Mustang Moments
Strongsville City Schools News (2016-17 Vol I, Iss 21)
Strong Schools. Strong Community. Strongsville.
In This Issue - January 27, 2017
Important Dates to Remember
60 Seconds with the Superintendent
SHS Mock Trial Team Advances to Regional Competition
Mustang Spotlight - Muraski Elementary Music Teacher Deb Zudell
Women’s Empowerment Concert at SHS
Author Kathryn Otoshi Visits Strongsville
Community Spaghetti Dinner - Friday, February 3
SHS Symphony Orchestra to perform at the 2017 OMEA Conference
Strongsville Chamber of Commerce Scholarship Opportunity for SHS Seniors
SHS Alumni Questionnaire
- Community Events
Important Dates to Remember
Saturday, January 28 - 7pm (SHS Auditorium)
Women’s Empowerment Concert featuring Strongsville High School Choirs & Baldwin Wallace Women’s Choir
Thursday, February 2 - 7pm
Board of Education Work Session (Administrative Offices - 18199 Cook Ave.)
Friday, February 3 - 5-7pm
Community Spaghetti Dinner
Strongsville High School
Friday, February 10 - 6:30pm-9pm
Rockin’ At The Rec Dance (6th - 8th Grade)
Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
Theme: Wear Red!
Thursday, February 16 - 7pm
Board of Education Meeting (NOTE LOCATION: SHS Media Center - 20025 Lunn Rd.)
60 SECONDS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT
This week, Chapman Elementary held “Right to Read” events. From reading with a buddy, to creating a mural, to guest readers, to assemblies featuring a nationally-known author, our students celebrated the gift of reading. Click HERE to see all of the wonderful reading events held at Chapman Elementary.
SHS MOCK TRIAL TEAM ADVANCES TO REGIONAL COMPETITION
Nearly forty teams from across Cuyahoga County competed last week in the OCLRE Ohio Mock Trial Competition. Two teams from SHS, Team Orion and Team Scorpio, traveled to the Justice Center in Cleveland to compete. Both teams won and now advance to regional competition on February 10th. This is no small achievement since the Cleveland area district is one of the largest and most competitive in Ohio. At the regional competition our teams hope to qualify for the State Mock Trial competition in Columbus in March.
Team Orion
Madeline Meyers
Cassidy Brengartner
Jimmy Keating
Julianna Mathiellis
Ryan Keating
Samir Sajjad
Lexie Bischof
Christian Williams
Steven Carlton
Awards Earned by Team Orion
Best Witness, Samir Sajjad
Best Witness, Lexie Bischof
Best Attorney, Julianna Mathiellis
Team Scorpio
Suraj Srinivasan
Satya Nagayam
Shyam Polocanda
Daniel Morris
Raghav Shah
Awards Earned by Team Scorpio
Best Witness, Daniel Morris
Best Witness, Raghav Shah
Best Witness, Shyam Polaconda
Best Attorney, Suraj Srinivasan
Best Attorney, Daniel Morris
Strongsville High School
Mock Trial Team
MUSTANG SPOTLIGHT - MURASKI MUSIC TEACHER MRS. DEB ZUDELL
Mrs. Deb Zudell is Muraski Elementary’s music teacher. Mrs. Zudell has taught in our District for 9 years. She has a background with the Cleveland Orchestra and has always been an active church musician. In fact, Mrs. Zudell’s undergraduate degree is a Bachelor of Science in Church Music (Organ Performance) from Valparaiso University. She earned her teaching certification from Cleveland State University and is working on her Master’s Degree from Capital University.
Mrs. Zudell loves working with Strongsville students. “They are eager to learn, and with their positive attitudes, they can accomplish so much!” She adds about her colleagues at Muraski, “Teaching at Muraski is one of the best experiences a teacher can have. Our administration and staff are wonderful people! The collaboration between the Encore teachers, Mrs. Alexander for Physical Education, Mrs. Harbart for Art and myself, has really grown this year. We have been able to do some special things, like folk dancing in the gym, and having students participate musically and provide art for the Veterans Day Program.”
Thank you Mrs. Zudell for putting a song in the hearts of all Muraski students!
WOMEN'S EMPOWERMENT CONCERT AT SHS - SATURDAY, 1/28 AT 7PM
Join the women of Strongsville High School choirs as they present the first Women’s Empowerment Concert at SHS tomorrow (Saturday, 1/28) at 7pm. It is a night of celebration and inspiration for women, including notable speakers sharing their stories of encouragement. Women’s Chorale, Mustang Express, and All or Nothing will be performing, along with the Baldwin Wallace Women’s Choir.
Strongsville High School
Women's Chorale
AUTHOR KATHRYN OTOSHI VISITS STRONGSVILLE
Chapman, Kinsner, and Whitney Elementary welcomed nationally-known author Kathryn Otoshi to their schools this week for assemblies about self-esteem, standing up to bullying, and conflict resolution. Ms. Otoshi’s books include Zero, One, and Beautiful Hands. Mrs. Sigan, art teacher at Chapman Elementary, was inspired by one of Ms. Otoshi’s books to create a mural at the school incorporating all of the student’s hand prints.
COMMUNITY SPAGHETTI DINNER - FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 3
Mark your calendar for Friday, February 3rd and join us for a Community Spaghetti Dinner at Strongsville High School from 5-7pm. Enjoy a great dinner and stay for the Mustangs Boys Basketball Game against Elyria. Tickets are just $7 for adults and $5 for kids ages 6 to 12 (Kids 5 & under eat free!). Proceeds benefit the ‘Continue the Excellence’ campaign. Click HERE for the event flyer and to order advance tickets.
SHS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM AT THE 2017 OMEA CONFERENCE
Strongsville High School Symphony Orchestra has been preparing for a special performance. The orchestra was recently selected to perform at the 2017 Ohio Music Education Association (OMEA) Professional Development Conference at the Cleveland Convention Center in February. Thousands of music educators from K-12 to the college level attend this conference, making it one of the largest in the country. SHS was selected from the more than 150 ensembles who applied for this year's conference. Our students perform on Saturday, February 4 at 9:15am at the Cleveland Convention Center. Best of luck to SHS Symphony Orchestra - and congratulations on this honor!
STRONGSVILLE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY FOR SHS SENIORS
The Strongsville Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications from high school seniors who live in Strongsville for their annual scholarship awards. Applications will be accepted through March 1, 2017. Please click HERE for additional information.
SHS ALUMNI QUESTIONNAIRE
Are you an SHS graduate? Do you know an SHS graduate? We are working on building our alumni database in order to reconnect with those who have graduated from SHS, share with them the good stories of student achievement and other positive news about the District, as well as encourage them to return for alumni-specific events which will be planned in the future. Please share this LINK with any SHS alumni! #foreveramustang
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Kiwanis Club of Strongsville “Read Around the World” Event
Join the Kiwanis Club of Strongsville on Saturday, February 25 from 10:00am - 12:30pm at the Strongsville Library for their “Read Around the World” event. The program and its activities are intended for preschool and K – 3rd graders. This is a FREE event for children and their accompanying adult (parent, grandparent, etc.).
Activities include:
Children will be free to “browse” and “check out” our huge inventory of children’s books.
Students from St. Joseph & John's Elementary, Strongsville Middle School, and Strongsville High School will be available to read to your child from a book the child selects from our inventory of children's books.
Mr. Protiva, librarian in the children’s section, will be reading children’s stories.
St. Joseph & John’s students will be performing short skits based on children’s stories.
Strongsville Middle School students will be “face painting” throughout the morning.
Appearances of several characters from children’s literature in costumes.
Each child will have the opportunity to pick out his/her favorite new book to TAKE HOME!!!
Mustangs Rugby
Rookie Rugby Cleveland is a flag and tackle rugby league for boys and girls in grades 3-8. Mustangs Rugby focuses on rugby fundamentals, teamwork, fair play, fun and fast paced action for all to enjoy! No experience necessary. See the flyers below for more information.
3rd-6th Grade Mustangs Rugby Flyer
7th-8th Grade Mustangs Rugby Flyer
Southwest General Safe Sitter Classes
Safe Sitter is a national program that teaches students a variety of skills they need to stay at home safely and/or to babysit. It is for young people 11-14 years of age. Instructors are certified through the Safe Sitter program and are employed through Southwest General. This class includes American Heart Association CPR, as well as American Academy of Pediatrics First Aid. Click HERE for more information on upcoming classes.
Strongsville Chamber of Commerce
Please note the following events hosted by the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce. Registration is required for all events. Please call 440.238.3366 to register or for more information. Those interested may also visit www.strongsvillechamber.com to register and to see more event information.
February Business Luncheon
Tuesday, February 21 - 11:30am - 1:00pm
Strongsville VFW #3345 - 17900 Strongsville Blvd.
$20 per person / Register by calling 440.238.3366 or at www.strongsvillechamber.com
State of the City Address with Mayor Perciak
Tuesday, March 14th – 11:30am – 1:00pm
Ehrnfelt Recreation Event Center
Reservations are required! $20 per person. Seating is available for those who would like to attend but not have lunch. Register by calling 440.238.3366 or at www.strongsvillechamber.com
Strongsville Library
Please note the following February 2017 events at the Strongsville Branch Library. Registration is required for most events. Please call (440) 238-5530 to register or for more information. All events sponsored by our Friends of Strongsville Branch Library. Customers may also visit www.cuyahogalibrary.org to register and to see more library event information.
Year-Round Story Times!
Cuyahoga County Public Library offers story time sessions year-round for children Birth to Age 5. Our current story time sessions are in full swing! Please call the library for more information about our Winter story time sessions.
Strongsville Branch Library Fundraiser
The Friends of the Strongsville Branch Library have partnered with local roaster Red Cedar Coffee to sell Library Lovers' Brew at the branch, with sales supporting the Library. Twelve-ounce bags of ground regular and decaf are $8.99 each. Stop in and pick up a special gift for yourself and a friend!
2017 Strongsville Branch Library Reading Challenge!
We challenge you to resolve to read in 2017! Adults 18 and over – stop in to the Strongsville Branch Library today to pick-up a Reading Challenge bookmark. Complete the 10 reading tasks and be entered to win a Kindle Fire courtesy of the Friends of Strongsville Library. Contest ends December 1, 2017. One entry per person.
Achieving Work-Life Balance. Wednesday, February 1st from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m.
Some believe that there is no such thing as having work-life balance, instead most believe that you have to settle for choosing between one or the other, personal or professional satisfaction and that balance is not possible. In this workshop learn how to sort through the dilemma of work-life balance and determine if it is truly balance or satisfaction that you are seeking. Also learn about popular workplace flexibility trends and what employers can do to create a satisfactory work environment and provide practical solutions to help you move towards balance.
Adult Coloring Workshop. Saturday, February 4th from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
Coloring is not just for kids anymore! Research suggests that coloring is one of the best ways for adults to reduce stress & relax. Our Adult Coloring Workshops have returned! Materials and different coloring pages will be provided each month, or participants are welcome to bring their own. We will have a quiet space for adults who want to join others who love to color! Registration is not required. Stop in once or join us each month to relax, de-stress, & color!
Young at Heart. Tuesday, February 7th from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
A book club for adults who love Children’s and Teen books. Meets the first Tuesday evening of every month. Please register in person to pick up a copy of the book. Our next discussion will be Girl in the Blue Coat by Monica Hesse. Pick up a copy of the book at the Children's Information desk and join us for a great discussion.
Memory Screenings. Wednesday, February 8th from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Are you saying “Sorry, I forgot” a little too often? It’s normal to forget a name from time to time. It’s not normal to keep forgetting days of the week, or when to pay bills or take medicine. Come to a free screening by the Southwest General community nurses to see if you should consider seeing a doctor. An appointment is necessary – call Southwest General Community Nurse office at (440) 816-4037.
Just 4 You Student Friends Volunteers. Ages 10-18. Saturday, February 11th from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Join Just 4 U Student Friends and get involved at the Strongsville Branch and in your community. Pick up an application at the Teen Desk.
Pre-Oscar Party. Monday, February 13th at 7:00 p.m.
You are invited to attend a pre-Oscar party to celebrate the upcoming 89th Academy Awards that will be televised on Sunday, February 26, 2017. Come hear David Moss, Fox 8’s Mossman, talk about the Oscars including the rules, 24 award categories, and nominated films. Participants will have an opportunity to predict who they think will win and enter a contest for free movie tickets.
Technology Training Classes
Beginning in 2017, Cuyahoga County Public Library will offer a new series of technology training classes for beginners to advanced users. We are also offering more evening classes. All classes are free. Registration begins 30 days before each class date. Classes are for adults age 18 and over. To see a full class list, descriptions, and to register, please visit:
http://cuyahogalibrary.org/Events/Technology-Training.aspx
Here are the February upcoming classes:
Tuesday, February 14th / 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Excel 201: Data Analysis
Tuesday, February 14th / 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Excel 202: Functions
Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Meets the 3rd Wednesday of each month at 7:00 p.m. New Members Welcome! Our next discussion will be on Wednesday, February 15th. This month we will be discussing The Good Lord Bird by James McBride. Copies of the book will be available at the check-out desk. Registration for this program is not needed. Join us for an evening of great discussion!
Sensory Storytime. Thursday, February 16th from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m.
Join us for a program geared for children who are developmentally at the preschool level and specifically designed for children with special needs and their families. The program incorporates a schedule board, double visuals and sensory opportunities for participants as well as socialization time following the program. Registration begins on Friday, February 3rd at 9:00 a.m.
Getting to Know Your Tablet. Thursday, February 16th from 7:00 – 8:30 p.m.
Do you have a Kindle Fire, iPad, or other tablet device and have no clue how to even turn it on? Are you looking for fun and useful apps you can download to your device? If so, than join us for this informational presentation on getting started with your tablet device. Library staff member, Amy Martin, will give you the basics and share tips on how to best utilize your device. All tablet users welcome. Bring your tablet if you want to follow along, but it is not required. This is not an in-depth instructional class, but more of a basic overview. Registration is requested and begins 30 days prior to the program date. When registering, please indicate which tablet or device you own so that we may customize the information for the majority of attendees.
Parkfit Mall Walkers Wellness Talk: "Stroke Awareness & Prevention" Tuesday, February 21st from 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.
Our speaker this month will be Maureen Moore, RN, BSN stroke coordinator. She will discuss the signs and symptoms of strokes and share prevention strategies and introduce Southwest General’s new Grey Matters Stroke Prevention Program. The ParkFit Mall Walkers Club is a combined effort of Southwest General and South Park Mall in Strongsville. The Club provides an opportunity for community residents to improve their health by walking for exercise in a safe, interesting and climate-controlled facility. Walk at the mall first, then come over to the Library for this informative wellness talk!
Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate! Teens ages 10-18. Tuesday, February 21st at 7:00 p.m.
Valentine's Day may be over, but there is still time for chocolate! Create your own chocolate pops and learn about the art of chocolate making. Parents/guardians must complete a Release and Hold Harmless form. Participants may be recorded and/or surveyed to capture program’s effectiveness. More information can be found at cuyahogalibrary.org/parent-options.
Kiwanis Read Around the World. All Ages. Saturday, February 25th from 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Join us for a reading celebration and activities sponsored by the Strongsville Kiwanis Club! Each child attending may choose a current book to take home and members of Kiwanis will be available to read books to them. The St. Joseph and John Builders' Club members will perform puppet shows. Light refreshments will also be available. No registration required.
Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Meets the 4th Monday of each month at 2:30 p.m.
New Members Welcome! Our next discussion will be held on Monday, February 27th. This month we will be discussing The Summer Before the War by Helen Simonson. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk. Join us for great conversation!
Stay Connected with Strongsville City Schools
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
Twitter: @strongsvillecs