School Board News

The North Royalton Board of Education held their regular monthly meeting on Monday, June 14. Assistant to the School Superintendent Jim Presot gave a brief construction update, stating that the demolition section of the 1950’s section of the High School has been completed. Site work is being completed to that front part of the building and preparing the front for the parking lot. The time line for that renovation is completion by October 31, given the current projections. Renovation work at the Middle School has begun and is expected to be completed before the start of the new school year. ....

The North Royalton High School Class of 2021 has a dedicated Song (“I Lived” by One Republic), Colors (Purple and Gold), a Flower (the Moon Aqua Carnation), and a poignant Motto (“Some have a story. We made history.”) If the Class of 2021 had an unofficial theme, it would be Adaptability. While the Class of 2020 had the rug pulled out from under them when the pandemic upended their school year, the Class of 2021 had a rug, but it slid around without a gripper underneath to hold it firmly in place. The only thing keeping their footing steady throughout this school year was their abili ....

Ohio legislation introduced to ban Critical Race Theory

Two pieces of legislation have been introduced by Ohio House Representatives that could ban Critical Race Theory from curriculum of Kindergarten through Grade 12 in Ohio schools. House Bill 322 was introduced by State Representative Don Jones, of Freeport, and House Bill 327 was introduced by State Representatives Diane V. Grendell, District 76, and Sarah Fowler Arthur, District 99. House Bill 327 is entitled, “To amend sections 3301.079, 3314.03, and 3326.11 and to enact sections 3313.6027, 3313.6028, and 3313.6029 of the Revised Code regarding the teaching of certain current events and ce ....

Council approves Firefighters’ 3-year contract

North Royalton City Council has unanimously adopted legislation to authorize the Mayor to enter into a contract with the city’s firefighter’s union, the International Association of Fire Fighters, AFL-CIO Local 2156. The ordinance also accepts the fact-finding report of a neutral party, which led to the contract. Last February, City Council approved all of the City’s union contracts for 2021, except for the Firefighter’s Union. The unions represented in the City include the Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Patrol, Fraternal Order of Police, Lodge #15 (Sergeants), Fraternal Order ....

North Royalton High School salutes its student athletes

A number of North Royalton student-athletes were ‘front, in-center’ before their fellow students, teammates, coaches and parents on May 24. Nine students signed their National Letters of Intent, declaring where they will continue their athletic careers in the fall. Following that event, three North Royalton student-athletes received their awards for being named “Athletes of the Year.” The athletes who signed their National Letters were: Paige Heffke for softball, University of Chicago; Mariam Zayour for swimming, College of Wooster; Kaitlyn Bockelman for basketball, Rochester Instit ....

Sprague Road widening to begin next month

The reconstruction and widening of Sprague Road will begin, in addition to the city roadway projects this year. City Engineer Justin Haselton announced that the project, which will take place along Sprague Road, from West 130 Street to York Road, is expected to begin in July. The Sprague Road project is a two-phase project. Phase one includes a .77 mile span from Webster Road to West 130 Street, in the cities of Strongsville and Middleburg Heights. Phase two involves a 1.21-mile section between York Road and West 130 Street, which includes the cities of North Royalton and Parma. The work is be ....

Elementary students reflect on leaving their school

As the finishing touches are put on the new elementary school, students at Albion, Valley Vista and Royal View reflected on their schooling and said their final goodbyes to their buildings. “It’s sad for me to leave Valley Vista,” said student Jaiden Hurley-Belardo. “I’ve been here for five years of my life and it feels like being at home. It’s cozy here.” The Board of Education is receiving demolition bids for both Valley Vista and Albion. Bids will be evaluated, and news of the buildings’ futures will be announced over the summer. Royal View may be used as an administration ....

North Royalton Police Office Jon Karl will be retiring later next month. Karl has served in law enforcement for almost 40 years and has been the School Resource Officer for the North Royalton School District since 1988. Officer Alexandra (Lexie) Bell will be taking Karl’s place in that position. School Resource Officers are police officers who work in the district, along with school administrators, faculty and security staff members in an effort to ensure that schools are safe places for students. In Karl’s case, he has been involved from pre-school through Grade 12, from the conducting o ....

Florida man rides off in style as big winner in FOP raffle

Dennis Joyce was out on his pontoon boat when he missed a call from retired North Royalton Police Sergeant Joe Cepik. Joyce, a resident of Lake Clarke Shores, a town in West Palm Beach, Fla., listened to Cepik’s voicemail and quickly shrugged it off as a scam or joke from friends. Cepik was calling from North Royalton to inform Joyce that he was the winner of a 1969 Chevy Chevelle SS396 Resto from North Royalton’s BlueLine Classics, as part of a raffle prize drawing sponsored by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge #15 to benefit the construction of a K-9 memorial. Joyce had purchased a ra ....

Passage of Charter Amendments could change how we vote

The North Royalton City Council adopted two pieces of legislation that will place two charter change issues on the November ballot. The initial discussion on these issues began at the April 6 Council Review and Oversight Committee. A City Charter, comparable to a constitution of a State or the United States, serves to define the organization, powers, functions and essential procedures of its government. In North Royalton, changes to the charter can come via two methods, both with need the approval of the voters. The first is to introduce proposed changes through City Council, which can be int ....