Superintendent's Notebook
May 2008
May 07, 2008
GRADE 9-12 TRANSPORTATION IN 2008-09 REQUEST FORM:
It is already
time to start setting routes for the 2008-2009 school year. Any
student in grades 7 through 12 needs to fillout a request for
transportation form and submit by May 29, 2008 to be
considered. These forms will be sent home with for students
attending Berkshire Jr./Sr. High. Current 6th grade
students will have forms sent home by Friday, May 1st, 2008.If you
are a village resident and have received a form, please disregard.
Forms will also be available at each school building, or ON THE
WEBSITE. It is important to note that ALL STUDENTS in
grades 7 through 12 for the 08-09 school year must fill
out a form or the student will not be added to a roster and will
not have transportation services in the fall. Any questions, please
feel free to contact Lisa Shirkey at (440)834-3380 ext.
2111.
HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS GIVE BLOOD
April 10, 2008 was Berkshire’s annual blood drive that the National Honor Society sponsored. Every year, about 40 high schools students volunteer to donate blood and receive a free t-shirt and refreshments in return. The process of donating blood takes about an hour and half. It includes checking in and reading guidelines that you have to understand in order to give blood. After checking in, you go to a booth where the nurses set up a series of health related questions, and they test your blood to see if you have enough iron in your system. If you have low iron you cannot donate blood.
This year’s blood drive went smoothly and everybody always has a fun time helping out. Miss Prots is the NHS advisor and has been running the blood drive for three years now. The people contact her and then set up the date. Next year we can only hope to have another good year. National Honor Society would like to thank Zeppe’s of Middlefield for supplying the donors with food for the day.
SUPPORTING SCHOOLS IN CHALLENGING TIMES
As citizens it is our duty to be involved and accurately informed about the events that impact our lives. When I was younger I didn’t really care about the Social Security crisis, as I am nearing the age of eligibility in four years, it suddenly looks much more real. As our district looks to the future for both day to day operations and for facilities the need for our citizens to keep caring has never been stronger.
These are not easy times: economic uncertainty and rising prices are all around us yet we must continue to make realistic provisions for the future. One need only look at the condition of the water lines in Cleveland, or most cities for that matter, to see what happens when items are not replaced when they are worn out. Our voters in 1989 provided a dedicated fund, the permanent improvement levy, to provide the district an ability to maintain and update the buildings. They have renewed it every five years since then. This summer it will completely update four student restrooms in the HS for the first time since they were built in 1936! If our voters didn’t care that would not be happening.. This will enable us to continue to maintain our buildings, facilities, and technology, and vehicles into the future.
SUPERINTENDENT FINALISTS MEET THE COMMUNITY
The Berkshire Board of Education invites you to a Special Meeting on Monday, May 12, 2008 at the Berkshire High School Cafeteria and Library to meet the two finalists for the position of Superintendent. The meeting begins at 7:00PM.
The two finalists are: Steve Reedy, Principal of Berkshire High School and Doug Delong, Principal of Chardon High School.
The Berkshire Board of Education invites staff, members of the community, and the media to attend a community forum to hear from and ask questions of the candidates for the superintendency. The new person will take office beginning in August 2008. Jim Knapp, current superintendent, is retiring at the end of July. The forum will occur at Berkshire High School.
Questions regarding this event should be directed to: John Manfredi, Board President, 440 834 4869. If you would like to ask a question prior to the event, please add that below and it will be forwarded to the candidates.
We look forward to seeing you there.
TROY CAMPUS STUDENT WINS AWARD:
How Do You Love The Earth? This was the name of the Poetry contest for grades 3-6 sponsored by Geauga-Trumbull Solid Waste Management District. This was a mandatory writing assignment for my students. The guidelines were: to submit a poem regarding their thoughts of “love” in relationship to the earth, proper spelling, punctuation and capitalization, along with neatness and relating poem to the chosen theme. The poems did not have to rhyme, but couldn’t exceed 20 lines.
Solid Waste Management District received 450 entries from students in Geauga and Trumbull Counties. They awarded (4) 1st Place winners. I am very proud to announce that Alec won a 1st Place position and awarded $50.00 as his prize! His poem along with the other three winners was e displayed in local newspapers for Earth Day, April 22nd.
CALENDAR
MAY 14 SUPERINTENDENT AT LIBRARY 5:00-6:30 pm
MAY 21 SUPERINTENDENT AT COFFEE SHOP 7:00-8:15 am
MAY 28 SUPERINTENDENT AT LIBRARY 5:00-6:30 pm
MAY 31 GRADUATION 6:00 PM
JUNE 10 LAST DAY FOR STUDENTS/STAFF
