Berea City School District
#BeATitan

Dear Titans,
It’s my pleasure to welcome you all back for what promises to be an exciting and productive second half of the school year.
I hope the winter break provided you with a time of joy, relaxation, and cherished moments with loved ones. These times of rest and family connection are crucial, not only for our students but also for our entire Titans community.
As we continue through the winter months, please review the information previously communicated regarding our decision-making for inclement weather days.
In December, our schools were alive with the sound of music during the holiday season. A special thank you to all our music educators for helping our student performers shine.
Berea City School District students benefit every day from the leadership and vision of our school board. January is School Board Recognition Month, so take time to thank these dedicated school leaders.
Looking ahead, we have much to be excited about. I encourage our students to engage fully in their learning journey – ask questions, seek help when needed, and take advantage of the resources available. To our parents, your involvement in your child’s education is invaluable, and we look forward to strengthening our partnership.
Together, we will strive to create an environment where each student can thrive and reach their full potential. Here's to a successful second semester filled with learning, growth, and continued collaboration.
Be safe, be kind, and ALWAYS be a Titan!
Tracy L. Wheeler
Superintedent
January is School Board Recognition Month
1/3 School Resumes
1/11 Board of Education Meeting
1/12 No School, Staff Work Day
1/15 No School, Martin Luther King Day
1/16 New Visitor Check-in procedures begin
1/24 BCSD Job Fair
1/24 Grandparents & Other Kinship Caregivers Support Group Meeting
1/25 BCSD Community Series session #2
Berea City School District students benefit every day from the leadership and vision of our school board. School board members exemplify local citizen control and decision-making in education. They volunteer hundreds of hours and an immeasurable amount of energy to ensure that our schools are providing the best education possible for the children of our community. For all their dedication, we are taking this opportunity to show them our appreciation during School Board Recognition Month.
School board members are citizens whose decisions affect our children — what they learn, who will teach them and what kinds of facilities house their classrooms. These are men and women elected to establish the policies that provide the framework for our public schools. They represent you, and they take this responsibility seriously by attending lengthy — sometimes challenging — meetings, conferences and institutes where they broaden their knowledge about education; during numerous conversations about the schools; and sessions before the Ohio General Assembly.
Our school board is one of more than 700 such boards across the state. These boards enable us to have local control of public schools, meaning that decisions on school programming are made by local, elected representatives who understand the community’s unique problems, values, culture and circumstances. With the advice and counsel of the educational professionals they hire, our school board has an impact on virtually every aspect of our schools. It’s a huge responsibility and one that should not be taken lightly.
As part of School Board Recognition Month, we are shining the spotlight on school board members for their commitment to launching Ohio’s next generation. Thank you to the dedicated leaders who serve on our local school board! They play a crucial role in the education of our children. Please join us in saying “thank you” this month.
Thank you to our BCSD Board Education:
- Ana Chapman, 10 years of service
- Cori Farris, 8 years of service
- Rick Mack, 1 year of service
- Katie Michal, <1 year of service
- Heather Zirke, 2 years of service
Grindstone Students Celebrate Good Attendance with Mo Hurst
The event was part of a special "Gym Class Takeover," designed to reward students who have been consistent in their school attendance. They received special T-shirts with Hurst's number and participated in a variety of engaging football activities. The kids had a blast playing flag football, catching passes from Hurst, and practicing different running and throwing drills.
This event was part of the district's "Stay in the Game!" initiative, focusing on supporting children in their educational journey and encouraging consistent school attendance in partnership with the Cleveland Browns. The goal is to motivate and inspire students through events like the one at Grindstone Elementary.
Join us on Wednesday, January 24 to learn about current rewarding and meaningful opportunities with Berea City Schools. Job seekers can apply beforehand or at the fair and will have the opportunity to get their resume reviewed and potentially even interview on the spot.
Benefits include:
Medical insurance
Health insurance
Life insurance
Pension plan
Paid sick leave
Accommodating hours
Set schedule/hours
Summers off
Registration >> https://www.signupgenius.com/.../10C0C4FABA82AA3FBCF8...
Current opportunities >> https://www.applitrack.com/berea/onlineapp/jobpostings/view.asp?internaltransferform.Url=
Berea City School District Job Fair
Wednesday, January 24
2:30-6:00 p.m.
Berea Board of Education Building - 390 Fair Street, Berea
Berea City Schools night with the Cleveland Cavaliers
Join us for Berea City Schools night at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse with the Cleveland Cavaliers taking on the Boston Celtics on Tuesday, March 5, 2024! Discounted Cavs tickets are available at a special offer to BCSD families! You MUST purchase tickets through this link for access to BCSD Night tickets.
The Cleveland Cavaliers will be making the night extra special for a select number of grade K-12 students to participate in pre-game on-the-court activities such as high-fiving Cavs and Celtics players in the Cheer Tunnel or participating as an Anthem Lineup Buddy during the National Anthem.
Families who plan to attend the Cavs game and purchase tickets are asked to please complete this brief entry form for the chance to be one of 40 students selected for a pre-game on-the-court activity representing our schools!
We hope you’ll join Berea City Schools in a night out with your friends and family and our Cleveland Cavaliers!
Portrait to Practice
The Portrait of a Titan is a collective vision that articulates aspirations for ALL of our students. The Portrait identifies six key competencies that every student in the Berea City School District should possess by the time they graduate. These competencies are nurtured at every grade level. They are adaptable, communicator, critical thinker, empathetic, innovative, and leader. Our educators are inspiring students to cultivate these essential skills.
Leader, Communicator, Innovative
Berea-Midpark Middle School held its annual Kid ED Camp, an innovative event that brings together the curious minds of 6th graders, encouraging them to dive deep into topics they are passionate about and share their knowledge with peers.
BMMS classrooms were filled with hands-on, student-driven learning and the diversity of topics and the depth of knowledge displayed by these 6th graders was impressive. It was great to see so many Portrait of a Titan competencies in action.
1983 Gymnastics Team Celebrates Historic State Championship Anniversary
Last month marked a special milestone for the BCSD community as we celebrated the 40th anniversary of a historic achievement in our athletic history. In 1983, the Berea High School Gymnastics Team achieved something extraordinary. They became the first team in the history of the Berea City School District to win an OHSAA Team State Championship in gymnastics. This achievement set a high bar, as to this day, only 10 schools in the entire State of Ohio have earned this prestigious title.
Before claiming the state championship, they had already made a name for themselves by winning three consecutive Pioneer Conference Championships, three OHSAA District Championships, and having come off a 4th place finish in 1983, and 3rd place finish in 1982, the Braves topped the field in 1983 with a team score of 200.50 at the OHSAA State Meet defeating runner-up Dublin High School to capture the 1983 OHSAA State Championship.
In 2009, this exceptional team was inducted into the Berea High School Athletic Hall of Fame, a testament to their skill, hard work, and team spirit.
During the celebration, the 1983 champions were joined by current members of the Berea-Midpark High School Titans Gymnastics Team, who recently finished in sixth place at the 2023 OHSAA State Gymnastics Meet. This gathering was not just a celebration of a past triumph but also a bridge connecting the champions of yesterday with the athletes of today.
All sessions are at Brook Park Elementary School Auditorium
17001 Holland Road
Brook Park, OH 44142
Any questions, please contact -
Meredith Ondak, BCSD Coordinator of Mental Health
The Blues, The Blahs and The Bruhs
Understanding the Emotional Ups and Downs of Children and Teens
Thursday, January 25, 2024
7:00-8:00pm
- Understand the difference between what's "normal" and what might be a sign of depression
- Learn strategies for supporting our children's emotional ups and downs
Stressed Out About Anxiety?
Thursday, March 14, 2024
7:00-8:00pm
- Understand how stress and fear can be protective and adaptive
- Recognize when anxiety is interfering with development and daily functioning
- Learn strategies for helping your child through the anxious moment
Community Series Speaker: Meghan Barlow, Ph.D.
Dr. Barlow is a clinical psychologist. She is passionate about providing excellent clinical care to children and adolescents who are experiencing emotional, behavioral, or developmental challenges as well as educating the community about these topics.
BCSD uses Peachjar, an electronic flyer posting and distribution system to distribute school flyers and approved flyers from community groups and organizations that sponsor activities of an educational/enrichment nature for students and staff >> view current flyers
The Berea Board of Education holds regular community conversations to give the public access to board members outside of the formal public participation setting of a meeting. Residents will have the opportunity to meet and discuss any concerns they may have with two board members during a 30 minute time-slot set aside prior to each regular scheduled Board of Education meeting. The goal of this effort is to more effectively connect with the public and learn more about the community.
Additional district financial information such as our annual financial reports, forecasts, budget documents, etc., can be found on the district website under the Treasurer's Department page or by using the QR code.