Back to School August 2018

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Back to School A Cleveland Jewish News Special Section

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Initial preschool experience requires kid gloves MARISSA NICHOL

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hildren who transition from a daycare center or home to preschool may encounter difficult emotions as they face a new schedule and responsibility.

Stephanie Daetwyler, director of Primrose Schools in Solon, and Barbara Streeter, director of Hanna Perkins School in Shaker Heights, shared insight on what the most difficult part of the transition is for children and what parents can do to help prepare them.

Daetwyler said the most emotional part is the separation from parents at drop-off, followed by having more children around them in the classroom.

“In preschool, there’s a lot more independence. There’s a lot more places the kids are making throughout the day and their schedule is jam-packed full of different activities,” said Daetwyler, referring to the children moving around to more stations in the room.

To help ease emotions children may encounter at drop-off each morning, Daetwyler said a consistent routine of hanging up backpacks and signing in on the attendance card when they arrive makes the transition easier.

“The first thing they do is they say bye to mom and dad and our teacher greets them, and kind of makes it fun to say bye,” Daetwyler said.

Primrose also makes the transition easier for children by scheduling different times for parents and children to visit the classroom to meet the teacher. They assign “Primrose pals,” or buddies, in the classroom so someone can show the child around.

“Individualizing the process helps make the situation easier for children,” Daetwyler said.

To help prepare children for preschool, Streeter said parents should be more concerned with their child’s developmental readiness than their cognitive skills, even if preschool is more education-based than daycare.

“Parents need to be thinking about how do they help their child be developmentally ready as well as how to manage the feelings that come with starting preschool, and that means walking into a completely new experience,” Streeter said.

Streeter also said children shouldn’t start preschool worried about how to take care of themselves by going to the bathroom or keeping track of their

Daetwyler

Streeter

coat. They need to be ready to relate to a teacher, which is different than a caregiver.

“A child needs to be able to feel confident in communicating his needs and feelings, so that if he’s on his own in the classroom, he can find an adult and get the help he needs,” Streeter said.

Streeter said both parents and children worry about how they will manage and if the teacher will like them. It is helpful to practice skills before starting preschool, like practicing pouring a cup of water at home, so he or she can feel confident in themselves.

Getting as much information as possible in advance about what to expect also will help a child prepare.

Streeter suggests the parents visit the school with their child ahead of time to take photos of the classroom, the schedule and the teacher if possible to make into a book.

“The child can go home and talk about all this with mom or dad and be prepared gradually and be able to talk about his or her feelings about what’s coming and his worries about what’s coming,” Streeter said.

Whether a child has been in daycare, a child will still be dependent on whoever takes care of them at home and should know where they are during school hours to make them feel comfortable. If some preschool teachers don’t allow a child to call home whenever they want, keeping pictures of their parent during the day or finding a note from their parents in their lunch box lets them know they are thinking about them even when they are apart.

Streeter said it is important to recognize “there are going to be feelings no matter what, so the worry is natural for both the parent as well as the child.”

Marissa Nichol was the Irving I. Stone Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News this summer.

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Smaller classes can foster individualized learning BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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ome students can benefit from a larger class, while some students respond better when they are in smaller environments.

According to Lynee Bixler, director of marketing and communications at Julie Billiart School in Lyndhurst, and Sam Chesnut, head of school at The Lippman School in Akron, teachers can individualize educational practices for smaller groups.

“Smaller classes allow teachers the opportunity to better assess their students’ learning styles and adapt instructional strategies to meet each child’s individual learning needs,” Bixler said. “Students, especially those in elementary grade levels, are more likely to try new things, take part in class activities and take more risks in smaller classroom environments.”

Chestnut noted benefits ranging from education to relationships.

“Teachers are able to differentiate the learning easier because they can work with smaller groups of students,” Chestnut said. “The kids and teachers just have a more consistent relationship and students aren’t able to hide in the classroom when something is difficult for them. In a smaller classroom, students are able to be pushed in a nurturing way to work through academics opportunities that might be more challenging for them.”

Both professionals noted all types of learners benefit from smaller classes, even if they have different learning styles.

“Every child learns differently, so it’s difficult to say that all students benefit from a smaller class size,” Bixler said.

“However, there has been extensive research that strongly advocates that reducing class size helps raise student achievement, regardless of their learning ability.”

Chestnut said, “Most learners do benefit from a smaller class. There are times where a learner has a specialized area of interest where having a larger group of kids provides more opportunity, like arts and sports. But, those are more specialized cases. But, by and large, most kids benefit from small classes.”

Each school uses small class sizes in

Bixler

Chestnut

different ways.

At Julie Billiart School, Bixler said small classes are an integral part of their educational model.

“Fewer students in a learning environment gives our intervention specialists the best opportunity to discover how a child learns,” she said.

“Teachers and therapist can then change their methods of instruction to meet the needs of each student and increase overall learning success.

Smaller class sizes also provide opportunities for students to develop and practice communication and social skills.”

At Lippman School, Chestnut said small class sizes are used within multi-grade classrooms.

“Students are with the same teachers two years in a row, as well as team teaching practices,” he said. “It allows students to work with more than one teaching professional in a variety of small multi-age groups, which allows them to work at their grade and educational level.”

As for how teachers thrive in smaller classes that vary as well.

“I haven’t hired a teacher or supervised a teacher that thinks small classes are negative to a student’s experience,” Chestnut said. “All teachers believe they can make far more progress with kids if the ratio is smaller. You can give each child more of your time.

In a smaller classroom, teachers have the ability to have a stronger and more consistent relationship with parents too.”

Bixler said, “For teachers, smaller classes mean a better opportunity to provide individualized attention to their students with fewer classroom disruptions.”

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AUGUST 3, 2018

Personal accountability important lesson for children BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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s students mature, they tend to become personally accountable for their education and work.

But how early should students be exposed to these ideas?

When students are taught accountability at a young age, Mike Griffith, head of school at The Lillian and Betty Ratner School in Pepper Griffith Pike, and Monique Nicholson, main lesson teacher at Urban Oak School in Cleveland Heights, said younger students thrive.

“It is important for students to begin learning educational responsibility and accountability from a young age in order to cultivate lifelong learning,” Nicholson said. “There needs to be a foundation that can sustain their perseverance of inquiry and desire of the goal towards mastery. ... Learning happens autonomously when there is a

vested interest in pursuing knowledge as a goal. And while on the path toward the goal, one can become conscious of the many ways one can become knowledgeable.”

Griffith said though it’s OK to work on responsibility within a student, it’s more important to develop ownership over what they’ve learned.

“It’s important to help students develop a sense of ownership for their learning, which begins with a sense of curiosity and wonder as a young child,” he said. “We need to focus on helping them grow developmentally as they explore interests and begin to set goals.”

After establishing ownership, Griffith placed importance on creating a strong learning environment.

“We create an environment and structure that provides them access to the natural joy for learning that children possess,” he said. “We prompt, we model, we guide, we observe – and provide feedback to the child and the parent. All of this is designed to help

(children) develop self-awareness, selfmanagement and motivation.”

Nicholson said the key to teaching accountability to young students lies in accessing their interests.

“Without interest in reaching the goal of learning, there is no feeling of accountability or responsibility of learning by the student,” she said.

“When one taps into their interests, you have gained a foothold in a doorway to a world where a child can take ownership of their pursuit of knowledge and the building of skills that can help categorize types of knowledge along the way.”

Accountability also helps a child develop emotionally and mentally.

“Through examples of success that they gain and the persistence and resilience they develop in working through learning challenges, students become increasingly self-directed learners,” Griffith said.

Nicholson said, “The skills students learn as they take on personally meaningful goals allow the young learner to effectively explore answers to questions in depth in a more

systematized approach.”

Parents and teachers also play a large role in instilling personal accountability in young learners.

“Students need guides and coaches and an environment full of challenge that they can explore safely and with growing confidence,” Griffith said. “The parent-child-teacher/school relationship is critical in helping the child to grow into a self-directed learner. Balancing the right push, pull and prompting from the adult around the child moves them forward to gaining success and independence.”

Nicholson said, “Parents play a significant role as their child’s first teacher. They should know their child and understand how they learn, what their interests are and what motivates them.

“Parents should also encourage their child to be active in their pursuits but also step back and allow for failure.

Most importantly, parents should know themselves. If parents are unaware of their role in their child’s learning, they will be unable to fully foster the growth of the lifelong learner.”

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Sports involvement builds character in young students BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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or young students, after-school holds many possibilities. Too young to get jobs, students opt for extracurricular activities, like sports.

According to Kelli Pastor, physical education teacher at the Joseph and Florence Mandel Jewish Day School in Beachwood, and William Jones, director of physical education (K-8) at University School in Shaker Heights, students can learn important life lessons from sports involvement.

“Students can benefit by being involved in sports in many ways,” Pastor said. “A sports team creates a feeling of being part of something and contributing, helping one develop a strong self-concept. Sports involvement can offer further growth for socialemotional skills such as collaboration, problem solving and communication.”

Jones said sports help students learn to work in a team and bounce ideas off of each other.

“You learn to communicate and be responsible with your teammates, coach and school,” he said. “You make mistakes and learn from them. It’s a great environment to be in to learn and grow from that. We want our athletes to learn to be responsible and communicate.”

When students take part in sports, Pastor said it presents other opportunities.

“Sports involvement, working hard and excelling can prepare a student for success in high school and college,” she said. “Experience in sports can offer financial opportunities and scholarships, too.”

Jones noted emotional development occurs in sports as well.

“Competitiveness is a good thing, but it can also be a bad thing,” he said. “We teach our young athletes to communicate respectfully not only with their teammates but also their opponents. You have to remember, you don’t get to play unless the other team shows up. So, they learn to respect that.

There are amazing athletic feats that happen on both teams and (sports) teach students to respect that.”

At Mandel JDS, Pastor said athletic students are involved in building a community as well as character.

“We assist students in that and it’s one of the things we do best at Mandel,” she said. “We set the tone where respect and kindness towards others is a priority and being a mensch is a way of life. We teach and embrace Jewish

Jones

Pastor

values. Teachers and coaches should be role models for their students.”

When students take part in sports activities, the benefits also translate to the classroom.

“Research shows that when students are active, there is brain development as well as better focus,” Jones said.

“That translates to a better focus on homework and tests. I know personally, that has gotten me through high school and college. The physical activity got me through, as I had to be more organized and come up with a plan to finish the work required of me.”

Pastor said sports and education go hand-in-hand.

“Having success in the classroom allows students the opportunity to participate in a sport,” she said.

“Students need to exhibit drive and apply themselves to achieve good grades.

The same goes for the performance on the field or court. Active participation in both the classroom and on a team can help a student feel successful. A sense of success has a direct influence on building a good self-concept.”

In doing this, Pastor said teachers and coaches have a responsibility to provide a positive environment.

“This is where creativity comes into play for full participation within a physical education program,” she said. “Some students are stronger than others, not all students are athletes and students learn in different ways; all these points should be honored and the curriculum should be differentiated for all students to feel successful.”

Jones said, “What we do at University School is have our boys participate in at least one sport but they have the option to do more. And if kids are into it, we give them the opportunity to get better at the sport so they can later specialize. Sports is all about making students feel supported and loved. Many people achieve things because they were supported by someone.”

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AUGUST 3, 2018

Continuing religious education into high school proves beneficial BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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any Jewish families start children in religious school, but not all continue through high

school.

According to Rabbi Simcha Dessler, educational director at the Hebrew Academy of Cleveland in Cleveland Heights, and Rabbi Avery Joel, head of school at Fuchs Mizrachi School in Beachwood, students see personal and educational benefits when continuing their religious education into high school.

“Beyond the knowledge and beyond the classroom, religious schooling allows high school students to develop lifelong and often life-altering connections with teachers and mentors while fostering among students a strong sense of community that is an investment for a healthy future,” Dessler said.

Joel said students should continue religious school because it helps them grow individually.

“We wouldn’t be comfortable with our children capping their general education at eighth or 12th grade, so why would we be OK with capping their religious education at that point,” he said. “I certainly wasn’t a fully formed spiritual being by then and I doubt any of us are ever done growing religiously.

That means we have to put our children in a position to continue to engage in these important conversations about God and Torah.”

Both educators said religion plays a large role in a high schooler’s life.

“Religious schooling helps shape the value system of our children,” Joel said.

“The high school years are formative years for the solidifying of our identities. It is when we often start to question who we are and whom we want to be, and when we begin to explore those questions.”

Dessler said, “Religious schooling gifts teens with a powerful sense of pride and commitment which fosters Jewish community.”

Joel said religion should be part of one’s personal journey.

“Religion must be part of the conversation, if not the main part of that conversation,” he said. “Further, with the challenges teens encounter during these years, be they social, emotional, religious or otherwise, religious perspectives and mindsets can be helpful in guiding our teens.”

Dessler

Joel

Even if a Jewish high school student had no prior religious school experience, Dessler said the experience still can be enlightening.

“The day school experience for high school students provides a solid foundation and strong knowledge base in Judaism, a sound emphasis on Jewish values, a deep commitment to communal involvement and a sense of belonging and connection that are so critically important in the era in which we live,” he said.

Joel said, “It is never too late to be reflective, to ask about one’s heritage and to explore one’s relationship with God. Sure, without a background in certain text skills, accessing specific resources might be more of a challenge, but the process is one that is accessible to all.”

When transitioning into college, Dessler said a religious high school education can empower students.

“On the college level, day school graduates are often empowered to teach their peers what they have learned in Judaic studies throughout their high school years,” Dessler said. “According to a study conducted by Partnership for Excellence in Jewish Education, when college students are asked to reflect on the social climate of their high school experience, Jewish high school alumni describe a greater sense of belonging and feel more positive about their sense of belonging.”

When searching for a religious high school, Joel said the process is very personal.

“Each religious school has certain approaches, both to specific values and to processes,” he said. “Find the one that resonates with what is important to you for your child. Which school will engage your child in this journey, and which school will highlight the religious values that are important to you?”

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Mentoring programs prepare students for college, careers BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER braspe@cjn.org |

@BeckyRaspeCJN

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any graduating high school seniors are unsure about their next step in life. And those who remain in school may face uncertainty from year to year.

According to Flo Brett, founder and CEO of Effective Leadership Academy in Warrensville Heights, and John Gordon, director of programs at Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, students can take part in mentoring programs that offer guidance.

“One of the programs I direct is Beyond Reserve, which is essentially an internship program for rising juniors and seniors,” Gordon said. “The design of it is to develop partnerships with outside organizations, whether it’s a school or service organization. But, it’s mainly to develop organizational partnerships that offer internships opportunities in the summer.”

Gordon said programs like Beyond Reserve allow personal development as students learn through authentic experiences. “(Mentoring programs) help inform a student’s thinking about college,” he said. “They might think they want to do one thing and then through an internship, they realize (the field) isn’t what they thought it was. We see great value informing their thinking.”

Brett said mentoring programs are important, especially for students who don’t have strong familial role models.

“The biggest problem with students from any type of family environment is the lack of mentors,” she said. “There aren’t steady role models in our young peoples’ lives and a mentor can bring a lot of that enrichment to a student. A mentor is important for keeping a young person on the straight and narrow.”

During mentoring programs, Brett said students can learn various social and professional skills.

“They are learning about collaboration with other people and effective communication skills too,” she said. “Students spend a lot of time behind screens and they have forgotten that face-to-face communication is important. Critical thinking and

Brett

Gordon

creative thinking are things we cover in our program and we push them to think that way in all problems presented to them.”

Although mentoring programs can prepare students for collegelevel coursework, Gordon said it also prepares students for careers.

“Along with informing our thinking, (mentoring programs) are good life preparation,” he said. “As schools talk about college prep, there is so much emphasis on schoolwork but on the life development front, being with people in the real world is another type of preparation that is critical to their longer-term successes.”

Mentoring programs also impact current learning.

“Certainly, the kids come back to school and there is a transfer for sure between what they’ve learned in those work situations and what they’ll then do in the classroom,” Gordon said.

As for parents, Brett said it’s good to be invested in their student’s process.

“In Effective Leadership Academy, we email parents the program content,” she said. “When the student comes home, the parent has the script of the class. They can continue and deepen the information. Students come home and talk about what they’ve learned.”

Gordon said parents should be involved in their child’s mentoring program but should take a passive role.

“A lot of parents would like to dive in and clear the way to make sure the (mentoring) experience goes smoothly,” Gordon said. “But it’s important to sometimes step back and let your child encounter some adversity and let them battle their way through it and come out more developed. The big role is helping the child identify and position them to opportunities and then working in support of their process.”

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LeBron’s I Promise School delivers with Akron opening

IT’S NOT WHETHER YOU WIN OR LOSE, IT’S WHERE YOU CELEBRATE THE GAME.

ALYSSA SCHMITT | STAFF REPORTER @AlyssaSchmitCJN aschmitt@cjn.org |

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hile former Cleveland Cavalier LeBron James will spend most of his time in Los Angeles playing for the Lakers, he’ll still be giving an opportunity to children in his hometown of Akron with the opening of the I Promise School July 29.

The new public school’s programs geared for at-risk students were created in tandem with Akron Public Schools, the LeBron James Family Foundation and its LAB community board, said Todd Stein, president and CEO of Brunswick Companies in Fairlawn who has been a member of the board since its inception.

The LAB community board consists of educators and business leaders and shows students career options through field trips.

“The partnership that we’ve been able to develop is that (companies) actually have volunteers that work with the kids throughout the year,” said Stein, a member of B’nai Jeshurun Congregation in Pepper Pike, Beth El Congregation in Akron and Temple Israel and Revere Road Synagogue, both in Bath Township. “It gives each one of them an opportunity to think about what they like, about what they want to do.”

The I Promise school is a result of nearly a decade of the I Promise program where students sprinkled across Akron schools participated in the programs. After the opening of the school, the program has a hub that all incoming students of the program will attend.

About 240 students in third and fourth grade who were involved in the I Promise program began classes the same day of the opening and all received a bicycle, uniforms and socks. The school will continue expanding each year as additional classes enter up until grade eight, Stein said, with a specific focus on STEM courses.

The school has longer days than other

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public schools and provides students with breakfast – which they eat with their teachers – lunch and an after school snack, Stein said. A GED program is also offered to students’ parents who never received their high school diploma to make them more marketable in the work force.

James, who missed 82 days of school as a fourth grader as he and his mother moved often to find a home, said the most important thing is to give kids structure and let them know someone is looking out for them.

“They just want to know that someone cares,” James said to the crowd of more than 1,000. “That’s why we’re doing this today, that’s why we’re going to continue to do things like this.”

The school will incorporate all the tenets of the existing I Promise Network, including learning, self-respect, good health and perseverance. More than 1,300 students across the 32 schools across the Akron district receive support through the I Promise program. Students who finish the program and graduate high school are eligible for a four-year college scholarship from the University of Akron.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Todd Stein, left, president and CEO of Brunswick Companies in Fairlawn, holds his company’s flag at the opening of the I Promise School, which was opened in partnership between the Akron Public Schools and the LeBron James Family Foundation. Stein is a member of the LJFF’s LAB community board which gives I Promise students experience through field trips to area businesses. | Submitted photo

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Student organizations beneficial for college students TESS KAZDIN

S

tudent organizations can help incoming college students transition into college, make friends, express themselves and even prepare for future careers.

Sarah Dowd Dyer, director of campus involvement at Hiram College in Hiram, and Brandi Barhite, director of enrollment communications at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, agreed involvement in student organizations can help incoming students find their place. “(Student organizations) help (students) find some similar friends that they can feel comfortable with,” Dyer said. “They create things students are familiar with and that’s what freshman need. They need to have that familiar feel because they’re so far away from home.”

Barhite noted that student organizations often play an important role in helping a college campus feel like home. Students may feel tempted to visit old friends and family on the weekends, but getting involved in a club can help increase their desire to stay on campus.

For smaller schools, like Hiram

Dyer

Barhite

College, Dyer emphasized the importance of getting involved because at schools with smaller populations, it’s more difficult to shrink into the shadows.

“At Hiram, we thrive off of community and we thrive off of being together,” she said. “Being a part of a club or an organization can only help you thrive.”

In contrast, Barhite indicated that at larger schools, like BGSU, student organizations can make the size of the campus and student body feel less intimidating.

“Student organizations can make a larger school feel much smaller,” she said.

While familiar environments can help transitioning students feel more

comfortable, student organizations can also provide opportunities for students to break out of comfort zones.

“People start to explore and decide to join, or get involved in activities that they never dreamed that they might do,” said Barhite. “So, it’s also a great opportunity to… find new passions.”

Barhite went on to explain that student organizations can do more than help students discover themselves, they can assist students in preparing for the future as well.

“You start to develop really great skills,” Barhite said. “You run meetings, you run events, you might have to fundraise for your organization, so all those social and professional skills can be carried to the workplace.”

Although Dyer and Barhite both spoke of the importance of student organizations, they also agreed that it’s easy for students to over-commit themselves. Becoming involved in too many activities and social groups can have a negative impact on schoolwork.

“When people come in to talk about their interests and what clubs would be best for their situation, we talk about (balance),” Dyer said. “Sometimes I tell them, go to some social things but don’t

commit to anything just yet. Give it a semester and then maybe next semester you can really decide if you can be more involved in this club or not.”

To learn which organization is right for them, students can visit the school’s involvement fair, often held the first week of the semester.

“We offer over 40 clubs and social groups,” Dyer said of Hiram. “But (students) would never know about it unless they put themselves out there to go to the involvement fair which is something that we hold every fall and spring.”

Bowling Green State University holds their involvement fair, “Campus Fest,” the second day of the semester.

“Every organization sets up a table on a huge lawn and students can walk up and down and see those organizations, meet those members, sign up, get freebees and find out how to get involved,” Barhite said.

Students can further explore their school’s student organizations by visiting their college’s website to view an online catalog of active clubs.

Tess Kazdin was the Violet Spevack Editorial Intern this summer.

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AUGUST 3, 2018

College stress unavoidable, Community colleges can be good starting point for some students but manageable BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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ccording to the American Psychological Association, 45 percent of college students seeking counseling reported experiencing stress in 2017.

Though experiencing stress is common for college students, Dr. Anita Forsberg Culberston, campus psychologist at Ursuline College Ehrman in Pepper Pike, and Jane Pernotto Ehrman, owner of Images of Wellness with locations in Beachwood and Westlake, said stress is manageable if students seek the help.

“If you look at numbers across the country, the number (of students dealing with stress) just keeps going up and some of that is because of the pressure of school,” Culberston said.

“But also, there are a lot of kids coming to campus with pre-existing conditions that they lived with in high school.”

Ehrman tells students that stress is normal.

“It’s normal for many reasons, especially since every year of college is a little bit unknown,” she said. “It’s a completely different experience, especially if you’re going to live on campus somewhere. Even if you live at home and commute, it’s a whole new level of learning. Everything you experienced in high school may be different for them in college. It’s exciting but stressful, too.”

Ehrman finds freshman year is the most stressful time for students.

“Part of it is they get into unhelpful behavior,” she said. “Students start to procrastinate or they get afraid and freeze up or they don’t sleep well. If you live in a residence hall, it can be pretty noisy which contributes to sleepless nights.”

As for Culbertson, it’s not so much the year, but more so the time of year students feel more stress.

“It’s typically prior to midterms and then finals,” she said. “But, the first year is especially stressful because it’s all so new. So, once you experience it once, the rest becomes easier.”

Working with her students to find out

where they hold their stress, Culberston said it can affect their productivity.

“Some people get headaches, some get back pain,” she said. “But, it’s the things you notice within yourself. You need to figure out where you hold it so you can circumvent the pressure cooker before you explode when it gets too much to handle.”

Both professionals suggested students find time to do things that bring them joy.

“Figure out what you enjoy, but also plan time for yourself,” Culberston said. “We spend so much time as human beings anticipating what others expect from us and putting that in our planner, but we never put aside ‘me time’ in our planners. Alone time is just as important.”

Ehrman said, “Managing your time can be difficult. Along with all of (a student’s) activities, studying and socializing, you’ll still need to sleep and eat. You need to set a routine for yourself about what you want to do.

Along with making time for these things, you need to make time to relieve stress.”

In terms of help available to students, both professionals said just talking to someone does wonders.

“Sometimes just being heard makes a significant difference,” Ehrman said.

“The person you speak to doesn’t need to solve the problem but talking about it helps. It’s also not uncommon for students to call home within the first month and say how much they hate college and want to come home. It may feel terrible now, but it won’t always be that way. Get through this, take it dayby-day and 99 percent of the time, it will work out great.”

Culbertson said, “Campuses tend to have this misconception that you will be able to talk to other students and tell them your problems and that will be completely confidential. But, that’s not realistic. Know whom you’re sharing with. But if there are things you feel you need to process that are bigger, seek a professional. Don’t stay quiet and keep it to yourself, that’s the worst thing you can do.”

MARISSA NICHOL

T

he transition from high school to college can be confusing for some students as they struggle with deciding where to attend and what career path to follow. However, enrolling in a community college first allows students to become accustomed to college-level courses, discover their career interests and save money.

Laura Barnard, executive vice president and provost at Lakeland Community College in Kirtland, and Angela Johnson, vice president of access and completion at Cuyahoga Community College with multiple campuses in Cuyahoga and Medina counties, said community colleges also provide counseling resources to create a plan for those who intend to transfer to a college or university.

Barnard said students can discuss with a counselor their goal to transfer so they can enroll in the exact courses that will transfer to the four-year college of their choice without losing any time or credits.

“Ohio has a transfer module and transfer agreement,” Barnard said. “At Lakeland, we have some partnership agreements with not just public institutions, but also with private institutions, like Hiram (College).”

According to Johnson, some students who enroll in Tri-C don’t initially plan to transfer because they are trying to determine their major, but 35 percent of its students transfer to pursue the right program. She said she also sees the opposite for those who start at a university and are unprepared, and do a “reverse transfer.”

“They come from the university to the community college and then go back to the university once they actually get a lot more confidence in academic preparation,” Johnson said. “Certainly, once students start at the community college and then transfer, there is a level of success.”

For those hesitant about making the jump to living away from home at college, attending community college creates a more comfortable transition by focusing solely on the level of difficulty college courses entail first.

“It gives them the opportunity to kind of get acclimated with the college environment before they actually take on the additional responsibility of living on their own and kind of changing their

Barnard

Johnson

whole environment and responsibility around them,” Johnson said.

Barnard said many don’t realize many Lakeland faculty members have a Ph.D. and are qualified to teach at a fouryear college or university. In addition, there is about a 17-to-1 student-faculty ratio for classes, which creates a unique experience for students as opposed to being in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students at a university.

“There’s lots of personal attention and opportunity to really get to know and interact with your professors,” she said.

When students are making a decision about where to begin college, Barnard suggests they understand the cost and cost savings if that is important.

At Tri-C and Lakeland, 12 credit hours cost a little more than $1,700 for Ohio residents, while tuition for at least 12 credit hours at a state university is upwards of $10,000 for Ohio residents.

“Saving dollars before they transfer to the university, which certainly is going to cost more, and they know they want to transfer, is really trying to get a good understanding from great research on what the cost benefit will be for them, so they understand that going into their decision making,” she said.

As many differences as there are between community colleges and universities, there are also many similarities that can be beneficial to students, like honors programs, civic engagement and the same level of rigor in curriculum. The setup of community colleges helps students take advantage of services provided to help them get acclimated and feel confident.

“When they are moving through their courses and certainly moving into their career, they have a lot of groundings that they may not see at a very large institution,” Johnson said.

Marissa Nichol was the Irving I. Stone Editorial Intern at the Cleveland Jewish News this summer.

36 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

AUGUST 3, 2018

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Technology use affects how students learn TESS KAZDIN

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dvancements in technology have made their way into the classroom and influence the way students learn.

Daniel McGee, director of technology and library services at Laurel School in Shaker Heights, and Larry Goodman, head of schools at Andrews Osborne Academy in Willoughby, agreed that technology’s influence is largely for the better.

“Technology is kind of boundless, it has no boundaries, so it can be used for any discipline,” McGee said. “It allows you to do something transformative and it allows you to find ways to

express yourself in unique ways that you wouldn’t be able to do without using those tools.”

For example, the breadth of information available to students has increased as the use of technology has increased.

“Technology has enabled information to be distributed exponentially at a more voluminous rate,” Goodman said. “So, there’s a whole lot more information that teachers have access to in order to prepare for classes and that students have access to in order to engage in learning.”

Both Laurel School and Andrews Osborne Academy have a one-to-one laptop program, meaning the school provides a laptop for each student. In Andrews

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Osborne Academy’s case, students are encouraged to bring their own devices to school as long as it meets certain screen-size regulations.

“We don’t care if it’s an iPad or a tablet or a laptop,” Goodman said. “We don’t care what kind it is because at the end of the day, the uses we’re going to make of it are platform blind. We are a BYOD Goodman (bring your own device) school.”

Both schools employ G Suite, meaning that students and teachers utilize Google apps, such as Docs, Sheets and Classroom to engage with the learning material. Also, both schools give students the opportunity to use a 3D printer on specific projects.

Goodman pointed to the use of McGee document cameras at Andrews Osborne Academy as a way that teachers are using technology in the classroom.

“It’s essentially an overhead projector, except it’s digital,” he said. “The camera captures text and you run it through your computer to a projector on the wall.”

McGee mentioned virtual reality as something students at Laurel School are beginning to use to explore potential colleges without physically visiting the campuses.

Not only has the increase of technology given students more opportunities to learn, it’s allowed for a divergence from traditional teaching styles.

McGee noted that many current teachers were taught how to teach by teachers who didn’t know how to use technology. Therefore, students are given the opportunity to take the reins in the classroom typically headed by the teacher.

“When I was a teacher, I would always say, OK, well maybe I’m not 100 percent comfortable with this but I’m going to let my students try it anyways,” McGee said. “There might be (a student) there who can figure it out even quicker than I can and I can learn from it.

So, it changes the dynamics in the classroom where the teacher is not imparting knowledge to the students, they’re coaching students through the projects and topics they’re working on.”

Tess Kazdin was the Violet Spevack Editorial Intern this summer.

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AUGUST 3, 2018

CJN.ORG | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | 37

College Now celebrates 50 years of college readiness BECKY RASPE | SPECIAL SECTIONS STAFF REPORTER @BeckyRaspeCJN braspe@cjn.org |

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ounded by Robert Coplan, cofounder of Benesch, Friedlander, Coplan & Aronoff LLP, in 1966, College Now Greater Cleveland is celebrating more than 50 years of serving students in higher education.

College Now offers career access advising, financial aid counseling and Kaplan scholarship and retention services for post-secondary students in Northeast Ohio.

Ira C. Kaplan, executive chairman of Benesch, said the firm is proud of its relationship with the program.

Friedman “Benesch is proud to have been there at the beginning of College Now through one of our founding partners, Bob Coplan, in the 1960s,” he said, in a statement.

“We have often had a role at the board level and do now through our partner, Megan Mehalko. Our continuing role recognizes the importance of education to the health and well-being of our community. We believe strongly in the mission and vision of College Now.” Lee Friedman, CEO of College Now Greater Cleveland, said everyone associated with the organization feels gratified.

“A lot of organizations don’t make it to this kind of threshold, especially an organization run on charitable giving,” she said. “We’re proud of that and proud of the work and we’re looking forward to the next 50 years.”

As for her role in building the organization into what it is today, Friedman noted how much College Now has progressed in her last eight years.

“We’re now serving four counties (Cuyahoga, Lorain, Medina and Summit); the budget has grown from $4.5 million to $13 million a year and the staff has gone from 45 to 170 people,” she said. “And, of course, it’s not only me. We have a great team of people who are committed to making sure everyone in our community has the opportunity to get some sort of post-secondary credential.”

Because of the organization’s internal growth, Friedman said the

For over three decades, parents and teachers, community members and supporters have worked together to build the Fuchs Mizrachi School into today’s thriving community, which educates and inspires over 500 students in our state-of-the art facility. Our students develop the intellectual skills, emotional strength and spiritual growth necessary to become our future leaders.

professional community is taking notice as well.

“There has also been an increased recognition within both the philanthropic community and the business community,” she said. “In order for Northeast Ohio to thrive into the future, you need a workforce that has the education that meets what the employers need. We’ve been able to turn up the volume on that.”

According to Friedman, programs like College Now are vital at all levels of the community.

“I do believe (higher education) is an individual’s key to fulfilling their own personal aspirations and goals,” she said. “If you don’t have the appropriate education for the job you want, you can get those things.”

As for the next 50 years of the organization, Friedman said they hope to continue doing what has allowed the organization to thrive.

“We hope to keep being very intentional in working with schools, adults and community centers and to continue refining the work and improve it to help people focus on education to career,” she said.

“The reason we’ve survived for over 50 years is that we provide inspiration for young people and adults for getting their higher education. Also, we provide tactical services that one needs to persist. There are a lot of pieces one needs to think about and that is the reason we’re a well appreciated, thriving organization.”

Headquartered in downtown Cleveland, College Now also has many community-based programs throughout Northeast Ohio.

BE PART OF US 26600 Shaker Blvd, Beachwood, OH 44122 www.fuchsmizrachi.org Fuchs Mizrachi School is a beneficiary agency of the Jewish Federation of Cleveland and a partner agency with the JECC

From the CJN Digital Archive This week in the CJN…

July 30,

1993

“Members and fans of the Tribe” This story recalls the first ever Jewish Community Baseball Outing, which featured the first kosher behind-the-fence-party at Cleveland Municipal Stadium.

Search over 125 years of Cleveland Jewish history at cjn.org/archive Research Partners:

38 | CLEVELAND JEWISH NEWS | CJN.ORG

AUGUST 3, 2018

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School rules – where will children go when they return to school

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ANDREW ZASHIN

F

zrlaw.com

or Ohio families, August usually means the end of summer break and the start of the next school year. Some basic level of education is, of course, required by Ohio law, and children between the ages of 6 and 18 are expected to attend school.

And, while home schooling – which is often coupled with online resources – is permitted, the majority of Ohio children will head back to some type of brick-and-mortar school.

How do parents decide where their children will go to school? Obviously, public schools are the tuition-free, publicly funded option and are open and available to all Ohioans. On the other hand, parents may opt for one of the many available – though not free – private, secular options, or for the combination of secular and Judaic education offered by a Jewish day school. Clearly, the choice between public school and private, or between religious and secular, will vary – perhaps quite widely – from family to family.

When children are going to attend public school, the available option, or options, will be given by where the parents live. If two parents live together, clearly there is no question of which public school district is appropriate.

But if the parents live apart, there may be two options to choose from.

If the parents aren’t together, the school question can be more complex. Like decisions involving other important aspects of a child’s life, schooling decisions are made by the parent or parents having legal custody.

And people often confuse the ideas of physical custody or, where the child is at any given time with legal custody, which is decision-making authority.

Stated more simply: • If a child is born to unmarried parents, the biological mother has legal custody of that child by default under Ohio law, at least until someone else is awarded rights in lieu of the mother or along with the mother. In that case,

the mother decides where the child will go to school.

• If the children are the subject of a legal battle surrounding custody, the appropriate court may need to be involved in the school registration question.

• If the parents have litigated their case, whether as a divorce/dissolution/legal separation matter, or as a custody case between unmarried parents in juvenile court, legal custody will ultimately be awarded either solely to one parent, or to them jointly in a setup known as shared parenting. If one parent was awarded sole custody by a court, that parent will decide the school issue.

• If custody is shared between parents, a shared parenting plan document will spell out which parent is the residential parent for school purposes. Unless a court order states otherwise, this designation usually does not give that parent any greater authority than the other to make schooling decisions but, instead, merely indicates in which parent’s school district the child will be enrolled.

The costs of any education-related tuition will usually be divided between the parents, assuming everyone agrees on the schooling decision. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to see a parent forced to pay toward a private school against his or her wishes as courts will generally acknowledge that there is a free option available via public school. And, because of the separation of church and state in the United States, it can also be difficult to get a child enrolled in a religious-based school if a co-parent opposes it.

In today’s society, schools have become accustomed to all different types of parenting setups. If you are unsure about what rights you have as to your children’s schooling, the school itself or, better yet, an attorney, can help you to decipher your court order.

At the time of enrollment, the prospective school likely will ask a few questions about your family situation and will expect to receive a copy of any parenting order before you will be able to get your child enrolled in your school of choice.

Andrew Zashin writes about law for the Cleveland Jewish News. He is a co-managing partner with Zashin & Rich, with offices in Cleveland and Columbus.

NEOMED, Kent State to sign shared services agreement

Northeast Ohio Medical University and Kent State University will sign a formal agreement Aug. 6 enabling NEOMED to offer online degree programs in Kent State’s College of Graduate Studies.

Under the agreement, Kent State will provide technology and support services including infrastructure, instructional design, video hosting and delivery, and a course management system for NEOMED’s online courses and programs. NEOMED will maintain all academic, administrative and financial services for the online programs.

An event will be held for the signing at 1 p.m. Aug. 6 at the NEOMED Education and Wellness Center Atrium, 4209 OH-44 in Rootstown. Attendees can learn more about NEOMED’s first online degree program.

Back-to-school tax-free weekend Aug. 3-5

Ohio’s back-to-school sales tax-free holiday is scheduled for Aug. 3 through Aug. 5 following passage of Senate Bill 226.

The annual event removes the 4.5 percent statewide sales tax passed by Republican lawmakers in the 2013 state budget. The tax hike has cost taxpayers almost $2 billion more since then, according to state revenue numbers.

The tax holiday was first introduced in 2015. SB 226, which passed earlier this year, declares the tax-free weekend which includes clothing, school supplies and instructional materials as a permanent holiday. It will occur each year during the first weekend in August.

Qualifying items include clothing priced at $75 or less and school supplies priced at $20 or less.