Whitney Family Newsletter

• March 3-7 - Say Something Week
• March 6 - Art Show. Book Fair, Cultural Festival
• March 11 - Whitney Skate Night
• March 12- Internet Safety Meeting for Parents @ Muraski Elementary TBD
• March 13 - PTA Meeting
• March 14- No School for Students (Staff PD)
• March 19 - Science Night
• March 26 - Spring Picture Day
• March 29 - April 6 - Spring Break

Mrs. Rosie Vukovic has worked in our District for 10 years. Mrs. Vukovic has been in education for 23 years, teaching English Language Learners (ELL). She is currently an EL teacher at Whitney, and has also worked at Drake and Surrarrer in the same role. Mrs. Vukovic earned her undergraduate degree from John Carroll University and her graduate degree from Cleveland State University. In addition to her in-classroom support of students, Mrs. Vukovic also is an advisor to Whitney’s Student Council. “Through my work with this student group, I have the unique opportunity to foster leadership skills among students while simultaneously strengthening our connection to the community. Together, we work towards creating a positive impact. This year we worked with Strongsville Fire to collect coats for needy families in West Virginia. We also foster relationships with our local community - our Student Council created and delivered Valentine’s Day cards for the residents at Kemper House. We celebrate the vibrant diversity that defines our Strongsville community.”

“I feel very lucky to be working with our English Language Learner (ELL) population. Growing up in a Croatian-speaking household, I have a unique understanding of the challenges that ELL students face. My early experiences navigating a bilingual environment have equipped me with the empathy and insight necessary to connect with my students on a deeper level. My passion for working with English language learners stems from the rich cultural interactions I have when learning about their country, language and customs. I love seeing the smiles on their faces when they see their country’s flag hanging in our halls. Being creative is required in teaching, especially when teaching elementary students! Keeping our ELL students engaged when they do not speak or understand the language definitely keeps me on my toes! I appreciate that the ELL program allows me to build relationships with my students over multiple years where I get to see them grow into fluent English speakers. I feel I am helping make an impact on their lives. It’s a rewarding journey that inspires both my students and me.”

“Whitney is a great place to work! I get to work closely with the classroom teachers to make sure the needs of my ELL students are being met. Having ELL students in all the grades allows me the opportunity to learn what is expected of them at every grade level. Whitney is truly a diverse, welcoming school, that I am proud to call my family. I am grateful to be part of such a vibrant and supportive community where we collaborate together to inspire and empower our students.”

Thank you Mrs. Vukovic for your passion, care, and continued efforts in the growth and development of Whitney students! #ModelMustang

Monday: Wear Blue for Bullying Prevention Awareness

Tuesday: Wear Sunglasses/Glasses (See Something-Don’t Look Away)

Wednesday: Wear Clothing with Words on It-Speak Up for Those Who Can’t (Say Something)

Thursday: Wear Strongsville Shirts for “We Stand United Against Bullying”

Friday: Wear Red-(Stop Something and be an “Upstander”)

Don't miss the "Model Mustang Experience" on Wednesday, March 26 from 6pm-8pm at Strongsville High School. This FREE community event will highlight our ‘State of the Schools’ and show how education is evolving to prepare today’s learners to be tomorrow’s leaders and thrive in their future. Participate in hands-on activities with our SCS students, teachers, and staff, as they share their learning and work, showcasing the extraordinary ways our District is building "Model Mustangs!" Let's celebrate together the great work happening in our schools on Wednesday, March 26!

THIS FORM MUST BE FILLED OUT BY A PARENT/GUARDIAN. The deadline for your students to complete their requests for 6th grade classes is March 7th.

Please refer to the SMS Program of Studies, 2025-26 for a list of course descriptions and requirements. The 2025-26 Program of Studies is still in the approval process, but this does not affect incoming 6th graders. All incoming 6th graders should use the attached program of studies.

All efforts will be made to accommodate students’ course selections. However, students are not guaranteed their top choices.

Any questions can be directed toward the 6th grade school counselor, Mrs. Pietrocini, at spietrocini@scsmustangs.org. Thank you!

As part of the District's Strategic Plan, SCS Treasurer George Anagnostou has been releasing monthly Financial Fast Facts.

Congratulations to Michele Molls who was selected as the 2024-2025 Founders' Day Award Winner. Thank you to all of our PTA members who came out to show their support.

Hi Parents - We hope you will join us this year for the Spring Bookfair at Whitney Elementary. We have listed the class schedule under each time slot just in case you would like to volunteer when your child will be attending the bookfair.

Please review the available slots below and click on the button to sign up. We need all volunteers scheduled by Thursday February 27th.

Thank you so much!

Dear Parents and Guardians:

As we prepare to celebrate our 5th graders and their achievements, we need your help to make this event special!

1. Get Involved with the Planning Committee

We are forming a planning committee and would love for you to join us in organizing this important milestone. We will be holding a meeting to discuss details, assign tasks, and gather ideas. Please join us on Wednesday, February 26th at 6pm via zoom to be part of the planning.

https://mmc.zoom.us/j/99928189078?pwd=Hq9eRCAZHupBF9V8FNETjFNrwP1Y1x.1

You can also sign up to help with 5th Grade End of Year festivities using the following link à https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050E4CA9A828A5F58-54978134-2024

2. Photos!

Start gathering baby, kindergarten, and group pictures! More details will be forthcoming on how to submit for the end of year memory book and slideshow.

3. FREE!!!! Class T-shirts!

PTA will be purchasing t-shirts for all 5th graders. Please complete and submit the google form listed by Wednesday, March 5th à https://forms.gle/62axyYxRJutZHwwh6

Your support is greatly appreciated, and we look forward to making this a wonderful event for our 5th graders! Please let us know if you have any questions.

Best regards,

Meredith De Guire

Michele Molls

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.

• 3rd Grade

• ELA 4/22-4/23

• Math 5/5 & 5/6

• 4th Grade

• ELA 4/14-4/15

• Math 4/28-4/29

• 5th Grade

• ELA 4/16-4/17

• Math 4/30-5/1

• Science 5/5-5/6

Governor Mike DeWine signed Senate Bill 288, "Erin's Law," in January 2023, requiring school districts to implement curriculum for child sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention from grades K-12 starting in the 2023-2024 school year. The law mandates developmentally appropriate instruction for students in grades K-6.

Starting in late April to May, our elementary school counselors will teach two lessons in your child’s classroom using the Child Protection Unit within our Second Step curriculum. This was selected for its age-appropriate content and approval by the Department of Education and Workforce. These lessons aim to increase awareness of warning signs in relationships and to prevent abuse. Our school counselors will present the curriculum in a safe and age-appropriate manner during their regularly scheduled classroom counseling lessons.

Concepts in Grades K-3 include understanding stranger danger, creating boundaries, knowing who trusted adults are, and knowing that safe touches help you feel cared for and unsafe touches hurt your body/feelings. Concepts in Grades 4-5 include being responsible for your own safety, discussing ways to stay safe, creating boundaries, and understanding your body belongs to you.

Parents/guardians can opt-out their child from the child protection curriculum by signing a permission form and returning it to their child's teacher. If the form is not returned, your child will participate in the counselor's lessons.

Please return the K-3 opt-out permission form and/or the 4-5 opt-out permission form to your child’s teacher prior to March 24th.

Having literacy experiences at home can develop a child’s reading ability, comprehension, and language skills. As a bonus, your child’s interest and motivation in reading will grow! Here’s some activities to incorporate at home:

1. Read nursery rhymes and books aloud together.

2. Sing, draw, and tell stories - encourage your child to add in details!

3. Play audiobooks to increase the language and vocabulary your child hears. Car rides are a great opportunity to play some!

4. Label objects around your house to build language, reading, and writing. Your child can create the labels with sticky notes or index cards.

5. Play word games. There are so many great ones - Scrabble, Boggle, crosswords, Scattergories… whether it’s a spelling or vocabulary game, it gets children talking about words!

Happy Reading!

Heather Stayanchi

K-5 Literacy Coach

Ready..Set..Play!Whitney Elementary PTA is excited to launch our Dave & Buster’s Fundraising Campaign! Get a $20 Power Card and 50% of your purchase will be donated back to Whitney Elementary PTA! Whether it’s a family day or a fun date night, you can play games, win prizes, and have endless fun while supporting a great cause!

How it works:
Purchase online via our campaign page: grouprai.se/davebusters54193s
Redeem your Power Card at your nearest Dave & Buster’s (any location in the US!)
Play and enjoy! (Never expires!)

We would like to hear about how you feel about your student's school experience. We will use your answers to find ways we can improve our school. You do not have to answer all of the questions. The survey is anonymous - nobody will know that your answers came from you. Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback with us. Please complete this survey by February 20th.

Students in grades 3-5 will be taking the Student Climate Survey the week of February 10-14, 2025. If you do not want your student to participate, please complete the opt out form linked below by February 7, 2025. Please contact Mrs. Hawk with questions.

Join Strongsville High School Golf Team coaches and varsity golf players at the Girls Youth Strongsville Golf Camp! The camp is open to girls in 4th - 8th grades and focuses on developing the proper techniques in the golf swing, as well as improving skills for the short game and putting. The camp fee is $125 and will be held once a week in April and May from 6pm - 7pm at Valleaire Golf Club (6969 Boston Rd. / Hinckley). The Girls Youth Strongsville Golf Camp is open to golfers at any skill level. Click HERE for additional information and click HERE to register.

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

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:
IN-PERSON Storytimes.
Storytimes are for Birth to Age 5 not yet in Kindergarten. No registration needed!
Baby & Me (Birth to 18 months with a Caregiver) - Mondays / 10:00 - 10:20 a.m. OR Thursdays / 10:00 - 10:20 a.m.
Preschool (Ages 3 - 5 not yet in Kindergarten with a Caregiver) - Mondays / 11:30 a.m. - Noon OR Tuesdays / 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. OR 11:30 a.m. - Noon

Toddler (Ages 19 - 35 months with a Caregiver) - Wednesdays / 10:00 - 10:25 a.m. OR 11:30 - 11:55 a.m.
Family - Thursdays / 7:00 p.m.

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Saturday, March 1st or March 29th / 10:00 a.m. VIRTUAL or Monday, March 10th / 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, March 3rd / 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, March 4th / 7:00 p.m.

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is The Color of a Lie by Kim Johnson. No registration. Everyone Welcome!

Meet the Author Susanna Kearsley. Tuesday, March 4th / 7:00 p.m.
Join us when author Susanna Kearsley visits to discuss her latest historical novel, The King's Messenger. New York Times, and USA Today and Globe and Mail bestselling author Susanna Kearsley is a former museum curator who loves restoring the lost voices of real people to the page, often in twin-stranded stories that interweave present and past. Her award-winning novels are published in translation in more than 25 countries. She lives near Toronto. Registration for this event is FREE. VIP tickets are also available for purchase. Each VIP ticket ($30) includes: A copy of The King's Messenger; VIP seating at the event; Signing line priority; A donation to the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation. Additional books will be available for purchase courtesy of Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry. For questions about accessibility or to request accommodations for individuals with hearing, visual or mobility impairments, please email events@cuyahogalibrary.org. To purchase VIP tickets go to: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/susanna-kearsley-vip-ticket-tickets-1056633111079? aff=oddtdtcreator

Technology Training Class:

Illustrator Basics. Wednesday, March 5th / 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.

The Library offers FREE computer classes that cover digital literacy basics, Windows, Microsoft Office programs, digital imaging and cloud computing. Design a logo using the various shape, drawing and text tools available in Adobe Illustrator.

Planning a Universal Orlando/Epic Universe Vacation. Wednesday, March 5th / 7:00 p.m.
Universal Orlando Resort, known for its parks - Universal Studios, Islands of Adventure and Volcano Bay water park, will be adding a 4th park in 2025, Epic Universe. This new park will bring to life popular franchises in 5 distinct worlds: Super Nintendo World, Dark Universe, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter Ministry of Magic, How to Train Your Dragon Island of Berk and Celestial Park. Travel advisor, Karli Keene, will discuss vacation planning for Universal including hotels, ticket types, packages, parks, itinerary planning and more. Karli is an affiliate of ET Family Travel Agency, an award-winning, Universal Orlando Resort U-Preferred Platinum travel agency.

Kindergarten Countdown: Making Choices. For those entering Kindergarten in the Fall with a Caregiver. Friday, March 7th / 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 making choices.

Toddler Sensory Art Play. Ages 1 - 3 with a Caregiver. Friday, March 14th / 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Engage your little one’s senses, develop skills, and build brain connections though open-ended art using a variety of tactile materials.

School Age Chess Workshop. Ages 8 - 10. Saturday, March 15th / 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Join National Chess Expert, Damon Rucker to learn about the ins and outs of chess, chess strategy, and tactics! This class will teach students to love and excel at the game of chess. This program involves teaching kids the rules, strategies, and tactics of the game through structured, interactive lessons and practice sessions. Additionally, the social interaction and camaraderie during games contribute to the overall growth and cognitive development of children. Time allowing, the program will also include a tournament to foster healthy competition and critical thinking skills.

The Florist of Millionaire's Row. Monday, March 17th / 7:00 p.m.
Explore the rich history of gardening through the life of Ella Grant Wilson, the celebrated Florist of Millionaires Row. Known for her exceptional work with Cleveland’s elite, Ella was instrumental in shaping horticultural practices of her time. This engaging talk blends her gardening expertise with her legacy as a pro-women advocate. Presented by the Western Reserve Historical Society.

Digital Navigator Appointments. Tuesday, March 18th / 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. OR Wednesday, March 19th / 2:30 - 5:30 p.m. OR Friday, March 21st / 10:30 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Call us at 216.749.9420 to make an appointment with one of our Digital Navigators at a CCPL branch.
Cuyahoga County Public Library’s Digital Navigators service offers one-on-one assistance to help you –
or someone you know – connect to the internet, get a device, set up a telehealth appointment and more.

Teen Sewing Basics. Grades 6 - 12. Tuesday, March 18th / 6:30 -8:00 p.m.
Learn the basic parts and functions of a machine, practice basic stitches, and make a fun project! All materials and equipment are provided. No prior experience necessary. 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.

Blow off some S.T.E.A.M. After School. Grades 1 - 4. Wednesday, March 19th / 4:30 – 5:30 p.m.

Ignite your curiosity and creativity through this exploration of all things STEAM. Discover the elements of Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math through hands on activities and exploration. Boost your problem solving and teamwork skills in this program.

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, March 19th / 7:00 p.m.

Our Wednesday Evening Book Discussion meets at 7p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. We welcome all adults interested in reading and discussing great books! Our next discussion title will be The Briar Club by Kate Quinn. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk of the Strongsville Branch Library.

School Age Craft: Yarn Art. Ages 9 - 11. Thursday, March 20th / 5:30 -7:00 p.m.

Try something new! Relax after school and get tangled up in this art project.

From Author's Mind to Library Shelves. Thursday, March 20th / 7:00 p.m.

Join bestselling author, Julie Anne Hatcher, to get an insider's look at the book industry! She will pull back the industry curtain for a peek into the processes at work behind the scenes! From story concept to publication, you'll get an insider's look at the industry we love. Julie Hatcher is an award-winning and bestselling author of mystery and romantic suspense. She has published more than fifty novels under multiple pen names since her debut in 2013.Writing as Julie Anne Lindsey, Hatcher has earned many accolades for her work. Book sales and signing to follow.

Blood Drive. Friday, March 21st / 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, March 24th / 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. 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 The Cliffs by J. Courtney Sullivan. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.

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