Dear Eastern Heights Families,
Thank you for such a wonderful and productive school year. What a wild ride this year has been! Coming together in this beautiful new campus and learning all of the day-to-day expectations and routines has been a momentous achievement. I want to thank you for such a memorable year, I truly appreciate everyone's perseverance, flexibility and support.
I would like to take a moment and recognize this incredible staff, and all that they have overcome this past year. I am honored to have had the opportunity to work with such indestructible, innovative, dedicated educators. Being your leader has been such an awesome experience and I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Let’s keep the positive momentum moving forward and continue to strengthen and grow as Elyria Pioneers!
A final word to our extraordinary students:
Thank you for all your hard work throughout the school year. I am honored to be your principal; you make me proud to be a Pioneer. You keep me laughing and learning. I am grateful for your joy, astute insights and amazing talents. Best wishes to our eighth graders, whom I will miss greatly. You will be an awe-inspiring addition to the high school.
Everyone please have a safe and happy summer break. Until next school year, here’s wishing you love, laughter and learning. Remember Eastern Heights YOU are good YOU are loved, and YOU are welcome ALWAYS!
Sincerely,
Principal Dana Cerrito
Hello Pioneers!
I am both honored and grateful to join the Pioneer family for the 2022-23 school year! My name is Jake Keefe, and I am the new Principal for the 5th and 6th grade at Eastern Heights Middle School. I feel very fortunate to join a campus with such engaged students, dedicated teachers, and a supportive community. Amazing things are happening in Elyria City Schools, and I am excited to join the team! As we gear up for the return of students and families, I wanted to introduce myself.
This begins my fifteenth year in education. I started as a special-education teacher in the Bronx, New York, where I served middle school students for 3 years. After moving to Ohio, I worked as a special-education teacher at Education Alternatives, and later became a Building Director at their Elyria site. For the past 5 years, I was the Assistant Principal at Joseph Gallagher School in CMSD. These years have afforded me the wonderful experience of working with a wide-array of students, teachers, and families. Most importantly, I believe that my role is to support the success of each child that comes to Eastern Heights Middle School. I want each child at EHMS to have the opportunity and experience equal to my own children.
On a personal note, I am a proud husband and father of two kids. My wife Leah is a special education teacher, my daughter Charlie is 7, and my son Jack is 3. Our summer was full of fun trips and adventures!
Principal Cerrito and I are so excited about the upcoming year. There are great things happening at EHMS, and this year will be amazing! I can not wait to meet our students and families!
Sincerely,
Jake Keefe
Principal