🗓 Wednesday, January 28
Thanks to our morning volunteers, FREE meals for Conneaut Area City School students will be available for pick-up today. They have prepared over 400 lunch bags. We have been able to extend our pick up locations and times:
11:30 at Monroe Fire Hall
12:00-1:00 at CHS and LPS
12:00 Mobile Grove Office
12:15 Highland Apartments
12:30 Astatic (Corner of Harbor and Jackson)
12:45 Optimist Club
If we run out at a location, you will have to go to CHS where will have the bulk of the lunches available.
Thank you!
❄️ Calamity Day Wednesday, January 28 | Update for Families ❄️
Dear Spartan Families,
Due to the continued cold weather advisory issued for tomorrow morning, schools will be closed again, making this our fourth calamity day in a row.
Please believe me when I say I know this is incredibly hard. Calamity days disrupt routines, create childcare challenges, and place a burden on families. This decision was made with student safety as our top priority.
We are also very aware that for many of our students, school is where they receive daily breakfast and lunch, and we do not take that lightly when we have to close schools.
Therefore to support our families tomorrow, the district will be distributing 400 lunch bags for students at multiple locations around the district. Details on times and locations are shared below:
12:00 Conneaut High School and Lakeshore Primary School
12:00~Mobile Grove (Back of the park where the bus stops)
12:15~Highland Apartments
12:30~Astatic (corner of Jackson and Harbor)
12:45~Optimist Club
We could add additional stops in the morning based on volume and volunteers. We will send that information out if we can. If you would like to pick up at any of these locations please be prompt.
Thank you for your patience and partnership as we navigate this together. Our staff is eager to welcome students back as soon as conditions allow.
Please stay warm and safe.
Lori Riley
❄️ No School on Tuesday, January 27 ❄️
Because of the Extreme Cold Warning in effect until 11:00 a.m., there will be no school on Tuesday, January 27.
We know this may create challenges for families, but dangerously low temperatures and wind chills make travel and waiting outside unsafe, especially for students who walk or ride the bus.
Please stay warm and take care. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to welcoming students back once conditions improve.
PS-I have a very creative team that sent this photo!
After reviewing the latest forecasts for Winter Storm Fern, I've decided to close school tomorrow, Monday January 26th.
Between the cold temps, additional snow accumulations, and slippery road conditions expected in the morning, it’s the safest call, especially for students waiting for buses or walking to school.
Even though the Steelers and Browns aren’t playing today, I do know it’s Championship Sunday, so enjoy the games, stay warm, and enjoy a little extra snow-day sleep tomorrow. We’ll be ready to welcome everyone back once the weather improves and look forward to seeing everyone back soon.
Stay safe and enjoy Championship Sunday!
Warmly,
Lori A. Riley, Superintendent
Earlier this evening, I received a message from a student that weighed heavily on my mind. He said, "There is a concerning drop in the weather tomorrow, reaching almost -18 degrees, and kids have to walk home in that from school. A student like me who live almost a mile and a half away from the school it takes me roughly 30-40 minutes walking home. It takes 30 minutes with wind chills of -15 to cause frostbite to any sort of exposed skin, which most kids don’t wear ski masks to school so for the kids walking home, are asking for frostbite. So please take it in to consideration for a snow day tomorrow I know that it will maybe halt academic achievement but it would promote school safety by not having kids who have to walk home not get frostbite."
These are exactly the kinds of realities that must be considered when making a decision like this. While I value instructional time and know that closing school can disrupt school or family routines, no academic benefit outweighs the importance of keeping our students safe.
For that reason, Conneaut Area City Schools will be closed tomorrow.
Grace, you may stop studying.
Youth Leadership students — I will see you at the retreat in the morning.
Thank you for your understanding, and please stay warm and safe.
Stop the Bleed kits are now hanging in the halls of each building.
Thank you to Jim Kennedy and Jason Dalton for spearheading our district safety committee and helping make initiatives like this possible.
Just a reminder that school resumes for students on Wednesday, January 21st.
Monday: District is closed in observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Tuesday: Professional Development Day for staff (no students)
We hope you all had a wonderful weekend. Stay warm! ❄️💙💛
As we get ready to step in to 2026 (and step over some snow!), I want to thank all of you for your support to the Conneaut Area City School District. I’m excited for everything our students, teachers, and staff will achieve together in the year ahead.
Wishing you and your loved ones a happy, healthy, and successful New Year! See everyone when we return January 5th.
— Lori A. Riley, Superintendent
Today we celebrate the power of kindness, one of the most important lessons we can share with our Spartan students and Conneaut community. A small act of kindness can brighten someone’s day, build connections, and make our schools and neighborhoods stronger.
Let’s take a moment to spread kindness wherever we go, through a smile, a helping hand, or a few kind words. Together, we can make every day a little brighter.
CMS Families and CACS Community,
Thank you all for your support and teamwork over the past 36 hours. As many of our CMS families know, an inappropriate picture was posted in a student created CMS TikTok group. Thanks to the quick work of our local law enforcement and school staff, the person responsible has come forward and confessed. There is no ongoing threat, and our schools remain safe.
I want to emphasize that there was no reference to a school shooting or active shooter, and no direct threat was made toward CMS or any of our district buildings.
A huge thank-you to Mr. Kennedy, our amazing principal at CMS, and Officer Gifford, our dedicated School Resource Officer, for their calm leadership and partnership. Your care and concern for our students remained at the center of your work. We also appreciate the Conneaut Police Department, and all our teachers, staff, students, and families for your patience and cooperation as we worked through this together.
Please continue to remind your students—if they see something or hear something, say something. It takes all of us to keep our schools safe.
Finally, what started as a student TikTok group quickly became filled with inappropriate content referencing students and staff. Please take time to talk with your students about their social media use and digital footprint. We plan to bring in speakers to discuss this important topic soon.
I’m so proud of our Spartan community for coming together in challenging times. Thank you for your trust, partnership, and care for one another.
Lori A. Riley
Superintendent, Conneaut Area City Schools
We are deeply grateful for your service. ❤️🤍💙
A friendly reminder that Parent-Teacher Conferences will take place Thursday evening and Friday morning! These meetings are a valuable opportunity to connect with your child’s teacher, celebrate their progress, and discuss ways to support their learning at home.
Your involvement makes a big difference in your child’s success!
If you haven’t already, please schedule your conference time directly with your child’s teacher as soon as possible if they attend GES or LPS. If your child attends CMS or CHS you do not need to schedule in advance.
Thank you for partnering with us to help every Spartan student thrive!
Colton Mencer - Conneaut High School
McKenzie Vera - Conneaut Middle School
Nina Gillespie - Gateway Elementary
Meredith Lundin - Lakeshore Primary
The grand prize winner of the tickets is Gateway 3rd grader, Nina Gillespie! Congratulations, Nina!
#SITG #AttendanceMatters #StayInTheGame
We’re celebrating the end of the 1st Quarter and are so proud of all our Spartan students for their hard work and accomplishments! 👏
Teachers will be participating in professional development and finalizing first quarter records.
Enjoy the long weekend—we’ll see everyone back soon! 😊
