Kirtland Local Schools
Key Communicator
|
Key Communicator Kirtland Local Schools Update | | |
 | |
| | Welcome to the Kirtland Schools’ Key Communicator e-newsletter. We hope to use this tool as a two-way form of communication to share the good news going on in our classrooms, and also provide you with facts in the event of negative situations. We hope you will act as informal communications liaisons with the community and let us know what you’re hearing so we can proactively provide you with the facts of what’s happening in your schools. Thank you for your support! Our Vision: Provide a personalized education for all students. Our Mission: We educate students to be empowered citizens. | | | Scott Sell Hired as the New Band Teacher and Marching Band DirectorThe Board voted and approved Mr. Scott Sell. Mr. Puskas shared the following:
Members of the board, today I recommend Mr. Scott Sell as the next grades 5-12 band teacher, and HS marching band director. Scott was a finalist for this position last year, so at the very least you know he wants to be here.
Throughout the interview process it was clear that Scott had the knowledge, leadership qualities, work ethic, and care for students that we were looking for in our next band teacher. After the final interview in front of a committee of administrators, teachers, parents, and students, in which the committee was impressed, we did extensive reference checks. It was clear that when talking with his current employers, that they were not happy to be potentially losing him. That was music to my ears as someone looking to hire.
Common themes throughout reference checks included:
Builds great relationships with students Communicates effectively with parents Strong musicianship Has big plans and a vision for the future Committed to professional growth
|  | Lino DeSapri Earns a Continuing Contract | Mrs. Godina stated at the Board of Education meeting:
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Lino DeSapri for tenure. Mr. DeSapri, is a dedicated 5th grade math and social studies teacher. He brings a deep commitment to his students that extends beyond the classroom. His teaching is a thoughtful balance of support and high expectations. He creates a learning environment where every student is challenged and empowered. Mr. DeSapri uses student data—not to define learners, but to highlight their individual strengths and guide their personalized instruction. He sparks his students' mathematical curiosity through his engaging number talks that create mathematical discourse. He inspires students to think outside the box, have deep conversations, explore multiple approaches, and develop critical thinking skills that will serve them far beyond his classroom. His tenure is more than a milestone—it is a well-deserved recognition of a teacher who transforms how students see math, and more importantly, how they see themselves as learners. I wholeheartedly support Lino DeSapri’s candidacy for tenure and look forward to witnessing the continued impact of his teaching on students for years to come.
|
 | Valerie Jacobucci Earns a Continuing Contract | Mrs. Godina stated at the Board of Education meeting:
It is with great pleasure that I recommend Valerie Jacobucci for tenure. Ms. Jacobucci is a passionate and innovative art teacher who inspires her students to be creative. Ms. Jacobucci has an engaging classroom that is vibrant, exploratory, a judge-free space where students are encouraged to experiment with different mediums and ideas. Her lessons go beyond technique—she fosters critical thinking by consistently challenging students to reflect on their artistic growth and personal expression. Through her guidance, students not only learn how to create art but also discover their own talents and voices within it. I wholeheartedly support Valerie Jacobucci’s candidacy for tenure and look forward to witnessing the continued impact of her art lessons on students for years to come. |
 | Amanda Turk Earns a Continuing Contract | Mrs. Godina stated at the Board of Education meeting: It is with great enthusiasm that I recommend Amanda Turk for tenure. Ms. Turk is a kindergarten teacher. She demonstrates unique qualities that form the foundation of exceptional early childhood education: patience, compassion, and a deep commitment to continual growth of her students. Ms. Turk creates a nurturing and structured classroom environment where each child feels safe, seen, and supported. She exhibits remarkable patience, allowing each student to learn at their own pace while gently guiding them through the academic and social milestones of kindergarten. Whether calming an upset student or celebrating a small success, her interactions are rooted in empathy and understanding. I wholeheartedly support Amanda Turk’s candidacy for tenure and look forward to witnessing the continued impact of her teaching on students for years to come. |
| First Tech Challenge (FTC) Goes to StateCongratulations to the Kirtland High School First Tech Challenge (FTC) robotics team. On Saturday, March 8, 2025, the Kirtland High School FTC FIRST Robotics Team traveled to Troy, Ohio for the State Competition, advancing through qualifying tournaments. After five rounds competing against the best 36 teams in Ohio, they were undefeated with a 5-0 record and ranked second. Despite their strong performance in the double elimination finals, they lost in close, high-scoring matches. This was Kirtland's strongest robot performance in the 13 years it has existed. Our match record this season was 31-14 including 7-6 in playoffs. | First Lego League (FLL) Teams Go to StateCongratulations to the Kirtland Middle School First Lego League (FLL) teams who competed and presented at the state level this past weekend. Hungry Hungry Hornets consisted of seventh grader Naomi Blankenship and four sixth grade students. Naomi was instrumental in leading Cole Prymicz, Crosby Loschert, Ronan Popovich and Westley Kelly to create a working proof of concept for their drone project. They reached out to numerous experts to present their project in order to receive feedback to improve their project. They also designed and programmed a robot for the competition field. Hungry Hungry Hornets represented Kirtland well and finished their season being recognized for their community outreach. The Steel Stingers consists of Audrey Knaus, Dmitri Blodgett, Danny Bryant, Calvin MacGillis, Andrew Urban, Noelle Fisher, and Maja Katic. The team has researched, collected data and shared with experts to develop a presentation about the impact of lack of sunlight on submarine officers. Our First Tech Challenge (FTC) high school students helped Steel Stingers 3D print glasses to help show their concept and develop their idea using the design process. The Steel Stingers also designed and programmed a robot that completed missions on the FLL field. Steel Stingers ended their season as one of the top teams in the state winning the Innovation Project Award | Ms. Grunenberg To Be The Next Computer Science Teacher at KHSCongratulations to Ms. Grunenberg who was named the new Computer Science Teacher at Kirtland High School for the 2025-2026 School Year! | Girls Indoor Track Makes It To StateCongratulations to our girls’ indoor track team and Coach JP Moran who qualified for the state championships at Spire. The 4x800 team consisting of Megan Urbanick, Sylvia Vosicky, Kylie Sayle, Izzie Copeland took 3rd in the State. The 4x400 team of Megan Urbanick, Sylvia Vosicky, Lexi Vosicky, Izzie Copeland took 4th in the State. Izzie Copeland took 4th in the State in the open 800. The top eight in the State are awarded All Ohio and receive medals, so the team earned nine medals with three events earning All Ohio. Five different athletes earned All Ohio at least once, some multiple times, and Izzie 3 times All Ohio! Coach JP Moran, who has been named conference coach of the year numerous times, was just named the District Two Girls Cross Country Coach of the Year. | Boys Basketball Makes It To The Final FourCongratulations to the Boys Basketball Team and Coach Shawn McGregor for qualifying for the Final Four in the state for the second time in the District’s history. It was a magical season. | |  | A Wonderful Performance of "Adventure" | |
 | District Wellness Initiative Featured in Ohio School Board Association Magazine | |
 | Senior Citizen Appreciation Night | |
|  | Sarah Garvin Earns a Spot In State Level Power of the Pen Competition | |
 | Kirtland Key Club Wins Numerous Awards at the Ohio District Leadership Conference | |
 | Twenty-One KHS Students Commit to Attend Auburn Career Center Next School Year | |
| Dr. VanArnhem highlighted the following in his report:
We hosted our annual senior citizen appreciation night on April 10th. We welcomed 29 of our community members and treated them to dinner, some Kirtland Schools merchandise and the play “Adventure”. Congratulations to the cast of “Adventure” and to the director Mrs. Anna Kutscher on a wonderful play. The acting was top notch and the show was so funny! Congratulations to Sara Garvin, an 8th grader, who has earned a spot in the state-level Power of the Pen competition after showcasing exceptional writing talent at the Solon Regional Tournament. Competing against talented writers from across the region, Sara impressed judges with her creativity, originality, and storytelling abilities. Kirtland Key Club traveled and participated in the Ohio District Leadership Conference. They won many awards for the 2024-2025 year of service, including Key Clubbers International Week Award, Teacher Appreciation Week Award, 2nd place for Major Emphasis Award and 1st place for Service Project Contest. Additionally, Marin Haupt won a special award for her commitment to serving Division 22 as Lieutenant Governor and Priscilla Pennza won the Ohio District Board Member of the Year Award. Elise Bernhardt won a $500 scholarship. The club also completed a service project for juvenile cancer patients raising over $1,700! Special thanks to Kirtland Kiwanis for their continued support and commitment to Key Club! Thank you to Mrs. Duncan for her leading this group to so many successes! The Kirtland Local Schools staff and student wellness initiatives that focus on the benefits of providing movement breaks was recently featured in the Ohio School Board Journal. http://digital.watkinsprinting.com/publication/?i=842849&p=24&view=issueViewer I am proud to report that I will be representing our District as a panelist on a wellness webinar on Wednesday with the Action for Healthy Kids Group that has over 500 viewers registered from around the country. I am excited to share with others all the great things our staff does in the areas of wellness. We had 21 students commit to attend Auburn Career Center next school year which is one of our largest classes ever. HB 96- I will be participating in a media day on Friday morning highlighting the catastrophic proposal from the House for the Budget Bill. There will be superintendents from the area highlighting different concerns associated with the current legislative proposals. Our District could be looking at losing millions of dollars based on the House's proposal.
| | The Board voted to approve the following treasurer recommendations: - Five Year Capital Plan and Sedgwick 3rd Party Administrator for BWD
| | The Board voted to approve the following superintendent recommendations: - Chromebook Purchase, ESCWR 25-26 Agreement, LLA Therapy Agreement, Exceptional Kids ESY Contract, 25-26 Exceptional Kids PT Contract, Shared Service Contract for HR, Payroll and Treasurer, Transportation Software with GPS, RIF, Purchase of Math Curriclum and KES, KMS and KHS, First Reading of School Calendar, Contracts for Victor Puskas, Kelly Coates, Sandy Martz, shared service for Buildings and Grounds with Perry (Jim Smith) and Kylee Sherwood, Overnight Trips for 6th Grade Camp, 7th Grade to Chicago, Eighth Grade to Washington DC, the First and Second Reading of Policies, Separation and Settlement Agreements and approval of the Class of 2025.
*attachments to these items can be found on the district website: https://go.boarddocs.com/oh/kirt/Board.nsf/Public. | | The Kirtland Local Schools are known for academic excellence and strong community support, and have been recognized nationally and statewide for educational achievement. The district also maintains a long tradition of distinction in a variety of extracurricular activities. The Board of Education provides open and thoughtful fiscal management of the community’s investment in the school district’s high quality educational program by ensuring every dollar spent benefits students and the community. The strategic plan for the Kirtland Local Schools can be found at: https://www.kirtlandschools.org/Downloads/Kirtland%20Strategic%20Plan%20with%20Chart.pdf |  | Chad VanArnhem Chad is using Smore to create beautiful newsletters |
|
|
|
|
|
 | |
|
|
|
|
|