Mustang Round-Up
2019-20 Cheyenne Middle School Newsletter - February
School Year Attendance
We know that regular attendance is so important for success in school and in life. This year our goal is to make sure every student misses no more than 9-15 days throughout the year and to increase communication regarding absences. This is always a challenge with flu season and other viruses and infections during the winter months.
The Federal Government and State Department of Education classify Chronic Absences as those students missing 10%(18 days) or more of school days due to absence for any reason - excused, unexcused absences, and suspensions. Research indicates students that are chronically absent can lead to third graders unable to master reading, sixth graders failing subjects, and ninth graders dropping out of high school. In high school students missing more than 9 unofficial absences in a course will lose credit even if they have an "A".
This school year we have the ability to efficiently notify families regarding their child’s cumulative number of absences in one or more class periods with an automated phone call and/or email. We encourage families to verify this number(from both semesters) by viewing details in the parent portal. This process allows a check and balances for parents and students. The total number of accumulated absences and reconciliation(ex. medical, excuses, etc.) of the absences can be seen here. Anytime your child is absent we encourage families to call our attendance line and let us know why your child is not attending and turn in any medical documentation for those absences within 5 days. We do enter M for medical notes, E for parent calls, and SA for student activities as attendance codes. The Federal and State attendance policy account for ALL absences. This means all non-instructional related absences where students miss 50% or more of the day and are marked excused, unexcused are counted towards chronic absences. Students missing 18 or more of these classified days within a school year are classified as chronically absent.
Our school process for addressing chronic absences is to inform ALL parents of student absences accumulated at 4, 7, 10, 15 and 18th absence. We encourage families to call in when their child is absent and to always turn in any medical notes so that we have accurate documentation for all absences. Students with 10-18 absences that are unexcused or chronic will receive a letter and phone call from the administration to clarify school attendance expectations and if necessary clarification of Edmond’s truancy ordinance. We hope that increased communication will help with documentation of absences and encourage students to attend daily.
Here are some helpful hints to attain regular school attendance:
- Make sure your students keep a regular bedtime and establish a morning routine so they are rested and alert when they get to school.
- Turn off all electronics including TVs, phones and tablets at bedtime.
- Make sure clothes and pack backpacks are ready the night before.
- Check with our school nurse or office staff if you are not sure about when to keep your child at home due to illness.
- Avoid scheduling vacations or doctor’s appointments when school is in session.
- Talk to teachers and counselors for advice if your student feels anxious about going to school.
- Develop back up plans for getting to school if something comes up. Call on a family member, neighbor, or another parent to take your student to school.
Please let us know how we can best support you and your student so that they can show up for school every day. If you have questions regarding attendance notifications please contact your grade level administrator.
Here are additional resources:
Attendance Line: 726-5751
https://sde.ok.gov/chronic-absenteeism
https://www.attendanceworks.org/policy/
https://edmondschools.net/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/4200-Attendance-Revised-10-03-16.pdf
We Are Cheyenne!
We Are Mustangs!
Michelle Grinsteiner
Principal
From the PTO
Good bye, January (finally!) and hello, February! Come join us at our general PTO meeting on February 11th at 9:30 am. We have some exciting info on future events and dates for the Spring Semester.
If anyone is new to Cheyenne or is interested in more info about our PTO, check us out on Instagram and our Facebook page. We would love to meet you and help you to find the perfect area for you to get involved! There is always a spot, no matter if you can give a lot of time or a little. This is a great way to feel connected at Cheyenne!
Some upcoming ways to volunteer are Pizza Day on February 7th and Teacher Appreciation. Pizza Day volunteers get to serve pizza to the students and it is always so much fun! For Teacher Appreciation, there will be a SignUp Genius closer to the date to donate food items needed to give our staff and teachers a lunch or treat to show how much we support them. Another way your help is needed is by supporting Cheyenne’s Food Bank. The PTO and the local Food Bank provide meals for around 35 Cheyenne families every week. Please use this link to donate food https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f0848abaa2a1-cheyenne2 There is a container in the front office for donations. Your support makes a huge difference!
We are excited to announce that our Spring t shirts are on sale now through February 14th!! These shirts are super soft and the coolest color for only $15! You do not want to miss out on ordering one of these. To order and get more details, use this link https://405threads.com/products/cheyenne-ms-spring-pr-20
We are Cheyenne!!!
We are Mustangs!!!
Rebecca Yacabucci and Donielle Larison
PTO Co Presidents
Stay up to date on PTO:
- Facebook at Cheyenne Middle School PTO
- Instagram at @Cheyennemspto
- Email us at Cheyennemspto@gmail.
Join our new Remind 101: text directions are below
- 6th Grade Parents: Join Cheyenne PTO-6th: Text "81010" with the message "@cheypto6th"
- 7th Grade Parents: Join Cheyenne PTO-7th: Text "81010" with the message "@cheypto7th"
- 8th Grade Parents: Join Cheyenne PTO-8th: Text "81010" with the message "@cheypto8th"
Future Freshman Information
Future ENHS Husky Students and Parents,
We want to thank all of you who were able to attend Future Freshman Night. As the kick-off event to the pre-enrollment process, we hope that you found the event informative and
helpful in assisting your decision-making processes as you choose classes for the next school year. In the event that you were unable to attend, we want to let you know that the presentation slides from the event are available for you to view on the homepage of the ENHS website (north.edmondschools.net).
Additionally, we want to share some important information with you regarding pre-enrollment processes and deadlines:
• Cheyenne students will be receiving their ENHS enrollment packets through their Social Studies Teachers this week (Jan. 28 - 31).
• Freshman Enrollment Forms are to be returned to Science teachers by Wednesday, Feb. 5th.
• During the week of Feb. 10 - 14, each Cheyenne student will personally meet with an ENHS
counselor to review their course selections, at which time the counselor will enter the selected courses into the Infinite Campus (IC) mass scheduler system.
• In April, students will receive a Requested Course Report of their chosen courses to verify the courses that were entered into IC. This report will be required to be signed by a parent/guardian and the student and returned to the student’s English teacher by a designated due date (TBD).
• A final deadline of Friday, May 29th, has been set for [personal reason] course change requests.
This affords students the opportunity to review their final 2nd semester grades to determine if they want/need to change any requested courses for next school year (including level-down or level-up between on-level or Pre-AP coursework). No [personal reason] course changes will be accommodated after the May 29th deadline.
The ENHS Course Selection Information page that is printed on the back of the 2020 - 2021 Freshman Enrollment Form also includes all of the above information (in addition to an explanation of why the May 29th deadline is so important to the master scheduling process). As you can see, there are multiple opportunities for students and parents to carefully and thoughtfully choose, and even modify, course selections during the pre-enrollment process (leading up to, and including, the final May 29th course change request deadline). As a result of providing numerous opportunities accordingly, we greatly appreciate your understanding of, and cooperation with, these important and necessary procedures and deadlines.
If you have any questions about the pre-enrollment process please don’t hesitate to reach out to the Freshman Academy office staff (contact information is included on the “Important Information to Know…” page, which is printed on the back of the enrollment packet cover letter). If you have specific questions for Mrs. Tara Chase, the freshman counselor, please email her accordingly and afford her a degree of patience regarding response time as she will also be actively supporting the [similar] pre-enrollment processes with our other three grade levels of students through the remainder of the month of February and into the first week of
March.
Spring Pictures is Coming up March 3, 2020!
6th Grade Parents!
If your student has already received the Tdap Booster Shot you can drop off proof of receiving the immunization, fax it to 405-330-7397 or email it to cheryl.byford@edmondschools.net.
Parent University
The Valentine's Store is coming!
BLAST FROM THE BAND
Greetings! Below is a reminder of the fun and exciting events that will be occurring throughout the rest of the semester.
The 8th grade band will have an extended rehearsal with a guest clinician on Thursday, February 20, 2020, 7:50-9:36 am in preparation for their upcoming clinic/contest performances. Students will need to make-up missing work for this activity.
The 8th grade band students will be traveling to Santa Fe High School on Friday, February 28, for a contest clinic in preparation for district contest that will take place the first week of March. Students must be eligible to attend this activity.
The 8th grade district band contest will be either, March 4 or March 5, 2020 at Santa Fe HS. Time/date are TBD. This is a state level full band contest. The students will perform two prepared pieces as well as perform a piece they have never seen in the sight-reading room. Parents are encouraged to attend the prepared performance in the auditorium. Students must be eligible to attend this activity.
The 7th and 8th grade band students will be attending and performing at the Edmond Chamber Festival on April 4, 2020.
Please note the solo pre-contest recital date is Tuesday, March 31, 2020, at 6:30 p.m. in the Cheyenne band room for 7th and 8th grade soloists. This is a recital to help the students prepare for their upcoming solo performances. This is an optional event.
Thursday, April 23, the 7th and 8th grade percussionist will perform at our Edmond North Bands Percussion Concert. Performances will include Cheyenne, Sequoyah, and Edmond North Percussion students at 7:00pm in the Edmond North HS Auditorium.
The 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands will present their spring concert on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 at 6:30 p.m. at Edmond North High School. This is a required performance for all band students.
Musically yours,
JoeLee Mills
Meagan Stevens
Greg Evraets
Greg MangusProject Alert
Our 6th graders will begin their Project Alert lesson this semester through science classes. An informational graphic went out before the break to all families. Here is a link to the graphics to learn more about Project Alert. Graphic 1 and Graphic 2, SAMHSA Action Plan
Project ALERT is a free classroom-based substance abuse prevention program that is proven to reduce the experimental and continued use of drugs. Through a series of comprehensive lessons, Project ALERT motivates students against drug use, cultivates new non-use attitudes and beliefs, and equips teens with the skills and strategies they will use to resist drugs.
Project ALERT is proven to:
•Motivate students against drug use
•Provide skills and strategies to resist drugs
•Establish new non-use attitudes and beliefs
December Students of the Month
November Students of the Month
January Students of the Month
Counselors’ Corner
Many parents struggle with the possibility that their child might have ADHD/ADD. A common symptom of ADHD/ADD is the lack of ability to focus on the task at hand. The ADHD/ADD child can be very easily distracted which causes them difficulties in the classroom and at home. The Center for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) reported in 2019 that about “11% of children (6.1 million) in the US between the ages of 2 to 17 years of age have been diagnosed with ADHD/ADD.” Some parents say that their child couldn’t conceivably have this diagnosis because their child can truly focus on certain things. What might be going on with the child is that they are experiencing times of hyper focus, a term used to describe the experience of profound and intense concentration. There are other things that can cause hyper focus, but in this article we’re talking about hyper focus attached to ADHD/ADD. It’s important to note that not all children or adults with ADHD/ADD can hyper focus.
ADHD/ADD happens when a person doesn’t have the ability to regulate one’s attention on a certain task. Often, things such as classwork or homework seem boring and dull. Other tasks may feel exciting. The ADHD child can become totally absorbed in these stimulating kinds of tasks. For an adult it could be a book that they can’t put down or a hobby that keeps them fully engrossed. For children it can be a video game or a sport that they love. A child with ADHD can become so immersed in the activity that they find it hard to break loose of it. What often happens is they’d rather engage themselves in unproductive activities than in ones that need attention.
A few suggestions that you might use to manage your child’s hyper focus:
Tell them what hyper focus means so they understand what needs to be changed.
Make a schedule for hyper focus activities and stick to it. Limit their time in front of the TV or on a video game.
Assist them in finding an activity that is social, instead of one that separates them from others.
Use natural markers, such as, the end of a TV show, mealtimes, or exercise regimes to break them away from unproductive activities.
Hyper focus isn’t always a bad thing. Many adults with ADHD/ADD are able to become successful in their careers because they’re able to channel their hyper focus in advantageous ways. There are very important discoveries which happen to be the result of people with ADHD/ADD who had the ability to hyper focus. When looking at the art produced by Michelangelo, it’s very plausible that you’re seeing the works of someone with ADHD/ADD who had the ability to hyper focus.
Cheyenne Counselors
Kathryn Parker – 8th Grade
Melissa Krause – 7th Grade
Michele Kingdom – 6th Grade
Box Tops are Going Digital!
Order your Yearbook Now!
Cheyenne Spirit Night and Events for the Year
Student ID Badges
Per the new District Policy, this MUST be worn EVERY day with the district-issued lanyard and the picture must face out. No personal lanyards or bling, pins, etc. can be added.
If your student does not have their badge they will need to print a temporary badge for the day as they enter the gym. A temporary badge should only be needed on a rare occasion not for everyday use. After the third temporary badge students will serve lunch detention and on the 5th time alternative in-school placement for the day.
Purchase new IDS in the front office. The cost of a new ID Card, plastic pouch and lanyard will be as follows:
ID Card $2
Plastic Pouch $2
Lanyard $1
*Exact cash is preferred or we will have to make a charge to their in-touch account. Please check in-touch to see current ID fines.
Please continue to remind your child to put their badge in the same spot every day so that they have it with them every day. As they walk out the door or get into the car ask them these two things… Do you have your ID? Is your Chromebook charged?
IMPACT Bible Study
Academic Team
Chess Club
Menus for School Lunch
FREE & REDUCED PRICE MEAL APPLICATIONS
If you do not have internet access for the online application, printed applications are available at your child's cafeteria. Completed applications (pages 9 & 10 of the application packet), may be emailed to (Susan.Freeman@edmondschools.net); faxed (405-330-7303); or turned in to your child's cafeteria, school office, or the Child Nutrition Office (125 N. State Street).
(The meal application is available in 49 other languages by clicking here.)
Lunch Count Online
District Policy regarding Personal Devices
We expect personal devices to be off and out of sight for the duration of the school day. Chromebooks have eliminated the need for supplementing with personal devices. In remaining consistent with our middle school practice, devices will be allowed before the first school bell at 7:40 and after the last bell at 2:40. We recognize that personal devices are part of the everyday world that we live in as well as our future, and know the incredible capability that today’s technology brings to our life. For young adolescents, it also presents many challenges. Recent research is now showing that middle school-aged students are spending an average of 4.5 hours a day on their personal devices. That number increases to 8 hours a day by the high school years. As educators and parents we see how many of our kids are immersed on social media platforms, gaming, mass(sometimes hidden) communications and other varieties of content consumption. For a great many students this creates social-emotional and/or academic challenges during school, in addition to the challenges from an instructional point of view. We are seeking to increase classroom engagement and reduce outside distractions, and we appreciate your support in this transition. If you need to get an urgent message to your child, we will be happy to help in that communication from the office.
EPS Emergency Procedures
Athletics
Current Schedules are available online.
Athletic participation forms must be completed before attending any practices.
A recent doctor's physical must also be completed and returned to Mr. DeForest, athletic director. The forms can be completed online. You will need your child's student ID number to complete an account and forms. The doctor's physical form can also be downloaded from the link.
IMPORTANT: attendance, lunches, & messages
Attendance: Please call your child in absent prior to 10:00am. Leave a message with child's name, grade, and reason for absence. We have a new phone line to leave messages. Please leave a message and we will record the absence. This line is for attendance messages only and will automatically go to voicemail. Please only call once.
Attendance phone - 726-5751
Do not call or email the teachers and/or counselors. Parents must call the office to report absences.
You will be required to have your driver license to check your child out. Plan enough time for checkout.
Calls to check out a student prior to arriving at the school are not accepted.
LUNCHES & OTHER ITEMS: If delivering items please make sure you have conveyed it to your child in advance. We do not deliver lunches or items to classrooms. Students will need to pick their items up in the office when dismissed from class. Family members are not allowed to have lunch with their child in the cafeteria. If you would like to eat with your child, you are welcome to join them in the office.
Messages: Please make arrangements with your child for transportation or other such issues in the morning before school begins.
Parent Portal (Infinite Campus)
Grades
Attendance
Messages
APP- After you have created a parent portal account, you will be able to install the mobile app to get information when you want it, anytime, anywhere from your IOS or Android Device. Your school will have information about how to use the mobile app.
Canvas
Canvas Login
Canvas is the learning management system. It provides a web-based learning opportunity where students receive instructional content, assessments, daily work, and access to online texts/resources.
TECHNOLOGY HELPFUL PRESENTATIONS
Transportation
Information and FAQ
Stop Requests/Concerns busstops@edmondschools.net
Bus Stop Information E-Link
Attendance Awareness
Please call your child in absent prior to 10:00 am. Leave a message with child's name, grade, and reason for absence. This line is for attendance messages only and will automatically go to voicemail. Please only call once. Do not call or email the teachers and/or counselors. Parents must call the office to report absences.
In Touch Online
Demographic & Contact information on Parent Portal
Cheyenne Middle School
Michael DeForest, Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, 8th grade administrator
Link Lowe, Assistant Principal, 7th grade administrator
Melissa Krause, Counselor 7th
Kathy Parker, Counselor 8th
Michele Kingdom, Counselor 6th
Website: http://cheyenne.edmondschools.net/
Location: 1271 West Covell Road, Edmond, OK, United States
Phone: 405-340-2940
Facebook: facebook.com/@edmondcheyenne