Gearity PDS

School will be closed on Monday as we celebrate the birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Even though we will not have classes on the 19th, that doesn't mean the learning has to stop. Please review this list of local enrichment programs that honor Dr. King's legacy:

• MLK Open House and Day of Music – Severance Music Center: The concert is free, but tickets are required and available on a first-come, first-served basis beginning Saturday, Jan. 3, at 10 a.m.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration – Cleveland Museum of Art: The Cleveland Museum of Art will offer free admission and daylong programming focused on Dr. King’s writings, speeches and legacy.
• Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Concert – The Music Settlement: Faculty, students and guest artists from the historic community music school will present a free memorial concert featuring classical music, folk selections and spirituals.
• Martin Luther King Jr. Day Celebration – Rock & Roll Hall of Fame: The Rock Hall will offer up MLK programming with free admission (advance reservations required), along with live music, educational activities and special installations, including its “I Have a Dream” Wall.
• MLK Day Celebration – Maltz Museum: The Maltz Museum will host a free, all-day program honoring Dr. King and the broader civil rights movement, with gallery treasure hunts, hands-on craft activities and screenings of episodes from Amend: The Fight for America, which traces civil rights history from the 1800s to the present.

Several regional attractions will offer free admission on MLK Day, including:

• Cleveland Botanical Garden (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

• Cleveland History Center (10 a.m.–4 p.m.)

• Cleveland Museum of Art (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

• Cleveland Museum of Natural History (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

• Great Lakes Science Center (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame (10 a.m.–5 p.m.)

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!

• Kindergarten

  • Reading – students are identifying key details and main topics in informational texts while continuing to develop phonological awareness.

  • Writing – in writing, they are creating personal narratives using drawings and simple sentences.

  • Math – students are building understanding of addition and subtraction through hands-on problem solving.

  Parent Tips

  • Read nonfiction books and ask your child to share one fact they learned.

  • Encourage your child to tell and draw a story about something that happened to them.

  • Practice adding and subtracting small groups of objects during play or routines.

  Grade 1

  • Reading – students are identifying who is telling a story and comparing characters across texts.

  • Writing – writing focuses on creating nonfiction pieces with facts.

  • Math – math instruction emphasizes place value, understanding tens and ones, and basic measurement.

  Parent Tips

  • Ask your child who is telling the story and how they know.

  • Encourage writing simple fact-based sentences about a topic of interest.

  • Practice counting, grouping by tens, and measuring objects around the home

  Grade 2

  • Reading – students are analyzing story structure, characters, and different points of view.

  • Writing – writing emphasizes personal narratives with clear sequencing.

  • Math – Math instruction builds understanding of place value, comparing numbers, and using strategies to add and subtract within larger numbers.

  Parent Tips

  • Ask your child to retell a story and describe the characters.

  • Encourage writing about a personal experience using details and sequence words.

  • Practice mental math and number comparisons using everyday situations.

  Grade 3

  • Reading – students are identifying main ideas, understanding character actions, and analyzing text features.

  • Writing – focuses on opinion pieces supported by reasons.

  • Math – instruction strengthens multiplication, division, and multi-step problem-solving skills.

  Parent Tips

  • Ask your child to explain the main idea of an article or passage.

  • Encourage them to share opinions and explain their thinking.

  • Practice multiplication facts through games or real-world problems.

  Grade 4

  • Reading – students are citing evidence, analyzing text structure, and comparing texts.

  • Writing – focuses on explaining topics clearly with facts and details.

  • Math – math focuses on developing fraction understanding and problem-solving skills.

  Parent Tips

  • Ask your child to support answers with evidence from the text.

  • Encourage explaining a topic step by step.

  • Use cooking or measuring activities to practice fraction concepts.

  Grade 5

  • Reading – students are analyzing themes and character development in texts.

  • Writing – focuses on argumentative pieces with clear claims and evidence.

  • Math – instruction emphasizes applying math to real-world situations.

  Parent Tips

  • Discuss themes and how characters change over time.

  • Encourage your child to support opinions with evidence.

  • Have your child explain how math is used to solve real-life problems.

MetroHealth will be available to see Gearity students on 1/21/26 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 216.320.4854 if you would like your child seen on 1/21/26.

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.

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.

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.

January 19th - No School for MLK Day

January 21 - Pre-K Vision and Hearing Screening

January 23rd - PAWS Assemblies

January 23rd - Family Dance from 6:00 - 7:30

January 26th - Professional Development Day (No Students)

January 27th - PTA Meeting

February 12th - School Market

February 13th - Teacher Independent Work Day (No Students)

February 16th - President's Day (No School)

Email: p_mcnichols@chuh.org
Website: https://www.chuh.org/gearityprofessionaldevelopmentschool_home.aspx
Location: 2323 Wrenford Road, University Heights, OH, USA
Phone: 216-371-6515