Volume 1, Issue 6

Almira News

Almira Pre K-8 Academy •3375 West 99th Street • (216) 838 -6150

Please remember!

Meet your scholar’s

teacher by requesting a

visit in the main office.

Review discipline policies

with your child.

Please be respectful of

the instructional time

your children engage

in. When you pick

your children up early

(before 3:40pm) it

causes them to miss

valuable instructional

time, which will have a

major impact on their

attendance and their

overall success in the

classroom. Please,

only pick your children

up early if there is an

emergency.

Boys Basketball Team 2

Meet a Teacher 3

Drama Club at Cleveland

Play House

4

February Calendar 5

CMSD News– Snow Days 6

CMSD News– School

Choice

7

Valentine’s Day Cross-

word Puzzle

8

Inside this issue:

Dear Almira Parents and

Caregivers,

As we begin the second

month of the new year, I

want to highlight some

important events at Almi-

ra. Student attendance

on a regular basis is es-

sential throughout the

year for children to max-

imize their learning, but

especially in the second

half of the school year.

Please be sure to help get

your children to school

regularly and on time.

We want the best for your

children and strongly be-

lieve that they gain the

most from being at school

on a consistent (if not

regular) basis.

Each month we have spe-

cial activities and treats

for scholars who have

perfect attendance. Janu-

ary’s celebration will con-

sist of scholars being in-

vited to a “Snow Cone

Party” where they will

see the movie Frozen and

feast on flavorful snow

cones. February’s perfect

attendance scholars will

be treated to a “Red and

White Dance.” These

scholars will be able to

have a dress down day,

wearing red and white, to

stand out from the crowd.

Also, for the month of

February, every scholar

with perfect attendance

with have their name

entered in to a raffle

drawing to win a brand

new bicycle. Each month

we will celebrate attend-

ance with a different

theme and activities.

Here are other important

dates and activities in the

month of February.

● February 8th: We will

kick off an anti-bully pro-

gram “Hello.”

● Febru-

ary 12:

Schools

will be

closed for

scholars.

This is a

profession-

al development day for

staff.

● February 18: Parent

Conferences 12:30-7:00

pm. Please plan to meet

with your child’s teacher.

● February 26: Schools

will be closed for scholars.

This is a professional de-

velopment day for staff.

Questions or concerns?

Contact the office at (216)

838-6150.

Thank you for your contin-

ued support of Almira Ga-

tor scholars and staff.

Educationally yours,

LaVerne Hooks

Principal

Message from Principal Hooks

February 1, 2016

New Pilot Carpool Program

Transportation is a major reason that many schol-

ars miss school days. In an effort to improve at-

tendance and strengthen the Almira community,

we are piloting a new carpool program. If you are

interested in being a carpool driver or if you want

your child to be a carpool rider, please contact

Dean of Engagement Mr. Steward at (216) 838-

6161.

Join the School Parent Organization

Assist Tutors during Afterschool program

Assist Lunch aides and Recess Coaches

Help plan and execute special events

Lead an after-school club or activity

(experience required)

Be a classroom assistant

*Criminal Records Check required for all positions

To volunteer, please see or contact: Jocelyn Prince, Almira’s Site Coordinator, at joc-

lyn.prince@clevelandmetroschools.org or (216) 838-6159 or Principal Hooks at (216) 838-6150.

Suggested items:

GENTLY USED OR NEW

UNIFORM CLOTHES OF ALL

SIZES

GENTLY USED OR NEW

CHILDREN’S BOOKS

FOR PREK-8TH

GRADERS

GENTLY USED OR

NEW WINTER ACCES-

Support Almira scholars in

need by donating items you

no longer need to our

school community.

Drop off boxed or bagged

items in the main office.

SORIES (HATS, GLOVES,

SCARVES, ETC.)

SCHOOL SUPPLIES (PENCILS,

BOOKBAGS, CRAYONS, ETC)

Volunteer Opportunities at Almira

Almira Gators Boys Basketball Team

Donations Needed

PAGE 2 ALMIRA NEWS VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

Almost 30 scholars

tried out for the Almira

Gators Boys Basketball

Team. 15 boys made

the cut. These 7th and

8th graders will prac-

tice two or three times

a day– before school,

during recess, and af-

terschool. To stay on

the team, players must

maintain good grades,

positive behaviors, and

ongoing commitment.

“Our goal is to win all

the games this year. I

have already been im-

pressed by the commit-

ment of the team. They

show up for practice

every day, on time,”

says Head Coach Na-

than Pardon.

Pardon plans to focus on

dribbling, shooting, and

intensity this season.

The team will play

about 10 games and

Almira parents are in-

vited to attend all home

games and cheer the

Gators on! Students

watching games MUST

be accompanied by a

parent or caregiver.

TEAM ROSTER

DeMarko Allen

Taurye Allen

Mekhi Amankwah

Wilfredo Arriola

Jayson Austin

Sean Booker

Sylvester Fuqua

Terry Harris

Cidney “CJ” Johnson

Daniel McCloud

Daniel Perry

Tae’quan Poage

Logan Robertson

Rasheed Rountree

Aaron Vonderau

Head Coach: Mr. Nathan

Parton

Where are you from? The East

Side of Cleveland.

Where did you go to college? I

attended Cleveland State Univer-

sity where I majored in Early

Childhood Education. I am cur-

rently working on my master’s

degree in Special Education at

Notre Dame University.

Why did you decide to become

a Kindergarten teacher?

I wanted to be a Kindergarten

teacher since I myself was in Kin-

dergarten in a CMSD school. I

always wanted to work with

younger students. Kindergarten

is where everything begins and I

love being part of the students’

transformation as they grow.

What do you want to accom-

plish this year with the Almira

scholars? Being consistent, and

laying the foundation to get the

scholars ready for the 1st grade.

We are focusing on letter and

number recognition and sight

word identification.

What is your favorite color? I

like orange, tan, and black.

What is your favorite food?

Chicken Chili and Lobster.

What special activity did you

plan for your students for cele-

brating Valentine’s Day? We

will be using candy sweet hearts for

a counting math activity.

How long

have you

been teach-

ing? This is

my third year

as a classroom

teacher, I also

was a substi-

tute teacher for two years before

that. I worked at Euclid Park Ele-

mentary School before coming to

Almira.

GRAND OPENING: Almira PreK-8 Academy Gator Store

Meet a Teacher: Ms. Williams, Kindergarten

PAGE 3 ALMIRA NEWS VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

In an effort to improve school culture and scholar

behavior, Almira has opened its own store. Through-

out the week, scholars earn Gator Bucks that they

can spend on Friday afternoons when the mobile

store visits their classrooms.

Teachers pay scholars in Gator Bucks when they ex-

hibit good behavior like following directions and be-

ing a good friend.

Items at the store are donated by teachers, parents,

and community organizations. Many items are also

purchased by the principal and placed in the store.

High priced items include watches, headphones, and

Bluetooth speakers. Lower priced items include pen-

cils, granola bars, and stickers.

According to Dean of Engagement, Conrad Steward,

“Scholars are eager to earn the Gator bucks, and

they look forward to Fridays. The store acts as an

incentive to promote positive school culture.”

Teachers utilize Kickboard to keep track of their

scholars’ behavior. Kickboard is a leading software

program that tracks behavior, goal-based incentives,

points, and rewards.

To donate items to the Gator Store, please contact

Dean of Engagement Steward at (216) 838-6161.

PAGE 4 ALMIRA NEWS VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6

Almira’s Drama Club traveled downtown to Cleveland Play House on Friday, January 15th

and Sunday, January 17th. To rehearse and perform a selection from– Little Shop of Horrors.

Students learned choreography and vocal music for “Skid Row,” the opening number of the hit

musical. On Sunday, students participated in a technical rehearsal with lights and sound,

enjoyed the Cleveland Play House professional production of Little Shop of Horrors, and then

performed their musical number onstage for family and friends. After their performance, Dra-

ma Club members attended a reception in the Cleveland Play House lobby and met the profes-

sional actors in the show.

Education Apprentice Julia Sosa reflected on the day- “The scholars did a wonderful job work-

ing together and they really enjoyed themselves. They worked hard to get the song completely

memorized and were able to perform without their scripts. They were nervous before the per-

formance, but they really owned the stage and had a great moment.”

Almira’s Dra-

ma Club meets

afterschool on

Wednesday af-

ternoons.

Almira Drama Club performs at Cleveland Play House!

Almira Drama Club

Alicia Azap

Tavaughn Caldwell

Jade Callow

Bianca Couch

Tishawna Decembly

Marci’a Johnson

Brandon Ridgeway

Daila Hughes

Christina Robinson

Myeasha Robinson Faculty Advisors: Ms. Volney and Ms. Smith

PAGE 5 ALMIRA NEWS VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 S

UN

DA

Y

MO

ND

AY

T

UE

SD

AY

W

ED

NE

SD

AY

T

HU

RS

DA

Y

FR

IDA

Y

SA

TU

RD

AY

1

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DE

TE

NT

ION

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G–

CO

MP

ET

ITO

N

2

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

PU

PP

ET

WK

SP

CH

EE

RL

EA

D-

ING

-PR

AC

TIC

E

3

GR

OU

ND

HO

G

DA

Y

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DR

AM

A C

LU

B

4

5

6

7

8

CH

INE

SE

NE

W

YE

AR

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DE

TE

NT

ION

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

CO

MP

ET

ITIO

N

9

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

PU

PP

ET

WK

SP

CH

EE

RL

EA

D-

ING

-PR

AC

TIC

E

10

AS

H W

ED

NE

SD

AY

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DR

AM

A C

LU

B

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

PR

AC

TIC

E

11

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

DE

TE

NT

ION

12

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

L

DE

VE

LO

PM

EN

T

DA

Y–N

O S

CH

OO

L

13

14

VA

LE

NT

INE

’S

DA

Y

15

PR

ES

IDE

NT

S’

DA

Y– N

O S

CH

OO

L

16

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

PU

PP

ET

WK

SP

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G

PR

AC

TIC

E

17

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DR

AM

A C

LU

B

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

PR

AC

TIC

E

18

Pa

re

nt/T

ea

ch

er

Co

nfe

re

nce

s–

12

: 30

-7p

m

Ea

rly

Stu

de

nt D

is-

mis

sa

l at 1

2:3

0p

m

19

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

20

21

22

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DE

TE

NT

ION

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

CO

MP

ET

ITIO

N

23

A

ftersch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

PU

PP

ET

WK

SP

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

D-

ING

-PR

AC

TIC

E

24

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DR

AM

A C

LU

B

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

PR

AC

TIC

E

25

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

TU

TO

RIN

G

DE

TE

NT

ION

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

26

PR

OF

ES

SIO

NA

L

DE

VE

LO

PM

EN

T

DA

Y–N

O S

CH

OO

L 2

7

28

29

Afte

rsch

oo

l:

DE

TE

NT

ION

BO

YS

BB

AL

L

CH

EE

RL

EA

DIN

G-

CO

MP

ET

ITIO

N

FE

BR

UA

RY

2016

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 PAGE 6 ALMIRA NEWS

How you’ll know when we call a ‘snow day’ (or not)

When will I find out?

You will be notified by 6 a.m. When

one school or group of schools will be

closed, the decision to will be made

at least 2 hours prior to the school

opening if at all possible. The chief

executive officer will decide by 5:45

am. Media will be notified by 6 a.m.

Who decides to close school, de-

lay school start, dismiss school

early?

The CEO makes the final decision,

but the chief operating officer and

deputy chief of operations also may

recommend closure, delay or early

dismissal to the CEO after discus-

sions with Safety & Security and

Transportation officials. In the case

of relocation, The CEO, consults

with the academic superintendent

and notifies the school, chiefs of

Safety, Transportation and Commu-

nications. The executive director of

Food Service and central office sup-

port will be assigned to assist the

school to be relocated.

What are the acceptable rea-

sons?

They include hazardous weather,

interruption of water, electricity or

services and other conditions mak-

ing it impractical to open a school

building or conditions that warrant

closing.

Weather variables include wind

chill temperature, precipitation,

visibility, street or sidewalk condi-

tions or city advisories.

Do I have to be told that my

child is being sent home?

1. Parental notification is required

for early dismissal of a student un-

der 18 years old, but all parents,

regardless of their students’ age,

will be contacted and advised of the

early dismissal.

2. Parental consent is required for

early dismissal of any student un-

der 18 years old. Parental consent

may be provided in advance with

written sign-off or obtained via tele-

phone at the time of the early dis-

missal. Written logs of the consent

obtained should be maintained at

all schools. Identification should be

checked for individuals who pick up

students for early dismissal. Paren-

tal consent is not required for stu-

dents age 18 and older.

Go online to

bit.ly/2016_SnowDays for a com-

plete version of these FAQs.

Winter is here, so you’re going to want to know answers to the two

most important questions for CMSD caregivers: Will my child's

school be open today -- or not? And how will I know?

You can go online to bit.ly/2016_SnowDays for greater detail, but

here’s the bottom line about notification: When schools are closed,

you will be told by 6 a.m. in a variety of ways:

• We will immediately post on all social media channels.

• We will notify local television, radio and online media outlets

• And we will contact CMSD families by phone, email and text via

our SchoolMessenger app.

But if you want to receive a CMSD text, you’ve got to do two things:

make sure your family contact information, including cell phones, is

updated at your child’s school, and you must “opt in” by texting

“YES” or “Y” to 68453.

Snow Days: Frequently Asked Questions

VOLUME 1, ISSUE 6 PAGE 7 ALMIRA NEWS

CMSD has achieved gains in two important areas– K-3

literacy and the four-year graduation rate— according to

state report card data released in January by the Ohio De-

partment of Education.

The K-3 literacy rate grew by 4.2 percent, a figure that

Chief Executive Officer Eric Gordon calls significant for a

large urban district. CMSD would have achieved a passing

score in literacy if the state had not raised the threshold for

last year’s students.

The state also changed tests, preventing the kind of compar-

isons that can be made with the National Assessment of

Educational Progress, also known as the Nation’s Report

Card. CMSD showed some of the strongest growth in the

country when results from the NAEP’s fourth– and eighth-

grade reading and math tests were released in October.

“Even though state tests change from year to year and

make it difficult to make the apples-to-apples comparisons

we can see on the more consistent NAEP tests, we are en-

couraged by the gains we are seeing in grades K-3 and by

our gains in the most stable measure of our growth– a rec-

ord-high graduation rate,” Gordon said.

The graduation rate grew from 64.3 percent to 65.9 percent,

setting a District record for the fourth year in a row, and

has increased 13.9 percentage points in four years. The

number is expected to reach 66 percent after removal of five

students whose scores should not have counted. The date

is for the class of 2013-2014.

CEO Gordon said the gains in literacy and continued

growth in the graduation rate are further evidence of the

momentum seen when NAEP scores were released in Octo-

ber. CMSD’s NAEP scores were “uniformly larger and

better than any school district in the country,” according to

Michael Casserly, executive director of the Council of the

Great City Schools. The council represents 68 large city

districts.

ODE is releasing the 2015 report card data in stages. Addi-

tional data is to be released next month.

East Tech leads the way

The graduation rate at East Tech took off like a rocket,

soaring from a dismal 46 percent to 72.9 percent in just one

year.

The school’s spectacular ascent is the latest in a streak of

good news and offers more proof that The Cleveland Plan,

a state-approved blueprint for education reform in the city,

is working.

East Tech is one of CMSD’s Investment Schools, a group

that has received intensive intervention to raise low perfor-

mance, expand community engagement and improve cul-

ture.

Co-Principals Temujin Taylor and Paul Hoover also have

made use of the broad authority individual schools have

been given over spending, scheduling, and programming.

“We know the building better than anyone,” Hoover said.

“Having the flexibility to align resources with need has

been powerful for us.”

CMSD K-3 Literacy, High School Graduation Rates Up

School Choice Season Now Open

It’s time again for eighth-graders to choose CMSD high schools, and this year brings more new options as well as a

new online portal for making the selections.

Under The Cleveland Plan, CMSD operates as a portfolio district, offering students

and families a variety of school models so they can find the one that best fits their

needs. Students may attend any school in the District, provided that space is availa-

ble and, in a few cases, they meet admissions criteria.

The school choice period, also open to students and families selecting K-8 or PreK-8

schools, runs through Wednesday, March 16. Students can still choose schools after

March 16 but responding before the deadline will improve chances of getting their

first selection.

The District has set up a new school choice portal to allow new families to log in and

make a choice. New and current CMSD families can find the new portal by going

online to: bit.ly/CMSD_ChoicePortal

Thank you Almira Volunteers!

3375 West 99th Street

Cleveland, OH 44102

MAIN OFFICE: (216) 838-6150

ALMIRA PREK-8 ACADEMY

Special thanks to community organizations for in

-kind and service donations to Almira scholars: ZENworks Yoga

Kids in Need Resource Center

Little Free Library

Cleveland Food Bank

Cleveland Play House

AARP Experience Corps

Aiming Higher

United Way of Greater Cleveland

Boy Scouts of America

Cleveland Housing Network

Dancing Classrooms

Dancing Wheels

Coats for Kids

Centers for Families and Children

YMCA of Greater Cleveland

Ohio City Theatre Project Key Bank

Playworks

Esperanza

Cudell Improvement, Inc.

Community Support for

Almira scholars

WEBSITE: http://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/

almira

FACEBOOK PAGE: Search “Almira Gators” on

Facebook and send a friend request!

Visit Almira’s website

Learn more about school policies and procedures

Access Curriculum Review Resources and Prac-

tice Tests

View contact information for teachers and staff

http://www.clevelandmetroschools.org/almira

Greta Walker

William Island

Bernice Garrett

Rev. Nozomi Ikuta Kenyatta Tatum Ruben Rosado Nora Ibrahim Sheray Harrison Amanda Hennessey