Mustang Round-Up
2018-19 Cheyenne Middle School Newsletter - January
New Year's Resolutions
As the new year begins, we reflect upon the previous year and how it has impacted us. Each year we go through the typical list of resolutions exercise, eat well, be productive, family-focused, etc. I noticed in 2018 my family has become very dependent on our electronic devices for entertainment, recipes, ordering online, pictures, gaming, TV, videos, etc. Have you ever thought about why our children ever needed a portable electronic device? In my house, everyone picks-up their devices before they head out the door. There is some comfort knowing that if we need to get in touch with one another, we can. But, I also remind the kids to be mindful of their words, pictures, and messages they compose and send through their device. I always get the typical teen response "UGH! Mom, Really!" my response is always the same "Yes, Really!" It shocks me to think this is a necessary conversation when the object of the device has always been to be able to contact one another.
Our society is plagued and aided by these personal devices each day. The app engineers have made it so easy for us to use them for daily life including sharing and expressing our feelings and ideas to the world. We don't call our friends to talk about our feelings we post them to our hundred or thousands of followers to read. Our children struggle with how to express themselves emotionally and socially on a daily basis. They need our support and guidance to filter their roller coaster of emotions and expressions. When situations present themselves at school we coach them through their feelings, how to begin to understand them, and what they should do next time their feelings overwhelm them. These are processes that most adult individuals go through naturally when in a positive or negative situation.
As we move into the new year, consider one more new year's resolution, #thinkbeforeyoupost. The focus would be to process our emotions in a healthy way and not to act or express our feelings through our devices. When emotionally posting it is important for our children to know that the use of false threats and inappropriate pictures is a federal crime. Encourage your child if they hear or see something suspicious, then say something to an adult and law enforcement. Anytime our students make bad choices with statements, posts, videos or pictures we have an assessment plan we follow at school. It is important to know that we thoroughly investigate any situation and involve law enforcement as necessary. Remember we want our workplace and school to be safe. I send my children to school in Edmond every day, and I know that their teachers and staff in our district strategically handle all safety issues with the utmost importance. As we begin 2019 we will be working with our School Resource Officers to provide educational lessons regarding #thinkbeforeyou post for our students. Your support is necessary by continuing these discussions at home. Below are some resources for your reference.
#thinkbeforeyoupost is a goal that we can all work towards each day.
Resources:
Safe Surfing:
https://sos.fbi.gov/index.html
https://www.fbi.gov/audio-repository/ftw-podcast-hoax-threats-090618.mp3/view
https://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/hoax-threats-awareness-100518
Stop Inappropriate Pictures:
https://www.fbi.gov/file-repository/stop-sextortion-brochure.pdf
PTO News
Welcome back Mustang families!! We hope that your new year is off to a great start! I wanted to begin by saying thank you for supporting Cheyenne during our Sherwood Forest Farms fundraiser. We raised $954!! The wreaths and decorations were beautiful and smelled divine! We hope that your items brightened your holidays. Our plan continues with the money raised this year, to help our teachers with their continuing education and to revamp the recess area. Plans are happening with big improvements and more activity areas being discussed. Our kids work hard and deserve an area to unwind and socialize during their day. This will be made possible through your generosity. Our next fundraiser, the Walk to Remember, will be in May. We are looking forward to it!!
In January, we will be providing our staff with a yummy lunch on the 17th. A Signup Genius will be going out closer to the date. We appreciate your help with the food items to make this lunch great!
Our next general PTO meeting will be February 5 at 1:15 pm. We will be discussing the upcoming events in the school year. Come check it out!
We are Cheyenne!!
We are Mustangs!!
Rebecca Yacabucci
PTO President
Charge Your Chromebook This Weekend
https://edmondschools.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/edmond.jsp
Student Username is your 3x4
Student Password is your chromebook password
December Students of the Month
CHROMEBOOK INSURANCE (STPP - STUDENT TECHNOLOGY PROTECTION PLAN)
Some parents did not sign up for the STPP at the beginning of the year and are asking if
they can have another opportunity to purchase this protection plan. To accommodate this
request, the district has established that a STPP window will be opened from January 9th to
January 23rd . During this time period, families may purchase the STPP for $30. It will cover
the remainder of the 2018-2019 school year.
The process to purchase the STPP is as follows:
1. Students will go to their administrator, chromebook manager or technology coach with the $30, the device and the charger so it can be inspected to ensure all are functioning.
a. The inspection should verify that the device is in the case, works, does not have a cracked screen and the power cord will charge the device.
2. The administrator, chromebook manager or technology coach will send an email or walk with the student to the Financial Secretary so the student can pay the $30.
3. The Financial Secretary will accept the money and mark the Mid-year STPP fee inside InTouch.
All charges or fines before the purchase date must be paid in full before next school year.
**The mid year STPP is not retroactive.**
Future Freshman Night at North High School
Students will receive enrollment information through Cheyenne on January 30.
North counselors will be conducting online enrollment at Cheyenne on February 8 and 11 through their classes.
TSA News
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!
December 2018 was a great experience for the Cheyenne TSA as we worked on helping others through our “Effort of Hope” and “Fill the Suitcase” community service drives. Looking forward to January 2019 will start our competition season. Please encourage your student to try one event at one competition so they can see what it’s all about. There are over 30 different events to choose from, surely we can find a fit somewhere!
January 12 - Blackwell VEX IQ & TSA
January 26 - Frontier TSA
February 9 - EDMOND TSA (where would you like to help?)
February 23 - Claremore TSA
Band Blast
During the last couple of weeks before the end of the semester, our 7th grade band performed at Ida Freeman, John Ross and Cross Timbers Elementaries. Good job 7th grade band. The students and staff enjoyed the performances.
Here is a reminder of upcoming events on the band calendar.
Our last optional movie matinee will be Monday, January 28, 2:45 - 4:30 pm. All Cheyenne band students are invited to enjoy this time together.
The 7th grade will present a Fantastic February Film Fest Concert on Thursday, February 7, 2019 6:30pm in the Cheyenne Middle School Gym.
We will have our 7th annual mattress fundraiser February 16, 2019 at Cheyenne Middle School. This fundraiser for the band/orchestra offers great deals on mattresses and helps the instrumental music program at Cheyenne. Once we receive the flyers and additional information students will be bringing it home. Pricing will be available at the actual sale. There will be an informational meeting soon.
8th grade will have their first OSSAA district full band contest and clinics in February/March at Santa Fe High School. We will have a guest band director on February on Friday, February 15, during 1st and 2nd hours. We will attend an Edmond Middle School Band Clinic in February to prepare for the district contest at Santa Fe HS.
6th grade will travel to hear the OKC Philharmonic on March 27, 2019. This will be a wonderful event and more information/permission slip will be sent sooner to the concert date.
The 7th and 8th grade band students will soon begin preparations for the Edmond Chamber Festival, which will be held on Saturday, March 30, 2019 (Required for all students). The students will perform in a small ensemble (2 or more performers in a group), various class ensembles and may choose to perform a solo with piano accompaniment. In preparation for the contest, there will be a solo pre-contest recital night on Thursday, March 28, 2019 at 6:30 p.m. at Cheyenne Middle School (Not required). Students performing solos may also chose to participate in the Deer Creek Band Festival on Saturday, April 13, 2019.
The 7th and 8th grade percussion students will be performing at a percussion only concert on Thursday, May 2, 2019 7:00 pm at Edmond North High School Auditorium.
In preparation for the spring concert the 7th grade will have after school rehearsal as a combined band on 5/2/19 2:45-4:15 pm.
The 6th, 7th and 8th grade bands will present their spring concert on Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 6:30 p.m. at Edmond North High School.
Musically yours,
JoeLee Mills
Meagan Stevens
Greg Mangus
From the Orchestra Podium
Prevention Prospective
Each day, America’s teenagers are bombarded with misleading messages about drugs. Glamorized by media and endorsed by peers, the consequences of drug use and experimentation are dangerously disguised, and often hidden altogether. The reality is that drug use can alter a teen’s life forever. That is why every student should be given the tools to make a decision against using drugs and the best place to give them those tools is your classroom. This year, Edmond Public Schools will be launching a research-based and proven curriculum, Project ALERT, in each Middle School.
Project ALERT is a free classroom-based substance abuse prevention program that is proven to reduce the experimental and continued use of drugs. Through a series of comprehensive lessons, Project ALERT motivates students against drug use, cultivates new non-use attitudes and beliefs, and equips teens with the skills and strategies they will use to resist drugs.
Project ALERT is proven to:
•Motivate students against drug use
•Provide skills and strategies to resist drugs
•Establish new non-use attitudes and beliefs
Two new student assistance counselors have been contracted in order to provide experienced expertise in the area of adolescent substance use. Billy Samuel and Derek Talkington are the co-owners and founders of CLASSEN9, a premier treatment, consulting and community development practice in Oklahoma City. Billy holds a BA and MA from the University of Central Oklahoma, and has been a Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor since 2011. His career began in 2007 when he became the Oklahoma County Drug Court lead therapist for Northcare. Billy is an experienced clinician working primarily with individuals with moderate and severe co-occurring issues. His work experience includes Adjunct Professor, Educator for the Attorney General domestic violence program, Clinical Director, and Associate Executive Director with Specialized Outpatient Services. Derek is a licensed addiction and mental health therapist in Oklahoma. He is a skilled program director and clinician with experience in various outpatient and residential addiction treatment centers. His work has included outpatient adult, adolescent and family work at Specialized Outpatient Services in Oklahoma City, intensive family and individual therapeutic work at Four Winds Ranch in Guthrie Oklahoma; Derek has previously sat as the Clinical Director of Second Story Ranch Recovery Community and as Executive Director of Parents Helping Parents, an Oklahoma based non-profit agency aimed at supporting families with children, of any age, affected by substance use and addiction.
Billy Samuel
Project Alert
Providing Motivation and Skills to Say "No"
Derek Talkington
NOTES FROM YOUR SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGIST
Is your child failing in school? Maybe he started out full of enthusiasm, but now his grades are slipping and he seems to be falling through the cracks. If your child has hit a slump midway through the school year, you are not alone. Here is some advice for what you can do to get your child back on track.
Many kids lose steam by the time the middle of the school year arrives. It’s very common for children and teens to get back to school after the holidays and hit a slump. Remember, kids are kids: their attention span is short, they’re impulsive and it can be difficult for them to focus. It’s easy for children to lose energy, and when that happens, a kind of lethargy can set in.
If your child has a learning disability, or performance or behavior problems, this issue becomes magnified. Your child might feel as if he’s fallen into a hole and doesn’t know how to climb back out. (That hole can be caused by missing work, not understanding certain concepts at school, or social problems, among other things.) When your child is in that hole, it’s easy for him to become demoralized, act out more or withdraw emotionally. Often, he won’t ask for help even though he desperately needs it, and soon you’ll see his output start to slow down.
As a parent, it’s very important for you to address the problem quickly and get your child back on track before he becomes completely derailed.
While grades usually go down in a gradual slide, if your child’s performance deteriorates suddenly, it’s important for you to realize that something major may be happening, whether it’s substance abuse, bullying, or an equally serious issue.
You should be very concerned if you notice your child’s attitude has changed for the worse along with his falling grades. When a child’s attitude becomes bad, you can safely assume certain things may be going on:
There may be a problem she’s not talking about.
He may be doing something that he doesn’t want anyone to know about.
He may be getting deeper into trouble without help.
Again, kids cannot climb out of that hole on their own—they simply don’t know how.
Sometimes kids fall through the cracks at school because they’re having a hard time academically. Suddenly, the work becomes too challenging, and their classmates seem to pull ahead while they’re still trying to understand a certain concept. Their attitude may worsen because they really can’t do the work.
As a parent, you really need to have a good understanding of what your child is capable of doing. Parents should also be aware of those subjects, like algebra, where if you miss one core concept, you may be in trouble for the rest of the school year. Here is where tutoring can be a lifesaver.
Try to be as objective as possible. There’s a concept called “learned helplessness”—where people learn that if they act helpless, somebody else will do it for them. Above all, we don’t want to foster that response in our kids. Truly understanding what your child’s level is can be very tricky, and you may need to seek help through the school psychologist or counselor.
Don’t let grades be the end-all. Not every child can be an “A” student, and having too-high expectations puts a lot of stress on kids. Some kids who are working their hardest will earn B’s or C’s, and that’s okay! A good work ethic is more important than straight A’s and will take them further in life.
Here are some things parents can do to get their kids back on track:
*Don’t believe a child who never admits to having homework! Even if an assignment is not due tomorrow, there is most likely a quiz or test coming up.
*Kids need structure and supervision, and they need somebody looking in on them who will hold them accountable. If your child’s grades start sliding, don’t let him do his homework in his room by himself with the door closed and the music on. The door stays open, the music stays off, and you should be looking in on him every fifteen minutes or so. The goal is to keep him on track. Better yet, set up a homework station in the kitchen or dining area where you can work nearby without hovering. Offer encouragement and reward homework completion.
*Help with organization. Make sure work is completed and put in a folder to return to school. Check the folder daily to see what’s new and ensure that yesterday’s work was turned in.
*Take advantage of technology schools offer. Canvas and Infinite Campus allow parents to see grades, missing assignments, and upcoming projects and tests. The school can help you get it set up.
*Parents should be talking to teachers about the subjects and areas where their child is having problems. Send an email inquiring about your child. Teachers can often be very helpful in telling you what they’ve observed.
Tell the teacher what you see at home, and then ask what they see happening in their classroom. Some questions for you to ask are:
Has participation dropped off?
Is my child sitting with different kids? Has there been a change in friends?
Is my child just tired and bored, or maybe overwhelmed by the work?
Have you seen a change in attitude or performance? How would you describe that change?
*If your child’s grades start to fall in one specific subject, find out what extra help is available from the school. Hold her accountable to do a certain amount of work. Work with the school as much as possible. The better your communication is with them, the more it will help your child.
It’s a good idea to sit down and have a talk with your child when you realize he’s struggling at school. Ask “what” questions, not “why” questions. “Why” questions invite your child to make excuses—to blame someone or something for his problems. “What” questions ask your child to report the facts. So it’s not, “Why are you doing poorly at school?” it’s, “What’s going on?”
You can also tell your child what you’ve observed: “I see your grades dropping, I see you being more irritable. You don’t want to get out of bed in the morning. You’re getting detention for silly things in school, like talking out of turn. I’m wondering what’s going on.” If your child denies that anything is happening, say, “What are you going to do to improve your grades?” Listen to see if she has any ideas. If she doesn’t, you should come up with a plan.
Make the conversation with your child functional, not emotional. Kids do better when they keep their feelings out of it. After all, their emotions are volatile: they love you, they hate you; they’re happy, they’re angry. So you want to keep it on a functional level and ask, “What’s getting in the way of you doing your work? What’s going on? And how are you going to change it?”
Remember, kids need to be rewarded; they need to be motivated. While rewards are helpful, the absence of rewards is not causing the problem. Rewards don’t change behavior: learning problem-solving skills and being held accountable changes behavior. Having a concrete plan and sticking to it changes behavior.
A final word: Kids are resilient. If you help your child and he’s able to get back on track and do the work, in all likelihood he’ll bounce back at school. Kids have strengths that aren’t easily observable unless you know how to look for them. As a parent, you need to find that resiliency, find that strength in your child, and work with it. If you are still at a loss, or if things don’t improve, contact the school for help.
Teresa Knight,
Nationally Certified School Psychologist
726-5711
8th Grade Author Visit
Cheyenne Middle School is excited to welcome author April Henry! She will be sharing her experience as a best-selling author with the 8th-grade students Friday, Feb. 1st.
If you’d like to buy a book and have it autographed, complete the form and pay with cash or check (payable to Best of Books) by January 23rd.
The Night She Disappeared $11
The Girl I Used to Be $11
The Lonely Dead $18 (hardback)
Be a Library Volunteer
We are looking for adult volunteers to assist in the Media Center. Please contact Dana Whitmarsh, the Library Assistant, at dana.whitmarsh@edmondschools.net if you would be interested in signing up for special projects (once or twice a year) or to be a regular volunteer (weekly).
Regular volunteers (weekly) help check in and out library materials, shelve books, create bulletin board and/or display projects, and encourage the love of reading.
The mission of the Media Program is to encourage the reading habit and to foster skills that make our students good information seekers, judges, and thinkers.
Chromebook Care-Tech Code of Conduct
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.
School Information
Infinite Campus New Campus Student and New Campus Parent App
Infinite Campus has a new Campus Student and a new Campus Parent app available to download.
Campus Student and Campus Parent are designed to provide real-time access to student information. The easy-to-use design displays what is currently happening in the classroom so you can understand, monitor, and participate in the educational process.
» Announcements
» Assignments
» Attendance
» Grades
» Schedules
Infinite Campus Mobile Apps can be downloaded through the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.
Learn more at infinitecampus.com/parents-students
Attendance Line: 726-5751
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 attendance line to report absences.
Box Tops for Education
Congratulations Mrs. Macrory's Homeroom! They were our box top winners for the 2nd 9 weeks competition.
Homeroom Competition is on now for the 3rd 9 weeks!
Turn in Box Tops to your Homeroom Teacher
6th Grade 1st hour
7th Grade 1st hour
8th Grade 3rd hour
Jostens Yearkbook Orders
Dress Code Expectations
Chromebooks
Cafeteria
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 Account Online
Important: checking out students, lunches, & messages
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. We will provide messages to students when provided before 2:00. We cannot guarantee messages will arrive to students if received after 2:00pm.
Demographic & Contact information on Parent Portal
Personal Devices
The implementation of school provided Chromebooks brings an end to the academic need for personal devices during the school day. With that, we will be expecting personal devices to be off and out of sight for the duration of the school day. 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.
Cheyenne Middle School
Michael DeForest, Assistant Principal & Athletic Director, 8th grade administrator
Deby McWatters, Assistant Principal, 7th grade administrator
Melissa Krause, Counselor 6th
Kathy Parker, Counselor 7th
Michele Kingdom, Counselor 8th
Website: http://cheyenne.edmondschools.net/
Location: 1271 West Covell Road, Edmond, OK, United States
Phone: 405-340-2940
Facebook: facebook.com/@edmondcheyenne