Monday Morning Monitor - Parma City School District
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Monday Morning Monitor
www.parmacityschools.org/monitor January 28, 2019
A message from Parma Senior High Girl
Superintendent Power celebrates 15 years of
Charles Smialek, Ph.D. making a positive difference
I hope that you and your Time is flying by for school
families are staying warm counselor Marian Armstrong
during this stretch of as Parma Senior High School’s
brutally cold winter Girl Power group recently
weather. We will continue celebrated 15 years of
to monitor temperatures empowering young women.
and traveling conditions
and notify you as soon as “I feel very old that I have
possible if we decide that it been doing Girl Power for 15
is unsafe for our students years,” Armstrong shared
to attend school. with a laugh. “It is amazing to
think of how many young
We always first post women have gone through the
cancellation notice on my program.”
personal Twitter account
(@CharlesSmialek), then schedule our School Every year, the group holds a Members of Parma Senior High
Messenger “all call” and notify the local news breakfast to induct new School’s Girl Power group celebrated
channels of our decision to close. members and say goodbye to their 15th anniversary this year.
seniors. This December, Returning this year was former Parma
By this point, I believe it safe to assume that however, the breakfast was
many of you have heard of our proposal to extra special because it was High Principal Cassandra Johnson,
convert Renwood Elementary School into the first-ever Girl Power Ph.D., far right, who was one of the
Renwood Opportunity Center (ROC), a facility reunion. original founders of the group.
dedicated to education students with disabilities
that we currently send to schools outside of our Past members were invited
district. back to share their successes after high school and inspire current
members to achieve their dreams. Seven alumni members attended
We continue to believe in the rationale behind the reunion on Dec. 17, 2018.
this proposal. First, we should work to have as
many sites and services as possible within our The group recognized six graduating seniors at the event and there
district to educate students of varying needs. were 11 new members inducted. New members are typically inducted
The Renwood Opportunity Center would replace in eighth or ninth grade and are recommended by their teachers
neither the units inside our 14 schools nor the based on leadership qualities displayed in class.
outside placements that we occasionally
provide. Rather, ROC would add an additional Cassandra Johnson, Ph. D., former principal at Parma Senior High
internal option along the continuum of Least who started the group with Armstrong, was the keynote speaker.
Restrictive Environments that we can offer.
Second, we have to continue to operate with a See Parma Girl Power on page 4
sense of fiscal urgency to ensure the long-term
solvency of our district. In addition to renewals
of operating levies in 2019, 2020, 2023, and
2026, we will most likely seek a bond issue in Meetings for Renwood Parents/
the near future to secure funding to construct
new schools to facilitate the Strategic
Neighborhood coming up in January;
Consolidation plan that we are currently Sign up for PTA Festival of the Tables,
building. We also currently project an operating
deficit in 2022. deadline is February 8
With such considerations, the notion of paying • PCSD Superintendent Charles Smialek, Ph.D. wants to
tuition to schools outside of our district to discuss with parents the proposed conversion of Renwood
educate our students seems short-sighted. For Elementary School. Dr. Smialek has scheduled a number of
multiple reasons, we can, and should, seek to opportunities to meet, including individual and small group
educate inside of our schools the students we meeting opportunities.
currently place outside of them.
Information about the proposed conversion of Renwood
While we continue to believe in the rationale Elementary can be found on our website by clicking on the
behind the Renwood conversion, I was wrong to following link: https://tinyurl.com/y9s9tql7. To view the
publish a schedule that allowed for one upcoming meeting dates in January and February, please
community meeting about the issue, held only visit www.parmacityschools.org/calendar for more
two nights before a potential vote by the Board information.
of Education. I have consistently described the
importance of honoring our district’s third goal, • Support students throughout the PCSD at the 8th annual
“Improve transparency across our Parma Council of PTAs Festival of Tables on February 16,
communities.” My actions did not support my 2019 at Holy Spirit Party Center, 5500 West 54th Street in
belief in the importance of this characteristic. Parma. If you are interested in “hosting” a table, you must
register before February 8.
For more information, please visit
www.parmacityschools.org/pta.
See Superintendent on page 4
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What’s Up? Parma Park Elementary named a
National PTA School of Excellence
thanks to positive programming
• Monday January 28:
• Parma Senior High School PTSA
Meeting, 6:00 PM Parma Park Elementary
School and its PTA have
• Strategic Consolidation Meeting at received the designation of
Dentzler Elementary School, 6:30 PM National PTA School of
Excellence!
• Tuesday January 29:
• Renwood Elementary School “It’s really nice to say that we
are recognized by National
Neighborhood Meeting at Renwood, PTA,” expressed Parma Park
6:30 PM PTA President Mariah
Butram. “It’s not that easy to
• Thursday January 31: achieve, but I’m happy we
• Renwood Parent-Teacher Conferences/ did. It also shows that the
PTA and the school are
Literacy Game Night, 5:00 PM working together to be able to
give families what they want Parma Park Elementary School
• Green Valley Parent-Teacher was one of eight schools in Ohio to
for their children. In
Conferences, 5:00 PM partnership with Parma Park win the National PTA School of
• Saturday February 2: Home Liaison Lisa Eland and Excellence this year.
Principal Wendy Jewell, we
• Renwood Elementary Neighborhood/ were able to achieve this, which
Parent Meeting at Param Senior High is awesome.”
School auditorium, 10:00 AM Parma Park was one of only eight schools in Ohio to receive this
• Tuesday February 5: designation for the 2018-2020 cycle. They will receive a banner to
proudly display at the school.
• Parma Council of PTAs Scholarship
Workshop, 5:30 PM “This designation means that families are feeling included, informed
and welcomed in the building,” shared Angela Revay, Parma Council
• Meeting for Parents of Students with of PTAs president. “We want to strive to make parents feel like they
Multiple Disabilities, Autism at Parma are part of their children’s education.”
Senior High School auditorium, 6:30 PM
• Wednesday February 6: See Parma Park PTA on page 4
• Parma Council of PTAs General Meeting
at the PCSD Hanna Building, 9:30 AM
• Parma Council of PTAs Scholarship
Workshop, 11:30 AM
Pleasant Valley fourth graders
• Thursday February 7: collect gifts for local senior
• Green Valley Elementary PTA Meeting,
9:30 AM
citizens during holiday season
• John Muir Elementary PTA Meeting,
12:00 PM Every year around the holidays,
• Hillside Middle School Parent-Teacher Pleasant Valley Elementary
School fourth-graders make a
conferences, 5:00 PM - 7:45 PM difference in the community by
• Pleasant Valley Elementary Parent- collecting gifts and supplies for
seniors in local nursing homes.
Teacher conferences, 5:00 PM - 7:45 PM
• Pleasantview First Step Parent Kelly Chismar, a fourth-grade
teacher at Pleasant Valley who
Conference night, 5:00 PM-7:30 PM coordinates the collection, said
• Parma Park Elementary School Parent- the generosity of families
benefits residents at Parkside
Teacher conference night, 5:00 PM- Villas in Middleburg Heights and
8:00 PM Mount Alverna in Parma.
• PCSD Board of Education Regular “My brother works at Parkside For two weeks in December,
Meeting, 7:00 PM Villas,” she explained. “In the past, Pleasant Valley students
we made holiday crafts to donate collected items to be donated
• Friday February 8: to the residents. One year he to local nursing homes.
• Ridge-Brook Elementary School PTA mentioned the need they have for
gifts, and from there the project
Meeting, 9:30 AM grew.”
• Parma Council of PTAs Father/Daughter From December 1 – 14, students collected personal hygiene items
Dance at Parma Senior High School, like shampoo, conditioner, lotion and soap, as well as socks, playing
7:00 PM - 9:00 PM cards, puzzles and greeting cards.
• Monday February 11: Chismar said she sends out the list of needs to families, then
• Strategic Consolidation Meeting at students wrap, label and sort the gifts before winter break. There
were also parent volunteers that helped with the effort.
Ridge-Brook Elementary School,
6:30 PM-8:00 PM
See Pleasant Valley on page 5
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ICYMI @ PCSD: Renaissance programs at
Last Week on Parma Normandy, Valley Forge
Schools Social Media celebrate student success
Each week, we will highlight some of the great
things going on throughout the PCSD!
Recognizing student achievement in
Follow and tag us on Twitter: academics, attendance and positive
@parmaschools behavior is certainly worth
celebrating. Encouraging students to
Like us on Facebook at: achieve even more is just as important
facebook.com/parmaschools of a celebration.
Follow us on Instagram: Before the district dismissed for winter
@parmaschools recess, students in the Renaissance
programs at Normandy and Valley
Forge High Schools had the
opportunity to enjoy time with each
other, while earning some pretty
awesome rewards at two separate
“Breakfast Bingo” events.
The Renaissance program, available at
all three high schools, recognizes
students who continue to achieve on a
number of levels.
On the morning of
Although the criteria varies between December 14, over 200
the three buildings, there are many students in the
common elements which can qualify a
student for Renaissance. A student Renaissance program at
must attain and maintain a good grade Valley Forge enjoyed
point average, have excellent breakfast and bingo, as
attendance in school and have low members of the
discipline numbers to be eligible. Renaissance program.
In addition, it is important for the
See Renaissance on page 5
PACTS program at Parma High
continues to serve up success
stories for students
by Alyssa Young
12th Grade,
Parma Senior High School
Now in its second year, the
Parma Smoothie Parlor
continues to serve up success
for students in the PACTS, or
Parma Area Center for
Transition Services, program
at Parma Senior High School.
Created by Parma Senior High
teachers Erin Austin, Katie
Vento and Dawn Hirz, this
project gives students in the
special education program a
chance to learn valuable skills
while making smoothies for Parma Senior High School students
students and staff to enjoy.
The Parma Smoothie Parlor is enrolled in the PACTS program
open every Tuesday before continue to operate the Parma
school and during lunch Smoothie Parlor each morning in
periods. the school’s cafeteria.
“The kids really look forward
to it,” Austin expressed. “They enjoy doing the work and we always
work with them as they go through the process.”
See Parma Smoothie Parlor on page 5
3
Parma Girl Power from page 1
Normandy Girl Power
program gives back to “It is very important to empower our young women,” Armstrong
expressed. “There are too many negative images in our society and
staff and community on social media about the way women ‘should be.' Too many times
women tear each other down instead of lifting each other up. Girl
Power is an outlet for young women to be their authentic selves.
by Bonnie Fitzsimmons They can be anyone they choose to be.”
English Department,
Normandy High School The group’s main two goals are to teach young women valuable
leadership skills and instill a passion for helping others.
There are between 30 and 40 girls active in the program each year.
Normandy High School’s Girl Power group (Grl Students participate in community service projects, such as
Pwr), whose mission is to support each other collecting gifts for the Parma Area Family Collaborative during the
with a positive attitude, has been busy over the holiday season, while gaining leadership experience. The group also
last few months! discusses important topics impacting young women like body image
and domestic violence.
“I would like for all of our girls to know how incredible they truly
are,” Armstrong shared. “They are intelligent and amazing leaders,
and I want them to know that their potential is limitless. I also want
them to experience the wonderful feeling you get from giving back
to your community and helping others.”
Parma Park PTA from page 2
PTA units send out a School of Excellence survey to families at the
end of the school year. From the results, PTA units can pick an area
or topic and create a plan to show the steps they are taking to make
improvements.
In November, members of Normandy High It took Parma Park PTA two years of hard work to earn this title,
School’s Girl Power group wrote letters for staff Butram shared, with the school specifically working on diversity,
members and other students in the building to inclusion and acceptance of all students and families throughout
show their gratitude. the building.
“Last year we tried for this, but we only had 20 results from our
In November, the group of around thirty School of Excellence survey,” Butram said. “This year, we had over
members created gratitude messages for all staff 100 people take our survey for Parma Park and our scores in each
members and students. In December, the girls category were significantly higher.”
went to Pleasantview Care Center to spend time
with the elderly patients. The school has made several improvements to create a welcoming
and inclusive school environment. Some examples include: having
The staff was so impressed, that students were materials in other languages, creating a banner with ‘Welcome’
asked to come back every month! In January, written in many languages, and starting a cultural activity where
Grl Pwr worked with Anja Koprivica and Emily students could share more about the country they are from over
Rice on their HOSA project to raise money and morning announcements.
awareness for infant mortality rates.
There was also the “Start With Hello” activity at the beginning of
the school year to help create a friendly school environment which
See Normandy Girl Power on page 5 was coordinated by Parma Park PTA.
“Start With Hello is an awareness campaign that was started by the
Superintendent from page 1 parents of the Sandy Hook tragedy," explained Angela Marvin,
Parma Park PTA advocacy chair. "It is a week where we try to
To begin correcting this error, we have eliminate that social isolation that often leads to mental health
scheduled several additional meetings: issues later in life."
• January 29, 6:30 P (Renwood Elementary “The really cool thing we did was make little cards with the Start
School): Neighbors of Renwood With Hello logo that said ‘Hello, My Name Is…’,” she continued to
describe. “Every child got three cards that they wrote their name
• February 2, 2:00 P (Parma Senior High on. Then throughout the week, they had opportunities to exchange
Auditorium): All interested stakeholders cards with students they did not know.”
• February 5, 6:30 P (Parma Senior High Little Marvin added the teachers helped students meet and greet other
Theater): Parents of special education students outside of their grade level.
students
“This is another piece that is really important because a lot of
In addition to these meetings, please email me bullying can be tied back to kids not having social capital. You can
(smialekc@parmacityschools.org) if you would build that by encouraging relationships especially among people
like to meet with me individually or with a small not in your peer group,” she explained. “First and second graders
group of people. think it’s so cool when they know an older student, and the older
students want to model good behavior because they know younger
Currently, we have not scheduled a Board of students are looking up to them. It just really helps build
Education vote on this important issue. We are connections.”
continuing to listen and educate both ourselves
and those affected by the potential conversion. Coming up, Parma Park PTA received a $250 Ohio PTA grant for
male involvement this school year. This grant will be used for an
We greatly appreciate the active citizenship and activity to get fathers, grandfathers, relatives and other male role
advocacy that so many parents and community models more involved in their children’s lives.
members have demonstrated during this
process. We will continue to provide updates Just a reminder: anyone can join the PTA. Just contact the building
about our progress and timeline as we work to PTA president or stop by a meeting to learn more!
make the best possible decision for our district.
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Pleasant Valley from page 2 Normandy Girl Power from page 4
“This is the fourth year we have done this at The girls raised $610 and donated the money to Womenkind, a
Pleasant Valley,” she shared. “I have the kids do nonprofit that supports pregnant women and new mothers. Finally,
this to show them how to give to others. They are on February 22, the girls are holding a pasta dinner with all
often amazed that someone would be excited proceeds going to Laura’s Home, a crisis center for women and
with such a simple gift.” children.
She added that she hopes students realize the A big shout out to these young ladies, who are working hard to make
importance of giving back and the impact they a difference in the lives of others!
can make in their community.
Grl Pwr believes in empowering and inspiring those around them,
“I feel (students) should know more about caring which leads students to success and self-reliance.
for others,” Chismar expressed. “Many are
unaware that there are older adults who have no
one who gives them gifts. It helps the kids see
there are other ways to give back beyond the Renaissance from page 3
traditional food drives held in schools. I also hope
the students have learned that every small act of
kindness helps make another's day brighter.” Renaissance program to continue
to recognize the students who
Pleasant Valley STEM first grade students also work hard to consistently achieve
helped the community during the holiday season positive results.
by selling "Kindness Kanes."
“We always pick a couple of kids
This was the first year for the program, and each time that maybe haven’t
students raised $300 that was donated to the quite met the requirements but
Parma Hunger Center in December. are so close,” Michelle Kensinger-
Smart, Assistant Principal at
Normandy explained. “Maybe
they had an incident at the very
beginning of the year, but they
Parma Smoothie Parlor from page 2 have had great behavior
otherwise. We still encourage kids Students in Normandy’s
to apply, and we will look at that Renaissance program celebrate
The Parma Smoothie Parlor is a two-day process. as a committee and select a couple a winner at the table during
of kids to participate.” their breakfast and bingo
On Mondays, students get prepared to open on event, held on December 12.
Tuesdays, which includes getting the equipment After the conclusion of each
ready, premeasuring the fruit, setting up tables quarter, students who apply and
and posting signs. then qualify can attend a special
event which recognizes their positive efforts. Students must re-
On Tuesdays, students run the parlor and are in apply to be a part of the program.
charge of taking orders, making the smoothies
and running the cash register. This year at Valley Forge marked the first time the school had tried
“Breakfast Bingo” as one of the Renaissance recognition awards.
Students learn every position and the skills
needed to have a successful business each “One of our teachers, Keith Zupancic, is actually like a pro Bingo
Tuesday. caller,” Amanda McCullough, Assistant Principal at Valley Forge
said. “So he called Bingo. Our police officers were a huge help. They
By rotating positions, each student is able to gain also called Bingo. Winners of the games got various gift cards to
the experience needed to not only create a Chipotle, Steak and Shake, Subway, Starbucks and Panera. They
delicious product, but also improve on their were like 10 or 15 dollar gift cards.”
interpersonal skills. To ensure the students work
efficiently, the teachers are present to support At Normandy, “Breakfast Bingo” was hosted by a trio of special
them as a group and assist them separately based guests. Parma Mayor Tim DeGeeter, Seven Hills Mayor Richard
on their specific needs. Dell’Aquila and Parma City School District Board of Education
President John Schweitzer took turns calling the Bingo numbers.
This program prepares students for success after Students were awarded gift cards donated by the school’s PTSA.
graduation. They are able to take these skills
they acquired at school and use them for future “The kids really like to see them in that different setting,”
job opportunities and other experiences. Kensinger-Smart said of the school’s special guests. “They talk
about what school was like for them, working hard, being a good
“My favorite part of this vocational program is student and a good citizen. The kids get to let a little loose. They
seeing the students interact with their peers,” really enjoy it and they have a lot of fun for an old-fashioned
Austin emphasized. “Seeing the kids happy and game...It shows that the whole community is invested in their
succeeding in this program is very rewarding.” future.”
The smoothies are $2, with typically two At both schools, Renaissance recognition programs happen at least
different flavors offered each week. Some flavors three times a year. Students are encouraged to apply for
include Strawberry, Mixed Berry and Strawberry Renaissance throughout the year.
Banana. The program also had seasonal flavors
during the holidays. All money collected goes “We obviously want the number of students who participate in this
right back into the vocational program. to continue to increase,” Rachel Urban, Principal at Normandy
added. “We would like to have some of our current Renaissance
The students in the PACTS program look forward students to talk to our eighth graders and freshmen who may not
to Tuesdays, as do the Parma High students and think it’s cool to be a part of this. We want the kids to share their
faculty. The support they receive is greatly experience with it, and what they have worked for and how they
reflected in their peers’ enthusiastic expressions have been a part of it to get more kids involved with it.”
as they continue to accomplish their individual
milestones. “This was probably one of our lower numbers. At this one (Breakfast
Bingo) we had only 225 kids,” McCullough expressed. “Because it
was new and it was the first time we did it, they didn’t apply. I think
we will have a ton more next year, because it was such a success.
But, with our cookout at the end of the year, we will get up to 350
kids.”
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