-A Bird's Eye View-
A Bi-Weekly CSD Staff Newsletter
Volume 2 Issue 8, December 15, 2017
Top 10 Cardinal Celebrations
2. Shout-out to band director, Pat Miles, vocal music teacher, Meghean Vaughn, and our CMS and CHS students who put on stellar band and choir performances earlier this week.
3. The CECC annual Winter family night, "A Night in Whoville" was a huge success. 160 children attended this event. CECC students also enjoyed their FIRST-EVER Book Fair this week!
4. 7th grade ELA teacher, Shasta Hetherington and 7th grade Social Studies teacher, Matt Shomaker, have teamed up for an interdisciplinary colonial America research project. Students are learning how to effectively utilize a wide variety of resources, write a thesis statement and use MLA format to cite evidence to support their claims through research.
5. Students in Ms. Jessie Goodbrake's CHS Sports and Entertainment Marketing class conducted a market research project recently that focused on attendance. Students gathered data through surveys and focus groups and made recommendations to administration based on their findings.
6. Thanks to the 120 1st grade students who made decorations for patients at Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare last week.
7. Thanks to the Clinton Sunrise Optimist Club who took 58 students Christmas shopping this week. This program is an annual tradition that has been taking place for 20+ years.
8. Shout-out to CHS Basic Math teacher, Dawna Bybee, who provided her students some "real-world" learning opportunities last week! Students shopped for Angel Tree gifts, and as they did, they set a budget, shopped, paid, wrapped and finally designed a presentation with strengths and weaknesses of the assignment.
9. Henry Elementary students are teaming up with GVMH to spread Christmas cheer to oncology patients. Students created a video this week filled with Christmas jokes. This video will be provided to oncology patients on iPads as they receive their infusion treatments at the hospital. The hope is that it brings a smile to their face through a difficult time.
10. Students in Mr. Brad Stone's Automotive Technology class at CTS completed their performance-based final this week. Through a series of stations, students had the opportunity to demonstrate their automotive knowledge and skills. CTS appreciates all 3 local automotive dealerships taking part in this process as well.
King's Korner
Instructional Strategies for the K-12 Classroom
Dr. Joana King, Assistant Superintendent
Follow me on Twitter @Dr_JoanaKing
Recently, 5 teachers, 3 administrators and I attended a conference on balanced comprehensive literacy. It was extremely informative and motivating! As a classroom teacher (years ago) I used a balanced literacy approach to my ELA instruction with a readers and writers workshop in place. As a building principal, my teachers received intensive job-embedded professional development on balanced literacy, and used reader and writer workshop model instructional strategies. A core assumption of mine is that improved instructional practices aligned with a balanced literacy approach will be effective in improving student achievement outcomes. My goal is to be able to provide this type of professional development for the teachers of Clinton.
Here is what some of the teachers who attended the conference are saying:
“It seemed that the focus word for the whole conference was transfer.
How can we transfer what we do here….to here. How can we show children
that letters, words, sentences and books are all connected.”
“I came back with a lot of good stuff to put into action. It should be so
seamless that the kids do both eagerly and efficiently.”
“I came back feeling refreshed. There were so many ideas to help
improve reading and writing during both whole group and small group
instruction.”
“Linda Dorn- Wow! Truly could sit and listen to her all day. I found it
so beneficial to listen to her lecture on the difference in the RTI
approach - environmental vs. neurological.”
“After practicing reader’s workshop for over 13 years I feel that new
integration and cooperative learning practices are ever-changing! I love
listening to teachers ‘teach’ teachers.”
“One of the biggest things I took away from the conference was that
EVERYONE needs to feel as if they have ownership. This applies to
teachers and students.”
“Resources gained from other educators who have tried and tested
essentials of learning to look at print from a young child’s perspective;
the importance of using consistent, instructional language across grade levels.”
Also, please be sure and check out the flyer below . This PD opportunity is brought to you by the Professional Development Committee and is a great opportunity for teachers to get some more tools in their toolbox for handling challenging classroom behaviors!
Click here to learn about this PD opportunity!
Upcoming Events Dec 15-Jan 3
Only events that appear on the district calendar are listed here. ALWAYS REFER TO THE DISTRICT WEBSITE CALENDAR FOR THE MOST UP-TO-DATE INFORMATION!
12/15 CMS Girls Basketball vs Adrian, 4:30
12/15 CMS Boys Basketball vs Adrian, 7:00
12/15 Winter Play "A Christmas Carol" @ CHS PAC, 7:00
12/15-16 CHS Wrestling @ Raytown South
12/16 CHS Archery Tournament @ CHS, 7:30
12/16 CHS Girls Basketball vs Odessa @ UCM, 1:00
12/16 CHS Boys Basketball vs Odessa @ UCM, 2:30
12/16 Winter Play " A Christmas Carol" @ CHS PAC, 7:00
12/17 Winter Play " A Christmas Carol" @ CHS PAC, 3:00
12/18 CHS Boys Basketball @ Harrisonville, 4:30
12/18 BOE Meeting @ CMS Media Center, 6:00
12/19 CHS Girls Basketball @ Warrensburg, 4:30
12/19 5th grade Performing Arts Club and 2nd grade Winter Program @ CHS PAC, 6:00
12/20 Early Dismissal (see website for times)
12/21-1/1 No School
1/2-Staff Professional Development (no school for students)
1/3 School Resumes
From the Business Office
Payroll and Benefits Info from Emily Brown
Happy Holidays, CSD!!!
Although many of us are still ticking away at Christmas shopping and planning, I’m starting to gear up for major payroll deadlines in January. Technically I have until January 31, 2018 to distribute 1095C’s (outlines employer offered health insurance) and also W-2’s. My plan is to start working on them during Winter break with the hopes of distribution around the 2nd week of January. However, please defer back to the official deadline mentioned above. I will do my best to get these documents to you well before the end of January.
I know you all are getting sick of me talking about our Health Risk Assessments and Lab screenings that are scheduled for January 12th but if you haven’t already, please set up your account and sign up for an open slot on the wellness portal. Our Wellness Program with MET offers a ton of resources. The website/portal itself is like MyFitness Pal on steroids. I have already downloaded meal plans and cancelled an online subscription to a meal planning site, of which I had to pay for! Please review the brochures below to get an idea of the benefits of participating in the wellness screening and also how to set up your Wellness portal account. I know the perfect time slots have probably been booked already but please see if you can’t work it out to do a screening.
As always, please reach out to me (best way is email) if you have any questions or concerns!!!
Have a wonderful weekend, friends!!
Emily
DID YOU HEAR THE NEWS?
Check out some exciting news below!!
Congrats Julia!
2 for 1
On Friday, December 8th, CMS STEM teacher Alex Hill graduated with an Education Specialist degree in Educational Leadership. Her co-worker, 7th grade ELA teacher, Shasta Hetherington, aIso graduated with a Masters in Educational Leadership degree from UCM.
Way to go girls!
It's Official!
6th grade ELA teacher, Kathy Loyd and her husband Tim are happy to report that they are now certified Kansas City Barbecue judges and can now judge any bbq contest sponsored by the KCBS. Kathy and her husband recently traveled to Ponca City, OK for training.
About Us
Communication and Community Relations Department
Email: alawson@clintoncardinals.org
Website: http://clintoncardinals.org
Location: 701 South 8th Street, Clinton, MO, United States
Phone: 660-885-5585
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Clinton-Schools-257810614245734/?fref=ts
Twitter: @ClintonMoCards