CCSD Bulldog Bulletin Fall 2024

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BULLDOG

The Climate Is Cool At Worley!

September, students and staff joined in on a dance party where you could spot everyone grooving, swaying, and bobbing to the

It is my great pleasure to bring you the Canton City School District’s quarterly newspaper filled with all the positive happenings within and around our school buildings. First, I’d like to congratulate all of us on the results of the 2024 Ohio School Report Cards. The Canton City School District received an overall grade of 2 ½ stars indicat ing we are showing steady im provement in many components

The district’s Career Tech Education scores improved from last year’s 2 ½ to 3 ½ stars, which meets state standards.

State test scores measure educational achievement and year-toyear growth, showing how well students have grasped core academic concepts and skills. While

A message from our BOE president, Scott Russ: Welcome to the start of the 2024-2025 school year!

I attended multiple open house events and was very impressed with how well they were attended. I encourage you to keep this enthusiasm throughout the year. Get involved in your school. Get to know your teachers and staff at the school. We are always here to help in any way we can.

I hope you had the opportunity to attend the open house at the new Bulldog Activity Center on the Timken Career Campus. Kudos to Assistant Superintendent Jason Dixon and Athletic Director Joe Bogdan for leading this project. What a great facility for our students and our community.

We have more building projects beginning soon, including new elementary buildings at the Souers and Mason sites. Projects are finishing up at STEAMM Academy (Hartford) and at Crenshaw that are completely transforming those buildings and will benefit both our students and the community.

We plan to have community meetings throughout the city to share our strategic plan, provide updates on our district’s progress, and gain community feedback. I would love to see you there if you can attend.

Go Pups!!

McKinley CTE Job Training Earns Big Honor!

They are the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank’s 2023 Organization Volunteer Group of the Year!

The McKinley High School CTE Job Training Program received the Akron-Canton Regional Food Bank’s 2023 Organization Volunteer Group of the Year! The recognition took place on Wednesday, September 18th, at the Food Bank where the senior-level students and their teacher Mrs. Erin Oliver were presented with the official plaque. The students work side by

side with corporate America and make a broad impact on this community partner organization.

McKinley Job Training is a twoyear Career Technical program that begins in the junior year of high school. Through this program, students gain the unique opportunity to volunteer and work within the community. Over the

past three years, Job Training has partnered weekly with the Akron Canton Regional Foodbank. This collaboration offers students valuable work experience and important life skills. At the foodbank, students engage in a range of essential tasks, including inspecting, sorting, and repackaging foods, as well as constructing food box-

es for distribution to community members. These hands-on activities emphasize the significance of teamwork, accountability, and community service.

In 2023, the team accounted for 309 volunteer service hours with 191 visits at the volunteer center and pantry.

Upcoming Board Meetings

October 7: Meeting - - 6 pm

November 4: Meeting - 6 pm

December 2: Meeting - 6 pm

Watch meetings live at: http://boelive.ccstv11.com/

*All BOE Meeting Videos are Archived.

Location: Timken Career Campus (unless specified) 521 Tuscarawas St., W., Canton, OH 44702

(Use the Fourth Street NW entrance)

The Bulldog Bulletin is published by Canton City Schools and is distributed free of charge to the district community.

Editor: Lisa Reicosky, Coordinator of Communications and Media Relations

Canton City Schools, 305 McKinley Ave. NW, Canton, Ohio 44702

Questions and comments can be emailed to Reicosky_l@ccsdistrict.org.

Federal Law prohibits this paper from carrying ads containing offers of insurance policies, credit cards, and travel promotions. The Canton City Schools Board of Education reserves the right to reject any press release or advertisement based on content.

The Canton City School District is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, religion, disability, or age with respect to employment or educational programs and opportunities for students.

Bulldog News

CTE Earns Honors 3

Art Spreads Across the District 4

McKinley-Massilon Week 7 New Facilities Open 9 E+R=O 10

CCSD Earns $11.55 Million Grant 11

Longest Serving CCS Staffer 12

Early College Students Earn Trip to Washington D.C. 13 Back to School Photo Collage 14

School Beat

Community Partners @ Cedar 16

Preschool Is The Foundation 17 STEAMM Students Put New Building To Work 18 Parent Mentor Works With Students With Disabilities 18

Day At AIM Academy 19

At The Arts Academy 20

(Pictured left to right) Front - Erin Oliver, Theresa Nichols, Gerald Denny, Manny Msafiri, Hannah Diser, Charles Alford, Devante’ Ball, Rachael Knisely, Dan Farley Back - Tasha Ledrich (Volunteer and Guest Experience Supervisor), Torious Covington, Chas Alford, Ethan Anderegg, Kristen Culp, Karen Hill

Canvas Of Possibilities: Art Spread Across The District

An Art Department Update

As the new school year kicks off, Canton City School District’s Art educators are beginning a wave of artistic lessons connected to Ohio’s new Visual Arts Standards. Students are set to explore and expand their creative horizons through Artistic Literacy. This year’s art programs continue the community partnerships and show growth in the already present dynamic curriculum. The Art Department is embracing a renewed vision for how art can inspire and unite its students and this year promises to be a colorful journey as young artists take center stage in a canvas of endless possibilities.

McKinley High School and Early College High School Art students in Mr. Tilstra, Mrs. Singer, Mr. Grieder, and Mr. Myers’ classes are hard at work learning about the Elements and Principles of Art. The elements of art are stylistic features that are included within an art piece to help the

artist communicate. These elements work with the principles of designs that create appealing and functional designs. Students used symbolism and artistic representation while creating Miriam Shapiro-inspired symbolic self-portraits. This started the art classes’ understanding of how visual communication is used in the world around them to express and interpret ideas.

From here students dove into Zentangle works to discover the artists Rick and Maria’s method of line work. There are valuable 21st-century skills that are gained through the software present in McKinley’s digital illustration and photography classes. Students can connect with art as a part of their everyday lives. This takes what they learn in one course and applies it to other aspects of their life. This in turn creates an artistically well-rounded individual with the ability to view life’s possibilities and instill them with confidence to pursue

their dreams using the knowledge and skills learned in the CCSD Art De partment.

Ms. Bryan at Fairmount has her younger students working on cutting, tracing, and color identification. The middle school students and cross-categorical units have been working hard on full-body-sized self-portraits that are turning out so fun! The high school students are focusing on color theory and are exploring color relationships with watercolors! At Choices, Ms. Bryan’s students finished up an amazing job on their realistic drawings of spheres, where they learned how to use charcoal and blend to create value. Now, they are going more in-depth with value by using tints and shades to make paintings that display

concepts of atmospheric perspective!

AIM Acadestarted the year out with the art element of Line! Ms. Howard developed art lessons that embody a focus on various forms of line from stained glass-styled flowers to Piet Mondrian-inspired drawings. With their knowledge of line, choice art students created a community art piece in the form of a welcome sign for September’s First Friday. Ms. Howard didn’t stop there! She shared her talent during AIM’s family engagement night by offering face painting.

Youtz’s sixth-grade and Cross Cat classes were guided through an art critique of the artist known as Thank You X. They used their knowledge of this new artist to create a collaborative mural with all

the 6th-grade classes. Each student included drawings of their favorite activities and colors to build community amongst anyone who views the mural. Youtz’s art teacher Mr. Myers has been observing student connections taking place out in the hallway, truly encouraging a bulldog community at the school!

Worley First Graders are learning about color mixing with the help of Mrs. Deuble and her Primary friends Red, Yellow, and Blue. These friends work together to create more new friends, Orange, Green, and Purple. Secondary colors are made by combining two primary colors. Blue + Yellow = Green, Yellow + Red = Orange, and Red + Blue = Purple. These six colors get along great and they give each other compliments when they hang out. These young artists used their developing color theory knowledge to have a painter’s palette just like professional artists!

Belle Stone and Cedar started the year with a school-wide rain-

bow paper mural to brighten up the hallways. Under the guidance of Mrs. Morris, every student and staff member created a self-portrait on a colored piece of paper. After learning about proportion and what a self-portrait is, students were able to draw their faces using proper placement of facial features. During Hispanic Heritage Month, Mrs. Morris’ students will be creating pieces around the Quetzal, the national bird of Guatemala!

Mrs. Converse’s Sixth-grade art classes at McGregor Intermediate School have focused on the elements of line and color for their first project. Line creates pattern, movement, and a path to follow through the artwork! The students first drew their name in big bold letters touching the top and bottom of the paper. The spaces between the letters were filled with patterns and then color was added with watercolor paint.

Second graders at Harter and

Gibbs explored lines as they delved into the elements of art. After watching thrilling videos of roller coasters, students identified various types of lines—straight, diagonal, wavy, spiral, thick, and thin—in action. Each child then applied these line types to create their own imaginative roller coaster drawings, showcasing their creativity and understanding. Mrs. Liotti got to witness the students’ excitement as they proudly shared their roller coaster designs with the class.

As our students continue to engage with diverse artistic challenges, they are not only honing their craft but also cultivating valuable 21st-century skills and building a strong, interconnected community. This year, as each student’s unique vision and creativity come to life, the CCSD Art Department

sees an already flourishing tapestry of artistic expression that embodies both individual growth and collective unity. The canvas of possibilities is truly endless, and our students are ready to paint their future with bold and vibrant brush strokes.

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Kicking Off 2024-25 With Positive News

they offer valuable insights into student performance and the effectiveness of teaching methods, it’s important to interpret these scores within a broader context. By analyzing test scores alongside other indicators, we can better understand and address educational challenges, and support every student’s success.

I want to share some highlights of the report card:

• The district’s literacy score improved from a 1 to a 2. We continue to move closer to meeting the standard.

• English Language Arts (ELA) improved at grades 3, 4, 5, 6, and 10

• English Language Arts (ELA) scores for third grade are at the highest levels since the state standards changed to college and career readiness.

• For the third straight year, chronic absenteeism scores have improved.

• Math scores improved in every grade, but one.

• We have multiple buildings that met or exceeded state standards. They are AIM Academy (3), Arts Academy (4.5), Crenshaw Middle School (which includes the Early College Middle School program at Lehman (3), Portage Collaborative Montessori (5), and Worley (3).

• Patrick, Harter, McGregor, and Cedar all earned 2 ½ stars and are approaching meeting state standards.

• Gibbs and Stone improved their literacy scores by 10 points.

• Youtz reduced chronic absenteeism by 13 percent.

• Seventh-12-grade buildings (McKinley/Early College, STEAMM, Crenshaw, and Choices) have shown improvement in most tested areas. They are continuing their work on absenteeism and graduation rates. All of our buildings are moving towards meeting state standards. The slow, steady, and daily progress we are achieving is something to celebrate. This improvement is a testament to the remarkable dedication and hard work of both our staff and students. This collective effort has led to gains in performance, and we are incredibly proud of what has been achieved. But we also know we must remain on the path of continuous improvement if we want to exceed state expectations. We will keep our values of excellence, leadership, and community at the core of raising the bar and know that our students will graduate as confident, creative, and open-minded life-learners.

We have a Plan

In the next few weeks, I will be out in the community discussing the future of the district. Our new strategic plan was presented at the October Board of Education meeting and we will seek input from our stakeholders at several upcoming meetings (see graphic).

The plan will guide our work for the next four to five years and focus on academic achievement and how we can reach our goals. We want a culture of learning where we can meet the individual needs of our students — academic, social/emotional, and interests.

We hope the final plan will be truly representative of our community’s priorities.

As part of the strategic plan, we will continue to align our district resources. This means reducing buildings and expenses while we expand high-quality programs that benefit our students.

We will continue to focus our efforts on literacy and attendance. Finally, our students are learning the “R” Factor, a critical perfor-

mance resource. It will equip them with the mindset and skill set to be intentional about the way they think, make decisions, and take action. The R Factor is built on a simple, powerful equation: E + R = O or Event + Response = Outcome. Follow our social media sites as we begin presenting student-led videos on what they are learning about the “R” Factor.

The district is forming an allschool Alumni Association! If you are a graduate of Lincoln, Lehman, McKinley, or Timken and want to get involved on the ground floor, fill out our Google form.

Cheer on your Bulldogs in one of the Country’s Oldest Rivalries!

McKinley-Massillon Week

Spirit Week - October 21-25

District-wide celebrations with themes and activities. Watch our social media for details!

McKinley Marching Band - October 21-25

Nothing gets us pumped for the big game like The Pride of Canton! The band, dancers, majorettes, and cheerleaders will be out at our buildings throughout the week!

Blood Battle - Do you bleed red and black? Donate blood at the 30th Annual Blood Battle. Visit Vitalant.org/Q92BloodBattle to register.

Monday, Oct. 21, from 9:30 AM – 2 PM

McKinley High School, Main Campus 2323 17th St. NW, Canton, OH 44708

Monday, Oct. 21, from 10 AM – 1:15 PM

McKinley High School, Downtown Campus 521 Tuscarawas St., Canton, OH 44072

Food Fight - All Week!

Which community can collect the most non-perishable food items? The 13th Annual WHBC and Mix 94.1 Food Fight to benefit the Stark County Hunger Task Force is happening now! Help fight hunger by collecting non-perishable food items - bring them to the donation boxes in the name of the McKinley Bulldogs! Whichever school collects the most wins! Just another way to beat the Massillon Tigers! McKinley has won the food fight title for the past 3 years and 9 out of 12 times. The winner will be announced at the big game on Saturday, October 26th. Find more details at whbc.com or mix941.com. Donate at any CCSD building!

Mascot Pet Food Drive Competition - October 1st - 23rd

Meals on Wheels of Northeast Ohio is again sponsoring the Mascot v Mascot Pet Food Drive supporting their Wheels for Wags program. Last year, the competition provided over 700 meals for pets – and at press time, their pet food shelves were sadly bare. Drop off your dog food donation at any of our CCSD buildings. We’ll take cat food too!

Bulldog 100 / Bulldog Athletic Association Event Tuesday, Oct. 22: 6:30 pm.

Freshmen Football Game Don Scott Field.

Community Parade and RallyMarket Avenue starting at the Nationwide Building.

The Big Game at Massillon! Gates and Ticket Office open at noon.

Ticket Purchasing

Buy Your Tickets Online Here: https://www.massillonschools.org/page/purchase-tickets

General Public and student ticket sales: Starts Saturday, Oct. 19th

To access tickets use the passcode: MCKINLEYSTUDENT

Ticket Prices:

• $9 Adult Reserve Seats

• $5 Student Section Seats (general admission within the student section)

**if purchased before October 25th at 2 pm**

• All tickets are $12 online after 2:00 p.m. on Oct. 25th and at the gate.

Field House Ticket Office:

Open Monday-Friday 9 a.m.- 2 p.m. to help purchase tickets but you must have a credit/debit card. We cannot accept cash!

Pick one event or show up for all!

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It’s A Great Time To Be A Bulldog!

New facilities are now open!

The district is excited to share updates on the many expanded space projects happening around the city.

First, our highly-anticipated Bulldog Activity Center opened to the public on Saturday, Sept. 28. We are pleased to partner with the Cavs Youth Programs to help grow our youth basketball leagues here in the district. We also anticipate indoor softball and soccer competitions, as well as tennis tournaments and indoor track meets. Our student-athletes will be our top priority

when scheduling the facility, but we look forward to working with community organizations and local districts and universities that are interested in renting the space.

Also in full use, is the multi-purpose building at STEAMM Academy. It is being used for indoor recess, PE classes, and to host special district and community events, and will eventually (we hope) host community farmer’s markets where our students can sell their plants, crops, and eggs.

As of press time, the new addition at Crenshaw is taking shape. We anticipate the new entrance to the building and new gym will be operating as early as Spring of 2025.

We plan to break ground on our two new K-6 elementary schools in late Fall. The schools will be built simultaneously and we anticipate them opening in the Fall of 2026. A new addition to each site will be inclusive playgrounds for all students to enjoy.

Finally, our new vape detectors are being installed in all buildings with grades 7-12 and should be in operation soon.

The steel is rising on the Crenshaw project.
The track side of the BAC features basketball and tennis courts.
The turf side is perfect for youth soccer, football, and band practice.
Assistant Superintendent Jason Dixon

E+R =O (Events + Response = Outcomes)!

Youtz Kids Bringing it to Life!

Here at Youtz, we have been living our district initiative of E+R=O E stands for EVENTS and I do not control EVENTS.

R stands for RESPONSE and my RESPONSE is my choice.

O stands for OUTCOMES. My OUTCOMES come from my RESPONSE.

E+R=O is the way life works at school and at home.

We are working on teaching this to all of our students in the building and having students teach each other about it from experiences they learn in real-time during the school day.

Dr. Geneva Parker, one of our 5th-grade ELA and Social Studies teachers has written about her experience with this district initiative and these are her words:

“After incorporating and facilitating E+R=O in my 5th-grade classroom with my students, I was pleasantly surprised by how quickly it started becoming a part of our classroom culture. I introduced the concept of E+R= O to my students a few weeks ago and immediately began to see a change in their mindset. It was like a light bulb clicked on. It seems they now have a clearer understanding of the meaning of responsibility and how broader the focus of their response to events impacts their outcomes.

We started out learning what the letters E+ R =O stood for. Next, we developed hand motions to help seal the concept. The students cross their hands over their chest one at a time saying E plus R equals, and then bring both hands together in front of their bodies while saying O and fanning them out in a forward direction.

They learned that one hand crossed over their chest represents events that they will be confronted with every day. Their other hand crossed over their chest represents their responses, (negative or positive) to the events. Fanning their hands out forward represents the outcomes for themselves and others.

The students caught on quickly that the only thing they have control over is their responses to the everyday events they face. To better help all students understand the E+R=O concepts, I incorporated weekly two-minute impromptu skits, with two to four students acting out events, responses, and

outcomes for the other students to identify and discuss.

To make the E+ R = O short skits relevant to my students, I had them brainstorm and come up with events that they face every day. I typed them up and we randomly select a skit or two to perform for the week. We have also made personal E+R=O goals to hang on our lockers as a daily reminder.

Each month, we will add new concepts. For instance, in September we will develop an understanding of Discipline vs. Default. In October, we will learn about Pressing Pause and slowing down our impulses. We will gain clarity on E+R=O, and the difference between proactive, situational, and reflective pauses.

We have a lot to look forward to that will help us in the classroom and in real life.

Dr. Parker and Jamie Dalton writing his goal for E+R=O.
Our 5th-grade students feeling happy after learning about E+R+O!

Canton City Schools Awarded $11.55 Million To Support Energy- Efficient Building Upgrades

The Canton City School District is pleased to announce it has been selected as both a prize winner and grant selectee of the 2024 Renew America’s Schools Prize and Grant, a multi-phase competition from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) that aims to promote energy upgrades at K-12 public school facilities across America.

Canton City, in partnership with Johnson Controls, will receive $300,000 as a Phase 1 cash prize and $11.25 million in Phases 2 and 3. CCSD is one of 21 Prize Winners and one of only 16 Selectees who will share $190 million of the round two investment from DOE to improve 320 school facilities across 25 states.

Projects supported by these funds will support energy improvements like new heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, building envelope and lighting upgrades, alternative fuel (such as electric) vehicles and infrastructure, and renewable energy technologies.

Assistant Superintendent Jason Dixon, who oversees the operations of the district, said the funding opportunity was highly competitive with proposals coming from 368 local educational agencies across the entire country. The funds will decrease energy use and costs and improve indoor air quality, allowing healthier learning environments for students and teachers.

“Ultimately, Canton City stood out for successfully identifying 15 buildings in critical need of energy infrastructure upgrades,” said Dixon. “Our newest buildings are now over twenty years old and deferred maintenance costs have risen significantly.”

Dixon said the best part of this grant is how it frees up money to benefit students.

“We have shown that our facilities demonstrate the need for energy improvements and financing. If we can improve our energy efficiency and lower energy costs, we can generate sustainable savings that can be redirected toward educational initiatives. That’s something to celebrate.”

Superintendent Jeff Talbert said this award helps maintain the value of excellence across the district.

“As we build state-of-the-art K-6 buildings in the southwest and northwest quadrants, we can now ensure that all of our facilities are running at the optimal level for the future,” he said. “Our students and staff deserve high-quality 21st-century learning environments at all levels across the entire city. I could not be more proud of our team and the partnerships that made this grant possible.”

In addition, as the district partners with local unions and businesses,

the grant will help promote science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education, along with Career and Technical Education (CTE),

and workforce development, creating a pipeline of employees prepared for a clean energy future.

Operations Supervisor Mark Young and Assistant Superintendent Jason Dixon inspect the roof at McKinley High School. It’s one of many projects that will be tackled with grant money.

Longest-Serving CCS Staffer Is In No Hurry To Retire

When Debbie Gosiewski set off for this year’s convocation, she was confident she would not be asked to stand as Superintendent Talbert recognized staff members for 10, 20, 30, and 40 years of service. She received a plaque at the 2023 event.

But, there she was, the last one standing to the cheers of her colleagues recognized as the district’s longest-serving employee with 47 years under her belt!

“I don’t feel like it’s been that long!” she said. “But, you know what they say, ‘Do something you love and you don’t work a day in your life.”

Debbie, also called Ms. B. for her maiden name Bianchi, currently works as the secretary for the Red Team at McKinley High School.

While she could retire if she wanted to, she says she’ll stay put for now. A widow for eight years since her husband Paul passed away, she says sitting at home watching TV isn’t something she would enjoy.

“I like being with the people, the kids, and all the sports,” she said. “This is a good job to have.”

While she says some days can be hard, she knows that when she gets an angry person on the phone, they’re not mad at her, “They’re just mad,” she said with a laugh.

You can find Debbie on the sidelines at every McKinley football game cheering on her students.

It’s a hard habit to break after serving for 35 years as the cheerleading coach/advisor. She retired from duty three years ago.

“The first year was hard! It was 35 years of my life!” she said.

While she wasn’t a cheerleader herself, she has been an athlete all her life, playing recreational (but very competitive) volleyball and softball for over 20 years after graduating high school.

“I went to old McKinley and we didn’t have girls’ sports. Girls were either a majorette or a cheerleader” and the competition was

fierce, she said. She came close to making the squad every year. She played intramural basketball and was a Girls Leader in gym class.

“I was really good at roller skating, too!” she said, chuckling as she shared her roller derby dreams.

A broken ankle and two knee surgeries slowed her down last year, but she will be back volunteering at McKinley events, especially the dances.

“I love seeing the kids all dressed up. Prom is so classy,” she said.

“I love seeing them in a different environment.”

Here’s more about Ms. Debbie Bianchi Gosiewski

Q: What was your most recent TV binge?

A: The last show I binged was Bridgerton. Maybe not everyone’s taste, but I liked it and definitely would recommend it.

Q: Favorite music artist?

A: My favorite artist will probably surprise people because he’s not even my generation but I guess I’m an old soul. That artist is Frank Sinatra!

Q: Favorite actors?

A: Brad Pitt and George Clooney.

Q: What would you do if you won the Mega Millions?

A: If I won the Mega Millions I think I would do what most people would do, and that is help my family, pay off my house, get a fancy new car, travel a lot, & make donations to a few charities. And if I won enough, maybe take back Tom Benson Stadium and make it Fawcett Stadium again. lol.

Q: Favorite movie?

A: My favorite movie of all time is The Wizard of Oz. It’s a Classic!

COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Did you know we have a Community Flyers page on our district website? Add your event or see what’s happening from our community partners here: https://ccsdistrict.org/Page/3222

Q: Biggest fear?

A: My biggest fear is probably deep water. As soon as water hit’s my nose, I panic.

Q: Something about you that may surprise us?

A: I think people might be surprised to know that I love to motorcycle ride.

Q: If you could only eat one food for a month, what would you choose?

A: It would be pasta! Spaghetti, Linguine, Fettuccine, Gnocchi, etc. I am Italian after all!

Ms. Debbie Bianchi Gosiewski

Early College Students Represent Canton City And Ohio In Washington D.C

Essay contest winners earn a trip to national conference

“Youth violence is a glaring issue in the United States . . . . If we wish to reduce youth violence in our communities, schools, and within ourselves, we should spread awareness and heal minds.”

This quote is from a winning “Do the Write Thing” essay written by Nick Jones, an Early College Academy 8th grader. Carlo Virola, also an ECA student, wrote a winning multi-genre piece about the violent death of a family member, gun violence near his home, and how the “combination of individual, relationship, community, and societal factors” that cause violence must be addressed to lessen it.

Last spring, middle school students across the district wrote about causes of, impacts of, and potential solutions to reduce youth violence. In the district’s third year of participation in the Do the Write Thing contest, ELA teachers introduced a variety of resources about youth violence and provided time for conversations about this important topic. Nick’s and Carlo’s entries were chosen as the winners by a community committee, which included the superintendent, the mayor, and the police chief.

The Do the Write Thing National Recognition Summit took place July 20 - 24 in Washington, DC. Carlo, Nick, family members, and their teacher Dr. Hart attended the program. Flights from Ohio to DC were delayed numerous times, making Nick’s first time flying an unfortunately unpleasant event. However, the free transportation, hotel stay, and multiple memorable events made the trip a positive, unforgettable experience. Highlights included a visit to the United States Supreme Court, a DC bus tour, and time on Capitol Hill. Carlo and Nick visited Ohio’s elected representatives’ offices, getting to speak with legislative assistants for Senator Sherrod Brown and Representative Emilia

Sykes. The participants were also invited to the home of the Ambassador of Kuwait to the United States. The Kuwait-America Foundation, established to thank the American people for their support during the Gulf War, funds the program. Ambassador Al-Zain Al-Sabah is the first woman to serve in the role and gave a powerful speech.

The final evening in DC, the students presented a program at a recognition dinner held at the National Press Club. Nick had the honor of being one of the first student presenters, and Carlo was the only student chosen to sit at the head table. Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost delivered opening remarks. Christylez Bacon, a Grammy-nominated hip-hop artist, wowed the audience with an interactive performance that included a rap composed on the spot with audience-generated topics about the week.

Carlo’s and Nick’s compositions are now in the Library of Congress, included in a book of anti-violence writing by more than 50 students from across the country.

Dr. Hart could not be more proud of the way Carlo and Nick represented Canton City Schools and Northeast Ohio. Congratulations to Nick Jones and Carlo Virola, who are continuing at Early College High School this year. We know that they will continue to do great things!

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.”
~ Theodore Roosevelt
Nick Jones Presenting at the Recognition Dinner.
Latrice Virola, Lisa Hart, and Carlo Virola at the Recognition Dinner.
Carlo Virola
Nick Jones

Community Partner Inspires Cedar Neighborhood

Daniel Preacher is a hands-on school advocate

The Cedar Community is thankful to partner with Daniel Preacher, Healthy Neighborhoods Program Manager, of Community Building Partnership of Stark County. Daniel has been an instrumental partner with Cedar Elementary on various projects. He has gone above and beyond to not only support our students and families but help connect us with the community at large.

Daniel wrote and was awarded the 2023-2024 Garden Grant through the Stark County Educational Service Center’s “Farm to School” Program. Through this grant, he helped beautify the front of Cedar School by building a raised flower bed around the building’s marquee. Daniel contracted with Project Rebuild; who had students measure, design, purchase materials, and construct the beautiful raised bed.

Daniel didn’t stop there. In May, he brought Laura Alexander, Ohio State University Master Gardener, to Cedar and provided a hands-on gardening lesson for our thirdgrade students. From learning about bees to engaging in meaningful conversations about planting and growing gardens, it was a day

with fun!

Daniel also organized the annual Aultman Area Neighborhood Cleanup and Service Day on July 27th. Volunteers from Cedar Elementary, Aultman Hospital, Woodlawn Church, and BCI Packing of Wooster cleaned up more than 60 trash bags of litter around the southwest end! DeMario’s Pizza graciously donated a pizza lunch for our volunteers, ending the day with full bellies and a beautified Cedar Community.

Additionally, Daniel was instrumental in coordinating our September 19th ”Cedar Community Cares” Fall family night, in conjunction with Aultman Hospital and Community Building Partnership. The Cedar Community Cares event included agencies, businesses, and community outreach, providing resources such as education, wellness, and nutrition for the southwest community’s residents. Daniel’s commitment to the Cedar Community is vast and deeply appreciated. The Cedar students, families and staff are grateful to share a love of community with Daniel Preacher.

Through a “Farm to School” Program grant, Preacher helped beautify the front of Cedar School by building a raised flower bed around the building’s marquee.

Preschool Is The Foundation For All Learning

The CCSD Early Childhood Education Program provides a safe, nurturing, educational, and social environment for our youngest learners.

Preschool is a vital part of a child’s education, and our high-quality program (Gold Level rated), can have life-changing benefits that stretch far beyond the classroom. Do children really need preschool? The answer is YES!

This year, our students will not only gain new knowledge taught by our talented, creative, nurturing, and educated staff, but students will also enjoy the benefits of us partnering with local community partners to reinforce the Arts, early literacy, and social-emotional skills.

By providing our youngest, most curious learners with a high-quality preschool experience, we continue to receive ongoing feedback from Kindergarten teachers about how well-prepared students are coming to Kindergarten, and ultimately that is our goal! Just look at these faces. Aren’t they worth it? We are looking forward to a great year of making new friends, learning, and growing in preschool!

CCS Preschool is a great place to learn and play!

STEAMM Students’ Ideas Come To Fruition

New building is open and programs are growing!

Who says middle schoolers don’t have great ideas?

In 2021 Coach Vanessa Board mentored a group of students who had a dream of providing students more opportunities to exercise. In 2024 that dream became a reality when the district used the money from the America Rescue Plan to build a multi-purpose building where the football field once lived.

DaQuez Nash, now a student at McKinley stated,“ I am very proud the idea came to life, the students need the space to work out in a quiet place and get their minds right.”

The space contains basketball and volleyball courts. In the winter months, it will be used for indoor recess for 4th and 5th graders, so they can work out their extra energy.

Dreyln Thomas, a senior at Choices High School said, “We had so much fun coming up with this idea. We wanted the students and the community to experience a space that allows kids to have fun.”

The design of the all-purpose room allowed students to walk out and see the evolution of our agriculture department, which again was visualized by STEAMM students.

The most strategic part of the design of the multi-purpose room was the two garage doors that opened up and led out to our retention pond. The pond, which will be stocked with fish, lends itself to many science experiments as well as the expansion of Horticulture at STEAMM.

In 2021, then-7th graders Thomas Mankowski and David Thompson

entered the Stark Tank competition. They proposed to end the food desert in Canton City by creating a farm. Stark Tank rewarded the young entrepreneurs and provided the seed money to get the project off the ground. Currently, the other half of the football field is being utilized for planting crops. Cucumbers have already started to grow, with lettuce and radishes closely behind.

Over the years, Coach Jason Board and Coach Logan Walters have modeled for the students how to take care of the chickens that call STEAMM their home so that eggs could be sold to the staff and students. Students also learn how to run the greenhouse. Over the

next few years, a food forest will emerge with the planting of both fruit trees and berry bushes.

The end goal is to provide the community with local produce to feed their families healthy nutritious food.

Mankowski, now a junior at Mckinley, said, “You don’t think any

of those little projects you do in middle school will really come to life or anything, but I think this one will!”

We are so incredibly proud of our students, past and present, at STEAMM Academy, and cannot wait to see what’s to come in the future.

Parent Mentor Helps Navigate Special Education Process

Here in Canton City, we offer the services of parent mentor Amanda Lee. Parent mentors provide free support and resources to families of children with disabilities and school staff members. Our parent mentor can support families on their journey through the special education process, by providing information and resources to:

• Support parents to understand the rights and responsibilities of families, students, and schools.

• Guide families through any special education meeting at the request of the family or district.

• Connect families and educators with agencies and organizations that support students with disabilities

• Contribute to the increase in student success, like literacy and graduation.

• Support the transition of students from preschool through high school graduation.

• Share updated information about special education, such as timelines and deadlines, eligibility processes, informed consent, prior written notice, and other requirements.

We are lucky to have Amanda Lee as the Canton City parent mentor. She can be reached at lee_a2@ccsdistrict.org, 330-5882145, and is ready to support you and your child!

Rae Godfrey, a 7th grader shows off the STEAMM cucumber crop.
The multi-purpose space is used by a class on a rainy day.

Patriot Day At AIM Academy@Belden

Remembering the loss of lives on 9/11

Although the tragic events of September 11, 2001, occurred twenty-three years ago, Mrs. Harrison and Mr. Common’s sixth graders at AIM Academy @ Belden spent time in their social studies classes learning about the heroes that emerged that day in our country.

The Student Council sponsored a Red, White, and Blue day and created a human replica of the date 9/11 and of an American flag. Students signed and decorated a banner with the slogan, “We Remember,” with help from Art teacher, Miss Howard, to honor the memory of all those who lost loved ones that day.

Sixth-grade students were asked, “Why do you think 9/11/01 is a day we should ‘Never Forget?’”

Kendallyn Washington:

“I think it is important for Americans to Never Forget 9/11/01, because we remember the victims, honor the first responders and Americans who died that day.”

La’Rya Avery:

“I feel like 9/11/01 is sad. I feel bad for all the people who died on the planes, and especially for the people who saved the plane from crashing into another building in Pennsylvania. They are really important to us and those people are our American heroes.”

Brooklynn Thompson:

“Thousands of peoples’ lives were lost that day. So it’s a day for people to respect the lives that were lost that day on 9/11/01.”

Jaimonie Simon:

“I feel bad for those who lost people in their lives and didn’t get to say goodbye. They will never be the same again.”

Tremayne Randolph:

“Thousands of innocent Americans died from this disaster. It was an awful day in American history. There are kids that are very sad that they lost a loved one.”

Rosselyn Ramos:

“It was a tragic time for many people. It changed the people of America.”

Ader Luach:

“We should not forget 9/11/01, because a lot of people lost their family members that day.”

Avin Ramirez:

“We remember for the people that helped to save somebody, and for all the firefighters that risked their lives to save others, also for the policeman that brought the dogs to find the people stuck under the buildings that fell down.”

Jillian Finnell

Mckinley High School seniors in Ms. Hutmacher’s CTE Commercial Photography program were on site to capture aerial views and photos of Aim’s 9/11/01 remembrance. Her students were taught the process of planning a mission and applying for a waiver to fly, and they gained experience. They are working towards their own drone pilot licenses for their industry credential requirements.

“On 9/11, we will always remember what happened on that day, and we will try to prevent a repeat of 9/11 in the future.”

Cambrie Jones:

“I learned that you should tell your family that you love them every chance that you get.”

AIM students and staff completed the remembrance of 9/11/01 by participating in a Red, White, and Blue walk around the school.

A drone photo shows the students forming an American Flag.

Living Life Like It’s Golden At The Arts Academy!

We’re living up to B.A.R.K. expectations!

We are thrilled to kick off another year of PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Support) at the Arts Academy! Our focus this year is on helping students make positive choices while reinforcing our B.A.R.K. expectations—Be Safe, Act Responsibly, Respect Others, and Keep Learning. These expectations are reviewed daily to ensure a safe, responsible, and enriching learning environment for all students.

This year, we’re launching our Golden Awards to celebrate classes that exemplify our B.A.R.K. expectations throughout the building. The first award, the Golden Basketball, will be given to the class that shows outstanding behavior at recess. Additional awards include the Golden Spatula for the class demonstrating the best behavior in the cafeteria and the Golden Dustpan for the cleanest classroom. Our support staff will

also have opportunities to recognize students and celebrate their accomplishments.

Classes that win these awards multiple times will earn the exciting chance to shop from the Golden Snack Tray!

In addition to the Golden Awards, we’ll be holding Activity Days each month for students who meet their goals in Kickboard, offering ArtsMart, where students can shop using “money” earned in Kickboard, and hosting Student of the Month celebrations.

We look forward to a year filled with positive choices, recognition, and celebration!

Mrs. Hickman’s third-grade class is one of our first winners of the Golden Basketball.

t Continued From Page 1

The Climate Is Cool At Worley

positive school environment and improve student behavior.

Monthly rewards for the building allow students and staff to enhance a positive school climate. By implementing the building PBIS incentives, the students and staff are encouraged to celebrate, connect, and build a more positive school culture together.

PBIS helps to establish a consistent approach to behavior management. When all staff members follow the same guidelines and strategies, students receive a clear understanding about behavioral expectations. From the first day of school and all throughout the school year, students learn the building and district expectations, BARK (Be Prepared, Act Responsibly, Respect Self and Others, and Keep Learning). Overall, PBIS aims to create a positive and supportive learning environment where all students can thrive.

As the school year goes on at Worley Elementary, there will be different monthly PBIS rewards for the entire school. Students can look forward to a different monthly event. Some of the building rewards for Worley will include Trick or Treat, STEM Learning with Marathon, Movie and Popcorn, Skate Dance Party, Knockout, Kona Ice and Extra Recess and the highly anticipated Staff versus Student End-of-theSchool-Year Basketball Game. Worley looks forward to increasing school spirit, culture, and climate as they celebrate together.

Fairmount Learning Center Delivers

Students from the autism unit are practicing life skills by delivering lunches to classrooms throughout the building. We are practicing ordering, counting, mobility of the cart and appropriate social interactions with others.

Harter Hosts PBIS Kick-Off!

Teamwork makes the dream work!

Harter first, second, and third-graders welcomed the 20242025 school year with positive messages, two special guests, and a LOT of fun!

We all gathered together in the gym for our 1st CULTURE EVENT where we built community amongst our staff and students! First, Basketball Jones showcased his BasketBall SKILLS, while showing how B.A.R.K. expectations, R-Factor, and a growth mindset can help accomplish great things. Basketball Jones stressed the importance of celebrating each other’s successes and teamwork. As students accepted the challenge to take a risk, the crowd was led by BasketBall Jones to encourage and cheer them on. One highlight of the assembly was seeing teamwork in action as students and their teachers participated in a danceoff! Teachers had to follow the lead of their students! It was teamwork that put a smile on everyone’s face!

As the program came to an end, we had a surprise visitor (our very own BULLDOG) who showed up to high-five students and encouraged us all to be our BEST BULLDOG SELF. We are following the B.A.R.K. rules of Being prepared, Acting Responsibly, and Respecting ourselves and others, so we can all Keep Learning!

It was a great way to kick off PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports), R-Factor (con-

trolling our responses), build culture and community amongst the students, show teamwork in action, and have a great time! It set the tone for a successful 2024-2025 school year!

McKinley Students Visit BCFHOF Classic College Fair

On Thursday, August 29, 2024, 105 juniors and seniors represented McKinley High School in attending the Black College Football Hall of Fame Classic College Fair (BCFHOF). At this event, our students interacted with nearly 70 colleges, 16 of which were HBCUs. Our students had the opportunity to ask questions about admissions, acceptance, college life, minors/majors, and anything else that interested them about post-secondary education.

McKinley was one of thirty schools from around Ohio to participate, providing our students with a great experience to start the school year. We appreciate the support from Canton City Schools and our partnership with Pro Football HOF in providing opportunities for learning beyond the classroom.

Harter Bulldog spreads B.A.R.K. expectations to students and staff.
Basketball Jones leads a skills challenge while encouraging the audience to cheer on a fellow Bulldog!
Mrs. Keane and Grace Fye - Winners of the Student/Staff Dance off!

Welcome Back To School At Gibbs!

Attendance is a key focus

We are having a wonderful start to a new school year! We have loved seeing your smiling faces at school every day. Gibbs has so many exciting opportunities every morning and afternoon for learning and meeting your goals. We have a new math curriculum with many hands-on activities and have students wondering and thinking about math.

Something new this year at Gibbs — each student has their very own data folder for them to track their progress toward their learning goals for the new school year. Students are tracking their reading scores, math scores, sight words, and attendance.

At Gibbs Elementary we value education and learning, but for students to make their growth, we need every student at school every day. Families will have the opportunity to win fabulous prizes for perfect attendance each month. Any student who has perfect attendance and no tardies will be entered to win a family prize. Families will be contacted by our school secretary to let you know that your family

won. There will be a drawing every month of the school year. Here are just a few of the fabulous prizes that can be won:

• Family Pack of tickets for the McKinley/Jackson Varsity Football Game on October 18 @ 7:00 pm

• Large Pizza from Lindsey’s Pizza

• Family Fun Meal Deal to Sky Zone (4-60 minute jumps, 1 XL pizza, and 4 small drinks)

• 8-inch Cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes

• Eastbury Bowling Center gift certificate good for a bowling party for four people

And More prizes to come!!

In addition to celebrating perfect attendance, we are addressing attendance by helping families eliminate barriers from coming to school. We have many upcoming parent events that can support parents through our United Way Partnership grant such as limited LYFT rides, car repairs, Parent Cafes, and the Triple P- Positive Parenting Program. We focus on topics such as bedtime

routines, getting ready and out the door on time, and supporting student learning at home. We are so excited for this school year and look forward to celebrating with you and your family as students meet their academic goals. If you would like to be a part of our special programming please call 330-456-1521 and ask for Eboni Butler or Stacie Strange.

Options • Community Difference

Starlett Isles, Rachel Grater, Ray’lanae Sanders.

McGregor students embrace B.A.R.K. expectations

Rewards to follow!

We are excited to share some wonderful news regarding our progress this year as we implement the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) program here at McGregor Intermediate School.

As you may know, part of our PBIS initiative involves instilling the BARK expectations—Be Prepared, Act Responsibly, Respect self and others, and Keep Learning—in our students. We are thrilled to report that our students have embraced these expectations and are demonstrating them daily. It is truly heartwarming to witness their commitment to creating a positive school environment.

Additionally, we have introduced our school store, which has quickly become a favorite among students. Students are actively participating in activities that promote positive behavior and are rewarded with Bulldog Bucks, which they can use at our school store. These new opportunities have generated excitement and motivation throughout the school. As we look forward to the end of the 9-week period, we are proud to announce that we’ve planned a special trip to the district’s Natatorium in late October for any McGregor student who has maintained behavior positivity of 85 percent or higher! Such an outstanding accomplishment

means that students consistently exhibited respectful and responsible behaviors throughout the school and will be able to enjoy a fun swim day with their classmates and friends. We believe that celebrating our students’ successes fosters an even greater sense of community.

Speaking of community, we would like to highlight a long-time community partner and friend of the school, Frame’s Tavern. Frame’s donated dozens of book bags full of school supplies. We appreciate their dedication to our community. This supportive tradition has

been going on for the past 10 years!

Together, staff, families and community partners, will continue working to ensure an enriching and uplifting atmosphere for all students at McGregor Intermediate.

Grant Money Secures Top Training Equipment For Adult Community Education

It’s like Christmas morning every day at the Canton City School District Adult Community Education Department with over $230,000 in state-of-the-art equipment added this year.

Three state grants have allowed the purchase of an Anatomage Table, the most technologically advanced 3D anatomy visualization and virtual dissection tool for anatomy and physiology education. The same equipment is used in leading medical schools and institutions.

Other new equipment includes mannequins, full-size skeletons, an EKG machine, and sterilization tools. Models of organs and realistic arms will train students in phlebotomy and IV insertion.

The welding program has a new plasma cutter, laser welder, tables, and fans.

Director Marilyn VanAlmen and her team, Cristine Hampe (Practical Nurse Program Coordinator), Lori Medure (Adult Community Education Secretary), and Alison Foster (Practical Nurse Program Secretary), worked together to apply for the grants.

“This is the same equipment they will see on the job,” said VanAlmen “Students will have a higher-quality experience and be job-ready upon graduation.”

She is especially excited about the Anatomage table, which uses the images of actual cadavers for students to learn anatomy and physiology.

“Students will look at internal organs and see the reasons for the patient’s death,” she explained. “It connects to a smart TV so all the students in the classroom can observe.”

The new mannequins include an elderly patient, which is helpful as many students go on to work at nursing facilities.

VanAlmen and her team said these additions will make the program even more competitive.

All Adult Community Education Center programs are offered on the Timken Downtown Career Campus. Visit www.ccsdistrict.org/ AdultEd for more information.

for practicing a variety of

Lola Beverlin sees a trip to the Natatorium in her future!
Mason French checks out the McGregor store.
Community partner shout-out: Frame’s donated dozens of book bags full of school supplies.
Marilyn VanAlman shows the new Anatomage table, which offers a life-size digital representation of several human cadavers. This allows students to see, manipulate, and dissect complex anatomical structures using detailed 3D models. Above are realistic mannequin arms
skills.

Fourth Grade Patrick Scholars Become “Chipologists”

Scholars in Mrs. Streb’s science class had the opportunity to be chipologists. Chipologists are scientists who study the properties of potato chips. The chipologists had discussions about taxonomy — the science of classifying, describing, and naming organisms, including all plants, and animals.

Mrs. Streb engaged her scholars in discussions about dividing living things into groups based on their characteristics. They classified types of dogs, spiders, and potato chips.

Our fourth graders were given a bag of Lays Potato Chips, and they began to categorize the chips based on their physical properties. Patrick Scholars came up with various properties with which to classify their chips. They shared their classifications with each other.

Mrs. Streb outlined the official five groups, and students reclassified their chips. The official five groups are folders, bubblers, chippers, crispers, and regulars. Scholars graphed their chips, studied the

nutritional content of the chips, and answered comprehension questions about what they had learned.

The objective of the lesson was for students to think like scientists. Students were able to classify, collect data, and graph items to show differences. The skill of classification allowed scholars to better understand relationships and connections between things in real life.

Stone: Learning, Laughing, And Loving School!

The 24-25 school year is up and running with lots of new friends and new learning! I asked students and staff to share some of their favorite things about school. Their responses will make your heart smile!

Representing our youngest learners from Kindergarten, Lexie Johnson says she enjoys Art, especially coloring pictures of her family. She says “I love my teacher and I’m excited that I am going to learn how to read and write!”

Brayden Horn recently joined our Kindergarten class and he’s already counting to 100 and beyond! He loves school and learning about his letters and sounds!

Austin Jenkins from Mrs. Andrews’ class said he enjoys school because he really likes to learn. In Math class, he is learning how to make sets of 5 that will help him with addition and subtraction. Austin says “Outside is fun, too! I like to play with my friends on the Spinny Slide at recess”.

Recess is fun for Azekial Massey, too. He likes to throw and catch the football. In class, Azekial enjoys answering reading and math questions on his iPad.

Second graders talked about how much they enjoy their resource classes like Art, Gym, and Music. These students change classes for Reading and Math. Conner Pritt says it’s cool changing classes.

“In Math class, we use Base Ten Blocks to show expanded and standard form of numbers,” he said.

Our third-grade students enjoy being the leaders of our school! They are role models for behavior and learning.

D’Marquez Sanders likes the Reading topics.

“We talk about pictures, paint pictures, and learn about planets. I like Math, too. We write math equations on our desk with expo markers,” he said.

Our staff members shared some of their favorite things, too! Mrs. Perry in the front office says “I enjoy working with our wonderful families to support our students.”

Miss Philen says that she loves to watch students grow over time.

“It’s so great to see kids learn new things!”

Here at Belle Stone, we are all learning, laughing, and loving school!

Students classify their potato chips based on their physical properties.
Lennix Wilson enjoys completing lessons on his iPad.
Ozzleeonna Taylor in her Kindergarten class.

Meet Our New Staff Members At Crenshaw

We are thrilled to welcome a dynamic group of new staff members for 2024-25 who bring fresh perspectives, innovative ideas, and boundless enthusiasm to our educational community. Their arrival is not just a routine transition but a significant moment for growth and revitalization. Let’s meet them!

Mrs. Deanna Eccard School Community Worker

This is her first year working in a school. She and her husband Chad have eight children: Sam, Marisa, Max, Ben, Fiona, Savanna, Nathan and Tucker. Fun Fact: “I moved

around a lot but Ohio is my favorite place I have lived.”

Mrs. Melissa Alex PE and Health Teachers

This is her first year working in education She and her husband have five children ages 26, 23, and 19, and twins age 12. Fun Fact: “I love pumpkin spice.”

Mr. Corey Fleischer Speech Pathologist

He has worked nine years in education. He is married to Emma and has a daughter, Flora, 2. Fun Fact: “I received speech services before

becoming a speech/language pathologist.”

Mrs. Erin Clark

Title 1 Reading Teacher

She has worked 14 years in Education. She has 5 children. Three of them are adults and two are in high school. Fun Fact: “I lived in Hawaii for two years and I prefer Ohio so much more!”

Ms. Sarah Smith Intervention Specialist

This is her first year teaching. She lives at home with my parents and grandparents with three cats and

two dogs. Fun Fact: “I love hiking, biking, and all things outdoors!”

Mrs. Mariah Congemi 8th Grade Science

She has taught for four years. She and her husband Sean have a daughter, Oakley Fun Fact: “I have three dogs.”

District Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month

Downtown event draws over 400 guests!

The district hosted its 6th Annual Hispanic Heritage Celebration on Sept. 21 with the support of the English Learner (EL) teachers and LEP (Limited English Proficiency) family liaisons, student volunteers, and 17 community partners.

tendance, adding, “Gracias a todas nuestras familias que asistieron, esperamos hayan disfrutado, los esperamos el próximo año con más diversiones y sorpresas.”

Family Liaison Handy Mejia-Compton said, “It was an honor again to lead our celebration. Our attendance reflects the growth our district has had within the last couple of years. We had a houseful with over 400 in attendance!”

Activities included soccer in the gym, piñatas, face painting, dancing by Grupo de Danza Latin, music, food from Latina’s Restaurant, and raffle baskets.

Three Jackson High School students volunteer as interpreters for the community partners. Thank you to Daira Mejia, Lillian Tehan, and A. Gorin.

Mejia-Compton said that when the district launched its first celebration, there were fewer than 80 Spanish-speaking students and now there are well over 700!

She expressed thanks to Superintendent Jeff Talbert, Assistant Superintendent Jason Dixon and Mayor William Sherer for their at-

Any community partners interested in participating in next year’s event can contact Mejia-Compton at 330-438-2766.

Mrs. Deanna Eccard Mrs. Melissa Alex
Mr. Corey Fleischer
Mrs. Erin Clark
Ms. Sarah Smith
Mrs. Mariah Congemi
Randy Solano Peralta with his Dominican Republic flag.
Guests enjoying the festivities!
The dancers called Grupo de Danza Latin.

Families Enjoy A Day At

Munson!

Annual event brings smiles!

This year’s 2023 CCS District Family Fun Day, held on August 17th, 2024 at Thurman Munson Stadium was a huge success.

Families were welcomed by our high school cheerleaders and participated in activities and games held by each one of our school buildings. Kids of all ages had a ball at the bounce houses as well as the obstacle course from the Canton Fire Department. A new addition this year was the 360-degree camera, operated by CTE Broadcast Media teacher Jennifer Eberle.

The district thanks all the volunteers, especially the following community partners:

• A Community Christmas

• Be A Better Me Foundation

• Canton Fire Department

• Girl Scouts of America

• Jehovah’s Witness

• SPARK

• Stark County District Library

• Van’s Tire

• YMCA

• YWCA

Clarendon Is Off To A Fantastic Start!

PBIS and “R” Factor shaping behaviors

For the 2024-2025 school year, we would like to welcome back all of our students and families! Clarendon Scholars are excited to be back at school!

Clarendon is continuing to implement Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a proactive approach to establishing a school environment where all students can thrive. PBIS focuses on teaching and reinforcing positive behavior through our Bark behavioral expectations, creating a supportive environment that helps students succeed both academically and socially.

Mrs. Borland’s class has been learning about their periodic table

and atoms. Students build atoms out of sweet treats and label the parts of the atom, while Mrs. Oliveri’s class has been learning about rhythms and patterns. Students have been having a blast practicing a step dance routine.

Students are also learning about “R” Factor and when given an event, they are learning what’s a positive and negative response that affects the outcome of a situation. We believe that involving our community is key to our success, so we would like to invite community members to join us at Clarendon on October 23rd from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. to learn more about R-Factor and what’s happening in our building.

They’re learning a step routine! Check out Savannah Seymore, Yakez Green, Christopher Lowe, Lucas Dawson, Adrianna Reid, Brooklyn Grahek, George Beaver, Diana Lopez Cos, Chezaraye Harris, MaJoir Thompson, Jordan Berry, A’Nyiah Hill Scholars Journi Fowler and Solei Jackson work on a project.

Pups!

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