Cardinal Connections
A Bi-Weekly Clinton Schools Community Newsletter
5/6/19
another successful event
The 4th annual Bright Futures Sports Camp was a huge success for 60 Henry Elementary students.
This program is a partnership between the Clinton Rotary Club, Bright Futures Clinton and Henry Elementary. This after-school program allows students the opportunity to participate in a sports skills camp, as well as a chance to hear from local community members about the character traits it takes to be a successful student and adult. Students learned about honesty, bravery, kindness and teamwork from Officer Nathan Bettencourt and Captain Paul Abbott of the Clinton Police Department and Chris Reno of the Clinton Fire Department. Clinton Rotarians not only sponsored the camp, but also volunteered to spend four afternoons helping students with varying sports skills.
Henry Elementary appreciates the time, talent and treasure that went into making this event possible for students.
See more pictures here.
Decision Day at CHS
Oh, the places they will go!
CHS students, staff members, parents, community members, college representatives and the Commissioner of Higher Education, Zora Mulligan, gathered in the CHS gymnasium on Thursday, May 2nd to celebrate the plans of our seniors.
Seniors who have made plans to enter the workforce, the military, attend college, or a trade/technical school after graduation were recognized and celebrated.
We are so proud of our seniors and are excited to watch them as they pursue their dreams.
See more pictures here.
Getting Hands Dirty at CECC
Sometimes learning requires that you get your hands dirty!
Students at the Clinton Early Childhood Center had a great day of learning as they dug for earthworms. Students loved exploring with their classmates and learning all about these little creatures.
See more pictures here.
almost high schoolers
While Clinton Middle School 8th graders are only a few weeks away from becoming official high schoolers, they are making the most of their remaining time at CMS.
Students planned and orchestrated their school's first ever "8th Grade Lock-In". On Friday, April 26th, 8th graders and their teachers played games, ate food and enjoyed each other's company until midnight! Lots of fun was had and memories were made for these Cardinals.
See more pictures here.
Playing Detective at CIS
Need a mystery solved? Mrs. Simon's 3rd graders can help you out!
During a fun and engaging activity in Mrs. Simon’s class, students solved a mystery using what they had learned about Main Idea, Supporting Details and Topic Sentences.
See more pictures here.
Preparing our future nurses
Students in Clinton Technical School's, Practical Nursing Program, had the opportunity to learn from Jace Moore, PharmD.
Jace is a pharmacist with Evans Drugs in Osceola. Jace shared his valuable knowledge on preventing medication errors with students as they are currently studying Pharmacology.
The district appreciates the efforts of community leaders in assisting our students on their journey to becoming great nurses.
state testing
Spring is here and kids and teachers are thinking about summer vacation, outside activities, swimming, and just about anything but school. Whoa! Stop! We are giving State tests right now. Often times, the challenge becomes keeping students focused so they will do their best on the tests.
The question that comes to mind is surely, “Why are State tests so important anyhow?” Each state is required, through the federal education law, to have students take tests each year so that schools and states are held accountable for learning. The State of Missouri uses the scores from our students as one of the main criteria for state accreditation. The scores from the tests give local districts information about how well the students are learning the curriculum being taught. They help us identify goals for future improvement as well. But, more importantly, the State tests allow us to showcase our students’ and teachers’ excellent achievements.
In the past, our scores have been pretty low. Last year, our schools scored in the bottom 50 school districts in the State of Missouri. The motivation for doing well on the tests was very low and we have heard from our teachers that many of our students did not even put minimal effort into completing the tests. After all, the tests do not affect grades. Often times, we don’t even receive the scores until the following year.
How do we change that attitude and culture? This year, we implemented an incentive system for testing. If the students take their time and give effort during the test, they can receive chances for prizes and other incentives. Our goal is to create a sense of positivity in the testing environment. We also believe that doing well on the tests is also about Cardinal Pride. We believe that our students are capable of doing so much better!
We have been teaching and learning the Standards as set by the State of Missouri throughout the year. Everything we teach and learn, reflects in some way back to the Missouri Standards. When we give tests to our students throughout the year, we use similar formats and questioning techniques so that students are well prepared for whatever they may encounter on the State test. We believe that our kids are ready for the challenge before them.
May is definitely an exciting month thinking about all of the plans for summer. But, it is also exciting for the district to showcase the teaching and learning that has occurred throughout the year. We anticipate great things this spring! Please encourage our students when you see them around town. Your support and encouragement definitely makes a difference!
Go CARDINALS!
*STATE ASSESSMENTS-It is that time of the year for schools across Missouri.....state assessment time is here. Our teachers have worked hard all year preparing our students for these exams and we feel confident our students will put forth their best effort.
Please encourage your student to try their hardest, to get a full night's sleep and a good breakfast (either at home or at school).
The district testing schedule is as follows:
CIS MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) Testing-4/29-5/10
CMS MAP (Missouri Assessment Program) Testing-5/6-5/17
If you have any questions, please contact your child's school.
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*BACK TO SCHOOL FAIR-Bright Futures Clinton is offering a Back To School Fair on Wednesday, July 24 from 3-6 p.m.
This needs-based event is for students attending the Clinton School District for the 2019-2020 school year, AND whose families are experiencing financial hardship. The Bright Futures Back to School Fair is located in the gym of the Clinton Community Center. It is at the same time as the CHART/ Mid-Day Optimists Health Fair and School Supply Distribution that’s held in the Benson Center.
Services offered to Clinton students at the Bright Futures Back to School Fair include: tennis shoes, haircuts (head lice checks and treatment products if needed), hygiene kits, new socks and underwear, dental screenings and more. All services are offered free of charge to families in financial need who have pre-registered by the deadline.
Registration forms can be found below (as well as online at www.clintoncardinals.org under the "headlines" section). Forms must be returned to any Clinton school by Friday, May 17th. If there is concern your child might not get the form turned in, you may deliver yourself. A separate form must be completed for EACH eligible child (PreK- 12th grade).
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*TAKE MOM OUT TO LUNCH-SkillsUSA will be holding a "Perrymann Fried Chicken Dinner" fundraiser on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 12th from 11:00-2:00 at the Rotary Building. This fundraiser will help offset costs associated with their National Competition this summer.
Tickets are $10 and can be purchased from any SkillsUSA member. Tickets will also be available at the door (carry-out available). A Dessert Silent Auction will take place at 12:30.
See the flyer below for more details.
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*BISCUITS AND GRAVY-Support our FBLA National Qualifiers by enjoying a breakfast of Bs & Gs on Saturday, May 18th from 8:00-10:00 at the Elks Lodge. Tickets are $6 and can be purchased from any FBLA member or at the door. Silent and dessert auctions will also be part of the fun!
Check out the flyer below for more details.
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*SUMMER SCHOOL-Summer School 2019 will be held June 3-28 at Henry Elementary from 8:00-2:30 (doors open at 7:30).
Students entering kindergarten-6th grade are encouraged to attend, and enjoy the fun during this year's Summer Safari theme. Several field trips are planned, as well as prize drawings for attendance!
Free breakfast (8:00) and lunch (11:00-12:00) will be available to ALL students attending summer school, as well as to anyone in our community under the age of 18.
Transportation will run two bus routes during summer school, routes can be found here. For more information regarding transportation, please call 885-2644.
After-school care will also be available from 2:30-5:30. Please call 885-5585 for more information.
Enrollment forms can be found below or online at www.clintoncardinals.org under the "headlines" section.
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*GRADUATIONS AND PROMOTION CEREMONIES-Please put these dates on your calendar and watch for more info in the weeks ahead.
*CECC Graduation-May 14th @ 6:00 in the CHS Performing Arts Center
*CHS Graduation-May 19th @ 2:00 in the CHS gymnasium (doors open at 1:00). Seniors will be provided tickets to distribute to family and friends for admittance to the event. Overflow will be in the Performing Arts Center. More information in the weeks ahead.
*Kindergarten Graduation-May 21st @ 6:00 in the CHS Performing Arts Center
*8th Grade Promotion-May 24th @ 10:00 (seating begins at 9:30) at Cardinal Stadium (weather permitting). Alternate location will be the CMS gymnasium.
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*RETIREMENT RECEPTION-Please join us on Thursday, May 16th in the CHS Commons from 3:30-5:30 to celebrate the retirement of 6 CSD employees: Rebecca Fetters, John Glenn, Irma Huffman, Susan Hutcherson, Mark Rogers and Sherry Wymore.
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*COACHING POSITIONS-The district has several coaching opportunities for next school year. These paid positions are open to the public. If you are interested in making a difference in the lives of our students, please consider applying.
Coaching positions can be found here.
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*JOB OPENINGS-Do you know someone who would make a great addition to our team?
The CSD currently has several teaching opportunities available for the 2019-2020 school year. Current openings can be found on the district website, www.clintoncardinals.org, under the employment tab.
Take a look, apply, or share with someone you know who is looking for a great place to work!
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*CHS SPIRIT SQUAD GOLF TOURNAMENT-The CHS Cheerleaders and Crimson Dance Squad will be holding their 12th annual golf tournament on June 1st.
Check out the flyer below for more details.
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*HELP CECC STUDENTS-CECC has joined the Crayola ColorCycle program. Students are accepting your used and dried out markers, highlighters, and dry erase markers (non-crayola brands are accepted). Rather than going to a landfill, these markers will be recycled by Crayola.
You can help our littlest Cardinals with this project by donating markers at CECC (502 S. 5th Street) or at Henry Elementary (809 S. 8th Street).
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*LAST DAY OF SCHOOL-The last day of school for students will be May 24th. This will be an early dismissal day.
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*2019-2020 CALENDAR-A printable version of the 2019-2020 school calendar can be found at the bottom of this newsletter and on our district website.
Becky Gillihan
Our support staff play a critical role in the day-to-day operations of our schools, and we are so thankful for them!
Clinton Intermediate School Teacher's Aide, Becky Gillihan, has been with the district for 10 years. She began her journey as a Cardinal at Henry Elementary and when Clinton Intermediate School opened in 2011, she transferred over.
Becky grew up in Waterville, KS (north of Manhattan). She is a proud graduate of Kansas State University and is a former physical education teacher. Becky and her husband raised their children in Olathe, KS and moved to Clinton in 2009 as they were park attendants at Bucksaw Marina.
Becky and her husband's two children (as well as their spouses) are all educators in the Olathe School District. Becky's pride and joy are her five grandchildren.
In her free time, Becky enjoys gardening, hiking and water activities. When it's too cold to be outdoors, she enjoys following college sports, sewing, and doing Sudoku puzzles.
"I enjoy working at CIS because of the great staff, and the feeling I have at the end of the day, that I've made a difference in the lives of our students."
About Us
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