Mustang Round-Up
2019-20 Cheyenne Middle School Newsletter - October
From the Principal
Dear Mustang Families,
As the sun begins to set earlier each evening, it reminds us that fall weather isn't too far behind. I hate to see the longer, sunnier days go so quickly. It is hard to believe we are only 28 days into school and October begins on Tuesday.
Our students and staff are working hard to set sound practices and academic goals for students. We are quickly approaching the end of the first nine weeks of school. In middle school, the nine weeks is just a snapshot in their semester grade. Students will not receive a progress report because their averages are not final until the end of the semester. It is essential to check in on their grades using the parent portal. Teachers have been working diligently to provide opportunities for students to improve their grades. Please take the time to discuss your child’s academics each week at home. As a reminder, Honor Society recognizes 7th and 8th-grade students with a 4.0 GPA and students with a 3.75-3.99 GPA in April/May. Student GPA is calculated using their second semester previous school year and first semester current school year.
We invite you to join us for Parent/Teacher Conferences. On Thursday, October 10th or Monday, October 14th, you may come and go from 4:30-8:00 pm to visit with teachers. Due to the volume of families that will be attending, keep your time with each teacher to a maximum of 5-8 minutes. All teachers will be in the gym this year. We do have additional events occurring on these nights. If our staff is absent, you should be receiving an email to let you know which evening they will be available. In case you miss a teacher on either night, please contact them to set up a conference or phone conversation.
It is crucial to keep in mind our expectations for attendance and behavior. Student attendance is vital to academic and social success. Students missing 18 days or more in a school year are at risk of not graduating and not academically on grade level with their peers. Student absences are reported each week throughout the year to identify students that qualify for being chronically absent. Edmond does have a truancy ordinance, and students who are currently missing three or more days are presently classified as chronically absent no matter what the documented excuse may be. Now, the average number of days missed by a middle school student at Cheyenne is about 1.5 days. Please know that families missing 4 or more days will receive letters and phone calls from a counselor or administrator. All documented excuses are to be received within 5 days of absence, but you will still receive notices. It is essential that students are in school every day and on time.
As we settle into the curriculum and schedules, a few students may begin to exhibit heightened behaviors and frustration that is acted out with their peers and teachers. These behaviors can be quickly addressed by learning techniques to lessen academic frustration and practicing interacting with peers appropriately. If you are seeing your child exhibit these behaviors we encourage you to reach check grades, reach out to a counselor or teacher. Certain negative, behavioral actions include refusal to do work, not taking advantage of academic improvement, horseplay, talking back, inappropriate noises, inability to keep our hands to ourselves, and using unkind words when talking to one another. Our staff does implement many disciplinary options to best-fit behavior. We also frequently have the presence of a School Resource Officer or Edmond Police attending to our facility. It is important to remember that student actions can go beyond school consequences and be considered breaking the law. Citations can be written by our SRO or on-duty police as needed for disorderly conduct, vapes, attendance, or any other action that may violate the law. We appreciate the relationships we have with our police department and SROs to keep our schools safe and orderly. SROs can also be seen teaching lessons, having lunch with students, or engaging in special activities with the schools.
Thank you for your continued engagement in the success of our school and your child’s education. With our continued commitment, we can unlock potential in our students.
We Are Cheyenne!
We Are Mustangs!
Michelle Grinsteiner
Principal
Fall Picture Retake!
Box Tops are going Digital
Parent/Teacher Conferences in October
From the PTO
Mustang families,
We did it!! We surpassed our fundraising goal of $50,000!!!!! Our Step It Up fundraiser was a huge success! The money raised will be used to better Cheyenne. We are going to furnish the Commons Area with modular furniture for classrooms, teachers and visitors to enjoy. This area now is empty with no functional use and it is a huge space! Many classes gather here for instructional time and have to sit on the floor. We want to make this space inviting and useful. We are visiting other schools in the area and sending a poll out to our teachers to get some great ideas for this space. We also will be adding benches and trash cans in the front of our school for students and visitors to use. This is all possible because of the generous donations made.
*Wednesday, October 16th, will be our Day of Awesomeness!!! All students will receive their prizes for the donation amounts raised at this event! We are talking about Xboxes, Air pods, a spin on a $$$ wheel and so much more!! This event is going to be huge… think Wipeout and American Ninja Warrior with a DJ and Kona Ice!! Students raising $60 or more get an All Access pass to this event.
Thank you for supporting Cheyenne!!! Every dollar and every minute of your volunteer time makes a huge impact for our school. Please join us for our next General Meeting on October 8th at 9:30 am.
~The PTO Board
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"
Fall Talent Show October
Order your yearbook now for $35
Cheyenne Spirit Night and Events for the Year
Student ID Badges
EVERY student has been issued a Student ID Badge. 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 go immediately to the office to print a temporary badge for the day. It is VERY important that the student remember their badge each and everyday. A temporary badge should only be needed on a rare occasion not for every day use. If your student has lost their badge please have them come into the office with $5 to have a replacement badge made.
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?
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
Band Blast
BAND BLAST
CODA auditions for 7th and 8th grade students will be on Saturday, November 9, 2019, at Santa Fe High School. Students will be given their audition block of time the week prior. Students who are selected will attend the honor band clinic and concert on January 10 and 11, 2019, in Norman OK.
Thank you for your generous support of our annual magazine/cookie dough fundraiser. Your support allowed us to raise funds towards the student growth in band. Delivery for cookie dough will be Tuesday, October 8, 2019. Students will take the cookie dough home with them that afternoon, if they have sold more items then they can carry please make arrangements to pick them up from school. Cookie dough MUST go home the day they are delivered to guarantee freshness. I will be here until 5:00 pm on that day for cookie dough pick up.
6th grade will have an instrument demonstration concert on Thursday, October 24tn at Edmond North High School. The concert will begin at 6:30 pm - students will wear their band t-shirt and long black pants.
7th grade will have a “spooky” Halloween concert on Monday, October 28 Edmond North High School. The concert will begin at 6:30 pm - students will wear a halloween costume that meets school dress code and does not inhibit their ability to play their instrument or they may wear their blue 2019 band t-shirt and long black pants.
The 6th grade band will travel to hear the Oklahoma City Philharmonic perform on Wednesday, November 6. This is a free event for our band students. Students will need to bring a disposable sack lunch to school for the field trip. This is always a wonderful experience for the students.
Students should be practicing their instrument daily. I encourage you to ask your child to perform something for you, it is fun to hear their progress.
Our winter concert (6th, 7th and 8th grade bands) will be Tuesday, December 10, 2019 at Edmond North High School Auditorium. All band students will perform, this is a graded performance. The concert will begin at 6:30 pm.
Musically yours,
JoeLee Mills Joelee.Mills@edmondschools.net 726-5729
Meagan Stevens Meagan.stevens@edmondschools.net 726-5727
Greg Mangus Greg.mangus@edmondschools.net 726-7204
Greg Evraets Greg.evraets@edmondschools.net 726-5885
IMPACT Bible Study
TSA
The Technology Student Association or TSA is an after school club that is open to sixth, seventh and eighth graders. We are a student lead STEM organization that has something for everyone. There are more than 30 different TSA events students can compete in at the local, regional, state and national levels. These events range from career prep to website design, digital photography to robotics, and STEM animation to promotional marketing. Check us out our meetings and activities on Tuesdays from 2:45-3:30. We are looking forward to sharing our love of TSA with new members!
We will be selling BLUE & GOLD products in October!
Updated calendar:
10/4 - Engineering Challenge at Francis Tuttle Technology Center
10/7 - 10/ 11 - TSA WEEK! Listen to the announcements!
10/8 - hand out Blue and Gold information
10/10 - NO Robotics (P/T Conferences)
10/15 - NO TSA meeting
10/22 - TSA Meeting 2:45-3:30
10/23 - Fall Leadership Conference
10/24 - Robotics 3:00-5:00
10/29 - TSA Scavenger Hunt
10/31 - NO Robotics
Chess Club
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.
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
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.
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
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: If delivering lunches please make sure you have conveyed it to your child in advance. We do not deliver lunches to classrooms. Students will pick 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.
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