Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

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INSIDE:

	• KIDS FIRST NIGHT

                  • SOUTH HIGH ACADEC • PROJECT UPDATES

May 2018

A Message From Your Superintendent

The 2017 - 2018 school year has come to opportunities	that	they	would	not a close and I would like to thank everyone otherwise have.
the year.
who supported our students throughout It is a privilege to work with all of you and to serve the students of Willoughby-
Thank you to our staff; you each play an Eastlake City Schools.

you work daily to create and teach
The support shown by the community on
this issue	is greatly appreciated. Thank
integral role in student success. Whether Since our last Community Update, our engaging	lessons,	support	classroom voters passed our levy renewal, Issue 2. instruction, make warm meals, bring
clean their classrooms and keep our
students safely to our doorstep each day, you voters for securing district funds to

buildings safe, warm and dry,	or offer support classroom instruction.
assistance in our ofices,	clinics or Our district continues to place students elsewhere on our campuses, you are each first,	ensure	quality	instruction	and responsible for the student achievements maximize time on task. It is with this laser in our schools.                                                      focus     that     we          Improve	Student Thank	you	to	our	parents,	family Achievement.
members and community members, who I hope that you enjoy this month’s help our students to arrive each day, Community Update.

ready to learn. You show your support each time you attend school events, assist with homework, ensure that your children have the necessary	tools to complete
daily lessons and support our staff in their

Superintendent

Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

(440) 975 - 3757

quest to educate your children.	Steve Thompson

Finally,	I	would	like	to	thank	our community partners. Your collaboration with our schools gives our students

North High Beam Signing

May 2018

		

Opportunities for Students & Families

KIDS First Night The district held its second annual KIDS First
Night events and they were a huge success.

a a o e
s
	More than 170 incoming kindergarten students nd their families, for a total of 500 people, ttended the events on two different nights. In rder to allow our littlest learners the xperience of going through a cafeteria line,
tudents and their families enjoyed dinner
		
served by Chartwells. Following dinner, there were nine learning stations at which Willough-by-Eastlake teachers taught the children and their families how to play learning games so that they could practice pre-kindergarten skills during the summer months. Each incoming kindergarten student went home with the nine games and school supplies to use during the summer. A special thank you to the Royalview and Edison administrators and staff for hosting
the programs, to Chartwells for providing the meals, and to Petermann Transportation for providing the bus at Edison for the students to explore. The event was partially funded by a Title IV federal grant and was organized by Alison Ciferno, Gifted/ Title I Coordinator, and the Curriculum Department.
“I would like to extend a special thank you to Melissa Arezone, Kathleen Callitsis, Sandy Cardile, Alison Ciferno, Linda Davidson, Shannon Davis, Jill Deitrick, Diane Dittoe, Lisa George, Connie Heckman, Caitlin Iacobucci, Georgina Koh, Susanne Lane, Sherry Langer, Darci Mateosky, Shannon Metrick, Jeri Mismas, Amanda Neumann, Amanda O'Donnell, Chelsea Poropat, Maria Prayner, Camille Ritt, Missy Rodia, Betsy Sankovich, McKenzie Snyder, Tracy Stapleton, Michele Stitts, Rose Vitullo and Corrie White for their assistance with the planning and execution of this family involvement
program. Without their assistance, opportunities such as this would not be possible,”

Steve Thompson, Superintendent,
Willoughby-Eastlake Schools

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

A Message From Your Treasurer Answers to Our Community
What is House Bill 920?

School districts in Ohio are funded by a assessed in the original year of the combination of federal, state and local assessment. As the value of your property funds. The amount of funding from the increases, property taxes voted on for state to each district is determined by the school levies will not increase.	Simply State of Ohio, through an arduous put, House Bill 920 assures tax payers

Bill Parkinson Treasurer/CFO
Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

process and is not the same for every that the taxes voted on for the school district. Local taxes used to fund school district will remain at a constant level, districts are voted on by voters, and in and if the district is in need of additional the Willoughby-Eastlake district, these funding, they will have to seek voter taxes are paid by property owners.	approval.

In 1976, the Ohio legislature passed House Bill 920, a statute which froze
property taxes in the amount they were

What is an Emergency Levy?

emergen y	ope ati g	levy	Levies
There are several types of tax levies order for the funding to continue to used to fund schools and one type is an support the district.
funded	by	multiple	emergency
operating levies and therefore, the
generatec money rtonpay the . district’s Willoughby-Eastlake	City	Schools	is operating costs, such as salaries, utilities
use. An eme gency ope ating levy is a
regular basis. When passed, these
renewals do not increase taxes and
and supplies rpurchasedr for classroom district is on the ballot for renewals on a tax levy that is voted on for a specific
time. Because the levies are for a
dollar amount over a specific amount of collect the same amount of money they

specific amount of time, they must be generated when originally passed.
placed on the ballot and renewed in	LEVIES ARE FOR LEARNING

BONDS ARE FOR BUILDINGS

May 2018

What is a Bond Issue?

A bond issue is a tax levy, also used to fund schools. Bond issues must be voted on by the community and passed in order to collect revenue for the district. By law, funds collected by a bond issue can be used only for capital costs such as building construction, renova-tions and vehicle and equipment purchases.

In 2015, the voters passed a bond issue that is currently being used for the construction of new school buildings and renovations and repairs to existing buildings in Willoughby-
Eastlake.

Willoughby-Eastlake

Jefferson Reading Buddies Celebrating 19 years

Since 1999, the Reading Buddies Program at Jefferson Elementary has played an important role in improving student achievement. During the 2017 - 2018 school year, thirty-five volunteers were able to assist forty-five students.

Each week, the visits made by the reading buddies are highly anticipated by both students and volunteers. At the close of the school day, students in grades second through fourth meet with their grownup buddy to read. The volunteers, many of whom are retired	senior	citizens,	help	students	build	fluency	and comprehension skills, while building a lasting friendship.     Rosie Hixenbaugh and Jackie Poling have volunteered to run the program for nineteen years and continue to do so because of the significant gains made by students. In recent years Kim Nicoleti and Kim Taylor have also come on board to assist with the program.

Third grader, Brandon Littlejohn stated, ”This is the best thing I have ever done. I made a friend for life!”

Thank you reading buddies!

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Willoughby-Eastlake

Across the District

Willowick Middle School students participated in the Beauty and the Beast. It was a great musical!

North High School students participated in Project Opiate and presented to students at Eastlake Middle School.

NCI student, Markus DePompei, was honored as a senior

student of the year by the Rotarians.

Willoughby Middle students met with their Breckenridge pen pals.

Royalview Elementary had a great celebration featuring their fifth grade graduates.

Mr. Heising’s Edison Elementary students studied life cycles

and raised baby chicks.

May 2018

		

NCI Eastlake was recognized as a 2017 - 2018 Cleveland Clinic Banner School!
		
Students in the Willoughby-Eastlake Preschool celebrated their graduation.

Longfellow students finished the year thanking their volunteers.
Eastlake Middle School hosted their first annual art show!

Grant students participated in their annual talent show.

Students from the School of Innovation finished some great projects in the Fab Lab!
Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Project Updates

At Longfellow Elementary School the plumbing rough-ins have been completed in several areas and the gymnasium steel is in place. The gymnasium trusses have been put in place and the decking will soon begin in this area and in the kitchen. The door frames have also arrived and work will begin on them immediately.

When looking into the building, it is now possible to see the beginnings of the walls!

At North High School, the work on the auditorium and gymnasium is showing significant progress. The masons have begun working in these areas and the brick veneer continues to be placed on the surfaces. The steel for the kitchen area is scheduled to arrive next week and will be set as it arrives.

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

possible to see the building taking shape. This summer, the renovations will be completed in the science areas of the existing South High School. The tie in and renovations will enable this area to be utilized by the high school science department once the new school has opened.

All construction remains on time and on budget.

LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL

At South High, the paving and concrete work near the stadium will begin this week and during that time, construction trafic will be temporarily diverted from the Euclid Avenue entrance to Shankland Road. This change will
last approximately two weeks. The steel framing for the
front of the high school is in place and when visiting, it is	NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

May 2018

The speech and interview events opened t e competition,
scores on he team whi e five medals were won by the
and Marion Musgrave in music and art while Kiara Clark
captured a silver medal in art. Lee O'Deens was the only
multiple medal winner with a silver in math and a bronze in
economics.

South High School
		
ACADEMIC DECATHLON National Competition Success

The Willoughby South Academic Decathlon team, comprised of Jarrett Evans, Catherine Johnston and Kiara Clark, scholastic students Gigi Crockett-Tomasio, Brianna Clark and MacKenzie Mramor and varsity students Marion Musgrave, Lee O'Deens and Sophia Madge competed in the national AcaDec competition in Frisco, Texas. The team was joined by independents Zack Burton, Elliott Yoon and Callena Speros
who helped drill the starting team with last minute facts and
		
volunteered as speech timers for the competition.

To prepare for the event, the students had been studying seven substantive subjects and performing in speech, interview and essay for the past ten months, culminating in the honor of representing their state. Subjects revolve around
the theme of Africa this year exploring the art, music and South would finish 5th in Division 4 and 19th overall out of 70 history of Earth's second largest continent.	teams. Jarrett Evans and Catherine Johnston had the highest followed on the second day with objectivehtesting, where team. Goldtmedals were lsecured by Gigi Crockett-Tomasio students were given 50 question tests to finish in half an hour
each. The art portion was taken online leaving economics, music, math, social science, language-literature and science for a grueling three hours. The South High team and the other
69	teams	competing	finished	these	portions	of	the The young men and women of the AcaDec team are to be competition and prepared for the more audience-friendly congratulated for their hard work and grit representing their portion of the competition: Superquiz.                                               school and state at this national event.

Congratulations Laker Artists

Avril Linowski and Liv Erickson won first and second place in the Lake County, Fair Housing Poster Contest
Congratulations Students!

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

OVERCOMING ADVERSITY,

LIAM PIOTROWSKI, A W-E SUCCESS STORY Liam Piotrowski began learning to play part of many other community activities.     His family credits his the fife when he was seven years old successes largely to being included with his peers, which they state, with the Jack McDonough Fife and Drum is possible at school because of the supports provided by the dis-Corps and, from there, was quickly trict and the great teachers and staff who want to see him succeed. drawn to the beat of the bass drum.	Congratulations Liam! You are a great success story!

The undertaking of learning to play “Inclusion in school and the community is important to help musical instruments at this young age individuals reach their full potential, and learning about diversity was	remarkable	in	and	of	itself, is enriching for others as well,” Mrs. Bridget Piotrowski.
however; in addition to the challenge of his youth, Liam is aflicted by William
syndrome, a genetic condition characterized by multiple medical complications including cardiovascular disease, mild to moderate learning disabilities and unique personality characteristics

With the help of his parents and brother, who also attends Willoughby-Eastlake Schools, Liam has participated in the Cleveland
St. Patrick’s Day Parade for several years and also enjoys being a	Liam and his brother, Owen, at a Walk for Williams Syndrome.

ABOUT THE DISTRICT Maintaining District Properties

13 SCHOOLS IN THE DISTRICT

275 ACRES OF LAND

17 EMPLOYEES MAINTAIN OUTDOOR PROPERTIES AND CONDUCT INDOOR REPAIRS

175 ACRES OF GRASS ARE MOWED

1.23 MILLION SQUARE FEET OF BUILDINGS ARE CLEANED AND PREPARED BY 48 CUSTODIANS

May 2018

		
Save the Date

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

CONGRATULATIONS

North senior, Sean Dowhan was awarded the Ohio Land Grant Opportunity Scholarship from The Ohio State University. This merit scholarship covers the full cost of attendance and is only awarded to two students in each Ohio county. Sean plans to study mechanical engineering.

South High student, Luke Marino, scored a perfect 36 on his ACT, received 5s on all AP exams and is a National Merit Scholar. Luke plans to attend Georgia Tech.

Congratulations North High graduates!

GRADUATES!

Congratulations to the top ten students from South High who were recently honored at the Board of Education meeting! Best of luck to you next year!

Congratulations to the top ten students from North High who were recently honored at the Board of Education meeting! Best of luck to you next year!

Congratulations South High graduates!

May 2018

		
		
Congratulations North High graduates!
	Congratulations South High graduates!

Congratulations South High graduates!	Congratulations North High graduates!

Congratulations South High graduates!

Congratulations North High graduates!

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Important Updates

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D A T E
S

June 3

August 16 T	August 20
O

OUR MISSION IMPROVE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT

North High Marching Band - Willowick Parade

First Day of School

First Day for Kindergarten Students

R E M E M B E
R

This is not an inclusive list of all events during the upcoming month. For a more complete list, please check our district calendar or follow us on Facebook. Facebook is now being updated to include weekly events.

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