The Muraski Tribune: Issue 10

I hope you were able to enjoy two extra days off with your families, as we had Professional Development within our district over the past two days. This is always a great time of year with the leaves changing, Halloween & Trick-or-Treat behind us, and fun events like PTA's night at Kalahari, yesterday. Enjoy the beautiful fall colors and sunshine that Strongsville has to offer, and brace yourself as the cold is coming in the near future.

I want to send a special shout out and thank you to all the parents who participated in our Halloween parties on October 31st. The students have so much fun and it is possible because of our room parents and volunteers who show up to help out! Thank you for all that you do to help our students have fun at Muraski.

Please take a look below. We have some upcoming events within our building and across the district.

Have a great day!

Sincerely,

Mike Griffen

To support our youngest learners in Kindergarten and 1st Grade, we provide ClassLink QuickCards so students can access their learning tools in a way that is age-appropriate and matches their early typing and technology skills. A QuickCard is a small card with a QR code that lets your student log in to ClassLink by holding it up to your device’s camera, no passwords to remember! ClassLink is our secure launchpad for apps like Typing Agent, Google Classroom, and more!

To login at home, please use this link: https://launchpad.classlink.com/strongnet

Your student can sign in two ways:

1. Sign in with Provided QuickCard (QR Code) - Fast and easy. No typing required. Your child’s teacher needs to provide this card for home use.

2. Sign in with District Google Account - Students enter their school email and password. Example 38smith.john@scsmustangs.org with password 123456js.

Please note that beginning in 2nd grade, students transition to typing their district Google username and password to log in independently. This gradual approach builds confidence and supports digital responsibility as students grow.

Dear Strongsville City Schools Parents/Guardians:

Due to the shutdown of the federal government, federal funding for many important child nutrition programs has been affected.

If your child’s meal status is Free or Reduced for school breakfast and lunch, there is nothing you need to do. Your child will keep the same benefit status for the entire school year and state funding for these programs is secure through the end of December.

If your family has recently lost SNAP and/or WIC benefits, you may reach out to the Strongsville Emergency Food Bank located at 13259 Pearl Road in Strongsville, or contact them by phone at 440-580-3280. Local chapters of the Cleveland and Cuyahoga County Food Banks may also provide support and resources:

As always, if your family’s financial status has changed due to the government shutdown or any other reason, we encourage you to complete a Free and Reduced Meal Application online at payschoolscentral.com. It is never too late to complete the application.

Our District remains committed to the well-being of all of our families. We are closely monitoring this situation and have staff available who may be able to assist in connecting you with the appropriate resources. Please reach out to your school if you are in need of food assistance.

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

Fax Line

Attendance Line

Bus Transportation

Counseling Office

Clinic

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.

Meet Author Heather Gudenkauf. Wednesday, November 5th / 7:00 p.m.
Join us when author Heather Gudenkauf visits to discuss her latest novel, The Perfect Hosts.
Books will be available for purchase courtesy of Mac's Backs - Books on Coventry.

Kindergarten Countdown: Scissor and Fine Motor Skills. For Children entering Kindergarten next Fall & a Caregiver. Friday, November 7th / 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 using scissors and fine motor skills.

Technology Training Class:
Excel: Advanced Methods and Tools. Monday, November 10th / 1:00 - 3:00 p.m.
Learn some of the advanced features and functions in Excel, including lookup, logical and conditional summary functions, data validation and conditional formatting. Prerequisite: Excel Basics.

Audio & Video Studio Orientation. Ages 11 & up. Monday, November 10th / 7:00 p.m.

IN PERSON Or Saturday, November 22nd / 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.

Young at Heart. Tuesday, November 11th / 7:00 p.m.

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton. Please call the branch to register.

GarageBand Basics. Wednesday, November 12th / 7:00 p.m.

Learn about the basics of GarageBand, available in our Recording Studios. We'll review the software and answer questions you may have. We will also review Studio Orientation materials so all participants will be free to use the Recording Studio after the program.

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

A book club for adults who love Children's and Teen books. The title for our next discussion is The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury. Please call the branch to register.

Dog Behavior 101 - Understanding, Managing, & Enriching Your Dog's Life. Monday, November 17th / 7:00 p.m.

This introductory talk covers the basics of dog behavior and how to build a strong relationship with your dog using science-backed methods. This program is for humans only.

Teen Craft Night: Paint Along Canvas. Tuesday, November 18th / 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
For Teens (grades 6-12): Follow along as we paint an acrylic paint masterpiece inspired by fall! 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, November 19th / 4:30 - 5:30 p.m.

This month’s culinary creation will be - Making Guacamole. Registration 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.

Wednesday Evening Book Discussion. Wednesday, November 19th / 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 A Sea of Unspoken Things by Adrienne Young. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk of the Strongsville Branch Library.

School Age Craft: Pearler Bead Magnets. Ages 9 - 11. Thursday, November 20th / 5:30 - 7:00 p.m.

Make your own design or follow a template to create your own Perler bead magnet.

Blood Drive. Friday, November 21st / 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).

Toddler Sensory & Art Play. Ages 1 - 3 with a Caregiver. Friday, November 21st / 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.

Monday Afternoon Book Discussion. Monday, November 24th / 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 Heart of Winter by Jonathan Evison. Copies of the book will be available for check-out at the circulation desk.