Mantua – Freshman Mentoring – The annual freshman mentoring retreat day at Camp Asbury in Hiram took place on September 20 and 21. This year’s mentoring program consists of 22 mentors (students in grades 10-12). The freshmen are divided into 12 groups of approximately 10 freshmen each, with one or two mentors who guide them through their mentoring activities, which began with orientation day on September 27. Half of the groups attended the Asbury retreat each day, and were led by their mentors through a series of activities including low ropes team building activities led by Camp Asbury staff and breakout sessions led by Crestwood High School teachers and guidance counselors. This year’s breakout sessions addressed the topics of communication, goal-setting, self-esteem, and commitment to graduate.
Digital Academy/Credit Recovery – The Digital Academy/Credit Recovery has, to date, an enrollment of 40 students enrolled in 222 classes. There are 7 students enrolled in the Online Digital Academy only with 33 students enrolled in Credit Recovery or a combination of both. Currently over 80 courses are offered ranging from the core coursework in Grades 4 through 12 with a variety of “special” course offerings at the Elementary and Middle School levels and electives at the High School level. Enrollment is ongoing throughout the school year.
Special Education – Living Skills – Upon losing one of our job sites (due to budget cuts at that site and less operating time), we got busy looking for a new site to develop our vocational skills within the Life Skills class. We were able to procure a wonderful new site, Ravenna 7 Theaters. The owner is Jeff Davis and we are so appreciative to be able to work with him. He is wonderful with my students. They, my students, are building work ethic and skills to prepare them for the future.
Academy I – Students began the year with clearing a fallen cherry tree that was blocking the walking trail, while only using two-man saws and historically accurate tools. Students learn during the first week of school how to safely and appropriately use the tools they work with in class. Academy students gathered flowers, walnuts, etc. to create various colors of dye for cloth. Early settlers in Ohio would have used similar processes to add color to their clothes. These students have started to learn how to measure and make patterns for a shirt or shift—the first piece of the historical impression they will hand sew, just like 18th century frontier settlers and natives would have done. Academy I students are now learning different methods of sampling fish populations in the Cuyahoga River.
Broadcast/Media -The broadcasting studio at CHS has been upgraded with high definition cameras and a fully digital switcher with computer. The new software puts our anchors in virtual sets and our morning announcements now have a more modern, highly appealing look.The new equipment allows full integration of student produced videos which allows for collaboration between the Studio class and any class that wants their videos aired on the morning announcements. The TV Studio class operates all the equipment in the new studio. In time, we hope to open the studio for more student-produced and maybe even teacher and community produced programming. The Morning Announcements can be viewed every day in the Morning Announcements link of the high school web page.
Guidance – CHS celebrates the Sandy Hook Promise “Start With Hello” week, a series of events focused upon our commitment to creating a culture of inclusion and kindness. Student created words and acts of encouragement were posted on lockers throughout the building.
