2 weeks Ago
MEDINA, Ohio – The Medina City Schools Portrait of a Bee initiative works to create students who are respectful citizens, responsible decision makers, collaborators, communicators, innovative problem solvers and resilient lifelong learners. Director of Instruction Tina Cassidy recently presented the board with information on the ways the district worked toward this goal last school year. “Last year we had our first ever Portrait to Practice expo which showcased 60 plus teachers and the amazing projects they are doing to promote deeper learning among students and master the Portrait of a Bee initiative,” she said.
Cassidy said the district also awarded 15 educators across the district with innovation awards to highlight the work they had been doing to encourage deeper learning with students and she said that two staff members gave presentations on deeper learning at state and national levels. “Last year we also started our capstone experiences which take place in grades, 5, 8 and 12,” she said. “Those were all really exciting and something we are very proud of.
” Cassidy said capstone is a universal experience across a grade level and crosses different subject areas where students engage in projects where the have a voice and choices and also work on competencies identified within Portrait of a Bee. “Fifth graders worked with community members to solve problems in different industries,” Cassidy said. “For example, if there was a fifth grader who wanted to be a nurse, they were matched with a nurse from the community and the nurse told them about problems that come up and the students tried to solve the problem.
We got great feedback from community members and they were amazed with the ideas the students came up with. I know some of them were actually going to try some of the solutions.” Eighth graders were directed to explore their passions and show how those passions could help the world.
“We had a boy who was passionate about coding and he created a video game that would help kids learn about the Civil War,” Cassidy said. “Other students created a cookbook and we had students who were interested in fashion plan a closet where kids could come to exchange clothes.” For the senior capstone experience, students picked a passion project that would affect the community.
One group of students organized a cleanup at Roscoe Ewing Park. A second group of students did a fundraiser to provide scholarships for caregivers. “I want to thank the teachers for the hard work they are putting into this,” said Board President Jeanne Pritchard.
“I sat in with the eighth graders and got to see some of the interesting work they came up with.”.
