Mustang Moments
Strongsville City Schools News (2017-18 Vol 2, Iss 18)
Strong Schools. Strong Community. Strongsville.
In This Issue - January 5, 2018
Important Dates to Remember
SHS Air Force JROTC Participates in Wreaths Across America
2018-19 Kindergarten Info Meeting + Deposits Accepted for Full Day Kindergarten (Wednesday, 1/17)
Mustang Spotlight - Mr. Chuck Whitecar, 3rd Grade Teacher at Surrarrer Elementary
Rescheduled SMS Winter Orchestra Concert (Thursday, 1/11)
Strongsville High School Summer Basketball Camps
Strongsville Middle School Giving Tree
State of the Schools Presentation - Thursday, January 18 at 6:30pm
SHS Cantorum Performs at Recent Cavaliers Game
SHS Athletic Teams Notable Success Over the Holidays
Go Fund Me for Strongsville Alumnus Involved in Tragic Accident
Community Events
Important Dates to Remember
TONIGHT (Friday, 1/5) 6:30pm - 9:00pm
Rockin’ At The Rec Dance (for 6th - 8th grade students)
Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
Theme: Your favorite football team
Thursday, January 11 - 7:00pm
RESCHEDULED SMS Orchestra Winter Concert (7th & 8th Grade)
Strongsville Middle School Auditorium
Monday, January 15 - NO SCHOOL
Martin Luther King Day
Tuesday, January 16 - NO SCHOOL
Records Day
Wednesday, January 17
Kindergarten Information Meeting (6:30pm) +
Full Day Kindergarten Deposits Accepted (5:00pm)
Muraski Elementary School
Thursday, January 18 (6:30pm - 7:30pm)
State of the Schools Presentation
Strongsville Schools Administrative Offices (18199 Cook Ave.)
Click HERE for a complete listing of January events in our District
SHS AIR FORCE JROTC PARTICIPATES IN WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA
Each year during the holidays, hundreds of thousands of wreaths are placed on the graves of veterans at over 100 of our nation's VA national cemeteries. This year, 1.2 million wreaths were placed on markers across the country in 1,238 locations. Locally, students in Strongsville High School’s Air Force JROTC program took part in the placing of wreaths at the Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery. Click HERE for the FOX 8 news story covering this meaningful tribute.
2018-19 KINDERGARTEN INFO MEETING + DEPOSITS ACCEPTED FOR FULL DAY KINDERGARTEN (WED. JAN. 17)
Attention parents of incoming 2018-2019 kindergarten students - please mark your calendar for an informational meeting on Wednesday, January 17 at Muraski Elementary School. Beginning at 5:00pm, those interested in reserving a spot for full day kindergarten will have the opportunity to submit an initial deposit ($300). At 6:30pm, a presentation and Q&A session will be held detailing information about both half day and full day options for kindergarten students in our District. According to State law and District policy, any child who becomes five years old on or before August 1, 2018 is eligible for admission into the Strongsville School District’s Kindergarten Program.
MUSTANG SPOTLIGHT - MR. CHUCK WHITECAR, 3RD GRADE TEACHER AT SURRARRER ELEMENTARY
Surrarrer Elementary third grade teacher Mr. Chuck Whitecar is in this week’s ‘Mustang Spotlight.’ Mr. Whitecar has spent the past five years at Surrarrer, teaching in the same District where he graduated. He attended Zellers Elementary and Center Junior High, and graduated from Strongsville High School (Class of ‘86). A resident of our community, Mr. Whitecar’s wife also teaches at Surrarrer and all 3 of his kids attended this elementary school.
Mr. Whitecar earned his undergraduate degree from Baldwin Wallace University and his graduate degree from John Carroll University. He has been involved in education for fifteen years. “I love how the students come in every day with a smile and boundless energy - working with them keeps me young at heart,” says Mr. Whitecar.
He adds, “Working at Surrarrer is like being a part of one big family. The staff looks out for one another and we help each other out in so many different ways. One of the most satisfying aspects of the job is watching the third graders become self-motivated and independent learners. I especially love hearing stories of students checking out chapter books or asking parents to purchase them since reading is my favorite of all the subject areas. I would be remiss if I didn't mention the wonderful PTA and parents that we work with everyday, they are awesome!”
Thank you Mr. Whitecar for challenging our third graders at Surrarrer and helping them achieve success in the classroom!
RESCHEDULED SMS WINTER ORCHESTRA CONCERT (THU. 1/11)
Please note that the Strongsville Middle School Winter Orchestra Concert is now scheduled for Thursday, January 11 at 7:00pm. This concert, featuring our 7th and 8th grade musicians, will be in the SMS Auditorium.
STRONGSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL SUMMER BASKETBALL CAMPS
Registration is now open for the 2018 Strongsville High School Summer Basketball Camps! Offering six weekly sessions this summer, your youth basketball player will have the chance to learn fundamentals and play competitive games under the direction of the Strongsville High School boys and girls varsity coaching staffs, as well as current Mustang basketball players.
Each session is $70 per camper, and if you register two or more campers in a session the price is only $60 per camper. Click HERE for the registration form.
We hope you will make plans to join us this summer for the Strongsville Youth Basketball Summer Camps! Go Mustangs!
STRONGSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL GIVING TREE
During the holidays, Strongsville Middle School created a “Giving Tree” contest as part of their overall SMS Gives Back program. Two teams were paired up from each grade level, making 6 separate trees. The trees worked like a column graph. The students bought a “light bulb” or sticker for $.25. When a tree section got to 100 bulbs, another section was added. The race was on from there! The “Giving Tree” contest generated almost $1,300. All of the money generated from SMS Gives Back went directly to SMS families in need during the holiday season. Congratulations to the 6th grade Cruiser and Viking teams - they led the entire school in donations for the “Giving Tree.”
STATE OF THE SCHOOLS PRESENTATION - THURSDAY, JANUARY 18 AT 6:30PM
Don’t miss the annual ‘State of the Schools’ presentation by Superintendent Cameron Ryba. The presentation is scheduled for Thursday, January 18 at 6:30pm at the Strongsville School Administrative Offices (18199 Cook Ave.). The presentation will detail the present and future outlook for our District, along with a Q&A session. The ‘State of the Schools’ event is open to the public.
SHS CANTORUM PERFORMS AT RECENT CAVALIERS GAME
We are proud of Cantorum - Strongsville High School’s select chamber choir - for representing our District at a recent Cleveland Cavaliers game. The group was invited to perform the National Anthem prior to the Cavs/Trailblazers game on Tuesday, January 2. Fantastic job by this group of vocalists - click HERE for Facebook video of their performance, courtesy of Team Strongsville.
SHS ATHLETIC TEAMS NOTABLE SUCCESS OVER THE HOLIDAYS
Congratulations to the following SHS Athletic teams who enjoyed success in various tournaments over the holidays:
Girls Basketball - Runner Up Finish in the Tampa Bay Invitational. Advanced to the championship game after upsetting Heritage High School (FL) 69-60. Heritage is regarded as one of the top high school teams in Florida and entered this game with a 10-1 record.
Girls Swimming - 1st Place at Wally Relays. Topped eight other local teams in this holiday meet. Event winners included:
200 Medley Relay – Jordyn Spencer, Hannah Ogrean, Phoebe Rohrbach, Julia Newbould
4×100 IM Relay – Jordyn Homoki, Rachel Potter, Shaelyn Gadd, Hannah Ogrean
200 Butterfly Relay – Jordyn Homoki, Emily Kahn, Shaelyn Gadd, Phoebe Rohrbach
200 Backstroke Relay – Jordyn Homoki, Jordyn Spencer, Julia Newbould, Ryley Mayberry
Gymnastics - 1st Place at Flip for the Cure Invitational. Event winners included:
Vault – Katie Kappel 1st 8.5, Camryn Larissey 3rd 8.25
Bars – Vyoma Trivedi 1st 8.2, Katie Kappel 3rd 8.0
Beam – Makayla Guzik 1st 8.8
Floor – Katie Kappel 1st 9.0, Vyoma Trivedi 2nd 8,9, Lorissa Schwab 3rd 8.85
All Around – Katie Kappel 1st 33.5
Wrestling - Placed 13th out of 39 teams at the Kenston Invitational with only 8 wrestlers competing, 5 of which placed:
2nd: Ben Blickle
4th: Zach Savage
5th: Matt Slavik
6th: Mitch Shuba
8th: Wesley Jones
'GO FUND ME' FOR STRONGSVILLE ALUMNUS INVOLVED IN TRAGIC ACCIDENT
A ‘Go Fund Me’ account has been created for Samantha Lake (SHS Class of 2008) who was recently involved in a serious car accident. Samantha was life flighted from the scene of the accident, which occurred in Jackson County, and she is now recovering from multiple life threatening injuries. Click HERE for the ‘Go Fund Me’ account established to assist with Samantha’s medical expenses.
COMMUNITY EVENTS
Northeast Ohio Flag Football League
Attention youth football players - there’s a new opportunity waiting for you! The Northeast Ohio Flag Football League is coming to Strongsville for boys and girls ages 5-12. Endorsed by SHS Head Football Coach Lou Cirino, the spring league is now forming. Click HERE for additional information on the Northeast Ohio Flag Football League.
Preschool Open House
Strongsville Early Childhood PTA is hosting its annual Preschool Open House on Tuesday, January 16th from 7:30pm - 8:30pm at Strongsville Middle School. Explore options and speak with different preschools and childcare organizations - all in one place. Click HERE for additional information.
Strongsville Jump Rope Club
The second session of the Strongsville Jump Rope Club begins this month at Muraski Elementary School. Join us on Fridays from 5:00pm - 6:30pm for heart-pumping exercise and FUN! Click HERE for additional information.
Preschool Prom
The “Under the Sea” Preschool Prom is scheduled for Sunday, February 11 from 3:30pm - 6:00pm at Strongsville Middle School. The Preschool Prom is a fun-filled, energetic dance geared for preschool-aged children and their families. Enjoy dinner, dancing, entertainment, raffles, and MORE! Click HERE for additional details and ticket information.
Case Western Reserve University Engineering Carnival
Make plans to attend the upcoming Case Western Reserve University Engineering Carnival. It’s a FREE event geared toward PreK - 8th grade students and their families. The Carnival happens on Saturday, February 3 from 11am - 3pm in the Thwing Building on the CWRU campus. Click HERE for more information and the event flyer.
Lego Bricks Competition
The fourth annual Lego Bricks Competition will be held on Saturday, January 27th at the Strongsville Library. Official entry forms and rules are available starting Tuesday January 2, 2018 at the Strongsville library and must be dropped off at the library by the deadline date of Wednesday January 24th by 9pm. Drop off your creation between 10:00am - 12pm on Saturday, January 27th. The public exhibition will be from 1pm - 4:30pm. Prizes will be awarded in the following age categories: Preschool, Grades K-2 , Grades 3-4, Grades 5-6, Grades 7-12th and Family. Also this year, the artwork of nationally known Lego mosaic artist Wayne Peltz will be on display and the play area will be open for free Lego Play. Please contact Michelle Rapacki or Tim Protiva at the Strongsville Library (440-238-5530) for further information.
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.
January Luncheon
Tuesday, January 16th
“Cleveland as a Convention & Tourist Destination”
Featuring Dave Johnson, Director of PR & Marketing
Huntington Convention Center of Cleveland &
The Global Center for Health Innovation
11:30am - 1:00pm
Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
$20 / person
Strongsville Library
Please note the following January 2018 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 Winter story time sessions are in full swing for the month of January. Please call the library or stop by the Children’s Desk for more information.
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 January upcoming classes:
Thursday, January 11th / 7:00 – 8:30 p.m. Excel 101: Data Basics.
Friday, January 12th / 10:00 a.m. – Noon. Excel 102: Sort & Filter.
Friday, January 12th / 1:00 – 3:00 p.m. Excel 201: Data Analysis.
Saturday, January 13th / 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. Excel 401: Accelerated.
Parkfit Mall Walkers Wellness Talk: Nonsurgical Options for Arthritis. Tuesday, January 16th 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 Dr. Aaron Wolkoff, primary care sports medicine physician at Southwest. He will discuss platelet rich plasma injections along with bone marrow injections as a way to help patients overcome injuries & improve their overall health and athletic performance. 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.
Good Morning, Strongsville Speaker Series: Sticking to Your New Year’s Resolutions. Wednesday, January 17th at 10:00 a.m.
Please join us for our bi-monthly Good Morning Strongsville Speaker Series. Each month we bring a special speaker of interest to seniors and residents of Strongsville. Our January speaker will be Wendy Zullo from LifeWorks. Do you make New Year’s resolutions every year that you end up giving up on after a month? Join us to learn different ways to stick with those New Year’s resolutions. Ms. Zullo will discuss ways to stay motivated all year long! Refreshments served.
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, January 17th.
This month we will be discussing My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout. 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!
Music & Movement. Ages 3 – 5 with a Parent or Caregiver. Friday, January 19th from 3:00 – 3:30 p.m.
Have fun playing together with props and music!
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, January 22nd.
Our January discussion title will be The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk. Join us for great conversation!
Meet the Author: A.J. Tata. Wednesday, January 24th at 7:00 p.m.
Meet the acclaimed author of the Threat series and Jake Mahegan thrillers. Having served 28 years in the U.S. Army before retiring as a Brigadier General, acclaimed author Anthony J. Tata parlays his years of combat and operational experience into exciting, realistic thriller novels. His books include the popular Threat series and action-packed Jake Mahegan series. His latest, Direct Fire, brings the war on terror to America with Mahegan caught in the crossfire. Tata is also a frequent foreign policy guest commentator and has been featured on Fox News, CNN, NBC and CBS News. Books will be available for purchase and signing courtesy of Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry.
American Red Cross Blood Drive. Thursday, January 25th from 1:00 – 7:00 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.
Building Competition. All Ages. Saturday, January 27th from 10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Compete in our fourth annual LEGO bricks competition. Entry forms and rules are available January 2 and are due Wednesday January 24. Prizes!
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