The District Countdown will serve as your one-stop shop for updates across the district. While buildings may still share grade-level or building-specific updates, this newsletter is designed to be the best place for all families—no matter the grade level—to stay informed about what’s happening in our schools.

if you’ve looked at the sky (or your weather app) lately, you know Mother Nature is keeping us on our toes! Between the current Tornado Watch and some incoming messy weather, things are feeling a little intense.

This week happens to be Severe Weather Awareness Week, and while we never want to see a real storm, it’s the perfect time to make sure everyone in your house knows exactly what to do when the sirens wail.

The Big Drill: Wednesday at 9:50 a.m.

On Wednesday, March 18, Ohio is holding its Statewide Tornado Drill. At school, we’ll be practicing our "duck and cover" routines.

Don't worry! If you hear the outdoor sirens at 9:50 a.m. on Wednesday, it is only a test. It’s a great "trigger" for you to think: “If this were real, where would we go right now?”

Dear Families,

Across the State of Ohio, schools have recently seen an increase in "swatting" incidents and telephoned threat reports. We want to take a moment to explain what these incidents are, how we are prepared to handle them, and our commitment to maintaining a safe, calm environment for your children.

What is Swatting?

Swatting occurs when someone makes a false report—often involving claims of violence or weapons—specifically designed to trigger a massive, urgent law enforcement response to a school. These callers often use technology to "spoof" phone numbers to make the call appear local or legitimate.

While these calls are intentionally designed to cause fear and disrupt school operations, they are almost always hoaxes. The likelihood of a swatting call representing a factual, active threat is extremely low.

Our Commitment to Safety and Stability

Even though most of these threats are not credible, we treat every report with the utmost seriousness. Our duty is to investigate every incident thoroughly to determine the appropriate course of action.

To ensure we handle these situations without creating unnecessary danger or panic, we have been working closely with local law enforcement and the Ohio School Safety Center. Our staff is trained to:

Stay Calm and Focused: Consistent procedures help our team remain composed so they can gather accurate information for administrators and police.

Gather Critical Details: We utilize nationally recognized tools, including the CISA Bomb Threat Checklist, to document caller details and background noises that help law enforcement assess credibility.

Follow Established Protocols: We only initiate high-level responses (such as lockdowns or evacuations) under the direct guidance of administration or law enforcement to ensure the response fits the actual level of threat.

How You Can Help

The stress placed on students and families during these hoaxes is significant. You can support our efforts by:

Reporting, Not Reposting: If you hear of a potential threat, report it immediately to the school or the Safer Ohio School Tip Line at 844-723-3764.

Trusting Official Channels: In the event of a suspicious call, we will communicate with you as quickly as possible with factual information to prevent the spread of misinformation.

Our goal is to keep our schools a place of learning, not a place of fear. By following professional guidance and maintaining a coordinated response with first responders, we ensure that swatting remains an unsuccessful attempt to disrupt our community.

Board Update: The March Board meeting will take place this Tuesday @ 6:30 pm in the HS Commons.

Treasurer’s Funding Facts: Understanding Our School Funding

Question:  Where does our school district’s funding come from?

Short answer:  

Local Taxes 60%

State Funding 31% 

Federal Funding 9%

Did you Know?  Did you know that approximately a third of our State Funding (shown in blue above) is considered a “guarantee?”  

What is the Guarantee?  The guarantee means the State of Ohio ensures our district receives at least the same level of state funding we received in 2020, even if the funding formula calculates a lower amount.

Why it Matters:  Every two years, the Governor and Legislature set the state budget. During that process, they could reduce or eliminate the guarantee, which would lower the amount of state funding our district receives.

 St. Patrick’s Day Reminder
This Tuesday is St. Patrick’s Day. Students are welcome to wear green to celebrate the day with us!

 PTO Coin Wars
Our PTO is hosting the Coin Wars this week!

 Students are invited to bring in spare change to help their class participate in the friendly competition. It’s a fun way to support our school while practicing counting coins and working together as a class.

Thank you for your continued support. We love seeing the growth the students are making each wee

Save the date! On April 25th the CNE PreK-5 PTO is sponsoring Movie Night. The event is FREE, snacks and drinks will be provided. The event will be held at CNE Elementary, doors open at 5:30pm. 

Start saving those coins! Coin Wars will be March 16-20. The PTO has some amazing incentives planned for students and staff. Supporting PTO fundraisers allows them to bring special events for our kids,classroom snacks, games and so much more! 

The students had a very cool PBIS Reward this week. Our students enjoyed programs provided by Raptors Inc. K-2 enjoyed the Owl Babies and the older students were amazed at the Beaks and Talons presentation. We are so proud of our Rockets for working hard to "Show the Rocket Way, Everyday". 

The High School Drama had an incredible weekend of the "Addam's family 

Wrestling: Coach Scott Wells and Coach Tom Donahue

The final winter season athletic event was the OHSAA Wrestling Championships in Columbus March 13,14,15. 

Jaxon Vining and Liberty Johnson both qualified for the state finals. Congratulations to both of them for such a great accomplishment. Jaxon battled courageously in his two opening day matches but did not make it through to the second day. Liberty won her first 2 matches before dropping a match and continued on into Sunday. Winning again on Sunday morning before losing her finals match.

SBAAC All Star Banquet was held on Tuesday March 10th. CNE was represented by the following winter sport athletes. 

Boys Basketball: Brady Schmidt

Girls Basketball: Julia Best and Jenna Brown

Wrestling: Alex Neukam, Jaxon Vining and Wyatt Curnutte

Bowling: Jada Smith

Academic Quiz Team: Quinton Himes

Spring Sports: picture day is Tuesday, March 17. This event includes all middle school and high school spring sports teams. Senior banners as well as team/individual photos will be taken Tuesday, March 17. Head coaches have all the details and picture day info has been emailed home via final forms to all spring sports athletes/families as well as posted on our school district website.

This is a first‑shift position, Monday through Friday. Students must be at least 17 years old and hold a valid driver’s license.

Drop-Off
HS: 6:50 AM
MS: 6:45 AM
ES: 8:20 AM
AM PS: 8:15 AM
PM PS: 12:20 PM

Dismissal
HS: 2:03 PM
MS: 1:57 PM
ES: 3:20 PM
AM PS: 11:05 AM
PM PS: 3:10 PM

School Day
HS: 7:20 AM – 2:03 PM
MS: 7:10 AM – 1:57 PM
ES: 8:45 AM – 3:27 PM*

AM PS: 8:20AM - 11:05AM

PM PS: 12:25PM - 3:10PM

*The elementary day is 10 minutes longer this year.

CNE Schools Stay Connected with the CNE Schools App!

Did you know CNE Schools has its very own app? With just a tap, you can:
✔️ Stay up-to-date with school news
✔️ Check lunch menus
✔️ Get important alerts and notifications
✔️ See what’s happening across all our schools

It’s free, easy to use, and the best way to keep up with all the great things happening at CNE!

👉 Download it today from the Apple or Android App Store by searching “CNE Schools” or using the links below:

• Apple Devices

• Android Devices

Once you’ve got the app, don’t forget to turn on notifications in your Settings so you never miss an update!has an app for smart phones!  With the app you can find information about your child’s school, read news articles, view lunch menus, get updates and notifications all with the touch of a button.  Download the app today to keep updated on all the great things happening at CNE Schools.  The app is available free of charge in the Apple and Android App Stores.  You can search “CNE Schools” or follow the links below.  Once you download the app, make sure you turn on notifications in the “Settings” menu so you can receive updates and notifications from the school.

Apple Devices - https://goo.gl/jk6GcL

Android Devices - https://goo.gl/qXeivK