Gearity PDS
12.12.25 Family Message
Greetings Gearity Families:
Next week will be a full week of learning and fun! Students will be finishing up their MAP tests in first and fourth grade along with any make-up tests throughout the week. The STEM Carnival is Tuesday and Wednesday. Students will learn the scientific concepts behind each activity at the carnival on Tuesday and then perform the activities on Wednesday. Each K-2 homeroom is partnered with a 3-5 homeroom for our Big/Little Buddy Program and they will have cookie parties on Thursday. Friday afternoon we will have our grade level dances prior to students starting their winter vacation. We return to school January 5th!
Mark your calendar for the Gearity Family Dance: the family dance will be on January 23rd from 6:00 - 7:30. Mr. Sullivan professionally DJs and will create an amazing dance environment with lights and special effects in the gym for our families. We usually get a large turnout and hope you can join us as this is a great opportunity to meet your student's classmates and their families. The PTA will be selling food as a fundraiser. Please consider volunteering to help with concessions either with food sales or by donating to the cause. You can sign up using this link!
Metro Health:
MetroHealth will be available to see Gearity students on Dec 18th at Heights Wellness Center. Students enrolled in the program and with confirmed appointments will be transported by the district to HWC, located at the high school.
Please contact Nurse Laura at 320.4854 if you would like your child seen.
What services does MetroHealth provide?
• Physicals (annual/sports/work permit)
• Injury/illness care
• Routine lab tests
• Teen services
• Mental/behavioral health
• Immunizations
• Care for chronic conditions, including asthma, allergies, diabetes and seizure disorders
• Health education and prevention
• Telehealth, to supplement in-person care
How to enroll your student
Fill out an online consent form here. Students' consent forms remain valid for as long as they attend school in the District.
How do I schedule an appointment?
Call the Institute for H.O.P.E. School Health Program at 216-957-1303 or email SHPschedule@metrohealth.org. You can also request an appointment through your school nurse.
To learn more, visit metrohealth.org/school-health.
Peek at the week!
Kindergarten
Reading – Students are asking/answering questions about key details and identifying main ideas in informational texts using Wonders Unit 4 Week 1.
Writing – Students are writing about real experiences with drawings and dictated/written sentences.
Math – Focus on addition/subtraction within 10 and fluency through hands-on practice.
Parent Tips
Ask your child questions about nonfiction books (“What was this book mostly about?”).
Encourage drawing and writing about something they did that day.
Use toys or snacks to practice simple addition/subtraction story problems.
Grade 1
Reading – Students are asking and answering questions about informational texts and identifying the main topic and key details.
Writing – Students continue writing imaginative stories with characters, settings, and sequenced events.
Math – Emphasis on addition/subtraction strategies, true/false equations, and understanding place value.
Parent Tips
Read nonfiction together and ask “What is this mostly about?”
Invite your child to create a make-believe story and illustrate it.
Practice tens and ones using household items grouped into sets of 10.
Grade 2
Reading – Students are comparing text structure, identifying the narrator’s point of view, using text features, and determining the author’s purpose.
Writing – Students are writing true stories using sequence words and clear details.
Math – Focus on identifying and classifying shapes, understanding geometric attributes, and solving two-step word problems.
Parent Tips
Compare two stories or two informational texts and discuss how they’re organized.
Ask your child to write about something that happened recently using “first, next, last.”
Look for shapes at home and talk about their sides, angles, and attributes.
Grade 3
Reading – Students are determining main ideas, using context clues to understand vocabulary, and examining text structures.
Writing – Students are writing opinions with reasons and supporting details.
Math – Emphasis on multiplication/division strategies, patterns, and solving multi-step problems.
Parent Tips
Have your child summarize the main idea and two supporting details of a nonfiction text.
Encourage writing opinions about familiar topics (favorite game, snack, etc.).
Practice multiplication facts for 5–10 minutes daily.
Grade 4
Reading – Students are analyzing figurative language, comparing structural elements in literature, and examining different points of view.
Writing – Students are writing clear informational pieces with relevant facts and organized paragraphs.
Math – Focus on fraction equivalence, comparing fractions, and understanding how to decompose fractions.
Parent Tips
Ask your child to identify metaphors or similes while reading.
Discuss how a narrator’s perspective shapes a story.
Use fraction visuals (pizza, paper strips) to compare and model fractions.
Grade 5
Reading –Students are determining themes and comparing how authors structure chapters, scenes, or stanzas.
Writing – Students are writing detailed informational pieces using facts, examples, and clear organization.
Math – Focus on adding/subtracting fractions and solving real-world fraction problems with unlike denominators.
Parent Tips
Discuss a story’s theme and ask your child to provide evidence from the text.
Encourage writing explanations about topics they know well (sports, hobbies, science).
Practice fraction operations using recipes or measurement activities.
Mr. Mc Nichols
Principal, Gearity Professional Development School
Cleveland Heights-University Heights City School District
Important Links!
School Supply Lists: Gearity Elementary
Food Service: You can see the monthly menus by clicking on this link.
Registration Information: New student registration can be completed online or in person. Find instructions, required documents, and contact information here. Please share the registration link with new neighbors or friends who may need help getting their children registered for the start of the school year.
Student Code of Conduct: Link to the Student Code of Conduct and Anti-Bully forms.
Upcoming Events
December 17th - STEM Carnival
December 18th - Big/Little Buddy Cookie Parties
December 19th - School Dance for Students
Winter Break is December 20th - January 4th
January 5th - Students return to school
January 8th - School Market
January 9th - No School for Teacher Professional Development
January 19th - No School for MLK Day
January 23rd - PAWS Assemblies
