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• CLOTHING & SHOES | The Boys & Girls Clubs of Northeast Ohio has made a huge donation to our schools to ensure our students stay warm and dry this winter. Families in need can reach out to the social worker at their child’s school, or the Lorain City Schools Engagement Center at (440) 830-HELP or help@loraincsd.org.

• FOOD & CLOTHING FOR VETS | The Veterans Service Commission has allocated $450,000 to help support Veterans and their families in honor of their service and sacrifices. Veterans and their families can get more information through the Lorain City Schools Engagement Center at (440) 830-HELP or help@loraincsd.org.

• TURKEY RAFFLE & FOOD DRIVE | Ohio Comp donated $3,000 so that we could purchase 220 turkeys from Meijer Inc. The Lorain City Schools administration building is also holding a food drive to provide Thanksgiving “fixings” with the turkeys when they are raffled off at our schools this week!

• COVID CARE BASKETS | El Centro is visiting Lorain City Schools students who are isolated at home with COVID-19, delivering care baskets filled with paper products, hand soap, face masks, and snacks. This project is made possible through funding from the UnidosUS’s Esperanza Hope for All Campaign, and in-kind support and feedback from Lorain County Public Health, Lorain County Mental Health and Addition Recovery Services Board, Federal Emergency Management Agency, and Meijer Inc.

• FOOD PANTRIES | Second Harvest Food Bank and a crew of caring volunteers from our community help to increase the amount of food families have on-hand by hosting regular food pantries in our district by distributing a nutritious assortment of shelf-stable food, produce, bread and refrigerated and frozen foods. School food pantries are funded by Community Foundation of Lorain County, Nordson Corporation Foundation, The Ross Foundation, 100 Women Who Care About Lorain County, The Stocker Foundation, Wells Fargo and many individual donors. Search food pantry locations, days and times here.

Please also remember that next Monday and Tuesday will be asynchronous remote learning days for students. Families who registered for food pick-up on Monday, November 22nd can do so between 4:00-6:00PM at the middle school they indicated when they registered. Please note that we will have a limited number of additional meals available at each site in the event families were unable to register. All meals will be distributed on a first come, first served basis.

Additional details about next week can be found through the link below.

From our family to yours, I hope the Thanksgiving Break provides you with some much-needed time connecting with those you love. We look forward to seeing your children back in our classrooms on Monday, November 29, 2021.

Thanks,

Jeff

MORE NEWS YOU CAN USE

FAMILY COMMUNICATION | Lorain City Schools is keeping families informed about expectations for next week through reminder emails, robocalls, text messages, web and social media posts. Flyers will be going home with elementary and middle school students. VIEW FLYER HERE

MEAL PICK UP | Aramark will be providing meals to more than 400 students next week. Meals will be distributed by drive-thu through the middle schools on Monday, November 22 between 4:00-6:00PM. Please note that a limited number of meals will be available for families who were unable to register. Meals will be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

REGISTER TO VOTE | Did you know that just 1,241 parents are registered to vote in Lorain? Your voice matters, and registering to vote is easy! You must register or update your voter registration by April 4, 2022 for the May 3, 2022 Primary Election. Have a say in important decisions that affect your schools and community. LEARN MORE

SUBSTITUTE FILL RATE | If it feels like more subs are available to our schools after the increase in daily sub pay to $200: it’s true. We’ve had an increase of 29.32% that is directly correlated with the increase district-wide. Please note that crossing guard pay has also increased to $12/hour. LEARN MORE

LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER? | Second Harvest Food Bank needs volunteers to help distribute food to families in our community on Thursday, December 1, 2021. LEARN MORE

NEXT VACCINE CLINIC | Need to schedule your COVID-19 Vaccine, booster, or flu shot? Lorain City Schools will again be partnering with Lorain County Public Health to offer a mass vaccination clinic on Saturday, December 4th at General Johnnie Wilson Middle School. Additional information a link to schedule your time slot coming soon!

VACCINE CLINICS FOR AGES 5-19 | Lorain County Public Health is now providing COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics for children 5 and up. LEARN MORE

THE LEVY FAILED; NOW WHAT? | ISSUE 37 was a 6.8 operating levy which would have generated $4.1 million annually for operating expenses. Since the levy didn't pass, we are projecting a $13 million budget deficit for summer 2023, which demands that we respond in a manner consistent with what we said we’d do: work together to find ways to be more efficient with the funding that is available to us. HERE’S WHAT TO EXPECT MOVING FORWARD

Have questions about what’s happening Lorain City Schools? Want to share your perspective, experiences and suggestions? Stop by Superintendent/CEO Dr. Jeff Graham’s office at the Lorain City Schools Administration Building on the first and third Wednesday of each month between 3:00 PM - 5:00 PM. You don’t need an appointment. There’s no agenda, no presentation to sit through. Open Door Sessions are just an open opportunity to connect and learn from one another in a casual setting. See schedule below.

• Wednesday, DECEMBER 1, 2021 | 3:00 - 5:00 PM

• Wednesday, DECEMBER 15, 2021 | 3:00 - 5:00 PM

Dr. Graham’s office is located in the Lorain City Schools Administration Building, located at 2601 Pole Avenue in Lorain. Additional Open Door and Town Hall zoom dates with the community to be released soon! And hey, you don’t need to wait until these dates to meet with him. You can schedule a meeting at any time by calling his office at (440) 830-4000.