Welcome Back: August 16, 2017

Dear West Geauga Residents:

We are preparing to welcome our students back to school for the 2017-2018 school year. Many of our staff members have worked throughout the summer hiring new personnel, securing equipment and supplies, and working to improve our buildings and grounds. Teachers return next Monday, August 21, and students will arrive on Tuesday, August 22.

Fifteen new staff members are joining our ranks this year. In many cases, they replace those who retired or resigned. For the first time in several years, we will have six classes each in grades Kindergarten through Grade Five.

The past school year was a good one for West Geauga. The district received positive recognition and accolades from several national and regional publications including Newsweek, U.S. News and World Report, Washington Post, and Cleveland Magazine. Such recognition is a credit to our community and to those who work in and attend its schools. 

Thank you for affording us the resources to offer a comprehensive K-12 curriculum and a healthy array of extracurricular programming in athletics and the arts. We value your continued support.

Sincerely,

Rich Markwardt, Ph.D.

Superintendent of Schools

January 25, 2017 : A Message From the Superintendent...

Dear West Geauga Parents/Guardians,

As 2017 begins, the West Geauga School District has many reasons to celebrate. Our academic, athletic, and fine arts programs continue to offer opportunities for our students to grow and excel. We are proud of their many accomplishments under the watchful supervision of the West G staff.

Academically, our district is making marked progress according to the newest district report card issued by the Ohio Department of Education. Based on student performance on state assessments in 2016, West Geauga improved its state ranking from 133^rd to 32^nd among Ohio’s 608 public school districts. In recent weeks, Westwood Elementary School, Lindsey Elementary School, and West Geauga Middle School were awarded the Ohio Department of Education’s Momentum Award, given to schools that exceeded expected student academic growth. The West Geauga Local School District as a whole received a district Momentum Award as a result. I appreciate the efforts of our students, staff, and families who made these gains possible.

Residents of the district will soon receive in the mail a copy of the district newsletter that contains highlights and pictures from this year’s first semester. We hope that you enjoy its contents. Hopefully, the newsletter will become a regular means of conveying news and highlights of student and staff accomplishments to our residents. As everyone knows, academic success is measured by more than test scores. Success includes intellectual, social, physical, and aesthetic components. Each must factor into a well-rounded educational experience. Hopefully, you will see glimpses of each in the upcoming newsletter.

Thank you for continuously providing us with the resources and support that enable us to offer such opportunities to our students. I hope that 2017 holds much happiness for you and yours.

Sincerely,

Rich Markwardt