Mustang Moments

Monday, March 11 - NO SCHOOL

Staff Professional Development Day

Thursday, March 14 - 7:00pm
Strongsville Board of Education Meeting*
SCS Administrative Offices (18199 Cook Ave.)
* SCS Board of Education Meetings are live streamed HERE

Thursday, March 21 - Saturday, March 23 (7pm Performances Each Night)
SHS Spring Musical - Chicago: Teen Edition
Strongsville High School Auditorium
Purchase Advance Tickets HERE
Tickets Also Available at the Door on Performance Nights ($10 - Adult General Admission / $7 - Students, Seniors, & SCS Employees)

Monday, March 25 & Tuesday, March 26 - 6:30pm
All-City Band Concerts
Strongsville High School Auditorium

On March 19, 2024 Strongsville City Schools will have a renewal levy on the ballot. Our District seeks the renewal of a 5.9 mill operating levy that was initially approved by voters in May 2019. This was the first time new operating money was authorized by the voters since November 2007.

The information on our website (click HERE) is intended to assist our community members in making an informed decision. Have a question about Issue 25? Click HERE to submit your question about the SCS Renewal Levy. Click HERE to watch a recent “Community Conversation” hosted by Dr. Cameron Ryba (SCS Superintendent), Mr. George Anagnostou (SCS Treasurer), and Mr. Richard Micko (SCS Board President) where they discussed the facts about Issue 25.

Music plays an important part in many of our students’ growth and development. Elementary music sets a strong foundation for music appreciation and sparks interest for some of our students to continue in many of our award-winning SMS and SHS instrumental and choral groups. Click HERE for this week’s ‘60 Seconds’ episode as we visit Kinsner Elementary and see our Kindergarten and first grade students enjoying music classes with Miss Lehuta.

Last weekend eleven SHS students participated in National History Day at Case Western and the Cleveland History Center. National History Day is a year-long competition where students pick a topic from anything in history revolving around a yearly theme. This year's theme was "Turning Points in History." Students work either by themselves or in small groups to create a thesis project culminating in a regional competition - they have been working since August researching and creating their projects by reading books and academic papers, watching documentaries, and spending hundreds of hours building their projects. Congratulations to the following students who represented Strongsville in this competition:

Kaleena Jezior & Ava Seuffert - “The Roma Genocide” (Awarded the Maltz Jewish Center Prize for Outstanding Research)

Will Jevec - “Punk Rock Music” (Honorable Mention in the Exhibit Category)*

Chaatwik Nettem - “The Space Race” (Honorable Mention in the Documentary Category)*

* Will and Chaatwik have advanced to the State Competition and will represent SHS in Columbus on April 20th

Additional outstanding SHS student participants included:

Om Patel, Hari Kumar, Ved Patel, & Aswath Madhan - “The Invention of the X-Ray” (Exhibit)

Noah Rider & Jackson Latham - “The History of Nintendo” (Website)

Shehan Mukherjee - “The Green Revolution” (Website)

Still have questions about Issue 25? Want to clarify the facts and hear from District leaders about SCS Finances and our District's continued investment in our students? We encourage our community to join us at a Community Conversation on Tuesday, March 12 at 6:00pm. The Community Conversation will take place at the SCS Administrative Offices (18199 Cook Ave.) and provide you the opportunity to have your questions answered about Issue 25 - the renewal levy for Strongsville City Schools. Click HERE to RSVP for this Community Conversation.

The SHS Spring Musical - Chicago: Teen Edition - comes to the SHS Auditorium stage on Thursday, March 21 - Saturday, March 23 (7pm performances each night). The production includes 44 student actors, 15 student crew members, and 17 student musicians! Tickets can be purchased in advance HERE or at the door on performance nights. ($10 - Adult General Admission / $7 - Students, Seniors, & SCS Employees)

Congratulations to the SHS Gymnastics team for their 5th place finish in last weekend’s State Meet. The team set a new school team record (143.50). SHS Junior Gianna Upchurch represented Strongsville High School in the individual competition and finished in the top twenty in the state in all three events she competed in - bars (15th), floor (18th), and all-around (19th).

This year's State of the Schools was held recently. Dr. Cameron Ryba (SCS Superintendent) shared a presentation that not only highlighted student and staff opportunities and growth throughout our District, but also provided facts and answered questions about the financial outlook of SCS. Click HERE for a recording of his presentation. Click HERE for the presentation slides.

Mrs. Sam Hovanic is in her first year working at Strongsville City Schools, and she has already made an immediate impact with our students. Mrs. Hovanic is not only a lunch and recess monitor at Kinsner Elementary, but she has also started a Sign Language Club at Kinsner. In addition to working part-time with SCS, Mrs. Hovanic is a therapist and certifies families for adoption and foster care. She has an undergraduate degree from Baldwin Wallace in Sociology and a Masters degree from Case Western Reserve in Social Science Administration.

“I love that I get to work with the kids during their favorite time of day - lunch and recess! I have so much fun talking with them about their activities outside of school, finding "dad jokes" to tell my 5th graders and giving all of the football boys a hard time about "Taylor's Boyfriend." Developing relationships with the kids is the highlight of my day and I love watching them grow and mature throughout the school year. It's also so fun to see them out in the community and meet their families.”

“I really enjoy working collaboratively with our staff to come up with out of the box ideas to engage the kids, especially those who are struggling. It's been a great year in terms of creating new opportunities for the students in the lunch room and with extracurricular activities. I am especially thankful that Kinsner has embraced the idea of the Sign Language Club and I love that we have been able to integrate ASL into our classrooms, activities and music programs.”

Thank you Mrs. Hovanic for providing our Kinsner students well-rounded experiences and contributing positively to their growth and development! #ModelMustang

Last week, Strongsville Middle School had 15 baseball student-athletes commit to coming to Strongsville High School! The signing day event was highlighted with presentations from the SHS coaching staff and athletic administrators, students receiving team gear, and the 8th graders committing to being champions with their efforts, on the field, in the classroom, and in the Strongsville community.

https://bam.finnlyconnect.com/registration/activityitem/3263

ATTN 7th GRADE PARENTS: There will be a mandatory Parent Meeting for all parents who have students interested in registering for the 8th grade trip to Washington DC next fall. We will be reviewing trip details, answering questions, and sharing registration information. This year’s 8th grade Washington DC trip date is scheduled for November 2-4, 2024.

8th Grade Washington DC Trip
*Mandatory Parent Meeting*

When: Tuesday, March 12th @ 7pm

Location: SMS auditorium

Please direct all questions to: DC2024Trip@gmail.com

Boys in grades 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and interested in improving your golf skills - don’t miss this year’s Strongsville Golf Camp, designed to develop the proper techniques in the golf swing as well as develop the skills for the short game and putting. The camp will be held on Wednesdays and Sundays in April and May at Columbia Hills Country Club (16200 E. River Rd. / Columbia Station). Learn from the SHS Varsity and JV Coaches, as well as the SHS varsity golf players. Click HERE for the registration form and additional information.

8th grade students at SMS will have the opportunity to spend a day at Cedar Point at the end of May. This trip offers a fantastic opportunity for students to bond, create lasting memories, and celebrate the culmination of their middle school journey. To help offset some of the costs associated with the trip we have teamed up with Crumbl Cookies in Strongsville for a sweet "March Madness" fundraiser. Every Wednesday in March Crumbl will donate 15% of orders when this flyer is shown or ‘Strongsville Middle School’ is mentioned when you pick up your order on Wednesdays. Enjoy a treat and help out the SMS 8th graders!

Make plans to order from the Strongsville Chipotle (15029 Pearl Rd.) on Wednesday, March 13 from 5pm - 9pm to support the SHS Spring Musical (Chicago: Teen Edition) and the SHS Theatre Program. 33% of sales will help raise money to keep the department thriving and ensure SHS is able to produce a spring musical every year. Money will go back into the budget for purchasing rights to produce, paint/lumber/hardware for set pieces, specialty props, set decor/furniture, makeup, rental of sound equipment, lighting equipment, music, etc. [Note: this year’s musical will feature the biggest set SHS has had in a long time!] Remember to mention the SHS Spring Musical fundraiser at the register or for online orders, use code ZDFGHQR before checkout in the 'promo' field.

"Here Comes The Bus" is an app for SCS families to track busing information and routes for their student(s), as well as real-time notifications.

The app and complementary website (www.herecomesthebus.com) - available on a smartphone, tablet, or laptop, or personal computer - enables parents to see the location of their child’s school bus on its daily route.

Download the "Here Comes the Bus" app to monitor daily transportation information. Families that utilized the app last year will need to delete last year’s student information and add their current year information in order to receive the latest routing details and updates. Click HERE for additional information and instructions on utilizing the app for your student's bus routes.

Our District partners with the nationally recognized school enrichment provider, Right At School, to provide before- and after-school care for elementary students. Right at School offers before- and after-school care every weekday (Monday-Friday) at each of the elementary school buildings in our District. For additional program information and/or to enroll your student, please click HERE.

Strongsville City Schools encourages students, teachers, staff, parents, and other members of our community to report any instances of potential violence, bullying, self-harm or any other issue where students may be at risk. Click HERE for additional Stay Safe. Speak Up! Information on the District’s website. Reporting incidents can be made anonymously online or through a toll free number (​1-866-listen2me / 1-866-547-8362).

Wed. March 20th Community Forum - Teen Mental Wellness / Presented by Strongsville Women’s League
On Wednesday, March 20th the Strongsville Women's League presents "Protect Our Children: Teen Mental Wellness" at 7:000pm at Strongsville Middle School (13200 Pearl Road). Our speaker will be Gina Marek, founder and president of the non-profit MY FAV FIVE App. The MY FAVE FIVE App helps individuals aged 13 and older identify, connect, and build relationships with trusted people in their lives while developing healthy coping skills. Gina founded her non-profit to honor her son Jacob who died by suicide at the age of 15 in 2016. With the help of supportive friends, the idea of the MY FAVE FIVE App evolved as a way for Gina to channel her grief and work to fulfill her son’s purpose of helping others. The initial idea for the MY FAVE FIVE App was to help teens create their own networks of support. However, after seeing the isolation and depression caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gina enhanced the App in early 2022 to be able to offer the App to everyone. This event is free and open to everyone, those in Strongsville as well as members of the surrounding communities. The subject matter is most appropriate for individuals aged 13 and older.

Baldwin Wallace STEM Adventures

Baldwin Wallace University’s Division of STEM Initiatives is hosting a variety of STEM programs and events this Spring for students in grades K-12 and families. Click HERE for the list of programs being offered on BW’s campus or visit bw.edu/DCLSTEM.

Let’s Build Blocks! Competition

Join the Strongsville Special Olympics family! Strongsville Special Olympics has a number of sports opportunities for ages 8 and up. Participants can gain new sports skills, attend annual dances and picnics, and make lifelong friends! Email strongsvillespecialolympics@gmail.com for additional information or click HERE.

Youth Lacrosse - Spring Registration

Come be a part of America’s fastest growing sport! Strongsville Youth Lacrosse has been growing since 2008 and registration for the 2024 season is now open for boys and girls in 2nd-8th grades. Indoor practices begin in mid-February and the outdoor season runs from late March through May. All experience levels welcome. All information is included on the registration site - click HERE.

Treehouse Berea Programming

Treehouse Berea is offering many activities and opportunities for students. From Battle Bots to Coding to Minecraft Engineers - there's something for kids ages 6-13. Visit treehouseberea.com to learn more or click HERE for the flyer about the available activities.

Strongsville Chamber of Commerce

Please note the following upcoming events hosted by the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce. Registration is required for all events. Please call 440.238.3366 for more information or to register. Those interested in the following events may also visit the Chamber website (www.strongsvillechamber.com) to register and see additional event info.

UPCOMING EVENTS

March Business Luncheon State of the City Address, Presented by Mayor Thomas P. Perciak Ehrnfelt Rec & Senior Center, 18100 Royalton Road
Tuesday, March 12, 2024 11:15am - 1:00pm
Registration is Open, please visit www.strongsvillechamber.com

April Business Luncheon* Hosted by Polaris Career Center
“The Future of Career-Technical Education”, presented by Doug Miller, Director of Community Outreach
Polaris Career Center – Savour Restaurant, 7285 Old Oak Blvd., Middleburg Heights
Tuesday, April 16, 2024 11:30am - 1:00pm
*Limited Seating; please register early
Registration Opens March 13, 2024

MARK YOUR CALENDAR

2023 Strongsville Homecoming Festival
July 24 - July 27, 2024

Sponsorship opportunities available. Please call the Chamber office at 440.238.3366

Strongsville Library

Please note the following March 2024 events presented by the Strongsville Branch Library. Please call (440) 238-5530 to register or for more information. Customers may also visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org to register and to see more library event information.

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://www.pressreader.com/document/4050

Seed Library Returns! In order to spread knowledge of local food systems, cultivate skills required for sustainable food production, and to help make seeds more accessible to those in the community, the Strongsville Branch Library has once again partnered with the Cleveland Seed Bank to offer a selection of different varieties of organic, open-pollinated, non-GMO vegetable, herb, & edible flower seeds. Please stop by to pick-up your free seeds beginning on the first day of Spring, March 19th. Supplies are limited. Please call (440) 238-5530 for more information or visit https://www.hummingbirdproject.org/seed-libraries to see all participating locations in Greater Cleveland. Please also save the date for a Master Gardeners presentation on April 18th and our Spring Plant Swap on April 25.

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.

IN-PERSON Storytimes. Strongsville Branch Library storytimes are back in session! Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and stories. No registration needed.

Preschool. Ages 3 – 5 not yet in kindergarten with caregiver / Mondays at 11:30 a.m. – Noon or Tuesdays at 10:00 – 10:30 a.m. or Tuesdays at 11:30 a.m. – Noon.
Toddler. Ages 19 – 35 months with caregiver / Wednesdays at 10:00 – 10:25 a.m. or 11:30 – 11:55 a.m.
Baby & Me. Birth – 18 months with caregiver / Mondays at 10:00 – 10:20 a.m. or Thursdays at 10:00 – 10:20 a.m.

Family. All ages with caregiver / Thursdays at 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Saturday Crafter-Noon! Ages 3+ with Caregiver. Saturday, March 9th / 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. If you’re not sure what to do on the first Saturday afternoon of the month, look no further! Create a one-of-a-kind craft in our storytime room. While Supplies Last!

Total Solar Eclipse Talk. Tuesday, March 12th / 7:00 p.m. Mark your calendars for April 8, 2024, when nature’s greatest spectacle puts on a show for Northeast Ohio. Join us as local guest lecturer, Carl Quatraro, will share this informative presentation on the upcoming eclipse. Learn about total solar eclipses, what you will see and the best places to view the eclipse, eye protection you will need and tips on photographing the eclipse.

Southwest General Health Talk: Sepsis. Wednesday, March 13th / 10:00 a.m. Join Jenny Arman, DO, an Emergency Medicine Physician on the Medical Staff at Southwest General, as she discusses sepsis. Learn what sepsis is, how you get it, what the signs and symptoms are, and who is at risk.

CreativiTeen. Teens in Grades 6 – 12. Wednesday, March 13th / 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. Drop-in to the TEEN AREA any time between 3:30 and 5:00 for a craft, technology demo, or other activity! No registration required. While supplies last.

Blood Drive. Friday, March 15th / 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).

Kindergarten Countdown: Community. For children entering Kindergarten this Fall & their Caregivers. Friday, March 15th / 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 community.

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Saturday, March 16th / 10:00 a.m. VIRTUAL or on Monday, March 18th / 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.

STV Historical Society Presents: Home Rehab 101. Tuesday, March 19th / 7:00 p.m. Those that own older homes, this presentation is for you! We will go over the tips and tricks that we have found over the years of helping homeowners through their rehab and renovation projects. From planning what to start with to checking if a final inspection has been completed - we are going to cover it all! This program is brought in partnership with the Strongsville Historical Society. A brief historical society business meeting will be held prior to the presentation.

Adobe Photoshop: Photo Retouching. Friday, March 8th / 10:00 a.m. – Noon. Expand your knowledge of Photoshop and explore tools for retouching and correcting photos. Topics include using selection tools, patch tools, adjustment layers and layer masks. Prerequisite: Photoshop Basics or experience using Photoshop.

Cuyahoga County Public Library offers computer classes for beginners to advanced. Registration opens 30 days before the start of the class and closes prior to the start of the class. To see a full class list, descriptions, and to register, please visit https://cuyahogalibrary.org/classes-events/computer-classes

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, March 20th 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 Good Left Undone by Adriana Trigiani. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk of the Strongsville Branch Library.

Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Monday, March 25th / 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 Hello Beautiful: A Novel by Ann Napolitano. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.

Digital Navigators. Tuesday, March 26th / 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Wednesday, March 27th / 9:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., and Friday, March 29th / 10:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. Call us at 216.749.9420 to make an appointment with one of our Digital Navigators at a CCPL branch. Our 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.

Teen Craft Night: Pipe Cleaner Bouquets. For Teens in Grades 6 - 12. Tuesday, March 26th / 6:30 - 8:00 p.m. Learn how to cut and bend pipe cleaners to make flowers and turn them into a miniature bouquet!

School Age Craft: Pipe Cleaner Bouquets. Ages 9 – 11. Thursday, March 28th / 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. Use pipe cleaners to create a simple or elaborate bouquet to show off or give to a loved one. Registration is required and begins March 11th.

Egg-Stravaganza. Ages 4 – 6. Friday, March 29th / 10:30 – 11:15 a.m. We will have an egg-cellent time dying and decorating hard-boiled eggs provided by the library. The egg-citing news is that you get to take them home with you. Ages 4 - 6. Registration is required and begins March 11th.

Strongsville High School * Muraski Elementary *

Strongsville Middle School * Surrarrer Elementary *

Chapman Elementary * Whitney Elementary *

Kinsner Elementary * Early Learning Preschool

Website: www.strongnet.org
Location: Strongsville City Schools, 18199 Cook Avenue, Strongsville, OH, United States
Phone: (440) 572-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/strongsvillecs
Instagram: @strongsvillecs

Twitter / X: @strongsvillecs