October 2026 Newsletter

The Parma Schools Foundation is proud to announce that we will be presenting Rodgers and Hammerstein's CINDERELLA at Valley Forge High School on Friday, July 30 at 7 pm, Saturday, July 31 at 7 pm , and Sunday, August 1 at 2 pm. Auditions will be held on Tuesday, April 27, and Wednesday, April 28, from 3:30 - 6 in the VF auditorium.

In addition, we will be doing a workshop for anyone who wishes to audition, called Cinderella School. This will be a voluntary and open workshop for any student who wishes to practice their audition song with the production staff or needs help picking out a song for their audition. They are not required to attend this workshop. We will send out flyers to all buildings in mid-January with all of the information that you will need. Any student who is enrolled in grades K-12 in the Parma City School District is eligible to audition.

Thank you, and have a great rest of the week.

The Parma Schools Foundation.

Save the Date! Fall Retake Picture Day is Thursday, October 22nd. Any student who has purchased a picture package can have their picture retaken during their lunch period. Pictures can be ordered online or via the paper order form, see sample below. Paper order forms can be picked up in the Main Office.

Terms & Conditions: Offer is only available on portraits ordered online through July 31, 2027 at 11:59pm CST. Use coupon code F2610OFF to receive 10% off your order. Enter the coupon code at checkout to redeem the offer. Not valid for adjustments on prior purchases or after the promotional period, or with any other offer. Products, prices, availability, and offers are subject to change without notice. Shutterfly Lifetouch, LLC has the right to cancel an order due to altered, unauthorized, or ineligible use of discount.

Grace Gould a STEM 5 Poster Child!

Keep Calm and Figure It Out! Our September Student of the Month Grace Gould embodies this popular meme. Although Grace carries a calm demeanor, don't let that fool you. She is a fierce thinker! No matter what, Grace figures out the challenge, from collaborating with her teammates to solve a task to pushing herself independently beyond grade-level expectations. Grace is always respectful, responsible and ready to learn. She should be on those "Keep Calm and Figure it Out" posters! She sets the perfect example for STEM 5, and we are proud to recognize her greatness with Greenbriar Middle School!

Grace pictured here with her proud Mom and sister!

5th Grade STEM Scientists Created Ecosystems in a Bottle!

We've started learning about ecosystems and the important relationships between living and nonliving things. To put their learning into action, students created their own mini ecosystems in a bottle!

Working in teams, students carefully selected plants, soil, water, and other materials to build a self-contained ecosystem. They will observe their ecosystems over time, record changes, and use their observations to understand how living things depend on one another and on their environment.

This hands-on STEM experience gives students the opportunity to think like real scientists while practicing teamwork, observation, data collection, and problem-solving. We can’t wait to see how our tiny ecosystems grow and change!

National Geographic Explorer Classroom

For the past few weeks, we've been participating in this interactive multi-week program with live virtual events and activities designed for students to learn about wildlife globally, while inspiring action locally. In each event, the host, Explorer and shark scientist Gibbs Kuguru, connects a National Geographic Explorer with our students for a live 45-minute virtual class, filled with interactive moments and a Q&A session. The learners will hear behind-the-scenes stories from the field and have their questions answered in real time! We've also looked at local wildlife here at Greenbriar and in Parma.

STEM 5 Celebrates Great Character with a Lock Box Challenge

At the end of each month, STEM 5 gathers for a Dojo Party, a celebration to recognize a month of responsible and respectful behavior. For September, these STEM 5 learners definitely cracked the code for what it takes to exhibit great character! Learners worked in teams to solve a series of lock box challenges. Their collaboration and intense focus unlocked big fun!

STEM 5 Bootcamp Acclimates Learners to Middle School STEM!

Students of the month by subject:

Aleksander Kharchenko (ELA) (pictured here)

Lily Palmer (Math)

Brandon Ferguson (Math)

Halima Akhtar (Social Studies)

Alex Kovalev overall House 6X SOM:

House 6X Overall Student of the Month is Alex! Alex is an exceptionally intelligent, polite, and caring young man who is a wonderful example to those around him. He comes to class each day ready to learn and consistently demonstrates an impressive understanding of new concepts. Alex is always willing to help his classmates, often taking the time to explain something or assist someone who may be struggling. He is respectful and courteous to both his teachers and peers and approaches each day with a positive attitude. Alex’s kindness, and willingness to help others make him a pleasure to have in class. We are very proud to recognize Alex as our House 6X Overall Student of the Month. Way to go, Alex!

Alex Kovalev, pictured here with his teachers, Ms. Davis and Mrs. Porco.

What’s happening in House 6X:

ELA:

During the first week of school, we set up some activities to get to know our students and for them to get to know each other. Our first project was called, “Letter to Your Teacher” (either Januszewski or Davis) where students wrote three paragraphs about themselves in letter format. After that, we spent some time studying “Notice and Note” which is implemented in every story in HMH. Notice and Note allows the students to answer comprehension questions throughout reading the short stories. Soon after, we started studying “Tuesday of the Other June” and completed a Selection Test on the short story. Recently, the students have started reading another short story called “The Breadwinner.” As we are reading this story, our students will be working on vocabulary charts, analyze the texts, and working on plot diagrams.

SS:

During the first week of school, we set up some activities to get to know our students and for them to get to know each other. Our first project was called, “My Personal History Slideshow.” My students created a google doc with questions that they were going to ask a family member about their ethnicity. After interviewing their family member, they made a slideshow about their family history, culture, and ethnicity. They absolutely loved this project! After that, we worked on the curriculum McGraw Hill, and started chapter one. We worked through Lesson 1 and 2 so far, watching videos, taking notes and going through the slideshows, and working on several worksheets. Also, we discussed the Timeline Project, which was due September 23. The “I Can” statement was to create a multiple tier timeline, one being “American History,” and the other being “My Life.” The students are currently presenting the projects in class. If we finish, we will be continuing Chapter 1 Lesson 2 slideshows today.

Math:

Since the beginning of the school year, students have been working hard to strengthen their math skills. Each day, we begin with bell work to review important concepts, and students also use ALEKS for individualized practice and skill development. Our first unit has focused on performing operations with whole numbers, integers, and rational numbers. We are wrapping up this unit with a test to demonstrate what students have learned. Next, we will begin our unit on fractions, decimals, and percents, focusing on how these concepts are connected and how they are used in real-world situations.

Science:

Since the beginning of the school year, students have been building a strong foundation in the skills of science. We have focused on how scientists ask questions, make observations, collect and analyze data, and use evidence to draw conclusions. We are now learning about measurement and the importance of using accurate measurements in scientific investigations. Students are also beginning to explore how math is used in science to organize data, perform calculations, and better understand scientific information.

Ziad pictured with his well-earned MVP sign and his new friend Steve!

7X Students of the Month with their teachers, (back row, left to right), Mr. Olsavsky, Mr. Beuther, Mr. Majkrzak, and Mr. McKee. Front row, left to right, Major, Caleb, Ava, Anii, Alyson, and Mr. Pihlblad.

Emma pictured here with her teachers, Mrs. Radd, Mr. Pochatek and Mr. Blaha.

"The secret of getting ahead is getting started".

Here in 8X, we are on our way and the beginning of our school year is going well. The cooler weather is ideal for learning and exciting lessons are underway in all subject areas.

In English, we are reading and analyzing science fiction short stories along with improving our writing skills.

The American Revolution and the establishment of the colonies are being discussed and explored in social studies.

Lessons in Mr. Viening's class involve science inquiry and the Earth's interior.

In math, students are learning about real numbers.

We are planning a reward for midway through the quarter. Students who are getting work done and demonstrating good behavior will have the opportunity to play board games and enjoy a treat in the cafe.

The following students have emerged quickly as super stars in every way possible here at Greenbriar.

Bravo to these students for working hard, being respectful, and showing kindness and cooperation.

Students of the month

Mr. Viening- Finleigh Johnson

Mr. Jaegers- Leah Shelton

Mr. Vandervort-Elena Vicario

Mrs. Layhew-Tyler Robinson

Finleigh Johnson, September Student of the Month!

Alyssa is respectful, responsible, and always ready to learn. She comes to class prepared, follows classroom expectations, and treats both classmates and adults with kindness and respect. She participates appropriately and makes a consistent effort to complete her work. She demonstrates a positive attitude toward learning and is willing to ask questions when they need support. Her responsible choices and respectful behavior makes her a positive member of our classroom community.