PAW PRINTS
Clinton Middle School Newsletter - September 3, 2021
It is hard to believe that we are quickly approaching the halfway mark of the first quarter of school. There is no doubt that the start of this school year has been interesting; however, I want to commend our students, teachers, and staff for their ability to adapt in challenging circumstances.
I also don't want to forget our unsung heroes. Our cafeteria staff is fantastic! Each day, they serve terrific meals that our students love! They do this daily even as they face shortages in the food supply industry.
This past week, we had guests in the building and they commented on how beautiful our building looked. Our custodians make our building sparkle, but more importantly, they create a clean environment that keeps our students and staff safe.
Driving a bus of students can be a challenging job, especially in the chaos of the first few weeks of school. The bus drivers in Laurens School District 56 aim each day to get kids to and from school safely, even as they take on new routes, take in new school students, and deal with the daily challenges of driving a bus.
Finally, our substitute teachers are wonderful! They fill in admirably to help support a productive learning environment. They work to ensure that there is minimal disruption and that students are safe when teachers cannot be at school.
It does take the entire school community to make Clinton Middle School successful! We are blessed to have people at Clinton Middle School who are second to none!
Jeff Parks
Principal
Introducing the CMS WILDCAT ACADEMY!
Once again, we are happy to offer the After School Wildcat Academy this year. The Wildcat Academy is an after school opportunity for students to participate in enrichment activities as well as academic support classes. All of the offerings are free for all students. Some classes are offered face to face and some are virtual. Wildcat Academy classes begin the week of September 13 and run through the end of the first semester. Please review the list of courses that will be offered and then click on the link to register for a class. The registration deadline is September 9. If you have questions, please contact Assistant Principal, Michael Randall, at michaelrandall@lcsd56g.com or call (864) 938-1683.
Chess Club
Fridays, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
The Chess Club is open to all students and skill levels! We welcome beginners who wants to learn how to play the game as well as experienced players who wants to sharpen their skills. Playing chess helps to develop many mental skills that are useful in life, such as strategic thinking, logic and problem-solving. Chess Club provides an opportunity have fun while making friendships and building these skills.
Studio Art
Mondays, 3:30pm -4:15pm
Studio Art will be a face to face open studio format where students will generate artistic ideas, plan and research how they will to turn their ideas into art, and give and receive feedback with their peers.
Makers Space
Tuesdays, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Imagine and build with electric motors, wood components, and hardware as each day is a new challenge like building a creature with spinning arms or a machine that launches wheels!
Diamond Art
Wednesdays, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
The Diamond Art class will meet face to face. It is a hobby where "diamond jewels" are placed artistically onto a pattern to look like a mosaic. It is a fun, creative activity that also helps with stress and focus. It is easy to do and students will produce a beautiful piece of art to hang on the wall or give as a gift!
Drum Corps
Wednesdays, 3:30pm - 4:30pm
The Drum Corps will be face to face. Students will learn cheers, cadences, and street beats using marching drums such as bass drums, tenor drums, snare drums and cymbals. We will perform at pep rallies, football games and the Winter Concert in December. We may also perform for a basketball game and for the Spring Concert in May. Prior experience is not necessary.
Girls Who Code
Girls Who Code is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a computer programmer looks like and does. This after school club is for all students (girls and boys) to explore coding in a fun & friendly environment. No experience with coding required and beginners are welcome!
Ultimate Board Games
Wednesdays, 3:30pm -4:15pm
The Board Game Club will be an in-person after school community where students will gather together to play different modern board and card games. Some examples include Carcassone, Ticket to Ride, Sushi Go Party, Yahtzee, The Resistance, and Codenames. This is a great way to learn something new while having fun!
Cooking Up Science!
Thursday 3:30pm - 4:15pm
Join us face to face weekly for some fun in the kitchen. In this class, we will prepare a variety of easy, budget-friendly recipes while learning about nutrition, food safety, and etiquette. Weekly lessons will also include a "pinch" of science.
Gospel Choir
Mondays and Thursdays, 4:00pm
The gospel choir will be a group of students that are able to sing and use their musical talents (piano/drums). The group will possibly perform in front of their family, peers and other locations during the semester. No prior singing experience is necessary and all are welcome.
Tech Lab
Thursdays, 3:30pm - 4:15pm
The Tech Lab is a face to face time for students to come after school to work on coding, design, electronics, or similar projects. Students will work together and collaborate on projects that interest them. They will have access to 3D printing, computers, chromebooks, as well as many other resources. There will also be a virtual option during the same time.
One-to-One Academic Support
Offered Monday - Friday (Times will vary)
Does your child need or want additional academic support in one or more class? If so, these sessions will be very helpful. Students pick the subject(s), the day(s), and the time(s) and we will match them up with a tutor that can support their learning. Tutoring sessions can be done virtually or face to face.
Please click on the link to sign up for the Wildcat Academy.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 6 - No School, Labor Day
Tuesday, September 14 - MAP Testing (Reading)
Tuesday, September 14 - Open House, 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Thursday, September 16 - MAP Testing (Math)
School Improvement Council
We still need additional parents and community members for our School Improvement Council. If you are interested in serving on the School Improvement Council as a parent or guardian of a Clinton Middle School student, please contact Assistant Principal, Ami Vaughn at amivaughn@lcsd56g.com.
MAP Testing
MAP testing will begin soon. Students will be taking Reading MAP on Tuesday, September 14, 2021 and Math MAP on Thursday, September 16, 2021. Please remind students to get a good night of sleep and to make sure they have their chromebooks charged for testing. Students will receive free tea and free ice cream if they come to school with their chromebooks ready and charged on days of testing. Students who meet their goals in both ELA and Math will receive a visit to the Pelicans Snoball truck. Students who reach either goal will be entered into a drawing for prizes including gift cards and ear buds. Teachers will use MAP RIT scores to inform instruction, personalize learning, monitor growth, and set goals with and for your student. Please check out the Parent’s Guide to MAP Growth and reach out to your student’s teacher if you have any questions!
Bus Discipline - PLEASE READ
Many of our students rely on our district's buses for safe transportation to and from school. It is extremely important that all students follow all school rules when on the bus. All discipline referrals from the bus will be treated as if the behavior happened inside the school building. For example, if a student is involved in a fight or caught vaping while on the bus, they will be suspended from school not just from the bus. The bus and all of the bus stops are considered an extension of the school and all disciplinary actions will be handled accordingly.
Masks at CMS
Sports Spotlight
The CMS vs Wright football game originally scheduled for September 9th, 2021 has been postponed. The new date will be Wednesday, November 3rd at Wilder Stadium. Clinton Middle football will not practice again until Wednesday, September 8th.
The CMS volleyball game that was scheduled for Wednesday September 8th has also been postponed; although, a makeup date has not yet been set.
8th Grade Activities
This year we are excited to offer 8th Grade Activities for students who successfully complete middle school in May. The events include a Promotion Ceremony (8th Grade Graduation), a Promotion Cookout, a Promotion Party/Dance, and an 8th Grade trip to Carowinds. At this point, all 8th graders are eligible to participate in all of these events, however they must maintain their eligibility by upholding behavior and academic standards that we outlined with all 8th graders yesterday. When 8th grade students violate our expectations, they are assigned points and as they earn points, they lose the privilege of participating in activities. Throughout the course of the year, students will accumulate points for disciplinary infractions. The consequences for accumulating points are outlined below:
20 points = Cannot go on the trip to Carowinds
25 points = Cannot go on the trip to Carowinds or attend the 8th Grade Party/Dance
30 points = Cannot go to Carowinds, or attend the Party/Dance and Cookout
35 points = Cannot attend any of the activities including the Promotion Ceremony
Please note the number of points student will receive for certain infractions:
Fighting = 10 points
Vaping or possession of vaping paraphernalia = 10 points
ISS or OSS = same points as the number of days
All other infractions are at the discretion of the Administrators
Any failing grade in any class on a report card = 5 points for each class
Hopefully, all of our students will be able to participate in all of these exciting events as we look forward to a successful year!
Student Handbook
Our Student Handbook is posted on our website. We have reviewed the handbook with students this week so that they are aware of our policies and expectations. Please click on the link to read the Student Handbook and review it with your child.
Chromebooks and Quarantine
If your child is quarantined and has not received a chromebook, please contact us. You can call the main office or email our Media Specialist, Jana Wood, at janawood@lcsd56g.com Be prepared to provide us with your child's name and and homeroom teacher. We will then have it in the front office for pick up. If a student is having issues with their device, bring the device and charger to Mrs. Wood to be fixed.