Surrarrer Newsletter

Mrs. Mary Ortenzi is in her fourth year working with SCS Kindergarten students. Mrs. Ortenzi teaches half-day kindergarten at both Whitney Elementary and Surrarrer Elementary schools. She has lived in Strongsville for 26 years and all four of her children are proud graduates of Strongsville High School. Prior to joining the team at Strongsville City Schools, Mrs. Ortenzi taught preschool for 25+ years before recently returning to school and earning her teaching license. Her undergraduate degree is from Cleveland State and she is also working on completing a graduate degree from CSU.

“For many of my students, kindergarten is their first experience being in a formal school setting and I love setting the tone for their educational journey, and helping to foster their excitement for school and learning. One of the best parts about working with this young group of students is when they have that "aha moment" with something they were struggling with. There is never a dull moment in kindergarten and I am truly thankful to have been entrusted with helping to shape our future generation.”

“The best part of my job, besides my students, is working alongside my amazing colleagues. Since I am a traveling teacher I have the best of two worlds. I have two great teams that I have the opportunity to collaborate with at both Whitney and Surrarrer, I have two principals that are knowledgeable and supportive, and I am surrounded by some of the best SCS teachers and staff. I am working in the job I dreamed about for years and I love every minute of it!”

Thank you Mrs. Ortenzi for your passion in developing our Kindergarten students and setting a solid foundation as they begin their educational journey at SCS! #ModelMustang

Congratulations to all our 5th grade Orchestra students! Last week, the students played in the Electrify Your Strings program. They traveled to Strongsville Middle School to work with our guest cello player, Greg Byers. Greg played his electric cello with our Surrarrer Orchestra, and they rocked out onstage! Our Orchestra was also the feature for this week's 60 Seconds With the Superintendent! You can check it out here! Congratulations again Orchestra students, we are so proud of you! Also, a big thank you to the Strongsville Council PTA & Kinsner PTA for making this event possible with grant funding!

April

28th- 4th Grade OST Math Part 2 Testing

29th- 3rd Grade OST Math Part 1 Testing

29th- 4th Grade OST Math Part 2 Testing

29th- Parent Internet Safety Meeting at the Middle School @ 7:00pm

30th- 3rd Grade OST Math Part 2 Testing

30th- 5th Grade OST Math Part 1 Testing

May

1st- 5th Grade OST Math Part 2 Testing

1st- 3rd Grade Field Trip to the Historical Society

2nd- Famous Americans 2nd Grade

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5th-5th Grade Science OST@ 9:30

7th- PTA Meeting at 9:30-10:30

8th- Summer Reading Program Presentations

9th- Talent Show

10th (Saturday)- Lake County Captains Game @ 6:35pm

Each month, homeroom teachers select one student from their class who demonstrates the characteristics of The Model Mustang. The students who are selected are innovative, resilient, collaborative, global and empowered!

Congratulations to the following students who were selected as the March Student of the Month for their class!!!

Is your child(ren) not return next school year to Surrarrer? Are you moving? If so, please fill out this form. This helps us plan for the 25-26 school year! This form does not need to be filled out for 5th grade students. This form also does not take the place of completing the withdrawal process.

Looking to add to your "Green & White" wardrobe and get some updated Mustangs gear? Click HERE to visit our special, limited time Mustangs Team Shop for short-sleeve t-shirts, long-sleeve t-shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, and MORE! Personalized merchandise is also available. Hurry - this Team Shop closes at 11:59pm on Sunday, 4/27!

On Friday, homeroom classes got together to sharpen their Model Mustang skills by being resilient, innovative, collaborative and empowered! Each class was given a variety of donated recycled materials and the challenge of building a robot. A time limit was set and the students came together and had incredible results! Check out several of the robots that were created! Thank you to everyone who donated items.

We are thrilled to announce our "One School, One Book" event, which will take place from April 11th - May 8th! Our goal for "One School, One Book" is to improve reading instruction for our students, promote parental involvement, strengthen the connection between home and school, and create a genuine community of readers within our school.

Together our school will read "The Wild Robot" by Peter Brown! Students will be assigned chapters to read each day during this exciting period. The following morning, we will engage them with trivia questions during our morning announcements, offering various amazing prizes for participation!

To make the most of this experience, please visit our "One School, One Book" website where you will find:

• The reading calendar

• Video recordings of teachers and students reading the chapters

• Extra activities

• Themed read alouds

• And MORE!

After our kick-off assembly, each student will receive their very own copy of the book to keep!

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher.

Thank you for your support, and let's make this event a memorable one! 📚🤖

Thank you Mrs. Solecki for making the art show memorable as we traveled around the world! The student art work was very impressive! Many musical performances, including the 5th grade band, orchestra and 2nd graders, all did a great job! Thank you to the PTA who also passed out ice cream!

Our 3rd through 5th grade students will be taking OSTs (Ohio State Tests) in April and May. Please try not to schedule appointments or vacations during these testing dates.

5th Grade Families,

Here is the link to our 6th grade camp website. Here you can view the presentation slides, tentative itinerary, registration link and payment link, chaperone information, deadline dates, and so much more!

We are so excited for what is planned!!!

Registration deadline is June 15th

If you have any questions please reach out to nbuchwald@scsmustangs.org or crissystahl79@gmail.com for any questions!

Hope to see you all there!!

Our District has expanded its partnership with Blocksi to include student content filtering and alerts. We no longer utilize SecURLy for these services.

Click HERE to view an informational flier about joining the Blocksi Parent Portal to gain insights on your student’s online behavior with their scsmustangs account, as well as set parental controls beyond the school. If you have any questions, contact Dave Binkley - Director of Instructional Technology - at dbinkley@scsmustangs.org.

Mr. Jenkins' Advanced Drama & Theatre students are excited to present their public performance of Big Bad by Alec Strum. (synopsis below) This would be a great show to bring young children to because it features fairy tale characters they are all familiar with.

There is only one chance to catch this hilarious one-act play: Thursday May 1 @ 7pm in the SHS Auditorium. Admission is free, but donations will be accepted. The play should only run 35-40 minutes. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mr. Jenkins (jjenkins@scsmustangs).

Synopsis: The most notorious criminal in the fairy-tale world, Big Bad Wolf, is being slapped with a class-action lawsuit by the countless quirky characters he has wronged. Now, the two greatest legal minds in the Enchanted Forest — the Evil Stepmother and the Fairy Godmother — will clash (on live Court TV, no less, with Sydney Grimm as commentator!) in a trial that will be remembered forever after. As Little Red Riding Hood, her Grandmother, the Three Little Pigs and the Shepherd in charge of the Boy Who Cried Wolf testify, the wolf seems deserving of all that’s coming. But, even though the disreputable Evil Stepmother couldn’t be less interested in pro-bono work on such an obviously futile defense, Mr. Wolf makes a good case for himself. Was he born a criminal, or made one? Perhaps he does deserve compassion instead of condemnation? What will the verdict be? Only the jury — your audience — can decide, when the doddering old Judge invites them to determine the outcome of the trial... and the play!

As we head into summer, here’s some activities to incorporate at home to help your child develop their reading ability, comprehension, and language skills:

1. Talk about the meaning of words. These can be words from anywhere - books, radio, or signs around town.

2. Point out interesting or new words when reading together. Take time to talk about how to pronounce the word, the meaning, and even other places the word can be used.

3. Keep reading, writing, and having discussions! Focus on your child’s interests, upcoming trips, and things that are happening around them.

4. Model good literacy behavior by reading regularly yourself!

Happy Reading!

Heather Stayanchi

K-5 Literacy Coach

5th Grade End of the Year Party will take place on Thursday, May 29th in the afternoon.

5th Grade Promotion will take place on Friday, May 30th at 9:30 (doors open at 9:15).

Improve your dribbling, juggling, passing and shooting with former Ohio State Buckeye, PRO, and current SHS Boys Head Coach Kyle Veris. Staff consists of current SHS players. Attached is a flyer, but please use this link for easy registration ( Register HERE ).

*T-shirt and Kona Ice included the last day!

GO MUSTANGS!!

We are excited to invite kids in grades 1-8 to join our Cheer Camp on June 24th, 2025, from 9 AM to 11 AM. This camp will feature coaching instruction from our current SHS cheerleaders and coaches, providing a fantastic opportunity for the kids to learn and grow.

Participants will have the chance to perform their cheers at a home football game, making it a memorable experience for everyone involved.

Please help us make our dismissal process run smoothly by following these guidelines:

• Refer to the map for parking instructions.
• Do not use the bus lane (red highlighted section on the map) unless prior arrangements have been made with the office.
• Parents picking up students should:
  • Pull to the left side of the driveway (Yellow highlighted section on the map)
  • Park their car
  • Walk to the building to pick up their student(s)
  • Exit the parking lot slowly

CCPL Program Guide

The Cuyahoga County Public Library program guide is now digital! Want to find out about all the amazing library programs and resources happening around the system? You can view our Program information by going to cuyahogalibrary.org and click on Research & Discover to use the Press Reader resource here:

https://cuyahogalibrary.org/research-discover/resources-a-z/pressreader

Color Our World: Summer Reading Challenge

June 2 - July 31. Visit http://ccplsummerreading.org beginning May 1st to register to participate and for more information. Take the Summer Reading Challenge for a chance to win great prizes!

English as a Second Language Classes by Aspire Greater Cleveland.

If you need to learn English or improve your language skills, we can help. Aspire Greater Cleveland offers FREE beginner, intermediate and advanced-level English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Strongsville Branch will be hosting morning classes on Thursdays and Fridays. Please call 833.ASPIRE2 (1.833.277.4732) to register or visit https://cuyahogalibrary.org/services/adult-education/aspire-greater-cleveland for more information.

Cuyahoga Works: Job & Career Services
Schedule an individual career coaching session at the Strongsville Branch with one of our Career Services Coaches. Career Services Coaches are available by appointment on Tuesdays to help you discover your occupational interests, create an effective job search strategy, and prepare for job interviews. They can also provide tips that will help you develop top-notch resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. Career Coaching is available by appointment ONLY! To schedule a FREE appointment at our branch, please call Cuyahoga Works Job & Career Services at (216) 475-2225 or email the team at Careers@cuyahogalibrary.org

Storytimes: Storytimes are on hiatus for the month of May. They will return in June for Summer sessions. See the website for more details.

Play, Learn, and Grow. Ages 1-3 with Caregiver. Siblings welcome. Thursdays, May 1st through May 29th / 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

Boost your toddler’s brain through play! A 5-week series for caregivers and children ages 1 to 3. Connect with your kids, community experts & other families. Get information about your growing child.

Kindergarten Countdown: All About Me. For those entering Kindergarten in the Fall with a Caregiver. Friday, May 2nd / 11:00 a.m. - Noon.

Join us as we help your child build kindergarten readiness skills in a program aligned to Ohio’s Early Childhood Standards. This session, we will focus on All About Me.

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Saturday, May 3rd OR Saturday, May 24th / 10:00 a.m. VIRTUAL OR Monday, May 12th / 7:00 p.m. IN PERSON

Have you ever thought about recording your own music, making a video, digitizing memories and more? The Strongsville Branch Library is home to both Audio and Video Recording studios that can help you do just that! You must go through an orientation to use the spaces. Patrons 11 & up can participate in the orientation and must turn in the User Agreement form at the branch for the orientation to count. Register online to attend the virtual session.

Teen Knit & Crochet Club. Teens Grades 6 - 12. Monday, May 5th / 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.

Do you like to craft? Do you know how to knit, crochet, or hand sew? Bring your own project and come hang out with other teens who also love to make things! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED!

Young at Heart. Tuesday, May 6th / 7:00 p.m.

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is Ferris by Kate DiCamillo. Please call the branch to register.

Southwest General Health Talk: Let's Talk About Hernias. Thursday, May 8th / 6:00 p.m.

Join Dr. Clara Lai, a general surgeon from Southwest General Health Center, as she discusses different types of hernias and the surgical options available to treat them. Attendees may also have the opportunity to see the da Vinci robotic surgical system up close!

Teen Writer's Workshop. Teens Grades 6 - 12. Saturday, May 10th / 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other name would smell just as sweet.” William Shakespeare uses this line in his play Romeo and Juliet to convey that the naming of things is irrelevant. Ohio Poet Laureate Kari Gunter-Seymour disagrees. Names are somewhat central to our identities, maybe even helping to shape our destinies to some extent. Some of us have nicknames, and some famous people (including Beyoncé) are known by mononyms. Many of us just answer to whatever trendy, retro, or unique names our parents happened to choose for us BUT in this workshop, we are going to consider alternative names for ourselves—serious, silly, make believe or possibly outrageous, building on prompts, she will provide to kick start our creative brain cells. All are welcome, no prior writing experience is required.

Technology Training Class:

Canva Basics. Monday, May 12th / 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.

The Library offers FREE computer classes that cover digital literacy basics, Windows, Microsoft Office programs, digital imaging and cloud computing. Create designs and graphics for print or digital media with this free website. Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent experience. Preferred: Account with Canva.com (bring your password!).

Strongsville Historical Society Presents: The History of the Strongsville Police Department. Tuesday, May 13th / 7:00 p.m.

In partnership with the Strongsville Historical Society, the Library ise presenting this program on the history of the Strongsville Police Department. Strongsville Chief of Police, Thomas O’Deens, will present how, from its beginnings with a pair of elected frontier lawmen, the Strongsville Police department grew, adapted, matured and professionalized to successfully serve and protect the people of Strongsville. He will cover from its start as a frontier township to the modern city it is today.

iMovie Basics. Wednesday, May 14th / 7:00 p.m.

Learn the basics of iMovie, an Apple video editing software available in our Audio and Video Recording Studios. We'll review the software and answer questions you may have. We will also review Studio Orientation materials so all participants will be free to use the Recording Studio after the program.

Blood Drive. Friday, May 16th / 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

In just an hour of your time you can help save up to three lives. Make sure hospital patients get the treatment they need. Donate blood today. For more information or to make an appointment visit www.redcrossblood.org or call the American Red Cross at 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Monday, May 19th / 2:30 p.m.

The Monday Afternoon Book Discussion meets at 2:30 p.m. in the Library on the 4th Monday of each month. Our May discussion is one week earlier due to the Memorial Day Holiday. No registration is required. New members are always welcome. We welcome all adults interested in reading and discussing great books! Our next discussion title will be Shelterwood: a Novel by Lisa Wingate. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.

Intermediate Teen Sewing. Grades 6 - 12. Tuesday, May 20th / 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

Come in and make a fun project! This is listed as an intermediate class, and prior sewing experience is expected to participate. In order to participate in youth programs that could be considered harmful, Cuyahoga County Public Library requires parents to complete a Release & Hold Harmless Form. The Release & Hold Harmless Form must be completed and returned one week prior to the start of the program.

Family Puzzle Connection. All Ages. Tuesday, May 20th / 7:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Join us for a spirited night of puzzle piecing competition! Each family will work on assembling 300-piece puzzles in a given amount of time. Please register as a family.

Meet Author Mary Alice Monroe. Wednesday, May 21st / 7:00 p.m.
Join us when author Mary Alice Monroe visits to discuss her latest novel, Where the Rivers Merge. Books will be available for purchase courtesy of Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry. Mary Alice Monroe is a New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author of thirteen novels. Her books have received numerous awards, including the RT Lifetime Achievement Award, Florida Distinguished Author Award, SC Book Festival Award, and the International Fiction Award for Green Fiction. An active conservationist, she lives in the low country of South Carolina where she is working on her next novel.

Stuffed Animal Scavenger Hunt. All Ages. Saturday, May 21st / All Day.

Find all the hidden stuffed animals in the library. Small prizes available while supplies last.

Meet Author Aaron Nevel. Thursday, May 22nd / 7:00 p.m.
Join us when author Alan Nevel visits to discuss his book, Living MY Truth: Leading Beyond Contradictions, Compromise and Corporations. Books will be available for purchase.