The Muraski Tribune: Issue 17

Good Afternoon Muraski Families,

I hope you have had a great start to your week. Although the weather took a turn for the worst after a few days of sunshine, it looks like things will warm up again at the end of this week. As the weather starts to shift and we go through this stretch of time between now and spring break, this is often a period where students need more reminders and support for their behavior and decision making. Please help support us by reminding your child of the importance of the decisions they make while at school, but also at home and in our community. With a consistent message and support both in the school and at home, we can work together to help our children grow in their independent decision making and responsibility.

Let's have a great rest of the week!

Sincerely,

Mike Griffen

Know an SHS graduate that has accomplished great things? We are looking to recognize alumni that have made a significant impact in their professional career and/or in their community and are currently accepting nominations for the SHS Distinguished Alumni - Class of 2026. Fill out THIS FORM to nominate a deserving SHS graduate for this honor. This year’s selected class of Distinguished Alumni will be recognized at a special event in April 2026.

Mark your calendars for March 31st at Strongsville Middle School, 6:00pm-8:00pm for the State of the Schools event as we highlight the Model Mustang Experience. It will be a great showcase of learning for: hands-on, interactive experiences, student voice and leadership, real-world connections, and interdisciplinary collaborations.

The deadline to register for 6th grade classes is today, February 24th. Please make sure you take the time to register for your child's classes in 6th grade. Click the link below.

Click HERE for this month's edition of the Financial Fast Facts Newsletter from our District's Treasurer, Mr. George Anagnostou. This newsletter features information about where Strongsville ranks compared to other school districts in Cuyahoga County Effective Residential Tax Rates, and the December 2025 Financial Update. Since our District's fiscal year runs from July through June, December marks the halfway point of the fiscal year making this an important milestone to review our financial health.

Over the last two school years, as part of our District's strategic plan, we launched Financial Fast Facts to keep our community informed about Strongsville City Schools' finances. What began as informative infographics evolved into a video series and now we are adding newsletters. Past Financial Fast Facts can be found HERE.

We hope this newsletter helps to further explain our District's finances. Should you have any questions or need additional information, please reach out to the SCS Treasurer's Office (ganagnostou@scsmustangs.org / 440.572.7021).

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

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

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.

Teen Knit & Crochet Club. Grades 6 - 12. Monday, March 2nd / 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!

Young at Heart. Tuesday, March 3rd / 7:00 p.m.

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is Good Different by Meg Eden Kuyatt. Please call the branch to register.

Benjamin Rose Workshop: Scams & Fraud. Wednesday, March 4th / 10:00 a.m.
Learn how to spot a scam and what to do. Learn ways to guard against identity and medical identity theft. Benjamin Rose is a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a trusted partner in the aging journey. This workshop is geared towards older adults and their caregivers.

Southwest General Health Talk: The Power of Breath - A Guide to Conscious Breathing for Health and Wellness. Thursday, March 5th / 6:00 p.m.
Breathwork, or mindful breathing, is a powerful tool for managing stress, improving focus, and enhancing overall well-being. It involves consciously controlling your breath to influence your nervous system and mental state. Join Dipali Desai, MD, family medicine physician and Integrative Psychiatrist on the medical staff at Southwest General as she explores different breathwork techniques, their benefits, how to incorporate them into daily life, then leads us in a short breathwork practice.

Kindergarten Readiness: Colors and Shapes For Children entering Kindergarten next Fall & a Caregiver. Friday, Masrch 6th / 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 the colors and shapes.

Oreo Cookie Day. Ages 6 - 10. Saturday, March 7th / 11:00 a.m. - Noon.
Taste test these unique Oreo flavors and rank them in order from best to worst flavor as well as make a tasty Oreo mousse to take home. Registration is required. A release and hold harmless form must be filled out by a parent for child to attend.

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Monday, March 9th / 7:00 p.m. IN PERSON OR Saturday, March 28th / 10 a.m. VIRTUAL

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. Register online to attend the virtual session.

A Chemical Free Backyard. Tuesday, March 10th / 7:00 p.m.
Join us as Mel Hauser, Community Outreach Coordinator for Good Nature Organic Lawn Care, will share information on how you can reduce your dependency on chemicals in your yard. Learn “The Good, The Bad and The Ugly” about the chemicals we use in our own backyards to make our lawn and gardens look nicer and thrive. In addition to reviewing some products, we’ll cover procedures and practices you can use on your lawn and in your garden that reduce your dependency of using dangerous chemicals. A Q & A will follow this 45-minute presentation.

Benjamin Rose Workshop: Benefitting from Benefits. Wednesday, March 11th / 10:00 a.m.
A representative from Benjamin Rose will present this workshop on benefitting from benefits. Don’t lose out on the benefit of seeing what benefits you may qualify for. This workshop will explain the various different social programs that are available and how they work. It will also cover why it is important to review your Medicare Part D plan every year at open enrollment. Benjamin Rose is a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a trusted partner in the aging journey. This workshop is geared towards older adults and their caregivers.

Technology Training Class:
Computer Basics. Friday, March 13th / 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Create designs and graphics for print or digital media with this free website. Prerequisite: Computer Basics or equivalent experience. Preferred: Account with Canva.com (bring your password!)

Snapology: Discovering Dinosaurs. Ages 7 - 10. Saturday, March 14th / 2:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Snapology’s Robotics Dinosaur class combines the excitement of dinosaurs with hands-on STEM learning, giving kids the chance to build and program their own moving dino creations using LEGO® robotics. As they bring prehistoric creatures to life, students explore basic engineering, coding, sensors, and coding in a fun, age-appropriate environment. Registration is required.

Teen Sewing Basics. Grades 6 - 12. Tuesday, March 17th / 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Learn the basic parts and functions of a machine, practice basic stitches, and make a fun project! All materials and equipment are provided. No prior experience is necessary. 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.

Benjamin Rose Workshop: Recognizing & Avoiding Elder Financial Abuse. Wednesday, March 18th / 10:00 a.m.
In this workshop, you will learn what elder financial exploitation is and why older adults are at risk, who the abusers are, and where to report the abuse. Benjamin Rose is a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a trusted partner in the aging journey. This workshop is geared towards older adults and their caregivers.

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, March 18th / 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 Everything is Tuberculosis by John Green. 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, March 20th / 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, March 20th / 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. AND Monday, March 30th / 1:00 - 6:00 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).

Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Monday, March 23rd / 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 My Friends: A Novel by Fredrik Backman. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.

Benjamin Rose Workshop: Planning for the Future. Wednesday, March 25th / 10:00 a.m.
Participants will learn how to prepare an estate plan, how to prepare advanced health directives, and how to prepare yourself for unexpected life events. Benjamin Rose is a Cleveland-based nonprofit organization whose mission is to serve as a trusted partner in the aging journey. This workshop is geared towards older adults and their caregivers.

What's "Cooking" After School. Grades 1 - 4. Wednesday, March 25th / 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

This month’s culinary creation will be - Making Moroccan Carrot Salad. 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.

Stocks Made Simple. Thursday, March 26th / 6:00 - 7:30 p.m.
This program gets rid of the complex jargon and helps patrons speak the language of stock gurus. Participants learn to tell the difference between investing, trading, and gambling (speculation). Lastly, participants will learn to tell the difference between good stocks and bad stocks and learn to read financial statements and simple stock charts. Money Moves are a team of instructors with diverse backgrounds, certifications, and careers in finance. Our head instructor, who will be teaching the program, has been a financial educator for over 5 years and actively manages an investment portfolio of over $400K in assets composed of stocks, options, bonds, REITS, index funds, and rental real estate.

67 Book Club. Grades 3 - 5. Thursday, March 26th / 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 March Discussion Title will be El Deafo by Cece Bell.

Spring Has Sprung! Ages 4 - 6 with Caregiver. Friday, March 27th / 10:30 - 11:15 a.m.
We will dye eggs, make a craft, hear stories, and do the Bunny Hop. Registration is required. 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.

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