Orchard's Weekly Parent Newsletter
Monday, February 13, 2023 - Friday, February 17, 2023
CMSD's Vision for Learning
In our pursuit of a more fair, just and good system of education, it is CMSD’s vision that each of our learners, both our scholars and each of their educators, is individually and collectively presented with academically/intellectually complex tasks that are worthy of their productive struggle and allows them authentic opportunities to demonstrate their work and their learning of academic content and transferable skills in a joyful and adventurous environment.
Orchard's Vision for Teaching and Learning
To transform teaching and learning through technology integration and provide the highest quality education experience that ensures creative and inventive thinking with a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math) focus in student-centered classrooms.
Profile of a Graduate
- Exhibits Creativity and Innovation
- Skilled at Critical Thinking and Problem Solving
- Possesses an Academic Mindset
- Prepared for Global Citizenship
- Skilled at Collaborating
- Literate in Communication and Information Technology
- Exhibits Social and Cross Cultural Empathy
Weekly Message
Dear Families and Friends,
Great things happen every day at Orchard STEM School including our awards program and parent-teacher conferences. Thank you for attending! The Ohio State Test (OST) in English for students in grades 3 - 8 starts March 27! Please encourage your child to come to school on time, prepared, and ready to learn as we continue to review for the OST. If you have not updated your contact information, please contact our main office at 216.838.0440.
To facilitate a smoother dismissal, Orchard will use the PikMyKid app. Please see Dean McShan for more details. When temperatures are above 32 degrees and the ground is dry, we will have outdoor recess. Please ensure that your child is dressed for the weather and encourage them to enjoy the fresh air. Please send your child to our lost and found for their missing hats, coats, and so on. We will donate lost items this week. Please see the flyer below to participate in the selection process for our next CEO.
We respectfully ask that you enter the building by invitation only. We have noted a heightened display of emotions by our parents and the refusal, by visitors and guests, to enter through the metal detector. We apologize for the inconvenience and appreciate the support. Our building becomes a closed campus at 3 pm. Therefore, we are asking, unless your child has an appointment, that you wait until we dismiss. Dismissal will take place, out of our gym doors, for walkers and car riders by 4:00 pm to end our school day at 4:05 pm. For transportation concerns, please contact our transportation department at (216) 838-4287. Our playground is closed at the end of the school day. We expect our students to exit the building and go directly home unless they participate in after school activities.
All schools will be closed on Friday, February 17, 2023 for staff professional development and on Monday, February 20, 2023 for President's Day. Our Black History program will take place in person on Friday, February 24, 2023 at 2:30 pm. Please join us! The CDC placed Cuyahoga County in the “medium” category for COVID-19 spread. Therefore, we recommend wearing a mask if COVID symptoms, a positive test, or exposure exists.
During the school day, all students must use a hall pass to enter the halls, unless accompanied by a staff member. Please remind your child of this routine. Although dress and appearance of an Orchard student rests with their parents and guardians, we strongly encourage our students to dress appropriately. See the policy below.
We are pleased to have you as partners and want to assure you that we will do our best to help your child experience academic, social, and emotional growth. Check us out on social media, on Facebook (Orchard S.T.E.M School) and Twitter (@OrchardSTEM) or visit our website at clevelandmetroschools.org/Orchard. If you have any questions or concerns, feel free to contact us at 216.838.7350 or 216.544.4012. We welcome all inquiries. Thank you for your support and cooperation!
Educator and Students of the Month
School Hours and Start Dates
Orchard School Hours:
- 0 Period: 8:35 am - 9:21 am (Students in grades 4 - 8 and their siblings in K - grade 3)
- Breakfast: 9:05 am - 9:35 am (PreK - grade 8)
- Instruction: 9:35 am - 4:05 pm (PreK - grade 8)
- NOTE: Our secretary will be unavailable from 11:30 am - 12 pm daily for her lunch break. Staff members and volunteers will try their best to meet your needs.
- After school program with Open Doors Academy (ODA) - M - Th 4:05 - 6:30 pm. and F 4:05 - 6 pm
After-Hours Tutoring Program
Monday - Thursday from 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm
To complete the registration, parents or guardians must use the student's district email address to complete the registration. The system will not accept personal emails. The link to the tutoring session is emailed to the student.
Please reach out to Ms. Moss (Secretary) or Ms. Kendrick (Parent Ambassador) for your child's email address and password.
Visit www.ClevelandMetroSchools.org/Tutor to book a tutoring session.
Click here for the flyer.
University Hospitals Health Scholars Program
University Hospitals Office of Community Impact, Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (CEDI) would like to formally invite your students to participate in this year's program. The Health Scholars Internship Program helps underrepresented minority students understand health and healthcare while allowing them to engage with various healthcare fields.
Our program is a continuous internship aimed at building upon our students' existing talents, skills, & gifts while preparing them for healthcare careers beyond primary & secondary education. Health Scholars are nurtured with the thoughtful support of UH clinicians, practitioners, & partners, as well as our local community partners. Students receive guidance in applying to college along with career-developing opportunities aimed at fostering academic and professional success! Our ultimate goal is that they become healthcare professionals within the Cleveland area, where they grew up! Learn more HERE!
In addition to these unique opportunities, students also gain a wealth of benefits, such as a summer stipend, coverage of ACT/SAT testing, coverage of college application fees, & much more!
Our application cycle has just begun for the 2023-2024 program year, and we would love to see your students apply! Please consider inviting students interested in pursuing healthcare careers. Included in this email are program flyers & a brochure. Feel free to share these with your students as well as the link to our official Health Scholars website (www.uhcedi.com)! If you feel it would be beneficial, our team members would love to visit your school for a chance to speak with your students!
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions, comments, or concerns! Our program coordinators, Ms. Brittany Stone (Brittany.stone@UHhospitals.org) & Mrs. Saja Abid (saja.abid@gmail.com), will assist you & your students as needed!
Please check our flyer/brochure or use the link below to apply!
Application Due Date: March 01, 2023, by 11:59 PM.
From the Desk of Ms. Lee, Family Support Specialist
As your Family Support Specialist, I am here to support you and your Scholars. Please let me know how I can help. Also consider enrolling your student in the following programming: Open Doors Academy (after school programming) and the Integrated Health Task Force (Care Alliance, Applewood).
Care Alliance has returned to Orchard as part of the Integrated Health Task Force and is a joint initiative with CMSD and Say Yes Cleveland. The goal is to have your student healthy and prepared for school. Students can see a Physician Assistant, Dentist or our Applewood Therapist. Care Alliance is here Tuesdays and Thursdays with their mobile unit. If you want your student seen by the Dentist, please contact our School Nurse at 216-838-7357 for students to be seen. A consent form for your child can be sent home.
Please consider completing the Say Yes survey if you haven’t done so. You will need your child's Student ID to complete the survey. Please feel free to contact me regarding your child's Student ID number. The survey allows me to support our scholars with resources within our school and local community. This is the website to the survey https://cleveland.sytepps.org/#/login
The Ohio State Young Scholars representative, Ms. Hawkins was here this week and spoke with our 8th graders. The OSYS program is an opportunity for students to be prepared for college and attend the Ohio State University at little to no cost. This program recruits 8th graders from CMSD and follows them until graduation from high school. The program also prepares and assists students with college. The application deadline is March 15.
Attached is information to share with parents about assistance with their utilities and housing, and an employment opportunity for students with the YOU program. If you have high school students, there is also information about a college fair for high school students.
If I can help you, I can be reached at blee@sayyescleveland.org and 216-219-1330. You can also find me at Orchard daily!
Ms. Bethany Lee
Dress Code (Standard Dress and Appearance Policy)
Our district's new standard dress and appearance policy is intended to be gender neutral and apply to all students equally, while on school premises and at school-sponsored functions. Unlike the previous CMSD dress code that specifically dictated what students wore, the new CMSD dress expectations provide students and parents with a choice of clothing with the following exceptions.
Students may not wear:
- Transparent clothing
- Clothing that exposes the buttocks or torso
- Clothing or accessories that displays profanity, violence, obscene words or images, sexually suggestive statements, or statements that incites violence
- Clothing depicting gang-related activities
- Clothing that exposes the entire thigh, such as minis or shorts
- “Ripped” swimsuits or pants
- Clothing promoting the use of tobacco items or controlled substances (drugs) and/or alcohol
- Clothing where underwear is exposed
- Clothing that has texts or visual images that are defamatory, intimidating, constitute harassment or discrimination
- Open-toed footwear (Closed footwear is required)
Please click Standard Dress and Appearance Policy to review the full policy.
- Mindset Monday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
- Together Tuesday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
Wednesday, February 15, 2023
- Work-Together Wednesday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
Thursday, February 16, 2023
- Thinking Thursday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
Friday, February 17, 2023
- Fun Friday
- No School
Orchard STEM School
Email: andrea.moss@clevelandmetroschools.org
Website: https://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/orchard
Location: 4200 Bailey Ave, Cleveland, OH 44113, USA
Phone: 216.838.7350
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1423101557956541
Twitter: @OrchardSTEM