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Mustangs in the Middle Newletter

February 24, 2025

Mustangs in theMiddle NewletterFebruary 24, 2025

Important Dates to Remember Important Dates to Remember

  • Wednesday February 25 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 4pm-7pm

  • Friday February 27 - ICAC School Presentation

  • March 6-7 - James and the Giant Peach Jr. Spring Musical

Grade Level Newsletter Grade Level Newsletter

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6th Grade

7th Grade

8th Grade

SMS Spring Musical - James and the Giant Peach Jr. (March 6-7) SMS Spring Musical - James and the Giant Peach Jr. (March 6-7)

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.

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Internet Safety Presentations Internet Safety Presentations

On Friday February 27 SMS students will hear from professionals from the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force.

In response to increasing internet dangers, former Cuyahoga County Prosecutor Bill Mason applied for specialized grant funding from the United States Department of Justice in 1999 to launch the Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. The Ohio ICAC Task Force is a collaboration among city, county, state, and federal law enforcement authorities focused on investigating and prosecuting internet crimes involving child predators and child exploitation. The Task Force is also dedicated to the education of parents and children about internet safety.

During ICAC Internet Safety Presentations, students will hear from the Ohio ICAC Statewide Outreach Coordinator to learn about age-appropriate safety regarding the following topics:

  • Digital Citizenship

  • Online Predators

  • Cyberbullying

  • Video Game Safety

  • Inappropriate Content Online

  • Social Media Best Practices

The intent of these presentations is to equip students with the knowledge and skills needed to navigate the internet safely and responsibly. Through age-appropriate education, we aim to empower students to recognize potential risks, make informed choices, and seek help when something online feels unsafe.

If you would not want your child to attend the presentations, please CLICK ON THIS LINK and fill out the form or email your child's team leader.

For more information on the Task Force visit https://www.ccprosecutor.us/what-we-do/

Parent Feedback Event Parent Feedback Event

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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.

Voyager Corner Voyager Corner

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Welcome to Voyager Corner. SMS offers a wide selection of engaging encore classes (Art, Music, P.E., FCS, Polaris, Career Connections, Technology, and so much more). All of our encore teachers are part of the Voyager Team and we'd like to highlight some of the amazing things happening at SMS in our Voyager courses.


VOYAGER CORNER EDITION 3: Career Connections, Broadcasting, Technology, & World Languages


For our 3rd edition, we're sharing the newly painted gate at the Strongsville Historical Society by our Career Connections students, interviews and recordings created by our Broadcasting classes, coding and 3D printing in Technology, and the beautiful Mardi Gras masks made in World Languages, and more! Click this link to check out some photos!

Mustangs for a Cure Mustangs for a Cure

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

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2026 8th Grade Washington DC Trip 2026 8th Grade Washington DC Trip

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Girls Lacrosse Girls Lacrosse

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Guidelines on When to Keep Your Child Home from School Guidelines on When to Keep Your Child Home from School

Please click on the LINK for guidelines from our District Nurses about when to keep your child home from school.

We Need Your Help We Need Your Help

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Strongsville Athletics is proud to celebrate one of our own! Sidney Butera has been nominated for the Ohio Ms. Basketball Award, recognizing the top players across the state — and we need Mustang Nation’s support.

Opportunities like this don’t come around often, and Sidney has truly earned her place among Ohio’s best through her hard work, leadership, and outstanding performance on the court.

We encourage our students, families, alumni, and community members to take a moment to vote and help spread the word by sharing the link below.

Cast your vote here (an unlimited number of times until 3/6):
https://www.cleveland.com/highschoolsports/2026/02/who-should-win-ohios-ms-basketball-award-our-picks-your-votes.html?gift=c29ac890-34a9-4592-b54a-54621017ace9

Let’s rally together and show the strength of Mustang Nation as we support Sidney on this incredible honor!

Build Her - Construction Workshop Build Her - Construction Workshop

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Yearbook Order Form Yearbook Order Form

It's the perfect time to order your yearbook! Please note that this year's deadline is final to ensure the yearbooks arrive in time for students to sign each other's copies. You can find all the ordering details on the flyer below, and the form provided contains everything you need to complete your order. Don't miss out!


Order Form (Printable Version)

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26-27 Cheer Tryout Information 26-27 Cheer Tryout Information

Cheer Tryouts – 2026–2027 Season!

Get ready to jump, stunt, and 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.


Tryout Clinics: Learn all the material you’ll need to succeed at tryouts!
March 9–11
SHS Main Gym


Tryouts:
March 12
Starting at 4:00 PM
SHS Main Gym


Mandatory Parent & Athlete Meeting:
All athletes and a parent/guardian must attend.
February 10

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

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Nominations for SHS Distinguished Alumni Nominations for SHS Distinguished Alumni

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.

SCS Financial Fast Facts SCS Financial Fast Facts

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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).

March 2026 Strongsville Branch Library information March 2026 Strongsville Branch Library information

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.

Office Availability

Building is Open 7:30-3:30 Monday-Friday when school is in session.

School Information

School Counselors

  • Mrs. Pietrocini -6th grade

  • Mrs. Marozsan - 7th grade

  • Mr. Greer - 8th Grade

School Information

Main Office: 440-572-7090

Building Secretary: Mrs. Hallie Malloy

School Attendance: 440-572-7090 Option 2

Attendance Clerk: Mrs. Lynn Haddad

Administration

SMS Principal: Mr. John Telloni

6th Grade Principal: Mrs. Tera Thomas

7th Grade Principal: Mr. Chris Howell

8th Grade Principal: Mr. Bryan Szczepanski

SCS Anonymous Reporting System

Parents/students have access to our anonymous reporting system. CLICK HERE to access. The more information shared when reporting, the better chance we have to investigate and support.

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