Community Update - Mailed Edition

Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

Community Update

INSIDE: • PROJECT UPDATES 

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• 2018-2019 HIGHLIGHTS • ONE SCHOOL, ONE BOOK July 2019

A Message From Your Superintendent I hope you have enjoyed the first few months of summer. On behalf of WilloughbyEastlake City Schools I would like to share some of the highlights from the 2018-2019 school year.

will begin the day at Longfellow Elementary School at 10:00 a.m.

This year, we maintained a laser focus on improving student achievement and our preliminary AIR test scores reflect that focus. Thanks to the dedication and hard work put forth by our staff and students, the results are evidence of the district’s commitment to providing an excellent education to all students.

Please take time to enjoy the remaining summer months, This year, our student relax and create new memories with your family and friends. population was 8,206 I am looking forward to seeing you on the first day of school! and we celebrated the graduation of 660 I hope that you enjoy this month’s Community Update. students from North and South. Our buses traveled more than 1,277,707 miles taking the district’s children to and from school.

Steve Thompson Together we have overcome tragedies and celebrate many Superintendent successes. Through these milestones, our students, staff, Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools parents and community members have consistently rallied to (440) 975 - 3757 support one another. This fact clearly defines WilloughbyEastlake as a great place to live, to learn and to raise a family.

I am pleased to report that our construction projects are on time and on budget! If you have had an opportunity to drive past our new schools, you will have seen the amazing transformations. On August 10th, I hope that you will join me at the ribbon cutting ceremonies for our new schools. We

WILLOUGHBY MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS CELEBRATING THEIR GRANDPARENT PEN PALS AT BRECKENRIDGE

July 2019

One School, One Book Bringing Families Together, One Word at a Time In a time when families are moving swiftly through their day, the schools in the district worked to bring families together, binding them with the power of the written word.

In each elementary school, the staff members assisted to kick off the One School, One Book initiative. Once the book reveal took place, each student was given a book to read with their family and then they participated in activities that had been planned in conjunction with the theme of the book. Throughout the district, stories like Stuart Little and The World According to Humphrey entertained families as they shared the story and participated in those activities.

As a culminating event to reading the books, each school hosted an evening for families to celebrate literacy with their children.

“If you want your children to be intelligent, read them fairy tales. If you want them to be more intelligent, read them more fairy tales.”

Albert Einstein

“Every year I look forward to our One School, One Book activities. The students at Grant Elementary are engaged and excited to share in the joy of reading. According to research conducted by the American Academy of Pediatrics, reading daily to young children, starting in infancy, stimulates early brain development and helps build key language, literacy and social skills.

Reading together and participating in One School, One Book encourages our students to learn and creates a fun way to supplement classroom instruction while allowing families to partake in this great event.

I am grateful to our staff, parents, students and volunteers that assist to make this so successful.”

Mike Samber, Principal Grant Elementary School

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

A Message From Your Treasurer Cuts the District Cannot Absorb Beginning in 2012, the district has experienced cuts in state funding that were previously generated by Tangible Personal Property Tax. This tax, was replaced with the Commercial Activity Tax, and at the time of the change, Ohio school districts were told this would not cause a decrease in state funding.

Bill Parkinson Treasurer/CFO Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools

fuel for buses, teacher salaries and technology used in classrooms, safety upgrades, and will NOT be used for construction. The funds being used for the new buildings were generated by the bond issue passed in 2015.

If you have questions about this levy, The annual loss caused by the elimination please visit: Supportweschools.org of tangible personal property tax to Willoughby-Eastlake is $8.27 million or 9% of the annual operating “I would like nothing more than to tell the voters that this money was not necessary, budget.

On August 6th, the district will come to the voters to ask for funds to replace this loss. If passed, Issue 1 will generate approximately $8.3 million.

however, it is impossible to maintain our current level of education with 9% of the funds from the district’s operating budget gone.

Willoughby-Eastlake has been cautious with Funds from this levy will be used for our taxpayer’s money and if these funds general operating expenses, such as had not been cut by the state, we would not be asking for new money. ” Bill Parkinson

LEVIES ARE FOR LEARNING, BONDS ARE FOR BUILDINGS July 2019

Frequently Asked Questions about the levy

If you have questions about this levy, please visit: Supportweschools.org Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Willoughby-Eastlake Across the District

North High thespians performed Shrek the Musical for their audiences! This was a great collaboration between schools!

Eastlake Middle School students welcomed their resource officer this year, Officer Zach Petric.

The Willoughby Middle School Power of the Pen team won several medals and served as outstanding representatives.

South High physics students built watercrafts and attempted to sail them across the YMCA pool. Some sustained, some did not!

NCI honored another graduating class. 100% of the students from Allied Health were employed prior to graduation!

Royalview celebrated the graduating fifth grade students!

July 2019

Longfellow students took time to say “good bye� to their school!

Jefferson families attended an Open House and engaged in an evening of learning!

The School of Innovation invited parents in for breakfast!

Edison student, Evelyn Jasinski, threw out the first pitch at a Lake County Captains game.

Willowick Middle students launched a new app bridging the gap between the local police and students!

Grant students learned about fire safety from the Willoughby Fire Department.

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Project Updates The final weeks of the construction projects are coming to a close and on August 10, 2019, Willoughby-Eastlake will be celebrating the opening of three new schools.

At Longfellow Elementary School, with the exception of final touches to the center staircase, the interior of the school has been completed. The furniture has been delivered and assembled. On the last day of school, the teachers were able to see their classroom supplies moved from the old building to the new building.

SOUTH HIGH SCHOOL All of the construction projects are on time and on budget and the district is looking forward to welcoming students on the first day of school!

LONGFELLOW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL At South High, the interior of the building is about 75% complete and the furniture is beginning to be delivered. The shared spaces, such as the field house, are receiving flooring and final coats of paint. The casework has been installed throughout the building.

At North High School, the Performing Arts Center is receiving the final coat of paint, the lighting has been installed and in the final phases they will be placing the seating. The majority of the classrooms at North have been painted and the floors in the rooms are currently being installed.

July 2019

NORTH HIGH SCHOOL

North Student

All current construction projects are being completed using funds from the bond issue passed in November 2015.

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Congratulations to the Class of 2019

93

$75,000 +

3,500 +

Graduates with a GPA

Raised for the

> 4.0

United Way of Lake County

College Semester Hours Earned

July 2019

Save the Date Willoughby-Eastlake Ribbon Cutting Ceremonies August 10, 2019 •

10:00 a.m. Longfellow Elementary School

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11:30 a.m. North High School

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1:00 p.m. Union Village

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1:30 p.m. South High School

Willoughby-Eastlake Community Update

Teach - Learn - Grow Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools - 35353 Curtis Blvd. - Eastlake, OH 44095