B E A RWAY THE. Dedication. Royal View Playground NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS DIGITAL MAGAZINE FOR THE COMMUNITY TURNING A DREAM INTO A REALITY

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1 READ MORE ON PAGE NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS DIGITAL MAGAZINE FOR COMMUNITY TURNING A DREAM INTO A REALITY Royal View Playground Dedication FALL FALL

2 Vision: Our educational community will be a model in identifying individual student needs and providing comprehensive support. By Greg Gurka, Superintendent North Royalton City Schools The first quarter of the school year has ended and we welcome you to take a few minutes to read the North Royalton City Schools digital magazine called, The Bear Way. This online publication is published in the fall, winter, and spring. Residents can read it at anytime by clicking on the link found on our website homepage. We also post the magazine link to our district Facebook and Twitter sites in hopes that parents and community members will share it with their friends and family on social media. In each issue, you can read about the great programs, activities, and people of our district that are doing it the North Royalton City Schools Bear Way! This year, our primary focus is to work with the Community Engagement Task Force to gather input on our schools to be used by the committee to develop a facilities plan. To that end, a series A TIME OF NEW BEGINNINGS AT NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS of neighborhood coffee events are currently being hosted throughout the community to gather your feedback. A letter was sent to all residents of the school district explaining the coffees and asking people to host or attend. I would ask that you commit to hosting a coffee in your home for your friends and neighbors. You will need to do nothing more than pick a date and invite people to attend and determine the refreshments to serve. Someone will facilitate the conversation and handle everything else. If you can commit to host a coffee, please either respond to me or to nrschoolfeedback@ gmail.com. Originally, the Task Force had set a date of December 7th to report to the Board and Community, but that has been pushed back to late January or early February to allow the group more time to gather information and evaluate options. The school year is going strong as we move into the second quarter, and continue to work together to move our district and our community forward to meet the needs of today s students and tomorrow s leaders. We have a great deal to be proud of at North Royalton City Schools and I hope that you take a moment to read this newsletter and stay informed of what is happening around our schools and with the Board of Education. I also encourage you to visit our website at I welcome your thoughts and comments. Please call me at or me at greg.gurka@northroyaltonsd.org. All of us at North Royalton City Schools wish you and your families a wonderful season of autumn. Greg Gurka Superintendent North Royalton City Schools What exactly is the Bear Way? It s not just a saying, or title of a magazine, but a way of life here in our district. It is a sense of pride students have in their schoolwork and how they manage their extracurricular activities while keeping an eye on succeeding academically. It is a sense of pride teachers have when they continually go the extra mile to make sure every student receives a personalized eduation and succeeds. 2 North Royalton Bear Way

3 SCHOOL BUILDINGS Albion Elementary School (Grades 1-4) Vince Ketterer, Principal 9360 Albion Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone Royal View Elementary School (Grades 1-4) Kirk Pavelich, Principal Ridge Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone Valley Vista Elementary School (Grades 1-4) Jeff Hill, Principal 4049 Wallings Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone North Royalton Middle School (Grades 5-8) Jeff Cicerchi Principal Ridge Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone North Royalton High School (Grades 9-12) Sean Osborne, Principal Ridge Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone ADMINISTRATION 6579 Royalton Rd. North Royalton, Ohio Phone Superintendent Greg Gurka Treasurer Biagio Sidoti Assistant Superintendent Jim Presot Director of Personnel Pat Farrell Director of Curriculum & Instruction Melissa Vojta Director of Pupil Services Julie Bogden (Health/Nursing Services, Home Schooling, Residency/Custody, Special Education Programs & Services, Gifted Services) Central Registration Rosanne Kacenjar Communication Charlene Paparizos Food Services Sue Rudolph Maintenance Dave Albert Technology John Nickell Transportation Joe Marcinowski Before and After School Care (at Valley Vista Elementary) New adaptive playground at Royal View Elementary. Story on page 16 BOARD OF EDUCATION Mrs. Jackie Arendt jackie.arendt@ northroyaltonsd.org Mrs. Anne Reinkober anne.reinkober@ northroyaltonsd.org Dr. Susan G. Clark susan.clark@ northroyaltonsd.org Mrs. Barbara Zindroski barbara.zindroski@ northroyaltonsd.org Dr. John H. Kelly john.kelly@ northroyaltonsd.org FALL

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6 NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS NAMED ONE OF TOP WORKPLACES IN NORAST OHIO North Royalton City Schools is pleased to announce that it has been selected as one of the Top Workplaces of The Top Workplaces are determined based solely on employee feedback. The employee survey is conducted by WorkplaceDynamics, LLC, a research firm on organizational health and employee engagement. WorkplaceDynamics conducts regional Top Workplaces programs with 45 major publishing partners across the United States. Over the past year, more than 6,000 organizations and 1 in every 88 employees in the U.S. have turned to WorkplaceDynamics to better understand what s on the minds of their employees. Through its workplace improvement offerings, WorkplaceDynamics provides solutions, training and tools to help clients improve their workplace. The mission of the North Royalton Schools is to inspire and empower learners, said Superintendent Greg Gurka, North Royalton City Schools. This is done through a collective, collaborative effort of all of our staff. Mutual respect and a common goal to make a difference in the lives of children fuels our success and one of the reasons why we are one of the top work places in Cleveland. There is a theme of family in North Royalton, said Director of Personnel Patrick Farrell, North Royalton City Schools. All employees take great pride in their work and base all decisions on what is best for our students. The Plain Dealer published the complete list of Top Workplaces on June 21. For more information about the Top Workplaces lists and WorkplaceDynamics, please visit and State Representative Mike Dovilla presented a proclamation to the North Royalton City Schools for being named one of the top workplaces in Northeast Ohio. 6 North Royalton Bear Way

7 COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT TASKFORCE COMMITTEE UPDATE The Community Engagement Task Force is currently in the process of coordinating community coffees. The purpose of the coffees is to allow residents to meet with the Superintendent or other school administration to share their thoughts and address concerns about all aspects of the schools, including the facilities. The goal is to gather as much information as possible to allow the Task Force to evaluate the data collected and present options to the Board of Education and community at large as to how to move forward to address the facilities. Coffees are still being scheduled and will continue to be scheduled through December. Originally, the Task Force had set a date of December 7th to report to the Board and Community, but that has been pushed back to late January or early February to allow the group more time to gather information and evaluate options. All community members are encouraged to host a coffee for their friends and neighbors. There is no minimum or maximum number of guest needed, and the usual number is anywhere between 6-12 guests at a coffee. There is nothing that needs BILL PROPOSES SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATES WITH FUNDING TO DISTRICT State Representative Marlene Anielski (R-Ohio House District 6) and State Representative Mike Dovilla (R-Ohio House District 7) co-introduced a bill this past September that would create an additional funding source for North Royalton City Schools. With the purchase of a school district specialty license plate, the district will receive additional funding that will be designated to assist in the emotional and mental well-being of students. The bill will now need to move through the legislative process. Under the legislation, any Ohio resident who wishes to support North Royalton City Schools can purchase the license plate, which will showcase the school s design created by North Royalton High School students. There will be an additional charge of $40 on top of the original costs for the plate $10 to be used by the BMV for their administrative purposes and $30 to be directly earmarked to the corresponding schools. Purchasers of the plates shall remain anonymous from any school database, unless they complete a consent form to release their information to the schools. The specialty license plate for the North Royalton City Schools is a new financial mechanism in which the students will greatly benefit, said Rep. to be organized other than inviting people to your home and providing refreshments of your choice. The Superintendent, Treasurer or another administrator, along with a staff member, will come and facilitate the discussion. If you are interested in hosting a coffee or if you would like to attend a coffee that is already scheduled you can contact nrschoolfeedback@gmail. com or Superintendent Greg Gurka at greg.gurka@northroyaltonsd. org. Anielski. I am excited to have the opportunity to assist our most precious gifts, our children, in developing into thriving empowered adults. I am proud to have the North Royalton City School District participate in this meaningful initiative and thank both Representatives Anielski and Dovilla for their support, said Superintendent Greg Gurka. This program will help us provide services necessary to meet the social and emotional needs of our students as we work to fulfill our mission of inspiring and empowering learners. FALL

8 SEAN OSBORNE BECOMES NEW NORTH ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL PRINCIPAL 8 North Royalton Bear Way

9 The North Royalton Board of Education accepted the resignation of Mic Becerra as the principal of North Royalton High School at the July 13 board meeting. Becerra has been principal since the school year. He will be accepting the position as assistant superintendent of Lorain City Schools. Prior to joining North Royalton, he was principal at Woodridge High School. We wish Mic all the best as he begins a new chapter of his career, said Greg Gurka, superintendent of North Royalton City Schools. Our high school, our district and myself personally are better having been able to associate with Mic. We thank him for all he has done to make our North Royalton family stronger. The board voted 4-0 (Susan Clark absent) to hire Sean Osborne, current assistant principal at North Royalton High School, as the new principal. Osborne has been with the district since school year. Prior to that, he was the principal of Cloverleaf Middle School and assistant principal at Cloverleaf High School in Seville. He started his career as a science teacher at Elyria High School in Elyria. From the moment we hired Sean, we knew that he would be a tremendous leader within our district, said Gurka. He has proven to be just that. Sean is passionate and completely devoted to our students and staff and I am confident that he will continue the tradition of excellence in academics, arts, and athletics at our high school. I am blessed to work and live in the North Royalton City School District, said Osborne. We have fantastic students supported by great families and one of the best faculties and staffs in Ohio. I look forward to continuing to work with the high school team to provide our students with an engaging, high-quality education. I want to thank Mr. Becerra for the opportunity to be his assistant and wish him well in his new position. Osborne received his Master of Education in Education Administration from Cleveland State University and his Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education from The Ohio State University. Osborne attended North Royalton City Schools since he was in second grade. He is the current president of the North Royalton High School Alumni Association. He resides in North Royalton with his wife, Jennifer, who also is a graduate of North Royalton High School, and their three children who attend school in the district. FALL

10 NEW ASSISTANT PRINCIPAL OF NORTH ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL NAMED AT AUGUST BOARD MEETING Kevin Atkins is the new assistant principal of North Royalton High School. He is joined by Julie Cole. Prior to joining North Royalton High School, Kevin was an assistant principal/co-curricular director (Grades 6-12) for Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools. He was responsible for teacher evaluations, master scheduling, state testing, course of study, Student Code of Conduct, curriculum design, student discipline, College Credit Plus program, professional development and technology. Prior to working at Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools, he was the Health and Physical Education Instructor and District Department Chairperson at Avon Lake High School. He also worked in the Olmsted Falls District as a high school Health and Physical Education Instructor. We are excited to have Kevin join our team. His experience will be an asset to the entire high school family, said Sean Osborne, principal of North Royalton High School. Atkins has been very active in coaching softball, football, wrestling, baseball, and bowling at Avon Lake High School. He also was the assistant wrestling coach at Baldwin-Wallace University. Atkins received his Bachelor of Arts in Education, Health and Physical Education from Baldwin Wallace University and his Master of Arts in Education, Masters in the Art of Teaching from Marygrove College in Detroit, Michigan. Atkins also went to Cleveland State University for the Inspired Principal s Leadership Program, Educational Leadership, Licensure in Administration in North Royalton Bear Way

11 VINCENT KETTERER BECOMES NEW ALBION ELEMENTARY PRINCIPAL At its June 8 meeting, the North Royalton Board of Education approved the hiring of Vincent Ketterer as principal of Albion Elementary. Ketterer, of Strongsville, has been a principal at Copopa Elementary School in the Columbia Local School District since He began his career teaching second and sixth grade before moving into administration in Gurka said Ketterer s eleven years as an elementary principal give him the knowledge and experience to be successful anywhere. During his tenure with CLSD he has helped the building become focused on literacy and worked hard to implement new programs and ideas, as well as raising funds to make them happen. Gurka also praised his communication skills and ability to build positive relationships with his staff. He has demonstrated the ability to have difficult conversations with staff and handle them in an honest and compassionate manner. He has a calm, easy going personality making him approachable and well-liked by students, parents, staff and administration, Gurka said. His style allows for shared leadership and collaboration when it comes to solving building issues or increasing student achievement. Gurka believes Ketterer s communication skills, personality, and ability to form positive working relationships with shareholders will help him make a smooth transition to his new role at Albion. Ketterer will meet staff and get to know the building before scheduling a few social events this summer to introduce himself to the students and staff at Albion. He and his wife, Suzi, have three children, Myles, Ben and Ava. FALL

12 NORTH ROYALTON ONE OF FIRST D IN COUNTY TO PARTNER WITH STATE TREASURER TO PLACE SPEND On July 2, 2015, Ohio Treasurer Josh Mandel visited North Royalton City Schools to announce that the district was one of the first districts to place their spending online at OhioCheckbook.com. Last year, Treasurer Mandel launched OhioCheckbook.com, that set a new national standard for government transparency and for the first time in Ohio history puts all state spending information on the Internet. Treasurer Mandel was joined by State Senator Tom Patton (District 24), North Royalton City Schools Superintendent Greg Gurka, North Royalton City Schools Treasurer Biagio Sidoti and North Royalton School Board members Anne Reinkober, Jacquelyn Arendt, Dr. John Kelly, Barbara Ann Zindroski and Dr. Susan Clark. School officials and board members from Cuyahoga Heights Local Schools also partnered with the State of Ohio in this initiative and were present as well. I believe the people of Cuyahoga County have a right to know how their tax money is being spent and I applaud local leaders here for partnering with the Treasurer s office to post their finances on OhioCheckbook.com, said Treasurer Mandel. I m proud to see the North Royalton School District join the growing list of Ohio school districts who are partnering 12 North Royalton Bear Way

13 ISTRICTS ING ON OHIOCHECKBOOK.COM with Treasurer Mandel s office to open their checkbooks to the public, said State Senator Tom Patton (District 24). North Royalton School Treasurer Sidoti and his colleagues have worked hard to achieve a new level of transparency and accountability for the school district, and I m confident that taxpayers will be pleased with the results. The North Royalton City School District has a rich history of effective, open and transparent communication with our parents and community through various means of print, face-to-face, and on-line communications, said North Royalton Superintendent Greg Gurka. OhioCheckbook. com is another method for us to utilize a cost neutral application to continue our open communication. The North Royalton City School District has always been committed to financial excellence through its previous 22 years of Certificates of Achievement for Excellence in Financial Reporting, said North Royalton Treasurer Biagio Sidoti. We are grateful to be selected by the Treasurer of the State of Ohio s Office to be one of the first districts in the State of Ohio to partner with the State Treasurer in the application of OhioCheckbook.com to further demonstrate our commitment to Excellence in Financial Reporting. The implementation process has been very smooth without incurring additional cost to our operations. FALL

14 NORTH ROYALTON FAMILY HAS WISH GRANTED FOR SON BY North Royalton residents Jocelyn and Charles Stella are the parents of four children. Their oldest child, Charlie, is 5 ½ years old and suffers from numerous acquired disorders, such as Spastic Quadriparesis Cerebral Palsy, Refractory Epilepsy, Secondary Dystonia, Dysphagia and Cortical Vision Impairment. Last summer, the Stella family reached out to the local chapter of Make-a-Wish Ohio, Kentucky & Indiana with a special request of installing an inclusive play area on the grounds of Royal View Elementary by the current playground. At first, a playground cruiser was the only piece of equipment to be added to the current school playground. However, after a year of additional planning, a complete inclusive playground will be installed at the elementary school thanks to Make-A- Wish, North Royalton City Schools, and Snider Recreation. Charlie s family decided to start a nonprofit foundation to raise the remainder of the funds to build an entire playground, with various pieces of equipment that the whole community could enjoy. The Stella s have formed The Charlie Stella Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that will work to provide additional equipment to Charlie s inclusive playground at Royal View Elementary, as well as separate inclusive playgrounds and equipment to schools in Ohio to connect children of all abilities. In the family s letter to Make-a-Wish, they stated, An inclusive place to play would provide a place of repeated enjoyment. Charlie would have a place to have fun, make friends, and be included. This would not only benefit Charlie, but all other children as well. The opportunity to be remembered for making a difference, for leaving the world a little better than he found it, that is Charlie s wish. When Make-a-Wish received the Stella family s letter and began to do research, they knew that the one piece of playground equipment was not enough to fulfill Charlie s one true wish. With the help of Snider Recreation and North Royalton City Schools, Jocelyn and Charles, Sr. Stella were told this past May during a surprise announcement that Make- A-Wish was going to grant Charlie s most heartfelt wish. Now, not only Charlie, but other children who have disabilities in the community, will have the opportunity to interact and enjoy the whole playground at Royal View Elementary with other children, said Lisa White, Wish Program Manager for Make-A-Wish Northeast Ohio Region. This is our dream for our son and for our community. What a wonderful addition this playground will be, said Jocelyn. We now have a place to go with Charlie right in the community that we live. Inclusive play is so important to all kids. This is an opportunity for all children to interact and play together in a stress free and happy place, said Lisa White, Wish Program Manager for the local chapter of Make-A-Wish. We are delighted to make this dream a reality for not only the Stella family, but the entire community. With enough room for two wheelchairs and two full benches, the Cruiser / Wheelchair Rocker portion of the playground will allow up to 12 children of all abilities to play together. The handles at both ends allow adults or other children to assist with motion and enjoy the experience. The other parts of the playground will have challenging fitness-oriented equipment to help the children stay active and engaged. The playground also will have ramps for wheelchairs and the ability for future expansion. Snider Recreation s philosophy is Play For Everyone, said owner Jeff Snider. We try our best to help guide playground designs that promote a focus on inclusive play so children of all abilities can play together in a safe and comfortable environment. We are very honored to be involved with Charlie s wish and help create an inclusive environment for him and all the children who will use the playground. 14 North Royalton Bear Way

15 Working along with Snider Recreation, North Royalton City School s maintenance department worked on the installation beginning in June. The playground was officially dedicated on September 23 with a ribbon cutting ceremony. I want to thank the Stella Family and the Make-A-Wish for their generous donation to our school facility, said Greg Gurka, superintendent of North Royalton City Schools. This donation will allow all of our students and all of the children in our community, whether special needs or typical peers, to play and learn together. What defines our son the most is his strength, bravery, resilience and beautiful spirit, said Charlie, Sr. Sadly, many people fail to see through the clouds created by these disorders, leaving them unable to view Charlie as the incredible young boy that he truly is. Our hope is that one day soon people will take the opportunity to understand that Charlie differs from them only in abilities. This playground can be a chance to make this happen for not only Charlie, but so many other children in our community. This is what we were hoping for and envisioned. We knew it was not going to be easy, but were determined to raise the funds. Make-A-Wish and the North Royalton City Schools just made it a whole lot easier. FALL

16 NRHS CLASS OF 2015 S KLAIRE ROGGEMAN RECOGNIZED AS NATIONAL AP SCHOLAR At the August 10 North Royalton Board of Education meeting, North Royalton High School Class of 2015 s Klaire Roggeman was recognized as a National AP Scholar. She will be attending the University of Pittsburgh. Klaire is an incredible student. She pushed herself academically throughout high school, taking every challenging course she could and got involved in many, many activities including National Honor Society, French Club, French Honor Society, Track, Band, Jazz Band, Pit Orchestra, and STAND, said Sean Osborne, principal of North Royalton High School. Klaire finished second overall in her class. Klaire took eight AP courses (AP Statistics, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC, AP Government, AP Physics 2, AP Economics, AP Psychology, and AP US History), and scored a four or higher on each exam and had an overall average of 4.56 on these exams. By scoring a four or higher on eight AP exams, Klaire earned the highest distinction that the College Board awards National AP Scholar. Klaire is a positive, respectful, energetic, caring and compassionate leader who I am proud to send out into the world representing North Royalton High School, said Osborne. TASTE OF NORTH ROYALTON The North Royalton Educational Foundation and the North Royalton Stadium Foundation are excited to announce the fifth annual Taste of North Royalton on Thursday, November 5. It will take place in the ballroom of the Hellenic Banquet Hall in North Royalton from 5:30-8:30pm. More than 400 people are expected to attend. This fundraising event showcases many outstanding restaurants and caterers in our area while supporting both non-profit organizations. The event also will feature a wonderful array of raffle baskets. The North Royalton Educational Foundation provides grants that enhance the educational opportunities in the North Royalton City Schools as well as provide scholarships and awards to the students. The North Royalton Stadium Foundation is a collaboration of parents, community members, business leaders and school personnel raising funds for Serpentini Chevrolet Stadium at Gibson Field. For more information or to purchase tickets, contact TasteofNR@gmail.com. 16 North Royalton Bear Way

17 ALBION ELEMENTARY MILE MOVERS GETTING FIT Third and fourth graders at Albion Elementary in North Royalton are learning the importance of being healthy and fit thanks to a program called Albion Mile Movers. The program was designed to help students enjoy exercise and track the miles they walk. Once a week, during outdoor recess, these students are able to track their miles while hiking the school grounds. After their hike, the students total their miles which are then posted on the school bulletin board. While there have been different versions of the program, new additions and changes have been made by teachers Jennifer Nemeth and Aaron Wheeler. The two strongly believe in having a sound mind and body healthy lifestyle. With this in mind, the mile movers program continues to change but the end result stays the same; students get exercise while having a fun relaxing adventure exploring the school grounds and woods. HELP STUFF BUS! Saturday, November 21 Drop off your new or gently used coats to the NR Board Office parking lot between 9am-2pm. FALL

18 BOARD ADOPTS THREE YEAR STRATEGIC PLAN NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS STRATEGIC PLAN At the June 8 Board of Education meeting, the district s new threeyear strategic plan was adopted. A presentation, led by Director of Curriculum and Instruction Melissa Vojta, along with several staff members, highlighted the key areas of the plan that will direct the initiatives of the district throughout the next three years. The district s mission to inspire and empower learners remains. So much has been accomplished and improved upon over the last five years. More importantly, levels of consistency with program delivery and communication in key areas have become a part of how we do business in our Royalton Way, said Vojta. There are always areas of need that either continue to need TLC, or simply to remain an area of focus we don t want to lose sight of. Additionally, our world in education continues to rapidly change, particularly in the area of instructional technology, and our curriculum and facilities must be equipped to handle the change. It s natural then that some of the action steps in the completed plan would retire, to be replaced with new initiatives that are more current and relevant to the needs of our students today. Early on in the school year, Superintendent Greg Gurka approached the District Leadership Team (DLT) for input on how to proceed with creating an updated strategic plan. Many of the members of this team were part of the original retreat group that established the vision, mission, and goals. As we reviewed, reflected, and shared thoughts on these areas, it was apparent that none of what we believed then has changed, and more importantly, those guiding principles in the areas of Community Engagement, Student Achievement, Communications, Facilities, Financial, and Collaboration, are what have set the course for the successes we have seen, and would like to continue to see in the future. DLT members were dispersed among each of the goal groups to lead the charge for revision. Each group reflected on the former action steps to determine if they continue to be needed or if adjustments were necessary based on current need and vision for the district. We thank the members of each goal committee who took the time to meet, review the action steps, and set the district on a positive path for the future of our students. To view the plan, click here or go to org/strategicplan1.aspx. 18 North Royalton Bear Way

19 NORTH ROYALTON CITY SCHOOLS PUBLISHES QUALITY PROFILE On September 18, school districts throughout Ohio released a comprehensive, community-oriented companion to the State s School District Report Card. Called a Quality Profile, the report includes additional accountability measures that better define a high quality education and are not included in the State s report. North Royalton City Schools has placed its Quality Profile report on its website homepage under Quick Links. The Quality Profile examines the elements, including results on standardized testing measures, of a quality public education, as defined by residents of the community. Its content is divided into six categories: academics, arts, student leadership and activities, fiscal stewardship, parent and community involvement, and student services. It takes a village to raise a child and that old adage is certainly alive and well here in North Royalton City Schools, said Superintendent Greg Gurka. This Quality Profile reflects a complete, qualitative overview of our district. The efforts of our parents and community members are an important part of our success and I want to thank everyone for their support of our students, staff and programs. NORTH ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS ACHIEVE PERFECT ACT SCORE North Royalton High School senior Ryan Chester achieved a perfect score of 36 on his ACT. Each year, around 1.85 million students take the ACT and only percent of these students receive a perfect score. This is the second perfect score among the North Royalton High School senior class. Brian Chu also was recognized at the June Board of Education meeting. Ryan is a student who pushes himself academically and is involved in many activities, said North Royalton High School Principal Sean Osborne. We congratulate Ryan and his family on this outstanding achievement. FALL

20 HIGH SCHOOL FESTIVAL OF BANDS More than 4,000 people attended the Royalton Festival of the Bands that was held on Saturday, September 19 at Gibson Field in Serpentini Chevrolet Stadium. Nine bands performed during this non-competitive festival, totaling more than 1,600 performers. In addition to North Royalton High School, others that attended include Field High School, Padua Franciscan High School, Woodridge High School, Strongsville High School, Berea- Midpark High School, Riverside High School, Copley High School, and Brecksville/Broadview Heights High School. North Royalton opened the Festival with their pregame performance, and then later in the evening, the North Royalton High School Marching Band premiered their 2015 competition show, entitled, Moonlight Reflections. This is the show that North Royalton High School Marching Band will perform at OMEA Adjudicated Events for judging panels for ratings throughout the 2015 season. North Royalton High School Director of Bands David Vitale states, Our Festival of Bands is a great event for everyone. It is a stage for some of the best bands of the area, and showcases a variety of styles of music and different styles of marching bands. For us, it allows us to premiere our competition show, and get it in front of an audience before we perform it in front of a judging panel. And you couldn t ask for a more enthusiastic crowd! Over 4,000 people! It was a great evening of music from everyone. All participants received Plaques of Participation presented by Royalton Music Center, and after the presentation of plaques, all nine bands stood on the field and performed God Bless the USA simultaneously in a mass band performance. It was one of the highlights of the evening, being the largest mass performance ever at Gibson Field in Serpentini Stadium. Former Band Booster President and North Royalton School Board member Dr. John Kelly was the emcee for the festival. He, too, had high praise for the evening. What a wonderful evening of music and entertainment without the specter of ratings and competition. All the bands were great and unique in their own way. The Grand Finale with more than 1,600 performers will go into North Royalton history as the largest group to ever perform on Gibson Field. A great night to be a Bear! Let s hope next year s festival will set a new record. 20 North Royalton Bear Way

21 NORTH ROYALTON HIGH SCHOOL SENIOR SELECTED FOR 2016 US ARMY ALL-AMERICAN MARCHING BAND Alison Michalke, a senior mellophone player in the North Royalton High School Marching Band, was recognized by North Royalton High School Principal Sean Osborne at the Board of Education meeting on Monday, September 14 for being selected to play in the US Army All-American Marching Band. Alison was chosen from more than 1,300 nominees from 47 cities across the country. During half time at the US Army All-American Bowl, Alison will take the field along with 124 other top musicians and color guard members from across the country. The game will be held in the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas on Saturday, January 9, 2016 and will be broadcasted live on NBC at 1 p.m. The All-American Bowl has been held for the last 16 years and has helped launch several NFL careers for some of the students who participated in the game. Alison formally was recognized and presented with this honor by the US Army on September 23 in the North Royalton High School Performing Arts Center in front of the marching band. FALL

22 HIGH SCHOOL EMERGING ARTISTS North Royalton High School s Emerging Artists Have Work Displayed in Columbus The Ohio Art Education Association (OAEA) High School Art Show is dedicated to showcasing Ohio s Emerging Artist artistic efforts. They recognize budding talent and provide a professional forum for young people to experience competition, something they will encounter in their college applications, portfolio reviews and future art careers in college. This year marks the third year for the Emerging Artist high school show from OAEA. The Emerging Artist show will continue to be dedicated to showcasing artistic efforts of students who have only had the chance to take one or two art classes. The Emerging Artist show was on display September 14 October 10, 2015 in the second floor lobby of the State Teachers Retirement Building in Columbus. At the reception on October 10, various awards and prizes were given to selected students with art in the exhibition. This year s exhibit showcased 140 works from students in grades 9-12 from across the state. There were eight teachers/schools from the Northeast Ohio region that had students selected. Congratulations to the following North Royalton High School students who had their art displayed: Noel Spinelli a drawing titled Architecture of the Youth. Miranda Farley a painting titled Inside the Lines, Outside the Mind Beatrice Malala a drawing titled Who I Am Daria Moore a drawing titled You Are Who You Say You Are 22 North Royalton Bear Way

23 HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS ENJOYING NEW LUNCHES The North Royalton High School cafeteria has taken school lunches to a whole new level. Students will now be able to choose food from a breakfast bistro, lunch bistro, pizza bar, salad bar and even a coffee bar complete with frappe, with sugar-free syrup, for only $2. This year students will have five to six different options to choose from for lunch, as compared to last year when they only had two options. Due to federal guidelines, which went into effect in 2010, school lunches had to contain whole grain items, fresh fruit and vegetables. Calories were restricted as well as the amount of sodium in the lunches. We did not have options available to meet the requirements and the options that were available tasted like sawdust, said North Royalton City Schools Food Services Director Sue Rudolph. With these limited and unappetizing choices, food services in schools were losing money. Food services has done an outstanding job coming up with creative ways to meet student needs, meet the federal guidelines while also increasing participation in the program, said Assistant Superintendent Jim Presot, I think we ll get some enthusiasm back for the lunchroom. Now vendors have created more appealing food choices that follow these healthy guidelines. Students are thrilled about these updates and have decided they want to do some taste testing. On August 20, the students were able to try out a new pizza and during the first two weeks of September, there was a hamburger challenge. The new high school principal, Sean Osborne, the head custodian, Bryan Sheffield, and two teachers Kathy Zink and Matt Ciha each designed a burger for the students to try. Mr. Matt Ciha was crowned the Burger King and his hamburger has been added to the menu. FOOD SERVICES HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING JOB COMING UP WITH CREATIVE WAYS TO MEET STUDENT NEEDS, MEET FEDERAL GUIDELINES WHILE ALSO INCREASING PARTICIPATION IN PROGRAM. FALL

24 NORTH ROYALTON COMMUNITY EDUCATED ON HEROIN IN SUBURBS The Partnership for a Healthy North Royalton (PHNR) partnered with Judge Michael Astrab of the Cuyahoga County Court of Common Pleas to bring information to the community in regards to the topic Heroin in the Suburbs. On Friday, September 18, Judge Astrab met with middle school and high school students to understand the addictiveness of heroin and discuss the effects that heroin addiction has on people s lives by using real-life examples. On Wednesday, September 23 in the North Royalton High School Performing Arts Center, Judge Astrab presented an evening program for the community entitled Heroin in the Suburbs. 24 North Royalton Bear Way

25 TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT NEW SCHOOL YEAR UPDATE At the Board of Education Meeting on Monday, September 14, Joe Marcinowski, Transportation Supervisor for North Royalton City Schools, updated the board and community on the department for the school year. His team includes five staff members and two mechanics, one which is a graduate of North Royalton. The department also has a total of 50 bus drivers, nine substitute bus drivers, two part- time mechanics and three van drivers. These numbers do not include the large number of staff from all of the schools who help students safely unload and load the buses during dismissal. Recently, four new buses were purchased which brings the total number of buses to 65. The average age of our fleet is 10 years. Part of this is due to being able to work on the buses onsite in the bus garage. We are able to perform much of the maintenance in-house which is a cost savings to the district, while other districts may not have the ability to do so, said Marcinowski. The garage includes a portable lift and a place to store all of their equipment. The department also shared that besides the safety of the buses they work hard to ensure the safety of the students. Each bus driver has a FBI/ BCI background check, must complete 15 hours of classroom instruction, 40 hours driving a bus with an instructor and must ride with a veteran bus driver with students on board. In addition, veteran drivers must get recertified every six years which includes being retested, getting another background check and nine hours of classroom instruction. Annually all bus drivers have to undergo a physical and four hours of in-service training. The state minimum transportation requirement for students in kindergarten through eighth grade is for those living more than two miles from school. North Royalton offers transportation to students in kindergarten through high school and all students are given a bus route regardless of proximity. The state also requires that transportation is provided to and from a student s residency and that the bus stop should be no further than a half a mile from the student s residency. However, North Royalton offers transportation to alternate pickup and drop-off locations including after school care. Also, most bus stops are no further than a quarter mile from the student s residency. As you can see, North Royalton goes above and beyond the state requirements with the services we provide, said Marcinowski. As a district, we strive for excellence in everything we do, said Assistant Superintendent Jim Presot, It is easy to see that our transportation department is going above and beyond the call of duty for our district. FALL

26 NORTH ROYALTON EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION PASTA DINNER HIGHLIGHTS On September 25, more than 270 pasta dinners were served in the NRMS cafeteria at the North Royalton Educational Foundation s Annual Pasta Dinner. Many NREF members served in a variety of roles to make this event successful. Proceeds benefit students with scholarships and teachers with grants to purchase items that will enrich their teaching. Special thanks to... NR Alumni Association - Desserts Middle School Show Choir - music performance Middle School Student Council - sold tickets for raffle items and sold spirit wear items for the face and the many staff members who volunteered their time to make this a successful event and the community who supports the NREF. The North Royalton Educational Foundation provides grants that enhance the educational opportunities in the North Royalton City Schools as well as provide scholarships and awards to the students. Become more involved in the North Royalton Educational Foundation 26 North Royalton Bear Way

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30 NORTH ROYALTON HEALTH, WELLNESS & COMMUNITY EXPO On Saturday, October 3, North Royalton City Schools teamed up with North Royalton Mayor Robert Stefanik s office as well as Sports Rehabilitation Consultants Physical Therapy to host the North Royalton Health, Wellness and Community Expo and annual 5K Bear Run/Walk and Pancake Breakfast. The Expo took place at North Royalton High School with events running from 8 am until noon. Mayor Stefanik started the day with a free pancake and sausage breakfast while the North Royalton School s Student Turkey Trot and food drive took place to benefit the North Royalton Food Bank. However, the Food Bank wasn t the only way participants could give back to the less fortunate during the event. North Royalton Cub Scout Pack 526 along with a truck from Easter Seals held a Fill the Truck clothing, shoes and linen drive, too. The 5K Bear Run and Walk kicked off at 9 am along with the health and wellness portion of the expo. From 9 until noon, guests took advantage of getting their flu and pneumonia vaccinations, as well as donating blood to the Red Cross. Guests were also able to receive health screenings from representatives of the University Hospitals Parma Medical Center. Indian Team Mascot Slider and Ronald McDonald were also in attendance and posed for pictures with the guests. Before the morning was over a Martial Arts Anti- Bullying Demo and a K-9 Demo courteous of the Cuyahoga County Sheriff s Department took place. 30 North Royalton Bear Way

31 We are so grateful for the many sponsors and people involved in making this expo a success. This is a great way to bring the community together to not only stress the importance of being healthy, but to also have some fun. said North Royalton City Schools Superintendent Greg Gurka. FALL

32 ROYAL VIEW ELEMENTARY FALL FESTIVAL On Sunday, September 27, the Royal View Elementary School PTA held its annual Fall Festival for its students and families to enjoy. This year the festivities were moved to the lower parking lot and field but all of the fun activities were still present. Students and their families were able to play a variety of fall games, get their faces painted, decorate a pumpkin, build a scarecrow, win prizes and snack on popcorn. At Royal View it is our goal to create good relationships with the families of our building, said Principal Kirk Pavelich. The PTA Fall Festival is a great way to do so! 32 North Royalton Bear Way

33 HIGH SCHOOL SWIM TEAM COACH NAMED COACH OF YEAR Congratulations to Mike Milliken, the Head Swim Team coach of the Ridgewood YMCA Dolphins Swim (RYD) and North Royalton High School Swim Team for being named the Lake Erie Swimming Age Group Swim Coach of the Year. The announcement was made Sunday, September 27th at the Fall House of Delegates meeting after Mike was chosen by his peers for this great honor. Lake Erie swimming is the local governing body of USA Swimming in Northeast Ohio. There are approximately 40 teams competing in the Lake Erie swimming region. Under Mike s guidance, RYD finished 2nd of 40 teams at the Lake Erie Swimming Spring Age Group Championship Meet in March 2015 and 3rd of 40 teams at the Lake Erie Swimming Summer Long Course Championship meet in July Additionally, RYD won the North East Ohio YMCA League Championship meet in both 2014 and 2015 finishing ahead of 24 other YMCA teams in the area. At the 2015 NEOY League Championship meet, RYD set several meet records, besting times that had stood for decades. RYD consistently sends a delegation of athletes to compete at the YMCA National Short Course (spring) and Long Course (summer) championship meets each year. Outside of the pool, Mike s dedication to his swimmers and the examples of leadership, integrity and excellence he demonstrates is evident in the opportunities gained by RYD athletes. One of the RYD swimmers was chosen to give the opening devotion at the YMCA summer national meet in Indianapolis this past August. Another RYD swimmer was selected as one of twenty in the nation to attend the YMCA National Leadership Development Camp in Orlando, Florida in October. Mike takes an active leadership role in YMCA Swimming and Lake Erie Swimming serving as the LESI Senior Swimming Chair. In this role, Mike sits on the Lake Erie Swimming Board of Directors and oversees the Senior Swimming Committee, Diversity Committee, Officials Committee, and Safety Committee. Every great coach has many outstanding coaches on their staff to help develop and inspire the team. These individuals are also a large part of the success of RYD and deserve recognation as well: Deanna Milliken, Chris Tuttle, Mike Demetrieff, Stephanie Weber, and Michelle Eibel. FALL

34 ALBION ELEMENTARY INSTALLS PLAYGROUND EQUIPMENT Albion Elementary installed the playground equipment formerly at the ECC. The students are loving it and took time from playing to pose for a picture. Many thanks to the district s maintenance department for once again going over and beyond in their jobs. 34 North Royalton Bear Way

35 ALBION ELEMENTARY STAR STUDENTS Albion Elementary is in year two of its STARS program as part of its Positive Based Intervention System for the building. Students earn stars in their class by making good personal choices and exemplifying positive behavior. They also earn starts from their teachers and staff. Every Wednesday, Principal Vince Ketterer pulls tickets and students come to the office for a reward. Once a month, the school highlights the students that are role models and best display the word of the month. So far this school year, the words have been kindness and self-discipline. FALL

36 NORTH ROYALTON MIDDLE SCHOOL BEGINS BANKING PROGRAM Thank you Ron Dziedziak, financial advisor for Edward Jones Investment, and father of fifth grader Leah, for speaking with NRMS students on banking and financing. Students will be opening their Birds of Prey Savings bank for the first time this school year, a program created by NRMS math teacher Mr. Molnar. The students will be selected from each homeroom and asked to complete basic bank transactions for their peers. This program ties in many curricular areas... math, social studies (economy unit), and Language Arts as students read an expository text, Banks: Their Business and Yours. We continue to inspire and empower learners! 36 North Royalton Bear Way

37 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS LEARN ABOUT FIRE SAFETY During Fire Prevention Week this past October, students at Albion, Royal View, and Valley Vista Elementary learned about the importance of smoke detectors with this year s fire prevention presentation from the North Royalton Fire Department. The theme this year was Hear the beep, when you re asleep and the students were taught how to respond when they hear a smoke detector beeping at night. The students were also given notes to take home to their parents about the importance of smoke detectors and how to make sure they are working properly. I think the students really get the message and understand the importance of fire safety and prevention every year, said Principal Kirk Pavelich. It s great that the North Royalton Fire Department takes the time out of their schedules to teach our students these important messages. The National Fire Prevention Association decides on a new fire safety and prevention topic for local fire departments to teach in the schools every year. Now elementary school students nationwide know the importance of smoke detectors. FALL

38 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL STUDENTS INTRODUCED TO OMEGAMAN! On Wednesday, October 14 and Thursday, October 15, students from North Royalton s three elementary schools, Royal View Elementary, Valley Vista Elementary and Albion Elementary, learned what it means to be a real H.E.R.O. from a presentation by Omega-Man Enterprises. OmegaMan and Friends taught the students valuable lessons about anti-bullying and character building. The students also learned that being a H.E.R.O means Helping Everyone Respect Others. The presentation opened up with the superheroes breaking baseball bats and bending steel with their teeth, a technique they use to get the students excited and motivated to learn and remember their powerful messages. It s easy to tell that the students really learned a lot from OmegaMan, said Principal Jeff Hill. I have no doubt that these messages are going to stick with them and make our elementary schools bully free. Marc Wilkes, or OmegaMan, had been traveling around the country with motivational speakers when he began to realize his passion was speaking to young people in order to help them find the right direction. As a result, Marc created OmegaMan in Now OmegaMan and Friends tour the country with the mission to promote positive choices and to move student s hearts and minds to contemplate positive change and new direction for their lives. OmegaMan and Friends have been named the Top Anti-Bullying Program in the Nation due to the impact their powerful presentations leave on students. 38 North Royalton Bear Way

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40 ELEMENTARY SCHOOL F At the October 12 North Royalton Board of Education meeting, the three principals of the district s elementary schools introduced the board and audience to a group of fourth grade students who have taken a significant leadership role within their schools. Jeff Hill, principal at Valley Vista Elementary, spoke about some special individuals from all three buildings who have been doing great things throughout the beginning of the school year. The district s elementary buildings are now Kindergarten through fourth grade. A primary goal for Principals Jeff Hill, Kirk Pavelich, and Vince Ketterer is to develop a positive climate within each of their buildings. In this process, they work to help prepare fourth grade students not only for their transition to North Royalton Middle School, but also to help develop effective leadership qualities. This special group of students that are in attendance tonight are just a few of our fourth grade students that have taking on leadership roles throughout the beginning of the school year, said Hill. A few areas that students work in leadership roles are: Hospitality Team: Members of the Hospitality Team were chosen by their teachers for their qualities exemplified in school every day. This group of fourth graders are especially friendly, willing to go the extra mile to get a job done, and excellent examples of a fourth grade student, said Hill. Our Hospitality Team serves as greeters in our school whenever we have a group of visitors or special assemblies. They play a very important role in our Veteran s Day Assembly and this year helped a great deal with Kindergarten orientation. Conflict Managers: Another great leadership opportunity for fourth graders is the Conflict Manager program. There are six fourth grade conflict managers this year. These students were nominated for their ability to be empathetic and fair to their fellow classmates. They have agreed to sacrifice a number of recesses in order to be trained to serve in this very important role of keeping the peace on our playground and in our halls. Once trained, they will assist their fellow students who may be having a conflict to talk it out and come to a resolution. Morning-Afternoon Arrival: Fourth graders help kindergarten and first grade students upon their arrival to school and their dismissal to their specific buses. Fourth grade teachers walk students to their classrooms, as well as pick students up from their homerooms at the end of the school day. These students will report to their designated kindergarten and first grade classrooms with their laminated bus numbers signs. The fourth graders accompany the kindergarten and first graders from their classroom to their bus to help alleviate any anxiety that they may have in taking the bus home. Each fourth grade classroom is paired with specific kindergarten and first grade classrooms. Other opportunities for students to be leaders are Student Council, Safety Patrol, hall monitors, classroom escorts to the office, Veteran s Helpers, lunch leaders, Flag Patrol amongst others. A few Valley Vista Elementary students wrote a few words on their thoughts on taking on an active leadership role in school: We show leadership through being good listeners, helping others when needed, being kind, serving as conflict managers, student council, Buddy Helpers and never violating the school rules. A leadership role makes me feel like a role model to the lower grades. Also, it makes me feel awesome!!! We ve been looking forward to being the leaders of the school. It s good to finally be one because we remember looking up to other people, too. Being a leader at Valley Vista is good because kids can look up to us and learn what to do. Being on all these leadership teams and getting the responsibilities makes a good impact on me because I feel like teachers and staff think of me as a behaved and resp up to me We are commitm these rol students confiden move for qualities Pavelich the leade Our fou for our n At Roya being kin to the ch of them transitio It is refr is placed foundati building meeting, Albion s the end o meet our point in announc Ketterer. you will our little quickly o our veter They are their com they witn of taking one feels help oth students you to k Keep up 40 North Royalton Bear Way

41 OURTH GRADE LEADERS onsible person. It also lets other kids look as a role model. very thankful to our staff s for their ent in helping to establish and maintain es but especially to our fourth grade for their continued efforts and are very t that these students will continue to ward in demonstrating effective leadership throughout the school year, said Hill. and Ketterer also offered their thoughts on rship opportunities. rth graders have been amazing role models ew kindergarten students, said Pavelich. l View, we always stress the importance of d and caring and these students have risen allenge as leaders. I couldn t be more proud and thankful for their help in making the n so smooth. eshing and exciting to see that importance not only on building a strong academic on in our young learners but also in strong character, said Ketterer. At the he introduced the board and audience to Safety Patrol and Kindergarten helpers. At f our day, these fourth graders will either youngest students in their rooms, take the halls, post in front of a bus and even e the incoming busses over the radio, said If you experience an elementary dismissal find this our older students look out for ones. To watch them in action you will bserve that there is more here than just an students being leaders and role models. learning first hand, how it feels to better munity, to be needed and depended upon, ess the power of kindness, the importance care of the vulnerable, and the reward that when volunteering time and energy to ers. I would like to recognize our Albion that are here this evening I would like now that I am proud and inspired by you. the great work. FALL

42 FOOD SERVICES DEPARTMENT NEW SCHOOL YEAR UPDATE Several new updates have taken place to the North Royalton City School s Food Service Department to not only add excitement to school lunch but to make the students healthier as well. Since 2014, school lunch options were seen as unappetizing but now the department has found ways to have fun food options while still following the USDA mandated guidelines for school lunch. All of the schools in the district now have breakfast options, full service lunches and a la carte options. At the high school there are now five to six options that students are able to choose from for lunch. Some options include a self-serve pizza bar and salad bar. Another new exciting edition is the bistro where students are able to get gourmet coffee, gourmet pizza and hot and cold sandwiches. High school students were also given many promotions to get them excited about the upgrades like the hamburger festival and taste testing of the new menu items. Middle school students now have access to grab and go breakfast as well as three new lunch lines. These include the Grizzly Bear Pizza Line, Polar Bear Quick Pick and the regular lunch line. The addition of breakfast to the three elementary schools has proven to be a success as well. Elementary students are given three different breakfast options daily. Also, currently the elementary school principals are holding contests to help promote the new breakfast options and to build excitement for the students. The lunch program has also been updated to include more options. Students across the district are getting excited about school lunches again. This is great news to the department as they have estimated that over 4,600 students, including those with the reduced lunch program, are served on a daily basis. It s great to see our students excited about these new lunch options, said food services director and dietician, Sue Rudolph, and it s even better to know that they leave the cafeteria happy and healthy. 42 North Royalton Bear Way

43 ALBION ELEMENTARY STUDENTS SHARE DONUTS AND CONVERSATION WITH DAD Albion Elementary students and their dads made time to share conversation and breakfast during Donuts with Dad. This annual event was held in the Albion gym from Tuesday, October 13 through Thursday, October 15. The students were assigned certain days to come with their dads based on their last names; Tuesday was A-G, Wednesday was H-O and Thursday was P-Z. Each day from 8:15 to 8:45, Krispy Kreme donuts, coffee, juice and milk were served. While the event is called Donuts with Dad, students were encouraged to bring Grandpa, Dad or any other man who means a lot to them. Parents have busy schedules and sometimes it s hard to make family time, said Albion Principal Vince Ketterer, That s why I think Donuts with Dad is a great way to set time aside from the busyness of life and share a simple breakfast together. FALL

44 Nominate That Special Educator The North Royalton Schools & First Federal of Lakewood Crystal Starfish Award Teachers play a pivotal role in our children s lives. The North Royalton Schools/First Federal of Lakewood Crystal Starfish Award honors those teachers that are making a difference above and beyond each year. If you know of a teacher that deserves special recognition, nominate them for the Crystal Starfish Award, a celebration of teaching excellence in North Royalton. Name of Teacher you are nominating: Grade level/subject they teach: How has this teacher made a difference in your life or the life of a student? (use back if needed) Nomination Submitted by: (may be more than one person) Address: Phone: Relationship to Nominee: q Student q Colleague q Parent q Community Member NOMINATION DEADLINE: November 13, 2015 Send nominations to Crystal Starfish Award 6579 Royalton Road, North Royalton, OH Winner will be recognized December 2015 and will receive a Crystal Starfish Award as well as a $250 Professional Development grant from First Federal of Lakewood. In addition, they will receive a $50 gift certificate to Cleat s restaurant and flowers from Independence Flowers & Gifts. 44 North Royalton Bear Way

45 Nominate That Special Staff Member The North Royalton Schools & First Federal of Lakewood Crystal Starfish Award Support staff members play a pivotal role in our children s lives. The North Royalton Schools/First Federal of Lakewood Crystal Starfish Award honors those support staff members that are making a difference above and beyond each year. If you know of a support staff member that deserves special recognition, nominate them for the Crystal Starfish Award, a celebration of employee excellence in North Royalton. Name of Support Staff Member you are nominating: Title/Building they work at: How has this individual made a difference in your life or the life of a student? (use back if needed) Nomination Submitted by: (may be more than one person) Address: Phone: Relationship to Nominee: q Student q Colleague q Parent q Community Member NOMINATION DEADLINE: November 13, 2015 Send nominations to Crystal Starfish Award 6579 Royalton Road, North Royalton, OH Winner will be recognized December 2015 and will receive a Crystal Starfish Award as well as a $50 gift certificate to Cleat s restaurant and flowers from Independence Flowers & Gifts. FALL

46 FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA District: Facebook: Central Office: Greg Gurka, Royal View Elementary Facebook: Kirk Pavelich, Principal North Royalton Middle School Facebook: North Royalton High School Sean North Royalton Alumni Association Facebook: North Royalton Middle School Jeff Cicerchi, Paying it Partnership for a Healthy North Royalton Facebook: 46 North Royalton Bear Way