Noble Family Newsletter
April 27, 2026
Noble Families,
Thank you for your support during our Science OST testing week! Our students showed great focus and effort, and it truly made a difference. As we move into our final phase of testing, students in Grades 3–5 will be participating in Math OST small group testing from Tuesday, April 28 through Friday, May 1. We need students to come to school well-rested, on time, and ready to do their best each day.
We also appreciate your continued support as we prepare for upcoming end-of-year Acadience and MAP assessments for K-2. Your partnership helps us finish the school year strong.
Thank you for being such an important part of our students’ success!
Mr. Walker, M.Ed.
Principal
Hello Noble Families,
We are loving the positive energy throughout the building, it truly feels like a Lemonade Wonderland! Our students have been engaged, creative, and excited, and it’s been wonderful to see such a joyful atmosphere across the school. We also appreciate your continued support during our OST testing season, your encouragement at home makes a big difference.
As we move into Math OST this week for Grades 3–5, we encourage families to help students come to school on time, well-rested, and ready to do their best. We are also continuing to make strong progress with attendance, and we appreciate your partnership in ensuring students are present each day. Thank you for being such an important part of our school community. Let’s keep the momentum going and finish this stretch strong together!
Ms. Barrett
Assistant Principal
Mrs. Ruddy is an experienced Intervention Specialist with 31 years in education, currently co-teaching 4th and 5th grade. She earned her undergraduate degree in Special Education from Ohio University and a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix, and she is passionate about continuous learning and collaboration. Mrs. Ruddy is deeply committed to supporting her students’ growth and bringing new strategies into the classroom. She has been married for 31 years and is the proud parent of four grown children, and she values time spent traveling and making memories with her family.
Last summer, she enjoyed a unique experience serving as an extra in a Superman movie filmed in Cleveland alongside her daughter and sister. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, staying active, attending sporting events, relaxing by the ocean, and appreciating simple joys like coffee, ice cream, sunsets, and time with her dogs, Teddy and Tully.
Mrs. Gabriella DiDona is a thoughtful, positive, and caring educator who brings a reflective and intentional approach to her work with students and colleagues. Known as a deep thinker, she values the opportunity to process information before engaging in meaningful collaboration and discussion. In her classroom, Mrs. DiDona creates a supportive learning environment where students feel respected, encouraged, and held to high expectations. She is committed to building strong relationships and believes they are essential to student success and growth.
Mrs. DiDona is a valued member of the Noble team who consistently contributes professionalism, positivity, and care to the school community. Outside of school, she enjoys spending time with her husband, Nick, and relaxing with favorite shows such as Schitt’s Creek, Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, and Jurassic Park.
Mr. Mark Johnson is a highly respected security monitor whose presence has made a lasting impact on generations of students and staff. With decades of service in the Cleveland Heights–University Heights School District, he is widely recognized as both a steady leader and a trusted mentor. In addition to his role in maintaining a safe and supportive school environment, Mr. Johnson is a dedicated coach who has guided and inspired countless students through athletics.
Known by many as a legend within the CH-UH community, he builds strong relationships grounded in respect, consistency, and care. His ability to connect with students and hold them to high expectations has made him a positive influence throughout the building. Mr. Johnson’s commitment extends beyond supervision—he plays a key role in shaping school culture and supporting staff each day. His legacy is defined by his unwavering dedication to students and his deep roots in the community.
Please join me in congratulating Mrs. Boyles on advancing to the CH-UH Teacher of the Year Finalist stage and Ms. Murray on advancing to the CH-UH Helping Hand of the Year Award Finalist stage. This is an outstanding accomplishment, and we are proud to see their impact recognized at the district level.
As next steps, both will be contacted shortly to schedule time with a panel of district staff members. The panel will then select the overall award recipients, which will be announced at the Staff Recognition Awards Ceremony on May 29 at 6:00 p.m. at the Cleveland Marriott East. Congratulations again to both; well deserved recognition for the difference you make each day.
Wanted to share a bit of Noble pride for our very own security monitor, Mark Johnson! Mr. Johnson is the 2026 recipient of the Cleveland Heights Teachers Union Ellen Krebs award. Ellen Krebs was "the heart and soul of the union" in the 1960's before the CHTU was the bargaining agent for the teachers in the district. This award is given to only one CHTU member each year for their service to students and staff.
Mr. Johnson was selected for this award for his role on the contract negotiating team representing the security monitors as well as his participation in the 2026 OFT Convention in Columbus this year. It was an honor to get to present Mr. Johnson with his award last week!
Kayla M.
London S.
Brianna G.
It's not too late for classrooms to "win" their extra recess or popsicle; we still have 4 school days left in the April Challenge. So far, there are 6 classes ahead of Team Nalepa - but anything can happen in 4 days!
Noble Run Club is up and running, with students training twice a week (Tuesdays and Thursdays) in preparation for the Tiger 5K on May 1 at Heights High School! This program promotes healthy habits, goal setting, and perseverance for our students.
Family support plays an important role in keeping students motivated and engaged. Please help encourage participation, celebrate student effort, and promote the $10 sponsorship opportunity with families to help support the program.
Thank you to everyone who has volunteered their time to assist with Run Club—your support helps make this a meaningful and successful experience for our students!
The Noble Elementary Reading Rally was a huge success; our students and staff did an awesome job, and the energy was outstanding!
Thank you for the support and encouragement around our fundraising efforts. We raised a final amount of $4,514! We will be sending out a special thank you to our various donors who were so generous in their giving and celebration of reading!
The District has adopted a plan for communications with persons with disabilities, which is available at the following link: Communication Plan. The plan establishes procedures to ensure that the District's communications with persons with disabilities, including applicants, participants, members of the public, and companions with disabilities, are as effective as its communications with others.
Pre-K and Kindergarten are excited to be participating in Noble’s One School, One Book initiative! This community-wide experience is all about building literacy and connection across all grade levels.
Your child should have received their very own copy of Froggy’s Lemonade Stand—the special book selected for our preschool and kindergarten learners (since the schoolwide book, The Lemonade War, is geared toward older students).
We encourage you to enjoy this story together at home! You can use this read-aloud if you'd like:
https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x90n6b
At this age, it is completely appropriate (and beneficial!) for children to read and reread the same book many times. You might notice them:
• retelling the story using the pictures
• acting out parts of the story
• joining in with repeated phrases
• noticing new details each time
This is all part of strong early literacy development!
Congratulations goes out to third grade student, Zinnia B!
Her play, THE BAD MAD COW, has been selected as one of the winners of the 48th Annual Marilyn Bianchi Kids' Playwriting Festival! The Dobama Theater on Lee Rd. will present it LIVE onstage, June 4, 5, 6, and 7. The showtimes are as follows:
7 p.m. - Thurs, June 4
7 p.m. - Fri, June 5
7 p.m. - Sat, June 6
2 p.m. - Sun, June 7
These performances will be free and first come, first served, with seating limited. Please come out to support Zinnia!
Click the link below for more information:
https://www.dobama.org/mbkpf
Grades are to be updated in Infinite Campus every two weeks. The following posting schedule has been created for the 2025-2026 school year for all teachers to follow.
We successfully completed our first tornado drill of the season on Friday, April 24. Students and staff were able to get into position in 4 minutes and 11 seconds, which is a strong start. We were especially proud of how students followed directions, stayed silent, and demonstrated our safety procedures with care and focus. We will continue to practice and refine our routines to ensure everyone remains prepared and safe.
All students in the Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District, from pre-K through 12, will receive free breakfast and lunch each day of the 2024-2025 school year.
Every student, regardless of family income level, in every district school building will receive a healthy breakfast and lunch at no charge each day. Students will continue to receive the same high-quality meals provided by AVI Fresh, the district’s food service partner. Families do not need to submit Free and Reduced Lunch applications.
Click the link below to access all meal menus!
