Mustang Moments
Strongsville City Schools News (2018-19 Vol 3, Iss 11)
Strong Schools. Strong Community. Strongsville.
IN THIS ISSUE - October 26, 2018
Important Dates to Remember
60 Seconds with the Superintendent
Operating Levy FAQ’s
New Webpages to Report Fraud and Non-Resident Students
SHS Yearbook Club 1st Annual Craft Fair - Saturday, Nov. 10th
Mustang Spotlight - Mrs.Theresa Williamson, Technology Coordinator & Data Manager
SHS Cheerleaders “Parents Night Out” Fundraiser
Community “Greet & Treat” Event at SMS - Mon. 10/29 (6:00pm - 7:30pm)
Battle of Boston Road - TONIGHT (Fri. 10/26) + Senior Night & Car Raffle Drawing
“Boo-tiful” Show Choir Invitational - TOMORROW (Sat. 10/27) at 7:00pm
SHS Distinguished Alumni Nominations
Stay Safe. Speak Up!
Community Events
DID YOU KNOW?
Academic Achievement and Growth is one of the three goals for our District. Preparing our students for college, career, and the military helps guide our teachers, courses, and the overall learning environment for all of the grade levels in our District. A robust Career Tech department at Strongsville High School is just one example of the many efforts of our District to provide opportunities in preparing students for “life after SHS.” Career Tech offers many course choices for students, including Integrated Marketing Communications, Strategic Entrepreneurship, Human Growth & Development, Woods, Drafting, Metals, and Architecture.
Important Dates to Remember
Saturday, October 27 - 7:00pm
'BOO’tiful Showchoir Invitational
SHS Auditorium
Monday, October 29 - 6:00pm - 7:30pm
“Greet & Treat”
Strongsville Middle School
Thursday, November 1 - 7:00pm
Strongsville Board of Education Meeting
SCS Administrative Offices (18199 Cook Ave.)
Tuesday, November 6
NO SCHOOL
Election Day
Friday, November 9 - 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Rockin’ At The Rec Dance (6th - 8th Grade)
Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
Theme: Blackout/Whiteout
60 SECONDS WITH THE SUPERINTENDENT
Our Strongsville High School Strategic Entrepreneurship class recently had the opportunity to work through a project that helped them learn about the steps it takes to create a product and business from beginning to end. In partnership with a local business, Kalinich Fence, this project also taught elements of sustainability, as the students worked with repurposed and recycled wood from Kalinich. Click HERE for this week’s episode, as we visit with Marketing Teacher Ms. Mason, and a few of her students, to hear more about what they learned while working on this project.
ISSUE 8 - STRONGSVILLE CITY SCHOOLS OPERATING LEVY
Strongsville City Schools has an operating levy on the ballot in November. The proposed 7.9 mill continuous operating levy will generate approximately $11.3 million annually for our District. The last operating levy for our District was passed in 2007. If passed, this operating levy will cost $23 per month for a $100,000 home. Click HERE for additional information on this proposed levy.
Have questions or need more information about this proposed operating levy? Visit www.strongnet.org/Issue8 for additional facts and FAQ videos.
NEW WEBPAGES TO REPORT FRAUD AND NON-RESIDENT STUDENTS
There are two new pages on our District website for reporting fraud and non-resident students within our District. Our Fraud Hotline provides an avenue for individuals to anonymously report fraud, waste, and abuse within the Strongsville City School District. In addition, fraud can be reported to the Ohio Auditor of State at https://ohioauditor.gov/fraud/default.html.
Students of the Strongsville City School District must maintain residency in Strongsville. If you know of someone who is not a Strongsville resident, but continues to send their children to the Strongsville City Schools, please help us by calling and reporting to this number: 440-572-7048 You need not leave your name unless you so choose. A district official will investigate the situation based on your information. You may also email information to: notify@scsmustangs.org.
SHS YEARBOOK CLUB 1ST ANNUAL CRAFT FAIR - SATURDAY, NOV. 10TH
Make plans to visit the 1st Annual SHS Yearbook Club Craft Fair on Saturday, November 10th from 9am - 3pm at Strongsville High School. The Craft Fair will feature local artwork, homemade crafts, jewelry, and bakery items, plus Pampered Chef, LuLaRue, Scentsy, Gel Us Body, The Cocoa Exchange, Norwex, Tupperware and much more! Admission is just $1 and all proceeds will benefit the SHS Yearbook Club. For more information, contact Yearbook Advisor Jen Orlosky at 440.572.7121 or at jorlosky@scsmustangs.org. Click HERE for the event flyer.
MUSTANG SPOTLIGHT - MRS. THERESA WILLIAMSON, TECHNOLOGY COORDINATOR & DATA MANAGER
As the Technology Coordinator & Data Manager for our District, Mrs. Theresa Williamson is responsible for managing the various technology platforms and information systems for students, parents, teachers, and staff. Among her many responsibilities as an integral part of our technology staff, Mrs. Williamson manages the Powerschool student information system, our District’s Chromebooks and G-suite applications, and supports all of the SCS staff on a daily basis. She is also our EMIS Coordinator, and is responsible for many state and federal reporting requirements.
Mrs. Williamson has worked in our District for 23 years, and spent time at both Surrarrer Elementary and Strongsville High School, before landing in our central office. “Although in my position I do not have much direct contact with students, I find it very rewarding to play a part in enhancing their learning through the use of technology,” said Mrs. Williamson.
A resident of Strongsville for 28 years, Mrs. Williamson added, “Our family moved here because of the great school district which has exceeded my expectations. I cannot imagine my three children being better prepared for college and life thanks to the superior educational system and teachers and staff in Strongsville. I am truly blessed to be a part of this exceptional school system.”
Thank you Mrs. Williamson for being part of a fantastic technology team for our District!
SHS CHEERLEADERS “PARENTS NIGHT OUT” FUNDRAISER
Help the Strongsville High School Cheerleaders raise some funds by participating in “Parents Night Out.” On November 10 from 6:00pm - 10:00pm, the cheerleaders will watch your children at SHS, while you enjoy a night out. Registration is required and must be completed by October 26th. Click HERE for additional information and to register.
COMMUNITY “GREET & TREAT” EVENT AT SMS (MON. 10/29)
Mark your calendars for the 3rd annual “Greet & Treat” event at Strongsville Middle School on Monday, October 29 from 6:00pm - 7:30pm. Dress up in your best Halloween costume and collect candy and treats in a safe, family-friendly atmosphere. We will also be accepting donations of non-perishable items for the Strongsville Food Bank that evening. We hope to see lots of families at this year’s “Greet & Treat” on October 29!
BATTLE OF BOSTON ROAD - TONIGHT (FRI. 10/26) + SENIOR NIGHT & CAR RAFFLE DRAWING
Don’t miss tonight’s (Fri. 10/26) BIG varsity football game, as the Mustangs battle their neighborhood rival, the Brunswick Blue Devils. Kickoff is at 7pm at Serpentini Field at Pat Catan Stadium in Strongsville. The night also includes a recognition of our senior football players, cheerleaders, and band members, beginning at 6:15pm. At halftime, the drawing for a 2018 Chevy Cruze will occur. See who drives away with a new car in this annual raffle to benefit the Strongsville Athletic Boosters. It’s a great night of excitement in the “Battle of Boston Road!”
“BOO-TIFUL” SHOW CHOIR INVITATIONAL - TOMORROW (SAT. 10/27) AT 7:00PM
Six area show choirs are joining our very own “Mustang Express” in a Halloween Spook-tacular event! Tomorrow night (Sat. 10/27) the “BOO-tiful” Show Choir Invitational will be held at Strongsville High School at 7:00pm. You can also make it “dinner and a show” - the 2018 Cleveland Hot List winner for the #1 food truck in our area, Jones Bones BBQ, will be serving food from 4:00pm - 6:30pm, with proceeds going toward our SHS Choral Boosters. The menu includes ribs, chicken, pulled pork, polish boys and girls, homemade mac ‘n’ cheese, and more! Have a great meal and listen to some fantastic vocal performances at this event tomorrow night!
SHS DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI NOMINATIONS
Know of a graduate of Strongsville High School who is an exceptional businessperson, community member, charitable volunteer, educator, etc.? We are now accepting nominations for the SHS Distinguished Alumni program. A new class will be inducted in April, 2019. Nomination forms can be found HERE and are due no later than December 15. #foreveramustang
STAY SAFE. SPEAK UP!
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. The Stay Safe. Speak Up! link is located in the shortcuts along the right hand side on the homepage of the District website (www.strongnet.org). It can also be found on the homepage of each of our individual building websites. Reporting incidents can be made anonymously online or through a toll free number (1-866-listen2me / 1-866-547-8362).
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Team Strongsville Goods at the Gazebo
Help out the Strongsville Food Bank this weekend by donating to “Goods at the Gazebo,” hosted by Team Strongsville. Drop off items on Sunday, October 28th from 10:00am - 1:00pm at the gazebo in Strongsville’s center of town (corner of Route 82 & Pearl Road). The Food Bank is especially in need of the following items: peanut butter, jelly, tuna fish, canned soups, canned meats, toilet paper. Cash and check donations will also graciously be accepted on Sunday. Let’s fill the gazebo and help stock the shelves of the Strongsville Food Bank!
Strongsville Jump Rope Club
Welcome back jumpers! Our first session of Strongsville Jump Rope Club will be held Fridays, 5:00 – 6:30pm, November 2, 9, 16, and December 7, and 14 at Muraski Elementary School, with instructors from the Heartbeats Jump Rope Team. We hope you are able to join us! Please click HERE to register or contact Dot Hepp at dot.hepp@roadrunner.com or Pam Evans at messageforpam@gmail.com for more information.
Strongsville Recreation Center Fall Enrichment Classes
Computer Programing, Yoga, The Money Game, Winter Day Camp… just to name a few. The Strongsville Recreation center is now enrolling for their fall enrichment classes. Click HERE to check out all of our programs to see which ones are best for you. Call the front desk at 440-580-3260 to enroll today or visit https://www.activityreg.com/ for online registration.
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.
Strongsville Community Business Expo
Thursday, November 1
5:00pm - 7:30pm
Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
November Luncheon - Tax Reform Presentation
Tuesday, November 13
11:30am - 1:00pm
Holiday Inn - Strongsville
$20 per person
Annual Holiday Scholarship Dance
Friday, December 7
7:00pm - Midnight
Michaud’s
Strongsville Library
Please note the following November 2018 events at the Strongsville Branch Library. Registration is required for most events. 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.
All Branches of Cuyahoga County Public Library will close at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday, November 21st and will be closed all day on Thursday, November 22nd in observance of the Thanksgiving Holiday. We will resume normal hours on Friday, November 23rd.
Year-Round Story Times!
Cuyahoga County Public Library offers story time sessions year-round for children Birth to Age 5. Our story time sessions are in full swing for the Fall! Please call the library or stop by the Children’s Desk for more information.
State of the Art Recording Studio Open to the Public!
The Strongsville Branch Library Audio and Video Recording Studios are now open to the public. Customers interested in using Garage Band, iMovie, and the Adobe Suite to create sound recordings, video recordings, and more are welcome to sign-up for studio time up to one week in advance. In order to use the studio, customers must first attend an orientation session. Drop-in orientations will be held on Tuesdays - Audio studio orientation from 2:30-3:00 p.m. Video studio orientation from 3:00-3:30 p.m. and Saturdays, Audio studio orientation from 9:30-10:00 a.m. and Video studio orientation from 10:00-10:30 a.m. No registration is needed. Please show up on time for these orientations. For more information on the studio and how to book studio time, please call (440) 238-5530.
Technology Training Classes
Cuyahoga County Public Library is offering 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 upcoming classes:
Friday, November 2nd / 10:00 a.m. – Noon. Excel 3.
Friday, November 2nd / 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Excel 4.
Saturday, November 3rd / 10:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. PowerPoint 1.
Firefighter Dan. Ages 3 – 5. Friday, November 2nd / 11:00 – 11:45 a.m.
Hear a story and have your questions answered by Firefighter Dan LaRocco. He will come in uniform and interact with the kids!
Holiday Memo. Teens in Grades 6 - 12. Wednesday, November 7th from 3:30 – 5:30 p.m.
Teens, have you wanted to try out our audio studio equipment? Get a quick orientation and introduction to the GarageBand software by recording something for someone special. We will have flash drives for your convenience and boxes to decorate to make the perfect gift for the holidays. Please register for this event. If you cannot make it please cancel. While supplies last.
Eat Your Veggies. Wednesday, November 7th from 7:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Colleen Henderson will share easy and effective ways to incorporate wholefoods into your everyday life. This program is designed to touch upon the health benefits of fruits and veggies, why you should buy organic and alternative protein sources, and how becoming plant-based can make your overall health better. You will walk away with the knowledge needed to embrace a nutritionally dense diet and how to catapult to a better way of living.
Finding Your Roots: An Introduction to Genealogy Research. Saturday, November 10th from 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
If you are interested in learning how to start your family tree research, join us for this special presentation on the basics of genealogy research taught by Cynthia Ross Kettler, a Certified Genealogy Consultant for the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution. After the presentation, there will be time for questions. We will also have some other DAR genealogists on-hand to assist participants with some of their genealogy research throughout the day. Please bring your family history research and a laptop if needed. Program registration sign-in will be on the day of the event from 10-10:30 a.m. and the presentation will begin at 10:30 a.m.
Young at Heart. Tuesday, November 13th at 7:00 p.m.
Meets the First Tuesdays of the month. *note- second Tuesday of the month due to Election Day. A book club for adults who love Children and teen books. Please register in person. The topic for the next discussion is The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Perez. Twelve-year-old María Luisa O'Neill-Morales (who really prefers to be called Malú) reluctantly moves with her Mexican-American mother to Chicago and starts seventh grade with a bang--violating the dress code with her punk rock aesthetic and spurning the middle school's most popular girl in favor of starting a band with a group of like-minded weirdos.. Interrogated in separate rooms at a New Jersey police department, a young man with a neurological disorder characterized by facial paralysis and a beautiful punk girl explain how they found themselves wrapped up in a murder.
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, November 14th. **PLEASE NOTE: Due to the Library's early closure at 5:30 p.m. on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving this month's discussion has been moved up one week. For this month, we are reading Books for Living by Will Schwalbe. Books can be picked up at the check-out desk. Registration for this program is not needed. Join us for an evening of great discussion!
Southwest General Hearing Screenings. Friday, November 16th from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m.
The Community Nurses from Southwest General Hospital will offer free hearing screenings. Interested individuals should contact Southwest to make an appointment at (440) 816-5050.
Indoor Playdate. For Ages 1 – 3 with a caregiver. Friday, November 16th from 10:00 – 11:00 a.m.
Join others for an hour of relaxed play and socialization. We'll also have some musical motor activities for the group. Come and have fun!
Parkfit Mall Walkers Wellness Talk: Your Menopause Questions Answered. Tuesday, November 20th at 10:00 a.m.
Join us the third Tuesday of each month for this special wellness talk sponsored by Southwest Hospital. Our speaker this month will be Katherine McDowell, MD of Southwest General. She will discuss hot flashes, mood swings, weight gain and changes in your sex life that can happen with menopause. She will also discuss what you can do about them to improve your overall well-being. Registration is requested. 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! For more information call (440) 816-4037.
American Red Cross Blood Drive. Friday, November 23rd from 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 (216) 431-3010.
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, November 26th. Our next discussion title will be A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles. 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