Mustang Moments

Last Week's Poll Question: "I tune into the Super Bowl for . . . "

52% Responded "The Halftime Show"

29% Responded "The Commercials"
19% Responded "The Game"

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).

Four years ago, we engaged stakeholders to help in developing our Strategic Plan. One of the strongest messages we heard from parents was the need for continued improvement in the areas of student behavior and bullying. Over the past two and a half years we've made significant efforts to enhance the learning environment and school experience for every student. Please join us for a Parent Feedback Night on Monday, March 9 at 6:00pm. This event will share updates on this important work and gather parent feedback on progress and growth opportunities. Please CLICK HERE to RSVP before Friday, February 27th for the Parent Feedback Night. We will determine a location for this event based on the RSVP’s received.

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.

The Strongsville High School Dance Team is now 2x STATE CHAMPIONS! This past weekend, the team was named STATE CHAMPIONS once again at the OASSA Dance State Championship! The competition was made up of the best teams across Ohio. After 10 hours of intense competition, the team not only became State Champions in the hip-hop category, but was also named State Runner-Up in Jazz and placed in the top 3 in the state for every category they entered including placing 3rd for both lyrical and pom. The work ethic and dedication of this team is nothing short of amazing and has truly paid off. The team is under the direction of Coach Mackenzie Grimm and Captains Kylee Sanuk and Maddie Gorman. The team would like to send a heartfelt thank you to Strongsville City Schools and Athletic Department, Strongsville Athletic Boosters, and Caliber Dance Company for all of their support along the way. Congratulations to the SHS Dance team for this remarkable achievement!

The SMS Drama Club is in rehearsals for James and the Giant Peach Jr - with performances scheduled for Friday, March 6 at 7:00pm and Saturday, March 7 at 2:00pm in the SMS Auditorium.

James and the Giant Peach Jr. is a magical musical adaptation of Roald Dahl’s beloved story: after losing his parents, young James Henry Trotter escapes life with his cruel aunts when a mysterious gift causes a gigantic peach to grow. Inside the peach he befriends oversized, eccentric insects including a brave Centipede, wise Grasshopper, gentle Earthworm, motherly Ladybug, and loyal Miss Spider. Together they embark on a daring ocean adventure, facing sharks, seagulls, and storms while learning about courage, friendship, and finding a family in the chaos! The score mixes lively, whimsical songs with tender moments, balancing humor and heartfelt emotion for audiences of all ages.

Make plans to see talented SMS students bring this musical to life! To purchase your tickets in advance, please click HERE.

Help support this year's Blood Cancer United (formally Leukemia and Lymphoma Society) Student Visionaries. This year’s Student Visionaries team from Strongsville High School is being led by Anna Placeway, Emily Polo, and Eric Dubsky. The Student Visionaries of the Year program is a philanthropic youth leadership initiative in which high school students compete to raise funds for blood cancer research, advocacy, and support. Student leaders form a team and fundraise in honor of blood cancer survivors. They have created an amazing team, "Mustangs For A Cure" to help them reach a goal of raising $150,00 for Blood Cancer United. They have from January 23rd March 13th to accomplish this task! This year’s team has already been working hard to network with local business leaders, but in order to reach this goal it’s going to take the support of our entire community! How can you help?

1. Donate! Mustangs For A Cure Team Page *Online Donations NOW through March 13

2. Follow them on facebook, Mustangs For A Cure Facebook to cheer them on and follow their progress! Share their page and ask others to follow!

3. Share, attend and participate in their community events.

4. Connect them to local business leaders who may want to join us in their efforts to raise money for Blood Cancer United by emailing mustangsforacure@gmail.com

Big shout out and THANK YOU to Mr. Howard - P.E. teacher at Surrarrer Elementary. Mr. Howard recently collected donations from Surrarrer staff, as well as his family and friends, to purchase 115 Build-A-Bears (worth almost $1,600)! Surrarrer staff was able to help create and fill the bears before Mr. Howard delivered them to Cleveland Clinic's Children's Hospital.

Get ready to jump, stunt, and cheer - 2026-27 SHS Cheer tryouts are coming! Step into the spotlight and let your spirit shine! Cheer tryouts are approaching, offering you the opportunity to support SHS, grow as an athlete, and build friendships that go far beyond the season.

Learn all the material you’ll need to succeed at tryouts!

Come ready to learn new skills, work as a team, and show your school spirit. We can’t wait to see your enthusiasm, dedication, and SHS pride—let’s make this season unforgettable!

If you have any questions contact Coach Orlosky at jorlosky@scsmustangs.org

Mr. Jake Bokar is in his third year teaching at Strongsville City Schools, and his seventh year teaching overall. Mr. Bokar is an 8th grade Math Teacher on the Pirates Team at Strongsville Middle School. He is a graduate of Strongsville High School (Class of 2015) and earned his undergraduate degree from Otterbein University and his graduate degree from the American College of Education.

“The best part about interacting with students at our Middle School is learning about and working with the vast array of personalities that makes all of our students unique. Each student has something that is special about them and it is great discovering the true kid!”

“I love working with our staff at SMS! Everyone is very welcoming and inclusive in our building. We are like one big family that have true relationships with each other, not just work relationships. Everyone loves helping each other. I really enjoy giving back to a community that helped raise me and develop me into the person I am today.”

Thank you Mr. Bokar for helping your 8th grade students gain a greater appreciation for math! #ModelMustang

Make plans to support Strongsville Girls Basketball at Scene 75 on February 15 & 16. Purchase tickets HERE. $20 per person includes:

Lexi Seiler is a freshman at Strongsville High School, a Tri-C student, and a powerful voice for Type 1 diabetes awareness in our community. Diagnosed with T1D in 2023, Lexi turned a life-changing challenge into a mission of advocacy, education, and leadership. She has led districtwide awareness efforts, been recognized as an Outstanding Student Leader, and now serves - along with her family - as a Chair of the 2026 Breakthrough T1D Cleveland Gala at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Lexi dreams of becoming a PICU doctor, inspired by her own journey and the care she has received. Click HERE for more information on Lexi’s efforts in raising awareness about T1D.

Registration for incoming kindergarten students is NOW OPEN. See the informational flyer below. More information can also be accessed HERE.

PLEASE NOTE: New legislation has changed the eligible age for kindergarten entrance to include any student who turns five years old on or before our start date of August 18th. Previously students needed to be five years old by August 1st.

Get ready to turn your passion for fashion into a profession. Polaris Career Center is launching an exciting NEW Fashion Design & Merchandising program next fall - and it’s unlike anything they’ve offered before. This innovative two-year program will be housed at Berea-Midpark High School and is open to incoming juniors from all six Polaris partner high schools. Developed in partnership with the Kent State University School of Fashion - one of the nation’s premier fashion programs - students will gain real-world experience and industry insight in Fashion Design, Merchandising, Marketing, Entrepreneurship, and much MORE!

Family First Solutions, a partner with Strongsville City Schools providing mental health support services, presents several workshops in the upcoming months (see flyers below). Please email Carrie Jancar (cjancar@scsmustangs.org) to hold your spot in these study skills and parenting workshops.

There’s a new feedback link at the bottom of our District’s webpage.
If you have questions, comments, or feedback about our website or about SCS in general - send an email to
feedback@scsmustangs.org

The SHS Theatre Department is collaborating with Playhouse Square to sell a block of tickets for the upcoming national tour of The Outsiders on Sunday May 3, 2025 at 6:30pm. Funds will go toward the mounting of SHS's spring musical, Anything Goes.

SHS FUNdraiser prices range from $37.50 - $117.50 (Regular prices range from $42.00 - $150.00)

SHS Theatre Department will receive $10 for every ticket sold. For those interested, all you need to do is visit the following website: Strongsville High School Fundraiser Night at The Outsiders There are instructions explaining how to purchase tickets. You must enter the promo code SHSMUSICAL in the purple box on the top left. That will open up the ticket purchase below when the web page refreshes. Then, you may purchase any seat offered on the seating chart. Thanks for supporting the SHS Spring Musical!

Doughnut lovers - we have a treat for you! Charitable (so guilt-free), fresh to order (and perfectly glazed), dozens of doughnuts!! The SHS Theatre Department just launched a GroupRaise Krispy Kreme Digital Dozen fundraising campaign to support their upcoming spring musical, Anything Goes. From now until March 27, 2026, 50% of orders will be donated back to our cause when you purchase your doughnuts using our fundraising sales page. $15.00 per dozen!!

** Also, you can order as many dozens as you wish and use them throughout the year. For instance, you could order 5 dozen and use one per month without worry of expiration **

Orders MUST be made through the website below and are NOT LIMITED to the local Middleburg Heights location. So please inform family & friends in other cities and states.

SHS Theatre Krispy Kreme Fundraiser Link

Strongsville City Schools is looking for our next great team members! We are currently hiring for several positions in our District, including the following positions: Bus Driver, Substitute - Bus Aide

Don’t forget about the upcoming Transportation Department
Job Fair on Saturday, March 7 from 10:00am - 12:00pm at the Transportation Offices (Rademaker-Miller Lane).

You can see a full listing of available jobs in our District HERE.

Right At School provides care for SCS K-5 students before and after school at each of our elementary buildings, with a variety of plan options ranging from once a week to all five days. RAS provides homework support, a fun-based curriculum including American Sign Language, crafts, games and fun activities, afternoon snack, and so much more! For more information on registering with Right at School, visit rightatschool.com. Should you have any specific questions, please contact Matt Urbin, RAS Area Manager (matt.urbin@rightatschool.com / 440.902.1302).

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. Click HERE for additional Stay Safe. Speak Up! Information on the District’s website. Reporting incidents can be made anonymously online or through a toll free number (​1-866-listen2me / 1-866-547-8362).

Treehouse Berea Programming

Treehouse Berea is offering many activities and opportunities for students! From Coding to Robotics to Game Design - there's lots of great STEAM based enrichment experiences for kids ages 6-12. Visit treehouseberea.com to learn more or click HERE for the current flyer about March programming and activities - including a new Knitting Club!

Strongsville Chamber of Commerce
Please note the following upcoming events hosted by the Strongsville Chamber of Commerce. Registration is required for all events. Please call 440.238.3366 for more information or to register. Those interested in the following events may also visit the Chamber website at www.strongsvillechamber.com to register and see additional event info.

UPCOMING EVENTS
February Business Luncheon, Hosted by Altenheim Senior Living
Guest Presenter - Paul Psota, CEO - Altenheim Senior Living
Altenheim Shurmer Meeting Center (entrance off Shurmer Rd.)
Tuesday, February 17, 2026
11:30am – 1:00pm
Members: $25/pp, Non-Members: $30/pp

Business After Hours & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony
CMIT Solutions (17999 Foltz Parkway, Suite 101)
Tuesday, February 24
5:30pm - 7:30pm

21+ Only, Please
FREE for Members, $10 for Future Members

Strongsville High School * Muraski Elementary *

Strongsville Middle School * Surrarrer Elementary *

Chapman Elementary * Whitney Elementary *

Kinsner Elementary * Early Learning Preschool

Website: www.scsmustangs.org
Location: Strongsville City Schools, 18199 Cook Avenue, Strongsville, OH, United States
Phone: (440) 572-7000
Facebook: facebook.com/strongsvillecs
Instagram: @strongsvillecs

Twitter / X: @strongsvillecs