News

Back to School: WCS’ Staff Gathers for Districtwide Convocation

Against a backdrop of the new Warren City Schools Student Recreation and Wellness Center, Superintendent Steve Chiaro – along with school several other administrators and community leaders – welcomed staff back to school on Thursday, Aug. 15. 2024, during the 2024 Districtwide Convocation.

District staff gathered at Mollenkopf Stadium to hear updates about the school district. They were also encouraged to meet the challenges they face daily and to move students as far as possible along their educational careers.

Welcome Back! WCSD Kicks off 2024-2025 with Downtown Celebration at Courthouse Square

Warren City Schools on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, welcomed thousands of community members to the annual Welcome Back to School Celebration at Courthouse Square.

Students, parents, teachers, school administrators and community leaders gathered to celebrate the start of another successful school year in Warren City Schools.

The event included refreshments, games, raffles and entertainment.

Here are some highlights in pictures:

Superintendent Steve Chiaro: Message to WCS Families

The week before school starts is always an exciting time for the entire Warren School community. This week the weather forecast is outstanding and it will assist us in the Warren City Schools to best prepare for the start of school.

Our maintenance and grounds crews are working on their finishing touches to make each school facility shine and look pristine, as we expect for our students and the start of school; our transportation workers have finalized routes and soon will begin running the buses for a trial run; and our food service workers are also preparing for our students next week when they return back to school.

Additionally, administrators, teachers, educational assistants, liaisons and secretaries are also all making final preparations to make sure the start of the academic year is a successful one for your child and others. It is with such gratitude that I have the honor to work with such dedicated colleagues who believe in the importance of your child being successful in the Warren City Schools.

Read Superintendent Chiaro’s Complete Message Here.

WCS Back to School Celebration Set for Wednesday, Aug. 14!

Families are invited to join us on Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, for our annual Back to School Celebration in Downtown Warren at Courthouse Square.

The fun runs from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Students, parents, teachers and school administrators will gather to celebrate the start of another successful school year in Warren City Schools. Refreshments will be provided and the event will feature games, raffles and entertainment.

School Supplies: What students need at school and at home to support school work for the 2024-2025 school year

Here is a list of school supplies children need for school and at home to support school work for the 2024-2025 school year. All other supplies needed for school will be provided by the district. This list can be downloaded from this WCS 2024-2025 School Supply List link.

Supplies for School

Kindergarten:

  • Back pack without wheels
  • One package washable markers (classic colors)
  • Pencil box

First and Second Grades:

  • Back pack without wheels
  • One package washable markers (classic colors)
  • Two packages of #2 pencils
  • Pencil box

Third, Fourth, Fifth Grades:

  • Back pack without wheels
  • Two packages of #2 pencils
  • One package of washable markers (classic colors)
  • Pencil pouch

Sixth, Seventh, Eighth Grades:

  • Back pack without wheels
  • Two packages of #2 pencils
  • Colored Pencils (8-12 count)
  • Pencil pouch

*All students in Kindergarten through Grade 4 will receive an 8-count of crayons; however, if a student would like a larger selection of crayons please no larger than a 24 count box.*

*Warren G. Harding High School Students will receive information regarding supplies the first few days of school.*

Suggested Supplies for Home

Students in Kindergarten, First, Second, Third, Fourth, and Fifth Grades:

  • Pencils
  • Handheld pencil sharpener
  • Age appropriate scissors
  • School glue or glue sticks
  • Crayons and/or washable markers
  • Notebook paper (wide rule) (for students in grades 2-5)

Students in Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth Grades:

  • Pencils and pens
  • Handheld pencil sharpener
  • Colored pencils or crayons
  • School glue or glue sticks
  • Scissors
  • Notebook paper (college rule) (for students in grades 6-8)

WCS Superintendent/CEO Steve Chiaro Receives Foundation’s Top Honor: Named 2024 Superintendent of the Year

WARREN – Warren City Schools Superintendent/CEO Steve Chiaro received the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation’s 2024 Ohio Superintendent of the Year Award on Thursday, July 18, 2024.

The prestigious honor is the highest accolade the foundation bestows upon an educator. The foundation celebrated Mr. Chiaro and presented the award to him at a banquet during the annual Jennings Educators Summit in Warrensville, Ohio.

The recognition includes a $10,000 grant in Mr. Chiaro’s name from the foundation to the school district. Additionally, the foundation plans to visit the Warren City School District during the 2024-2025 school year and feature Mr. Chiaro on its website.

In May, Dr. Renee T. Willis, Ph. D., Executive Director of the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, explained in a letter announcing the award that honoring educators and elevating the teaching profession is a core mission of the foundation. 

“We are deeply honored by your Board President’s high regard for you, leading to your nomination for this esteemed award. As you know, I am personally aware of your great work through the Ohio Mid-Sized Collaborative,” wrote Dr. Willis.

Warren City Schools Board of Education President Patricia Limperos nominated Mr. Chiaro for the award. In her nomination letter, she wrote that Mr. Chiaro “embraces and exemplifies your organization’s core values of Deep Learning and Excellent Teaching.” She lauded Mr. Chiaro’s unwavering support of the continued academic improvement of the school system. 

She wrote further that Mr. Chiaro believes that the district’s youngest learners deserve a strong start to their academic journey; that every student deserves a chance to excel; that each student should be “met where they are;” that all students are worthy of the best educational opportunities and facilities; and most importantly, “that every student graduates from Warren City Schools prepared for their own individual successful future.”

The district’s works within the Whole Child Framework is grounded in Mr. Chiaro’s long standing commitment to collaborating with a breadth of community partners to ensure that the needs of students are met.

His strong leadership, vision, deep community partnerships and longstanding partnership with CASEL (Collaborative for Academic Social and Emotional Learning) – a national network of researchers, educators, and advocates purposed to make SEL part of a high-quality education for all, to meet students’ social emotional needs all supported Warren City School District’s recent removal from any negative state or federal designations.

Mr. Chiaro is in his 28th year of working for the Warren City School District. He has served as a teacher, principal, supervisor of school improvement and associate superintendent, and is in his 11th year as superintendent/CEO. 

Jefferson students discover summer growth at Warren Community Garden

The Jefferson PK-8 School’s 2nd Grade Summer Program Class visited the Community Garden on 5th Street in Warren on Thursday, June 13, 2024.

The students learned about planting vegetables and flowers, and received an article about pollinators and how they help the plants.

The neighbors who run the garden said they were excited the students came and want to continue to show them the importance of planting. 

There is a greenhouse on 5th Street as well and the owners invited the kids to come inside. The owners showed the kids how they plant in the winter to place the plants in the ground in the Spring. The owners are learning about the process of organic gardening. 

WCSD’s 2024 Summer Set to Start on Monday, June 3

Warren City Schools will kick off the district’s Summer Meal Program on Monday, June 3, 2024.

The program – offered by the school district under the Ohio Department of Education and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) – will continue through Aug. 9, 2024. The free meals will be provided Mondays through Fridays at these locations:

WARREN CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT BUILDINGS

Jefferson PK-8 School, 1543 Tod Ave SW, Warren

  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Lincoln PK-8 School, 2253 Atlantic St, Warren

  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
  • Lunch: Lunch 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

McGuffey PK-8 School, 3465 Tod Ave NW, Warren

  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Willard PK-8 School, 2020 Willard Ave, Warren

  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m.
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Warren G. Harding High School, 860 Elm Road, Warren

  • Breakfast:  7:30 a.m. – 9 a.m. 
  • Lunch:  10:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

COMMUNITY LOCATIONS

Highland Terrace Community Center, 377 Lane SW, Warren  

  • Lunch:  11:30 a.m. – Noon

Laird Community Garden, 565 Laird SE, Warren

  • Lunch:  11:30 a.m. – Noon

Packard Park, 1703 Mahoning Ave, Warren   

  • Lunch:  Noon – 12:30 p.m.

TriYou Cares, 239 Main Ave. SW, Warren   

  • Breakfast: 9 a.m.-9:30 a.m.
  • Lunch:  Noon – 12:30 p.m.

Warren Heights Apts., 504 Douglas NW, Warren  

  • Lunch:  Noon – 12:30 p.m.

Warren Trumbull County Public Library, 444 Mahoning Ave., Warren

  • Lunch: 12:30 p.m. – 1 p.m.

YWCA, 375 North Park, Warren

  • Breakfast:  8:45 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.   
  • Lunch: Noon – 12:30 p.m.