Orchard's Weekly Parent Newsletter
Monday, October 17, 2022 - Friday, October 21, 2022
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, creative, and innovative things happen every day at Orchard STEM School thanks to you, our students, and our educators. Thank you for attending our Latinx Heritage program! We enjoyed the sounds of the Ivan Ruiz band and performances by our staff and students. Please join us on Tuesday, October 19, at 4 pm, in the music room, for our Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) and Parent Cafe meeting. This week, our 3rd graders will take the Ohio State Test in English language arts and select 8th graders will take college entrance assessments in English and Mathematics at Tri-C. Please support our Treat Street by providing a bag of candy. You can turn in candy to Ms. Kette by October 28.
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.
We respectfully ask that you extend us patience at the end of the school day. We also ask that you refrain from entering the building for pick up at least 30 minutes prior to dismissal to avoid interrupting teaching and learning. We will dismiss, out of our gym doors, for walkers and car riders, at 3:50 pm for the first floor (K - grade 2 students), at 3:55 pm for the third floor (grade 3 - 5 students), at 4 pm for the 2nd floor (grade 6 - 8 students) to end our school day on time at 4:05 pm.
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.
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!
Meet Our New Dean of Engagement
Greetings Wayfinders!
My name is Jennifer McShan and I am beyond thrilled to be the new Dean of Engagement here at Orchard S.T.E.M. School. I am a product of Cleveland and East Cleveland Public Schools and a current student at Franklin University. I am a mother of four children aged 2, 4, 12, and 20. My journey as an educator began as a child when I was tasked with keeping babies quiet in the pews at church. From there, I started tutoring the kids on my street, which lead to babysitting. This has truly been my life’s work.
Previously, I spent time as a caregiver with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in a childcare facility in South Euclid where I worked for ten years and became the Assistant Director. This school year is my tenth year with CMSD, and until now, all that time has been at Luis Munoz Marin Dual Language. I spent a few years as a paraprofessional in medically fragile, then a few years in the Planning Center, then became the Dean until my departure. My goal for Orchard S.T.E.M. School is to build upon what is already an effective operation and help to make things more efficient. I am here to help strengthen the home to school connection by merging your talents and efforts with the cooperation of our scholars and their families. Accountability, integrity, responsibility, respect, and safety are values that are most important to me. I am an advocate of adherence to the student code of conduct as well as the Collective Bargaining Agreement so please know that if you have a need, I will give my best efforts to assist. Thank you in advance for allowing me to serve alongside you in providing children with the optimum opportunities for success.
Educationally yours,
Jennifer A. McShan
School Hours and Start Dates
Orchard School Hours:
- 0 Period: 8:35 am - 9:25 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. Other staff members will offer you assistance and 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
2023 Ohio Civil Rights Commission MLK Contest
The Ohio Civil Rights Commission is pleased to announce its annual statewide Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Art, Essay & Multimedia Contest is open again. This contest is intended to encourage students to reflect upon Dr. King’s life, philosophy, and impact on the Civil Rights Movement and present-day America. It is meant to challenge students to think about how civil rights and diversity affect their lives and how they can continue the work of Dr. King in their own way.
All Ohio students in grades 6-12 are invited to enter this contest and may submit one (1) entry per student. Students may choose which type of entry (art, essay, or multimedia) they wish to submit.
2023 CONTEST THEME: During the civil rights struggles of the 1960's, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was a leading voice against social injustices. Though he reached great fame and led many in the fight for equality, he understood that change relied on everyone. He believed that if everyone contributes what they can, even small contributions can lead to big changes. The following quote is often attributed to Dr. King:
“If I cannot do great things, I can do small things in a great way.”
Contest Entries: Each participant in the contest is invited to participate by creating work that creatively responds to the following question:
Important change and greatness do not always come from activities that receive fanfare. How have you or will you worked to promote equality and justice in your own way?
Click Here for 2023 MLK Contest Entry Form
Awards: Contest winners will be invited to a public recognition ceremony and will receive awards for their work.
More information and contest entry form can be found on our website at civ.ohio.gov/news-and-events/mlk-contest/2-mlk-contest or received by mail* no later than December 19, 2022 at 11:59 PM. All contest entries must be accompanied by a clearly written official entry form, completed in its entirety. (Submissions will not be considered without a completed entry form.)
*please factor in holiday shipping times when choosing shipping options
From the Desk of Ms. Pesti, Preschool Teacher
First Marking Period Reward
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).
The Say Yes survey season is upon us. I ask that you complete the parent survey. 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. Say Yes Cleveland is doing a weekly drawing across the district for $500. If you complete the survey, your name can be drawn to win weekly until December 2. Dr. Moss encourages parents/guardians to complete the survey also. She is graciously doing a one-time $100 drawing for November for Orchard's parents/guardians who complete the survey. This is the website to the survey https://cleveland.sytepps.org/#/login
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 Pediatrician and Dentist. Care Alliance is in the process of hiring a Pediatrician. I will keep you updated. The Dentist, Dr. Enwonwu saw students on October 13. Once we confirm her next date, I will let you know. Please contact our School Nurse Jaclyn Michalec for students to be seen. A consent form for your child can be sent home or you can access one from this link https://sayyescleveland.org/integrated-health/
Please see the fliers about community events. There is a flyer about a free dental clinic sponsored by Dental Works November 18-19. There is also information from Tri-C on their Women In Transition series. Also included is information about a wellness retreat. This retreat focuses on mothers who have children with disabilities. The retreat will be held at Scranton Road Bible Church. Please see this link for more information https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0b4faaac2ba7f49-october
If you are new or returning to Orchard, I'd love to meet you or catch up. 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.
Important Dates
- Mindset Monday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
- OST ELA grade 3 testing
Tuesday, October 18, 2022
- Together Tuesday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
- OST ELA grade 3 testing
Wednesday, October 19, 2022
Work-Together Wednesday
0 Period clubs 8:35 am
ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
Parent Advisory Committee/Parent Cafe @ 4 pm
- OST ELA grade 3 testing
Thursday, October 20, 2022
- Thinking Thursday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:30 pm
- OST ELA grade 3 testing
Friday, October 21, 2022
- Fun Friday
- 0 Period clubs 8:35 am
- ODA 4:05 pm - 6:00 pm
- OST ELA grade 3 testing
- 8th graders to Tri-C for testing
October Important Dates
October 17 - 21: OST for Grade 3
October 19: PAC/Parent Cafe Meeting 4 pm
October 21: End of First Marking Period
October 25: Board Meeting @ Orchard 6:30 - 9 pm
October 27: SEP and Paint Parent Event 4 - 6 pm
October 31: Fall into Literacy (Time: TBA)
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