YOU and Scott and YOUR SchoolsSummer 2007 the Bee BULLETIN OF THE BEACHWOOD CITY SCHOOLS BOARD OF EDUCATION One Speller’s Account of the 2007 Moody’s Investors Service Upgrades Scripps National Spelling Bee Beachwood Schools’ Rating to Aa1 Story by Scott Remer oody’s Investors Service has upgraded tion of our District for this rating upgrade – on Page 5 Mto Aa1 from Aa2 the financial debt rat- prudent management, sound finances and our ing on the Beachwood City School District. extremely supportive community’s voting Beachwood is now one of only three record,” said Beachwood Schools Treasurer school districts in Ohio with a Aa1 rating (the Michele Mills. others are Shaker Heights and Dublin) and “With the size of our tax base, one of approximately 40 Aa1-rated school Beachwood is among the smallest school dis- districts nationwide. tricts in the country to receive such a high “Three criteria were used in the evalua- continued on page 21 Bison Spring Sports Earn Three Conference Championships Girls’ Track, Tennis Doubles Qualify for State Competitions Bison spring sports teams celebrated an team All-Conference were Mark Goldberg, amazing 2007 season, with three Chagrin Valley first singles and MVP; Grant Aronson, sec- Conference (CVC) championships and hurdler ond singles; Uri Magaram, third singles; Inside Ava Haynes (right) winning third in the state. Alec Simon, second doubles; and Max Perspective . .2 Also qualifying for State competition Sheridan, second doubles. were the 4x200m relay team of Alena Bison baseball earned its second consecu- Treasurer’s Column . .3 Brown, Samantha Friedman, Ava Haynes tive conference cham- and Jennifer Warren (eighth in state), the pionship, with Elliot AP Stats Awards . .4 4x100m relay team of Alena Brown, Ava Rosenbaum named Haynes, Renecia McMillian and Jennifer CVC MVP and four Class of 2007 . .7 Warren, and the tennis doubles team Grant first team awards – Scrapbook . .16 Aronson and Mark Goldberg. Josh Arian, Regional and District hurdles champion Bradley “Spinneys” . .23 Ava Haynes broke the Regional meet record. Goldberg, Grant Aronson and Mark Goldberg Garrett were Sectional and District champions and Mayers and Emily Sykes became the first female distance Alex Small. runner in 10 years to qualify for Regional Steve competition. Ava Haynes and Baraona . Emily Sykes broke the Beachwood High (baseball), e c n a School records for their respective events g e l E c (100m hurdles and 1600m run), as did the i h p a 4x800m relay team of Melissa Friedman, r g o t Alana Oif, Talya Sterling and Emily Sykes. Gregg Goldberg o h P For the second consecutive year, the (tennis) and Willie n o r y Lady Bison track team won the Chagrin Smith (track) all were M / r e Valley Conference Metro Division champi- named CVC Coaches of g o l G onship, with nine first place awards, including the Year. t t Special o c all of the relays. Jennifer Warren was named S y More Spring Sports b CVC MVP. o t o on Page 17. h SENIOR The tennis team also earned the P EDITION Conference championship. Named to the first hen I was elected to the Beachwood Mr. Paul Chase, our assistant principal, epito- Board of Education in November mize the leadership qualities that characterize Perspective W2005, I began my term with excite- any successful organization. Our children are ment, but also a certain amount of trepidation the direct beneficiaries of their unending devotion to their work and the immense skill A Message from at the awesome responsibility that goes along with overseeing an outstanding school district level they bring to the job each and every Dr. Alan Rosenthal through some potentially tumultuous times. day. The same can be said of Mrs. Linda It seemed so much simpler when I graduated LoGalbo, our middle school principal, and BHS in 1973. Even then, everyone talked Ms. Roxann Ramsey, our middle school about how wonderful the Beachwood School assistant principal, as well as Mr. Michael District was, and I just assumed, obviously Molnar and Ms. Christi Burger, the principals with great naiveté, that our school district at Hilltop and Bryden Schools, respectively. would always operate with peak efficiency – The administrative leadership allows our almost on autopilot. I had no concept of the outstanding teachers to do what they do best, hard work and commitment that goes into not and that is to educate our students. We are so only having a top performing school district, fortunate to have such a strong staff of teach- but more importantly, keeping our schools ers at all levels of our schools. They are the consistently performing at the upper echelon cream of the crop, and I am continually of all school districts. amazed at their energy and commitment to Having completed almost two years on our children. the Board, I see first-hand why our schools While space does not permit me to list continue to be looked upon with such high every program and individual, I would be regard. We are extremely fortunate to be remiss if I neglected our guidance department blessed with an administrative staff and fac- and athletic director. I have had much per- ulty that I truly believe is the best in the busi- sonal involvement with both of these depart- ness. It all starts with our superintendent, Dr. ments, and both shine brightly. Our guidance Richard Markwardt, whose skillful steward- counselors take an incredible interest in each Beachwood ship of our school system has allowed us to individual student, and work around the clock Board of Education keep our outstanding reputation for excel- to insure that each of our students has all of 24601 Fairmount Blvd. lence. He continues to guide us with decisive his or her needs met in the most expedient Beachwood, OH 44122 leadership at a time when there are many way possible. Our athletic director, Mr. Joe 216/464-2600 threats to the effectiveness of public school Perella, has set very high standards for our www.beachwood.k12.oh.us education, from the lack of funding at the coaches, and continually is searching for the state and national levels to the dwindling tax finest coaches to benefit our students. He Dr. Scott Peters, President base that our community faces today in himself is very dedicated to our athletes and 440/995-1111 2007. Dr. works to give [email protected] Markwardt has We are so fortunate to have such a each athlete the shown savvy best chance to fiscal skills and strong staff of teachers at all levels of our reach his or her Beth Rosenbaum, Vice President great foresight schools. They are the cream of the crop, potential, often 216/831-9246 going forward, going over and [email protected] as evidenced and I am continually amazed at their above the norm by his orches- energy and commitment to our children. to accommo- David B. Ostro trating the date the diverse 216/464-0718 reorganization of our schools to create an needs of our student-athletes. even greater environment for our students to Finally, I am greatly indebted to the [email protected] truly become “intellectual entrepreneurs with outstanding individuals who are my fellow a social conscience.” school board members. Three of them, like Dr. Brian Weiss Like all great teams, Dr. Markwardt is I, are graduates of BHS, and each of them 216/464-6678 surrounded by very skilled administrators. possesses compassion and dedication to the [email protected] Dr. Philip Wagner, the assistant superintend- schools that I find awe-inspiring. They are ent, and Michele Mills, the treasurer of our tireless proponents of our schools, and every decision made is carefully contemplated and Dr. Alan Rosenthal schools, are invaluable assets to the success of our district. They are tireless workers, made with one and only one goal in mind— 216/291-1122 and I continually marvel at their expertise, what will best benefit our students. [email protected] devotion and compassion that enable them Are we perfect? No. Are there improve- to perform their duties with such laudable ments that need to be made? Certainly. But to Superintendent: academic acumen. each of us on the Board of Education, as well Richard A. Markwardt, Ph.D. Our administrative team has been aided as all of the individuals listed above, our work precipitously in the past year by the hire of with the schools is a labor of love, and every 216/464-2600 our principals and assistant principals. Mr. decision made is with the best interests of our [email protected] Robert Hardis, our high school principal, and children as the paramount consideration. 2 since 2002 when the District initially issued bonds, so it Treasurer’s Column made sense to refinance these bonds. The Beachwood School District is pleased to announce that At the end of June, the Moody’s, a national credit rating agency, upgraded the District’s District advanced refunded credit rating from Aa2 to Aa1. This places Beachwood Schools bonds dated 2017-2022 (from as one of three school districts in the State of Ohio to obtain this the District’s original bond rating and among only 40-plus school districts in the nation. issuance in 2002 to finance the The District also now shares the same credit rating as the City of Middle School). The District Beachwood. refinanced $6,245,000 in Beachwood is one of the smallest school districts, in terms bonds. The refinancing repre- of property value, in the country to have achieved a Aa1 rating.