Dear Community,

As we gear up for the end of the school year, it's difficult to fathom that just a year ago, our school community began conducting round table discussions to chart the course for strategic planning and enhance the District's efforts for the upcoming academic year of 2022-2023. The strategy to accomplish this was centered on three core principles: leading with curiosity, the power of collaboration, and the power of conversation. While I've previously talked about how we leveraged the power of collaboration into our strategic planning, today I want to reflect on our success with the power of conversation principle. Authentic, candid conversations have been an incredibly effective tool for me in problem-solving and transforming challenges into opportunities.

Through open and honest dialogue, individuals are able to explore multiple viewpoints, challenge assumptions, and uncover underlying issues that may not have been immediately apparent. By actively listening to each other's thoughts and concerns, individuals can collaborate to discover solutions that are often more creative and effective than what any single person could have devised alone. Additionally, conversation can help shift the focus from problems to opportunities, enabling individuals to reframe obstacles as chances for growth and innovation. Through constructive conversation, people can establish deeper relationships, improve their understanding of complex issues, and generate fresh ideas and solutions that can help transform their surroundings.

This approach has led to some inventive solutions to long-standing challenges such as student advancement beyond high school, recruitment and hiring of high quality staff, facility improvements, and the restructuring of committees and teams.  Our success with this strategy is also due to our unwavering focus on our students. By regarding every conversation as an opportunity and remaining focused on the educational experiences we offer our students, we have created a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement that benefits all members of our school community both now and in the future.

Chagrin Falls Middle and High School Students Share Student Wellness Initiatives at March Board Meeting

Two Chagrin Falls Middle School Students Recognized at Ohio Middle Level Association Breakfast of Champions

Chagrin Falls Middle School Eighth Graders Participate in Student Leadership Conference

Director of Technology Receives National "Impact 30" Award

Thirty Chagrin Falls Intermediate School Students Participate in Invention Convention

Winter Sports Season Highlights

Chagrin Falls High School Student-Athlete College Signings

Join our Team at Chagrin Falls Schools

Chagrin Falls Band Monthly Newsletter - March/April 2023

District Hiring Bus Drivers - Watch our Video!

Chagrin Falls Schools - Live Feed

Welcome back from Spring Break! We hope you and your students had a chance to rest, socialize with friends and family, and rejuvenate and mentally prepare for the last few months of school. It’s important to take breaks. Many studies have found that pausing to relax and reboot is essential for achieving productivity, success, and a positive outlook on the future. This is especially true for students who spend hours huddled in front of a computer and sitting behind desks. Not taking regular breaks can lead to a significant decrease in academic performance and, in some cases, serious health concerns like anxiety, insomnia, and depression. We take breaks for our social and emotional well-being.

“Health and Wellness” is one of our strategic plan’s three focus areas, and we are examining the question: “What must Chagrin Falls Schools do to advance student and staff mental, physical, and emotional well-being?” We all understand that when someone is feeling overwhelmed, stressed, or uncomfortable, then it can be hard to focus on higher-level tasks, including academics. This month, the Board enjoyed hearing directly from students at the middle and high school about student-led initiatives to encourage social-emotional wellness, under the guidance of counselor Kyle Patterson.

At CFMS, student leaders in the Guidance Advisory Council help ensure everyone is feeling connected and that they belong through programs like the new student orientation day; “Start with Hello” week; “National Unplugged Day”; anti-bullying lessons with CFIS students; and the SAY Youth Forum. These programs allow students to make new connections, be themselves, unplug from technology, learn conflict-management techniques, and share positivity.

At CFHS, students recently formed a Wellness Council to help remove the stigma and misunderstanding that surrounds mental health struggles. We learned that over 30% of high school students reported their mental health is not ideal. This 60-member club seeks to provide early education and outreach to help fellow students understand and improve their mental health. Their first event had several stations with high school students providing information and health-related activities for middle school students. The high schoolers feel that their ability to relate to middle schoolers is key to their success. They want to offer support and help other students gain skills to face personal struggles.

These student leaders hope that we will all recognize that taking care of our mental health is as important as taking care of our physical health. They want us all to extend that vacation feeling by scheduling time with family and friends, unplugging from technology, enjoying walks outside, and reaching out to new neighbors.

The District's 2022-23 school year theme is “This is Chagrin. Write the Story.”

The work we are doing this year centers around our school community sharing their stories and experiences to write a narrative for what we collectively believe and want for our students. This is a perfect statement that outlines what we hope to accomplish through the strategic planning process. Core values and beliefs are the foundation of strategic planning and establishing the culture of an organization. It is what makes school a special place to learn, work, and succeed, and a school community a special place to live. Are we ready to educate the next generation of students? How will the story we write this year impact their story in the future?

Throughout the school year, our students, staff, parents/guardians, and community will be encouraged to help “write the story of Chagrin Falls Schools” in numerous ways. From participating in the creation of the District’s strategic plan to actually being an author highlighting the commitment and dedication to academic excellence and preparation of our students for the world after graduation.

As a District, we look toward the future and ask all of you to engage with us as we help write Chagrin’s story for many years to come. 

The Chagrin Falls Exempted Village School District Board of Education and administration serve as the guardians of publicly owned facilities. The annual Facility Improvement Plan serves as a guide for current and future capital expenditures aligned with District priorities, as well as articulate the District's long-range facility master plan.

April 19 - Board of Education, Regular Meeting - Gurney Elementary Gym, 7 p.m.

May 3 - Board of Education, Work Session, 5:30 p.m.

May 17 - Board of Education, Regular Meeting - High School Library, 7 p.m.

May 26 - No School - PreK-6

May 29 - Memorial Day - No School