The Muraski Tribune: Issue 20

Good Morning Families,

Happy Spring Break! I hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend and are either getting ready for some fun around the house or maybe soaking up some sun somewhere outside of Strongsville. Enjoy the week with your families!

Sincerely,

Mike Griffen

Below, you will see the testing dates that are planned for the 25-26 school year. Each test is taken in two parts over two school days. All assessments for the Ohio State tests will be completed on chromebooks this year. Please mark you calendars to begin preparing for these dates, aheade.

3rd Grade - ELA & Math

4th Grade - ELA & Math

5th Grade - ELA, Math, & Science

Alicia Davies, AKA ‘Mother Muraski’ was a permanent fixture at our school for 36 years! She became a Muraski parent when her first child started school 1979, served as PTA Co-president from 1987-88, PTA President from 1988-89, and was hired in 1994. She was a Muraski Mom to her four children for 18 consecutive years. Mrs. Davies was seen daily going the extra mile to assist staff, students and family in a variety of caring ways. From organizing and attending some of her favorite PTA events, such as Book Fair and Bingo, controlling the chaos in the cafeteria, and going the extra mile by getting the parent bench installed by the dismissal doors, she always went out of her way to make our school community the best it could be!

The Alicia Davies PTA Volunteer Award was created in 1993 to honor Mrs. Davies who would not accept any volunteer recognition awards. This year she not only received this, but also the PTA Lifetime Achievement Award.

This award is now given annually to personally honor one of our many special and dedicated volunteers who has gone above and beyond to make a positive impact in the lives of our students as well as our overall school community.

Please join us for the “No One Eats Alone” Lunch on Wednesday, April 22 (10:45–1:30). Students will sit by birthday month and swap seats to meet someone new — a simple way to promote inclusion and stop social isolation.

The Muraski PTA Birthday Book Club would like to thank all those who have already donated and helped to provide new books for our school’s library! We are hoping to get about 30 more students to sign up to reach our goal of 100 new books for Muraski's library this year! Students with birthdays March will get a flyer sent home next month. Students with birthdays in April and May will have flyers sent home in early April. All others should have gotten a flyer around their birthday (or half-birthday) month. If you missed a flyer, it is not too late to join. The DEADLINE to join is Friday, May 1st for the 2025-26 school year.

Below, you will find information related to everything you need to know about Food Services, Breakfast & Lunch at Muraski and links that you will need to access.

Breakfast Prices: $2.00

Lunch Prices: $3.00

IMPORTANT: If you are a family that could utilize assistance for free or reduced lunch, please see that link below and fill out the necessary forms.

Policy for Free & Reduced Lunch

Free & Reduced Lunch Application Instructions

Free & Reduced Lunch Application

Pay Schools Parent Guide

Pay Schools Link

Shared Food Guidelines

*The Library Administration and all branch locations of Cuyahoga County Public Library will be closed on Sunday, April 5th in observance of the Easter holiday. We will resume normal hours on Monday, April 6th at 9:00 a.m.

CCPL Program Guide

The Cuyahoga County Public Library program guide is now digital! Want to find out about all the amazing library programs and resources happening around the system? You can view our Program information by going to cuyahogalibrary.org and click on Research & Discover to use the Press Reader resource here:

https://cuyahogalibrary.org/research-discover/resources-a-z/pressreader

English as a Second Language Classes by Aspire Greater Cleveland.

If you need to learn English or improve your language skills, we can help. Aspire Greater Cleveland offers FREE beginner, intermediate and advanced-level English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) classes. Strongsville Branch will be hosting morning classes on Thursdays and Fridays. Please call 833.ASPIRE2 (1.833.277.4732) to register or visit https://cuyahogalibrary.org/services/adult-education/aspire-greater-cleveland for more information.

Cuyahoga Works: Job & Career Services
Schedule an individual career coaching session at the Strongsville Branch with one of our Career Services Coaches. Career Services Coaches are available by appointment on Tuesdays to help you discover your occupational interests, create an effective job search strategy, and prepare for job interviews. They can also provide tips that will help you develop top-notch resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles. Career Coaching is available by appointment ONLY! To schedule a FREE appointment at our branch, please call Cuyahoga Works Job & Career Services at (216) 475-2225 or email the team at Careers@cuyahogalibrary.org

Storytimes:
IN-PERSON Storytimes.
Storytimes are for Birth to Age 5 not yet in Kindergarten. No registration needed!
Baby & Me (Birth to 18 months with a Caregiver) - Mondays / 10:00 - 10:20 a.m. OR Thursdays / 10:00 - 10:20 a.m.
Preschool (Ages 3 - 5 not yet in Kindergarten with a Caregiver) - Mondays / 11:30 a.m. - Noon OR Tuesdays / 10:00 - 10:30 a.m. OR 11:30 a.m. - Noon

Toddler (Ages 19 - 35 months with a Caregiver) - Wednesdays / 10:00 - 10:25 a.m. OR 11:30 - 11:55 a.m.
Family - Thursdays / 7:00 p.m.

Kindergarten Readiness: I Can Do it All By Myself. Children entering Kindergarten in the Fall and their Caregiver. Friday, April 3rd / 11:00 a.m. - Noon.

Join us as we help your child build kindergarten readiness skills in a program aligned to Ohio's Early Childhood Standards. This session, we will focus on skills so they can do tasks by themselves.

Teen Knit & Crochet Club. Grades 6 - 12. Monday, April 6th / 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Do you like to craft? Do you know how to knit, crochet, or hand sew? Join us in the TEEN SPACE and bring your own project to hang out with other teens who also love to make things! NO REGISTRATION REQUIRED!

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Monday, April 6th / 7:00 p.m.

Have you ever thought about recording your own music, making a video, digitizing memories, and more? The Strongsville Branch Library is home to both Audio and Video Recording studios that can help you do just that! You must go through an orientation to use the spaces. Patrons 11 & up can participate in the orientation and must turn in the User Agreement form at the branch for the orientation to count.

Young at Heart. Tuesday, April 7th / 7:00 p.m.

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is Charlotte's Web by EB. White. Please call the branch to register.

Technology Training Class:
Inkscape Basics. Friday, April 10th / 10:00 a.m. - Noon.
Learn how to create a vector design using this free open-source editor comparable to Adobe Illustrator.

Southwest General Health Talk: Aging Gracefully - Mental Wellness in Later Life. Tuesday, April 14th / 11:00 a.m.

Join Jeffrey Riskin, LISW, from Southwest General Medical Group, Inc.- Behavioral Health, for an inspiring and down-to-earth discussion on maintaining emotional well-being as we grow older.

Beyond the Screen: Protecting Your Eyes in a Digital World. Tuesday, April 14th / 7:00 p.m.

Kevin Walker, licensed Optician and Workstation Ergonomist, will address common issues like blue light exposure, eye fatigue, and eye strain, especially for those who spend time driving at night. He will demonstrate and explain the real-world advantages of using specialty tints and filters, along with simple ergonomic adjustments that can immediately relieve eye strain and make your daily screen time or driving more comfortable.

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, April 15th / 7:00 p.m.

Our Wednesday Evening Book Discussion meets at 7p.m. on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. We welcome all adults interested in reading and discussing great books! Our next discussion title will be The Unraveling of Julia by Lisa Scottoline. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk of the Strongsville Branch Library.

Toddler Sensory & Art Play. Ages 1 - 3 with a Caregiver. Friday, April 17th / 10:00 - 11:00 a.m.

Engage your little one's senses, develop skills, and build brain connections through open-ended art using a variety of tactile materials.

Blood Drive. Friday, April 17th / 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 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 800-RED-CROSS (800-733-2767).

How to Multiply and Divide Perennials to Gain Free Plants. Monday, April 20th / 7:00 p.m.

Shocked at the price of new perennial garden centers this year? Master Gardeners of Cuyahoga County will help you fight inflation by teaching you how to create new plants from those you already own. This presentation will focus on when and how to divide perennials, how to grow new plants from cuttings, propagating by "layering" and how to store and harvest your own seeds. Your garden and pocketbook will thank you for increasing your plant numbers without spending a dime.

Teen Tech: Scratch Coding. Grades 6 - 12. Tuesday, April 21st / 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

Learn about Scratch and code and design your own game! In order to participate in youth programs that could be considered harmful, Cuyahoga County Public Library requires parents to complete a Release & Hold Harmless Form.

What's "Cooking" After School. Grades 1 - 4. Wednesday, April 22nd / 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

This month’s culinary creation will be - Spring Rolls. Registration is required. Spaces are limited. This program may include activities that could be considered harmful. In order for your child to participate, you must sign the Release and Hold Harmless form.

A Brief History of the Western Reserve. Wednesday, April 22nd / 7:00 p.m.

In partnership with the Strongsville Branch Library and the Strongsville Historical Society, the Western Reserve Historical Society’s Cleveland History Center (Speaker TBD) will discuss the fascinating history of the region and present some of the rarest treasures in the Western Reserve Historical Society's collection. This presentation is part of the Strongsville Historical Society’s commemoration of the 250th anniversary of American independence.

Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Monday, April 27th / 2:30 p.m.

The Monday Afternoon Book Discussion meets at 2:30 p.m. in the Library on the 4th Monday of each month. No registration is required. New members are always welcome. We welcome all adults interested in reading and discussing great books! Our next discussion title will be The Lion Women of Tehran: A Novel by Marjan Kamali. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.

Meet Author Amity Gaige. Wednesday, April 29th / 7:00 p.m.

Join us when author Amity Gaige visits to discuss her latest novel, Heartwood: a Novel. Registration for this event is FREE. VIP tickets are also available for purchase. Each VIP ticket ($20+fees) includes: A paperback copy of Heartwood, VIP seating at the event, signing line priority, and a donation to the Cuyahoga County Public Library Foundation. To register for VIP, please visit Amity Gaige VIP Ticket Tickets, Wed, Apr 29, 2026 at 7:00 PM | Eventbrite

For the free seating, registration is on our website or call (440) 238-5530.

Play, Learn, & Grow. Ages 1 - 3 with an adult caregiver. Thursday, April 30th / 10:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Boost your toddler’s brain through play! Join us for a 5-week series and connect with your kids, community experts, and other families, plus get information about your growing child.

67 Book Club. Grades 3 - 5. Thursday, April 30th / 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.
Lock in, chat. Forget brain rot! Instead, pick up a book at the library beginning the 1st of each month and join us in discussion and a light snack. Registration is required. Our next discussion title will be A Boy Called Bat by Elana K Arnold.

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