Weekly Wildcat

PARENT NEWSLETTER: WEEK OF 9/27/2021

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 Teams-6,7,8)

kdueringercst@olatheschools.org

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

eericherson@olatheschools.org


Counselors

Rachel Iuli: Green Teams-6,7,8

rjiuli@olatheschools.org

Ashley Rodden: Silver Teams-6,7,8

amrodden@olatheschools.org

16700 W 159th St, Olathe, KS 66062, USA 913-780-7240 olatheschools.org/chisholmtrail
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Week of 9/27/2021

Week of 9/27/2021

Dear CST Family,


This week is Olathe Family Week. A week for families to spend together through talk and play. I love how our community has made this concept priority enough to promote it through a dedicated week of family focus. We are all accustomed to the daily/weekly grind of our kids' activities. The practices, the games, the lessons, the activities, the appointments...our time at work is often the time to "relax" it seems. However, as the saying goes, "the days are long, but the years are short." In my experience, middle school is that time many of us experience the "grind" of daily events for the first time. The "middle school family" enters into a period of more available opportunities for kids--after school games and activities, going out for the play, music concerts, sports, etc. If there are younger siblings getting busier too, we find ourselves creating an intricate schedule of carpools, start and stop times, and an 8 minute window of time carved out for dinner (maybe 11 minutes if you hit a train). We may long for the near future where we'll have a high school driver who can help out (enter new concerns and worries for those who are there). We're all living this to some extent.


This Olathe Family Week, I encourage us all to carve out some intentional time, some intentional moments, to focus on family. This does not need to be a multi-hour commitment filled with hiking, a picnic, and flying kites (although it could!), but simply time in the car from one place to another without earbuds in or cell phones out so conversation can occur. Finding time for a sit down family meal or treat together. Talking about the day, the school year, the highs, the lows, the new friends, the old friends, etc. etc. It's so easy for the days to get away and for the "moments that matter" to go unnoticed (I share this with first hand experience)...this is certainly life, but I'm grateful for the community-led reminder of what's so important for all of us, especially our kids.


As a CST Family, I encourage us all to take some time this week to be intentional with our family. Olathe is promoting the #OlatheFamilyWeek hashtag but I would love to also see our CST Family contribute to this campaign by also including the #CSTFamily hashtag. As we look ahead to our calendars this week, it may not lend itself to the lengthy family outing, but let us all find a moment to enjoy with our kids and families. The days are indeed a grind, but the years fly.


Rick



Week at a glance..


Monday, 09/27
  • 7th/8th VB @ IT
  • Cross Country City Meet @ CBAC (6th, 7th, and 8th grade--5pm)

Tuesday, 09/28

  • Olathe South 8th/9th Grade Orchestra Festival
Wednesday, 09/29
  • BLT meeting 7am
  • 7th/8th Grade VB @ PT
  • Papa John's night!! (See below)
Thursday, 09/30
  • 7th grade FB vs. FT, 8th grade FB @ FT
  • Chess Club
Friday, 10/1

  • IT'S OCTOBER!

Saturday, 10/2

  • City Volleyball Tourney (details determined by seeding after this week's games)


Looking Ahead...

10/4--Girls Basketball tryouts

10/5--Choir Concert

10/6--Theater Field Trip 9-11:30am; Night Football Game (6pm @ ODAC)

10/8--No School for students

10/11-10/15--Parent-Teacher Conference Week

Week of 9/27/2021
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Eat Pizza, Support CST!

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Thank you!!!

WIN Time Prizes

WIN Time Prizes

Parents,


As our students are well underway with their WIN time choice boards, we are going to reward students for their hard work! Teachers will nominate hard working students who'll then be entered into a drawing for a prize. Below is a link if you'd like to contribute toward our prizes for students. If you have any questions please reach out to assistant principal, Krista Dueringer at kdueringercst@olatheschools.org.


https://www.signupgenius.com/go/20F044CAAA62CAAFC1-wintime

WIN Time Prizes
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
Message from your Counselors

Message from your Counselors

If your family is interested in receiving weekend snacks to go home in their student's backpacks on Friday, please email rjiuli@olatheschools.org or amrodden@olatheschools.org.

Rachel Iuli & Ashley Rodden

School Counselors
Olathe Public Schools

Chisholm Trail Middle School

913-780-7240

Message from your Counselors

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Be on the lookout for scheduling opportunities with your child's teacher for parent-teacher conference week (10/11 - 10/14). Similar to last year, teachers will determine their availability during the week and share those times with parents. However, there will be an open, arena-style (like our pre-Covid years) from 4:30-8:30pm on Wednesday, 10/13 held at CST. More info to come, but this window on 10/13 is certain with teacher availability on other days coming soon.
XC, Football and Volleyball Games THIS WEEK!

XC, Football and Volleyball Games THIS WEEK!

Cross Country

9/27--Cross Country City meet @ CBAC (5pm--6, 7, 8)


Volleyball games

9/27--7th/8th @ IT

9/29--7th/8th @ PT


Football games

9/30--7th @ PT, 8th vs PT


We look forward to a great week of competition!


STUDENT ATTENDANCE

Students may attend these games. There is a $1.00 entry fee for students, $2.00 for adults. Students with an activity pass will be listed and admitted to the games. Students must communicate with parents and have rides to be picked up by the end of the game.


Bookmark this site...all athletic rosters IN THE CITY will be kept at this location in lieu of printing programs for games. This includes all sports, all year. Check it out!

https://rosters.weebly.com/

XC, Football and Volleyball Games THIS WEEK!

After Hours and Math Lab

These programs are known as "Wildcat After Hours" (WAH) and "Math Lab". Below are available times for students to get help with homework. Please note, we are adding a "before hours" WAH program on Monday and Wednesday as well.


***These academic programs began the week of September 6th***

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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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Recycled: Concerns From Across the Street

Parents,


In recent week's I've been contacted by Price Chopper, Starbucks, and Carmen's Cocina regarding behavior from middle school patrons on separate occasions. Reported behaviors include:


  • cursing in the store with each other
  • making gestures toward customers
  • blocking entry to the store
  • throwing cake, breaking bottles, leaving messes
  • standing on tables near the pharmacy
  • climbing/swinging on tree branches
  • riding on motorized handicap carts
  • throwing balls
  • eating donuts
  • playing hide and seek


Redirection from workers has frequently been ignored or was responded to disrespectfully. Police have been called on at least one occasion this school year.


While these behaviors are often not within CST's jurisdiction, when specific information is provided we will make calls home in effort to promote positive outcomes for all without the need of law enforcement. Ultimately, however, businesses have the right to enforce their policies and expectations as they see appropriate and this could include contacting police and/or pressing charges.


As CST principal, I can share that all the businesses I've mentioned have done so much for our staff and our kids over the years with the services they provide. I value their contributions not just as a principal, but as a parent and as a community member. In our beginning-of-year talks with students, as part of representing oneself (and school) positively, we included discussion on behavior expectations at Price Chopper specifically. We will continue to do our part at CST to reinforce basic common courtesy and appropriate behavior when in public.


I'm also hopeful this awareness and communication will prompt discussion at home about the importance of responsible independence and respectful behavior in public, especially in context of these concerns. Aiming to promote a future filled with positive societal contributions and doing so with courtesy, kindness, and respect is one we can all promote as part of our home/school partnership. I'm grateful for our CST parent community and its support in doing all we can to fulfill our district's mission of "preparing kids for their future."


Rick

Coach Yantis 5K in November

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Coach Yantis Fun(d) Run QR Code

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Follow us on Twitter @CSTWildcatsMS for more!!!

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!!
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What's Happening in our Lunch Room

What's Happening in our Lunch Room

This year breakfast and lunch are FREE. Every child may have (1) breakfast and (1) lunch per day. Students may supplement by bringing their own lunch or snack for lunch.
What's Happening in our Lunch Room

Traffic Pattern

As we return to school with all students, please be reminded of our traffic pattern and important directions that will promote safety and efficiency for all our students...


  • Students should be ready to exit when the car stops--gathering of items should be minimal
  • No stopping on the cross walk in front of the school--those being dropped off in the parking lot will come across on this path
  • Students should wait to cross the cross walk (either direction) until prompted to do so by a CST staff member
  • Cars may pull up past the crosswalk and students exit right onto the sidewalk
  • There are two lanes of front drop-off in the morning, there are 3 lanes of pick-up in the front in the afternoon--refer to the map below
  • We love dogs and will often have Milk Bones in the afternoon--bring your pup for a ride too!

CST Traffic Pattern

Please follow the safety plan below for car rider drop-off/pick-up

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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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Breakfast and Lunch

Attention!

The USDA has announced that the National School Breakfast and Lunch program will be free for all students during the 2021-22 school year. This means that students will not be charged for “combo” breakfast or lunch in the coming school year.


However, it’s vital that families who would benefit from free or reduced district registration, transportation and other fees fill out the Kansas State Department of Education Household Economic Survey to continue to receive free or reduced school registration fees, transportation fees and other fees and school costs. Please do so by going to https://onbase.olatheschools.com/forms/household_economic_survey.html.


Families will only need to fill out this survey one time to determine qualification for reduced or waived fees for the 2021-22 school year. Filling out this survey and including all children on the form also helps the district maintain important funding that makes certain educational programming possible.


We encourage all families to consider, review and complete the Household Economic Survey application. If families do not complete the application, they will no longer be eligible for reduced fees and state funding for the district may be reduced.

"8th Period" = Wildcats WIN

The 8th period on your child's schedule is our new "Academic Extension with Intervention" time. This period will take place right after 1st hour (see schedule below). At CST, we are calling this time "Wildcats WIN" (WIN = What I Need). This time will occur daily for all students and will be a time to receive a variety of learning. This time will include social emotional learning (2nd Step), reading intervention and strategies, silent reading, school-themed lessons and information, content-related materials, and student-choice learning. This time is truly intended to be a "what I need" time for students.


This intervention time will take place in all Olathe middle schools and the new bell schedule below will be utilized in most of our middle school buildings. Watch the weekly for more information on Wildcats WIN as the school year gets underway. This will be a valuable time for our students as we aim to cater more to their educational needs.

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