School News

We would like to recognize our Thomas Jefferson Elementary staff members who received the Impact and Connection Award for February 2026. Staff members are nominated by their peers for being extraordinary in their field.

Janet Ranallo, Paraprofessional and Linda Davidson, Speech Language Pathologist, were surprised by Superintendent Dr. Patrick Ward! Dr. Patrick Ward visited the schools and presented their awards while they were surrounded by students. What a great way to honor our staff in front of the people who matter every day - their colleagues and their students!

Janet was nominated because of her patience, professionalism, fairness, consistency, gentleness and kindness. She is a shining light each and every day in the classroom, helping her students succeed!

Linda Davidson's colleagues admire her for always going "above and beyond" for her students and co-workers. She is a problem solver and her dedication to the whole child is evident in all of her teaching and interactions as she prioritizes positive relationships. She was instrumental in the Augmentative and Alternative Communication mentor group and works with families through the "Together WE Talk" series.

Congratulations to these outstanding staff members!

 

 

Eastlake Police challenged all students at Thomas Jefferson Elementary to design holiday badges to support the Shop with a Cop program. After reviewing and voting on all entries, the department selected third-grader Kalli’s colorful and fun design as this year’s winner. Officers surprised Kalli and her classmates with the news, and she received her own badge along with a few special keepsakes for her family. We are thankful for Officer Koehnle, Eastlake Middle School’s Student Resource Officer, who organized the contest and helped make this experience meaningful for our students. The department raised $950 through this initiative and plans to expand the contest next year to include even more young artists in our community.

 

The first grade teaching team of Christy Brock, Sue Percic and Susanne Lane were recently honored by the Martha Holden Jennings Foundation. They received the George G. Milbourn Team Teachers Award of Excellence. The award is given to an exceptional team of teachers and we couldn't agree more! Mrs. Brock, Mrs. Percic and Mrs. Lane collaborate and work seamlessly to ensure that every first grader learns and has a positive experience at school.

Begun in 1959 as a joint effort between Martha Holden Jennings and her second cousin, Arthur S. Holden, the Foundation has sought to support the highest quality teaching, and teachers, across Ohio.
 

Have you ever wondered how bridges are built, why rockets launch into space, or how video games are created? Our elementary students are diving headfirst into these exciting questions and more through our STEAM program!

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. By integrating these subjects, we are fostering a new generation of creative thinkers and problem-solvers.

What is happening in our makerspaces?

• Building and Designing: Constructing structures, coding robots, creating art, and making 3D models
• Experimenting and Innovating: Conducting science experiments, testing engineering designs, and exploring artistic techniques
• Collaborating and Communicating: Working together to solve challenges and present their ideas

Our students are so excited about STEAM! This is one of the encore classes children experience along with physical education and music.

Community pride runs deep in Willoughby-Eastlake, and it shows! Generations of families have attended our schools, with many alumni now raising their own children in the same close-knit neighborhoods. The energy and enthusiasm surrounding the Eastlake North Rangers and Willoughby South Rebels continues to grow, and now we’re excited to take that spirit to the next level!

We’re proud to announce a districtwide rebranding that unifies our schools under the Rangers and Rebels banners. Moving forward, all elementary and middle schools that feed into Eastlake North High School will be known as Rangers, and those that feed into Willoughby South High School will be known as Rebels. 

WE are the Rangers! We love it when the students from Eastlake North High School come to visit us wearing their orange and black and now we get to wear their same colors!

This exciting change not only honors the strong traditions of our two high schools but also celebrates the journey of every student. From their very first day of school, our youngest learners will know they are already part of something bigger - being a proud Ranger or a spirited Rebel!