Parent/Teacher Conferences are coming up on Tuesday, February 1st and Wednesday, February 9th from 4:45 - 7:45 p.m. Look for scheduling information to be coming home from your child's teacher in the weeks to come. We love to see our parents at Conference Night. It's a great way to connect to our school community and learn more about your child's academic and social-emotional progress.

Parents have the option to schedule these conferences as in person meetings, virtual meetings, or phone conferences.

For in person conferences, teachers will create a seating environment in which you are more than 6 feet apart to adhere to social distancing opportunities, but still have a welcoming environment to dialogue about your child(ren). When scheduling in person conferences with multiple teachers, please factor in travel time between conferences so that you can arrive on time.

If a building is under a mask mandate for the entire building, masks will be required to be worn by all teachers and parents during parent/teacher conferences. If there is not a mask mandate for the entire building, masks will continue to be recommended, but not required.

However, as I’m sure many of you can relate, some of our teachers have individual or family health needs that require a more cautious approach when interacting outside of work. As a courtesy to those teachers that would like to follow a more cautious approach, we ask that each parent attending conferences bring a mask with them to conference nights. We will have signs posted (click here) outside of a classroom where a teacher is requesting parents to wear a mask. If you see this sign on a teacher’s door, we are asking for your consideration in wearing a mask for that conference. Additionally, teachers will be required to have a mask available if they have elected to not wear a mask for parent/teacher conferences. If parents would like to take a similar approach as has been outlined above, parents can request a teacher to wear a mask.

1) Please check the Snack Safely website. Many foods that used to be allowable are NO LONGER allowed. The following snacks are no longer guaranteed to be produced and/or packaged in a nut free facility and therefore are no longer allowed: Oreos, Goldfish Crackers, and Rice Krispie Treats. The children really don't NEED a snack . . . sending in stickers or other non-edibles suffices, if necessary.

2) For children to exchange Valentine's, they must have a Valentine for every student in their classroom. This avoids hurt feelings. Please be sure to provide enough Valentines for every student in the room.

Thanks for your attention to these guidelines.

As the cooler temperatures arrive, here are the guidelines for outdoor recess. Students will go outside for recess when the temperature is 20°F or above and the wind-chill is 10°F or above. Children should always come to school prepared to go outside for recess. So, remember to get out your mittens, gloves, hats, scarves, and heavier coats.

Please also remind your children that they are NOT to pick up snow or ice at school, during recess, or at bus stops. Snowball fights are fun when at home with a few close friends or family, but at school, at the bus stop, during recess, etc., throwing snow often results in someone getting hurt. We appreciate your help in supporting us in our efforts to keep everyone safe by having this conversation with your children. Thanks so much.

***Please note the following January 2022 events being held on ZOOM virtually and presented by the Strongsville Branch Library. Registration and an email address are required for all events in order for us to send you the Zoom invitation. 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.

Cuyahoga Works – Need help with your resume or interview skills? A Cuyahoga Works Career Counselor will be at the Strongsville Branch on Thursdays from 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. to meet with individuals in need of job search assistance. For more information, visit https://cuyahogalibrary.org/Services/Cuyahoga-Works.aspx To schedule an appointment, please call (216) 475-2225.

English as a Second Language. IN PERSON Thursdays & Fridays from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
Aspire Greater Cleveland is once again teaching IN-PERSON classes to help non-native speakers learn English and validate their skills. Students must attend an ESOL/Citizenship orientation session before beginning ESOL or citizenship classes. If you are interested in attending these ESOL classes, please call Aspire at 833.277.4732 to register.

Computer Classes
Cuyahoga County Public Library offers computer classes for beginners to advanced. Classes are currently being held in-person as well as some VIRTUALLY using the program Screenleap which requires a web browser and an internet connection. There is no additional software to download. Google Chrome is the recommended browser. A valid email address is required for registration. Registrants will receive an email with a link to join the class at least an hour before the start time. 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://www.cuyahogalibrary.org/Events/Computer-Classes/2021-Virtual-and-In-Person-classes.aspx

A Kindness Blizzard
Start the New Year off with an act of kindness. Have your child take home a snowflake to decorate and carry out the good deed written on the back. Our Children’s Area Information Desk is decorated with special snowflakes with random acts of kindness printed on them. Have your child, ages 4 & up, take home a snowflake to decorate and carry out the act of kindness. Available at the Strongsville Branch while supplies last. “Kindness is like snow – It beautifies everything it covers.” – Kahlil Gibran (Lebanese-American writer, poet and visual artist.)

Studio Orientation. Virtual. Saturday, January 15th from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. or Monday, January 31st from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
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. These orientations will be held VIRTUALLY ONLY. 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 receive the Zoom link to participate.

Tween STEM: Oil Spill Science. Ages 9 – 12. Saturday, January 29th / 2:00 – 3:00 p.m.
Learn about what happens during an oil spill, how they are cleaned, and about the environmental impact. Tweens will get a hands-on experience in a mock oil spill activity. All supplies will be provided. Due to social distancing, spots are limited, and registration is required.

Friends of Strongsville Library Winter Bag of Books Sale! Monday, January 24th through Monday, February 7th. During Library Hours.
The ongoing book sale area is overflowing with items for sale. Help us clear the shelves with this special bag of books sale. Fill our bag from the Ongoing Sale for only $2.00!! Bags will be provided. Thank you for supporting the Friends of the Strongsville Branch Library!

VIRTUAL Storytimes
Zoom Virtual Toddler Storytime. Wednesday, February 2nd, 16th, and 23rd from 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and stories. You must register online to receive the Zoom link.

Zoom Virtual Preschool Age 3-5 Storytime. Tuesday, February 1st, 15th, and 22nd from 11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and stories. You must register online to receive the Zoom link.

Zoom Virtual Storytime Baby & Me. Wednesday, February 2nd, 16th, and 23rd from 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and stories. You must register online to receive the Zoom link.

Zoom Virtual Family Storytime. Thursday, February 3rd, 17th, and 24th from 7:00 – 7:30 p.m.
Join us for rhymes, songs, fingerplays, and stories. You must register online to receive the Zoom link.

Young at Heart Book Club. Tuesday, February 1st / 7:00 p.m. Register online.
A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for this month’s discussion is New Kid by Jerry Craft.

Teen First Chapter Book Club. Monday, February 7th / 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. VIRTUAL.
The Strongsville Teen librarian will read the first page of a few teen books of various genres. We will then discuss other books we have read and enjoyed. Registration and an e-mail address are required to receive the link to participate. A meeting link will be emailed to registered participants approximately one hour prior to the start of the program.

Studio Orientation. Saturday, February 12th from 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. or Monday, February 28th from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m. VIRTUAL.
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. These orientations will be held VIRTUALLY ONLY. 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 receive the Zoom link to participate.

Teen DIY Print Making. Saturday, February 12th / 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. IN PERSON.
Learn to make greeting cards for your friends with Styrofoam. All supplies will be provided. Wear clothes you don't mind getting paint on. Due to COVID-19, there is limited seating so registration is required. Participants may be recorded and/or surveyed to capture this program’s effectiveness. This program may include activities that could be considered harmful. In order for your child to participant you must sign the Release and Hold Harmless form and return to program location at least one week prior to the program start date. The form and more information can be found here. Learn more about parent options, please visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org/parent-options.

Valentine’s Day Storytime. Monday, February 14th / 7:00 – 7:30 p.m. VIRTUAL.
Join us virtually for stories about kindness and caring. Children can create a home heart craft to share with their own valentine! Ages 4 & up with a parent/caregiver to help with the craft.

Future Proof Your Photo Memories. Tuesday, February 15th / 7:00 p.m. VIRTUAL.
In this virtual presentation, certified photo organizer, Lisa Griffis, will present the seven steps of photo organizing and how to accomplish them so you can create your own visual legacy. Registration and an email address are required to receive the Zoom link to participate. A meeting link will be emailed to registered participants approximately one hour prior to the start of the program.

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, February 16th / 7:00 p.m. VIRTUAL.
Our Wednesday Evening Book Discussion has gone VIRTUAL and will be live on Zoom at 7 p.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 Memorial Drive : a daughter's memoir by Natasha Trethewey. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk of the Strongsville Branch Library. Register online to receive the Zoom link.

Blood Drive. Friday, February 18th / 10:15 a.m. – 3:15 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, February 28th / 2:30 p.m. IN PERSON.
The Monday Afternoon Book Discussion meets at 2:30 p.m. in the Library on the 4th Monday of each month. No registration required. New members always welcome. We welcome all adults interested in reading and discussing great books! Our next discussion title will be The Lost Man by Jane Harper. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.