From the Desk of Superintendent Young |
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Dear CHS Community,
This past Tuesday brought a late-fall winter storm that closed schools across Northeast Ohio. While our goal is always to keep students in the classroom, hazardous road conditions and the timing of the snowfall made the decision necessary. Hopefully, our students were able to enjoy their snow day as so many of us did when we were younger - some of us in another century!
On Wednesday, members of our sophomore class and students from our music program hosted the annual Senior Citizens Winter Luncheon and Concert. When multiple generations come together in our schools and community for positive interactions, it is always a reason to celebrate and be grateful. These meaningful connections strengthen the bonds that make our community special.
This Saturday, our PTO is hosting Breakfast with Santa. This tremendous event brings families together and offers a final chance for children to get off the "naughty list" before it is too late. We look forward to seeing many of you there.
With fall break having occurred at one of its latest possible points this year, we are now just two weeks away from winter break. For high school students, this means semester exams are approaching in many courses. For all students, it represents the end of the second quarter. I encourage everyone to use these next two weeks wisely - complete assignments, seek support from teachers when needed, and prepare thoroughly for assessments and projects. Finishing strong will set the stage for a well-deserved break.
Reaching New Heights Together,
Matt Young
Superintendent
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Managing Holiday Stress and Maintaining Focus |
The December season brings joy and celebration, but it can also create stress and distraction for students trying to maintain academic focus. Between holiday preparations, events, and excitement, students may struggle to keep up with schoolwork and responsibilities. Learning to manage seasonal stress while staying focused on important tasks teaches valuable life skills. Here are some strategies for balancing holiday joy with academic responsibilities:
Preschool-5th Grade:
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- Maintain regular bedtimes even during busy holiday weeks
- Create a simple calendar showing both fun events and school days remaining
- Set aside dedicated homework time before holiday activities
- Keep expectations realistic about behavior and performance during this busy time
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- Help prioritize tasks and assignments with approaching deadlines
- Discuss healthy ways to manage stress and excitement
- Balance holiday activities with adequate study and rest time
- Encourage completion of major assignments before break begins
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- Create a realistic schedule that includes both academic and holiday commitments
- Teach time management strategies for balancing multiple demands
- Address the importance of finishing strong before semester break
- Support healthy stress management techniques during this busy period
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- Recognize signs of stress or overwhelm and adjust schedules accordingly
- Model your own healthy balance between obligations and celebrations
- Keep communication open about feelings and pressures
- Remember that quality matters more than perfection during this season
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Remember, the holidays should be joyful, not stressful. Finding balance between celebration and responsibility helps everyone enjoy this special season while maintaining important commitments. |
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Meet our Student Attendants & Student Monitors |
Our Student Attendants and Student Monitors play a vital role in creating supportive, welcoming, and inclusive learning environments across the district. Their work spans classrooms, the resource room, the cafeteria, and sensory spaces—each day providing students with the structure, encouragement, and connection they need to succeed.
Collectively, this team:
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- Supports students in both resource and general education settings, helping them participate in a modified curriculum aligned to extended standards.
- Assists with daily routines, social-emotional development, and essential life skills, offering patience, understanding, and compassion throughout the day.
- Provides one-on-one support to students who benefit from extra help, building strong relationships that boost confidence and academic success.
- Incorporates fun, creativity, and hands-on activities—including crafts—to keep students engaged and motivated.
- Guides students who need sensory breaks by accompanying them to the sensory room to help them reset and refocus.
- Works together in the cafeteria to create a positive, safe, and welcoming space where all students feel comfortable and supported during lunch
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This team’s dedication, patience, and heart make a meaningful difference every single day—helping students feel seen, supported, and capable of their best. |
Click on the FUN FACT under each photo to learn something interesting about each staff member! |
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Cuyahoga Heights Awarded PBIS Bronze Award |
We are proud to announce that our district, as well as each of our buildings, has been awarded the prestigious PBIS Bronze Award from the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce. To receive the Bronze Award, schools must demonstrate a consistent, data-driven approach to problem-solving, strong team structures that support implementation, and clear evidence that Tier 1 universal practices are being used reliably across all areas of the school.
This districtwide recognition reflects the hard work and dedication of our entire school community. Through our strong implementation of the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework, students and staff have helped create a safer, more supportive, and more effective learning environment. This achievement celebrates our students for consistently demonstrating positive behaviors and honors our staff for their ongoing commitment to reinforcing the positive choices that help every child thrive. We are grateful to our families for supporting these high expectations and partnering with us to ensure success for all.
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Teacher & Staff Favorite Things List |
Throughout the school year, many of us look for thoughtful ways to show appreciation for our teachers and staff and all they do for our students. To make gift-giving a little easier—and more personal—the CHS PTO has gathered a “Favorite Things” list based on their own suggestions.
Feel free to use this list for inspiration during the holidays, for birthdays, at the end of the year, or anytime you’d like to brighten someone’s day.
Please remember that gifts are always optional.
Your ongoing support of your child’s education is, truly, the greatest gift you can give.
Teacher & Staff Favorite Things List
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Calling All Performers: Take the Stage at CHS Got Talent! |
Do you sing, dance, tell jokes, play an instrument, or have a unique talent the world needs to see? The CHS Music Boosters invite YOU to step into the spotlight at CHS Got Talent, happening January 24, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the CHS High School Auditorium.
This exciting community showcase is open to performers of all ages and all talent types—from musicians and magicians to comedians, dancers, and everything in between. Whether you're a seasoned performer or trying the stage for the first time, this is the perfect opportunity to shine in front of a supportive audience.
Why perform?
⭐ It’s fun!
⭐ It’s a great way to share your passion and creativity.
⭐ It supports the CHS Music Boosters and local arts programs.
⭐ Performers get in FREE!
Signing up is simple—just scan the QR code featured on event flyer or visit https://cuyhtsmusic.ptboard.com/sgnvw?signup=d284b2db-92ba-4c75-8523-ce45fa414b36~s.9223370273184241552 to register your act. Don’t wait too long; performance slots may fill quickly.
Take the stage. Show your skills. Be part of something amazing! |
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Spanish Club will be hosting a “pulsera” sale to raise funds for Central American artisans. The Pulsera Project is a nonprofit organization that works with over 200 artisans in Guatemala and Nicaragua to sell beautiful, handwoven bracelets (“pulseras” in Spanish) as well as small “bolsitas” (purses).
Each $5 pulsera and $15 bolsita sold will help create fair trade jobs, support communities in Nicaragua and Guatemala, and fund a number of programs that help improve the lives of hundreds of Central Americans.
The Pulsera Project creates sustainable jobs in vulnerable communities where there are few other options to achieve the dream of creating a better life for themselves and their families. By supporting our pulsera sale, you help keep families and communities together and in control of their own futures. |
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PBIS is a framework for creating school environments that are more predictable and effective. A proactive approach to setting consistent positive expectations for student behavior so ALL students can experience social, emotional, and academic success. It includes visual reminders throughout the building, recognizing & rewarding students for using positive behaviors, and enforcing consistent meaningful consequences when violations of the expected behaviors occur.
What does this look like at CHS?
Cuyahoga Heights Schools has a PBIS Committee made up of teachers, interventionists, specialists, parents/guardians, aides, and other team members. This committee focuses on behavioral expectations and intervention needs in each building.
Cuyahoga Heights Schools have created themes that identify our key values.
Parents seeking assistance for their student in these areas can contact the student’s teacher or school counselor who will put in a support request to the team.
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Scarlet Angels Bring Joyful Music to Brooklyn Heights Tree Lighting |
The Scarlet Angels kicked off the holiday season in festive style as they performed at the Brooklyn Heights Tree Lighting Ceremony on Saturday, November 29. Their music added warmth and celebration to a wonderful community tradition.
You can enjoy even more of their talent at the Cuyahoga Heights High School Choir Concert on Thursday, December 11, at 7:00 p.m. in the Paul F. Baumgardner Auditorium.
Looking for additional holiday performances? Don’t miss the Cuyahoga Heights High School Jazz Band and Electric Strings at the Valley View Tree Lighting Ceremony on Sunday, December 7, at 5:00 p.m.
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4820 East 71st Street | Cuyahoga Heights, OH 44125 | 216-429-5700 | www.cuyhts.org
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