2025-26 BCSD Information Guide

The Berea City School District is a diverse community dedicated to inspiring lives of

character, learning, leadership, and service.

Berea City School District

390 Fair Street | Berea, Ohio 44017 www.berea.k12.oh.us | 216-898-8300

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Welcome to the 2025-26 school year!

ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS - NEW SCHOOL HOURS Big Creek Elementary School

Brook Park Elementary School

Grindstone Elementary School

Preschool Hours Monday - Thurday

7247 Big Creek Parkway Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130

17001 Holland Road Brook Park, Ohio 44142

191 Race Street Berea, Ohio 44017

AM Session 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Office: 216-898-8303 Attendance: 216-898-8304

Office: 216-898-8307 Attendance: 216-898-8680

Office: 216-898-8305 Attendance: 216-898-8306

PM Session 12:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

Principal: Mrs. Bonnie Nagel bnagel@bereaschools.org

Principal: Mrs. Tracy Schneid tschneid@bereaschools.org

Principal: Mrs. Teri Grimm tgrimm@bereaschools.org

School Hours: 8:40 a.m.–3:30 p.m.

School Hours: 8:50 a.m.–3:40 p.m.

School Hours: 9:00 a.m.–3:50 p.m.

MIDDLE SCHOOL

HIGH SCHOOL

Berea-Midpark Middle School

Berea-Midpark High School

7000 Paula Drive Middleburg Heights, Ohio 44130

165 E. Bagley Road Berea, Ohio 44017

Office: 216-676-8400 Attendance: 216-676-0913

Office: 216-898-8900 Attendance: 216-898-8901

Principal: Ms. Amanda Prok aprok@bereaschools.org

Principal: Dr. Mark Smithberger msmithberger@bereaschools.org

School Hours: 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.

School Hours: 7:20 a.m.–2:20 p.m.

Each preschool building will continue to follow its own drop-off and pick-up procedures.

STAY CONNECTED TO

BCSD

/BereaCSD

/BereaCSD

@BereaCSD

berea.k12.oh.us

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BCSD BOARD OF EDUCATION Cori Farris, President cfarris@bereaschools.org Ana Chapman, Board Member achapman@bereaschools.org

Rick Mack, Vice President rmack@bereaschools.org

Katie Michal, Board Member kmichal@bereaschools.org

Tracy Wheeler, Superintendent twheeler@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300

Heather Zirke, Board Member hzirke@bereaschools.org

Jill Rowe, Treasurer jrowe@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300

HEALTH SERVICES

A registered nurse, licensed practical nurse, or health aide is assigned to each school building. Nurses identify and treat medical issues and injuries, conduct health screenings, and support students as they self-monitor and manage their conditions.

When should I keep my child home from school?

Do not send a child to school with a fever, obvious illness, or COVID symptoms. Here are some general guidelines: • Conjunctivitis - Red, swollen eyes that itch and are draining pus or have a crusty appearance. Keep home until student has been on eye drops/antibiotics for 24 hours and cleared by a doctor.

• Coughing - Persistent, disruptive cough.

• Diarrhea - Until diarrhea has ceased for 24 hours without medication.

• Fever 100 degrees or higher - Until fever is below 100 degrees for 24 hours without medication.

• Lice or Nits - Until treated (must be checked by nurse).

• Rash - If rash is untreated or if student is too uncomfortable even if treated.

• Strep Throat - Until student has been on antibiotics for 24 hours.

• Vomiting - Until vomiting has ceased for 24 hours without medication.

Communicable/Contagious Conditions If your student is diagnosed with a communicable disease, keep him/her home until the doctor clears your child to return to school. Report all cases of communicable diseases to the school clinic. This would include, but is not limited to, any physician-diagnosed case of meningitis, staph (MRSA, VRSA), pertussis, tuberculosis, mononucleosis, and chicken pox.

What happens if my child gets sick at school?

Students who become ill at school are sent to the school clinic.

If the student has a fever of 100 degrees or higher, vomits, or has persistent diarrhea, the clinic or principal will contact the parent/guardian to come to school to take the student home.

MEDICATION POLICY

No medication, including prescription and non-prescription will be administered in school without orders and instructions signed by both physician and parent/ guardian. Forms for prescription and non-prescription medication are available in the school office and on the District website by clicking on “Health Services” under “Departments & Services.”

All medication must be in original container and labeled appropriately with the student’s name, name and dose of medication, and safe expiration date. Children will not be permitted to share medication; each student must have their own labeled medication.

If your student has health concerns, has medication that must be administered during school hours, or if you have questions, please call your school’s clinic.

NUTRITION SERVICES

Students will continue to receive free breakfast and lunch, regardless of income through the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) of the National School Lunch Program and School Breakfast Program, and all students will be automatically enrolled.

Additional food items will be available for purchase.

Parents may continue to deposit money into their students’ accounts at any time during the school year through Infinite Campus Food Service. Please make checks payable to the school cafeteria, and funds can be dropped off in the school cafeteria prior to the beginning of the school day.

Funds may also be added to your student’s account using the online site. There is no charge from Infinite Campus to use this feature or to view your student’s account. Please allow at least 30 minutes for the online payment to appear in your student’s account.

INFINITE CAMPUS

Infinite Campus is a secure online tool that BCSD schools use to track and manage student information. The Infinite Campus Parent Portal and Student Portal tools are easy-to-use online resources for both parents and students. Through the Portal, parents can access their child’s attendance, grades, schedule, test scores, assignments, report cards and transcripts. For the secondary students, access to the Academic Planner helps students and parents monitor progress toward graduation and explore different academic pathways.

It also serves as an excellent way to communicate with a student’s teachers. Families can receive important school and emergency-related information via phone call, text message and email by updating their contact information in Infinite Campus.

How do I create a user account?

Complete the request form at http://tinyurl.com/icportalsupport You will receive a reply with instructions for activation. This one-time code will allow access to log in to the Parent Portal site. Once logged in, the website will provide step-by-step instructions to guide parents through setting up an account.

Parents who need assistance with their accounts should contact 216-898-8300 x 6282 for help.

TRANSPORTATION

Berea City School District provides bus service to students in grades K-12 who meet the District’s Transportation Eligibility policy: Students in grades K-4 must live 1 mile or more from their home school to be eligible for transportation service.

Students in grades 5-12 must live 1.5 miles or more from their home school to be eligible for transportation service.

Visit www.berea.k12.oh.us/transportation for more information and bus routes. Families can also track their bus using the Stopfinder app.

RIGHT AT SCHOOL

Right At School is a before and after school program designed to provide quality educational and recreational activities, and offers enrichment in areas such as language, arts and crafts, sports, music, homework assistance, and much more!

Right At School provides an engaging and fun enrichment curriculum to encourage students to learn, play and grow.

Students will have a healthy snack, engage in dynamic fitness activities, student-driven projects, team building, leadership development, and have the opportunity to complete homework.

The program is held at all elementary schools for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade (5th grade students attend the program at Big Creek Elementary School). All sites open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 6:00 p.m.

Site Phone Numbers: Big Creek Elementary 440-789-3188 Brook Park Elementary 440-789-3282 Grindstone Elementary 440-789-3370

SCHOOL CLOSINGS AND DELAYS

Periodically, BCSD schools will close or delay the start of a day due to inclement weather or other unforeseen events.

To receive school closing and delay notifications, it is important for families to have correct contact information in their students’ Infinite Campus accounts. This will allow the district’s automated messaging system to quickly reach you, via phone, email and/or text, with information.

If you think you may have unsubscribed to mass notifications, please visit, www.berea.k12.oh.us/optin.

We make every effort to make our decision to close before 6 a.m. Keep in mind that unusual weather conditions may force us to make the decision after this time. In any case, we will notify parents via the automated calling system as the first alert.

Parents can also check the district’s website (berea.k12.oh.us) or follow the district on Facebook and Instagram to view closing and delay notifications. Do not call the school or bus garage unless it is an emergency.

First Day of School for

Grades 1-12

AUGUST

20

First Day of School for Kindergarten

August 22

www.berea.k12.oh.us Scan the QR code to view supply lists and important back to school dates!

While school closures are generally a result of poor weather conditions, other factors can also impact the decision to close schools. Regardless of the issue, we make the decision to open/close schools or modify the school day schedule based upon a careful analysis of all relevant factors.

Since parents and guardians are the legal representatives for their child, it is their right to decide what is best for their child with respect to safety concerns. The option to keep a child home from school when the parent considers the weather conditions to be excessively dangerous is always at their discretion. However, if school is in session, the parent should notify the school that their child will remain at home. While the absence will be considered “excused,” it will still be counted as an absence for the day and count towards the total number of hours absent.

September 27th 10 a.m.–12 p.m.

WELCOME TO

IF YOU HAVE QUESTIONS ABOUT...

Academic Affairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Nick Discenza ndiscenza@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6253 Athletics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryan Kelber rkelber@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8900 x 5609 Communications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cristina Capretta ccapretta@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8303 x 6214 District Operations / Safety & Security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Mike Draves mdraves1@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6220 Early Childhood Programs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Sue Bell sbell@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8200 x 7014 Employment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Tiffany Stropko tstropko@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6200 Facilities/Building Permits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Deb Summers dsummers@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8302 x 5770 Gifted Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Megan O’Hara bcsdgifted@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6258 Health Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Barbie Ferrell bferrell@medinaesc.org / 330-723-6393 Homeschooling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Kreis kkreis@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6257 Mental Health Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Meredith Ondak mondak@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6271

390 Fair Street | Berea, Ohio 44017 216-898-8300 | berea.k12.oh.us

SAFER SCHOOLS OHIO

Safer Schools Ohio is a multiagency effort created to assist schools in continuously improving the safety of our students.

You can anonymously report anything that is suspicious or endangering you, your friends or your school.

COUNTRY Nutrition Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Carrie Beegle cbeegle@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6230 Pupil Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Lori Sancin lsancin@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6247 School Counseling . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Call student’s school Special Education–Elementary . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Leslie Radloff lradloff@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6225 Special Education–Middle School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Stacy Gainous sgainous@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6283 Special Education–High School . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Trish Kukura pkukura@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6226 Summer Camp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Michelle Nelson mnelson@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6215 Technology / Infinite Campus . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Vicki Turner vturner@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6254 Transcripts (current students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Christy Belford cbelford@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8900 x 5024 Transcripts (former students) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kim Kreis kkreis@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8300 x 6256 Transportation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Dorian King dking@bereaschools.org / 216-898-8301 General Questions . . . . . . . . Call the Board of Education Office at 216-898-8300