rhodes school of environmental studies...3 3 newsletter for parents and families of the cleveland...

5100 Biddulph Avenue 216 – 838 – 3100

Message from Principal Drouhard

Newsletter for parents and families of the Cleveland Metropolitan School District May 2019

Rhodes School of Environmental Studies

Shadow days will be offered on Fridays from now until the end of the school year from 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. Call the main office to set up your

day. We’d love to show you around!

Upcoming Events

[May 22]

[May 24]

[June 3-6]

[June 3-7]

NWEA Growth Incentive Field Trip – Chipotle and a Movie

School for YRS, Progress Reports Go Home

Freshmen Overnight Trip to CVEEC

College and Career Week

Interested in enrolling with us?

Can you believe we are less than two months away from the end of the school year?! So many amazing things have happened this year. This month alone our students took a 15-mile bike ride along the Towpath Trail through Cuyahoga Valley National Park, participated in a statewide math competition at Kent State University, met with three remarkable conservation leaders and completed Spring Ohio State Testing. Coming up for our students are more great opportunities for experiential learning. During the week of June 3-6 we will be taking a group of freshmen to the Environmental Education Center in Cuyahoga Valley National Park. This overnight trip focuses on developing collaboration, leadership and environmental stewardship (and of course have some fun). We will also be offering a series of college and career readiness experiences for our sophomore students while the freshmen are away at camp. As we edge closer to the end of the school year it is also imperative that students come to school every day to finish classwork. This is the time of year when self-regulation and self-direction will come in very handy. Students should be working hand in hand with their advisor to plan accordingly so the end of the school year is both productive and pleasant.

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RSES student leaders met with powerhouse conservation leaders during a Lunch and Learn session at Cleveland Metroparks Zoo

Everyday Conservation Action Young people, 11 to 18 years old, can make a difference for wildlife in their community when they take on service projects that help conserve valuable resources for the future. Every day actions and larger, community-based projects will challenge youth to address topics like global warming, habitat restoration, and conservation awareness in their hometowns. Today’s challenges to our natural

world are outpacing wildlife’s natural ability to adapt. Global warming, the loss of habitats, and the increasing disconnect of people from nature are creating a perfect storm of weakened natural systems, human-cause climactic disruptions, and growing public apathy.

x Engage with the conservation community

x Visit a national park

x Reduce demand for illegal wildlife parts and products

x Commit to learning more about the risks to wildlife and their habitats and reducing your carbon footprint

x Use the power of your network to inspire others to act

Every little bit helps!

Student Leaders Meet with Conservation Giants

During a Lunch and Learn session at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo RSES student leaders had the opportunity to pick the brains of three major players in the conservation world—Julian Fennessy, Stephanie Fennessy and Arthur Muneza—from the Giraffe Conservation Foundation (GCF), a family of organizations with a shared committment to a sustainable future for all giraffe populations in the wild. Throughout the Lunch and Learn session, Julian and Steph conveyed stories from the front lines of their

conservation work and how they got involved in the field even as a young students. Arthur shared stories from hsi humble upbringing in Rwanda and how he channeled his curiosity for wildlife into the work he does with GCF. Students probed ideas these three scientists had for ways that they can take conservation action in their everyday lives.

Summary of Conservation Leadership Work This year students enrolled in the Conservation Leadership course at

RSES have participated in several workshops designed to hone their leadership skills and ability to problem solve within current conservation issues around the world. Under the guidance of instructor Anthony Rodgers students have put together some phenomenal conservation action projects and raised over $500 for giraffe conservation.

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Two Rhodes Environmental classrooms that have been spending a great deal of time working on their sense of belonging are Ms. Cross’ and Mrs. Cooper’s classes. Students in these classes have been taking biweekly trips to the Cleveland Food Bank to sort and repack food donations for redistribution around the Cleveland area.

The Greater Cleveland Food Bank is the largest hunger relief organization in Northeast Ohio having provided more than 57 million meals in 2018

to hungry people in Cuyahoga, Ashtabula, Geauga, Lake, Ashland and Richland counties.

Throughout Northeast Ohio one in six people is food insecure, meaning they may not know where their next meal will come from. This was a fact that these two classrooms were not willing to sit idly by.

This group of students is also helping to pilot a recycling program for plastic and metal waste. Stay tuned for their success story!

Sense of Belonging to Your Community

Volunteering as a positive effect on your community and it’s good for you too!

One of the habits of success we focus on at RSES is developing that sense of belonging to our community, both

inside and outside of the school.

In 2018 more than 18,000 volunteers

contributed more than 85,000 hours of service

to the Food Bank

Volunteering can help you learn more about yourself and even put you on a path to your future career

Gain Valuable Life Experiences and Skills

Whether you build houses for the homeless or mail flyers for a local politician, you can experience the real world through hands-on work. And you can explore your major or career interests at the same time.

Meet Interesting People

Both the people you are helping and your fellow volunteers can give you new insights. No matter what

groups of people you’re working with, you’ll find that they have information and ways of looking at the world that can broaden your horizons.

Get Academic Credit

Some high schools offer academic credit for volunteer work through service learning — a program that offers hands-on learning through service to the community. To find out if your school offers service learning, talk to your school counselor.

Show Colleges You’re Committed

Your volunteer work illustrates your interests and character. When you list your volunteer work on your college applications, you show admission officers the value you’ll bring to their campus community.

Make a Difference

It’s eye-opening to realize that doing even small things can have a big impact on others.

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Say Yes announces first schools to receive support services

Say Yes Cleveland has selected the first 16 CMSD schools that will receive services to help students stay on track to graduation and Say Yes scholarships.

The 10 PreK-0 or K-8 schools and six high schools were selected from among 29 schools that applied to be in the initial group. All CMSD schools will have core services by the 2022-23 school year.

Each of the 16 schools will identify student concerns and connect the students and their families to essential services such as after-school and summer learning, mental health services and legal services. Each school will have a family support specialist.

CMSD schools with existing community wraparound services will continue to receive that assistance at least until they implement the core services program.

Cleveland was named the nation's fourth Say Yes to Education chapter in January. In addition to the services, Say Yes Cleveland also will provide scholarships that eligible graduates of CMSD and partnering charter high schools can use to fill gaps in tuition for colleges, universities and other postsecondary programs. Graduates must meet residency and enrollment requirements.

Rock Your World with STEAM set for May 18

Student talent in science, technology, engineering, arts and math will be showcased when CMSD hosts the 20th annual Rock Your World with STEAM festival Saturday, May 18 on the downtown lakefront.

The festival is a celebration of excellence in arts and STEM education involving 2,000 students and 40 schools. It will run from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, 1100 Rock and Roll Blvd., and Great Lakes Science Center, 601 Erieside Ave.

Visitors can catch performances on five stages, including choirs, bands, a drum line, jazz and orchestra ensembles, hi-steppers and selections from this year’s All-City Musical, “42nd Street.”

Admission is free.

The first group of schools to receive the core services includes:

PreK- or K-8 Almira, Buhrer Dual Language Academy, Joseph M. Gallagher, Marion-Sterling, Mary M. Bethune, Memorial, Michael R. White, Miles Park, Orchard and Wilbur Wright.

High schools John Adams College and Career Academy, John Marshall School of Civic and Business Leadership, Lincoln-West School of Global Studies, Max S. Hayes High School, New Tech East and Rhodes College and Career Academy.

For more information on Say Yes, go to SayYesCleveland.org

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CMSD holds preschool, kindergarten kickoff

School board honors volunteers

Parents and caregivers can learn about registration for preschool and kindergarten when CMSD holds a registration kickoff event from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, May 9 at the Children’s Museum of Cleveland, 3813 Euclid Ave.

Admission will be free to the first 500 families. Children ages 10 and under are welcome.

Families can obtain information on the registration process, learn about the importance of early registration, meet teachers

The Board of Education paid tribute April 23 to 3,000 volunteers who serve CMSD schools.

Volunteers are active in more than 90 percent of the District's 100-plus schools, including all of its PreK- and K-8 schools. About 80 percent of the volunteers signed up on their own; the rest are with 54 community partners, up from 35 last year.

This year, CMSD is part of the Cleveland Indians Volunteer Challenge, a pilot program that involves the baseball team and Business Volunteers Unlimited. CMSD volunteers who contribute at least four hours of service will receive 2 free tickets to one of eight games this season. The period for serving started Feb. 23 and runs through the end of August.

For more information on how to volunteer with CMSD, go to https://bit.ly/2pFGY4B

and schedule appointments to register. They also can sign up for summer learning programs.

The event also will feature refreshments, a DJ, raffles and a photo booth.

For information on early childhood education, go to ClevelandMetroSchools.org/EarlyEd.

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Rhodes School of Environmental Studies

5100 Biddulph Avenue, Cleveland OH 44144 Tara Drouhard 216 – 838 – 3100 [email protected]

It’s graduation time

Graduation season is here. For a complete list of times, dates and locations for CMSD high school graduations go to www.clevelandmetroschools.org

This year’s graduates will be the first to receive Say Yes to Education scholarships to fill gaps in tuition to public two-year and four-year colleges and Pell-eligible trade and certificate programs throughout Ohio. The money also can be used at more than 100 private colleges across the country.

For more information on the scholarships, go to SayYesCleveland.org.

rhodes school of environmental studies...3 3 newsletter for parents and families of the cleveland...

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