As a reminder, OCER offices are closed June 19 and there are no camps.
Unlimited Adventures camp went on a field trip to Rock the Spectrum! There were lots of sensory activities like swinging, jumping, climbing, crash pads, obstacle courses, and more. We had so much fun!
Week 1 of Extreme Adventures camp is in the books after going to the Cuyahoga Valley National Park, Topgolf, Edgewater Beach, and more!
Thank you to Megan Kuhlman for leading our FREE softball clinic for all of our recreation softball players grades 3-6! The first hour of the clinic was general softball skills, and the second hour was a pitchers' clinic. We loved seeing so many girls participating in the pitching clinic!
We were really excited to have both clinics led by Megan Kuhlman, the current Orange High School nurse and a former Division I collegiate softball player at the University of Akron. Megan is a 2012 graduate of Mayfield High School and currently serves as the Mayfield High School Varsity Softball Coach. During her playing career at Mayfield, she helped lead the Wildcats to conference championships in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and was named Pitcher of the Year in 2012.
We were really excited to have both clinics led by Megan Kuhlman, the current Orange High School nurse and a former Division I collegiate softball player at the University of Akron. Megan is a 2012 graduate of Mayfield High School and currently serves as the Mayfield High School Varsity Softball Coach. During her playing career at Mayfield, she helped lead the Wildcats to conference championships in 2010, 2011, and 2012, and was named Pitcher of the Year in 2012.
A crucial step of becoming part of our OCER camp staff is to be CPR certified. During our camp staff training, we provide an instructor to teach the in-person portion of CPR training. According to the American Red Cross, you should get your CPR certification every two years!
Our New Camp Staff Training was a huge success this year! As we welcome new faces to our summer team, we make sure they are delivering the best summer for your campers to create wonderful memories.
And we're underway at Orange Early Childhood with the Cleveland Guardians Hot Dogs! Ketchup, Mustard, and Onion made a surprise visit to Room 10, and it was the highlight of the year. Dreams came true that day as we met our idols!
Room 9 had a sweet time releasing some butterflies at the end of the school year!
Outdoor pool patrons will not be able to access the outdoor parking directly by the pool tomorrow: Wednesday, June 10. You will need to park behind the high school in the lower lot and walk up the path and beside the pool or park in the west end parking lot and walk to the outdoor pool. Thank you for your assistance!
One of our last mystery readers of the year was none other than Officer Todd!
He read two silly books to our class “If You Give A Moose a Muffin” and “Dog Breath- The Horrible Trouble With Halley Tosis”.
After reading, we asked him questions about being a police officer and also talked about how to identify police officers (patches, badges, radio, etc.), listening to teachers during tornado drills and fire drills, and having safe bodies at school by keeping our hands to ourselves
He read two silly books to our class “If You Give A Moose a Muffin” and “Dog Breath- The Horrible Trouble With Halley Tosis”.
After reading, we asked him questions about being a police officer and also talked about how to identify police officers (patches, badges, radio, etc.), listening to teachers during tornado drills and fire drills, and having safe bodies at school by keeping our hands to ourselves
Our oldest preschoolers graduated from Orange Early Childhood! Congratulations to all of our graduates. We will miss you, but we can't wait to see how well you do in your new school next year!
The Orange Outdoor Pool opens June 5 for the season! We will be open Monday-Friday from 10am-7pm and Saturday-Sunday from 11am-6pm through August 16.
So before you enjoy the pool, be sure to purchase your pool pass for the summer: https://orangerec.arux.app/.../orange-outdoor-pool-pass
So before you enjoy the pool, be sure to purchase your pool pass for the summer: https://orangerec.arux.app/.../orange-outdoor-pool-pass
Look what we found on our Nature Hike last week! We saw a tree covered in large holes made by a pileated woodpecker.
Pileated woodpeckers are one of the largest woodpeckers in North America. They use their strong beaks to chip away at dead or dying trees while searching for insects such as carpenter ants and beetle larvae to eat. The large rectangular holes they leave behind are a special clue that these amazing birds have visited the area. The woodpeckers help the forest ecosystem. By breaking into old wood to find food, they also create spaces that other animals may later use for shelter, including smaller birds and insects.
Experiences like these help build curiosity, observation skills, and appreciation for the natural world!
Pileated woodpeckers are one of the largest woodpeckers in North America. They use their strong beaks to chip away at dead or dying trees while searching for insects such as carpenter ants and beetle larvae to eat. The large rectangular holes they leave behind are a special clue that these amazing birds have visited the area. The woodpeckers help the forest ecosystem. By breaking into old wood to find food, they also create spaces that other animals may later use for shelter, including smaller birds and insects.
Experiences like these help build curiosity, observation skills, and appreciation for the natural world!
Thank you to the OCER Commission for planning an energetic Field Day for our staff! We did some relay races, played Four Square, keep the ball in the air, and more. After all that, we were definitely hungry for lunch, which they generously provided! It was a great way to get up and moving and ready for summer camp!
Room 7 had their own ladybug farm and raised them from larva to pupa to ladybug 🐞These real-world experiments make the learning process engaging and fun, especially when these young scientists start to see ladybugs popping up in the spring!
Thank you to the Moreland Hills 5th Grade Tune-In Choir for a lovely afternoon performance last week at the Orange Senior Center! We heard some favorites from the musical "Annie," under the direction of teachers Kayla Hoye and Matthew Parrotta. Thanks for reminding us "you're never fully dressed without a smile"
Room 11 had parent and community beekeeper, Catherine Lazar, in their classroom for a hands-on learning experience all about bees!
Catherine brought learning to life through storytelling, creative crafts, and real-life beekeeping equipment that students could explore up close. The visit sparked curiosity, thoughtful questions, and excitement as students discovered the incredible work of these tiny but mighty pollinators!
To make the experience even sweeter, students had the opportunity to taste a delicious chocolate-covered honeycomb treat and each child took home their very own jar of honey, a special reminder of this memorable day of learning.
Catherine brought learning to life through storytelling, creative crafts, and real-life beekeeping equipment that students could explore up close. The visit sparked curiosity, thoughtful questions, and excitement as students discovered the incredible work of these tiny but mighty pollinators!
To make the experience even sweeter, students had the opportunity to taste a delicious chocolate-covered honeycomb treat and each child took home their very own jar of honey, a special reminder of this memorable day of learning.
We are thrilled to announce Emilio Marriott is our new Before/After Care Coordinator!! In this role, he will be working with Lions Club, our before and after school childcare program. He will also be working on summer camps and other youth programs and events, so be sure to say hi the next time you see him!
Mr. Mike came to Room 12 to tell us all about his job as our Building Engineer! Then he read us a very important book called "Michael Recycle." Thanks Mr. Mike for inspiring the next generation of recycling fans!
Calling all volunteers! We're gearing up for our second annual Orange Community Art Fest at the Orange Art Center, and we need YOUR help! We would love to see your talents again this year to assist in the following areas:
- Welcome Table Assistants - 10 am - 2 pm
Assist OAC or OCER lead staff person with checking visitors in, helping with digital donations, and passing out special donation tote bags
- Set-up Volunteers - 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Assist with directing vendors to set-up area; help keep vendors on schedule with unloading; Assist Art Instructors with setting up demo area
- Mural Support Volunteers - 10 am - 2 pm
Coordinating turns between participants, refilling supplies, keeping the area tidy, and answering community questions about the project!
- Event Floaters Volunteers - 10 am - 2 pm
Check in with artists and vendors, relay any needs to staff
Sign up to be a volunteer by clicking this link: https://orangerec.arux.app/.../ocer-volunteer-registration
- Welcome Table Assistants - 10 am - 2 pm
Assist OAC or OCER lead staff person with checking visitors in, helping with digital donations, and passing out special donation tote bags
- Set-up Volunteers - 8:00 am – 9:30 am
Assist with directing vendors to set-up area; help keep vendors on schedule with unloading; Assist Art Instructors with setting up demo area
- Mural Support Volunteers - 10 am - 2 pm
Coordinating turns between participants, refilling supplies, keeping the area tidy, and answering community questions about the project!
- Event Floaters Volunteers - 10 am - 2 pm
Check in with artists and vendors, relay any needs to staff
Sign up to be a volunteer by clicking this link: https://orangerec.arux.app/.../ocer-volunteer-registration
