Welcome to the Kirtland Schools’ Key Communicator e-newsletter. We hope to use this tool as a two-way form of communication to share the good news going on in our classrooms, and also provide you with facts in the event of negative situations. We hope you will act as informal communications liaisons with the community and let us know what you’re hearing so we can proactively provide you with the facts of what’s happening in your schools. Thank you for your support!                                                      

KIRTLAND LOCAL SCHOOLS UPDATE 5/16/23

The Board of Education meeting on July 17, 2023, started with introducing new hires to the district and the Board approving them.  Angelina French was approved to be the new Multi- Tiered Systems of Support Teacher (MTSS) to provide additional help to close learning gaps for students at KMS and KHS. Mr. Amstutz was also recognized for his 11 years of service at the Kirtland Local Schools. He was the middle school principal for six years and the grades 6-12 principal for the past five years.  Mr. Amstutz will be taking a position at West Geauga to be the Director of Operations and Technology.  We thank him for his years of dedication to the district and wish him all the best in his new position.  

Mr. VanArnhem reported to the Board and community:

• Permanent Improvement Update

  • Stadium renovation is still on track to be completed to play the first game on August 22nd.

  • The district received a $112,000 credit from soil remediation and $21,610 credit from the track replacement

  • All five anchor sponsors have been filled on the scoreboard at $10,000 a year

  • Track asphalt to be installed this week

  • Turf is to be installed at the end of July and early August

• Camp Invention

  • 55 Kirtland students attended

  • A lot of positive feedback

  • Led by five of our own staff- (Mrs. Held, Mrs. Vitatoe, Mrs. Eadeh, Mrs. Kutscher and Mrs. Meleski)- Thank you for providing this opportunity for our students! 

  • Thank you also to Ms. Schutte for overseeing the program.

• Initial interviews starting this week for Mr. Amstuz’s replacement.

• Kirtland High School’s Josie Copeland has received an appointment to the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. She is among about 400 cadets selected from a pool of approximately 2,000 applicants this year. 

  • As a cadet, she receives a full tuition scholarship and a monthly stipend for her five-year service commitment to the Coast Guard upon graduation. All graduates receive a Bachelor of Science Degree and are guaranteed a position of leadership as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Coast Guard.

  • Josie is currently participating in “Swab Summer,” an eight-week period of military training.

  • Congratulations to Josie!

Superintendent Recommendations:

• Mr. VanArnhem presented and the Board approved:

  • An agreement to have Epi pens provided to the district at no cost through the Allison Rose Foundation.

  • An agreement to extend the sponsorship with UH three more years through 2029.  They will provide an additional $37,500. They will also waive the fee for the athletic trainer which is over $2,000 a year.  This will bring in and save the district over $75,000 through 2029.

  • A phone system upgrade was approved. The district’s current system is out of date.

  • A few small change orders for the stadium were approved:

    • $2,906.80 restocking fee; $1,745.48 for a sliding gate to the bus compound, and $8,612.95 to First Energy for the new electric pole and hookup

    • $110,330.73 was credited back to the district for soil stabilization and $21,610.15 credited back for the track renovation

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 The Kirtland Local Schools are known for academic excellence and strong community support, and have been recognized nationally and statewide for educational achievement. The district also maintains a long tradition of distinction in a variety of extracurricular activities. The Board of Education provides open and thoughtful fiscal management of the community’s investment in the school district’s high quality educational program by ensuring every dollar spent benefits students and the community.                                                      

The Kirtland Local School District is located in Lake County and serves the City of Kirtland and most of the Villages of Kirtland Hills and Waite Hill, and small portions of Willoughby and Chardon Township.