The Muraski Tribune: Issue 8
Your weekly communication about all things Muraski.
Update from the Principal
We closed out last week with our PBIS and PRIDE incentive. All students got to feel what it was like to earn a monthly reward. This month, every student got the chance to throw a water balloon at either myself or Mrs. Hawk. It was a beautiful day for it, the kids had a blast, and Mrs. Hawk and I had a great deal of fun.
Please take a look below for important information.
Sincerely,
Mike Griffen
Parent/Teacher Conferences
Wednesday, Oct 6, 2021, 04:45 PM
Muraski Elementary School, Royalton Road, Strongsville, OH, USA
Update about Conferences from Dr. Ryba
Dear Parents:
As we enter fall parent/teacher conferences next week, I wanted to share a few updates with you to make sure we are all on the same page as we allow for the option of in person parent/teacher conferences for the first time in over a year.
Last year in the various focus groups and feedback opportunities presented, we heard loud and clear that parents loved the option of meeting virtually with teachers and hoped that a virtual meeting option would stick around. We agree and for parent meetings this year, we are continuing to offer a virtual option. However, we also feel that we can safely allow for the option of in person parent meetings / conferences.
That being said, at this time I am not comfortable with returning to arena style conferences at the secondary level. All conferences have been set as scheduled times for parents to meet with a teacher or team of teachers. 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 in person 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.
We are trying some new things this fall with conferences. Please be patient with us as I’m sure some ideas will work well and others will need to be improved. As we do at all times, we will review the successes and growth areas from fall conferences and adjust accordingly for spring.
If there are specific questions about parent/teacher conferences for your child(ren), please contact your building administration.
Sincerely,
Dr. Cameron M. Ryba
Superintendent
Extra-Curricular Opportunities Coming: Sign Ups will be Next Week
Last Chance to Sign-Up if Interested
Last Chance to Sign-up if Interested
Last Chance to Sign-Up if Interested
Model Mustang Recognition
Lila Moravcik
Myles Yates
Niko Gleske
Brynleigh Benson
Brooke Farkas
Jose Galvan
Miles Kalbrunner
Brooklyn Malinowski
Muraski Music Rock Stars: Aria K. and Evangeline Wilson
MURASKI P.E. MVP: Neil Slonaker
MURASKI ARTISTS OF THE WEEK: Emma Maslowski & Blake Miller
DARE Halloween Party
Did You Know: Renewal Levy
Strongsville Greet & Treat
IOWA & COGAT TESTING
Strongsville students will again participate in whole-grade screening in second and fourth grades. These students will be screened for superior cognitive identification, creative thinking identification, and specific subject areas using the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) and Iowa Assessment. This is one way in which students can be identified for gifted math classes (grades 3-5) in your building. We also use these assessments to obtain standards-based data on all students that can be used by teachers and principals to determine specific areas of strength and weakness.
For background - the 2018 Operating Standards for Identifying and Serving Students Who are Gifted (Ohio Administrative Code 3301-51-15) requires districts to administer two whole-grade screenings opportunities per school year. These whole-grade screenings must occur once during the K-2 grade band and once during the 3-6 grade band in each of these areas: superior cognitive ability, creative thinking ability, reading and mathematics.
PTA Events & Opportunities
Click the links below each image if interested
RED, WHITE, & BLUE CALENDAR (ENCORE SCHEDULE)
Repeat Item: COVID NOTIFICATIONS
When there is a POSITIVE Case within the school the following steps are taken:
- Contact tracing is completed, identifying areas including the bus, classroom, cafeteria, playground, and hallways where direct contact (as identified by district communication) could have occurred.
- If your child is identified as a direct contact, you will receive a phone call from our office to notify you of when this occurred.
- A letter will be sent to ALL families, informing them that there was a positive case in the school. Again, if your child is a direct contact, you will receive a phone call.
- If the positive case is a student who rides a bus, ALL families who ride that specific bus will receive a letter informing them that there was a positive case on their bus. Again, if your child is a direct contact based on contact tracing on the bus, you will receive a phone call.
When Should You Keep Your Child Home?
PLEASE DO YOUR PART. IF YOUR CHILD IS NOT FEELING WELL, KEEP THEM HOME and CONTACT THE SCHOOL. WHEN IN DOUBT, KEEP THEM OUT!
- A fever of 100.4 degrees or higher. This is one of the strongest Covid Symptoms
- Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea
- Persistent cough or runny nose
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
We need you to assist in helping us, by monitoring for these symptoms on a daily basis, and keeping your child home if they aren't feeling well.
Repeat Item: Counseling Services through Nancy Lowrie & Associates
Dear Parents/Guardians of Strongsville City School Students:
We are writing to tell you about an exciting opportunity for you and your child. Strongsville City Schools have a well -established partnership with a Behavioral Health Private Practice, Nancy Lowrie & Associates, LLC, (NLA), that specializes in child therapy, adolescent therapy, and family counseling. All NLA therapists are Masters-level and licensed by the State of Ohio. They are able to diagnose and treat all emotional and behavioral health concerns.
We are pleased to be able to offer you the chance to work with an Ohio Licensed Clinical Therapist in an effort to improve your child’s well being. The following are just some examples of the topics we address in individual, group, or family sessions:
• Strategies for managing relationships with peers, parents and teachers
• Development of social skills and communication
• Ability to deal with teasing and bullying
• Understanding and treating addictions
• Coping skills for anger management, depression, anxiety, ADHD, and mood disorders • Fostering good choices by decreasing impulsivity and distractibility
• Managing family problems
• Gender Identity Concerns
• Controlling Eating Disorders and Self-harm
Best of all, NLA is able to offer you this service at your school. NLA will send our trained therapists to your school to meet with your child individually during the school day or via teletherapy. Also, to make this easier for you, NLA counseling services are covered under most health insurance plans, including State Medicaid, Medicaid HMO’s (CareSource, Paramount, and Buckeye) and most private health insurance plans (Medical Mutual, Anthem, Aetna, Cleveland Clinic, etc). NLA does all the clinical work plus does the actual insurance billing for you.
This is a wonderful opportunity for your child to receive confidential sessions with a caring clinician. If you are interested in participating in this program, please return the bottom of this letter to your child’s school counselor. An NLA therapist will call to schedule an initial meeting with you to get your child started in the program and verify your insurance information.
Sincerely, Nancy Lowrie & Associates, LLC
Repeat Item: Stay Safe. Speak Up! Student Hotline
CLICK HERE to access information via our district website.
Repeat Item: Health Protocols from the District
Wearing Masks on the Bus
Per the CDC, all students and staff must wear a mask on a school bus, whether coming to/from school or for an athletic/music trip. CLICK HERE for the mask exemption form, if needed. A new form will need to be completed along with medical or religious documentation if a student is requesting an exemption for the 2021-2022 school year.
Wearing Masks in School
It is recommended that all staff and students wear masks in school, especially those that are unvaccinated, yet it is not required. Please read below and become familiar with the quarantine protocols. The best way to significantly reduce the risk of being quarantined and to stay in school is to wear a mask.
Student Isolation Protocols
If your child tests positive for COVID, s/he is required to isolate at home for then (10) days from the date of the positive test or the onset of symptoms.
Student Quarantine Protocols for Unvaccinated Students Wearing a Mask
If your child is unvaccinated, wearing a mask and identified as a direct contact to someone at school that is COVID positive, s/he will not have to quarantine as long as your child has no symptoms and was at least 3 feet apart. If your child was less than 3 feet, s/he will have to quarantine. You can CLICK HERE for a flow chart detailing the quarantine procedures we will follow.
Student Quarantine Protocols for Unvaccinated Students NOT Wearing a Mask
If your child is unvaccinated, not wearing a mask and identified as a direct contact to someone at school that is COVID positive, s/he will have to quarantine. You can CLICK HERE for a flow chart detailing the quarantine procedures we will follow.
Supporting Students in Isolation/Quarantine
When a student is in isolation/quarantine, teachers will provide the student with their assignments and support through Google Classroom. Additionally, teachers will live stream classroom instruction and/or provide instructional videos. Teachers are only required to live stream instruction for students in isolation/quarantine.
Parent Requests/Masking
If parents at the elementary level request teacher support/feedback in terms of having their child wear a mask at school, we will do the best we can to help out. This means that we will remind the child and share feedback to the parent on how they are doing during the initial weeks of the school year, if requested.
Student Insensitivity/Bullying for Masking
If we have students acting inappropriately towards someone that is wearing a mask or not wearing a mask, we will address it in accordance with our code of conduct in the same manner we handle any other situation of inappropriate behavior for name calling, bullying, etc.
Muraski Elementary
Email: mgriffen@scsmustangs.org
Website: www.strongnet.org
Location: Muraski Elementary School, Royalton Road, Strongsville, OH, USA
Phone: 440-572-7160
Twitter: @muraskiprin