The Muraski Tribune: Issue 14
Your weekly communication about all things Muraski.
Update from the Principal
I hope you enjoyed the weekend, even though the weather wasn't ideal for any fun fall activities. It is very apparent that we are quickly turning to winter, and with that the holidays are upon us. Remember, we have Thanksgiving break this week, so our students are off on Wednesday, November 14th, and they return on Monday, November 29th. I hope you all find a little time to enjoy your children, maybe some friends and extended family, rest and recharge, and reflect on all that we have to be thankful for. We have an incredible community that helps our amazing staff serve our wonderful kids.
Have a great week!
Please take a look at some events within our community, as well as information related to PBIS at Muraski. We were highlighted in the District's 60 seconds with the Superintendent.
Sincerely,
Mike Griffen
The Counselor Connection
Muraski PBIS
THE WHEEL OF AWESOME WINNERS!
Ms. Boros's Third Grade Class earned EXTRA RECESS!
Ms. Bakalar's 5th Grade Class earned DOUGHNUTS!
Mrs. Timko's 2nd Grade Class earned DOUGHNUTS!
PRIDE Ticket Winners
Ben Porter
Brooke Kafska
Landon Nudell
Colton Stringer
Chase Malensky
Ethan Salloum
Kyndal Hula
Calvin Frost
Lillian Harvey
Kate Krabec
Phoebe Vasil
Lucy Lewon
Jason Olszen
Preston Sumingsuit
Shreya Pahariya
Ava Jarrell
Brandon Apone
Alek Jovic
PBIS Data
Each classroom teacher has a PRIDE tracker which travels with the class throughout the day. The PRIDE tracker is used to identify students were are struggling and the exact area they needed reminders (prepared, respectful, inclusive, determined, engaged). At the end of each week, teachers submit the names of students who needed reminders and for what reason.
Each month our PBIS team meets to take a look at the behavioral data that teachers are identifying through their PRIDE trackers. As a PBIS team, we have some great conversations driven by that data to see how we can support our students.
Below you can see the behavioral data from the last month. You will notice that Prepared and Respectful seem to be the areas where students are strugging the most at demonstrating those expected behaviors. In order to support this through tier 1 (whole school), Mr. Griffen and Mrs. Hawk have focused their morning announcements this past week on what is means to be respectful and prepared in the classroom. Teachers have also been overemphasizing passing out PRIDE tickets to students who are being prepared and respectful.
Muraski Music Rock Stars: Natalie Trizio & Addison Timura
Muraski Artists of the Week: Colton Stringer &
MURASKI MVPs OF THE WEEK: Jonah Ehrlic
Fun & Photos with Santa at the Strongsville Rec Center - Saturday, December 4
DARE Ice Skating Event
Strongsville Jump Rope Club
Please Help Muraski PTA with the Sharing Tree: Click Sign-up Genius Below
5 BELOW WILL RAISE MONEY FOR MURASKI
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