Chardon Middle School

Newsletter
September 2014
***UPDATED***
The Mission of Chardon Middle School: To provide experiences that
encourage responsibility, communication, collaboration and critical thinking
while promoting a tolerance for individual differences.
C M S = WHERE ALL THE PIECES FIT TOGETHER

Message from the Principal - Mrs. Kelly Murphy

Welcome back to our returning students, our newly enrolled students, and
our sixth graders!! Here at CMS, we have experienced yet another
successful opening! During the first few days of school, our students have
been involved in activities such as seeing how high they could build a tower
out of cups (Debevec, math) and creating a human graph out on the football
field (Mysyk, math). They have been busy organizing materials and lockers
and choosing lunch tables in the lunch room. As they continue to settle in to
yet another school year, we are reminded of how every person is an
important piece of CMS. From the student who helps you open your lock, to
the teacher who creates an inviting classroom, to the cafeteria ladies who
prepare and serve breakfast and lunch-everyone at CMS is an important
piece of the puzzle.
We are very excited about the 1:1 Chromebook initiative this year! I hope
you were able to attend one of the many Chromebook parent meetings that
were provided in the district. If you were not able to attend but would like to
see the presentation, click HERE. Our Chromebooks have been labeled and
are ready for distribution on Sept. 2nd and 3rd.
With the beginning of school comes many tasks that need to be completed
by parents. Please be reminded about the on-line forms that are being

utilized by the district this year. You should have already received an email
outlining how to access the forms. Be sure to complete your forms
completely and as quickly as possible. You can do this by clicking here.
To access your student fee amount, log in to Infinite Campus and click on
the fees tab. This will show you an itemized list of your students fees.
(Copy this screen for reference if using PaySchool.) THIS WILL NOT
INCLUDE YOUR CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE BECAUSE IT IS
OPTIONAL. If you choose to purchase the insurance, it will show up as paid
in your Infinite Campus fees account once paid. You can pay for the
Chromebook insurance through the PaySchool site. Click HERE to access
the PaySchool site. You will then follow the directions given. If writing a
personal check for fees and you want to purchase the Chromebook
insurance, remember to add an additional $31.00 to the fee amount. Please
issue the check to Chardon Local Schools. Print your students name on the
memo line of the check. We appreciate your prompt attention to these tasks.
It appears as though parents are adjusting to the drop-off and pick-up
procedures at CMS. Please be reminded that if at all possible, for drop-off
and pick-up, have your child sit in the back seat on the drivers side where
they have immediate access to the sidewalk. This avoids having to walk into
the parking lot where cars are in motion.
Important dates:
Sept. 2, 3-Chromebook distribution
Sept 15-7th grade parent meeting-Chicago Trip @ 7:00 p.m. in LGIR
Sept 17-School pictures
Sept 18-Evacuation Drill to St. Marys
In an effort to keep you informed of some of the changes occurring at the
state level, I have included information regarding the Ohio School Report
Cards. This is helpful information to review prior to viewing the district and
school report card.
Welcome back, once again! I look forward to an exciting, challenging, and
productive year ahead.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Murphy

Principal
Ohio School Report Cards to Measure Schools in Two New Areas
Most students receive report cards showing how well they are performing in
school. Likewise, each fall Ohio issues report cards to its school districts
and schools. Using A-F letter grades, Ohio School Report Cards detail how
well schools and districts are doing in areas that affect your childs
education.
The reports contain information such as how students are scoring on annual
achievement tests and how much they have learned from the beginning of
the school year to the end. The reports measure districts and schools on
how many of their students are graduating on time as well as whether
students of all incomes, races and cultures are getting the support they
need to learn.
The Ohio Department of Education will release school and district report
cards for the 2013-2014 school year in September 2014. This year, the
reports measure two addtional areas:
K-3 Literacy: This grade relates to Ohios Third Grade Reading Guarantee
and measures how well schools and districts are helping young students
who are reading below grade level.
Prepared for Success: These measures report how well schools and
districts are preparing their students for college or a career. There are no
letter grades, but data are reported for six categories. Among them are how
many students graduated with honors or earned college credit or industry
credentials by graduation.
The Ohio School Report Cards also report financial information showing
spending and performance for districts, community schools and STEM
schools. From them, you can learn how much is spent and how much is
directed to classroom instruction. The data also report how your school and
districts spending compares to that of others. The financial data is added to
Ohio School Report Cards later in the school year.
For more details on the Ohio School Report Cards, visit
reportcard.education.ohio.gov.

Teacher Spotlight
Congratulations to 8th grade social studies teacher Mr. Dan Heintz. He will
be presenting at the Ohio Council for the Social Studies conference in
Columbus on September 29th and 30th. His presentation will include
information regarding how to modify non-text resources (IE-articles from
Smithsonian Magazine, websites such as MountVernon.org, artifacts found
at museums such as The Underground Railroad & Freedom Center) for use
in a content rich classroom. We wish him the best of luck!!
C2IT Program
C2IT stands for Chardon Classroom Instructional Technology. This is the
official name of the Chromebook initiative. The following teachers and
administrators have been instrumental in the implementation of this
program:
Michele Boiarski, Vince Bonvissuto, Nikki Diehm, MaryElizabeth Peppers,
Patty Pinckard, Kristen Niedzwiecki, Al Herner, Doug Murray, Kelly Murphy,
Brian Linn, Jeremy Rothstein, Bill Nells, Steve Kofol, and Mike Hanlon.
Board of Education member Karen Blankenship also contributed many
hours to the preparation of the Chromebooks. There are countless others
who have had a part in the implementation of this program. We could not
have done it without them.
A Chromebook will be issued to your child on Sept. 3rd. Chromebooks will
be distributed as follows:
Grade 6 - computer class
Grade 7 - social studies class
Grade 8 - science class

News from our Assistant Principal Mr. Jeremy Rothstein

Dress Code:
Overall, the students have been adhering to the dress code policy at Chardon

Middle School throughout the first few weeks of class. We are very thankful for
parents helping to ensure that our students are dressed in proper attire for school
and ready to learn. Some highlights to mention as the seasons change are as
follows:
Dress in layers as the temperatures fluctuate throughout the school day.
Shorts are permitted year round but must be MID-THIGH and in good repair.
Shirts must follow the three finger width rule with NO undergarments exposed.
No midriffs are allowed.
Outdoor clothing, such as jackets and coats should be stored in hallway lockers.
Leggings, yoga pants, or spandex worn solely as pants are NOT permitted.
For a full list of the dress code policies please visit the CMS webpage and look
under theDownloads tab.

Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures:
Safety of our students is always a top priority. Our parking lots are quite crowded
and dark, at times. Therefore, the following procedures have been put in place for
students who are dropped off or picked up from school. Please make sure you
adhere to these procedures to ensure the safety of EVERYONE.

Drop-off Procedures:
Due to the excessive number of vehicles on the street and in the parking lot,
students may NOT be dropped off on North Street. All vehicles MUST pull in the
North driveway to the front of the building and drop students off to walk up the
sidewalk to the cafeteria doors. Students are to exit as soon as they are in the line in
the front of the building. Please do not wait until your vehicle is at the top of the
line for your student to exit. This holds up the entire line of traffic. It is imperative
that we maintain a single file line of vehicles in order to ensure student safety. (The
only exception to this is injured students who require being dropped off curbside.)

*****************************************************************

Pick-up Procedures:
Vehicles will line up in the front lot of the building. DO NOT WAIT IN THE
STAFF LOT FOR YOUR STUDENT. Students should enter vehicles from the
sidewalk side to ensure student safety. If a vehicle exits the line, please be sure to
pull forward to enable more vehicles to enter the lot. PLEASE DO NOT
INSTRUCT YOUR CHILD TO ENTER YOUR VEHICLE FROM NORTH
STREET. There are simply too many vehicles and it is not safe for your child.

Bus Line Up:

Technology Update:
As the Google Chromebook implementation gets underway, other electronic
devices will not be necessary for students to bring into the classroom. Traditional
means of accessing the curriculum and materials still exists. Students bringing their
own devices do so at their own risk and parents need to decide if their child is
responsible enough to maintain and secure their devices. Devices should be turned
off and out of sight unless otherwise directed by a teacher. Teachers using
technology will set their expectations for usage and rule # 10 in the student
handbook gives a more detailed explanation of the usage of electronic devices at
school.
LOCKERS/LOCKS: Please remind your child that lockers are to be locked with a
school purchased lock at all times. This ensures your childs safety of items within
the locker. Our students here at Chardon Middle School are truly amazing people.
Thank you for allowing us to be a part of your childs education.

New Attendance Hotline at CMS

Hotline # 440-279-0537
New this year to Chardon Middle School is the introduction of the attendance hotline. Parents and
Guardians will now be able to report their childs absence, early dismissal, or late arrival using an
automated voicemail system. Parents and Guardians are still encouraged to report their childs
absence no later than 9:00 am on the day of absence. If picking up your student for an early
dismissal prior to 9:00 am, please call the main office.
When reporting an absence on the attendance hotline, please be prepared to clearly state the
following information:
Students first and last name

Spelling of the students last

Grade level of student

Date of absence, time of late arrival or early dismissal time

Reason for absence, late arrival, or early dismissal

Name of parent or guardian recording the absence

We hope the new attendance hotline is helpful to you and your family.

From our School Nurse: Mrs. Strickland, RN

Medication at School
Any student requiring medication at school, either prescription or nonprescription, will need to follow
Chardon Board of Education medication policy. School policy requires that both parent and physician
complete a school medication request form before any medication is administered. Policy also
requires that an adult bring medication to school in a properly labeled prescription container or in
original packaging, if it is nonprescription. We can not administer medication at school unless the
school medication policy is followed. Those students using asthma inhalers and epinephrine autoinjectors have the option of carrying and self-administering their medications. Forms specific to these
medications will need to be completed. In addition, according to state law, any student carrying an
epinephrine auto-injector must supply an additional one to the school. All medication forms can be
obtained at school or on the school website at www.chardon.k12.oh.us.
If a Student becomes ill at School
If a student is ill, they must report to the school clinic to be evaluated by the nurse. Students should
not be texting or calling parents on their own. Students who contact parents via cell phone will
receive a cell phone infraction from the assistant principal.

Pull-tabs for Ronald McDonald House

Once again we will be collecting pull-tabs from beverage cans this school year. A collection bin is
located in the clinic for pull-tabs brought in from home. Please help by collecting pull-tabs at home.
The money obtained from the recycling of the pull-tabs helps to support the Ronald McDonald House
of Cleveland - a home away from home for families of children with serious illness who require
extended hospitalization in one of the Cleveland hospitals. Please help us support this worthwhile
charity.

New Immunization Requirements

All Grade 7 students are required, by Ohio law, to have a Tdap shot. This is a booster shot of the
diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis series that your child received as an infant and young child prior to
starting school. We require written documentation from the health care provider who administered
this booster shot. If you have not already done so, please supply us with an updated immunization
record for your child. Failure to provide us with this document will result in your childs exclusion from
school beginning September 12, 2014
Lori Strickland MEd, RN
Chardon Middle School
lori.strickland@chardonschools.org
440-286-0457

7th Grade is Traveling to Chicago!

Learn more about the spring trip to Chicago at
our Parent Meeting:
When: September 15, 2014
Where: Chardon Middle School LGIR
Time: 7:00pm

Our first fundraiser will begin that night and throughout

this fall! Purchase a Neon Chardon Hilltoppers T-Shirt for $10.00 at our meeting .
The profit from each t-shirt purchased will be taken off the overall total of the trip!
Also, you will learn more about future fundraising opportunities!

Visit: http://cms7thgrade.weebly.com/chicago.html

6th Grade Newsletter for September 2014

Although the transition from elementary to middle school can sometimes be a bit
challenging, we are off to a great start! Most students are getting around fine and the
lock/locker problems seem to be getting fewer and fewer. Our new 6th graders are
extremely cooperative and appear anxious to learn!

ORGANIZATION is the key for 6th graders to be successful! Here are some tips that
have worked in the past:
Students need a 2-inch binder or Trapper that goes to every class with them.
There should be a 2-pocket folder for each class (one pocket marked TO
DO- the other pocket marked DONE. When students receive a homework
sheet, it goes in the TO DO side of the class folder. When the student finishes
that homework, he/she should put it in the DONE side. They should also have
a HOME folder for anything needed to be signed or given to a
parent/guardian. Their ASSIGNMENT PLANNER also will fit in their big binder
and they should record ALL their homework in the planner - something for
EVERY class, every day. As they finish the homework, they can check it off in
the planner.
Students also need a pencil pouch/box with: couple pencils, black or blue pen, a
red pen, a dry erase marker, calculator, and 1 pack post-its. (Some students
are putting WAY too much in their pencil pouches!)
If students need help getting organized, they should ask their ICE or homeroom
teacher for some help.
When a student receives a handout or homework assignment it should
immediately be placed in the proper folder. Some students just stick papers
inside their Assignment Planners and hope to find it later (this does not work for
long!).
Some other things to keep in mind:
o Students should write something for every class for every school day in their
assignment notebook. They have been told that even if they have no
homework, they should write no homework!
o It is a good idea for parents/guardians to check the assignment planner (at least
for a few weeks) to insure that students are recording all assignments.
o Students should be getting to class on time by now. They need to plan when
the best times to go to their locker that will get them to class on time. They
should not go to their lockers after every class.
o Many students are already coming to class without basic supplies like pencils,
paper and calculators. Please encourage them to be prepared.

o Students should have an independent reading book with them at all times.
When they are close to finishing one book, they should have another ready to
go.
There is no more important homework than reading. Research shows that the highest achieving
students are those who devote leisure time to reading Recently, the largest-ever international
study of reading found that the single most important predictor of academic success is the
amount of time children spend reading books, more important even than economic or social
status. And one of the few predictors of high achievement in math and science is the amount of
time children devote to pleasure reading. Nancie Atwell, The Reading Zone: How to Help Kids Become
Skilled, Passionate, Habitual, Critical Readers

Communication: The 6th grade teachers feel that communication is so important

and we want you to feel comfortable contacting us. We respond very quickly to emails (Chardon website/Middle School/Team Websites) or you may always call the
school (285-4062) and leave a message. We will call you back. 6A teachers meet as a
team from 10:36 -10:58 each day and 6B teachers meet from 11:01 11:23.
We look forward to a successful and rewarding 6th grade year!

Team 7A
The teachers of 7A would like to welcome all students to our team. We are looking forward to
an exciting year!
Check the assignment book with your child to view the policies on dress code, discipline, and
cell phones/electronic devices. As a reminder, yoga pants are not appropriate for school.
Also, all teachers update their homework web pages daily or weekly through Weebly at
www.cms7thgrade.weebly.com Your child should check individual teacher web pages or by subject
area to check for homework for each night.
All students should have their Chromebooks. As the year progresses, all teachers will be
utilizing them more and more in their classes. It will be a learning curve for everyone as well as an
exciting adventure!
Were glad we had a smooth beginning to the 2014-2015 school year. Lets keep up the great
work!

Team 8A~Newsletter Addition

Team 8A reminds parents to visit our website: www.team8a.com regularly to stay
aware of what is happening in our classrooms. The CALENDAR page is particularly
helpful, as it offers parents one location to quickly glimpse all of the major
assignments, projects, tests etc coming up in all of the academic subjects.
Mr. Heintz encourages all parents and students to register to receive periodic text
message updates. These updates will remind recipients of approaching due dates for

tests and forms as well as school events. To register, send the message: @cmsteam8
to the number: 256-724-6004.
Also, please remember that SCHOOL PICTURES are scheduled for Wednesday,
September 17th!
Language Arts and English One have been busy the last few weeks. After discussion
of our summer reading novella, The Pearl, language arts students are in the process of
reviewing literary elements of fiction and nonfiction. English One students are working
on individual projects designing a newspaper based on one of their summer reading
novels. Dont forget, ask your child about their classs Remind log-in for class text
updates!
Math 8 has been working hard from day one! We are currently midway through our
first unit which focuses on problem solving. Students are working on generalizing
patterns, creating scatter plots, and fraction and decimal skills. I have been very
impressed by everyones hard work in class.
Looking for a way to get more involved in the Chardon Local Schools as a parent or
community member? The Chardon Local Schools will be revising our Strategic Plan
this coming year. Opportunities will be available for citizens willing to help in this
important endeavor. Those interested should check our districts website:
http://www.chardon.k12.oh.us/ periodically for updates.
The Chardon Board of Education will meet on September 29th, and October 27th at
6:30 pm in the Board Conference room. The meetings are open to the public and all
are welcomed to attend!
8th Grade Washington DC Trip Update: Students attending the Washington DC trip
from November 5th through November 7th were given a roommate list for their group
(it is a blue sheet of paper). Each group is responsible for putting down the name of
their four group members and having parents sign the paper so that I know that
parents know (and approve of) who is in your childs group. If you have not signed this
paper yet, please ask your child about it. It is due by Friday, September 19th. We will
be having a parent meeting regarding details of the trip mid-October. At that important
meeting, we will be reviewing expectations and necessary paperwork needed before
we leave. If you have any questions/concerns before the meeting, please dont
hesitate to contact Mrs. Mysyk at beverly.mysyk@chardonschools.org.
Team 8B
Team 8B is off to a great 2014-2015 school year! We are very excited about what is happening in our
classes, and we hope your children are too. Try to have a conversation everyday to review what your

child is doing in class. Be persistent; when you ask your child, What did you do today? Dont
accept the answer nothing.
We encourage parents to check team 8B Weebly website for homework.
Mr. Farrow will be helping the kids uncover the size, structure, and composition of the planet Earth.
We will be looking at the layers, what they are made of, and how they interact. Most their work will be
located on their Google classroom.
Columbus has found his way to the Americas in Mr. Goss class. Students have explored maps of
the New World and learned how early European explorers navigated by the stars. Upcoming
competition for resources in the New World will lead to a clash of European nations.
In Language Arts we are off to a great start of school by finding real-world Word Crimes. Class
discussions and projects related to summer reading have been lively and thorough. We are also in
the process of reviewing literary terms and techniques. This will be followed by analyzing parts of
speech. It has been wonderful getting to know the students and we look forward to productive year.
Mrs. Debevec's Pre-Algebra classes have been hard at work applying order of operations to expressions and
performing computations involving integer exponents. They have also been writing, simplifying and evaluating
variable expressions and equations.
In Mr. Bonvissutos Algebra class, we are learning the basics of the course. These include order of
operations, expressions and equations. In Geometry, we are laying the groundwork of points, lines &
planes. The entire course will then be built upon these key concepts.

PICTURE DAY:
th
Pastor Photography will photograph all students on Wednesday, September 17 . Students
will have their photographs taken during their social studies modules. Homeroom teachers will
distribute order forms the week before, however parents may order photographs online at
www.pastorphoto.com.
From our Guidance Department:
The Chardon Middle School Guidance Department is committed to helping our students
achieve their highest potential. We work with students to promote social, emotional, academic,
and career development.
The CMS Guidance Department consists of two guidance counselors: Mrs. Donna Weir and

Ms. Amber Zemek.

Mrs. Weir works with the students whose last names begin with A-L, and Ms. Zemek works
with the students whose last names begin with M-Z. Our office is located next to the main office on
the first floor of the middle school.
We hope everyone has a great start to the new school year!

News From The Art Department:

Welcome Back! We are looking forward to a wonderful year!
Mrs. Heron & Miss Cataldo

BAND NOTES
Band Dates for 2014-15
October 30 7 PM Chardon High School
7th and 8th Grade Bands with Hilltopper Marching Band
December 15 7 PM CMS Gym
Jazz, 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Bands
March 5 7 PM CMS Gym
7th and 8th Grade Bands
March 20 7 PM CMS LGIR
CMS Jazz Band Silverscreen Spectacular
*Ticketed Event
March 21 All day Memorial JHS, SE-L Schools
Solo and Ensemble Contest

7th and 8th Graders optional

May 9 9 AM-12 PM CHS Band and Choir Rooms
8th Grade Band Mandatory Fundraiser
May 11 7 PM CMS Gym
Jazz, 6th, 7th, 8th Grade bands
May 15 All Day

TENTATIVE pending approval and other matters

8th Grade band Trills and Thrills at Cedar Point
Ms. Tracy L. Paroubek, CMS Band Director
Music Department Chair 440.286.0463

From Our PTO

PTO BOARD FOR 2014-2015
President Erin McKnight erinbmcknight@gmail.com 440-667-5025
Vice President Michelle Mears mmears3685@aol.com 440-463-7767
Treasurer Maureen Liechty liechty6@roadrunner.com 440-285-5718
Secretary Julie Fetchik jraf99@aol.com 216-402-1758

Box Tops for Education

Please remember to save your Box Tops and Campbell Soup UPCs Labels. Your five or
ten labels lying around really are worth sending in with your child. Please put the labels in a zip
loc bag with your childs homeroom teachers name on it. Have them bring it to their homeroom
teacher or send it to the office.
Check out the websites www.boxtopforeducation.com and www.labelsforeducation.com for
more details on how you can help earn more money or points for CMS.
Thank you so much to all who have been saving. We truly appreciate all your efforts and help.