Schools

Bay Schools receives ‘Ohio Auditor of State’ award

Earlier this month, Auditor of State Keith Faber announced that Bay Village City School District received the Auditor of State Award for its clean audit reports for the fiscal year ended 2020.

The State Auditor’s office shares information as far back as 2014, and Bay Village Schools has received the Ohio Auditor of State Award every year since 2014, except for 2017, so six of the last seven years.

“We are elated to share this wonderful news with our stakeholders, as it takes an entire district to win an award like this,” said Meghan Rohde, Treasurer for Bay Village Schools. “We strive to provide the best financial reporting to our local and state communities.”

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Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 10:04 AM, 06.15.2021

Bay High student awarded military scholarship

Hayden Coffman (Bay High School Class of 2021) was the winner of this year’s Veterans of Foreign Wars/American Legion Military Scholarship. Sponsored by VFW Post 9693 and Legion Post 385, this scholarship is awarded each year to a deserving Bay High School graduating senior who will be affiliated with the U.S. military while attending college.

The winner is selected on the basis of academic performance, community service, extracurricular activities, character, leadership potential, and expressed interest in military service.

Mr. Coffman will be attending the United States Military Academy at West Point.

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Volume 13, Issue 12, Posted 10:04 AM, 06.15.2021

BMS students recognized for drug prevention awareness posters

Seventh-grade Bay Middle School students participated in the school's 11th annual Drug Prevention Awareness Poster Contest, coordinated by art teacher Greg Leininger, in conjunction with the spring drug education unit and our state's drug awareness month. 

Supported once again this year by our generous Bay Kiwanis, gift certificates were presented to the first, second, third and fourth place winners, along with Judges' Choice and Super Creative award winners.

"Kiwanis is proud to support this program," said Bay Kiwanis representative Foster McMasters. Coordinators of the program added: "We are so glad the students and teachers take time to discuss drug awareness and prevention and do creative projects around this important issue."

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 11:52 AM, 06.02.2021

Bay Board of Education: May 17 meeting overview

The Bay Village Board of Education met for its regular Board meeting on Monday, May 17, at Bay Middle School with the following members in attendance: Beth Lally, Scott Schulz, Vice President Dave Vegh, and Paul Vincent. Board President Lisa Priemer was not in attendance. The meeting was called to order at 6:30 p.m.

Public comments: Some parents asked the Board to identify a timeline for lifting the wearing of face masks and the dismantling of the plexiglass units around students’ desks. 

Recognition of retirements: Several staff retirements were celebrated. Those thanked for their service to Bay Schools included: Anne Budzik, middle school teacher; Mary Jeanne Farmer, Westerly secretary; Deborah Farver, Westerly aide; Lorraine Krauss, Glenview; Martha Patton, Assistant Superintendent Special Services; and Lynne Tijanich, Westerly teacher.

Recognition of 25 years of service: Westerly aide, Debra Kerver; Westerly teacher, Dawn Robinson; and Michelle Walsh, St. Raphael secretary were lauded for their contributions to the District.

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 10:17 AM, 06.02.2021

Bay Alumni Foundation awards 3 scholarships

The Bay Alumni Foundation presented three scholarships at the 59th annual Kiwanis Academic Achievement program on May 19. Through the generous donations and support from our alumni, we have been able to recognize outstanding graduating seniors for many years. The committee received many wonderful applicants for our scholarships this year and it was difficult to choose. But the committee all agreed on the following students who were each awarded $1,000 scholarships:  

BAF female recipient: Julianna Sanchez

Julianna was a well-rounded student and active member of her school community: her activities included Rockettes, student council, yearbook, and show choir. She plans to attend the University of Cincinnati and will study fashion merchandising.

BAF male recipient: Levi Wunder

Levi was involved in all of the bands at the high school, played lacrosse and soccer and participated in theater. He will attend Bowling Green State University as a psychology major.

Class of '66 recipient: Emma Spirollari

Emma was in the National Honor Society, was a class officer, part of Model UN, and played volleyball. She will attend Ohio State University as a biology major in a pre-med track.

Congratulations to all of these impressive young people! We are all cheering for them as they begin the next chapter of their lives. Go with confidence, be happy, and keep in touch!

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Volume 13, Issue 11, Posted 10:19 AM, 06.02.2021

Home of the Rockets breaks ground

Despite a pandemic and without a large corporate sponsor, Home of the Rockets (HOTR) recently became a reality after a year of fundraising efforts led by chairperson Jon Ransom, with the support of Jay Sharpnak, Bob Reed and the entire Bay Rockets Association.

The $1.6 million capital campaign dedicated to building a 4,000-square-foot, multifunctional building and fan plaza at the south end of Bay High Stadium broke ground on May 3 and will include: home and visitor team rooms; coaches rooms; concession stand and storage area; spiritwear shop; fan plaza; restrooms; and additional storage and mechanical rooms.

Ransom said the community rallied together with hundreds of donations in all sizes, with the majority of the funds raised coming from local families, civic groups and small businesses, with special gratitude to Bay Village Kiwanis, Bay Alumni Foundation, Bay Soccer Club, and Amy and Tom Huntley.

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Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 10:16 AM, 05.18.2021

Normandy students launch Kindergarten Mask Awareness Project

Our kindergarten class at Normandy School in Bay Village noticed a problem, so we decided to do something about it. This spring, as we began to spend more time outside, we started noticing a lot of masks lying on the ground. It seemed like they were everywhere! We could not understand how people could just leave their masks on the ground, littering.

First, we did some research and learned that mask pollution is more prevalent than we thought. We see them on the ground, but animals are affected by the litter, too. We looked at pictures of birds with masks caught on their wings and feet. We saw sea turtles and fish caught in masks. We knew this was terrible! Mask litter spoils a walk through the neighborhood or the park. Mask litter can kill animals.

Next, we collected data. For 10 days, we kept track of how many masks we found and where we found them. We also took photos of the mask litter. Zoe Shumaker found one by a tree on the Whales playground. Logan Horn found a mask at Bradley Park. Ava and Gia Ferrando found several at the zoo. Esther Schearer saw and picked up a mask at Huntington Beach Park.

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Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 10:13 AM, 05.18.2021

Bay Women's Club awards scholarships

The Bay Village Women's Club Foundation has awarded scholarships of $2,500 each to six graduating Bay High School seniors.

Kaylee Buehler will be preparing for a career in nursing at Kent State University. She served as captain of Bay Swim and Dive, as Editor-in-Chief of the Bay Tribune and as class officer. She is a member of the National Honor Society.

Also attending Kent State University is Morgan Fischer. Her academic major will be architectural studies. She is president of the Student Council, a member of the Rockettes, a class officer and on the yearbook staff.

Priya Goddard will be a liberal arts student at Lorain County Community College to study agriculture. She is a participant in SAGA, Straight Alliance, Gay Alliance; WINGS women's support group; the Bay Mental Health Alliance; PALS and Treble Choir.

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Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 10:15 AM, 05.18.2021

Bay Village Schools director Martha Patton to retire

Assistant Superintendent for Special Services Martha “Marty” Patton has announced her retirement from Bay Village City School District at the end of this school year. Patton has been with the district for 14 years, serving as an advocate for district students with special needs, ages 3 and up.

During her tenure with Bay Village Schools, Patton and her team designed services to ensure each child’s educational needs were met, including speech and language services; physical therapy; occupational therapy; behavior modification; special instruction through intervention specialists and paraprofessionals; adaptive physical education; and other specialized services. Besides supervising and monitoring 504 services for students who require accommodations to fully access their education, Patton also oversaw the district’s gifted services program.

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Volume 13, Issue 10, Posted 10:15 AM, 05.18.2021

Bay High named a 2021 'Best High School'

Bay High School has again been named a 2021 Best High School by U.S. News & World Report. The annual ranking was released late last month. Bay High is ranked #4 in Northeast Ohio and #17 in Ohio, moving up five spots this year.

"Of course we are thrilled that Bay High School has again made the top 10 list in Northeast Ohio as it relates to our math and reading proficiency, graduation rate and AP testing opportunities, but most importantly, we are proud that we have been in-building five days a week for 80 percent of the school year," said Jodie Hausmann, superintendent of Bay Village City School District. "Our students have continued to thrive in a nontraditional year because of in-person learning and a dedicated faculty and staff."

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Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 10:02 AM, 05.04.2021

Westlake Tree Commission hosts annual Arbor Day planting

Friday, April 30, was Arbor Day at Dover Intermediate School in Westlake. Paul Quinn III, Westlake's Service Director; Stan Barnard, Westlake’s Urban Forestry Manager; and members of the Westlake Service Department were there to assist with the planting of a tree.

Several weeks prior to the ceremony, all fifth-grade students were invited to submit a poster explaining “Why trees are important to me!” Forty-five members of the class generated a poster to enter in the annual contest! The posters were then judged by Stan Barnard, Paul Quinn, Mary Beth Schneidler, Diane Morris, Ken Sadd and Justin Parks, members of the Westlake Tree Commission.

This year, because of the pandemic, students were permitted to enter a poster online or by submitting their creative ideas on poster board. Six students were selected as the winners of the contest. Ryan Brediger, Leah Navratil, Freda Elsebaei, Miles Salem, Callie Barnes and Sanika Jadhav were all presented a proclamation by Paul Quinn who was there representing Mayor Dennis Clough. Each proclamation designated a day in Westlake honoring each student and congratulated them for an outstanding poster. The students also received a ribbon for their winning posters and were told all the posters would be on display on the City of Westlake website.

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Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 10:28 AM, 05.04.2021

Bay Village Schools offers elementary STEM camp

Bay Schools Summer Virtual STEM Camp is available tuition free to ALL students in grades K-4. The camp will be held the weeks of June 14 and June 21. It will be held virtually on Zoom and Google Classroom. The K-2 daily Zoom will be from 9:00-9:50 a.m.; the daily Zoom for grades 3 and 4 will be from 10:00-10:50 a.m. Hands-on challenges will be provided online for students to problem solve, build and test at home, with guidance and feedback from camp staff.

We plan to return to the traditional K-2 STEM camp in the summer of 2022. It is our hope that our exciting virtual program this summer will provide your student with a variety of engaging, high-quality learning opportunities.

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Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 10:04 AM, 05.04.2021

St. Raphael students win Brain Brawl

The St. Raphael School Academic Team won the 10th annual St. Ignatius Brain Brawl on April 17, becoming the only team in the history of the tournament to win back-to-back titles.

The Brain Brawl, hosted by St. Ignatius High School, is an annual academic competition for junior high school students from private schools across the Cleveland metropolitan area. The competition is an all-day event in which schools compete against one another by answering game-show style questions that range from music and math to baseball and board games.

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Volume 13, Issue 9, Posted 10:00 AM, 05.04.2021

Live theatre is back in Westlake!

The Westlake High School Drama Club is performing "The Addams Family: A New Musical Comedy," based on the cartoon characters we all know and love.

Wednesday Addams is all grown up and has fallen in love with a sweet young man. Watch what happens when his respectable family comes to visit our favorite mysterious and spooky household.

The show is directed by choral director Jennifer Butler and is being performed by a split cast.

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Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 10:34 AM, 04.20.2021

Bay Village named a 2021 'Best Community for Music Education'

Standards for inclusion on the prestigious Best Communities for Music Education list have increased consistently over the last 19 years, but the Bay Village City School District has once again been honored for its exemplary music program. First recognized with the distinction in 2003 – and each year since – Bay Village Schools is among just 686 districts nationwide, and 48 Ohio school districts, identified for this honor by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for 2021.

The distinction takes on added significance this year as music education during the pandemic changed perhaps more than any other school subject, with masking, social distancing, eLearners and other safety protocols.

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Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 10:41 AM, 04.20.2021

Bay Middle School competes at regional, state 'Power of the Pen' competitions

Congratulations to Bay Middle School seventh-graders Violet Kubiak, Alice Jones and Amy Ingraham who recently competed in the virtual Power of the Pen Regional Tournament.

In order to make it to Regional competition, writers had to score in the top 50 percent from Districts.

Good luck to Violet, who moves on to State competition next month.

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Volume 13, Issue 8, Posted 10:47 AM, 04.20.2021

Bay Village Board of Education appoints treasurer

During its March 13, 2021, Special Board Meeting, the Bay Village Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Meghan Rohde as Bay Village Schools’ next treasurer. Her start date with Bay Village Schools is April 26.

Rohde is currently the Chief Financial Officer/Treasurer for Clyde-Green Springs Exempted Village School District – located in southeastern Sandusky and northern Seneca counties – a position she has held since 2016. Prior to this role, the Castalia, Ohio, native served as a Senior Internal Auditor for PNC Bank in Cleveland and Standard Register Company in Dayton.

During her career, Rohde was recognized with the 2018 Emerging Leaders Scholarship Award from the Ohio Association of School Business Officials, and has also received an Ohio Auditor of State Award with her current school district. She is a graduate of Wright State University (B.S. in Accounting and Finance), Ohio University (MBA) and completed her School Treasurer Licensure coursework with University of Phoenix. Rohde is an active member of the Ohio Association of School Business Officials and enjoys running, reading and biking with her family.

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Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 10:37 AM, 04.06.2021

Bay High School seniors move on to National Merit Finalist status

In October 2020, Bay Village Schools announced that 11 Bay High School students were recognized in the 2021 National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP), including Semifinalists Thomas Beckwith, James Bish and Samuel Ferry. Bay High School Principal Jason Martin was recently notified by NMSP that these three Semifinalists have all advanced to Finalist standing in the 66th annual competition.

These academically talented high school seniors are now eligible for Merit Scholarship awards totaling more than $30 million to be awarded later this spring. These young men are three of only 15,000 Finalists of the more than 1.5 million NMSP entrants.

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Volume 13, Issue 7, Posted 10:43 AM, 04.06.2021

Bay Village Schools launches ‘Diversity Champion Certificate Program’ with Tri-C

When Dr. Holly Schafer was hired as Bay Village City School District’s first-ever director of human resources in June of 2019, one of her first goals was to create a more holistic approach in developing faculty and staff in the areas of culture, diversity and hiring. Schafer soon reached out to Cuyahoga Community College and its Corporate College team to inquire about professional development honoring diversity.

After developing an understanding of Schafer’s goals for the district’s nearly 500 employees, Tri-C’s team of Westshore Dean of Academic Affairs Bob Searson, along with Tri-C’s Corporate College’s Jody Wheaton and Geraldine Weiser, got to work in developing a diversity and inclusion training program where both Bay Village Schools’ certified and classified employees could earn certification.

Next, Schafer applied for grant money for the diversity certification program via Corporate College’s TechCred process so as many faculty and staff members as possible could participate in the program.

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Volume 13, Issue 6, Posted 10:28 AM, 03.16.2021

Westerly Elementary School offers extended-day opportunity

Gov. Mike DeWine has suggested that school districts consider offering extended day or summer programs to help students compensate for any learning losses due to COVID-19. Westerly Elementary School has been offering an extended-day program for many years, and is well ahead of the governor’s plan.

Earlier this month, Westerly kicked off its Extended Day Opportunity tutoring program, which continues through April 1. The program provides third- and fourth-graders with the opportunity to participate in small-group reading intervention and math support at no cost. Transportation is even provided for those students involved in afterschool programs at Glenview Center for Child Care and Learning, Bethesda Child Care Center and Kiddie Kollege.

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Volume 13, Issue 5, Posted 9:47 AM, 03.02.2021

Bay Village Schools creates Black History Month challenge

On Feb. 1, Bay Village Schools’ Diversity and Equity Committee kicked off its inaugural Black History Month 28-Day Challenge. The team of administrators, educators, students and community members curated a calendar with events for each day of the month, and participants are encouraged to choose three events per week, or participate in one major event during the entire month. Events include everything from virtual museum tours and podcasts, to family story times and poetry projects.

Participants who meet the challenge by the end of February will receive a digital badge to add to their email signature line.

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Volume 13, Issue 4, Posted 11:08 AM, 02.16.2021

Bay Village Schools to offer tuition-free, all-day kindergarten next year

At the Dec. 11, 2020, Bay Village Board of Education meeting, the Board unanimously voted to adopt a full-day, tuition-free kindergarten program, starting with the 2021-22 school year. A full-day, tuition-free program was offered this school year due to the pandemic, but prior to the 2020-21 school year, the district offered a tuition-based option, along with the no-cost, half-day program.

In adopting this resolution the Board considered many factors in making our decision, including research, the surveying of surrounding districts, providing equitable access to all students, our current staffing and facility resources, and others. This new, all-day model aligns with the District’s and community’s commitment to providing a high-quality education, as well as with all current and federal guidelines surrounding foundational literacy and math instruction, along with social emotional learning. We hope the Class of 2034 – and all classes to follow – benefit from this program.

To read the All-Day Kindergarten Resolution in its entirety, visit bit.ly/AllDayKindergarten.

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Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 10:12 AM, 02.02.2021

Bay Village Schools announces Scholastic Awards

Bay High School is proud to announce that 36 students were recently recognized in the 2021 Scholastic Art and Writing Awards competition. Of those students, nine received Gold Key awards, 12 received Silver Key awards and 16 received Honorable Mentions. The Gold Key award is the highest honor of distinction in this annual competition, coordinated and judged by faculty from Cleveland Institute of Art. Gold Key winners move on to national judging.

Art
Senior Sarah Hardebeck received three Gold Keys in Photography; Sophomore Kristina Laraway received two Gold Keys in Photography; Senior Elizabeth Varis received a Gold Key in Painting; and Senior Kayla Poling received a Gold Key in Sculpture.

Art submissions were entered into the competition by Bay High School Art Department faculty Greg Hildebrandt, Grace Outcalt and Thomas Schemrich, art department chairperson.

“The amount of talent within this group is exceptional,” said Schemrich. “I have no doubt that many of these students will go on to successfully pursue art careers in college and beyond.”

Writing
Senior Kendall Thomas received two Gold Keys, one in the Short Story category, and one for her Writing Portfolio. Junior Carli Mendelow received a Gold Key in Poetry.

Writing submissions were entered into the competition by Bay High School English Department faculty Erin Beirne and Kristen Srsen Kenney.

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Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 10:13 AM, 02.02.2021

Time Travel: Antique clock returned to Bay school district

Recently, Bay Village Schools received an antique clock from Illinois resident Greg Nolan, who found the clock at an estate sale in his home state. He was told the clock came from an old Bay Village, Ohio, schoolhouse and he felt the clock should “come home.”

The district reached out to local historian Eric Eakin of the Bay Village Historical Society to see if any archives show photographs of the clock in early school buildings. Unfortunately, the clock’s history has yet to be validated, but Bay Village Schools’ Director of Teaching and Learning Char Shryock hopes to have the clock repaired and hung in the District Office.

If you have any information on the clock, please call the district office at 440-617-7300.

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Volume 13, Issue 3, Posted 10:12 AM, 02.02.2021

Bay Village Schools honors board members

January is School Board Recognition Month, and at the Jan. 11 Bay Village Board of Education meeting, the district honored its five board members: President Lisa Priemer, Vice President Dave Vegh, and members Beth Lally, Scott Schulz and Paul Vincent. Bay High School senior James Bish, representing the Bay Village Schools’ student body, read Gov. Mike DeWine’s Proclamation for School Board Recognition Month. James also shared his personal gratitude for the board members’ service.

"Although I am not as fancy as the governor, on behalf of the Bay student body, I would also like to extend my appreciation to the school board for the hard and often thankless work they do, keeping us safe, happy and learning," said James.

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Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 9:59 AM, 01.19.2021

Bay Village Schools partners with BVPD for social media webinar

Bay Village Schools invites community members to attend a virtual Town Hall on “Excesses in Social Media” on Wednesday, Jan. 20, 6:30-7:30 p.m., via Zoom. The webinar event is hosted by Bay Village City School District in partnership with Bay Village Police Department.

The event is geared toward parents and guardians of students in grades 5-12, and the panelists will help families by discussing the emotional, technical and legal ramifications of social media. Panelists will share ways to communicate with students about social media regarding potential risks and how to establish good online rules.

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Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 9:59 AM, 01.19.2021

Bay student wins regional app competition

James Bish, a student at Bay High School, was recently named the winner of the Ohio 9th Congressional District's second annual Congressional App Challenge. Bish's app, “Anonymous FRQ Grading,” is a tool for teachers and students to submit responses to essay questions free of bias in evaluation.

Congresswoman Marcy Kaptur announced the results of the challenge, saying she looks forward to a discussion with James to learn first-hand of the skills and expertise that went into the creation of his application. 

“James’ wonderful application received strong scores in each phase of the judging process, from concept, to design, to the skill shown to produce it,” said Rep. Kaptur. “We had strong submissions and participation from across the district. Developing STEM education must be a priority not only within our community, but across our nation as well, and the Congressional App Challenge is an opportunity to foster critical skills. I offer my sincerest congratulations to James Bish on his win and thank him for the impressive and important work that went into creating his app.”

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Volume 13, Issue 2, Posted 10:01 AM, 01.05.2021

Bay Village Schools announces kindergarten information night

Bay Village families with students starting kindergarten during the fall of 2021 are encouraged to save the date for Normandy Elementary School’s virtual Kindergarten Information Night at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 26.

Parents and guardians of the Class of 2034 are invited to sign up for future communications and updates, including the opportunity to register for the virtual information night, by visiting bit.ly/NormK2021-22

If you have any questions, please call Normandy Elementary School, 440-617-7350.

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Volume 13, Issue 1, Posted 9:42 AM, 01.05.2021

Westlake students share their favorite traditions

For the Observer's annual last-issue-of-the-year feature, students from Mrs. Melissa Graham’s fourth-grade class at Westlake Elementary School share favorite family traditions.

My Special Little Elf
Boom! Woah did I hear a little sneaky elf? It is finally my favorite time of year! Christmas is the best time of year to find your own little, magical, sneaky, and amazing Elf on the Shelf. My elf is named Mr. Jingles. He writes me letters to show how happy he is and how proud he is of being a crazy elf. He is a very interesting elf who does silly things. For example, he once put flour EVERYWHERE! Mr. Jingles is one messy elf but he still makes my family joyful the whole Christmas season. This year my elf is going to love the snow, the smell of the delightful cookies and finally the beautiful Christmas decorations. If you ever want to get your own Elf on the Shelf just get it at the store. The elf set includes a book to tell you how to use and have fun with your elf. I am thankful for these Christmas elves!
– Ariella K., Westlake

Skating in Paradise
Do you do anything special On Christmas Eve morning? Every year my family and I have a skating party! We rent the Rocky River ice arena and have lots of fun together! We always enjoy lots of yummy donuts and of course coffee for the adults. We have a little room to set all of the food in. We play Christmas music throughout the arena. We invite my figure skating friends, my brother’s hockey friends and even some friends from school. We all do a lot of races on the ice and play some games such as tag. We even sometimes make little shows that go along with the Christmas music. Even though it's not going to happen this year because of Covid-19, we are still going to try to make the winter break great! I hope you enjoy your winter and spread Christmas cheer for the holidays.
– Elise A., Westlake

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Volume 12, Issue 24, Posted 9:58 AM, 12.15.2020

Bay Village students share their favorite traditions

For the Observer's annual last-issue-of-the-year feature, students from Mrs. Julie McArn’s first-grade class at Normandy Elementary in Bay Village share favorite family traditions.

Christmas at the Tree Farm
Well, the second to the last day of November, we go to friends and eat bagels and have a brunch. Then we go cut down our trees. When we get back to our house, we get dinner, eat it then we decorate the tree. We call it a tree decorating party. I love it!
– Alice F., Bay Village

Snow is Falling on the Best Family!
Every year we always go to Crocker to see the lights. Don’t you think they are pretty? My family does! My favorite part is going in the big snow globe and getting my picture taken with my sister. It’s so fun!
– Olivia A., Bay Village

Christmas at Grandparents
My family always goes to our grandma and grandpa’s house a couple of days before Christmas. On Christmas Eve, we go to my cousins. My sister Lynn and I love to go there! We eat dinner and then we get to help make the fruit punch. It is really good. You would love it!
– James S., Bay Village

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Volume 12, Issue 24, Posted 9:58 AM, 12.15.2020

Glenview preschoolers spread joy to medical community

Preschoolers at Glenview Child Care Center have been busy spreading joy to the medical community. Students made nearly 80 cards to share with the pediatric residents at Cleveland Clinic. The cards were delivered in early December.

Besides showing their gratitude for the medical community in their cards, the students enjoyed participating in activities related to the medical field.


 

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Volume 12, Issue 24, Posted 9:56 AM, 12.15.2020

Doctor turned library aide coordinates Bay Village Schools' COVID-19 response

Dr. Michele Moore had no idea she’d be putting her medical degree to work for the Bay Village City School District when applying for a library aide position in 2014. But when Gov. Mike DeWine asked school systems to name district-wide COVID-19 coordinators this past September, Dr. Moore’s name was on the short list.

“Michele not only has the medical training, she knows our district,” said Dr. Holly Schafer, director of human resources for Bay Village Schools. “We immediately thought of her, and she hasn’t missed a beat since accepting the challenge.”

Dr. Moore not only coordinates the district’s confirmed cases and quarantines, she’s involved with compiling student daily health check information, coordinating contact tracing with the Cuyahoga County Board of Health and talking to families daily to help parents decide if they should send their students to school. She is a key member of the district’s COVID-19 Task Force, and assists with projections based on the data she collects. All tasks she had no idea she’d be doing when reentering the workforce six years ago to take on a job in Westerly Elementary School’s library.

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Volume 12, Issue 24, Posted 9:55 AM, 12.15.2020

Bay Village second-graders work with children's author to create books

Budding authors in Kelsy Hoy’s second-grade class at Normandy Elementary School in Bay Village had the rare opportunity to confer with children and young adult author Rachel Vail late last month via Zoom. The award-winning author joined the class for a brainstorming session and discussed Vail’s “Elizabeth” book series, about a second-grader and her experiences growing up.

Hoy said there are a lot of things in school that aren’t normal right now, so she welcomed the opportunity to have her students work on a unique project. “I thought having these discussions would be fun and engaging for our students and would really make these books come alive,” Hoy said.

Students worked on their ideas with Vail, and will turn them into book covers that they’ll present to Vail before Thanksgiving break. Then the 16 students will write their stories for their books. Vail said she may even consider using one or more of the student ideas as the basis for her next storyline.

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Volume 12, Issue 23, Posted 10:04 AM, 12.01.2020

BHS inducts 87 students into National Honor Society

On Nov. 9, the Bay High School Chapter of National Honor Society inducted 87 new members. The ceremony was broadcast on the Bay High Live YouTube Channel with parts pre-recorded so each student could safely be honored. Families were able to livestream the event, hosted by Bay High School principal Jason Martin. This event marked the 81st annual induction ceremony at Bay High School.

Membership in National Honor Society is the highest honor that can be bestowed on a high school student. It is the recognition of outstanding performance in both the classroom and the community. 

“These students truly represent the principles of character, scholarship, leadership and service,” said Kathryn McCarthy, Bay High School’s National Honor Society advisor. “It is my privilege to serve with them as their advisor.”

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Volume 12, Issue 23, Posted 10:04 AM, 12.01.2020

Bay school board appoints new member

During its Nov. 9 regular meeting, the Bay Village Board of Education voted unanimously to appoint Bay Village resident and parent Dr. Scott Schulz to fill its board vacancy.

A Bay Village resident for the last six years, Dr. Schulz has spent the majority of his professional career in post-secondary education. He currently serves as Vice President for Enrollment Management at Baldwin Wallace University. He is also an adjunct assistant teaching professor for Pennsylvania State University.

Dr. Schulz has also served in several volunteer capacities, including assisting military veterans in furthering their education through American Corporate Partners, and working with GED students to explore their education and career options via Seeds of Literacy.

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Volume 12, Issue 22, Posted 9:24 AM, 11.17.2020

Bay Village Schools hosts virtual town hall on anxiety, adapting to change

Bay Village Schools invites community members to attend a virtual Town Hall – “Anxiety and Adapting to Change” – from 6:30-7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 19, via Zoom. The webinar event is hosted by Bay Village City School District, with experts from MetroHealth, Recovery Resources and the Educational Service Center of Northeast Ohio.

The event is geared toward parents and guardians of students in grades PreK-12, and the panelists will help families adjust to change and uncertainties. As families move from crisis mode to adapting to a new way of functioning, they may seek advice, tips and resources to help their students better adapt.

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Volume 12, Issue 22, Posted 9:21 AM, 11.17.2020

BHS Key Club welcomes 71 new members

The Bay High School Key Club welcomed 71 new members on Thursday, Oct. 22. The induction took place outdoors in the high school courtyard. New members received a gift bag that included a club T-shirt and membership pin.

Induction project chairs Zoe Cox, Bay High School Key Club president, and Meredith Florez, Bay High School Key Club webmaster, led the event, which was "designed to develop leadership and celebrate a new group of teens committed to serve others," according to Anita Bauknecht, Bay High School family and consumer sciences teacher and Bay High School Key Club advisor.

Bay High School Key Club has 151 members and is sponsored by Bay Village Kiwanis. Bay High School Key Club meets virtually every Thursday at 3 p.m.

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Volume 12, Issue 21, Posted 9:28 AM, 11.03.2020

Bay High School honored for college preparedness

Bay High School was recently recognized as a 2020 College Success Award winner from GreatSchools.org. This award honors public high schools doing an extraordinary job preparing students for college and beyond. Bay High School was one of only 2,158 public high schools across the country that was recognized.

GreatSchools.org is a national nonprofit organization that provides ratings and school information to help parents find the right school for their family, and educational opportunities for their children.

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Volume 12, Issue 21, Posted 9:27 AM, 11.03.2020

Superintendent grateful for support during pandemic

As the Bay Village City School District nears the end of the first quarter, I write to our community to convey my gratitude during this uncertain time. My family and I love living in Bay Village and we would not want to be anywhere else. What sets our community apart are our hometown values: family friends through generations; children riding bikes to school; meeting friends at Friday night Rocket football games and supporting organizations like The Village Project, who heal through giving. The heart of our village touches so many lives.

When COVID-19 disrupted our world, I knew this would change our daily routines significantly. It was hard to imagine how to reopen schools while addressing difficult budget decisions; especially since we were required to refund monies to the state of Ohio due to state cuts. But, our team – who consisted of Board of Education members, teacher leaders, parents and administrators – worked for months to create several iterations of what teaching and learning is today. As expected, we experienced moments of intense, productive struggle, but we leaned on one another to develop a comprehensive plan.

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Volume 12, Issue 20, Posted 10:16 AM, 10.20.2020

Bay Village Board of Education seeks applicants for open seat

The Bay Village Board of Education seeks applicants to fill the unexpired term of Board member Dr. Gayatry Jacob-Mosier, who resigned Oct. 13.

The Board is accepting applications through Tuesday, Oct. 27, for the open Board seat. Applicants must be residents of Bay Village and registered voters. Candidate interviews with the Board will take place following the application deadline. The Board expects to swear in the newly appointed member on Monday, Nov. 9.

The new Board member will be appointed for the term ending Dec. 31, 2021. He or she must run in the next general election – Nov. 2, 2021 – in order to serve the next four-year term, which would begin January of 2022.

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Volume 12, Issue 20, Posted 10:25 AM, 10.20.2020