(12/19/2008) Mentor Post Office displays student artwork
[ 12/19/2008 ]
The Mentor Post Office has some colorful snowflakes on its windows, thanks to the fine work of student artists at Memorial Middle School.
The post office will be displaying several pieces of student art throughout the winter months. Special thanks to art teachers Kurt Reichert and Lynn Lang for facilitating the display.
Memorial Middle School art students display their work prior to sending it to the Mentor Post Office.
The artwork on display at the Mentor Post Office on Tyler Blvd.
(12/19/2008) Information regarding calamity days
[ 12/19/2008 ]
As you know, living in northeastern Ohio requires us to be prepared for snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Below is a list of activities that take place prior to the decision to call off school:
A. Begin checking snowfall on the major streets and cul-de-sac areas on the evening prior to a potential snow day. B. Contact the local police departments. C. Check to see if other school districts are planning to close school. D. Assess the temperature and wind chill factor (must be -18 degrees Fahrenheit sustained wind chill or colder for a temperature- based school closure). This is determined according to frostbite risk data published by the National Weather Service.
The decision to close school must be made before the Mentor High School buses leave the compound. However, if we decide that the 14 Mentor Public Schools should remain open, please understand the following:
A. We have made the best decision based on the information available. B. Parents may choose to keep their child(ren) at home if they deem the streets/sidewalks to be unsafe. An absence note must be sent to the school(s) the next day. If your son/daughter drives to Mentor High School, you may want to have him/her ride the school bus. C. Students may make up school work that was missed. D. Delays should be expected at bus stops. E. Schools will rarely, if ever, open on a delayed start. F. Schools will rarely, if ever, be closed early. G. Extracurricular activities may be canceled depending on the weather that afternoon.
A decision to close school affects about 9,000 children, their parents, and all parochial schools in the district's boundaries. Rest assured we will do our best to make the appropriate decision based upon the available information to ensure the safety of our students and employees.
(12/17/2008) Holiday story project a teaching treat
[ 12/17/2008 ]
Students in kindergarten and first grade at Bellflower Elementary were treated to a special holiday story time on Wednesday, Dec. 17 with a visit by 100 aspiring authors from Mentor High School. The writers, students in Amanda Hart's ninth grade language arts class, each wrote, illustrated and assembled a small story book featuring a holiday memory from their own childhood. The final part of their assignment was to read the story to small groups of students at Bellflower.
The ninth graders learned how to develop a story using age-appropriate action verbs, sensory details, colorful modifiers and style while learning how to put together a complete book including illustrations.
Among the stories were The Best Christmas Ever, Grand Slam Christmas and Snow Day, an homage to those surprise holidays that include cold-weather fun like building snow men and sled-riding.
To thank the ninth graders, the Bellflower students assembled on the school's long stairway to deliver a spirited group rendition of the classic poem, The Night Before Christmas.
Bellflower students enjoy a special story time with authors from Mentor High School's ninth grade language arts class.
Bellflower first graders prepare to recite the classic poem, The Night Before Christmas.
(12/9/2008) MHS Alumni Hall-of-Fame nominations being accepted
[ 12/9/2008 ]
Nominations for the 2009 Mentor High School Distinguished Alumni Hall-of-Fame Recognition Program are being accepted through Jan. 5, 2009.
The hall of fame, sponsored by the Alumni & Friends of Mentor High School Association, is designed to recognize Mentor graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields and are recognized as positive contributors to society.
The hall of fame serves as a permanent testimony to the fact that the Mentor High School experience prepares graduates to face life's challenges, to solve problems and to make decisions that will positively influence and/or contribute to society.
Detailed criteria and the form for nomination is available below.
Download the 2009 Alumni Hall-of-Fame nomination form.
(12/9/2008) Chamber of Commerce scholarship applications available
[ 12/9/2008 ]
The Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation is offering several academic and career-technical scholarships for students graduating in 2009.
The Foundation will award at least two Don-Mar Krueger Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each, and at least two Career Technical Education Scholarships in the amount of $1,000 each.
Applications are being accepted until Wednesday, Feb. 4, 2009. The scholarships are open to any senior of a Mentor high school (includes private & parochial) or student of a Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce member company for education beyond the high school level. Scholarships will be presented to the recipients at the Annual Awards Banquet in March.
Click here to download the Don-Mar Krueger Scholarship application.
Click here to download the Career Technical Education Scholarship application.
(12/2/2008) Board of Education meeting set for Tuesday, Dec. 9
[ 12/2/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold its regular December meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 9 at the district administration building.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. with an executive session for the annual performance review of the Chief Financial Officer, followed by the public session at approximately 7 p.m.
The administration building is located at 6451 Center Street behind Mentor High School.
(12/1/2008) Applicants sought for Mentor Library Board of Trustees
[ 12/1/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education is seeking applicants for an upcoming vacancy on the Mentor Library Board of Trustees. The term will run from January 2009 through December 2015.
In Ohio, local school boards have appointing authority for public library trustees.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest including:
• Place of residence • Length of time residing at current address • Reason for interest in serving on the library board • Community involvement and service experience • Names and contact information for up to three individuals who may serve as references The deadline for applications is December 19, 2008. The applications will be reviewed by two school board members, one current library trustee, the superintendent and chief financial officer of Mentor Schools. This committee will recommend one individual to the board of education for appointment. The board will appoint a trustee no later than January 13, 2009.
Applications should be sent to the Mentor Board of Education, Attn. Dan Wilson, 6451 Center Street, Mentor, Ohio 44060.
Click here for a description of trustee responsibilities and information regarding the evaluation process.
(12/1/2008) CardCampus Parent Portal access restored
[ 12/1/2008 ]
UPDATED (10:56 a.m.): The Parent Portal and staff CardCampus systems are now accessible from outside the district due to a temporary workaround. The possibility for further outages remains until the hardware issue is fully resolved.
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The CardCampus Parent Portal is unavailable until further notice due to a hardware malfunction. The company that administers the server is currently working to correct the problem, but has not provided an estimated timeframe for resolution.
The CardCampus staff system is also unavailable from computers outside of the district network, but remains accessible from computers in our schools and buildings.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. We will post updates regarding the status of this issue here as soon as they are received.
(11/25/2008) Four Mentor students to march in Macy's Parade
[ 11/25/2008 ]
Two Ridge Middle School and two Mentor High School students will be part of an American tradition on Thursday, as they march and twirl in 82nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
Amy Arslanian and Ashley Burkin (both of Ridge Middle School), and Alycia Freeman and Alison Reilly (both of Mentor High School) will perform as part of the USA Baton Twirling All-Stars. All four students have been twirling for several years and train at the Showstoppers School of Baton and Dance in Wickliffe under the direction of Audrey Moore. They also compete together on the same team, and compete individually at the local and national level. Congratulations, girls, and Happy Thanksgiving to all.
Alison Reilly (far left), Alycia Freeman, Ashley Burkin and Amy Arslanian (front, center) will march in Thursday's 82nd annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City.
(11/19/2008) Volleyball players awarded scholarships
[ 11/19/2008 ]
Three members of the District Champion Mentor High School Volleyball team were awarded scholarships to further their academic and athletic careers in college. Each of these young ladies were vital members of the 2008 team that won both Lake Erie League and District championships. Under the leadership of Head Coach Rich Woodman, these girls have excelled on and off the court. The three accepted their scholarships in a signing ceremony Wednesday at the Mentor Board of Education office.
Kristen Baker will attend Eastern Michigan University. Her athletic honors include: Captain of the 2008 team and three-year letter winner 2008 Player of the Year, News-Herald and Lake Erie League 2008 Division I All-Ohio Second Team, All-District First Team All-Tournament Teams at the Stow Invitational, NEO Power Invitational and Jackson Invitational Several Ohio Valley Region Junior Olympic Awards
Alexa Rand will attend Clemson University. Her athletic honors include: Captain of the 2008 team and three-year letter winner 2008 All-Lake Erie League First Team 2008 Division I All-Ohio Honorable Mention, All-District First Team 2008 Jackson Invitational All-Tournament Team Several Ohio Valley Region Junior Olympic Awards
Jenna Golic will attend Walsh University. Her athletic honors include: Captain of the 2008 team and three-year letter winner 2008 All-Lake Erie League First Team 2007 All-News-Herald Several Ohio Valley Region Junior Olympic Awards
Congratulations to the girls, their families and coaches, for their outstanding accomplishments, and good luck in all your future endeavors.
Mentor Schools Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes congratulates the girls at the Mentor Board of Education Administration Building.
Kristen Baker, far left, Jenna Golic and Alexa Rand symbolically accept their scholarships in a signing ceremony on Nov. 19.
(11/19/2008) School and teacher web sites to be upgraded
[ 11/19/2008 ]
Several teacher and individual school web sites in our district will not be updated until after Thanksgiving break. The servers that host these sites are being upgraded by our IT department in order to provide more reliable access for students, parents and teachers.
The upgrade will not affect this web site or the high school web site. All sites will be available for viewing, but content will not be updated during the upgrade period on the affected sites.
We appreciate your patience during this temporary inconvenience.
(11/19/2008) Rice students experience disabilities first-hand
[ 11/19/2008 ]
Students at Rice Elementary School will have a new appreciation for what it's like to have special needs after taking part in a school-wide disabilities awareness week.
Each student, from kindergarten through fifth grade, will participate in several disability simulation stations in the school's gymnasium this Wednesday through Friday.
The challenges are designed to show students without disabilities how difficult simple tasks can be with impairments to vision, mobility and other senses. Students with real-life special needs also took part in the event.
Events include going through a simulated lunch line in a wheelchair, writing with a non-dominant hand, reading with Coke-bottle glasses, and going through a simple obstacle course on crutches.
The event was organized by teachers Cindy Harris and Christine Blue, with help from several parent volunteers. While the students enjoyed some of the challenges, the message resonated with even the youngest students.
"They really get it," said Harris, who organized a similar program several years ago at Reynolds Elementary. "They are learning how difficult simple tasks can be with disabilities."
The disability awareness program is one part of the school's larger Olweus anti-bullying program, which teaches students to be more aware of how their words and actions affect others.
(11/12/2008) Mentor Public Schools honors those who served
[ 11/12/2008 ]
While each and every school in our district takes time on Veterans Day to honor those who sacrificed for our nation to secure our freedom, this week's observations were particularly meaningful for the Mentor Schools Community.
On Tuesday, Nov. 11, Mentor High School rededicated its Wall of Freedom, a 30-by-40 foot mural featuring a plaque bearing the names of 31 former Mentor students who gave their lives in service of their country.
The wall was painted by students in Michelle Kane's Fine Arts 4 class, and features a waving flag and soldier's silhouette. The wall also holds 30 historical documents donated by the Exchange Club of Western Lake County.
The school was honored by the attendance of veterans including Brian Halan, a gradate of the class of 2000, and one of the 'Mentor Seven' who enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. Also in attendance were Donna Harmon, mother of U.S. Army Cpl. Josh Harmon, who was killed in a helicopter crash in Iraq in 2007.
Sterling Morton Elementary school held its Veterans Day program on Wednesday, Nov. 12, with fifth graders singing songs including 'The National Anthem,' 'When Johnny Comes Marching Home,' and 'Anchors Aweigh.' Dozens of veterans from all branches of the service were recognized and enjoyed refreshments with students, staff and family members.
The Mentor Schools Community would like to thank all those who have served in our military and protected the freedoms we all cherish.
Veterans and families enjoy a performance by Sterling Morton's fifth grade class to celebrate Veterans Day 2008.
A student thanks a veteran for his brave service to our country.
(11/6/2008) Grade Postings Delayed
[ 11/6/2008 ]
An error by Infinite Campus on the evening of November 5th in the CardCampus system has caused a delay in the submission of grades by teachers. As a result, grade availability in the ParentPortal will be delayed by 24 hours until 5:00 on Friday, November 7th.
The following message was received from Optimal Solutions:
To the Parents of Students attending Mentor Public Schools:
Last night while working to correct a problem with the posting of fee payments to the Infinite Campus system we were forced to do a backup and restore process of all the Infinite Campus data. At the same time this process was occurring teachers within the district were busy entering grades for the distribution of report cards. Unfortunately our actions resulted in the loss of some of this grading information forcing teachers to have to re-enter grades. Because of this there will be a 24 hour delay in the availability of Report Cards. Report Cards will now not be available until after 5:00 p.m. on Friday. I offer my companys most heartfelt apology that this error occurred, and any future server work will be coordinated with the district in advance to avoid this type of problem. Again I offer my apologies to all who were affected.
Regards,
Michael S Ludwig Director of Software Services Optimal Solutions Infinite Campus Alliance Partner
(11/3/2008) Ticket information for regional semi-final football game
[ 11/3/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals football team will face Strongsville in the regional semi-final at 7 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 8 at Byers Field in Parma.
Tickets are on sale in the Mentor High School gym lobby Wednesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets will also be sold from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Thursday evening and from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Saturday morning.
Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the gate. There are no student or senior citizen discounts.
(10/30/2008) Top 25 Fall Show set for Nov. 14 & 15
[ 10/30/2008 ]
Mentor High School's Top 25 show choir will present its fall show, "Rockin' America!" at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 14 and Saturday, Nov. 15 at the high school Fine Arts Center.
The group will sing selections of popular rock songs from every decade! In addition, they will present a Top 25 Flashback set. Come "Rock Around the Clock" with Top 25 as they sing and dance you through the decades.
Advanced tickets are $8 for adults and $6 for students and senior citizens. Tickets are also available at the door - $9 for adults and $7 for students and senior citizens.
For tickets, call Laurel Kunes at 440.257.8782 or email at [email protected]
(10/30/2008) CardCredit introduces electronic check payment
[ 10/30/2008 ]
Mentor Schools' CardCredit online meal and fee payment system now offers a new way to pay. In addition to credit and debit card processing, parents may now pay their child's school fees and meal expenses using an electronic check option. Users simply add the desired fees or meal money to their payment basket and click "Click here to pay by Electronic Check." You will need your bank name, check routing number and account number. Both numbers are printed at the bottom of your checks. If you have not yet signed up for a CardCredit account and would like to take advantage of quick and easy online payment, please visit www.mentorschools.org and click on the CardCredit button.
For questions or assistance with the payment system, please contact Assistant Treasurer Norm Funk at [email protected] or (440) 205-2596.
(10/29/2008) MHS to dedicate Wall of Freedom
[ 10/29/2008 ]
Freedom Shrines collections of key documents in our countrys history - are common in school buildings throughout the United States. Now Mentor High School is almost ready to rededicate its Freedom Shrine to the local providers of those same freedoms Mentor High graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of freedom. Appropriately enough, this rededication will occur at 11 a.m. on Veterans Day, November 11, the 90th anniversary of the end of World War I.
Freedom Shrines are found in capitol buildings of nearly every state, the U.S. Capitol building, and hundreds of schools throughout the United States. Freedom Shrines were inspired by the Freedom Train, a traveling exposition of documents which toured the U.S. in 1949. Freedom Shrines are supported by the National Exchange Club, which is based in Toledo, Ohio. The Exchange Club of Western Lake County has been kind enough to secure a new Freedom Shrine free of charge to the school.
In light of the sad loss of Mentor graduates in Iraq, several Mentor teachers determined the time had come to properly honor them and renovate their Freedom Shrine which had become old and faded.
Steve Couch, high school social studies teacher, has been working with colleagues Chad Russo, Al Kurnat, Marie Waltz, and Principal Joe Spiccia to refurbish the Freedom Shrine and include the names of Mentor graduates who died in wars. Mentor High Schools Fine Arts IV class under the direction of teacher Michelle Kane has successfully repainted a portion of its F-wing hallway where the original Freedom Shrine was located.
World War II was the first major war that occurred after Mentor High School was established, Couch said. We will have a plaque listing the names of Mentor High graduates who became casualties of war in that conflict, Vietnam, and Iraq.
A single plaque engraved with the names of all those lost over the years will list the students in random order, reflecting the truth that all sacrifices are the same no matter when they were made. The Freedom Shrine is now renamed the Mentor High School Wall of Freedom, and it is dedicated to all who have served, including in military peacekeeping missions around the globe.
What we have done is rather unprecedented, Couch says. Military records do not exist by school, so we had to use information from our school Learning Center, yearbook archives, Alumni Association contacts, and old news archives to generate our list. As of now, we have no Mentor students that we can confirm were casualties of war in Korea or the Gulf War, but we have 31 names from other conflicts. We expect we will need to update these plaques after the dedication as new information comes to light, but we are as correct and inclusive as we are able as of now.
The public is welcome to contribute information to the project, if possible. If a local citizen can provide documentation to prove that a person was a student from Mentor High School and later was listed by the U.S. military as a casualty of war, they are asked to contact Steve Couch at [email protected] or by calling Mentor High School at (440) 974-5300.
The dedication ceremony is free and open to interested members of the public, especially friends and family members of those students listed. Please help Mentor High School properly honor those graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice.
These are the names that will appear on the dedication plaque:z
World War II: Harry Allchin, Robert E. Bemis, Andy Booth, Vincent Russell Brown, Edgar Cartwright, Alfred Cole, William Richard Dey, Frank Hengesbach, Virginia Jewell, Harry Koehler, Ralph A. Markell, Thomas L. Patterson, Maynard Shanower, Joseph F. Zardin, Jr.
Vietnam War: George Ernest Hayward, Howard Allen Mucha, Dale Allen Pearce, Lloyd Andres Sellers III, Loyd Edward Stroisch, William Ronald Dickey, Jack William Logan Jr., James Joseph Menart, Paul Holland Mitchell, Michael Lester Ness, Dean Edward Nicholas, Carl A. Proegler, William Thomas Hurd, Timothy David Stickle.
Iraq War: Joshua S. Harmon, Mark T. Smykowski, Joseph W. Lorek.
(10/28/2008) Mentor High School tapped for McCain rally
[ 10/29/2008 ]
Mentor High School has been selected as the location for a campaign stop by Sen. John McCain on Thursday, Oct. 30. The rally is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. in the gymnasium. Doors open at 3 p.m. Tickets are required for the event, and will be available through the Lake County Republican Party (www.lakegop.com).
While we are honored to have been selected from a list of several potential northeast Ohio locations, it is important to note that hosting such an event is required by Ohio law and should not be construed as a political endorsement or statement by Mentor Public Schools.
Ohio Revised Code dictates that boards of education "shall permit (school grounds) to be used as a place wherein to hold meetings of electors for the discussion of public questions and issues" (ORC 3313.78).
All staging and facilities needs are being provided by the campaign at no expense to the district.
For ticket information please call the Lake County Republican Party office at 357-1200.
(10/29/2008) District receives state food service award
[ 10/29/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools is the proud recipient of the Ohio Department of Education's 2008 Stellar District Award for high quality, healthy food service.
Each year since 2003, the Ohio Department of Education has recognized selected Ohio schools for their accomplishments in promoting a healthy school nutrition environment by awarding them the Stellar Award for Best Nutrition Practices.
Schools are judged for the award based on their efforts and accomplishments in the following categories:
• The type of meal service provided for students, such as school breakfast or lunch; • The nutritional quality of meals served, including purchasing and preparation practices that reflect the National Dietary Guidelines; • The availability of healthy choices in a la carte and vending items; • Continuing education and training opportunities for food service staff; • Success in providing a pleasant eating environment for students; and • Nutritional education aimed at students, staff, parents and the community through marketing programs and activities; for example, using alternatives to candy when rewarding children for good behavior or academic performance.
In past years, individual schools within the Mentor district earned the Stellar award. This is the first year Mentor Public Schools has earned the award at all its schools.
(10/29/2008) Middle school concert pick-up location changed
[ 10/29/2008 ]
Due to the presidential campaign rally happening at Mentor High School Thursday, the pick-up location for the middle school choir concert participants has been moved to the middle schools.
Students were originally scheduled to board the bus to their concert at the high school. Now, students should meet in the choir room of their respective schools at 5:45 p.m. Buses will depart at 6 p.m. and return to the middle schools between 8:45 p.m. and 9 p.m.
(10/22/2008) District says Bravo! to outstanding students and staff
[ 10/28/2008 ]
Every day in the Mentor Public Schools, countless individuals do their part to make this district an outstanding place to learn and work. It could be a student who overcomes adversity to improve his or her grades, or a teacher who leads the way in teaching fellow staff to use a new piece of software. These are the acts deserving of applause, and Mentor Schools is saying Bravo! to those who demonstrate a commitment to success.
Each month, Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes pays a surprise visit to these exemplary members of the Mentor Schools Community to say 'thank you' and deliver a $25 gift certificate, courtesy of Bravo! restaurant.
We are proud to recognize the following students and staff for the month of October:
Daniel Bailis, Grade 4, Rice Elementary School Andy Brock, Senior, Mentor High School Mike Guarino, Senior, Mentor High School Marissa Lauer, Grade 8, Shore Middle School Stephanie Ward, Teacher, Rice Elementary School Steve Poremba, Teacher, Mentor High School Marcy Woleben, Teacher, Shore Middle School
Recipients of the Outstanding Classified Employee Award for October are:
Fern Mance, Secretary, Rice Elementary School Rhonda Maurer, Classroom Assistant, Shore Middle School
MHS Senior Mike Guarino received a Bravo! Award for qualifying for the state golf tournament for four consecutive years.
Marching Band Director Steve Poremba received a Bravo! Award for the great new look and sound of the Fighting Cardinal Marching Band.
(10/28/2008) Football playoff tickets on sale now
[ 10/28/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals begin their race to the championship this Saturday, Nov. 1 versus Willoughby South High School at the Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium. Kickoff is at 7 p.m.
Tickets are available in the high school gym lobby today through Friday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tickets may also be purchased from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Wednesday, and from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, the day of the game.
All seating is general admission. Tickets are $7 in advance and $9 at the gate. Go Cards!
(10/22/2008) Parent - teacher conferences scheduled for November
[ 10/22/2008 ]
Fall parent - teacher conferences are scheduled as follows:
Elementary conferences will be held between Nov. 10 and Nov. 20. Each school will offer two dates for conferences. Click here to find the dates and times for your school.
Middle school conferences will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on both Thursday, Nov. 20 and Monday, Nov. 24.
Mentor High School conferences will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on both Wednesday, Nov. 19 and Monday, Nov. 24.
(10/22/2008) Web site outage planned for late Thursday, Oct. 23
[ 10/22/2008 ]
The Mentor Public Schools web site will be offline for several hours beginning at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 23.
This outage is necessary to allow server upgrades for more reliable web service. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
(10/21/2008) MHS Junior wins state tennis championship
[ 10/21/2008 ]
Mentor High School Junior Kara Sherwood is the first female in the school's history to win a state championship in any sport. Sherwood won the Division I state singles tennis championship on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Stickney Tennis Center in Columbus.
She defeated Perrysburg Senior Julia Metzger 6-2, 6-0 in the 33rd annual Ohio High School Athletic Association state tennis tournament.
Sherwood not only made school history with her victory, but is also the first Cleveland-area player since 1996 to win the big school state title, according to the The Plain Dealer.
The Mentor Public Schools community would like to congratulate Kara, her family and tennis Coach Joe Morgan on this historic accomplishment.
(10/15/2008) What is Issue 13?
[ 10/21/2008 ]
On Nov. 4, voters will decide on Issue 13 for the renewal of an operating levy that was first passed four years ago when Mentor Public Schools was in the midst of a fiscal crisis. This renewal is not a new tax. Some have asked, "If the crisis is over, why is this levy on the ballot?"
First, a little history. Prior to the crisis that began in 2002-2003, Mentor Public Schools went seven years without asking voters for additional funding. The average time between new levy requests for Ohio school districts is two to three years. During that same period the district made virtually no staffing cuts despite a steadily declining student enrollment. These decisions, both on the revenue and expenditure sides, resulted in a major budget shortfall and the ensuing fiscal crisis.
There are several lessons that were learned from this, and it is because of these lessons that you are seeing this levy up for renewal. The first lesson is that when expenditures begin to exceed revenue, it is time to go back on the ballot. This is inevitable with the way schools are funded in Ohio and House Bill 920, which does not allow levy revenue to increase with inflation or rising property values. Seventy-eight percent of our school district's budget is locally funded, and the state has not given Mentor additional funding since 2002. Our expenditures began exceeding revenues this year, leading the Board of Education to look at options for sustaining and increasing revenue.
The second lesson of the fiscal crisis is that we must reduce staffing with declining student enrollment. Since 2003 we have reduced our staff by more than 20 percent and took the difficult, yet necessary action of closing two schools while still maintaining reasonable class sizes.
With the prudent fiscal management of the last five years, our budget is not in immediate peril. But without sustaining our current revenue, our district will face a deficit in 2011-2012.
We are proud of the progress our district has made since the dark days of fiscal emergency. Our district has been rated Excellent by the Ohio Department of Education for four out of the last five years, and our students' test scores continue to climb.
Levy Facts Issue: 13 Millage: Currently collects at 7.19 mills Current yearly cost per $100,000 of home valuation: $220.19 Renewal length: Five years Yearly revenue for school district: $15,015,997
(10/20/2008) National Teen Driver Safety Week
[ 10/20/2008 ]
Last year 84 Ohio teen drivers were killed in automobile crashes, and more than 10,000 were injured. This week is a time to reflect on these tragic statistics and encourage our students to practice safe driving and riding.
In October of 2007, the U.S. Congress proclaimed the third week of October "National Teen Driver Safety Week." The theme of the inaugural year of this campaign is "Ride Like a Friend," and it focuses on raising awareness of how teen passengers can distract teen drivers and what they can do to be safer riders.
Research shows that a teen driver with one teen passenger in his or her car doubles the risk of a fatal accident. With three or more teen passengers, the risk of a fatal crash climbs to four or five times.
Being a safe rider means helping the teen driver focus on driving. Teen riders can ride like a friend by wearing a seat belt, not being a "backseat driver," avoiding loud cell phone conversations and not turning up the volume on the car stereo.
For more ways to drive and ride safe, visit www.ridelikeafriend.com.
(10/14/2008) Hopkins Elementary gets Passport to Play
[ 10/14/2008 ]
Pick any school playground in the United States and you're likely to see students playing traditional games like basketball, soccer and kickball. But what do students play in other parts of the world? That question was answered in a day of fun and learning for Hopkins Elementary School students who took part in the McDonald's "Passport to Play" on Tuesday, Oct. 14.
The idea behind the national program is to get kids moving with novel games while teaching them about other parts of the world.
Four colorful game stations were set up on the school's front lawn, each featuring a different game from a different country, with a giant inflated globe serving as the playground's hub. Third, fourth and fifth graders learned each of the games and fun facts about their respective nations while lively world music provided an energizing soundtrack.
At one station, students rapidly passed a volleyball between them playing the Dutch game korfball, a no-dribbling, no body-contact, no-backboard style of basketball invented in Holland in 1902. At the next station, students played a soccer- like game that dates back 3,500 years to the ancient Olmec civilization in Mexico. Called "tlatchtli," this fast-paced contest challenges players to kick the ball into a small circular hole about two feet off of the ground. From the land down under, students learned boomerang golf, pitching cloth disks into elevated "holes." In a Chinese version of Simon Says, students performed kung fu kicks and chops according to directions from the instructor.
Hopkins was one of only 50 schools across the country selected to participate in Passport to Play. The school was nominated by Mentor Avenue McDonalds manager Debbie Smith.
Students learn the Dutch game korfball at Hopkins' Passport to Play Day.
(10/14/2008) Two student athletes headed to state tournaments
[ 10/14/2008 ]
Junior Kara Sherwood and Senior Mike Guarino are off to Columbus this weekend to represent Mentor High in the OHSAA state tournaments. Mike will compete in his fourth consecutive state golf tournament. He was a captain of this years team and qualified out of the district tournament at Pine Hills in Brunswick.
Kara is competing in her third straight state tennis tournament. Kara finished second in the Oberlin District to qualify for the state tournament. We wish them both luck in the tournament. State tournament brackets and tee time information can be found at www.OHSAA.org.
(10/9/2008) Interim grades available online
[ 10/10/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools is pleased to introduce a new online feature that allows parents to better track their child's grades throughout a grading period.
Where the interim report offered only a mid-way snapshot of a student's grades, the new Open Gradebook feature in CardCampus allows parents to see their child's up-to-date grades at any time during the grading period.
Paper interim reports are no longer being mailed home. If you do not already have an active CardCampus account, please contact your child's school to receive an access code.
Once your account has been created, follow the steps below to access your child's grades:
1. Log in to the CardCampus Parent Portal via the Mentor Schools web site at www.mentorschools.org. 2. Select the schedule link in the index. 3. Select the class name for current assignments and scores. 4. Select the schedule link in the index and repeat step three to view other class assignments and scores.
Click here to go to the CardCampus Parent Portal now.
(10/8/2008) 2008 - 2009 OGT dates set
[ 10/8/2008 ]
The fall administration of the Ohio Graduation Tests (OGT) for juniors and seniors who have yet to pass one or more sections will begin the week of Oct. 27. Make-up testing for students unable to take the exams that week will take place the week of Nov. 3.
The spring administration of the OGT is scheduled for the week of March 16, with make-ups taking place the week of March 23.
(10/8/2008) Openings remain for Headlands preschool program
[ 10/8/2008 ]
Headlands Elementary School has openings in its morning and afternoon preschool programs.
Children must be at least three years old to enroll. Tuition is $100 per month. Parents may register at the school or in the student services office at the district administration building.
The following documentation is required for preschool registration: proof of residency (current gas or electric bill), $100 check made payable to Mentor Schools, and a completed registration form. Other forms may also be required as the student is enrolled and will be provided at the time of registration.
For more information on Mentor Schools' preschool program, please contact Christine Miley at (440) 974-5245.
(10/6/2008) Lake Elementary student treated for MRSA
[ 10/6/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools received notification on Sunday morning that a student at Lake Elementary School was treated for MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant form of staph infection.
The school was sanitized by custodians on Sunday. Disinfected areas of the school include the gym, media center, tech lab, music room, lunch tables, door handles, bathrooms, chairs and desks - any surface that could potentially harbor bacteria. This was done as a precautionary measure. There is no indication that this student contracted the infection at school.
A letter is being sent home to all Lake Elementary parents this afternoon to notify them of the infection.
Since the initial MRSA report on Sept. 17, the district has stepped up sanitizing procedures in every school building and on buses with special attention being paid to athletic facilities and any surfaces that may come into contact with skin such as desks and door handles. Thorough and regular cleaning of these surfaces is standard practice in our district, but we have increased the frequency and thoroughness of the cleaning in light of the infections. This is being done as a precautionary measure.
As the district continues its aggressive approach to preventing the possible spread of staph infections, we also encourage parents and students to take extra care with regular hand washing and cleaning of athletic equipment and clothing.
Most staph skin infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:
- Red - Swollen - Painful - Warm to the touch - Full of pus or other drainage - Accompanied by fever
If your child is displaying the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention, particularly if a fever is present.
All students should not share any personal items that may contact the skin. These include towels, razors, t-shirts, wristbands, etc.
For more information on MRSA, please click here for a fact sheet from the county health district or visit one of these sites:
Lake County General Health District MRSA Info U.S. Centers for Disease Control MRSA Info
(10/3/2008) Board of Education appoints library trustee
[ 10/6/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has appointed Harry G. Fishleigh III to the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees.
Fishleigh was appointed at a special board of education meeting Friday, Oct. 3. He fills a vacancy on the board left by the resignation of Trustee Sharon Mackey, whose unexpired term runs through Dec. 31, 2010.
Fishleigh was one of five candidates interviewed by the school board in June prior to the appointment of Trustee Amy P. Frank.
He is currently an outside sales representative for 84 Lumber in Painesville and has served on the Mentor Planning Commission since 1992, currently as its chairman. He also served for 20 years on the Lake County Historical Society Board of Trustees.
Fishleigh earned a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, and a master of business administration degree from Lake Erie College.
He is a lifelong Mentor resident.
(10/1/2008) Homecoming Court and parade information
[ 10/1/2008 ]
Congratulations to the 2008 Mentor High School Homecoming Court:
Katie Manilla Dana Petro Erica Naftanail Courtney Leaf Abby Erinc Danielle Hagey Lexi Gardner Heather Janda Rachel Kobelt Margo Laseak
Click here for more information about the court.
Parade Info
The 2008 Mentor Homecoming Parade steps off at 6 p.m. Friday in the south lot of the high school. The parade will follow this route:
Left onto Center Street Right onto Mentorwoord Right onto Edwards Right onto Fairfax Left onto Center Street Right into MHS parking lot
The Homecoming football game begins at 7:30 p.m. versus Shaker Heights High School at the Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium. Please join us in celebrating our Mentor Schools community and alumni!
(9/30/2008) Board of Education to meet Friday, Oct. 3
[ 9/30/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. Friday, Oct. 3 at the district administration building.
The purpose of the meeting is to declare urgent necessity for repairs in the Mentor Board of Education board room, to appoint a Mentor Public Library trustee and to consider any other business that may be brought before the board.
The district administration building is located behind Mentor High School at 6451 Center Street.
(9/30/2008) District announces emergency hotlines
[ 9/30/2008 ]
In order to better communicate with parents during power outages, Mentor Public Schools is setting up six hotlines that will offer recorded emergency school closing information. While the district will continue to post closing information on its web site along with notifying local TV and radio stations, power outages may make checking these outlets impossible for parents.
Our hotlines will remain operational via generator backup even if power is cut to our telephone switchboard.
All six lines are accessed via our main switchboard number at (440) 255-4444.
(9/25/2008) Watch "We Are Mentor Schools" video online
[ 9/25/2008 ]
In 2007, Mentor Public Schools adopted the "Take Flight!" theme to highlight the historical changes happening in our district. From transitioning to a four-year high school / middle school model to the introduction of all-day kindergarten, each one of our students, staff and community members is a part of this unique chapter in Mentor Schools' history.
In May, we produced a video called "We Are Mentor Schools," giving students and staff throughout the district an opportunity to share their pride with our community.
The video is now airing on Channel 96 in Mentor, Channel 22 in Mentor-on-the-Lake, and Channel 21 in Concord, and can be viewed by clicking the link below.
Click here to watch "We Are Mentor Schools" now.
(9/24/2008) Sterling Morton celebrates week of PRIDE
[ 9/24/2008 ]
Sterling Morton Elementary school is full of PRIDE - perseverance, respect, integrity, diversity and excellence. And this week, the school is celebrating with activities to promote good character among students.
The kick-off happened last Friday starting with a colorful display of 'Pinwheels for Peace' planted by students in front of the school. Then students gathered in the gym for their first PRIDE assembly of the year. Two Mentor High School students, a soccer player and football player, symbolically kicked off the school event.
Each day this week, students took part in activities representing a positive message relating to the school's PRIDE mission. For example, Thursday is 'Turn Your Back on Bullying Day,' where students are encouraged to wear their shirts backwards.
Students plant Pinwheels for Peace as part of the school's kick-off for 'PRIDE Shines Bully-Free Week."
Sterling Morton staff help generate excitement for the school's PRIDE week kick-off.
(9/24/2008) Shore student treated for MRSA
[ 9/24/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools received notification Wednesday morning that a student at Shore Middle School has been treated for MRSA. While this is the third case reported in our district, each of the three cases appears to be isolated.
Since the initial MRSA report on Sept. 17, the district has stepped up sanitizing procedures in every school building and on buses with special attention being paid to athletic facilities and any surfaces that may come into contact with skin such as desks and door handles. Thorough and regular cleaning of these surfaces is standard practice in our district, but we have increased the frequency and thouroughness of the cleaning in light of the infections. This is being done as a precautionary measure.
As the district continues its aggressive approach to preventing the possible spread of staph infections, we also encourage parents and students to take extra care with regular hand washing and cleaning of athletic equipment and clothing.
Most staph skin infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:
- Red - Swollen - Painful - Warm to the touch - Full of pus or other drainage - Accompanied by fever
If your child is displaying the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek immediate medical attention, particularly if a fever is present.
All students should not share any personal items that may contact the skin. These include towels, razors, t-shirts, wristbands, etc.
For more information on MRSA, please click here for a fact sheet from the county health district or visit one of these sites:
Lake County General Health District MRSA Info U.S. Centers for Disease Control MRSA Info
(9/23/2008) District tracks MRSA / staph rumors
[ 9/23/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools continues to follow up on all leads and rumors regarding potential staph and MRSA infections in our schools. Several unsubstantiated rumors have been circulating in addition to the two confirmed cases of MRSA at the high school.
As of Tuesday afternoon we have not received notification of a confirmed MRSA infection other than at the high school. If we receive additional information, it will be posted on our web site.
(9/22/2008) Second high school student diagnosed with MRSA
[ 9/22/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools received notification Monday of a second Mentor High School student with a confirmed case of MRSA, the potentially dangerous strain of staph infection.
The student, a senior, has not attended school since Sept. 17 and there is no indication that this student had any contact with a freshman diagnosed with MRSA two weeks ago.
The Lake County Health Department was notified of the infection and recommended that school remain open. We continue to follow health department guidelines for sanitizing surfaces in the high school that may harbor the bacteria. This additional precautionary cleaning took place over the weekend and will happen again tonight.
All district parents were notified by letter of this infection today as a precaution. However, some high school students who are dismissed prior to 15 - 16 may not have received the letter.
We continue to encourage all students and staff to wash their hands regularly and thoroughly to prevent the spread of all germs, including MRSA.
Most staph skin infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:
- Red - Swollen - Painful - Warm to the touch - Full of pus or other drainage - Accompanied by a fever
If your child is displaying the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek medical attention, particularly if a fever is present.
We will continue to update parents with new information as we receive it by letter and on this web site.
(9/19/2008) Board of Education to hold special meeting Monday
[ 9/19/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 7:30 a.m. Monday, Sept. 22 at the district administration building. The purpose of the meeting is to approve classified compensation and consider any other business that may be brought before the board.
The district administration building is located at 6451 Center Street.
(9/18/2008) Volleyball team invites you to "Volley for the Cure"
[ 9/18/2008 ]
The Mentor High School volleyball team invites you to "Volley for the Cure," a special match to increase breast cancer awareness and raise funds for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.
The match versus Padua starts at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 8 at the high school.
Fans are encouraged to "pack the stands with pink" to support the girls and the broader effort in the fight against breast cancer. Numerous special events will be held during the match, making this a memorable and meaningful event you won't want to miss.
(9/17/2008) Freshman student diagnosed with MRSA
[ 9/17/2008 ]
A female Mentor High School freshman has been diagnosed with MRSA, a resistant strain of staph infection. Mentor Public Schools was notified of the infection Wednesday afternoon and immediately began precautionary measures recommended by the Lake County General Health District to sanitize our athletic facilities. MRSA infections are spread primarily by skin- to-skin contact, but may also be contracted by direct contact with surfaces or personal items that harbor the bacteria. Desks, door handles and other surfaces throughout the high school are also being sanitized Wednesday evening.
We encourage parents and students to take extra care with regular hand washing and cleaning of athletic equipment and clothing.
It is important to note that at this time it appears that this is an isolated case of MRSA, as no other players who have come in contact with this student are exhibiting symptoms. The student has not participated in athletics since last week and will not be returning to school until medical treatment is complete.
Most staph skin infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:
- Red - Swollen - Painful - Warm to the touch - Full of pus or other drainage - Accompanied by a fever
If your child is displaying the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek medical attention, particularly if a fever is present.
All students should take extra caution to avoid sharing any personal items that may contact the skin. These include towels, razors, t-shirts, wristbands, etc.
For more information on MRSA, please click here for a fact sheet from the county health district or visit one of these sites:
Lake County General Health District MRSA Info U.S. Centers for Disease Control MRSA Info
(9/17/2008) District recognizes Constitution Day
[ 9/17/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools is pleased to take part in the national celebration of Constitution Day, marking the 221st anniversary of the signing of the Constitution.
At Mentor High School, students were reminded of the importance of Sept. 17 by Social Studies Teacher Steve Couch, who gave a short presentation on the document and its influence in shaping the country.
To view images of the original Constitution and read its full text, visit The National Archives web site.
(9/15/2008) October Board of Education meeting to be held at Fairfax Elementary
[ 9/15/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold its regular monthly business meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 14 at Fairfax Elementary School.
The school is located at 6465 Curtiss Court.
(9/10/2008) District responds to potential staph infections
[ 9/15/2008 ]
Several varsity football players have displayed symptoms consistent with staph infection. All players were screened for staph symptoms by a doctor on Tuesday, Sept. 9, which yielded a total of eight players, all varsity defensive linemen, who have marks or lesions that may indicate the presence of an infection. These players were prescribed antibiotics.
Culture samples were taken from two players to determine whether a staph infection is present and, if so, whether it is the more common type which is easily treated with antibiotics (MSSA) or the resistant strain (MRSA). This sampling method is standard practice for the county health department in determining the nature of an infection among a larger group.
As of Wednesday afternoon, we do not yet have lab results indicating any confirmed staph infection among our players. However, the district is thoroughly sanitizing all athletic facilities and locker areas which may harbor the bacteria as a precautionary measure.
Players with a conventional staph infection are still eligible to participate in practices and games as long as any cuts are properly treated and wrapped. Any player with the resistant staph strain MRSA is not eligible to participate.
Most staph skin infections, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, appear as a bump or infected area on the skin that may be:
* Red * Swollen * Painful * Warm to the touch * Full of pus or other drainage * Accompanied by a fever
If your child is displaying the above symptoms, it is recommended that you seek medical attention, particularly if a fever is present.
While symptoms of staph infection have not been found among teams other than the varsity football team, all student athletes should take extra caution to avoid sharing any personal items that may contact the skin. These include towels, razors, t-shirts, wristbands, etc.
For up-to-the-minute information, please continue to check www.mentorschools.org.
*** SCHOOL CLOSINGS FOR SEPT. 15 ***
[ 9/15/2008 ]
Mentor High School, Ridge Middle School, Headlands Elementary and Lake Elementary are closed Monday, Sept. 15 due to power outages.
(9/15/2008) Athletic cancellations for Monday, Sept. 15
[ 9/15/2008 ]
The following athletic events and practices are canceled Monday, Sept. 15 due to power outages:
All high school volleyball practices and freshman volleyball game JV girls soccer match at West Geauga High School All 7th and 8th grade athletics for Ridge Middle School
Please continue to check this web site for updates on school closures and event cancellations.
(9/15/2008) Elementary Instrumental Recruitment Night canceled
[ 9/15/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools' annual Elementary Instrumental Recruitment Night has been canceled due to the high school power outage. The event will be rescheduled and posted on our web site.
(9/15/2008) Lab tests confirm staph infections not MRSA
[ 9/15/2008 ]
Lab tests of cultures taken from several Mentor High School football players have confirmed the presence of conventional staph infections, not the more dangerous MRSA strain.
Players with suspected infections were placed on antibiotics last week and are no longer contagious. Since the initial discovery of eight players with possible staph infections, we have had no other players showing symptoms.
Mentor Schools has twice sterilized the locker room used by players with the infection along with the weight room and football field.
(9/11/2008) Staph lab test indicates no MRSA among football players
[ 9/11/2008 ]
The first of two lab tests of potential staph infections among Mentor High School football players showed no evidence of MRSA, the more dangerous strain of staph.
Two separate labs are conducting tests on cultures sampled from varsity football players this week. The second lab result was not available Thursday, but we will post the results here as soon as they are available.
(9/10/2008) Revised Meet the Teacher Night schedule posted
[ 9/10/2008 ]
Memorial Middle School has rescheduled its Meet the Teacher Night from Sept. 17 to Tuesday, Sept. 30 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. All other Meet the Teacher Nights will take place as previously scheduled.
Click here for a complete schedule of all Meet the Teacher Nights.
(9/10/2008) District to observe Patriot Day with flags at half-staff
[ 9/10/2008 ]
On Thursday, Mentor Public Schools will observe Patriot Day, the national day of rememberance honoring the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
All district flags will be flown at half-staff, and students and staff will observe a moment of silence.
(9/9/2008) Citizens Financial Advisory Committee to meet Oct. 7
[ 9/9/2008 ]
The Mentor Schools Citizens Financial Advisory Committee will meet at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 7 at the district administration building.
The purpose of the meeting is to review fiscal projections for fiscal years 2008-2009 through 2012-2013.
The administration building is located at 6451 Center Street.
(09/03/08) Board of Education meeting moved to 5 p.m. Sept. 9
[ 9/3/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education meeting at Mentor High School's newly renovated iWing has been changed to 5 p.m. on Sept. 9.
There will be a ribbon cutting and a grand-opening of the Mentor High School's iWing with the regular Board of Education meeting scheduled to commence at approximately 7 p.m.
(09/03/08) Mentor High School reveals new courtyard
[ 9/3/2008 ]
Members of Mentor High Student Government and Mentor School District administrators were on hand Wednesday morning as the high school revealed its newly renovated courtyard.
The courtyard features five brand new red picnic tables equipped with umbrellas, new plants and a new children's area.
The courtyard was planned by the student government and many of the district's administrators.
The courtyard entrance door is closed off before the 10 a.m. ribbon cutting to reveal the new renovations.
Mentor High School principal Joe Spiccia introduces Cory Kozlovich, president of Mentor High Student Government, right before the ribbon cutting.
Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline A. Hoynes had the task of snapping the ribbon with the large gold scissors during the ribbon cutting. Members of the Student Government stand by to witness the celebration.
Task completed as Dr. Hoynes finalizes the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Mentor High School students enjoy lunch out in the courtyard.
A wide shot of the courtyard.
A wide shot of the courtyard. The white fenced in area in the top right corner is the new children's area with a small-sized picnic table.
(09/02/08) Back to school photos
[ 9/2/2008 ]
Memorial Middle School's sixth and seventh graders experienced the challenge of opening their lockers for the first time ever. Also on each student's locker was an Anti-Bullying sticker.
Memorial Middle School staff members gather around wearing the same Mentor Cardinal red shirt. All staff members at the school wore matching shirts for the first day.
Food Service staff members at Memorial Middle School prepare lunch for the first day of school.
Mentor High ninth and tenth graders walk down the newly renovated iWing hallway for the first time. Sept. 2 marked the first time in the district's history that the high school included ninth graders.
Mentor High ninth and tenth graders eat lunch for the first time during the first day of school in the Cardinal Cafe.
(08/25/08) Meet the Teacher night scheduled for all schools
[ 8/28/2008 ]
MEET THE TEACHER NIGHT 2008-2009 SCHOOL YEAR
Building Date Grade Time
Bellflower September 10 1,3,5 7:00-8:00 p.m. September 11 K 6:30-7:15 p.m. September 11 2&4 7:30-8:15 p.m.
Brentmoor September 9 1-2 6:30-7:30 p.m. September 10 3-5 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Fairfax September 9 K-5 6:30-7:30 p.m.
Garfield September 9 1-2 7:00-8:00 p.m. September 10 3-5 7:00-8:00 p.m.
Headlands September 11 K-5 Olweus Kick-Off 6:30 p.m.
Hopkins September 3 1&4 6:00 p.m. September 3 5 6:45 p.m. September 4 K&3 6:00 p.m. September 4 2 . 6:45 p.m.
Lake August 28 K-5 6:00-7:30 p.m.
Sterling Morton September 3 4&5 7:00-8:00 p.m. September 4 1-3 7:00-8:00 p.m. September 10 K 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Orchard Hollow August 28 1-5 5:00-7:30 p.m.
Rice September 10 K-2 6:30-7:15 p.m. September 10 3-5 7:30-8:15 p.m.
Memorial Middle September 17 6-8 7:00-900 p.m.
Ridge Middle September 18 6-8 7:00-8:30 p.m.
Shore Middle September 17 6-8 6:30-8:30 p.m.
Mentor High September 16 9-12 7:00-9:00 p.m.
(08/26/08) Mentor Public Schools rated "Excellent" for third straight year
[ 8/26/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools has once again earned top marks from the Ohio Department of Education for the 2007- 2008 school year. This is the third consecutive "Excellent" rating earned by the district and the fourth "Excellent" rating earned by the district in the last five years.
The local report card evaluates school districts on 30 indicators - most of which measure the percentage of students scoring at or above proficient on the state assessments. For the 2007-2008 school year, Mentor Schools met 29 out of 30 indicators as a district.
Also for the second straight year, Mentor met the challenging federally-mandated standard known as Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP). AYP measures reading and math performance for sub-groups including disabled, economically disadvantaged and limited English proficient students. Meeting AYP is a clear sign that a district is meeting its goal of educating all students.
Lastly, the district was also above value-added, which is a new formula the state uses to measure how each student has progressed in the course of one school year. In order to be above value-added, students must make better-than-expected progress from one year to the next.
All of the individual school buildings within the district received either an "Excellent" or "Effective" rating.
"I am extremely proud of our districts achievement," said Dr. Jacqueline A. Hoynes, Superintendent of Mentor Schools. "This is a direct result of the hard work put in by staff members, and students as well as support from our parents and the entire community."
To view the 2007-2008 Mentor School District Repord Card, click the link below:
http://www.ode.state.oh.us/reportcardfiles/2007-2008/DIST/045492.pdf
(08/25/08) Citizens Financial Advisory Committee to meet Sept. 2
[ 8/25/2008 ]
Please be advised of a meeting of the Citizens Financial Advisory Committe to be held at the Helen H. "Sue" Osborn Administration Building, 6451 Center St., Mentor, Ohio 44060 on Sept. 2 at 5:30 p.m.
The purpose of the meeting is to review the 2008-2009 Permanent Appropriations.
(08/25/08) Mentor Football tickets for Thursday's game go on sale Tuesday
[ 8/25/2008 ]
Tickets for Thursday night's football game at Strongsville will go on sale Tuesday at 8 a.m. in the Athletic Office located in Mentor High School.
The game is at 7 p.m.
Tickets will be on sale from 8 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Adult tickets are $6.00 and student tickets are $3.00
(08/25/08) We Care applications now posted online
[ 8/25/2008 ]
The We Care applications are now posted online in the Summer Central section of the Mentor Schools Web site.
With the large number of single parent families and families in which both parents must work outside the home, many elementary-age children return home from school to an empty house. The We Care Program can meet the needs of these children and their parents. The program is designed to provide a safe, wholesome and supervised environment for children in grades kindergarten through five from the time school is dismissed until 6:00 p.m. http://www.mentorschools.org/Summer.aspx#care
(08/18/2008) Bus routes are now posted online
[ 8/21/2008 ]
Bus routes for all Mentor schools are currently posted on Card Campus. Parents who do not have access to Card Campus may visit their child's school to view the bus routes.
Routes were posted at each of the schools on Aug. 19.
(08/21/08) District staff members awarded during Board of Education meeting
[ 8/21/2008 ]
Ten staff members within the district were recognized for their excellence in teaching and outstanding service during the 2007-2008 school year.
The staff members were given awards and certificates at Tuesday night's Mentor Board of Education meeting.
The following six were recipients for the 2008 Excellence in Teaching Awards:
Nancy Chase, Mentor High School teacher, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Chase creates an environment that is tolerant, safe and focused on learning. Students trust and respect Chase and because of the positive relationship she builds with students, they perform well and are successful.
Stephanie Nowak, 3rd grade teacher at Rice Elementary School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Nowak has served in the district for 14 years and in that time has been an industrious grant writer, a consultant for colleagues in her own school and district-wide, an advocate for curricular alignment and someone who is on the cutting edge of technology.
Marcia Clark, 1st grade teacher at Brentmoor Elementary School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Clark is well known for fostering a climate of respect, high expectations and perseverance with her students. She has written grants, served as a mentor to beginning teachers, served on numerous district committees and has earned an award for perfect attendance.
Kathryn Wahlgren (middle), school nurse at Hopkins Elementary School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw and Hopkins Elementary School Principal Linda Elegante. While medical care is the common expectation in the nurses role, Wahlgren provides so much more to her school community. Besides from managing school clinic, she is visible in the classrooms, the cafeteria, students homes and throughout the city.
Laura Frase, 7th grade Science teacher at Memorial Middle School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Frase has helped numerous students develop a love for science through her classroom enthusiasm and innovative ideas. Many hands-on and visual strategies are used to make science come to live for her students, including the use of technology. She also received the Lubrizol Award for Lake County Science Teacher of the Year.
Marcia Gatz (right), Ridge Middle School teacher, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw and Ridge Middle School Principal, Megan Kinsey (left). Gatz has been in the district for 22 years and is a special education teacher for orthopedically challenged students. She has also been an advocate for her students by working diligently to ensure they can experience maximum participating in physical education, family consumer science, healthy, technology and art.
The following four were recipients of the 2008 Outstanding Service Award:
Michele Doll, secretary at Ridge Middle School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Doll is an employee who is a take charge individual and has exemplary technology skills and is more than willing to help her colleagues in need. She strives to make each persons office visit productive and positive as she maintains her composure in the busiest of times and is ready to lend a hand to all.
Gail Heyduk, secretary at Memorial Middle School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Heyduck is entering her 23rd year with the district and works well in a controlled but flexible manner. According to her colleagues, her work ethic is beyond reproach and she is well respected by all stakeholders due to the rapport she has built throughout her years within the district.
Sue Karlovec, office aide at Hopkins Elementary School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Karlovec is also entering her 23rd year with the district. Her past experience includes being a kindergarten aide, a playground supervisor and a We Care staff member just to name a few. She also serves on many extra-curricular teams at her building.
Catherine Koval, classroom assistant at Headlands Elementary School, receives her award from Board of Education member, William Shaw. Koval is a very enthusiastic individual and a nurturing listener with a gracious smile. She is recognized for her expertise, honesty, work ethic and compassion that is delivered with humor.
(08/20/2008) District welcomes six new staff members during Board of Education Meeting
[ 8/20/2008 ]
Mentor Board of Education approved the hire of six new staff members that will join the Mentor School District for the 2008-2009 school year.
The new staff members are as follows:
Jennifer Bakula, Headlands Intervention Specialist Michelle Bennett, Gifted District Wide Susan Gorjup, Garfield Math and Science Teacher Carolyn Fisher, Mentor High Math Teacher Jennifer Hurzog, Guidance Counselor for Brentmoor, Bellflower, Rice and Ridge Katie Mills, Shore Intervention Specialist
Congratulations and good luck as you will all play an integral part as we Take Flight! to the 21st Century and beyond.
Mills, far left, Huzog, 2nd to left, Gorjup, 3rd to left, Fisher, 3rd to right, Bennett to right, Bakula, far right
(08/12/2008) Six Mentor High School students to participate in Back-to-School Fashion Show
[ 8/12/2008 ]
Mentor residents are encouraged to vote for each of the six students participating in the Third Annual Thats Hot! Back-to- School Fashion Show at the Great Lakes Mall in Mentor on Aug. 23.
The students participating will not only get the chance to work the runway, but they also get the chance to win money for Mentor High School as well as a prize pack valued at more than $1,000.
Twenty-nine students total will be participating in the event and will have a photo session with Ellie Vayo Photography and have their photo on display at the mall near JC Penney until Aug. 22. Friends, family members and students are encouraged to cast votes for their favorite model at the on-site photo display. Each vote is $1 and ballot stuffing is allowed.
The model with the most money raised will win a grand prize of a $500 Great Lakes Mall Back-to-School shopping spree and a professional portfolio by Ellie Vayo Photography. In addition, the winning students high school will receive 75 percent of the total money raised, with the other 25 percent donated to the Simon Youth Foundation, which provides scholarship opportunities to area students.
The winner will be announced during the fashion show on Aug. 23.
The six Mentor High School students participating in the event include: Emily Hoffman, Sr., Erica Naftanail, Sr., Jessie Perry, Jr., Kelcey Music, Sr., Mackenzie Frank, Sr., and Uxmal Iniguez, Sr.
(7/30/2008) Mentor Schools calendars to be mailed July 31
[ 7/30/2008 ]
Mentor Schools' full-color wall calendars will be mailed to all district families on July 31. Mailing of the calendars was delayed due to a technical issue.
The calendar features a Take Flight! theme, coinciding with our district's transition to the middle school / four-year high school model; the introduction of all-day kindergarten; and the renovation of the high school iWing.
We would like to thank all our calendar sponsors for their advertising support, which makes producing the calendar possible.
Below is an image of the Take Flight! calendar cover, which should be arriving in your mailbox in the next few days:
(7/30/2008) Mentor Schools bus routes to be posted Aug. 19
[ 7/30/2008 ]
Mentor Schools bus routes will be posted online on Aug. 19. They will no longer be mailed to students' homes as has been done in the past in order to reduce printing and mailing costs.
Routes will also be posted at all schools on the same date.
For more information contact the transportation department at (440) 974-5260.
(7/29/2008) Door to door solicitation not affiliated with Mentor Schools
[ 7/29/2008 ]
Mentor Schools has received reports about a male approaching residences in the Mentor area asking to speak with students who will be attending Mentor High School regarding homework assignments.
Mentor Schools is in no way affiliated with this individual or group. If you observe any suspicious activity in your neighborhood please contact the Mentor Police Department (440) 255-1234.
(7/21/2008) High school parent/student orientation set for Aug. 25
[ 7/21/2008 ]
The start of Mentor High School's Take Flight! school year is just more than a month away. Incoming freshman and sophomore students and their parents are invited to an orientation program scheduled for 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25 at the high school Fine Arts Center.
For more information, contact the high school at 974-5300.
(7/18/2008) Players visit member of Mentor's 1933 football team at Kemper House
[ 7/18/2008 ]
When Joe Shandle played football for Mentor High School in 1933, there was no stadium, no video score board, and the helmets were made of leather. But just like today, there was a feeling of being part of something great - a championship team.
Shandle, now a resident at Kemper House in Mentor, played defensive end for the Cardinals in a legendary season with no losses and only two touchdowns scored against them all season long. The memory of that achievement has remained strong with him for 75 years.
Through Hospice of the Western Reserve's Life Enrichment program, Shandle, 93, recently asked to visit with MHS head football coach Steve Trivisonno and some players from the 2008 - 2009 team.
Trivisonno and team members Nick Koshiol, Timothy Moore, Ben Pike and Adam Watson spent time with Shandle on Thursday, bringing Mentor Football shirts and medals and sharing stories from the gridiron.
They swapped stories bridging the gap between teams separated by nearly a century. Shandle offered words of encouragement and even a few tips from his own coach, Ed Masonbrink, telling the players to give their best at earning a state title this season.
Mentor Schools would like to thank Hospice of the Western Reserve for the opportunity to be a part of such a special event.
(7/17/2008) Board of Education approves administrative hires for 2008 - 2009
[ 7/17/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education approved the hiring of several new central office administrators at its regular meeting Tuesday.
Joining the administrative team as director of student services is Margaret Watson. Watson has worked as principal of the Thomas Jefferson Magnet School in Euclid since 2000. Prior to her administrative work, she taught at the elementary level for 15 years.
William Porter was hired as the new director of K-8 education. Porter comes to Mentor Schools with 12 years of public school administration experience, most recently with Willoughby-Eastlake City Schools. There, he served as principal of Willoughby Middle School from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that he held positions in the Wickliffe City School District as assistant principal and principal of Wickliffe Middle School.
Shore Junior High Assistant Principal Christl Wolf was hired to serve as the new Unit 9 principal at Mentor High School.
Dr. Kevin Guynn will now serve as coordinator of special education for the district.
The Mentor Schools community would like to welcome our new and transitioning staff members and we look forward to working with you in our Take Flight! year and beyond.
(7/17/2008) Revised high school schedule pick-up dates posted
[ 7/17/2008 ]
Mentor High School students may pick up their schedules for the 2008 - 2009 school year on the following dates:
Juniors/Seniors: Aug. 22 and Aug. 25 from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Freshmen: Aug. 26 (at orientation, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
Sophomores: Aug. 27 (at orientation, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.)
Evening schedule pick-up for all MHS students is set for 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28.
Freshman and sophomore parent/student orientation is scheduled for 7 p.m. Aug. 25 at the MHS Fine Arts Center.
For more information, please call the district administration building at 255-4444.
(7/17/2008) District to seek levy renewal on Nov. 4
[ 7/17/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will ask voters in the school district to renew an existing operating levy for five years on the Nov. 4 ballot.
Initially passed in 2004 at 7.9 mills, the purpose of the renewal is to avoid an operating deficit. If passed, the levy would continue to yield $15 million dollars per year for the district with no tax increase to residents.
Funds from the levy are used for all aspects of the district's daily operations, from teacher salaries to technology and supplies.
The school board voted 5 - 0 to certify the renewal request to the Lake County Elections Board at its regular meeting on July 15.
The decision to seek the renewal came after a series of levy work sessions were conducted by the board in 2007 and 2008.
(7/9/2008) July 15th Board meeting time rescheduled
[ 7/9/2008 ]
The regular meeting of the Mentor Board of Education scheduled for July 15th will begin at 5:30 p.m. The Board will conduct a work session to discuss athletics, followed by its regular meeting to commence at approximately 7 p.m.
The meeting will be held at the district administration building at 6451 Center St.
(7/9/2008) Fall sports tickets on sale July 29th
[ 7/9/2008 ]
Get ready for the start of the fall 2008 Mentor High School athletic season with season tickets and all-sports passes. Tickets and passes will be on sale from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. weekdays at the high school athletic office starting Tuesday, July 29.
Prior football season ticket holders will be able to renew their former seats for the 2008 season through Aug. 4.
In addition to individual sport season tickets, you may purchase an all-sports pass good for admission to all home athletic events throughout the school year. All-sports passes are $25 for students and $100 for non-students.
Season tickets and passes may also be ordered by mail. Simply click on the link below to view and print the ticket order form and return to the MHS athletic office with payment.
Go Cards!
SEASON TICKET / PASS ORDER FORM
(7/8/2008) Central office changes offer new opportunities
[ 7/8/2008 ]
The start of the 2008 2009 school year will bring several new faces to Mentor Public Schools' central office administrative team.
Business Operations Director Ron Bivens and IT Supervisor Butch Woodburn retired this summer after decades of distinguished public service in and out of Mentor Schools. Taking the helm of the business operations department is Diana Zarlenga, who has worked in that department for five years, most recently as supervisor of building services.
Tracy Coleman, director of secondary education, and her elementary counterpart Robert Haag, are heading back to the classroom in September. Both have accepted teaching positions at the high school to allow them to spend more time with their young children while remaining a vital part of Mentor Public Schools.
While these changes are a loss for our administrative team both professionally and personally, they also offer an opportunity for fresh perspectives and a cost-saving reorganization of our central office.
The district has eliminated the director of secondary education position, with high school Principal Joe Spiccia now serving directly on the district administrative team. To provide better continuity among our newly reorganized schools, the elementary director position has been changed to encompass grades K through 8.
We are now in the process of thoroughly evaluating candidates for each open position and expect to have recommendations for approval by the board of education at their July 15 meeting.
On behalf of the Mentor Schools Community, we would like to wish our departing administrators much success in their new endeavors.
(7/3/2008) Test results to be mailed
[ 7/3/2008 ]
The 2008 Ohio Achievement Test results for grades 3 through 8 will be mailed home the week of July 7, 2008. Along with the state achievement tests, parents will receive social studies and science Terra Nova results for grades 3, 4, 6, and 7. Grade 2 Inview / Terra Nova and Grade 9 Terra Nova results will also be mailed at this time. If you have any questions about your child's test results, please contact the principal of the school your child attends.
(6/27/2008) Air Force Captain donates flag to Mentor Schools
[ 6/27/2008 ]
Capt. Daniel J. Watson is an Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, or military lawyer, for the United States Air Force. Capt. Watson attended Mentor Schools from first grade through his graduation in 1991. And while his work has taken him far from our district, he has kept his experience in Mentor Schools close to his heart.
Capt. Watson was called to Baghdad, Iraq in September 2007 to serve as a Rule of Law attorney and military liaison to the Office of the Rule of Law Coordinator at the U.S. Embassy. His work involved coordinating with the Iraqi Judicial Branch, the Iraqi Ministries of Interior and Justice and the international rule of law community to help build or rebuild aspects of a working legal system essential to the fledgling democracy.
He assisted in securing funding to establish the first legal defense clinic in Iraq at the Rusafa Rule of Law Complex. This legal defense clinic, endorsed and supported by Ambassador Ryan Crocker, is set to be replicated throughout the country. He also personally met with high level Iraqi ministers, coalition partners and various U.S. Government agencies in order to raise awareness for the need to bring stability and certainty to the Iraqi real estate registration system. For these and other accomplishments, Capt. Watson received the Defense Meritorious Service Medal during his six-month deployment in Iraq.
While working in the green zone, Capt. Watson was able to fly several flags over the U.S. Embassy to honor people and institutions that have had an important impact on his life. Mentor Public Schools is one of those institutions.
On February 21, 2008, Capt. Watson raised a flag in honor of Mentor Public Schools.
'I attended a school within the Mentor School system from 1st through 12th grade (Sterling Morton, Shore, Memorial, and eventually Mentor High). Although I was not always the student that I could have been with more effort, I found out later in life that I learned more from the Mentor Public School system than I realized at the time.'
'There were a number of teachers who believed in me when I lacked focus and didn't necessarily believe in myself. Their words may not have had an immediate impact on me, but the seeds of wisdom and guidance provided me with direction in future years. It is this delayed impact of the teaching profession that may be most frustrating as teachers do not always get to see the positive contributions they are making to the profession and society. However, I am here to tell you that it was the teachers that went out of their way to help the apparently apathetic kid - who made a difference with me. It is in the spirit of appreciation and gratitude that I make this small expression of thanks.'
Capt. Watson returned home in March to Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii where he resides with his wife Heather, and sons Samuel and Benjamin.
Board of Education Vice President William Shaw accepted the flag on behalf of the district at the board's June meeting. Lake Elementary School Principal Mike Lynch has agreed to display the flag in his school along with the memorial to Army Corporal Joshua Harmon, who lost his life serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The Mentor Schools Community would like to thank Capt. Watson for his distinguished service to our nation and for remembering our district.
Capt. Daniel J. Watson, USAF, MHS Class of 1991
(6/26/2008) Board of Education appoints library trustee
[ 6/26/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has appointed Amy P. Frank to the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees.
Frank was appointed in a 5 - 0 vote at a special school board meeting on Wednesday, June 25. She fills a vacancy left by the resignation of Mario Mulig, whose term runs through Dec. 31, 2013.
Frank was one of five candidates interviewed by the school board for the trustee position.
She is currently the manager of the Continuous Improvement Program Office for Swagelok Company in Solon. Her involvement in the community includes serving as a tour guide at Holden Arboretum and as a Big Sister for Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Northeast Ohio.
She earned a bachelor of science degree in physics from Le Moyne College in Syracuse, NY and a bachelor of professional studies degree in mechanical engineering and professional ethics from Clarkson University in Potsdam, NY.
Frank is a 16-year Mentor resident and an avid, lifelong library patron.
(6/20/2008) Middle school schedule pick-up dates set
[ 6/23/2008 ]
Class schedules for students attending Memorial, Ridge and Shore middle schools for the 2008 - 2009 school year may be picked up between 8 a.m. and 10 a.m. on Aug. 14, 15 and 18. The schools will also be open for evening pick-up from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Aug. 18.
Fees for the new school year must be paid in order to pick up a class schedule. This can be done online through the CardCredit payment system beginning Aug. 1, when fees will post to all active accounts. Parents who pay online may then print out their e-mail confirmation and bring it with them to the school to take advantage of an expedited line for schedule pick-up. Parents unable to pay online may still do so in person on the schedule pick-up dates.
(6/19/2008) District cooperation leads to arrest of former teacher
[ 6/19/2008 ]
On June 12, school personnel were notified of an alleged sexual relationship between Maggie Laughlin, a former math teacher at Shore Junior High School, and a ninth grade student.
Laughlin resigned her position on June 6 after being employed by the Mentor School District for less than one year.
Upon receiving this report, district officials immediately notified the Mentor Police Department, who began their investigation leading to Laughlin's arrest.
'This crime is a devastating betrayal of the fundamental trust that parents put in their childrens teachers every day,' said Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes, superintendent of schools. 'Individuals who use their position of authority and trust to prey upon children must face the full force of the law.'
Prior to Laughlins hiring, FBI, Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation (BCI), and reference checks conducted by the district revealed no record of prior criminal, unethical or questionable conduct. Police indicate that there was no evidence that would have been apparent to school staff prior to the reporting of the situation after the end of the school year.
'We are grateful that one of our students had the courage to tell an adult about this situation,' Hoynes said. 'It is so important that students take the appropriate action when they have information like this, and we will continue to strive to create an environment in our schools where students can do so.'
In addition to continuing to cooperate in any way possible with law enforcement, the district will file a report with the Ohio Department of Education, which evaluates teacher misconduct with regard to teacher license eligibility.
(6/18/2008) Kindergarten orientation schedule posted
[ 6/18/2008 ]
Kindergarten orientations are scheduled for Aug. 20 through Aug. 29 at all ten district elementary schools. At this orientation, parents will schedule a half-hour conference session with their child's teacher to be held on Tuesday, Sept. 2 or Wednesday, Sept. 3. These conferences will allow new kindergarteners and their parents to get to know the teacher, who will administer the early learning assessments that will help guide instruction throughout the year. The first full day of school for all kindergarten students will be Thursday, Sept. 4.
Below is a complete schedule of orientation dates and times:
(6/17/2008) Mentor Schools Community Takes Flight! For Our Future
[ 6/17/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools has come a long way over the last five years. From struggling through an unprecedented fiscal crisis to a full recovery and its highest academic achievements to date, Mentor Schools has a story to tell.
That story was presented to more than 130 members of the Mentor Schools Community - from teachers and staff to government and business leaders - on June 3rd, 2008 at Avery Dennison Headquarters.
In a theatrical, multimedia presentation titled 'Take Flight! For Our Future,' school district staff played teachers and students in a mock class, highlighting district achievements both academic and financial. Sound effects and musical accompaniment were provided by Mentor High School musicians and vocalists.
Mentor Schools would like to extend a special thanks to Avery Dennison Corporation, Alan Baucco of Wachovia Bank, and James Love of Love Insurance Agency, for their generous support of this community event.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO OF THE PRESENTATION.
(6/13/2008) CardCredit to offer online fee payment
[ 6/13/2008 ]
CardCredit, the online payment processing system used by thousands of parents to deposit their child's meal money, will soon make it easier for parents to pay their child's school fees.
Beginning Aug. 1, parents can pay their child's initial fees for the 2008 - 2009 school year and top-off their meal balance all in a single transaction.
As in previous years, student schedules for the middle schools and high school will not be mailed. They will be available for pick-up at the schools once fees have been paid. Paying fees online prior to the schedule pick-up date will give parents access to an expedited pick-up line. All you have to do is print out your e-mail confirmation from SPS EZpay showing that the fees have been paid. If you are unable to pay the fees online, you can still pay with cash or check at your child's school.
The required fees that must be paid to receive a class schedule are the Access Fee and any course fees for the upcoming school year. The Access Fee is required for all secondary students. The fee covers access to school programs and extracurricular activities outside of pay-to-participate activities and ticketed events.
Schedule pickup dates for high school students are: Aug. 22 - Seniors Aug. 25 - Juniors Aug. 26 - Sophomores Aug. 27 - Freshmen
Middle school schedule pickup dates will be announced soon and posted on the web site. If you have any questions, please contact the Mentor Schools K-12 office at 974-5210.
(6/13/2008) Board of Education to hold special meetings June 17th & 25th
[ 6/13/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold two special meetings in the month of June.
The first, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 17th is a joint session with Mentor City Council and the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees. The meeting will be held at Mentor City Hall, 8500 Civic Center Boulevard.
The second special meeting is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 25th at the Mentor School District administration building. The purpose of this meeting is to authorize the chief financial officer to close the fiscal year-end accounting books and interview candidates for the Mentor Public Library trustee vacancy. Interviews will be conducted in executive session, and the board may appoint a new trustee upon reconvening in public session.
The board will also consider any other business that may be brought before it at either meeting.
The district administration building is located behind Mentor High School at 6451 Center St.
(6/12/2008) Application required for transportation to and from day care
[ 6/12/2008 ]
As part of our continuing efforts to be fiscally responsible, the Mentor Schools Transportation Department will only bus students to and from day care centers that lie within the attendance boundaries of their school.
With fuel prices at record levels, the district is unable to accommodate special requests for transportation to day care centers outside of a building's attendance area.
In order to secure school transportation to and/or from a day care center for the 2008 - 2009 school year, parents must submit a request to the Director of Transportation by July 18, 2008.
The list of transportation-approved day care centers and their corresponding elementary schools is posted below along with the request form.
Click here for the approved day care center list Click here for the day care transportation request form
(6/11/2008) High school summer reading titles posted
[ 6/11/2008 ]
Below are the summer reading assignments and their corresponding high school English classes.
All 9th Grade classes: Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
10th Grade Regular: Lord of the Flies by William Golding 10th Grade College: Kindred by Octavia Butler 10th Grade Honors: To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee; A Lesson Before Dying by Earnest Gaines
11th Grade Regular: Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck 11th Grade College and Career Technical English: A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest Gaines 11th Grade Honors: Lord of the Flies by William Golding and The Once and Future King by T.H. White
12th Grade Regular: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 12th Grade College and Career Technical English: Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson 12th Grade College: Arms and the Man by George Bernard Shaw 12th Grade Honors and AP: The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
(6/10/2008) District announces 2007-2008 award winners
[ 6/10/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools is proud to announce the 2007-2008 Excellence in Teaching and Outstanding Service Award winners.
These teachers and support staff are nominated by co-workers and supervisors at the building level, and evaluated by the district's central office administration.
Receiving the Excellence in Teaching Award are: Stephanie Nowak - Rice Elementary Marcia Clark - Brentmoor Elementary Kathryn Wahlgren - Hopkins Elementary Nancy Chase - Mentor High Marcia Gatz - Ridge Junior High Laura Frase - Memorial Junior High
Receiving the Outstanding Service Award are: Michele Doll - Secretary, Ridge Junior High Gail Heyduk - Secretary, Memorial Junior High Sue Karlovec - Office Aide, Hopkins Elementary Cathy Koval - Classroom Assistant, Headlands Elementary
Congratulations to all award winners, and thank you for your dedication to Mentor Public Schools.
The winners will be recognized by the Mentor Board of Education at their August 19th meeting at the district administration building.
(6/9/2008) Mentor Board of Education meeting agenda posted
[ 6/9/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Monday, June 9 at Mentor High School in the A-Lecture room.
Click here for the complete meeting agenda.
Mentor High School is located at 6477 Center Street.
(6/6/2008) Senior project fair highlights shadowing experience
[ 6/6/2008 ]
More than 300 Mentor High School seniors shared their work shadow experiences with each other and the community at the MHS Senior Project Fair on Monday, June 2nd.
Senior project is a three-week internship / shadowing experience that gives seniors a chance to explore a career of their choosing with a local professional, guiding them to make more informed choices in college and beyond.
Students spend at least 30 hours per week at their career site, often performing work at the level of a college intern. Students keep a daily journal of their experience and present to fellow students and community members at the senior project fair.
Mentor Public Schools would like to thank all the local businesses and organizations for their generous donation of time in helping our students to learn about their fields.
(6/6/2008) Student registration available during summer
[ 6/6/2008 ]
Parents may register new students during the summer at the Mentor Board of Education Administration Building. The Student Services Department will offer registration Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., beginning June 13 and ending August 13.
The administration building is located behind Mentor High School at 6451 Center Street.
(6/5/2008) County health districts remind parents to keep up with immunizations
[ 6/5/2008 ]
The Lake County General Health District and Geauga County Health District are joining forces to declare June Adolescent Immunization Month. Although new vaccines are available, immunization rates for adolescents 11-18 years of age in the U.S. are far below national goals. Immunizations provide important benefit to adolescents, especially as they develop into adults. Lower disease rates among adolescents may also lower their chances of passing diseases to the very young and the elderly. While you can't protect adolescents from everything, you can protect them from vaccine-preventable diseases.
Immunizations can help: Keep adolescents healthy Prevent problems as they grow older Prevent the spread of disease
Today, immunizations protect adolescents from: Meningitis (meningocossus) - This bacterial infection poses a serious threat to adolescents. Meningitis can kill a healthy person in 48 hours or less. Up to 1 in 5 survivors of meningitis have problems that last the rest of their lives including loss of limbs, scarring, hearing loss and neurological damage.
Tetanus/Diptheria/Pertussis (Whooping Cough) - Pertussis is spread by coughing and sneezing discharges. Anyone can catch pertussis and spread it to others, including infants. Cases of whooping cough are growing fastest among adolescents.
HPV (Human paillomavirus) - HPV is the leading cause of cervical cancer in women.
Hepatitis B - This disease could result in long term liver disease and death.
Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) - A second MMR vaccination is required for adolescents who have not previously been treated for MMR.
Varicella (Chickenpox) - A second dose is now recommended for adolescents who have not previously been treated for Chickenpox.
Influenza - Now recommended for all children and adolescents 6 months through 18 years of age.
Hepatitis A - This disease could result in severe illness and is commonly spread through contaminated food, improper food handling and person-to-person contact.
Please review the list above and make sure your child is protected against these vaccine-preventable diseases. Call your primary care physician today or the county health departments listed below to schedule a vaccine review and immunizations. The adolescent years present all kinds of challenges and dangers. Please do your part in making sure your child is protected against these vaccine-preventable dangers by getting them vaccinated during Adolescent Immunization Month.
Lake County General Health District 33 Mill Street Painesville, Ohio 44077 (440) 350-2554
Geauga County Health District 470 Center Street Chardon, Ohio 44024 (440) 279-1950
(6/2/2008) Fourth grading period report cards available Tuesday, June 10
[ 6/5/2008 ]
The fourth grading period report card will be posted on the CardCampus Parent Portal by 9 a.m. Tuesday, June 10. Junior high and high school parents who have not accessed the CardCampus Parent Portal this school year will receive a paper copy by the end of that week. All elementary parents will receive a paper copy.
(6/5/2008) Mentor preschoolers spend early Father's Day with dads
[ 6/5/2008 ]
The Mentor Schools preschool program gave dads an early Father's Day treat with this year's Preschool Dad's Night June 3rd at Chagrin River Park.
More than 100 preschoolers and family members attended the evening of outdoor food and fun despite the rain.
The event was organized by Mentor Schools' preschool teachers.
(6/2/2008) Kyrgyz educators visit Mentor High School
[ 6/2/2008 ]
Two educational leaders from the Kyrgyz Republic visited Mentor High School on May 29th to learn about American education from students and administrators.
Samarkul Umralieva and Dr. Gulzhigit Soronkulov toured the school with students, administrators and Social Studies Teacher Steve Couch, who organized the visit.
Sponsored by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs, the visit was designed to give the visiting educators a sense of how our system of education works and allow our students and staff to learn more about a small nation halfway around the world.
The tour of the high school included our Interactive Media Department, athletic facilities, Cardinal Cafe and Learning Center. Eleven Model UN and student government leaders then sat down for a discussion with the visitors, assisted by a Russian translator.
The visitors talked briefly about their country, which is wedged between China and Kazakhstan. It is a young country, both in population age and self-governance, having been a part of the former Soviet Union. Of its five million residents, 1.5 million are students, Dr. Soronkulov said.
Mandatory public education in Kyrgyzstan runs from grades 1 through 9, at which point students may choose to continue a traditional academic program or opt for a technical program. Rather than using letter grades such as A through F, schools in Kyrgyzstan use numbers 1 through 5 to measure achievement.
After talking with students, the visitors sat down with Tracy Coleman, director of secondary education, and Joe Spiccia, high school principal. Discussion of administrative issues included how our school district is funded and how frequently renovations and physical improvements may be made to the school.
Mentor Public Schools appreciates the opportunity presented by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs to provide insight to foreign visitors while giving our students a chance to learn about the world. Visits such as these help us to meet our vision of preparing students for the 21st century and beyond.
Dr. Gulzhigit Soronkulov, left, and Samarkul Umralieva pose with MHS Social Studies Teacher Steve Couch after a visit to the high school.
(6/2/2008) Applicants sought for Mentor Library Board of Trustees
[ 6/2/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education is seeking applicants for a vacancy on the Mentor Library Board of Trustees. The term will run from the date of appointment through December 2013.
In Ohio, local boards of education have appointing authority for public library trustees.
Applicants should submit a letter of interest including: • Place of residence • Length of time residing at current address • Reason for interest in serving on the library board • Community involvement and service experience • Names and contact information for up to three individuals who may serve as references
The deadline for applications is June 9, 2008. The applications will be reviewed by school board members, the superintendent and chief financial officer of Mentor Schools. This committee will select four to six individuals who will be invited to interview with the board of education. The board will appoint a trustee no later than July 4, 2008, but may do so during the month of June.
Applications should be submitted to the following address:
Mentor Board of Education 6451 Center Street Mentor, Ohio 44060
(5/30/2008) Picnic of Friendship brings ESL students together for learning and fun
[ 5/30/2008 ]
On Friday, May 23rd, the English as a Second Language (ESL) students from Ridge Junior High School and Mentor High School traveled to Brentmoor Elementary School. At Brentmoor Elementary, these students collaborated and completed educational activities aligned to the state of Ohio Language Arts and Limited English Proficiency Content Standards. Our junior high school students created interactive games that required students to use their reading, writing, speaking, and listening skills. Additionally, students were grouped and they were able to share their cultures with one another. They also read trade books and were asked to complete written and pictorial summaries of their stories with their groups. Students then regrouped and presented their summaries.
It is important for these students to build close relationships with one another because they are in a new country and new school. Many of our younger students look up to the older students as role models because their language development and ability to read and write is fluent. These students are excited when they work with the older students because they know that their hard work will pay off as they improve their English. Our older students take pride in teaching our younger students. All in all, everyone enjoyed each others company, while learning with each other. We look forward to continuing this tradition for years to come.
(5/30/2008) Mentor High School receives United Way award
[ 5/30/2008 ]
Mentor High School was honored this week as the recipient of the Clem Urbanski United Way Award for their work in the Harvest for Hunger food drive.
Clem Urbanski was an active community servant in Lake County, helping to establish and manage the Fairport Food Pantry, serving on the local library board, shoveling snow for the elderly and taking needy children shopping for shoes and winter coats.
Mentor High School is a significant part of the Lake County Food Drive, dating back to the time that Mr. Urbanski was part of the Hunger Task Force. Each year the high school collects, boxes and transports food to the central warehouse.
In 2008, the school collected over 19,000 pounds of food, representing nearly 30 percent of the total food collection in Lake County.
Representatives of the school's Harvest for Hunger drive received the award at the United Way banquet on Wednesday, May 28th.
Steve Couch, Tyler Schutz, Christina Lasko, Lindsay Deitmen and Marie Waltz display the Clem Urbanski award.
(5/30/2008) Memorial Cardinal Challenge team wins regional match
[ 5/30/2008 ]
The Memorial Jr. High Cardinal Challenge team took first place at the First Cleveland Regional Academic Challenge Competition May 24th at Hawken Middle School.
Eight area schools took part in the competition, which tests general student knowledge in both individual and group quizzes.
Memorial's freshmen, Jacob Leber, Haefa Mansour, Megan Shawhan and eighth grader Kevin Nguyen took home the first place trophy after making it through five grueling rounds unscathed. The seventh and eighth grade team of Mitchell and Michael Zito, Leila Mansour and Avi Danda took third place overall.
Students had to answer questions like 'What mythical creature roared out his name on a boat with a billowed sail?' and 'To what power must 10 be raised to make a million?'
The Memorial students credit their success to support at both home and school.
Congratulations, team!
(5/23/2008) Girls Varsity Lacrosse team in State Final Four
[ 5/23/2008 ]
The Mentor High School Varsity Girls Lacrosse team defeated Lake Catholic 10-8 in overtime Thursday to clinch a berth in the Division II State Final Four. This is the first time in school history that the Girls Lacrosse team qualified for the Final Four. Their next game will be Friday, May 30 at 5:30 p.m. versus New Albany High School at Medina High Soccer Stadium. The stadium is located 2 blocks west of Medina High School. We will have directions available in the MHS athletic office next week.
There are no presale tickets for this game. All tickets can be purchased at the gate. The winner of the Mentor / New Albany match will play the winner of Lakota West vs. Revere at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 31.
Congratulations, team, and best of luck in the Final Four!
(5/15/2008) High school students excel at State Science Day
[ 5/22/2008 ]
Five Mentor High School students were honored at this year's State Science Day, held May 10th at Ohio State University.
Nick Denton earned a 'Superior' rating for his project, 'The creation and testing of magnetic nanoparticles with the potential to treat cancer.'
Jessica Foreman earned a 'Superior' rating for her project, 'Examining the alteration of the actin potential and its effects on the Brugada Syndrome.' She also earned a $2,000 renewable scholarship from Mount Union College and a $100 cash award from the University of Toledo College of Medicine and College of Graduate Studies.
Cory Kozlovich earned an 'Excellent' rating for hig project, 'Clinical characteristics of patients with chronic cough who respond to inhaled corticosteroids.'
Cindy Molnar earned a 'Superior' rating for her project, 'An examination of the effects of birth order on one's intelligence level.' She also earned first place for her statistical analysis from the American Statistical Association Columbus Chapter and $50 second place Behavior Science Award from the Ohio Psychological Association.
Tony Vehovec earned a 'Superior' for his project, 'How increased activation of protein kinase C affects carcinoma cell migration.'
Mentor High School was awarded the Howard C. Shaw Outstanding School Award.
Congratulations to all who competed and thank you for your fine representation of our district.
(5/21/2008) CardCredit to switch to prepay-only for elementary schools
[ 5/21/2008 ]
Beginning in the fall, our elementary schools will begin a prepay-only lunch system to help increase the efficiency of our food service program. Parents not using the CardCredit online deposit system may still submit cash or checks in advance in an envelope marked with the student's name and CardCredit PIN number.
In a parent survey conducted earlier this year, increasing the efficiency of our lunch service was an important issue for many parents. Eliminating cash transactions in the lunch line will help us to provide better service.
Advantages of the CardCredit prepaid lunch system include:
• Hassle of giving lunch money to your child each day is eliminated. While we will continue to accept day-of prepayment, we encourage parents to prepay several weeks or more at a time.
• Elimination of change and better accountability for lunch funds. With no cash being handled by students, worrying about lost lunch money or change is no longer an issue. Parents can also ensure that money is being spent on lunch rather than for other purposes.
• Even if your child only buys milk or the occasional food item, keeping their CardCredit account funded ensures that money is there when they need it.
Methods of prepayment:
• Online - Parents can deposit any amount of money electronically with a credit or debit card by clicking on the CardCredit button on our web site.
• Checks and Cash - Parents who do not wish to use the online system may submit cash or check to the school with their child's name and PIN number clearly written on the envelope
Did you know?
• CardCredit, through SPS EZpay deposit processing system, will send you e-mails automatically when your child's account balance is low. You can toggle this feature on or off by clicking on My Account > Edit Your Information on the SPS EZpay site.
• You can request a block of a la carte / snack items on your child's account, meaning they are limited to purchasing only the regular school lunch. Contact the districts food service department at 974-5227 to request a block.
• All money deposited in a childs CardCredit account will remain accessible to that child throughout their years in the Mentor Schools. Excess funds may be requested upon graduation, and the district will issue the parent a check.
If you have any questions about CardCredit or need assistance, please contact Jennifer Lange, food service supervisor, at (440) 974-5227 or by e-mail at [email protected].
(5/20/2008) All-city junior high orchestra competes at PA contest
[ 5/20/2008 ]
Fifty-one members of the Mentor All-City Junior High Orchestra traveled to Hershey, PA to compete in the Music in the Parks Festival May 15-18, receiving an 'Excellent' rating.
While in Pennsylvania, students toured Hershey, Amish Country of Lancaster County, the Strasburg Railway Museum, the Gettysburg National Battlefield and the new Gettysburg Visitors Center and Museum.
The students were complimented on their fine behavior and character by tour guides, hotel and restaurant personnel and played beautifully in their musical performance representing Mentor very well.
Mentor Schools would like to extend its sincere thanks to the ten wonderful parent chaperones who accompanied the students on the trip.
Orchestra students pose for a photo in their chocolate-colored tee-shirts on their trip to Hershey, PA.
(5/19/2008) District, city celebrate Arbor Day at Headlands
[ 5/19/2008 ]
The City of Mentor partnered with Mentor Public Schools on Thursday, May 15 for a celebration of Arbor Day and the dedication of a Green Mountain Sugar Maple Tree at Headlands Elementary School.
City and school officials were on hand with a budding green backdrop, celebrating the tree through poetry and planting.
The maple tree, donated by the City of Mentor, was dedicated to Mr. Robert Guthrie, Mrs. Donna Horrigan, Ms. Kelly Kerr and Mr. Robert Berwald.
Mrs. Blue's fifth grade chorus closed the ceremony in song, and students at the school were presented with their own seedlings to plant.
Mentor Public Schools would like to thank the city for partnering with us to help our students recognize and appreciate the importance of trees.
Students plant the Green Mountain Sugar Maple Tree at Headlands Elementary School.
(5/14/2008) Senior Project Fair set for Monday, June 2
[ 5/16/2008 ]
More than 300 Mentor High School seniors are spending their last weeks of high school off campus, learning about the world of work. Mentor's Senior Project is a highly-regarded program that helps students get a feel for particular profession, guiding them to make more informed choices in college and beyond.
Students spend at least 30 hours per week for three weeks with a working professional, often performing work at the level of a college intern. Students keep a daily journal of their experience and present at the high school's annual Senior Project Fair, set for 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday, June 2nd in the high school Student Center.
The range of occupations and opportunities provided by professionals throughout northeast Ohio is impressive.
Jake Goryance and Nick Small are learning about culinary arts and restaurant management at Cleveland hot spot Fahrenheit, with MHS alum and owner Rocco Whalen.
Stephen Anderson is at PCC Airfoils in Mentor, learning about high-tech 3-D modeling.
Matthew Cortnik is serving at St. John Vianney Catholic Church, exploring a career as a clergyman.
Lindsey Crump is at NASA Glenn Center learning about aeronautical engineering.
Keith Kovach is shadowing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in their web design department.
Every student who participates in senior project will be present at our senior project fair, which is open to the public. For more information, contact Justin Maynor, community relations coordinator, at 974-5249.
(5/14/2008) High school final exam schedule posted
[ 5/14/2008 ]
Final exams for Mentor High School students will take place the last week of school, June 2nd through June 6th.
Seniors will have exams on June 2nd and 3rd. Sophomores and Juniors will have exams on June 4th, 5th and 6th.
Click here for a complete exam schedule by subject and class time.
(5/12/2008) District e-mail restoration near completion
[ 5/14/2008 ]
UPDATED 5/14/2008 at 8:29 a.m. Restoration of the district e-mail system is near complete. Staff are now receiving e-mails, but many are still unable to send. This will cause a delay in response time to e-mail messages to some district staff. We appreciate your patience as we work through this problem. *********************************************************** Mentor Schools' e-mail system is currently down. E-mails to teachers and staff in the district have not been received since mid-day Tuesday, so response times will be slower than normal. Submissions to our Rumor Control and Transition FAQ page have also been affected by the outage, as well as our calendar of events.
Our IT department is working to restore our e-mail server and hopes to have it back online soon. We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience.
(5/12/2008) Board of Education May 13 meeting agenda posted
[ 5/12/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold its regular monthly meeting at 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 13 at Rice Elementary School.
Click here for the complete meeting agenda.
Rice Elementary is located at 7640 Lake Shore Blvd.
(5/9/2008) Fourth quarter interim reports posted online
[ 5/9/2008 ]
The fourth quarter interim grades are now posted on the parent portal. Please note that the purpose of the interim grade is to give you a midpoint report of how your son or daughter is doing in each class. The interim grade is not factored into your childs grade point average.
You will find the interim by clicking on 'Reports', then 'Interim Report Card.'
Parents who have accessed the parent portal at any point during the year will not receive a paper copy of the interim report.
If you have questions about your child's interim report, please contact your child's teacher or guidance counselor.
(5/8/2008) Students produce stunning mural as farewell to school
[ 5/8/2008 ]
With Memorial Jr. High School soon to graduate its final ninth grade class, Art Teacher Kurt Reichert wanted to help his ninth grade students leave their mark.
Reichert designed a mural, painted by 61 ninth grade Fine Art students this spring, which now spans the back wall of the Memorial media center with a message both universal and specific to the school. A portrait of Anne Frank, instantly recognizable as the photograph that appears on the cover of her widely-read diary, serves as the focal point of the mural, which measures 8 feet high and 24 feet long. A personal hero of Reicherts, Anne Frank is also well-known among Memorial students, as her diary has been part of the English curriculum there for many years.
'Anne Franks grace during her ordeal with the persecution she suffered from bullies has always been an inspiration to me,' Reichert said.
The colors are mostly soft, beige-like variants with three shades of blue gently pulling the words 'ACCEPTANCE & RESPECT' off of the canvas.
'To illustrate the ideals of Memorials anti-bullying philosophy I chose the words ACCEPTANCE and RESPECT,' Reichert said. 'The quarter-circle designs going different directions represent that even though people are all different, basically they are all the same.'
Small puzzle-piece-shaped sections of the mural are cut from the canvas and mounted above the piece, producing the illusion that they are floating. These puzzle pieces reflect the logo of the schools anti-bullying campaign. Beneath the portrait is a quote that epitomizes Anne Franks resiliency in the face of persecution: 'In spite of everything, I believe that people are really good at heart.'
The project was undertaken in the work style of the Italian Renaissance. Reichert designed and drew the piece, and his student 'apprentices' did the more laborious painting. The result is a visual legacy from the students at Memorial Jr. High to the new students at Memorial Middle School. The school makes the transition to middle school this fall, which is an important year for Reichert for another reason.
'As I bid farewell to the 61 Fine Art I students who did such a stellar job of painting this mural, I also think about one more year of teaching before I retire in 2009,' he said. 'When I come back during my retirement to visit I will always stop to see this mural. I know that when I look at it I wont see letters, quarter-circles, puzzle pieces or Anne Frank. When I look at it in the future I will see Hayleigh, Dana, Danielle, Kaitlyn, Shelby, Brent, Brad, McKenzie, Willie, Kat, Nick, Brett, Sydney, Caleb, Sarah, Annmarie, Rachel, Brandon, Matt, Chad, Jennifer, Kayla, Staci, Hayley, Carli, Nick, Loretta, Tessa, Brandon, Meghan, Molly, Alex, Tyler, Shana, Shelby, Tony, Sazan, Corinne, Lauren, Amanda, Emily, Christine, Eric, Riley, Rachael, Brianna, Betsy, Brandon, Annie, Angela, Lexi, Cassy, Jackie, Stephanie, Kelsey, Adrienne, Sarah, Rachel, Kristen, and Page, and be just as proud of them as I am now!'
(5/6/2008) Wearable sculpture to be featured at Shore Jr. High art show
[ 5/6/2008 ]
Shore Jr. High's annual art show, featuring wearable sculpture, runs from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday, May 8 at the school. Student artwork will be on display in the art hallway, rooms 126, 128, 130, the Media Center and Main Office.
The featured Wearable Art Exhibition starts at 8:15 p.m. in the cafeteria. Join us for this one-of-a-kind event! Shore Jr. High is located at 5670 Hopkins Road.
(5/2/2008) District says Bravo! to outstanding students and staff
[ 5/5/2008 ]
Every day in the Mentor Public Schools, so many individuals do their part to make this district an outstanding place to learn and work. From a student who overcomes adversity to improve his or her grades, to a teacher who leads the way in teaching fellow staff to use a new piece of software. These are the acts deserving of applause, and Mentor Schools is saying Bravo! to those who demonstrate a commitment to success. Each month, Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes pays a surprise visit to these exemplary members of the Mentor Schools Community to say 'thank you' and deliver a $25 gift certificate, courtesy of Bravo! restaurant.
April's award recipients are:
Anthony Pierce, sixth grader, Brentmoor Elementary Ann Deitrick, teacher, Brentmoor Elementary Angela Andrews, senior, Mentor High School Ellen Geisler, teacher, Mentor High School Allison Richards, sixth grader, Fairfax Elementary James Watson, teacher, Fairfax Elementary Andrew Mayher, senior, Mentor High School Gina Ferris, senior, Mentor High School
Winners of the April 'Outstanding Classified Staff Member Award' are:
Sue O'Neill, classroom assistant, Brentmoor Elementary Judi Ivancic, classroom assistant, Fairfax Elementary
Mentor High School senior Angela Andrews received a Bravo! award for the month of April.
(5/1/2008) Broken thermometer prompts precautionary action Headlands Elementary
[ 5/1/2008 ]
A broken thermometer in the nurse's office of Headlands Elementary Thursday morning prompted the immediate evacuation of students and staff from the area as a precautionary measure against potential mercury exposure. The thermometer that was discovered during a thorough cleanup of a storage area, fell to the floor and broke. No mercury was immediately apparent.
We have taken every precaution necessary to ensure the safety of our students and staff. A hazardous materials cleanup team was called to the school after the area was secured to safely remove any material that may remain. The Mentor Fire Department confirmed that the district was taking the appropriate action.
The Lake County General Health District inspected the area as a precautionary measure, and the area is being cleaned according to EPA guidelines. The health department indicated that the trace amount of mercury found in the cabinet is not enough to produce potentially harmful vapors. The cabinet is being disposed of appropriately, and the surrounding area cleaned and inspected.
There is no evidence to indicate a potential health risk to any students or staff.
(5/1/2008) High school choirs earn top honors at state contest
[ 5/1/2008 ]
Mentor High School's Concert Mixed Choir and Concert Women's Choir earned top marks from the Ohio Music Education Association.
Both groups received the Superior rating "I" for outstanding performances adjudicated at the state Class A level on Friday, April 25.
The Mentor Public Schools community would like to congratulate our choirs on their excellent work.
(4/30/2008) Get the facts about Jarod's Law
[ 4/30/2008 ]
Jarod's Law is a state school safety law designed to make all school buildings in Ohio as safe as they can be for students, staff and visitors. Mentor Public Schools is committed to providing a safe and secure environment in which students can grow academically and socially, and much of this new law is already standard practice in the district. Some new rules will have to be followed, but these are generally minor changes in the way we do things. For example, teachers can still have hand sanitizers in their rooms (a chemical product governed by Jarod's Law), but must keep a Material Safety Data Sheet on hand as well.
The first inspections of Mentor Schools begin in May. Below are the answers to some common questions pertaining to Jarod's Law.
Where did this law come from? The death of a child due to a falling lunch table prompted the Ohio General Assembly to enact Jarod's Law (House Bill 203) in 2005. The Ohio Department of Health developed the regulations, which were finally adopted in the fall of 2007.
Who does the inspections? The Lake County General Health district will perform the inspections of every building in the school district during regular school hours. Inspectors are called sanitarians.
Can students and staff still have food and drinks in class? Students and staff may still eat and drink in regular classrooms. However, food and drink are prohibited in any classroom where chemicals are used such as science rooms, visual arts rooms and technology education rooms.
What kinds of issues does Jarod's Law cover? Anything related to health and safety, from eliminating mold to fixing cracked sidewalks. The list of requirements is very long, however many of the items are already common practice or common sense.
What happens if a school doesn't pass the inspection? There is no fine or sanction for not meeting inspection requirements. Inspection reports are public documents and will be sent to the Board of Education, Ohio Department of Health and Ohio Auditor's office. Any issues of noncompliance must be fixed and documented, and these remediation reports will be sent to the same people.
Where can I go for more information? You can read the complete text of the Jarod's Law regulations online at www.odh.state.oh.us
What has the district been doing to prepare for Jarod's Law? We are thoroughly reviewing the procedures and checklists to ensure we are in full compliance. Information has been distributed to staff at all levels of the school district.
(4/29/2008) Turf used at high school stadium not among types with potentially harmful lead content
[ 4/29/2008 ]
A recent inquiry into the lead content of artificial athletic turf surfaces indicates no safety concern with the type of turf used at the Mentor High School Jerome T. Osborne Sr. Stadium.
Testing of artificial turf by the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services, where the issue originated, indicated high lead levels in the grass fibers of older, nylon-based turfs. The material used at our stadium does not contain nylon.
While there is no indication of a health or safety risk relating to our turf, the district will have the turf thoroughly tested by an environmental lab as a precautionary measure.
(4/29/2008) Mentor High School athletes accept athletic scholarships
[ 4/29/2008 ]
Four more Mentor High School student athletes have committed to furthering their academic and athletic careers, earning scholarships to universities and colleges. The young ladies made it official on Tuesday, April 29 in a signing ceremony at the Mentor Schools administration building.
All have been valuable members of their respective teams and have represented Mentor High School well both on and off the fields and courts.
Alex Ardo will attend Lake Erie College in Painesville. Alex is a four year letter winner in Track and Field, a two year letter winner in Basketball and currently the sprint team captain.
Stephanie Rogers will also attend Lake Erie College in Painesville. Stephanie is a four year letter winner in both soccer and Track and Field, and a two year letter winner in Basketball. She currently holds the MHS record in high jump.
Rachel Elam will attend Edinboro University in Pennsylvania. Rachel is a varsity letter winner in Girls Lacrosse and also played basketball and soccer. She is part of the Early Childhood Education Program at the high school and plans to further her training with a major in secondary education.
Alexandra Santurri will attend Notre Dame College in South Euclid. Alexandra is a four year letter winner in swimming, earned All-LEL recognition in both the 200 medley relay and 400 relay, and was a district swimming qualifier.
The Mentor Schools community would like to congratulate these fine student athletes who carry on Mentor's tradition of excellence as they begin the next chapter in their academic and athletic careers.
(4/29/2008) CardCampus Parent Portal access restored
[ 4/29/2008 ]
Access to the CardCampus Parent Portal has been restored after an outage on Tuesday, April 29. We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. If you experience any problems logging into the parent portal, please e-mail it- [email protected].
(4/28/2008) Start of 2008 - 2009 school year staggered for high school students
[ 4/28/2008 ]
The beginning of the 2008 - 2009 school year will be staggered for Mentor High School's two new classes. Ninth and tenth graders will start school on Tuesday, September 2 and all students will attend on Wednesday, September 3. This will give ninth and tenth graders an opportunity to attend school for a transition day without the upperclassmen. All staff members will be available to help students as they find their classes, open their lockers, and become acclimated to Mentor High School.
The freshmen and sophomores will begin the school day on September 2 in an assembly to welcome them to the school. The program will be about 20 minutes long. The students will then attend all of their classes where they will learn about each class from their teachers. Among the activities taking place in the classroom will be a review of expectations, distribution of books and materials, and an opportunity to begin getting to know their classmates. There will be a little bit of extra time between classes to help students make their way through the building. Staff will be in the halls between classes helping students with their lockers and directions. Extra staff will also be assigned to classrooms to help teachers and students as necessary.
(4/25/2008) In-district open enrollment to begin for 2008 - 2009 school year
[ 4/25/2008 ]
Applications for Open Enrollment may be picked up at any of our school offices or at the Mentor Board of Education and will be accepted from May 1 through May 16, 2008. Interested parents should complete one application for each student and return it to the Student Services Office at the Mentor Board of Education, 6451 Center Street, during the enrollment period. Parents should only submit applications where a grade level vacancy is indicated. It is important for parents to understand that making application for Intra-District Open Enrollment does not guarantee placement. Transportation to and from the new school is the responsibility of the parent.
Below are openings for each grade level at each school:
SCHOOL Grade 1 Grade 2 Grade 3 Grade 4 Grade 5
Bellflower 2 0 0 1 1
Brentmoor 0 0 0 0 1
Fairfax 0 0 2 3 1
Garfield 0 1 0 0 0
Headlands 3 0 2 1 2
Hopkins 0 2 1 0 1
Lake 2 0 2 1 0
Morton 0 0 1 3 0
Or. Hollow 2 0 0 1 0
Rice 0 0 0 1 3
Memorial: 6th grade - 3 seats available; 7th grade - 1 seat available; 8th grade - 1 seat available Ridge: 6th grade - 1 seat available; 7th grade - 1 seat available; 8th grade - 1 seat available Shore: 6th grade - 1 seat available; 7th grade - 0 seats available; 8th grade - 1 seat available
(4/25/2008) Kindergarten classes to implement staggered start in September
[ 4/25/2008 ]
Next year will be our first year of offering all-day kindergarten to all of the students in the Mentor Public Schools. This is a tremendously exciting time across the district as we move to the middle school model, invite the ninth graders to the high school, and reform our elementary schools as K 5 learning communities.
As part of the transition to kindergarten, we are instituting a 'staggered start' in the fall. During Kindergarten Orientation in August, you will sign up for one half-hour conference time for either Tuesday, September 2 or Wednesday, September 3. These conferences will be a time for you and your child to go to his or her new school, meet the teacher and allow the teacher to administer some of the early learning assessments that will help to guide your childs instruction for the year. The first full day of school for all kindergarten students will be Thursday, September 4.
Parents of incoming kindergarten students will be hearing from the principal of your new school in August with details and dates for Kindergarten Orientation. If you have any questions, please call your school or Robert Haag, director of elementary education, at 974-5210.
(4/25/2008) Year end information for CardCredit accounts
[ 4/25/2008 ]
As the end of the school year approaches, CardCredit accounts with a negative balance must be paid to at least zero. Any additional funds deposited beyond zero will follow your child for use next school year.
High school accounts with negative balances must have the balance corrected by May 5. Elementary and junior high accounts with negative balances must be corrected by May 12.
If your child is graduating, you may request a check for any funds remaining in the account or transfer the balance to another student, such as a younger sibling. To request a check for the balance of funds, contact Assistant Treasurer Norm Funk at (440) 205-2596. To have the funds transferred to another student account, please contact the Food Service Department at (440) 974-5227.
To check your child's CardCredit balance, log on to the CardCampus Parent Portal.
(4/24/2008) Brentmoor Elementary presents Aladdin Jr. Friday night at MHS Fine Arts Center
[ 4/24/2008 ]
Brentmoor Elementary students will perform Aladdin Jr., their annual school theater production, at 7 p.m. Friday, April 25 at the Mentor High School Fine Arts Center.
The musical is set in Agrabah, City of Enchantment, where every beggar has a story and every camel has a tail! All of your favorite characters are here in this stage adaptation of the Disney hit, including Aladdin (Ian Meadows), Jasmine (Mandy Dodge), and of course, the Genie (played by teacher Dave Porter).
Filled with magic, mayhem, and flying carpet rides, audiences spirits will soar with excitement. Most of all, the tuneful, Academy award-winning score with songs including A Whole New World and Friend Like Me will certainly make this musical a favorite for many years to come.
(4/22/2008) Parent survey response plan now available
[ 4/22/2008 ]
The Mentor Public Schools parent satisfaction survey response plan is available now for download. In it, we detail how the district is responding to your feedback relating to food service, transportation and buildings & grounds. The survey was conducted from Jan. 25 to Feb. 25, 2008 via the CardCampus Parent Portal. Thank you for taking part and helping us to better serve you. Click here to view the plan.
(4/21/2008) June Board of Education meeting rescheduled
[ 4/21/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has rescheduled its regular June business meeting from Tuesday, June 10 to Monday, June 9. The rescheduled meeting will begin at 7 p.m. at the Mentor High School A-Lecture room.
(4/18/2008) Cardinals baseball team to play at Classic Park in Eastlake
[ 4/18/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals baseball team will play at Classic Park in Eastlake this Thursday, April 24 at 4 p.m. The team will face the Euclid Panthers in the annual Lake County Captains Charity Baseball Classic.
All proceeds benefit Captains Charities. Tickets for the game are $5, available at the gate on game day, and parking is FREE.
Come support your Mentor Cardinals and a good cause at the same time.
Classic Park is located on Route 91 in Eastlake, just north of Route 2.
(4/16/2008) Mentor Theatre presents 'Mame' April 17, 18, 19
[ 4/16/2008 ]
Mentor High School Theatre presents its spring musical, Mame, at the Fine Arts Center April 17, 18 and 19. The show is directed by Mr. John Greene.
Mame is based on the novel by Patrick Dennis and the play, Auntie Mame, by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee.
Tickets are $5 for students and senior citizens, and $10 for adults.
Each performance begins at 7 p.m. For more information, call (440) 205-3333.
(4/9/2008) Athletes accept scholarships
[ 4/15/2008 ]
Three members of the State Final Four Mentor High School Volleyball team accepted college scholarships Wednesday to further their volleyball and academic careers.
The official signing ceremony was held at 9 a.m. at the Mentor Board of Education building.
Each player was a vital member of the 2007 volleyball team that were Lake Erie League Champions, District Champions, Regional Champions and State Tournament qualifiers. Under the leadership of Head Coach Rich Woodman, these girls have excelled on and off the court.
Lauren Bogatay will be attending Lake Erie College in Painesville. She is undecided on a major, but is considering pursuing marketing and communications. Her achievements include: - Co-Captain of the MHS volleyball team - All State Honorable Mention - LEL Co-Player of the Year - 3.8 grade point average
Lindsey Deitmen will be attending Gannon University in Erie, PA. She plans to major in occupational therapy. Her achievements include: - Co-Captain of the MHS volleyball team - All State Honorable Mention - All Lake Erie League in 2006 and 2007 - Mentor Co-MVP in 2006 and 2007 - 3.9 grade point average
Melanie Miller will be attending Lake Erie College in Painesville. She plans to major in communications. Her achievements include: - Three-year letter winner in volleyball - Host of Mentor Schools Cable Channel program, Inkwell On The Air - Member of the 2007 high school Homecoming Court - 3.5 grade point average
Also signing earlier this month was swimmer Alexandra Santurri, who will continue her successful swimming career at Notre Dame College in South Euclid. Santurri earned four letters in swimming while at Mentor High School; earned All Lake Erie League recognition in the 400 Yard Freestyle and 200 Yard Medleys; and was named All Lake Erie League in the 100 Yard Butterfly during her junior year.
Congratulations to the girls and their families for all their hard work, and best of luck in your future academic and athletic careers.
Seniors Lauren Bogatay, Melanie Miller and Lindsey Deitmen made their college choices official Wednesday, signing letters of intent at the Mentor Board of Education building.
(4/10/2008) Chemical smell poses no health risk
[ 4/10/2008 ]
A chemical odor detected by students and staff of Mentor High School Thursday is not dangerous, and poses no threat to health and safety, according to the Mentor Police Department.
The smell originated at a nearby chemical plant, and was carried by wind to the Mentor High School campus.
Students and staff noticed the unusual odor during a school fire drill early Thursday morning.
(4/9/2008) High school students shadow Board Members, administrators
[ 4/9/2008 ]
Eleven Mentor High School students got an up-close look this week at how a school district operates through the 2008 Youth in Government Program. The yearly program pairs students with district board members and administrators. On Monday morning, students shadowed administrators including Superintendent Jacqueline Hoynes and Chief Financial Officer Daniel L. Wilson.
On Tuesday evening, the official Mentor Board of Education meeting was conducted by students, who were coached by their respective board members in introductions, reports and even votes.
Participants and their school board / administrator counterparts were:
Cory Koslovich - Mrs. Gwen J. Corban, Board President Prashant Rajan - Mr. William J. Shaw, Board Vice President Lauren Laird - Mrs. Mary L. Bryner, Board Member Cindy Molnar - Mr. Alan J. Mihok, Board Member Nicole Kozenko - Mr. Thomas V. Tuttle, Board Member Amanda Weaver - Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes, Superintendent Molly Sandeep - Mr. Daniel L. Wilson, Chief Financial Officer Nicole Kozenko - Mr. Robert Haag, Director of Elementary Education Rachel Kobelt - Mrs. Tracy Coleman, Director of Elementary Education Kristen Ragan - Mrs. Jennifer Harris, Coordinator of Special Education Gabe Liptak - Mr. Ron Bivens, Director of Business Operations
Thanks to all participants for making this unique educational opportunity such a success.
Mentor Board of Education President Gwen J. Corban and her Youth in Government counterpart Cory Kozlovich at Tuesday's Board of Education Meeting at Lake Elementary School.
Mentor Board of Education Vice President William J. Shaw and his Youth in Government counterpart Prashant Rajan.
(4/8/2008) Orchard Hollow PTA scholarship application available
[ 4/8/2008 ]
The Orchard Hollow PTA is offering one $1,000 scholarship to a graduating high school senior who attended Orchard Hollow Elementary School for all or part of his/her elementary education.
The scholarship is available to students planning to attend an accredited two- or four-year university, college or vocational school within the academic year following graduation from high school.
The deadline for submitting an application is May 9.
Click here to download the scholarship application.
(4/8/2008) State achievement tests begin Monday, April 21st
[ 4/8/2008 ]
Annual achievement testing is just around the corner!
Teachers and students have been preparing for the Ohio Achievement Tests all year. Assessment results give parents important information about their students' progress, help teachers to focus on students' areas of need, and enable the district to determine which programs are most effective in helping all students meet grade level standards.
You can continue to help your child prior to the tests by:
• Having your child in school on time, every day, and making sure homework is completed. The more time spent learning, the greater the likelihood that your child will do well on tests. • Meeting with your child's teacher(s) to discuss what you can do at home to help with specific learning goals. • Involving the entire family as personal cheerleaders for the tests. • Encouraging - let your child know you think he/she will do well on the tests. • Making sure your child gets plenty of sleep the night prior. On test day, have him/her wake up early, eat a nutritious breakfast and wear comfortable clothing.
On April 21st we begin the testing window for State Achievement Tests for Grades 3 through 8 and the Terra Nova tests for Grades 2 through 9. See schedule below:
Monday, April 21, 2008 Ohio Achievement Test in READING for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Terra Nova Test in READING for Grades 2 and 9
Wednesday, April 23, 2008 Ohio Achievement Test in MATH for Grades 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8 Terra Nova Test in MATH for Grades 2 and 9
Friday, April 25, 2008 Ohio Achievement Test in SCIENCE for Grades 5 and 8 Ohio Achievement Test in WRITING for Grades 4 and 7 Terra Nova Test in SCIENCE for Grades 2 and 3 Terra Nova Tests in SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES for Grades 6 and 9
Monday, April 28, 2008 Ohio Achievement Test in SOCIAL STUDIES for Grades 5 and 8 Terra Nova Tests in SCIENCE and SOCIAL STUDIES for Grade 4 and 7 Terra Nova Test in SOCIAL STUDIES for Grades 2 and 3
(4/7/2008) Board of Education meeting agenda posted
[ 4/7/2008 ]
Below is a PDF of the complete Mentor Board of Education meeting agenda for Tuesday, April 8 at Lake Elementary School.
Board Meeting Agenda - 4-8-08
(4/1/2008) MHS Alumni Association awards scholarships
[ 4/1/2008 ]
The Alumni & Friends of Mentor High School will award four scholarships this year to MHS graduates to help them continue their college and vocational educations.
The 2008 winners are:
Timothy Takacs - Lakeland Community College/ Cleveland State University Emily Luptak - Lakeland Community College Brian Harding - Cornell University Jackie King - Lakeland Community College
The yearly scholarship contest is open to anyone who attended the high school for their sophomore, junior and seniors years, and is currently enrolled in a college or vocational program. Awards range from $100 to $500.
Congratulations to our graduates and best of luck in your future educational and career pursuits!
(3/25/2008) High school to host town hall meeting on teen drug and alcohol use
[ 3/25/2008 ]
The most successful efforts to prevent teen drug and alcohol use are those which include cooperation and collaboration by parents, schools, law enforcement and community agencies.
With this in mind, Mentor High School is hosting a town hall meeting on the subject, featuring a panel of experts on several aspects of teen drug and alcohol use. The meeting will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, April 3 at Mentor High School's A-Lecture room.
Panelists include:
Judge William Weaver, Lake County Juvenile Court Chief Daniel Llewellyn, Mentor Police Department Deborah Gurney, Crossroads counselor Joe Spiccia, Mentor High School prinicpal
The panel is geared towards parents, and is open to any community member who wishes to attend.
'Our main goal is to build support for the development of a community coalition to become active in the prevention, education, and intervention of use among youth," said Joe Spiccia, principal of Mentor High School.
The town hall meeting is being funded by a grant from the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA). It is free, open to the public, and no reservations are required.
Mentor High School is located at 6477 Center Street.
(3/24/2008) Preschool openings remain at Brentmoor, Headlands
[ 3/24/2008 ]
Openings remain at two of our preschool locations - Brentmoor Elementary and Headlands Elementary - for the 2008- 2009 school year.
Below is important information for registration:
• Children must be three years old by Sept. 30, 2008 and toilet-trained by the start of the school year. • Tuition is $900 per year, payable in 9 monthly installments of $100 each. A registration fee of $100 is required at the time of registration and will serve as the May 2009 tuition payment. This will secure a spot for your child. • Our program is an integrated preschool which provides education to special needs (50 %) and typically-developing children (50%) ages 3, 4, and 5. • Each classroom has a licensed teacher who possesses at least a Bachelor's Degree in Early Childhood Education. • Each classroom has a full-time classroom assistant. • Children attend four half-days per week, Monday through Thursday. You may register your child for preschool in the Student Services office of the district Administration Building located behind Mentor High School, at 6451 Center Street. Registration will be conducted on a first-come, first-served basis.
Forms required for registration
1. Completed registration form (available at the Administration Building) 2. Official copy of child's birth certificate 3. Proof of residency in the form of A.) current gas or electric bill, or B.) rental or lease agreement 4. Custody papers (if applicable) 5. Check for $100 made out to Mentor Public Schools 6. Preference form (available at the Administration building)
(3/24/2008) Mentor High School Fine Arts Center calendar now online
[ 3/24/2008 ]
The Mentor High School Fine Arts Center showcases student music and theater performances from all over the district, and serves as a venue for award programs, community concerts and events. Now you can see everything that's happening at the Fine Arts Center by visiting mentorschools.org and clicking on the 'Fine Arts Center Events Calendar' button, located in the left column of our home page.
Click here to visit the page now.
(3/20/2008) High school students compete in regional Science Day
[ 3/20/2008 ]
Six Mentor High School students took part in the Western Reserve District 5 Science Day at the University of Akron on Saturday, March 15.
The following students earned special recognition for their projects: • Nick Denton - 1st Place in Health Medicine • Tony Vehovec - 2nd place in Health Medicine
In addition to the science fair awards, students were also recognized for excellence by several professional societies and companies: • Nick Denton - NEOUCOM and the Governor's Award for Excellence in Biotechnology Research • Jessica Foreman - Sigma Theta Tau honorary medical society
The following students were selected to compete at the State Science Day on May 10th in Columbus: • Nick Denton • Jessica Foreman • Cory Kozlovich • Cindy Molnar • Tony Vehovec
Congratulations to all on your outstanding work!
(3/20/2008) Mentor choirs honored at district competitions
[ 3/20/2008 ]
Congratulations to the Mentor High School Concert Mixed Choir and Concert Women's Choir, who both received a 'Superior' rating at the Ohio Music Education Association Large Group Adjudicated Event on Friday, March 14. Both groups received four straight 1s for their outstanding performance.
The Ridge Junior High School Mixed Choir also recieved a 'Superior' rating for the junior high Large Group Adjudicated Event on Saturday, March 15, earning straight 1s.
Congratulations to all three groups!
(3/19/2008) District reminds students, staff, parents and community to observe fire lane laws
[ 3/19/2008 ]
The Mentor Fire Department and the Mentor Schools Safety Committee would like to remind all students, parents, staff and community members to keep their cars out of fire lanes within the district. Parking in fire lanes impedes the ability of fire and emergency personnel to properly respond to our buildings in a time of emergency. It is essential to the safety of our students and staff that fire lanes be kept clear. The Mentor Fire Department will be taking a more proactive approach to enforcing this law within Mentor Schools, and cars parked in fire lanes will be ticketed. Please be sure to park only in marked parking spots to help ensure a safe school environment and to avoid being ticketed.
(3/18/2008) Buses to be renumbered April 1
[ 3/18/2008 ]
The Mentor Schools Transportation Department will be renumbering approximately 40 buses to accommodate the addition of new buses into the fleet.
This change will not affect bus routes, drivers, pick-up or drop-off locations. The positioning of buses in lines at the schools - a common reference point for students - will also remain the same.
The painted bus numbers will change on April 1. For two weeks beyond that date, the old bus number will be placed in a window sign.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact our transportation department at 974-5260.
(3/14/2008) High school students earn awards in regional science and engineering fair
[ 3/14/2008 ]
This week, 10 students from Mentor High School competed at the Northeast Ohio Science and Engineering Fair at Cleveland State University.
During the four day event, approximately 500 students from over 80 schools in the area set up their science fair displays, discuss their projects with 260+ judges and compete for more than $20,000 in prizes. One of the most rewarding aspects of NEOSEF is the opportunity for the students to discuss their research with professional scientists and engineers from the local area.
The following students received awards at a ceremony on Thursday, March 13:
• Sophia Browning - Honorable Mention in Environmental Science • Diana Chmielauskas and Jessica Foreman - Third Place in Health Medicine • Matt Stroebel - Third Place in Engineering • Cindy Molnar - Third Place in Behavior Science • Nick Denton, Cory Kozlovich and Tony Vehovech - Second Place in Health Medicine • Hannah Beers - Second Place in Behavior Science • Jen Buse - First Place in Engineering
In addition to the science fair awards, our students were also recognized for excellence by several societies and companies:
• Cory Kozlovich - American Statistical Association • Daina Chmeilauskas - Cleveland Clinic Department of Neuroscience • Jessica Foreman - Cleveland Clinic Kaufman Center for Heart Failure • Matt Stroebel - Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association • Tony Vehovec - Society for In Vitro Biology • Nick Denton - U.S. Dept. of Health and Human Services • Jen Buse - Cleveland Clinic Lerner Research Institute; CSU Fenn College of Engineering; Herbert Hoover Presidential Library Association; Instrumentation, Systems and Automation Society; National Society of Professional Engineers
The students earned $700 in cash and certificates for their projects.
Established in 1953, the Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) is a non-profit, all volunteer organization, whose goal is to get young adults interested in science and engineering by participating in a science and engineering competition. The Fair has been held every year since 1954 and is affiliated with the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF).
(3/14/2008) Special board meeting set for April 3
[ 3/14/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday, April 3 at the district administration building.
The meeting is a work session to discuss future revenue needs and any other business that may come before the board.
The administration building is located at 6451 Center Street.
(3/14/2008) Board of Education revises 2008 - 2009 school year calendar
[ 3/14/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has revised the 2008 - 2009 school year calendar in order better prepare students for the Ohio Achievement Test (OAT).
At their special meeting on Thursday, March 13, the board voted to approve the revised calendar, which shifts the district's spring break to one week earlier than previously scheduled. Under the new calendar, the first day of the 2009 spring break will be Friday, April 3 and the last day will be Monday, April 13.
The Ohio Department of Education has scheduled OAT testing to begin on April 20, 2009, which is the date students were scheduled to return from spring break under the original calendar. As these achievement tests are important benchmarks for our students, we do not believe it is educationally sound or good for students to have them return from spring break and immediately begin the rigorous testing process.
We know that many families begin planning now for vacations next school year, and we apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused. This will not impact the originally scheduled start and end dates for the 2008 - 2009 school year or any other days off.
Click below to access the complete 2008 - 2009 school year calendar. You can also access both this and next year's calendar by clicking on the 'School Year Calendar' button on the home page.
2008 - 2009 School Year Calendar (PDF)
(3/11/2008) Orchard Hollow PTA hosts Family Fitness Night
[ 3/11/2008 ]
To celebrate National Nutrition Month, the Orchard Hollow PTA will host its third annual Family Fitness Night at the school from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Friday, March 14 (rescheduled after weather cancellation March 7). Families can burn off some winter calories, get blood pressure readings, sample healthy beverages from Titan's Gym Cafe and more!
There will also be prize giveaways and a special appearance by Ohio's Mr. Football, Bart Tanski, who is donating an autographed football to be raffled off.
(3/10/2008) Board of Education meeting agenda posted
[ 3/10/2008 ]
Below is a PDF of the complete agenda for the Mentor Board of Education meeting for Tuesday, March 11 at Headlands Elementary School.
Board Agenda - 3-11-2008
(3/9/2008) Top 25 Performances Rescheduled for Sunday & Monday
[ 3/9/2008 ]
Top 25 will make up their canceled performances Sunday, March 9, and Monday, March 10 at 7:30 p.m. at the Mentor High School Fine Arts Center.
Advance tickets for the canceled performance will be honored.
(3/8/2008) Youth Wrestling Tournament Canceled
[ 3/8/2008 ]
The Youth Wrestling Tournament scheduled for Sunday at Mentor High School has been canceled due to severe weather.
(3/8/2008) Top 25 Saturday Concert Canceled
[ 3/8/2008 ]
Top 25's Saturday night performance of 'Life is a Highway' has been canceled due to severe weather.
A make-up performance may be scheduled. Please check our web site for information about rescheduling.
(3/8/2008) Mentor Basketball Association Tournament Cancelled
[ 3/8/2008 ]
Mentor Basketball Association Tournament cancelled due to weather.
All Evening Events Have Been Cancelled.
[ 3/7/2008 ]
All evening events including Top 25, Memorial School Play, the Orchard Hollow Family Night, the Hopkins Bingo Night, and the basketball tournament have been cancelled.
Science Olympiad, Saturday School, and Academic Decathlon have been cancelled for tomorrow.
Please check our web site for updates this weekend regarding cancellations due to inclement weather.
(3/7/2008) Ridge Philadelphia Trip Return Update
[ 3/7/2008 ]
8:23- The buses are west of Lordstown. Expect to arrive at Ridge between 9:15 and 9:30.
(3/7/2008) Ridge Philadelphia Trip Update
[ 3/7/2008 ]
7:00 - The buses are 20 miles from the Ohio line. They are still encountering rain but no snow and are expecting to return to Ridge at 9:00
(3/7/2008) Ridge Philadelphia Trip Return Update
[ 3/7/2008 ]
4:45- The buses have just made a brief stop for dinner in Greensburg, PA. Greensburg is about 165 miles from Mentor. They have encountered some rain, but no snow at this point. The buses are scheduled to arrive at Ridge at 9:00 PM.
Hopkins PTA Family Bingo Night scheduled for Friday, March 7th has been cancelled
[ 3/7/2008 ]
The Hopkins PTA Family Bingo Night scheduled for Friday, March 7th has been cancelled due to inclement weather.
(3/7/2008) Ridge Philadelphia Trip Return Update
[ 3/7/2008 ]
students are on their way home from their trip to Philadelphia. They are about 2.5 hours into their trip back to Mentor. The weather is fine where they are; there is no precipitation. They are aware that the weather here is inclement and plan to shorten their dinner stop. They are still scheduled to arrive at Ridge at 9:00 PM.
Orchard Hollow PTA Family Fitness Night cancelled
[ 3/7/2008 ]
Due to the inclement weather today, we have decided to cancel Family Fitness Night that was scheduled for this evening. While we were very much looking forward to this event, our top concern is for the safety of our Orchard Hollow families. We will explore options for rescheduling this event. Information about any rescheduling of this event will be provided when available.
Orchard Hollow Elementary School "We Reach Higher"
[3/6/2008] Symphony Orchestra earns top honors at state contest
[ 3/6/2008 ]
The Mentor High School Symphony Orchestra earned top marks at the Ohio Music Education Association state orchestra contest on Feb. 29 in Lakewood.
The group received a I, or 'Superior' rating, in the Class A Full Orchestra Division - the highest designation an orchestra can receive. The students received all Is on the floor from a three-judge panel, and a II, or 'Excellent' rating, for sight- reading.
Congratulations on an outstanding accomplishment!
BRENTMOOR ELEMENTARY CLOSED THURSDAY, MARCH 6
[ 3/6/2008 ]
Brentmoor Elementary School is closed Thursday, March 6 due to a power outage.
We would like to apologize to any parents who may have been inconvenienced by the delay in this posting due to technical problems.
[3/5/2008] Infinite Campus is now CardCampus
[ 3/5/2008 ]
The Infinite Campus Parent Portal is now known as CardCampus - a change designed to make the names of the district's technology services more consistent. This is a change in name only, and will not affect the content of what users can access within the parent portal.
Part of the CardCampus logo is our own Take Flight! cardinal - a symbol of the many changes happening in the district this year and beyond.
[3/5/2008] Boys basketball regional semi-final will be played tonight as scheduled
[ 3/5/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals boys basketball team will play in the Division I regional semi-final as scheduled, despite the cancellation of school today due to severe weather.
The Cardinals face Warren Harding High School at 8 p.m. at Cleveland State University.
Reserved seat tickets are available at the gate and on sale at Mentor High School today in the gym lobby from noon to 3 p.m.
SCHOOL CLOSED WEDNESDAY, MARCH 5
[ 3/5/2008 ]
Due to severe weather causing icy side roads and entry ways, Mentor Public Schools will be closed Wednesday, March 5.
Departure for Ridge Junior High students to Philadelphia has been delayed until 11 a.m.
[3/4/2008] Mentor students participate in library's Science Alliance
[ 3/4/2008 ]
Students from Lake Elementary, Rice Elementary and Memorial Jr. High showcased their wealth of scientific knowledge at the Mentor Public Library's Science Alliance on Saturday, Feb. 23.
In cooperation with Steris, Lubrizol and the Mentor Marsh, students presented interactive displays to library visitors, demonstrating knowledge of classic and contemporary science concepts.
Lake Elementary's 6th graders displayed their home-made windmill, talked about wind energy and helped young visitors make a pinwheel of their own to demonstrate the concept.
Rice Elementary's 3rd graders covered Newton's laws of physics with an interactive display, allowing visitors to see first- hand how much energy it takes to roll and empty spool up a ramp by blowing throw a straw.
[3/3/2008] Tickets for boys basketball regional semi-final on sale this week
[ 3/3/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals boys basketball team will face Warren Harding Wednesday in the Division I Regional Semi-Final at Cleveland State University.
Tickets will be on sale now through Wednesday in the gym lobby from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Seats are reserved, and are available for $6 in advance and $8 at the gate.
Game time is 8 p.m.
For more information, call the high school athletic office at 205-2592.
[2/29/2008] Mentor student wins Lake County Spelling Bee
[ 2/29/2008 ]
Leila Mansour, a seventh grader at Memorial Jr. High, won the Lake County Spelling Bee Thursday, defeating 11 opponents from neighboring districts.
Leila won the Bee after correctly spelling the word 'tamale,' and will now represent Lake County in the upcoming Tri- County Spelling Bee on Thursday, March 13.
There, she will face champs from Ashtabula and Geauga County for a chance at the 81st annual Scripps National Spelling Bee in Washington, D.C.
Congratulations, Leila, and good luck!
Memorial Jr. High seventh grader Leila Mansour won the Lake County Spelling Bee on Thursday, Feb. 28.
SCHOOL CLOSED WEDNESDAY, FEB. 27
[ 2/27/2008 ]
Due to weather conditions, Mentor Public Schools will be closed on Wednesday, Feb. 27.
[2/26/2008] Mentor Science Olympiad teams sweep regional meet
[ 2/26/2008 ]
It was as if the Cleveland Browns had won the Super Bowl, according to high school Science Olympiad advisor Tom Ramsey. Such was the reaction of 100 Mentor students and their coaches upon learning that the high school team and all three junior high teams had earned a spot at the state Science Olympiad championship in April.
It all happened Saturday, Feb. 23, at the Case Western Reserve University regional Science Olympiad competition - considered by many to be the most competitive in the state. The high school team placed second in the overall scoring for the high school division. Ridge, Memorial and Shore placed 4th, 5th and 7th, respectively, in the junior high division.
All four Science Olympiad teams will now advance to compete at the state meet on April 12, at The Ohio State University.
Congratulations to all teams and good luck at states!
[2/26/2008] Hockey team makes history with first trip to district final
[ 2/26/2008 ]
The Mentor Cardinals hockey team made history Monday, winning the first district semifinal in its history and earning a spot at the district final on Friday.
The Cardinals defeated University School 3 - 2 in the final minute of overtime at Kent State University.
The winner of the Kent District Final, to be determined at a 7:30 p.m. Friday game, will advance to the state final four at Nationwide Arena in Columbus on March 8th and 9th.
Congratulations, and Go Cards!
[2/26/2008] Student artwork showcase at Mentor Library begins March 1
[ 2/26/2008 ]
March is Youth Art Month, and Mentor Public Schools is celebrating with its annual elementary art showcase at the Mentor Public Library from March 1 through March 29.
Please join in celebrating our students' artistic achievements by viewing their artwork at the main branch of the library. The showcase will feature pieces from all 10 of our elementary schools, and will be displayed throughout the children's section on the second floor and in the first floor display cases.
Mentor Public Library, located at 8215 Mentor Ave., is open Monday and Tuesday from noon. to 8 p.m.; Wednesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday from noon to 5 p.m. The library is closed on Sundays.
[2/22/2008] Top 25 presents 'Life is a Highway' March 7 & 8
[ 2/22/2008 ]
Mentor High School's own Top 25 will present 'Life is a Highway' at 7:30 p.m. March 7 and 8 at the high school Fine Arts Center.
Adult tickets are $8 in advance and $9 at the door. Tickets for senior citizens and students are $6 in advance and $7 at the door.
For advance tickets, call 257-8782.
[2/22/2008] Memorial Jr. High wins Cardinal Challenge
[ 2/22/2008 ]
Memorial Jr. High is the 2008 Cardinal Challenge champion. The team scored 560 points to take the trophy at the quiz contest held Thursday night at the Memorial auditorium.
Nine students from each junior high school competed in five rounds of questions on a variety of topics from science to current events.
In second place, the team from Ridge Jr. High scored 230 points. Shore Jr. High placed third with 200 points.
Congratulations to all competitors!
The Memorial Minutemen celebrate their victory and retain the winner's plaque.
The Shore Cardinals prepare to 'buzz' in during one of the lightning rounds at Cardinal Challenge.
[2/22/2008] Special board meeting set for March 13
[ 2/22/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education will hold a special meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, March 13 to discuss future revenue needs and any other business that may come before the board.
This is a rescheduling of the March 5 meeting, which has been canceled. The meeting will be held at the district administration building, 6451 Center Street.
[2/21/2008] Chamber of Commerce awards scholarships
[ 2/21/2008 ]
Four Mentor High School seniors were awarded scholarships by the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce in its annual scholarship program.
They are:
Dylan Harrison Heather Helsel Andrew Mayher Elizabeth Sayer
Each student will receive $1,000 toward furthering their education, whether at a college, university or technical school.
Congratulations to all students, and thank you to the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce for helping our students pursue their goals beyond graduation.
[2/19/2008] District responds immediately to USDA beef recall
[ 2/20/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools responded quickly to a request by the USDA to pull all beef products which may have originated at the Westland Meat Co., which is being investigated for improper meat processing practices. All meat which may have originated at this plant has been removed from our stock according to inventory codes issued by the USDA on Feb. 10.
We want to assure our students, parents and staff that our food supply is safe. All meat identified as potentially originating at the Westland plant will be destroyed.
[2/14/2008] Students bring Valentine's Day to Heartland of Mentor
[ 2/14/2008 ]
Students from Mentor High School made their annual Valentine's Day visit to Heartland of Mentor assisted living home Thursday for an afternoon of singing, dancing and smiles.
About 30 students from the high school's student government, boys basketball team and early childhood education program danced and chatted with the Heartland residents in a heartwarming hour that has become a tradition spanning 10 years.
Organizer Melissa Kirby, the high school's early childhood education teacher, said students often don't know what to expect when they sign up, but leave Heartland with a desire to come back and spend more time with the residents.
We are honored to share this special time with the residents of Heartland, and would like to thank Heartland Activities Director Linda Gerhardt (MHS Class of 1985) and Mrs. Kirby for their outstanding efforts.
To view an online video montage of the visit, please visit www.news-herald.com.
[2/13/2008] Garfield 5th graders to appear on Fox 8 Morning Show Thursday
[ 2/13/2008 ]
Fifth graders from Mrs. Helen Pero's class at Garfield Elementary will challenge the Fox 8 morning crew on Thursday in the local rendition of the hit show, 'Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader?'
The students will be asked questions on the show every half hour between 7 a.m. and 9 a.m., and can also be seen in a taped segment that will air on Fox 8 News at 5 p.m.
Good luck, class!
[2/12/2008] Board of Education appoints library trustee
[ 2/13/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has appointed Lowell B. Davis to the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees.
Davis was appointed at the school board's regular meeting Tuesday, and was sworn in to begin serving immediately. He fills a vacancy on the board left by the resignation of Jeffrey Shibley, the term of which runs through Dec. 31, 2011.
Davis was one of five candidates interviewed by the school board in January prior to the appointment of Deborah A. Foley to the library board.
He has served as Interim Treasurer for Mentor Public Schools, Hudson City Schools, Mayfield City Schools, Independence Local Schools and others, and brings with him more than 40 years experience in local government management.
[2/12/2008] Mentor High School announces National Merit Finalists
[ 2/12/2008 ]
The Mentor Public Schools community would like to congratulate Mentor High School seniors Mark A. Noviski and Andrew Ring for earning the high academic distinction of National Merit Finalist for the 2007-2008 school year.
Each were among the highest scorers on the Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT), a test which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.4 million students.
In addition to their outstanding test scores, students earn Finalist status by demonstrating consistently high academic performance.
[2/12/2008] Shore scheduling meeting rescheduled
[ 2/12/2008 ]
The Shore Middle School grade 5 into 6 scheduling meeting originally set for Monday, Feb. 11 has been rescheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 13 at 6:30 p.m. in the Shore cafeteria.
If evening events are canceled for Tuesday, Feb. 12 due to inclement weather, BOTH the 5 into 6 and 6 into 7 grade-level meetings will be held at the same time on Wednesday, Feb. 13 in the cafeteria.
[2/11/2008] Information regarding weather-based school closure
[ 2/11/2008 ]
As you know, living in Northeastern Ohio requires us to be prepared for snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Below is a list of activities that take place prior to the decision to call off school:
A. Begin checking snowfall on the major streets and cul-de-sac areas on the evening prior to a potential snow day. B. Contact the local police departments. C. Check to see if other school districts are planning to close school. D. Assess the temperature and wind chill factor (must be -18 degrees Fahrenheit sustained wind chill or colder). This is determined according to frostbite risk data published by the National Weather Service.
The decision to close school must be made before the Mentor High School buses leave the compound. However, if we decided that the 14 Mentor Public Schools should remain open, please understand the following:
A. We have made the best decision based on the information available. B. Parents may choose to keep their child(ren) at home if they deem the streets/sidewalks to be unsafe. An absence note must be sent to the school(s) the next day. If your son/daughter drives to Mentor High School, you may want to have him/her ride the school bus. C. Students may make up school work that was missed. D. Delays should be expected at bus stops. E. Schools will rarely, if ever, open on a delayed start. F. Schools will rarely, if ever, be closed early. G. Extracurricular activities may be canceled depending on the weather that afternoon.
A decision to close school affects about 9,000 children, their parents, and all parochial schools in the district's boundaries. Rest assured we will do our best to make the appropriate decision based upon the available information to ensure the safety of our students and employees.
SCHOOL CLOSED MONDAY, FEB. 11
[ 2/10/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools will be closed on Monday, Feb. 11 due to severe cold. Temperatures are expected to be below zero, with sustained wind chill in the negative double digits.
[2/8/2008] Superintendent statement regarding media reports of rumors and threats
[ 2/8/2008 ]
Dear Parents and Community Members,
I would like to address the media reports last night and today regarding rumors circulating that there would be violence at Mentor High School. Last week, high school administrators discovered an anonymous message written on a bathroom wall that we believe triggered these rumors. Mr. John Diamond, assistant principal of Mentor High School, investigated this message and every rumor and lead that followed. Mr. Diamond has over 20 years experience working as a Mentor Police officer and detective and brings to his job first-hand experience investigating rumors and potential problems. In his expert opinion he reported to the principal and to me that he could not find any first-hand information regarding a specific threat to student safety. Nor could he find anything to substantiate any of the rumors. He recommended having the police department's regularly assigned patrol car make a few extra stops at the high school throughout the day to reassure any students who might have heard the rumors. That request was not made because we had any concerns about the safety of our students. In addition, we never requested additional police presence inside our high school as reported by the media.
I take notifying parents of potential problems very seriously. Based on the facts I received this past week I felt a letter or notice to parents would potentially incite panic and escalate the problem. If any facts or credible information had been presented that indicated even the slightest chance that there was the potential of violence at MHS or any of our schools, I assure you I would have used AlertNow to notify our parents and students directly. I also want to assure you I will always err on the side of safety and security of our students and staff.
The disruption caused by this type of threat or rumor is not taken lightly. Any student found to be responsible for such a threat will face serious disciplinary action.
Dr. Jacqueline Hoynes Superintendent
[2/8/2008] UPDATE: Facts regarding alleged threats at Mentor High School
[ 2/8/2008 ]
Beginning Thursday evening, media reports began to surface regarding alleged threats against Mentor High School. Information in these reports was not confirmed by school officials and was not correct.
The following are facts regarding rumors of violence at the high school:
• No additional police officers were requested by the district for patrol within the school. The district requested periodic checks by the regularly assigned police cruiser throughout the day in order to reassure students who may have been concerned about the rumors. • Throughout the past week, a variety of vague and unsubstantiated rumors were investigated by school officials, none of which were found to be credible or actionable. • At no time did school officials receive any first-hand information regarding a specific threat to student safety. • At this point it is business-as-usual at the high school, attendance is strong and the atmosphere is relaxed. • School officials work diligently and discretely when dealing with threats or rumors of violence. We take every threat seriously, and are committed to ensuring that our students are safe. We make every effort to deal directly with the problem while avoiding panic and alarm as has been seen with similar incidents in area districts in recent weeks. Rest assured that we will always err on the side of safety when it comes to protecting our school community. • We will continue to investigate all rumors and threats of violence, and will pursue serious disciplinary action against any student who is found to be responsible.
[2/7/2008] Seniors accept athletic scholarships
[ 2/8/2008 ]
Six more Mentor High School seniors have earned outstanding academic opportunities thanks to their dedication and skill in athletics.
In a signing ceremony on Feb. 6 at the district administration building, students, parents, coaches and administrators celebrated the exciting next step in the lives of these student athletes.
The following students signed letters of intent to colleges and universities:
Brad Bednar - Miami University, football Josh Freeman - Lake Erie College, football Lauren Gallets - Indiana University - Purdue University at Indianapolis, soccer Kevin Harper - University of Pittsburgh, football Ana Reynolds - University of Toledo, soccer Alyssa Zuccaro - Bowling Green State University, soccer
The Mentor Public Schools community congratulates these students and wishes them much success in their future academic and athletic pursuits.
[2/4/2008] Alumni Hall-of-Fame inductees announced
[ 2/7/2008 ]
The Alumni & Friends of Mentor High School will induct six graduates into the Distinguished Alumni Hall-of-Fame on April 24. The purpose of the hall of fame is to recognize Mentor graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields and are recognized as positive contributors to society.
The Mentor High School Distinguished Hall-of-Fame serves as a permanent testimony that the Mentor High School experience prepares graduates to face lifes challenges, to problem-solve and to make decisions that will positively influence and/or contribute to the well being of our society.
Inductees for 2008 are:
Jacqueline Maher Gregg, class of 1972 Jonathan Kelley, class of 1989 Adrienne Zivkovich Larkin, class of 1984 Nellie K. Robbins, class of 1995 Daniel J. Snyder Sr., class of 1953 Michael Russell Vehovec, class of 1979
The induction ceremony will start at 6 p.m. at LaMalfa Party Center. Congratulations to our distinguished alumni, and thank you for setting an example of excellence to which all graduates can aspire.
[2/6/2008] Kindergarten registration begins Feb. 20
[ 2/6/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools will hold kindergarten registration for the 2008-2009 school year from Feb. 20 through Feb. 29 at the elementary schools.
Kindergarten for the upcoming school year will be all day, every day, with no tuition cost to in-district parents.
Children who will be five years old on or before Sept. 30, 2008 may be registered. Registration forms are available at all elementary schools.
Please note: effective July 1, 1990, all students must successfully complete a formal kindergarten program to be admitted to first grade.
Below is a link to the complete registration requirements and the dates and times for each building.
If you cannot attend one of the group registration sessions, please contact the elementary school serving your area of residence to schedule an appointment for a later date.
2008-2009 KINDERGARTEN REGISTRATION DATES
[2/4/2008] District celebrates Black History Month
[ 2/4/2008 ]
February is Black History Month, and throughout the Mentor School District, students are learning about the lives of some of the most prominent African Americans in history such as Frederick Douglass, Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Thurgood Marshall and others.
We would like to invite you to visit a variety of free web sites that highlight the contribitions of great African Americans and their stories.
Click on a link below:
The National Museum of African American History and Culture The African American Mosaic Celebrate Black History Month - The New York Public Library The History Channel The Biography Channel CNN Interactive / World African Network
[2/1/2008] Winners of the Mentor Schools district-wide spelling bee
[ 2/1/2008 ]
Memorial Jr. High seventh grader Leila Mansour won the district-wide spelling bee Thursday, after a competition among spelling champions from grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8.
Leila will now represent Mentor Public Schools in the upcoming Lake County Bee.
Thirty-two spelling champions from grades 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 competed Thursday for the district title at the Memorial Junior High School auditorium.
All ten elementary schools were represented, along with students from Memorial and Shore Junior High.
Winners for each grade level are:
Grade 4: Kyle McIntosh, Sterling Morton Elementary Grade 5: Stephen Stavnicky, Rice Elementary Grade 6: Dallas Noonan, Sterling Morton Elementary Grade 7: Leila Mansour, Memorial Jr. High Grade 8: Jesse Bleck, Shore Jr. High
Congratulations to all competitors!
Leila Mansour, Mentor Spelling Champion
[1/31/2008] Student artwork on display at Lakeland
[ 1/31/2008 ]
The Annual Lake and Geauga Junior and Senior Art Exhibit is on now through Feb. 24 at the Lakeland Community College Fine Arts Gallery.
Ten award-winning Mentor students have pieces in the show. They are:
Trevor Cormack, Mentor High School Ben Anderson, Mentor High School Melissa Mazzaro, Mentor High School Anthony Parson, Mentor High School Cindy Molnar, Mentor High School Hannabeth Lagerlof, Mentor High School Tristan Cormack, Memorial Junior High School Anna Luoma, Memorial Junior High School Viena Swierczek, Memorial Junior High School Kayla Mason, Shore Junior High School
The exhibit is free and open to the public weekdays from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
An artists reception is scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 24 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. in the gallery.
[1/31/2008] MHS art students receive top regional awards
[ 1/31/2008 ]
Six Mentor High School art students received top honors in January from the Graphic Arts Council of Greater Cleveland.
Kyle Rose, Mallary Kovatch and Katie Gill took first, second and third place, respectively, in the 18th Annual Benny Awards for printing. Mallary Kovatch also earned an honorable mention in the printing category, along with fellow Mentor students Courtney Lemmo and Cheryl Thompson. Judging for the awards was based on concept, design execution and demonstration of technical skills. The students were selected from a pool of more than 300 applicants.
The Graphic Arts Council also recognized Mentors Calli Spindle with the 2008 Oustanding Student Award.
All students are enrolled in Mrs. Michelle Kanes printmaking class. Each received their award on January 17 at the 54th Graphic Arts Council Awards Celebration Event at Cuyahoga County Community College western campus in Parma.
Congratulations to all students for their outstanding achievements!
Mentor's printmaking students are recognized at the 54th Graphic Arts Council Awards Celebration Event in January.
Senior Kyle Rose took first place in the 18th Annual Benny Awards for this print.
Senior Calli Spindle was recognized with the Oustanding Student Award for Mentor High School.
[1/30/2008] CardCredit update
[ 1/30/2008 ]
More than 2,400 students now have active CardCredit accounts being used to electronically pay for lunches. Every day our lines are moving more quickly as students and staff adjust to the new process. We would like to continue to make our lunch service even more efficient by minimizing the amount of cash being handled in the lunch line. If you are not yet able to deposit money by credit or debit card, please send a check to school with your child to pre-pay meals for a week or more in advance. Elementary students may give checks to their teachers, while secondary students can hand a check to the cashier in the lunch line. If cash is the only way you are able to pay, please send more than a single days worth of money and have your child ask the cashier to deposit the change into the system. We appreciate your help in making our lunch lines move more quickly.
If you have any questions, please contact Food Service Supervisor Jennifer Lange at 974-5227 or by e-mail at [email protected].
[1/30/2008] Lake Elementary closed due to power outage
[ 1/30/2008 ]
Lake Elementary School is closed today, Wednesday, Jan. 30, due to a power outage.The outage was caused by a downed power line near the school.
Power is expected to be restored today.
[1/30/2008] MHS senior a candidate to become Presidential Scholar
[ 1/30/2008 ]
Mentor High School Senior Andrew Ring is a candidate for the U.S. Department of Education's 2008 Presidential Scholars program. Andrew made the prestigious list of 2,600 high-performing students from across the country by scoring a perfect 36 on the ACT.
Andrew is the only student in Lake County to qualify, and one of only 50 students from Ohio on the list.
A review committee of qualified individuals experienced in secondary and post-secondary education evaluates candidates on their academic achievement, personal characteristics, leadership and service activities, and an analysis of their essay. Approximately 500 candidates are named semifinalists and forwarded to the Commission for further review in April.
The U.S. Presidential Scholars Program was established in 1964, by executive order of the President, to recognize and honor some of our nation's most distinguished graduating high school seniors. In 1979, the program was extended to recognize students who demonstrate exceptional talent in the visual, creative and performing arts. Each year, up to 141 students are named as Presidential Scholars, one of the nation's highest honors for high school students.
Congratulations, Andrew!
MHS Senior Andrew Ring
[1/29/2008] District e-mail restored, available for use
[ 1/29/2008 ]
Backup of the district's e-mail server is now complete, restoring staff access to e-mail on Tuesday, Jan. 29. The outage was required to provide adequate disk space to manage and archive all electronic correspondence in the district.
The capacity of the e-mail server has been increased and will be closely monitored to ensure minimal outages in the future.
We apologize for the inconvenience this has caused, and recommend that anyone sending e-mail to a teacher or staff member between Jan. 25 and Jan. 29 check their inbox for an error message indicating it may not have been delivered.
Staff members are also advised to check their 'Junk' e-mail folder for legitimate messages that may have been filtered there during the outage.
[1/28/2008] District-wide spelling bee set for Thursday, Jan. 31
[ 1/28/2008 ]
The Mentor Public Schools district-wide spelling bee is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 31, at the Memorial Junior High School auditorium.
The bee kicks off with the elementary competition, with winners from all 10 schools competing for district champion status. Immediately following the elementary bee, winners from each grade-level bee will compete for a chance to represent Mentor Schools in the Lake County spelling bee.
[1/28/2008] District e-mail server down
[ 1/28/2008 ]
Backup of the district e-mail server is continuing through Monday, Jan. 28, which will prevent staff access to e-mail and may result in messages to staff being returned to senders as undeliverable.
We hope to have the backup complete and access restored by Monday evening. In the meantime, if you need to contact a staff member, please use our online Staff Directory to locate the appropriate telephone number.
We apologize for the inconvenience this may cause our staff and community. Access to our web site and Infinite Campus Parent Portal remains uninterrupted during this time.
[1/28/2008] Elementary report cards available online
[ 1/28/2008 ]
The posting of elementary report cards to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal was delayed for several hours on Friday due to a technical issue.
This did not affect secondary-level report cards, and all report cards were available for viewing by Saturday, Jan. 26.
We apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.
[1/25/2008] Junior highs to compete in 2008 Cardinal Challenge
[ 1/25/2008 ]
Mentor's three junior high schools will face off in a battle of wits at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 21 at the Memorial Junior High School auditorium for the 2008 Cardinal Challenge.
The contest is a team-based, on-stage quiz modeled after Channel 5's area-wide Academic Challenge, in which Mentor High School students compete.
Parents, friends and community members are invited to this free event in which nine students from each junior high will take part.
Cardinal Challenge includes traditional quiz questions covering a variety of areas from geography to science, and also features a visual current events quiz. There are five rounds to the competition, and each of the 27 competitors must appear on stage at least once.
Here are this year's teams:
Memorial Coach: Michelle Haag
Josh Clark Jake Leber Megan Shawhan Emily Harker Kevin Nguyen Emily Penkowski Ryan Kodramaz Leila Mansour Natesa Weber
Ridge Coach: Jason Holy
Alex Catanese Mike Guynn Mike Ferrante Amy Cilensek Jessie Eiben Ronald Lucarelli Alyssa Lane Nikhil Shah Nathan Sulecki
Shore Coaches: Chris Miller, Jessica King
Rachael Arndt Kira Haag Tim Spiker Austin Armstrong Katie Goodman Max Green Andrew Fraser Jessie Lipstreuer Heather Shadle
Memorial Junior High is located at 8979 Mentor Ave.
[1/25/2008] Brazil Youth Ambassadors visit Mentor High School
[ 1/25/2008 ]
Six students from Brazil spent time at Mentor High School this week learning about U.S. culture and education while sharing their own experiences with the high school's Model U.N. group.
The visit was part of the Brazil Youth Ambassadors Program, facilitated by the Cleveland Council on World Affairs.
The six high school students, selected from a pool of 3,000 applicants in Brazil, presented a wealth of information about their diverse nation, highlighting the unique traits of their own home regions.
Mentor students enjoyed Brazilian food, music and dance while getting to know their South American counterparts, who spent one week in the U.S. between greater Cleveland and Washington, D.C. In addition to their time in Mentor, the students met with First Lady Laura Bush and Cleveland Cavaliers Center/Forward Anderson Varejao.
Highlights of the visit with Model U.N. students this week included the performance of a traditional Brazilian folk dance by Patieene Alves Passoni.
The Brazilian students also offered great insight into the history of Brazil and its unique demographics.
Mentor Schools would like to thank the Cleveland Council on World Affairs for another opportunity for global exchange - a critical component of meeting the district's vision of preparing students for the 21st century and beyond.
Patieene Alves Passoni performs a traditional Brazilian folk dance before Mentor High School's Model U.N.
A student from Brazil's Amazon region explains two possible roots for the word 'Amazon.'
[1/24/2008] Mentor High School to host tours for parents of incoming freshmen and sophomores
[ 1/24/2008 ]
Mentor High School will host tours for parents of incoming freshmen and sophomores at 10 a.m. on Jan. 29, Jan. 31 and Feb. 5. The tours will last approximately 45 minutes, and will be followed by a question-and-answer session with a panel of students and teachers.
Parents are invited to attend any one of the three tours.
[1/24/2008] Mentor students eligible for scholarships
[ 1/24/2008 ]
The Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce Foundation is showing its commitment to Mentors youth by offering academic and career-technical scholarships. Applications are being accepted until Monday, January 28, 2008. The scholarships are open to any senior of a Mentor high school (includes private & parochial) or student of a Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce member company for education beyond the high school level. Scholarships will be presented to the recipients at the Annual Awards Banquet in March. Applications are available on line at www.mentorchamber.org or at the chambers office located at 6972 Spinach Drive.
[1/24/2008] Superintendent highlights accomplishments, goals in Mentor Chamber of Commerce speech
[ 1/24/2008 ]
Superintendent Dr. Jacqueline A. Hoynes delivered her annual State of the Schools presentation to the Mentor Area Chamber of Commerce on Tuesday, Jan. 22 at LaMalfa.
The address provided a snapshot of the district's outstanding performance over the past year, both academically and financially, and previewed many of the groundbreaking changes that will take place in the next as the district 'Takes Flight' to a new era.
Since her last speech to the Chamber in 2007, Mentor Schools has earned another Excellent rating on the Ohio Department of Education Report Card - its fourth in the last three years. The district also met federally-mandated Adequate Yearly Progress benchmarks across all categories for the first time since the measure was introduced.
On the financial side, Dr. Hoynes highlighted the district's strong financial performance in the last year, with revenue outpacing projections by 6.8 percent and expenditures being held at 4.3 percent lower than budgeted. An integral part of meeting the district's vision of maximizing the capacity, effectiveness and efficiency of all current and future resources means adjusting staffing to coincide with decreased student enrollment. Since 2003-2004, the district has reduced staffing by 23.6 percent, with a 1.5 percent reduction in the last year.
Since January 2007, the district earned the Ohio Auditor's 'Making Your Tax Dollars Count' award for fiscal years 2005 and 2006 - one of only 18 government entities recognized in northeast Ohio.
The last year has also seen a variety of technological advancements in the district, including the introduction of SMART Boards at all schools. Mentor Schools has also given parents electronic, 24/7 access to student information via its Infinite Campus Parent Portal, and is now offering cashless lunch transactions with online prepayment at mentorschools.org.
2008 brings even more change to the district, with the introduction of tuition-free all-day, every-day kindergarten districtwide; the transition to a middle school / four-year high school model; and the high tech renovation of the Mentor High School I-wing.
To view a PDF of Dr. Hoynes' PowerPoint presentation, click below:
2008 State of Mentor Public Schools Presentation
[1/24/2008] Parent satisfaction survey online now
[ 1/24/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools is asking parents for feedback on the district's support services. This web survey, while unscientific, can provide valuable feedback from our stakeholders to ensure we are meeting the needs of students in all areas.
This survey, accessible now via the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, asks parents to evaluate their satisfaction with Mentor Schools' food, transportation and buildings & grounds services. These are essential aspects which support our goal of meeting and exceeding the instructional needs of all students, and the feedback provided will help us to better utilize our resources in service of the school community. Surveys on other topics will appear periodically through the parent portal.
To access the portal and take the survey, click HERE or visit the main page of www.mentorschools.org.
[1/22/2008] Mentor Board of Education cancels Jan. 26 special meeting
[ 1/22/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has canceled a special meeting it had scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 26. The purpose of the meeting was to address the vacancy on the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees, which was resolved with the appointment of Deborah A. Foley on Jan. 19.
The board's next meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12 at Garfield Elementary School.
[1/19/2008] Board of Education appoints library trustee
[ 1/22/2008 ]
The Mentor Board of Education has appointed Deborah A. Foley to the Mentor Public Library Board of Trustees.
The board made the appointment in a special meeting Saturday after interviewing five candidates for the position, which runs from January 2008 through December 2014.
The board publicly requested applications from the community last month, and received eight. A committee of board members and district officials reviewed the applications at a special meeting on Wednesday, January 16, selecting five candidates for interviews.
'The Board of Education carefully evaluated each of the candidates, weighing a variety of factors including community involvement and leadership experience,' said Mentor Board of Education President Gwen J. Corban. 'The Board felt that all candidates brought valuable experience to the table for consideration. After much discussion and consideration, the board selected Ms. Foley based on her record of leadership and service to the community.'
Foley has served as President of the United Way of Lake County since 2000. Prior to leading the United Way, she was the Executive Director of the Columbus Public School System. In addition to her extensive community involvement through the United Way, Foley has served on Lake Hospital Systems Women Advisory Board; founded Lake Countys Womens Leadership Initiative; and has served on the Lake Erie College Education Department Advisory Committee.
[1/17/2008] Mentor high school teacher receives national award
[ 1/17/2008 ]
Mentor High School Social Studies Teacher Steve Couch has been named Educator of the Year for 2007 by the National Council for International Visitors.
Couch organized a unique day-long visit to Mentor High School by 23 European and Canadian government officials, media and political professionals on Sept. 28, 2007. The visiting group was part of an international program designed to give young leaders in other countries a chance to learn more about U.S. government, politics, education and culture. This group, whose member nations included Great Britain, France, Germany, Sweden, and Turkey, met with students, teachers and administrators to discuss a variety of topics. In a review of their month-long visit to the United States, nearly all members of the group found their visit to Mentor High School to be the most rewarding portion of their itinerary.
In conjunction with being named Educator of the Year, Couch will travel to Washington, D.C. to receive his award at the National Council for International Visitors National Meeting. There, he will also participate in a panel on The Classroom as a Two-Way Window on the World: Effective Approaches to Educational Outreach where he will discuss the Mentor High School event.
He will also attend a State Department reception, a lobbying breakfast on Capitol Hill and a reception at the embassy of a foreign nation.
'This award is the highest honor I have yet received in my professional career, and I am honored and grateful to receive it,' Couch said. 'But the real reward for me was meeting these distinguished international visitors in September and hearing from them how impressed they were with our students. That day is the reason I was nominated for this award, and I know that although I am being singled out, the day we hosted was a school-wide effort. I am so proud of how our school and community distinguished itself.'
Steve Couch
[1/11/2008] Second grading period report card available Jan. 25
[ 1/14/2008 ]
The second quarter report cards will be available on the parent portal Friday, January 25th at 5 p.m. Families who have not accessed the portal will have the second quarter report cards sent home with their child(ren) on or around February 1st. Parents who have accessed the portal will not receive a paper copy of the report card. If you have not received your activation key to access the parent portal, please contact your child's school to request a key.
If you have any questions about the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, please contact Linda Paolucci at (440) 974-5254.
[1/10/2008] District introduces CardCredit electronic lunch payment system
[ 1/10/2008 ]
Deposits are now being accepted for the district's new electronic lunch payment system, CardCredit. This will allow students to pay for lunch by entering a PIN number beginning Jan. 22. Deposits can be made with either a credit or debit card. Electronic check payment will be available in the near future.
You can create an account by visiting www.mentorschools.org and clicking on the CardCredit button on the right side of the page.
For more information on CardCredit, please read the CardCredit Info Sheet.
[1/7/2008] Preschool registration set for Feb. 1
[ 1/7/2008 ]
Mentor Public Schools will offer preschool registration for the 2008-2009 school year from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Friday, Feb. 1 at the Mentor Board of Education Administration Building.
This registration is for 'typical' students, meaning those without identified special needs.
Parents and legal guardians may pick up registration packets at the administration building beginning Jan. 14. Packets will also be available at preschool locations: Brentmoor Elementary, Fairfax Elementary and Headlands Elementary.
The cost of registration is $100, which is applied to the final month of preschool tuition (May 2009).
To register, parents must submit: * Completed registration form * Official copy of birth certificate * Proof of residency (current gas or electric bill, or rental agreement) * Custody papers (if applicable) * Preference form indicating preferred school
If you have any questions regarding the program or registration, please contact Christine Miley at (440) 974-5245 or by e-mail at [email protected].
[1/2/2008] Mentor High School Alumni Hall of Fame nominations being accepted
[ 1/2/2008 ]
Nominations for the 2008 Mentor High School Distinguished Alumni Hall-of-Fame Recognition Program are being accepted through Jan. 4.
The hall of fame, sponsored by the Alumni & Friends of Mentor High School Association, is designed to recognize Mentor graduates who have distinguished themselves in their chosen fields and are recognized as positive contributors to society.
The hall of fame serves as a permanent testimony to the fact that the Mentor High School experience prepares graduates to face life's challenges, to solve problems and to make decisions that will positively influence and/or contribute to society.
Detailed criteria and the form for nomination is available below or in printed form at each school and at the Mentor Board of Education office, 6451 Center Street. 2008 Mentor High School Distinguished Alumni Hall-of-Fame nomination form