Dozens of men from across the community were on hand Monday, Aug. 22, 2022, to greet Warren City Schools students on their first day of school.
The men, and in some cases a few women, waited outside the entrances of the district’s five school buildings for students to arrive Monday morning. They clapped for the students, cheered them on, shook their hands and high fived them.
The goal is to get students excited about the school year and show a positive influence through community support.
This year’s theme was “Dress for Success” as the group asked participants to arrive at the schools “Suited & Booted” to welcome WCS scholars to school for a year of scholastic success.
The question of the morning was, “What is your why?”
Superintendent Steve Chiaro challenged the school staff gathered for the 2022 Convocation on Thursday, Aug. 18, 2022, to ask themselves why they “are here,” as in, why they work where they work and why they do what they do.
“For me, I am here for the students,” he said. “I believe we are all here for the students.”
Dante Capers, Associate Superintendent of Student Services, Student Wellness & Success, cited the progress the district has made while aggressively moving in the direction to meet the needs of the whole child.
He said the district has been embedded in the work of social emotional learning for a decade, but not because the state says to do so.
“But because we have long recognized a need to cultivate the skills that will help adults and students deepen their relationships with each other and the school community,” he said.
Mr. Capers reminded the staff that believing in their own abilities to have a positive impact on their students and colleagues “every single day” is crucial.
“All the resources in the world will not change the fact that what we bring to the table each and every day will be the ultimate difference maker in the experiences of our school community and our students,” he said.
Students, parents, teachers, administrators and community leaders gathered Downtown at Courthouse Square on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022, for Warren City Schools Back to School Celebration.
The WGH Raider Marching Band played and Harding Football made a grand entrance as the Harding Cheering Squad greeted the 2022 lineup along with others at the square.
“This has been wonderful for the kids, whole families,” said Amanda Masula, whose sons attend Williard PK-8 School. “We really appreciate the schools and all of the effort that has gone into doing this for the kids, all of us really.”
Each of the district’s five schools was represented along with the school board and various school departments. Children received books and other gifts, participated in a variety of activities including face painting and enjoyed refreshments.
Warren City Schools had added an additional layer of security to the district’s daily operations as part of the ongoing efforts to keep students and staff as safe as possible.
District administrators and staff spent part of an afternoon recently learning how the district’s new weapon detector technology works.
“Our goal is to provide our students and staff with the safest learning environment we possibly can,” explained Chief Academic Officer Wendy Hartzell.
The district has installed the new technology that is designed to detect weapons such as guns and knives in district buildings in time for the start of the 2022-23 school year.
Tom McDermott from CEIA USA show district leaders how the technology works and what they, as well as students, can expect upon entering district buildings.
We are about one week away from the start of the 2022-2023 academic year in the Warren City Schools and everything is coming together well for us to celebrate another successful start to the school year. Spending time around the WGH campus with students participating in the freshman academy experience, marching band members perfecting their routines and our athletic programs practicing are all signs that school is about to begin.
Warren City School District families are invited to kick off the 2022-2023 school year Aug. 17, 2022, during the district’s Back To School Celebration.
Students, parents, teachers and school administrators will gather downtown at Courthouse Square from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to celebrate the start of another successful school year in Warren City Schools.
Refreshments. Games. Raffles. Entertainment. Join us in celebrating Warren City Schools, our students, families and community!
Ohio’s 2022 Sales Tax Holiday will run 12 a.m. Friday, Aug. 5, to 11:59 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 7.
During the holiday weekend, the following items are exempt from sales and use tax:
An item of clothing priced at $75 or less;
An item of school supplies priced at $20 or less; and
An item of school instructional material priced at $20 or less.
Items used in a trade or business are not exempt under the sales tax holiday.
Items used in a trade or business are not exempt under the sales tax holiday. For more information about the sales tax holiday, please refer to the Ohio Department of Taxation’s Frequently Asked Questions.
If you have any additional questions regarding this information, please contact the Department at 1-888-405-4039.
The new Raider Pride Park in front of Warren G. Harding High School was dedicated and a ceremonial ground-breaking was held Thursday, June 30, 2022.
Members of the Raider Pride Park Committee said the new memorial to former Warren Western Reserve students and staff is an asset for Warren City Schools and the Warren City community-at-large.
The Raider Pride Park project was birthed in 2010 when Dave Alstolfi sold t-shirts with the original Warren Western Reserve High School logo at the Warren Italian Festival. The goal was to to build a memorial dedicated to all the WWR family, including the people who worked and served there and the students who attended the high school.
The Warren Western Reserve Committee was established in the fall of 2010 and met at the home of Mark Clawges, WWR Class of 1968. The committee started with 60 or so people with the objective of getting representation from as many of the school’s graduating classes as possible. The committee then approached the Warren City Schools Board of Education about securing property to build a memorial.
Over time the committee’s membership diminished, and the group soon realized that becoming a non-profit would be key to raising the funds needed to build the memorial. The Warren Western Reserve Committee became a 501(c)(3) and changed its name to Raider Pride Park. Artist Dennis Freet designed the original park and its layout. Gibson Construction put the architectural design together and provided cost estimates for the development and construction.
The Raider Pride Park group set out to raise money through various fundraising efforts, with the staple being the Warren Italian Festival. Every year a tent was set up as a meeting place for all Warren City School alumni, with an emphasis on the Raiders. The group sold memorabilia, t-shirts, hoodies, DVDs of past WWR band performances as well as autographed items to help raise funds.
Over the years, the committee realized that the original design was becoming cost prohibitive, so plans were revised, and a redesign was done by Cortland-based Gilmore Landscaping and Design.
“This is a testament to the grit and determination of those involved in the memorial,” said James F. Guy Jr., WWR Class of 1990. “Raider Pride Park hopes this park can be enjoyed by alumni and will be a part of the rich history of Warren City Schools.”
Guy thanked the Warren City School Board of Education; Warren City Schools Superintendent Steve Chiaro; former schools Superintendent Michael Notar; and Director of Business Operations John Lacy; Brandon Giovannone of MDI Studios who designed the committee’s website; and Artistics Silk Screening, which has been printing the committee’s designs since day one.
Current Raider Pride Park members are:
President: James F Guy Jr – class of 1990 Vice-President: Sharon McCourt Rinko – Class of 1967 Treasurer: Mark Clawges – Class of 1968 Secretary: Sue Tobias – Class of 1968 Richard Thompson – Class of 1968 Martha Wilson – school secretary Jimmy Devlin – Class of 1969 Nancy Ritz – Class of 1967 Sharleen Humes Johnson – Class of 1979 John Humes – Class of 1981 Jan Macchia Luoma – Class of 1969
Previous members:
Ken Carter Kathy Setting (former Vice President) – Class of 1972 Dennis Freet – Class of 1973
The Warren City Schools Board of Education recently reviewed renderings of the district’s new Student Recreation and Wellness Center set to be located on the Warren G. Harding High School Campus off Elm Road.
The 120,000-square-foot, two-story facility will be built between Harding High School and the football field. The district has been working with Phillips Sekanick Architects of Warren to design the center.
The structure will feature athletic facilities, along with educational and healthcare services and resources.
A 200-meter, multi-purpose surface track is planned for the first floor while an additional track for walking is designated for the second floor. Discussions include the inclusion of space for Esports and the Harding robotics program, among other programs. There is also potential for a student-run cafe or bistro.
Money through a federal grant is paying for the bulk of the multi-million-dollar project. Plans are for students to be able to use a portion of the new complex in the Fall of 2023 before the remainder is finished.
