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The Buzz……..
MEDINA CITY SCHOOLS
STAFF NEWSLETTER FEBRUARY 2010
Staff teaming together for ‘heat it up for Haiti’
‘Heat It Up for Haiti’ Chili Cook-off sponsored by Friends of Medina City Schools was a tremendous success with
approximately 200 attendees enjoying hot and spicy, sweet, and white chilis to benefit American Red Cross relief ef-
forts for Haiti earthquake victims. Celebrity judges included Mayor Hanwell, Police Chief Berarducci and the Execu-
tive Director of the Greater Medina Chamber of Commerce Debra Lynn-Schmitz. The People’s Choice award went to
C-Fit Chili Doug’s, Judge’s Choice was awarded to Sizzlin’ Slopes sponsored by the A. I. Root Ski Club and Most
Original was awarded to the Board of Education. Thanks to all who participated!
Board available for informal discussion prior to meetings
A goal of the Medina City Schools fourth Monday of the month.
Board of Education is to be more Meetings are held at Medina High Your Board of Education
accessible to the community for dis- School in the Distance Learning Room.
cussions. To achieve this goal the The informal discussion will be held
Board of Education will be holding a from 6-6:30 p.m. with the formal Board Mark Dolan, President
half-hour of informal discussion prior of Education meeting beginning at Susan Vlcek, Vice President
to each monthly meeting. Board of 6:30 p.m. Monthly Board of Education
Education meetings are held the third meetings are aired live on Channels 36 Charley Freeman
Monday of each month unless the and 201.
Bill Grenfell
third Monday is a holiday and then
Dr. Robert Wilder
the meetings are typically held on the
THE BUZZ……..
Foundation hosting annual Dinner & Dessert Auction
The Medina City Schools Foundation is hosting the annual Dinner& Dessert Auction featuring some of the most
delectable desserts. The event is Saturday, March 6 at the Blue Heron Banquet and Conference Center, 6:30 p.m.
After a delicious dinner of chef-carved prime rib of beef and chicken vario, guests will enjoy an array of desserts,
followed by the dessert auction.
Desserts will be provided by the following “Celebrity Bakers”: H. G. Blake Elementary, Claggett Middle
School, Fenn Elementary, Friends of Medina City Schools, Garfield Elementary, Heritage Elementary, Krosky &
Wickert Families, Dr. Michael Goyette, Mary Kay, Medina City Schools Board of Education, Medina City Schools
Foundation, Medina City Schools PACE Team, Medina High School, Northrop Elementary, Root Middle School,
Superintendent’s Dessert, Waite Elementary. Over 20 other establishments will be featuring their finest desserts
to taste and bid on.
Proceeds from the auction will help to enhance the Medina City Schools Foundation’s tradition of excellence
along with creating opportunities for special and advanced study, endowing programs and providing scholarships
and grants for students. For ticket information contact Karen Green at 330-636-3113.
Randy Stepp featuring monthly column
Randy Stepp our district superintendent will be featuring a monthly column in The Post. This column will also be
featured in the Bee Informed and in this newsletter The Buzz. Following is the first of these columns and addresses ques-
tions received regarding the district’s financial situation and the cuts and reductions the district is making due to the
failure of the November levy.
The Medina City School District, Why did the Board of Education What cuts have been made?
along with just about every government put a levy on the ballot in such a
To date, the school district has reduced
run agency, has been feeling the effects of bad economy?
transportation services to state mini-
the economy. As a result of the econ-
The Board of Education chose to put a mum standards which resulted in laying
omy, many of our fellow community
levy on the ballot this past November off 27 bus drivers, increased pay-to-
members have struggled to keep their
because they knew that there were ma- participate fees so that the total cost of
jobs and in many cases keep their heads
jor cuts to programs and services loom- the programs are covered by student
above water.
ing. As many of you know, the cuts participants, and changed the fee scale
While everyone in the community has for facility use.
total approximately $9.4 million and
done their best to work through one of
will have an impact that equals nearly Why are the above listed cuts the
the toughest economies in a very long
13% of the district’s operating budget. only ones that have been made to
time the Medina community watched
Reductions of this magnitude will date?
their school district come to them for
more money. To most in the community change the look of the school district and The district did not want to impact stu-
a request for increased property tax in a will impact every area of the district. dents mid-year with changes in regard to
time like this just didn’t seem to make academic services and programs.
much sense. As a matter of fact, it may When it came to cutting programs
even make many question the common and services that would drastically What are the additional cuts that
sense of those who are running the change the face of the district, the Board will be made in order for the dis-
schools. believed that the community needed a trict to reach cuts totaling $9.4
chance to weigh-in. By going to the million?
Due to the outcome of the election
and the many conversations we have had ballot the Board gave the community the All areas of the school district will be
with community members a number of opportunity for this to occur instead of impacted by cuts and reductions. Some
questions and concerns have surfaced. making the decision on their own. of the areas are as follows: reading in-
tervention services, (continued next page)
THE BUZZ
H at s O f f … .
Hats off to Medina High Cable Access channel 36. Hats off to the following Hats off to Christine
School’s Debate Team individuals who willingly Crum, bus driver and the
Hats off to Tyler
for earning the prestigious volunteered to be duct taped Transportation Department
Skidmore and the vocal
National Charter Membership during the high school Pep for participating in a drive for
music department for hosting
to the National Forensic Assembly, Randy Stepp, Ty- food and other items for the
Medina’s first Midwest Choir
League (NFL). This distinc- ler Skidmore, and Jen United States Marine Corp
Showcase.
tion is the highest school Oehler. Student Council Romeo Battery 5th Battalion
membership honor in the Hats off to Shannon sponsored a fund raiser for 11th Artillery Unit. Chris-
NFL. The team is coached by Federinko for being ‘Haiti Relief’ efforts, and the tine’s son Alex serves in the
Scott Quade. ‘squeezed’ out of her office as three staff members with the Unit. Thanks to their support
an incentive for students and most money donated by stu- the drive which spanned from
Hats off to Sheila Allen
staff to donate canned and dents were duct taped to the Medina to Pittsburgh, PA
and Terri Noe for work-
non-perishable food items. A wall. raised over $6,000 in product
ing with Medina Cable Access
total of 2,500 food items and cash donations.
to develop informational vid- Hats off to Marilyn Jones
were collected.
eos for parents. Terri devel- for donating her 20 year Hats off to Stacy Haw-
oped a piece “Preparing For Hats off to the schools collection of Happy Meal toys thorne, consulting
Kindergarten” and Sheila de- that have recently held (150 pieces) to be sent to teacher at Claggett for guid-
veloped a piece “Helping to food drives and collected hun- Haiti and for asking her fellow ing the Knowledge Master
Prepare for the OGT.” Both dreds of non-perishable food staff members at Blake to help team to a first place finish in
of these are airing on Medina items for local food pantries. with this drive. the state and ninth overall in a
field of 283 schools.
Stepp column continued well wishes and thinking of
gifted education programming, reduc- CONGRATULATIONS...
tion in guidance counselors across the
district, fourth/fifth grade strings and Sherrie Schneider (counselor at MHS) on the birth of her daughter
fifth grade band, reduction in elemen- Emersyn Mae on January 5.
tary grade level teachers, changing the Kelly Carlin (second grade teacher at Waite) on the birth of her son
middle schools to junior high models, Brennan Vincent on February 6.
a reduction in middle school electives,
a reduction in middle school core Craig (principal at Claggett) and Marcie (Spanish teacher at Claggett) Komar on the birth of
course teachers, a reduction and/or their son Matthew David on February 9.
elimination of curricular programs at Nicki Peppeard (first grade teacher at Canavan) on the birth of her daughter Gianna Teresa on
the middle school, a reduction in elec- February 17.
tives at the high school, a reduction
and/or elimination of curricular pro- Laura Frawley (science teacher at MHS) on the birth of her son Dylan William on February 19.
grams at the high school, administra- Chris Shaffner (band teacher) on his engagement.
tive office reductions at the support
and administrative level. WELL WISHES TO…
Pat Herold (business teacher) recovering from surgery.
If you have areas or questions that
you would like addressed in the Betty Miller (third grade teacher at Heritage) recovering from surgery.
monthly column please email CONDOLENCES TO…
hurtj@mcsoh.org.
Bob Capito (language arts teacher at Claggett) on the death of his mother.
Smiling Changes Our Mood - Marna Paris (paraprofessional at Blake) on the death of her daughter.
Next time you are feeling down, try Janet Jenkins (cafeteria manager at Waite) on the death of her brother.
putting on a smile. There’s a good Kathy Auxter (intervention specialist at Heritage) on the death of her mother-on-law.
chance your mood will change for the Andy Krejci (CBI/science teacher at MHS) on the death of his brother.
better. Smiling can trick the body
into helping you change your mood. Jan Neuman (science teacher at MHS) on the death of her mother-in-law.
Blythe Toops (civics teacher at MHS) on the death of her father-in-law.
The beeswax … by Betty Carlisle
This month’s Beeswax features Marge said. “Because we’re working MIXED SIGNALS
Marge Kulbis, speech pathologist. with language, we can play games and
Working with children contributes
do activities. I like working with the
Forty Year “Temporary” Career to a rich collection of humorous anec-
kids and teachers. The most exciting
Path...speech pathologist Marge Kulbis dotes. One that still tickles Marge is an
part of my job is when the light bulb
is nearing the end of her forty year incident that occurred when she was
goes on for the students. Probably
teaching career. For the past three working with a first grader, trying to
the worst part is the schedule and the
decades, she has traveled between vari- help him visualize pictures in his head
paperwork,” she admitted.
ous Medina City School buildings to to match descriptive words. For
serve an average of 60 to 70 students JOURNEYS months, he insisted that in spite of all
each year. efforts, black was the only color hap-
The trekking from building to
pening in his mind’s eye.
“I started out as a first grade teacher building doesn’t stop for Marge when
at Willoughby-Eastlake on a temporary school is out. She enjoys traveling in “Then one day he brightened up and
teaching certificate,” she explained, her free time and has visited Europe got excited because the picture had
noting that she began working towards and Ireland three times. Co-piloting changed to something different,”
a Masters degree in Speech Pathology an airplane is another skill that Marge chuckled Marge, who shared the sense
and taught first grade for three years. has acquired, but she’d rather be of achievement and successful break-
Prior to her current position in Me- reading, working in her yard and gar- through with her young student.
dina, Marge taught in Euclid, Brooklyn den or enjoying time in an art mu- “What do you see?” she inquired, ex-
and Brunswick. seum. Family visits with her three pecting to hear about a vivid mental
adult sons and grandson are also a image. “Blue,” was his response.
“It’s a fun job and it’s never boring!”
priority. “Now I see blue.”
Important dates
• Tuesday, February 23, Early Release
• Tuesday, February 23, Medina High School Band Concert, 7:30 PM
• Thursday, February 25, Community Input Meeting (make-up), Medina High School, Media Center, 6:30 PM
• Tuesday, March 2, Medina High School Winter Choir Concert, 7:30 PM
• Thursday, March 11, Early Release
• Monday, March 15, Board of Education Meeting, Medina High School, Distance Learning Lab, 6:30 PM
• Tuesday, March 16, Medina High School Symphony Band Concert, 7:00 PM
• Wednesday, March 17, Happy St. Patrick’s Day
medina City Schools
Maximizing achievement ~ Recognizing Potential
