3-8 English Language Arts and Mathematics

Grades 5 and 8 Science

High School

Classes of 2018 and beyond – English Language Arts I and II; Algebra I and Geometry;

Biology; and American History, American Government.

Before the end of September parents or guardians will receive their child’s End of Course

(EOC) scores for the AIR test(s) taken last spring. Also, letters were mailed home in June

to students in the Classes of 2018 and 2019 updating them on their graduation point totals.

If you have questions, please email me at myoung@cuyhts.org.

School Pictures

School pictures are scheduled for Friday, September 8. All students grades 6–12 will have their

photos taken on this day. Seniors are expected to dress respectably for their photo as these will

be used for their official class photo that will be displayed in the hall of CHHS for years to

come. Students will receive order forms in late August. Order forms will also be available on

picture day.

Schedule Changes

The beginning of the school year is quite busy in our Guidance Office with students scheduling

appointments to correct or modify their schedules. I ask for patience as my two outstanding

counselors work through requests and conflicts. As a reminder, students cannot change their

schedules for social purposes, such as having classes with friends. Here are reasons that a

schedule may need to be changed:

Summer school coursework is completed and affects course selections.

There is a change in the student’s program of studies.

There is a course conflict.

There is a computer error.

Course prerequisites have not been met.

A required course needs to be repeated.

In order to make a schedule change, students must complete a “Schedule Change Request

Form” found in the Guidance Office and have approval of the guidance counselor, parent and

principal. Forms must be submitted within the first five (5) days of the start of the first semester

unless the request is in response to a technical error or the student being academically

misplaced. The final deadline for all first semester schedule changes is Friday, August 25. We

will do our very best to work efficiently and effectively in the best academic interest of the

students.

Select “Middle” or

“High” under the

“Schools” menu

Select “Principal’s

Corner” to view student

and parent information

Please take time to visit the Cuyahoga Heights Schools website. By selecting various menus, you will have access to the

latest information related to students, events and activities. Below are directions on how to access my “Principal’s

Corner” that is designed with parents in mind. The page will be updated frequently, so please check back often.

CHS Website and Principal Communication

The Monthly Update

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The Monthly Update

Keep Informed...Remind Notification for Parents

For this school year, I have set-up parent notification accounts for both middle school and high school parents through

the Remind app. By subscribing to the appropriate account, parents will receive additional communication about events,

deadlines and positive aspects of school.

MIDDLE SCHOOL HIGH SCHOOL

Cuyahoga Heights Middle and High School

Advanced Placement Program Continues to Grow and Excel

Page 11

During the 2016-17 school year, more AP tests were taken (139) by Cuyahoga Heights students than in any other year.

Our students continue to perform nearly 20% higher than students do across Ohio and nationally. This means, on

average, AP students from CHS graduate high school college-ready and are prepared to enter, complete and succeed in

their academic majors at most institutions of higher education. Further, the College Board recognized twenty-seven (27)

of our students for earning distinctions as AP Scholars (17), AP Scholars with Honors (3), AP Scholars with Distinction

(7), and National AP Scholar (1). To the students, teachers, and families of the students, I offer my congratulations on a

job well done!

AP Scholar with Honors AP Scholar AP Scholar with Distinction National AP Scholar

Miranda Allison

Leah Dzik

Ada Gee

Jonathan Hopkins

Emma Lipkowski

Jacob Mallos

Alexis Martin

Taylor Martin

Chad McDaniel

Hannah Michalski

Nicholas Pallini

Jeffery Parker

Julia Patterson

Tyler Selig

Alexa Sokolowski

Lisa Tangri

Nina Ventura

Michael Adamo

Eric Holler

Chris Mortensen

Delaney Dalton

Aviana King

Gianni Rosa

Nathan Schroeder

Joseph Stefanko

Henley Taylor

Taylor Wilson

Delaney Dalton