Weekly Wildcat

PARENT NEWSLETTER: WEEK OF 11/29/2021

Chisholm Trail Middle School

Chisholm Trail Middle School

Chisholm Trail Middle School

Office Hours: Mon-Thurs 7am-4pm; Fri-7am-3:30pm

16700 W. 159th Street, Olathe, KS, 66062

913-780-7240

Technical Support: Help Desk--913-780-8058


Administration

Principal: Rick Sola

rfsola@olatheschools.org

Asst. Principal: Krista Dueringer (Silver-6,7,8)

kdueringercst@olatheschools.org

Asst. Principal: Erin Richerson (Green-6,7,8)

eericherson@olatheschools.org


Counselors

Rachel Iuli: Green-6,7,8

rjiuli@olatheschools.org

Ashley Rodden: Silver-6,7,8

amrodden@olatheschools.org

Nurse

Jenn Ross: jiross@olatheschools.org

School Resource Officer

Frank Galbrecht: fgalbrechtsro@olatheschools.org

Attendance Secretary

Connie Bray: cbraycst@olatheschools.org (913.780.7241)

Data Operator

Melynda Marquardt: mrmarquardt@olatheschools.org
16700 W 159th St, Olathe, KS 66062, USA 913-780-7240 olatheschools.org/chisholmtrail
Week of 11/29/2021

Week of 11/29/2021

Dear CST Family,


I hope this reaches you well and that you've had a nice Thanksgiving break and holiday. We return with only three weeks until the end of semester one and our even bigger winter break. Certainly the week off has been welcome and needed but we transition back to a flurry of activity at the end of the semester. Concerts, plays, athletics, and end of term academics will all be a part of these final weeks. Of course, excitement and anticipation for the holidays and/or extra time off will be a factor as students do their best to remain focused. With all that, it'll be a great few weeks at CST and I look forward to spending this time WITH students. Last year we were remote before the holidays and the fun and excitement just wasn't the same. We come back to some spirit days at CST (pajama day on Monday...that just seems appropriate) and will conclude the week with a pep assembly. Whether you are able to attend an event in person or simply catch up during dinner time conversation, I hope you can take part in the upcoming week's of activities both during and after the school hours.


Have a wonderful week ahead and enjoy the season!


Rick

Week of 11/29/2021

SPIRIT WEEK!!!

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Pep Assembly Bell Schedule (12/3)

Note different lunch times...
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Spirit Wear

Spirit Wear

The recent spirit wear store has now closed and orders will be delivered to CST prior to the holidays. A text will go out alerting parents the orders will be coming home with their child. Limited selection may still be available for short-sleeved t-shirts with 2 designs. Contact the office for pricing and availability.
Spirit Wear

GBB Game Location UPDATE!

Due to scheduling issued, the 12/7 GBB game will now be played AT Oregon Trail at 3:30pm rather than a home game as originally scheduled.

Naming the CST Mascot!

Submissions will continue through this week...encourage your child to give a suggestion and why they think that should be our mascot's name! QR codes are posted around the building for students to enter.
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Pledge of Allegiance

Pledge of Allegiance

CST students are now able to sign up to recite the Pledge of Allegiance for the entire school on Mondays! QR codes are located in all SS classrooms and around the building. Encourage your child to sign up either by themselves or with a group of friends.
Pledge of Allegiance

Pennies for Shoes Coming Soon...

Beginning this Tuesday, 11/30, CST will kick off our campaign for the Olathe Mayor's Children's Fund...affectionately known as the "Pennies for Shoes" campaign. Money raised goes toward basic needs for Olathe kids...shoes, socks, coats, dental visits, etc. Last year, Chisholm Trail raised $1,107.94 (most in all Olathe Schools!) and we're hoping to top that number this year! We turn this into a friendly (most of the time) competition among our WIN classes. The 3 WIN classes with the most contributions will win prizes (Mr. Morrone is the current title holder from last school year). Last year this included pizza, ice cream, and/or drinks. In addition, if CST raises more money than the other Olathe middle schools, Assistant Superintendent of Middle Schools, Dr. Sarah Guerrero, has promised donuts for all CST students!
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CST's Generosity--Nice Job, KAY Club!

CST's KAY club led an effort to receive donations of new crock pots for Olathe families in need. This is the second year CST has conducted this drive and is such a welcome surprise for the recipients. Thank you for your support!
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THIS WEEK!

Follow @CSTWildcatsMS

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Congrats to CST Para, Beth Eisenbraun!

The Olathe Public School Foundation recognized Mrs. Eisenbraun with the CEERA (Classified Excellent Employee Recognition) Award...what a great way to roll into the Thanksgiving break...so deserved too!
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Thank you, CST Parents...

...for your generosity for CST staff. We are touched by your support and loved the treats. This was such a nice surprise for staff on Tuesday...thank you!
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CST Expecation Review--FYI

Parents,


Over the past week CST admin met with all 7th and 8th graders (6th graders coming next week) to review general expectations while at school. This includes behavior in the halls, classroom, lunch, walking home, etc. We talked about interactions with students, adults, and substitute teachers and use of appropriate language at school. Much of this was a refresher from the start of the year talks during WIN. Feel free to talk with your child about these visits and reach out to your child's admin with questions.

WIN Time

Literacy intervention began this past week at CST and 6th grade math intervention is just around the corner! This is non-class time used to help develop identified skills in students. Conducted during WIN time, students receive instruction in a small group setting and will be re-assessed prior to Thanksgiving. See original WIN post below for more information...


(originally posted in September)

In the weeks ahead, we'll begin providing literacy intervention for students identified through our MAP testing and reading fluency assessments in the building. This intervention will be provided during our WIN class period (8:44-9:18) and students will work in groups of 5 or less with CST teachers. All students will still be eligible for the WIN prizes described above, but may spend WIN time with one of our building literacy interventionists (one of 13 CST teachers) while they receive literacy intervention targeting any of the identified literacy gaps. This intervention time is being utilized in our Olathe Schools and achieves the state literacy mandate.


In addition, beginning Monday, all CST students will begin to receive daily phonics lessons for the first 5 minutes of their science class. This, too, is part of a district wide effort to help close any gaps that may have occurred through any of our kids' schooling. Daily phonics lessons will be fulfilled by your child's social studies teacher beginning in January.

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Masking at GBB Games

Masking at GBB Games

Basketball Teams
  • While seated on the bench during games players should be masked
  • Coaches and managers should be masked at all times
  • While playing, players are not required to mask

Cheer

  • While cheering on the sideline or performing a routine on the floor, cheerleaders do not need to mask
  • All other times (sitting on the bleachers, entering and leaving the gym, meeting with coach) cheerleaders should be masked.
  • Coaches should be masked at all times

Dance Team

  • While performing a routine on the floor, dancers do not need to mask
  • All other times (sitting on the bleachers, entering and leaving the gym, meeting with coach) dancers should be masked.
  • Coaches should be masked at all times

All spectators

  • Students, parents, visitors, workers, staff all need to be masked at all times while attending a game
Masking at GBB Games
WIN Time Update

WIN Time Update

In the weeks ahead, we'll begin providing literacy intervention for students identified through our MAP testing and reading fluency assessments in the building. This intervention will be provided during our WIN class period (8:44-9:18) and students will work in groups of 5 or less with CST teachers. All students will still be eligible for the WIN prizes described above, but may spend WIN time with one of our building literacy interventionists (one of 13 CST teachers) while they receive literacy intervention targeting any of the identified literacy gaps. This intervention time is being utilized in our Olathe Schools and achieves the state literacy mandate.


In addition, beginning Monday, all CST students will begin to receive daily phonics lessons for the first 5 minutes of their science class. This, too, is part of a district wide effort to help close any gaps that may have occurred through any of our kids' schooling. Daily phonics lessons will be fulfilled by your child's social studies teacher beginning in January.

WIN Time Update

Parent Awareness: Current Trends and Influences

Social Media Influences

Social Media Influences

A nationwide trend has recently made its way into local schools. Unfortunately, CST has not been exempt from this trend, nor have the other Olathe middle schools and high schools. The trend has been credited to TikTok and involves vandalizing schools and posting the video evidence on the social media platform. This has resulted in various acts of vandalism in Olathe including broken bathroom stall doors, mirrors pulled down from walls, soap dispensers ripped from walls, trash cans turned upside down, etc. Some have been caught as a result of their posted video making rounds. Of course, these actions can result in both school and legal consequences. The first story below features Olathe North principal, Jason Herman, who was interviewed by the KC Star.


The other articles are informational, but recent, and deal more with the mental health impact social media can have. Even working in schools as an administrator, I was not aware of some of the information below. As more focus and attention is given to the mental health of our children, the various social media platforms and their influence on the developing teenage brain is an important part of the conversation. My hope is that the links below will provide awareness of current trends and more about outside influences on our kids. Even better if these promote discussion at home.


Johnson County school has bathroom doors and toilet seats stolen, following TikTok trend (featuring Olathe principal) (9/15/2021)

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article254240178.html


TikTokers Are Stealing From Their Schools in a New Trend (9/10/2021)

https://www.distractify.com/p/what-does-lick-mean-on-tiktok


5 Things Parents Need to Know about Tik-Tok (Updated 2021)

https://kidmatterscounseling.com/blog/5-things-parents-need-to-know-about-tik-tok/


Facebook officials knew Instagram can have negative mental health impacts for teens, report claims (9/14/2021)

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/09/14/facebook-knew-instagram-could-bad-teens-mental-health/8340578002/


The links below require a Wall Street Journal subscription but may be found in summary on other social media awareness sites.


How TikTok Serves Up Sex and Drug Videos to Minors (9/8/2021)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-sex-drugs-minors-11631052944


Inside TikTok’s Algorithm: A WSJ Video Investigation(7/21/2021)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-video-investigation-11626877477

Social Media Influences
Soap dispensers pulled down from wall at other Olathe school.
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Awesome library announcements!!

Awesome library announcements!!

Our CST library app has been fixed! Students may use the CST Library app (from Classlink) to access tutorials to get ebooks and audiobooks from Destiny and/or Axis360, browse book trailers and booktalks, use databases for school research, etc...

Also, bookfairs are returning!! Our fall bookfair will be the week of October 18th and the Spring bookfair will be the week of February 14th. Both of these weeks are the week after conferences and the fairs will be in the library. This year we will be using Scholastic Book Fairs. More details to come as we get closer...

https://sites.google.com/students.olatheschools.com/cstlibrary

Awesome library announcements!!

Odds and Ends

6th Grade Devices

  • Surface Go devices will be checked out to 6th grade and new students on Monday, August 16th. Returning 7th and 8th grade students should still have their device checked out to them last school year.


Extra Curricular Activities

  • Students are encouraged to join CST activities! There is a strong link between school involvement and academic success. Cross Country practice begins on Tuesday, August 17 and is available to all students, 6th, 7th, and 8th. Physicals required to participate.


Water Bottles

  • All students will be provided a water bottle from CST. Students are encouraged to drink plenty of water during the day. Drinking fountains will also be available for those without a water bottle.


Backpacks

  • Students will be allowed to carry their backpacks this year to limit necessary locker trips. Students are encouraged to travel light and utilize their locker to help lighten the load.


Lockers

  • All students have been assigned a hall locker and are expected to keep jackets/coats/extra clothing in their locker.

CST Student Handbook

Two topics often asked about are cell phones and attire. The screenshots below are from the student handbook found on our website. We aim to promote a distraction-free learning environment as much as possible and we remind students that "Chisholm Trail is a school, not the pool". We want to promote a positive academic learning environment in the way we dress, speak, and behave. Teachers and admin will review a variety of topics with students as part of our beginning of year talks.


https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/8153

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2021-2022 Bell Schedule

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District Calendars

Access to school calendars, hour listings for buildings

District Calendar Page


Year-at-a-glance, single pager/downloadable

District Calendar PDF

CST Admin/Counseling Team

Office Staff

Office Staff

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Sara Harris

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt


School Nurse: Jennifer Ross


Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.

Office Staff