Schools

The Westlake City School District Board of Education is excited to welcome Brad Lamb to the Westlake school board. Mr. Lamb brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to education.

Currently serving as a bailiff and courtroom assistant, Lamb's dedication to the community is evident through his roles on the Westlake Board of Zoning Appeals and his prior service as a school board member in Fairview Park.

A proud 1993 Westlake City School District graduate with a political science/history degree from Ohio State, Lamb is poised to contribute his valuable insights to the board. Passionate about fiscal responsibility, he prioritizes maximizing taxpayer dollars and ensuring excellence in academic programming. As a coach for his son's sports teams and an engaged spectator at his daughter's games, Lamb values the importance of real-world experiences for students.

Bay High School teachers Luke Kieffer and Ron Rutt were recently honored with the Program Excellence Award by International Technology and Engineering Educators Association (ITEEA) for the 2023-24 school year.

This award recognizes “Superior K-12 technology and engineering education programs from around the world. These programs serve as a standard for comparison and models for the development of other programs. Awardees serve as models for their colleagues, inspiration to their communities, and leaders in their region, province, or state as proponents of advancing technological literacy for all.”

Kieffer and Rutt will be honored at a conference this spring.

On an unseasonably warm and sunny day in early February of 2024, the Bay High School community, along with numerous family members, friends, and teammates, gathered to celebrate seven members of the class of 2024 as they committed to continue their respective athletic careers in college.

Bay Rockets’ Athletic Director Matt Spellman noted that gathering to celebrate athletic successes and future opportunities is “very exciting” and he “looks forward to it every year.” This year was especially notable for Spellman, given the large size of the group of student athletes, and that his son Brendan was among the signees and will join the football program at MIT in the fall.

The Westlake Educational Foundation’s 4th annual car raffle has concluded, as winners were drawn on Feb. 13 during the Westlake boys varsity basketball game. This year’s car winner was Anita Scanlon. Serpentini Chevrolet of Westlake donated a 2024 Chevrolet Malibu RS to the Foundation’s raffle, which helped to not only create buzz around the community about who will win the car, but also about the incredible efforts of the Foundation’s mission. 

The Foundation also partnered with organizations within the school district who support various aspects of Westlake student life. By promoting the raffle, Westlake Demons Athletic Boosters, Westlake Music Boosters, Westlake PTAs, and Westlake Alumni Association shared in the ticket sales proceeds. With their involvement and support, the Foundation’s fourth car raffle exceeded $30,000 in ticket sales proceeds.

Several key booster organizations are pivotal to the Westlake City School District, enhancing educational programs and student opportunities. The district benefits from the contributions of the Westlake Demons Athletic Boosters (WDAB), Westlake Music Boosters, Westlake Council of PTAs, and Westlake Educational Foundation, each supporting different aspects of the district's mission.

Volunteer-driven and focused on athletic excellence, Westlake Demons Athletic Boosters (WDAB) enhances Westlake High School and Lee Burneson Middle School sports programs. Their fundraising efforts provide student-athletes with the necessary equipment, facilities, and training. Highlighting their calendar is the Westlake Demon Derby on March 23, an evening filled with horse racing, contests, and community spirit. For more information or to participate, Howard Thompson can be reached at 216-849-0110 or howardt05@yahoo.com.

Bay Village Schools invites all residents to attend the last two Coffee Chats of the school year, set for Wednesday, March 20, from 6-7 p.m. at the Board of Education, 377 Dover Center Road; and Friday, May 10, from 10-11 a.m. at Bay Provisions, 328 Bassett Road (the old Martin's Deli).

These Coffee Chat events provide Bay Village residents with the opportunity to meet Supt. Scot Prebles and Treasurer Meghan Rohde, to ask questions about the district, to find out more information and to make suggestions.

Coffee Chats for the 2024-25 school year will be announced this summer. Bay Village Schools thanks everyone who has attended one of this year's previous chat events.

In 2014, Mary Sue Anders’ life was forever changed by her third-grade student, Michael Orbany. Michael was diagnosed in 2010 with medulloblastoma, a cancerous brain tumor; in 2012 his cancer returned and had metastasized to his spine.

Inspired by his attitude of unwavering faith and spirit of never giving up, Anders made a decision. In February 2014, she sponsored a St. Baldrick’s Foundation head shaving event she called “Brave the Buzz.” This first event rallied the student body of St. Bernadette School in support of their classmate. In all, 136 students shaved their heads and together they raised over $64,000 for the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, the largest non-government funder of childhood cancer research grants.

Bay Schools superintendent alarmed at unexpected changes to public school funding

Part 2 of a 2-part series about changes in public school funding in Ohio and the likely effects of these changes on suburban school districts like Bay Village.

Bay Village City School District Superintendent Scot Prebles’ eyes sparkle when he talks about his love for Bay Village and its residents’ commitment to public education.

“Bay Village is a unique community,” said Prebles. “Bay High graduates leave the village to further their education and begin their careers, and then return home when it’s time to raise their own families. They know our community is safe and our district is high achieving, and they appreciate that. These alumni expect their kids to receive the same top-notch education they experienced.”

It’s one of the reasons he recently moved to Bay himself. It’s also one of the reasons Prebles decided to take on completion of the district's long-term Strategic Plan while launching a 7.2 mil operating levy campaign, simultaneously, shortly after his arrival.

During the Jan. 5 Bay Village Board of Education's Organizational Meeting, Debbie Callihan and James Goodman were sworn in as new Board members by Bay Village Schools Treasurer Meghan Rohde.

Next on the Board agenda was the election of new officers for the 2024 calendar year. Dr. Andrey Stojic was elected President and Amy Huntley as Vice President.

“For the Board, 2024 brings change. We say goodbye and extend our thanks to Beth Lally and Paul Vincent for their hard work and dedication to our students and district. At the same time, we are excited to welcome Deb Callihan and James Goodman to the School Board. Both Deb and James are committed to putting our students first and to our shared value of academic excellence,” said newly elected President Stojic.

The Westlake Educational Foundation is excited to award five grants totaling over $21,000 to Westlake City Schools staff.  The grants awarded will foster creative learning opportunities and enrich student experiences.

To receive a grant, staff members are required to submit a grant application outlining the specifics of their project such as cost, number of students impacted, goals and timeline for implementation. The Foundation’s Board then reviews the applications and determines who will receive grant funds.

Prior to the start of the 2023-24 school year, Mary Essig, President of the Westlake Educational Foundation, spoke to the Westlake staff at convocation regarding the application process, fundraising initiatives, and how the Foundation was eager to receive new innovative project ideas as part of this year’s grant application process.

This is Part 1 of a 2-part series about changes in public school funding in Ohio and the likely effects of these changes on suburban school districts like Bay Village. In Part 2, we’ll hear from Superintendent of Bay Village City School District Scot Prebles and Bay Village School Treasurer Meghan Rhode to get their thoughts on the EdChoice Scholarship voucher expansion’s impact on students and our community.

Governor Mike DeWine and Ohio’s Statehouse legislators have changed the EdChoice Scholarship voucher program so that many more families, at much higher income brackets, can opt to send their K-12th grade kids to private schools using taxpayer dollars.

This expansion has been a highly controversial move, and it’s worth exploring the specific impacts these changes will have on students attending Bay Village Public Schools, their families, and our community at large.

On Dec. 9, 2023, Westlake's Lee Burneson Middle School Science Olympiad team competed in their first invitational of the 2023-2024 school year. The team traveled to Sylvania, Ohio, to compete against 43 teams from Ohio and surrounding states. 

The overall team rankings for the three Westlake teams were 11th, 15th and 28th. The teams ranked sixth or higher in five different events.

This successful showing follows the Westlake High School Science Olympiad teams placing 18th and 39th out of the 54 teams competing in the Northview Tournament on Dec. 2. Like their middle school counterparts, the Westlake High School team finished in the top six in five different events.

Bay Village City School District invites all residents to stop by Mojo's, 600 Dover Center Road in Bay Village, on Friday, Jan. 19, from 7:30-8:30 a.m. for an informal Coffee Chat with Superintendent Scot Prebles and Treasurer Meghan Rohde. If you have a question about the district or just want to meet the district's leadership team, please stop by.

The next Coffee Chat is Wednesday, March 20, from 6-7 p.m. at the Board of Education Office, 377 Dover Center Road.

The Bay Village Schools Kindergarten registration process for the 2024-25 school year began online Jan. 3 at www.bayk12.org. To enroll, the child must be 5 years old on or before Aug. 1, 2024.

Bay Village parents and legal guardians of incoming Kindergarteners are invited to attend a Kindergarten Information Night event on Thursday, Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m. in the Normandy Elementary School Cafeteria, 26920 Normandy Road. For those who are unable to attend, the event will be recorded and linked to the district's Kindergarten information page.

For the Observer's annual last-issue-of-the-year feature, students from Mrs. Sarah Gency and Mrs. Kate Gallo's first-grade class at Westlake Elementary School share favorite family traditions.

My family is from Munich, Germany. In my family we celebrate Advent, which are the four Sundays before Christmas. We have a wreath with four candles. We light each candle on Sunday in December until Christmas day. My mom lights the candles. Some day when I am older I will get to light them. 

– Arthur V. 

In my family we celebrate Christmas. We set up a lot of colorful decorations. We have a tree and lights. Our family comes over to our house to celebrate. We like to eat soup. Sometimes I help my mom make the soup. My favorite part is getting to open the presents and spending time with family members. 

– Story F.

My family's winter holiday tradition is to celebrate Eid Al-Adha. We eat lamb and yellow rice. We call this Mansaf. We open presents. We get to see our family.

– Yaseen S.

In the winter my family's tradition is to celebrate Christmas! We put up Christmas trees, stockings, and an Advent calendar. I even get to pick new covers for my bed. We like to eat cookies, lasagna, and cinnamon rolls. Christmas with my family is so much fun.

– William R.

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

The night before Christmas, we all go in my mom and dad’s bed and read, The Night Before Christmas. You know, that’s the only time you can read this story.

– Mary F.

On Christmas morning, I wake my parents up. After I wake them up, I wake my brother and sister up. Then me, my brother and sister go downstairs and wait for mom and dad to come down. Then we open our presents. We get to play with our presents for a little bit. That’s all.

– Eddy

My grandma and grandpa come from Florida. My grandpa likes to take me ice skating. When we get home we like to play LOL together.

– Blake

I have hot cocoa. I go outside and play in the snow.

– Charlie

We make gingerbread houses. We invite everyone over. Me and my cousins put the frosting on our noses and then we eat it off the spoon.

– Holynn

At the Dec. 4 Bay Village Board of Education meeting, two resolutions were presented to honor retiring Board members Beth Lally and Paul Vincent. Both members decided not to run for their expiring seats in the recent November 2023 election.

Mrs. Lally served the district for eight years, including as Vice President and President. Her involvement and leadership was instrumental in serving the STEM Academy, Strategic Planning, the opening of the Home of the Rockets, passing two school levies, leadership during a pandemic and leading the Board to hire key positions within the district, including two superintendents, two treasurers and the appointment of three Board members.

Mr. Vincent served four years, including as Board President. His involvement and leadership were significant in Strategic Planning, the opening of the Home of the Rockets, passing the recent levy, leadership during a pandemic and leading the Board to hire key positions within the district, including a superintendent, a treasurer and the appointment of a Board member.

Westlake High School senior Avery Douglas’s rowing career began largely on a whim after seeing people use the rowing machines at the Westlake Recreation Center. The first time she attempted a 2K on the erg machine, her time was in the collegiate range!

She thought the erg was fun, so she decided to try rowing on the water and joined the non-profit Foundry Community Rowing and Sailing Center in Cleveland. The Foundry features a club team for middle and high school students interested in rowing. All abilities are welcome to join, including first-time rowers with no rowing background.  

Avery started rowing for CFJ the spring of 2022. She and her teammates qualified in the U17 4X boat at Junior Nationals in Sarasota, Florida. Competing at Junior Nationals is what really made her realize how much she loved the sport and set the wheels in motion for the following season.

In March, Bay Village Schools' Athletic and Activities Director Matt Spellman received the Northeast Ohio Athletic Director of the Year award from the Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NEOIAAA), and recently, he was named an Ohio Athletic Director of the Year recipient by the Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (OIAAA).

Spellman is one of only 12 individuals across the state to be recognized for this prestigious honor.

“The fact that more than 80 percent of our students participate in a sport and/or an activity illustrates how dedicated Matt is to our student body,” said Bay Village Schools Supt. Scot Prebles.

Westlake City School District believes that education is much more than a classroom activity. ALL students should have the opportunity to experience the social and engaging activities that make school fun. 

With this in mind, we created in-house opportunities for students with different levels of abilities to get hands-on experience at Lee Burneson Middle School and Westlake High School. Burneson Brew, located at LBMS, is where it all started.

Burneson Brew is a student-run business that provides an authentic, real-world learning experience housed in our middle school. Initially, Burneson Brew exclusively employed individuals with disabilities, but this year, the Brew Crew has expanded to represent those with and without disabilities.

On Tuesday, Nov. 15, the Bay High School Chapter of the National Honor Society (NHS) inducted 87 new members at Bay High School’s Auditorium. The event marked the 84th annual induction ceremony at Bay High School.

Membership in the National Honor Society is the highest honor that can be bestowed upon a high school student. It is the recognition of outstanding performance in both the classroom and the community. These students represent the four pillars of NHS: Scholarship, Service, Leadership and Character.

Eleven Bay High School seniors participated in the Future of Democracy Student Poll Worker Program last month. They were trained by the Cuyahoga County Board of Elections. These students worked the polls during the Nov. 7 election.

Bay High School Principal Jason Martin heard about the Future of Democracy initiative and brought it to the attention of the high school’s Social Studies Department Chair Robert Grossman, who was eager to share it with upperclassmen.

Bay Village Schools has launched the district’s new Strategic Plan, and the community is invited to learn more about the plan’s Purpose, Priorities and Indicators of Success by attending the inaugural “State of the District” board meeting at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, Nov. 20, at Bay Middle School Library, 27725 Wolf Road.

The State of the District event will celebrate the launch of a plan that started in that very room one year prior. Presentations include: Strategic Plan Overview by Superintendent Scot Prebles; State Report Card Review by Director of Curriculum and Instruction Robert Hoon; 5-Year Forecast by Treasurer Meghan Rohde; and a Facilities Update by Director of Human Resources and Operations Aaron Ereditario.

Bay Village City School District is proud to announce that four students have been recognized in the 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program, an annual academic competition for recognition and college undergraduate scholarships.

James Kelly and Faith Teutschbein have been named Semifinalists, and Owen Appenheimer and Ewan Moss are recognized as Commended students. All are seniors at Bay High School.

These students were identified based on their 2022 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT) scores.

Ewan Moss, a senior at Bay High School, was named to the All-State Band on trombone. He is one of eight trombone players in the state of Ohio to receive this honor. Ewan will perform at the Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Conference in Columbus this February.

At Bay High School, Ewan is a Section Leader for Bay High School’s Marching Band, Principal Chair of Chamber Winds, a Leadership Team member of Model United Nations, Treasurer of Key Club, Treasurer of Thespians and President of the Robotics/Science Club. He is also a member of Jazz Band, Pit Orchestra, National Honor Society and Varsity Soccer. His favorite subject at Bay High School is Chemistry.

Last month, St. Bernadette Parish School in Westlake was selected as a 2023 Blue Ribbon School by the U.S. Department of Education. This prestigious honor is a recognition of the school’s outstanding academic achievements and a testament to the hard work and dedication of every member of the school community. 

Students were given the good news during an impromptu all-school assembly. As one teacher shared, “They were all screaming, ‘we are the winners’ as if they won the Super Bowl.” While a parent quipped that her young son proudly told her: “Guess what? We are a Blue Ribbon school which means we are the best school in America!”

The Bay Village City School District is big on tradition, including heritage Homecoming events such as the Thursday night Bonfire and Friday Homecoming Parade (fondly known as the “candy parade” to many).

All families and residents are invited to celebrate the 29th annual Homecoming Parade and participate in all the activities planned to celebrate Homecoming Week. Below is a complete list of events taking place throughout the week.

• Homecoming Bonfire and Light the Night Walk
Thursday, Sept. 21, 7-9 p.m.
Bay High School students and the community are invited to participate in a fundraiser for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society with a Light the Night walk event and bonfire. Light the Night luminaria will be sold at Bay High School the night of the event. The walking path around Bay High School will be lined with luminaria. Come and walk to show your support.

As Superintendent Scot T. Prebles starts his second year with Bay Village Schools, he and his team prepare to roll out the district’s new Strategic Plan, just in time for the 2023-24 school year.

It’s been a busy first year for this new Bay Village resident, so we sat down with him to find out how this year may be different, his goals for this school year, more about the new Strategic Plan and what he likes most about being a Bay Village resident.

Q. It’s hard to believe you’re already starting your second year with Bay Village Schools. How do you think this year will be different from last year?
A. For the last 15 months, I’ve made it a point to get to know this community; from the faculty and staff, to Mayor Koomar and his team; from the students and their parents, to the residents; and of course, the civic and spiritual leaders. I have listened and I have learned.

As members of the Bay Village Board of Education, we had the honor and privilege of presenting our 190 graduates with diplomas during Bay High School’s 97th Annual Commencement Exercises at Bay High Memorial Stadium on May 30.

It was wonderful to hear from two members of the Class of 2023, student speakers Renee Duffy and Ella Tenerowicz, as they reflected on their time as students, and their hopes and dreams for their and their classmates’ futures. They credited their teachers, principals, families and fellow students for helping to shape them during their formative years.

Over the summer, The Bay Village City School District started the process for conducting a facilities audit as part of a complimentary service offered by the Ohio Facilities Construction Commission (OFCS). Once this assessment of the district’s facilities is complete, results will be shared publicly. 

Part of the district’s strategic plan and budget involves investing in buildings and grounds, and here are some of the capital improvement projects the district's facilities team and its vendors completed this summer:

• Concrete curb repair at Bay High, Bay Middle and Westerly.

• Upgrades and installations of additional security cameras at school buildings.

• Repitching the roof over the Normandy Library to eliminate water issues.

Normandy Elementary School welcomes all Class of 2036 incoming Kindergarteners and a parent to attend an informal Playdate on Thursday, Aug. 3, to meet Principal Dan Sebring and other new Norman Bees. This is an optional event, and you should only sign up for one timeslot.

Your Playdate will take place on Normandy's "Whales" playground (the west side of the school), or in the Cafeteria if there is inclement weather. Normandy PTA will also be onsite to answer parent questions and to accept PTA membership applications.

During its first year participating in the coveted Dazzle Awards, Bay High School was nominated for 10 awards for its spring musical, "Disney's Newsies: The Broadway Musical," in categories such as Best Actor, Best Student Orchestra, Best Musical and Best Scenic Design.

During the Saturday, May 20, Dazzle Awards ceremony at Playhouse Square, Bay High School received its first Dazzle Award for Best Scenic Design. Recent Bay High School graduate Jack Oster accepted the award on behalf of the entire production team, including Director Luke Scattergood and Technical Director Keith Stevens.

Bay High School’s production of "Newsies" featured about 125 Bay Village Schools students, from elementary through high school, who were involved with the musical, ranging from cast and crew to pit orchestra. "Newsies" sold out three of its four performances and was 30 seats shy of selling out the fourth, and was touted by attendees as one of the best productions mounted at Bay High Auditorium.

Westlake City Schools invited senior citizens from the community to dinner at Westlake High School on May 11. Approximately 75 senior residents of Westlake enjoyed dinner prepared by the high school kitchen staff and served by students from the Key Club and National Honor Society.

The Company D Show Choir performed. Some guests even danced to music provided by the Jazz Ensemble.  Both the vocal and music programs have recently received recognition in state competition.

Bay High School student Mary Catherine Murtaugh has been honored with the "Power of Youth Award" by Thirst Project, a nonprofit organization that works with young people to end the global water crisis by building freshwater wells in developing countries. Mary Catherine was chosen from hundreds of thousands of students internationally for her clean water efforts and fundraising through Bay High Key Club, where she has helped raise more than $46,000.

Thirst Project is flying this rising senior student to Los Angeles later this month to receive her award at the nonprofit's 14th annual Gala event, held in Hollywood on the backlot of Paramount Studios. Past Gala attendees include Adam Sandler and Jennifer Garner.

Seven hundred eighty five million. There are many little kids in school right now learning how to count to 10 or 100. To them 785 million is probably the largest number in the world. Meanwhile there are children who are not able to go to school because they have to walk tons of miles to collect dirty water that will make them sick.

There are 785 million people in the world without access to clean drinking water. In most communities, women and children walk all day long to collect dirty water. These children grow up with no education and the women do not have the time to get a job. These people get waterborne diseases from this dirty water which can cause them to get violently ill and possibly die. This cycle of life has been viciously attacking millions of people for years. The families and villages within Africa do not deserve to live this way.

Standards for inclusion on the prestigious Best Communities for Music Education list have increased consistently over the last two decades, 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 830 districts nationwide, and 47 Ohio school districts, identified for this national honor by the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) Foundation for 2023.

The distinction takes on added significance again this year since music education – perhaps more than any other school subject – was affected by pandemic protocol that included masking and social distancing the last two years.

Recently, 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 2022. Bay Village Schools is one of 165 districts/schools in Ohio, and one of 16 districts/schools in Cuyahoga County to receive the distinction. According to a representative from the State Auditor’s Department – Jake Altman, Northeast Regional Liaison – less than 10% of government entities in the state receive this award.

The State Auditor’s office shares information as far back as 2014. Except for 2017, Bay Village Schools has received the Ohio Auditor of State Award every year since 2014; eight of the last nine years.

The Foundry Community Rowing and Sailing Center hosted its first-ever Juried Student Art Show, called The Power of Water, welcoming entries from 91 middle and high school students from nine participating Northeast Ohio schools. The entries were evaluated by distinguished jurors Hillary Gent, Kevin "Mr. Soul" Harp, and Sabine Kretzschmar, who selected 41 pieces for display in the student exhibition.

The exhibition and opening night were held at The Foundry Community Rowing and Sailing Center in Cleveland on April 27 with over 100 individuals in attendance. The students received cash prizes for Best of Show and in the middle and high school categories of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place, as well as certificates for honorable mention and the People's Choice award. Campus International, a Cleveland Metropolitan School, won $1,000 in art supplies for the school with the highest number of student participants.

Matt Spellman, athletics & activities director for Bay Village City School District was named “Athletic Director of the Year” by the Northeast Ohio Interscholastic Athletic Administrators Association (NEOIAAA).

“The fact that more than 80 percent of our students participate in a sport and/or an activity illustrates how dedicated Matt is to our student body,” said Supt. Scot Prebles. “Bay High has already taken four teams to state competition this year, and spring sports are just underway. I am super proud of Matt and the way he leads our coaching staff and activity advisors.”

Two Bay High School students in Greg Hildebrandt’s Advanced Digital Media class recently had the opportunity to work on a real client project, creating artwork for the nonprofit organization the New Bay Village Dog Kennel Fund.

Senior Mia Gulley was the principal illustrator and designer, and Senior Kristina Laraway consulted and was there for the initial meeting with Bay Village resident Nancy Brown, who is coordinating the fundraising efforts for the New Bay Village Dog Kennel Fund, an official 501c3 organization. The students created original artwork for the nonprofit that they turned into a flyer, poster and door hanger.