The Ridge-Brook Review

Message from Ms. Walden

Dear Ridge-Brook Elementary Families,

I hope that everyone has enjoyed the start of the school year! It has been a pleasure seeing so many familiar faces and meeting so many wonderful new ones! Our staff looks forward to working with your children with the goal of increasing student achievement by meeting the needs of diverse learners through high-quality learning experiences. Additionally, we strive to create an environment and experience where they feel safe, valued and loved.

We welcome several new staff members to our building this year!

Todd Fennell, Dean of Students
Rachel Perotti, Kindergarten Teacher
Holly Moss, Intervention Specialist
Julie Tollis, Title I Teacher
Lisa Kennedy, Occupational Therapist
Tiona Smith, Speech Therapist
Jileen White, Building Literacy Specialist
Morgan Collopy, Board Certified Behavior Analyst
Terri Rasmussen, Noon Monitor
Cindy Podany, Noon Monitor

If you ever have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out. I can be reached via email (waldenl@parmacityschools.org) or by phone at (440) 843-3623. I look forward to a fantastic year at Ridge-Brook! Let's make it a great year!

-Ms. Leah Walden

A Note From Our Home Liaison

Welcome back to Ridge-Brook! We are so excited to have a building full of energy and smiles!

My name is Kristi Forsyth, and I am your Home-School Liaison. For most of my career, I was a Case Manager and Supervisor at the Parma Area Family Collaborative. I spent years helping families find the resources and supports they needed to create a more stable and successful family. I am so thrilled to be here and look forward to a happy school year!

I am here to assist your family in any way I can and I look forward to meeting you at school events. My goals this year are to build relationships with families, provide support and assistance, and further the diverse and inclusive programs at Ridge-Brook.

Our first activity will be the Fathers Walk on September 22, 2022. We will be celebrating the importance of a father (or any important adult male) in a child’s life. We will be sending home information soon!

If I can be of any assistance to you or your child, please don’t hesitate to contact me. We are going to have a GREAT year!

Kristi Forsyth

Home Liaison

440-843-1574 (desk)

440-723-9356

A note from Title I

Welcome back Ridge-Brook Families!

As you are getting back into the routine, make sure you are taking the time to read daily by establishing a routine, whether before bedtime, right away in the morning, or any other part of the day you can find in your schedule! Though it’s an exciting time of the year, the start of school can create some anxious feelings when considering a change in routine, new people, and a need for making new friends. Sometimes these conversations can be tough to have, so consider the use of picture books to help get the discussion started. Talking through these feelings with your child can help them prepare and feel at ease.

We are looking forward to working with your child in their classroom during push-in support or in a small group setting!

Here is our Title I Intervention Team!

Hi! My name is Mrs. Tollis, and I am very excited to be back at Ridge-Brook as a Title I Teacher! This will be my 7th year in the district. The last two years I have been teach in our Parma Virtual Learning Academy but was previously here at Ridge-Brook. I graduated from Cleveland State University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and a Masters of Arts in Education with a focus in Educational Technology. I also have a K-12 Reading Endorsement and a 4th & 5th Grade Endorsement. I am excited to be back at Ridge-Brook!

Hi! My name is Mrs. Myers. This is my 5th year here at Ridge-Brook. This is my 9th year in the district. I graduated from Baldwin Wallace College with a degree in Early Childhood Education and earned a Masters of Arts in Education degree with a focus in literacy from Baldwin-Wallace University. I also have my 4th and 5th grade endorsement and have my K-12 Reading Endorsement from BW as well. I am looking forward to the 22-23 school year. Go Dolphins!

Hi! I’m Mrs. Petkac and this is my second year at Ridge-Brook Elementary. This will be my third year in Parma City Schools as a Title I Intervention Teacher. I previously taught 3rd grade in another district for 5 years. I received my Bachelors of Education from Bowling Green State University and my teaching license from Notre Dame College. I am excited for this upcoming school year!

PBIS

We are excited to share with you our school-wide behavior system! PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions & Support) is a framework to promote and maximize academic achievement and behavioral competence. It is a school-wide strategy for helping all students achieve important social and learning goals. We know that when good behavior and good teaching come together, our students will excel in their learning. As part of the PBIS framework, we have established clear rules for the behaviors we expect in all areas of our school. We will teach and reteach these expectations to the students throughout the school year. Our staff will verbally and visually acknowledge students' appropriate behaviors by giving them a DOLPHIN DOLLAR for being RESPECTFUL, RESPONSIBLE, and READY.