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.

Lake County Spelling Bee Champion and Tri-County Runner-Up

Grace Kostelnik was honored for being the Lake County Spelling Bee Champion. She also was the runner up at the Tri-County Spelling Bee and is the alternate to go to Washington DC for the national competition! Congratulations to Grace.

Recognition of the Special Education Department

Special Education and Pupil Services director, Ms. Kristen Schutte, recognized the special education department for their hard work and positive reports from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (ODEW). Every year, districts receive a Special Education Profile that shows their progress over time in meeting their goals for students with disabilities. The design of the Special Education Profile helps districts use data about the academic growth of groups of students to keep improving their special education programs. ODEW collected special education data from the 2021-2023 school years to provide the district with a Special Education Rating and annual profile. The district received an annual rating of "Meets Requirements" with a score of 4.0/4.0. Members of the department have worked to ensure that students entering Kindergarten are ready to learn, students with disabilities are achieving at high levels in the general education environment, and they are prepared for life, work, and postsecondary education. They have helped the district implement IDEA to improve services for students and ensure students are receiving equitable services and supports.

Mr. VanArnhem started with a discussion by highlighting that there are so many positives taking place in the Kirtland Local Schools. He mentioned that our students and programs have been highlighted in the newspaper or featured on the news in the last month. 

K-KIds is the first of its kind in Lake County! Our older Kirtland students in Key Club and the Kiwanis are supporting our elementary students with community service projects. (K- Kids article on 2/13/24):https://www.news-herald.com/2024/02/13/new-club-provides-service-opportunities-for-kirtland-elementary-students/

The district has placed a strong emphasis on student and staff wellness. Here is the article form the News-Hearld from 2/27/24: https://www.news-herald.com/2024/02/07/wellness-room-provides-kirtland-elementary-students-with-regular-brain-breaks/

Our amazing Robotics Team was highlighted on Channel 3 and Tabitha was interviewed:

https://www.wkyc.com/article/tech/science/growing-stem/first-robot-competitions-students-stem/95-c2f0082e-b79b-4045-b913-0689ddc8615c

Mr. VanArnhem gave a reminder about Senior Citizen Appreciation Night on April 25th. We will have a pasta dinner followed by a play. Those interested can RSVP at https://www.kirtlandcommunity.com/event-details/dinner-and-a-play-with-kirtland-schools

The Board of Education has voted to place a renewal levy on the March 19, 2024, ballot for the public’s consideration. Additional information about the renewal levy is available at the following on the district’s website at www.kirtlandschools.org.

"Coffee with the Superintendent" will be on March 14th at 8:00 am at Honey'z.

The Board voted to approve the following superintendent recommendations:

• April 8th (Solar Eclipse Day) will be a professional development day for staff. No school for students.
• A first reading of policies were approved. They can be found on the website.

*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