CMS T-Birds Newsletter
January 2020
Principal's Notes
As we head into the second half of the year I would like to take the time to review communication guidelines for all of us. This includes teachers, administration and parents.
We value our parent/teacher partnerships and find that it is a key aspect of the success of our students. We also know time is of the essence with very busy schedules and we want to protect family time. These reminders create guidelines that enable these partnerships to flourish.
What Parents can expect from the teachers:
Information being sent home regarding learning opportunities in the classroom- this information can be found in student agendas, emails and sometimes hard copies.
Powerschool updates on a regular and reasonable time frame of receiving the completed work. Teachers may indicate work has been collected or it is missing before entering a final grade.
Phone Calls/Emails/Notes when special information needs to be communicated with home. These entail positive or negative behavior, special requests or specific questions regarding the student.
As the school year starts, or at the semester break with a change of classes, pertinent information about the upcoming class.
Meetings as requested to discuss student progress.
To respect family/personal time for all please adhere to a 24 hour response time for inquiries. We realize that your schedule does not always correspond with ours and the time you have maybe late into the evening to send your questions or concerns, therefore if an email is sent after the workday to a teacher, please allow the 24 hour response time to be enacted.
What parents can expect from the administration/front office:
Consistent general information via quarterly newsletters
Emails highlighting upcoming events or calendar changes
Website is up-to-date with current information
Facebook and Twitter updated with information.
Online calendar updated with current information
Digital sign in front of the school with current information (updated on Monday’s)
Hard copies sent home as needed by individual families.
To respect family/personal time for all -Please adhere to a 24 hour response time for inquiries. If an email is sent after the workday please allow the 24 hour response time to be enacted.
What teachers/administration can expect from parents:
Come directly to the teacher with any questions or concerns. If unresolved, bring administration into the conversation.
Phone calls, face-to-face, or emails for items that are not urgent or time-sensitive.
Urgent or time-sensitive material, phone call explaining such. Email can be sent with Urgent as the topic. Caution- it may not be seen or responded to in time.
A phone call or email to the front office if your student will be absent from school
To respect family/personal time for all please adhere to a 24 hour response time for inquiries. We realize that your schedule does not always correspond to ours and the time you have maybe late into the evening to send your questions or concerns, therefore if an email is sent after the workday to a teacher, please allow the 24 hour response time to be enacted.
Thank you for partnering with us as we are all here for the same purpose.
Athletic Director's Report
Girls Basketball
The 8th-grade girls basketball team finished their season in December with a hard-fought loss to Winfield in the semifinals of the Patriot League East tournament. The girls finished 7-8 overall and 7-5 in their division.
The 7th-grade girls finished the regular season as the number 1 seed in the league tournament. Unfortunately, they lost to Ark City in the finals and finished runner up in the league. Overall they were 13-2 and 11-1 in their division.
Wrestling
The CMS wrestling team capped off a successful season by finishing 2nd in the league tournament at Haysville. Their finish ties them with the 2006 team for the highest league placing as a team in school history!
Cheer
The final shipment of cheer uniforms came in just in time for most of the girl's basketball season. The girls looked great in blue and gold. It was somewhat confusing when they cheered because the basketball team was still in black and gold! They had a great season and gave great support to our basketball teams.
Scholars Bowl
The Scholars Bowl team has its first competition on January 9th at Wellington. Coach Nancy Thomas has 11 kids on the team this year. Just enough to field a team for both 7th and 8th grade. Good luck to all the kids participating! We host a regular-season meet on January 28th as well as the Patriot League East meet on February 4th.
Spelling Bee
Congratulations to Sophia Boccia for winning the CMS Spelling Bee. Nick Ahles was runner-up. Both Sophia and Nick, along with 8 other students, will be participating in the Patriot League East spelling bee at Winfield on Tuesday, January 14th.
Boys Basketball
About 30 8th grade and over 40 7th grade boys are currently trying out for the Circle Middle School basketball teams. The coaches for 7th grade are Jean Gibbs (head) and Dan Rose (assistant). The coaches for 8th grade are Andrew Stauffer (head) and Wendy Tied (assistant).
Games start on January 21 when Clearwater comes to Circle Middle School. Each team will play a 13 game regular season with the league tournament at El Dorado starting on February 29th.
Good luck to all the boys!
Student Section Supporting our 8th-grade Girls Basketball Team
8th-grade Girls Basketball Team
Wrestling Match
Counselor's Corner
Upcoming Events
Jan 14- Spelling Bee League @ Winfield
Jan 15- 8:20 am Academic Awards
Jan 20- No School
Feb 4- 4 pm Scholar's Bowl League
Feb 5- 5-7 pm Parent-Teacher Conferences by request or invitation only
Feb 12- Lifetouch Class and Winter Season II pictures
Feb 14- NO SCHOOL Staff Development
Feb 16- NO SCHOOL
Feb 25- 6:30 pm Middle School 101 & Site Council
Feb 29- 9 am Boys Basketball League Quater/Semi Tournament
Mar 2- NO SCHOOL- Staff Development
Mar 2- 5 pm Boys Basketball League
Mar 3- Math Relay League
Mar 6- 3:30-5:15 pm STUCO Spring Social
Mar 9--12- Book Fair
Mar 11- 4:30- 8 pm Parent-Teacher Conferences
Mar 12- NO SCHOOL 9 am- 3 pm Parent-Teacher Conferences
Mar 13- NO SCHOOL
Mar 16-20 NO SCHOOL Spring Break
As always, all games are listed in our District calendar or check out our new website and app to keep up with our Winter Sports at https://www.usd375.org/
Mrs. Wishart's ELA
Mrs. Haines' Science
Mrs Haines' and Mr Stauffer's Math Baking Project
7th-grade Tech Policy
We have two types of policies surrounding Chromebooks: the “I forgot” and actual tech violations.
I forgot-- students either forgot his/her Chromebook at home or forgot to charge it. This is a three-step policy.
First time --students are given a reminder, the student's name is recorded in a document, and the 7th-grade team is notified.
Second time -- parent contact is made, the student is warned if it happens again the Chromebook will need to stay at school to be charged, the student's name is recorded in the document, and the team is notified.
Third time --Chromebooks stay at school to be charged for the semester and the team is notified.
Tech Violations-- student is using his/her Chromebook during class but not where they’re assigned to be. For example, a student is playing games or watching youtube videos instead of doing the assigned task. This is also a three-step policy.
First Violation-- teacher warning, the violation is recorded on a document, and the 7th-grade team is notified (all teachers give at least one verbal warning/reminder of what students are supposed to be doing before the step of recording the violation on the document).
Second Violation-- a conference with two teachers, acceptable use contract reviewed, parent contact made and the student loses all internet access except for Google Classroom for one week, this called being whitelisted.
Third Violation-- parent contact, loss of computer for three full days. If the student has been taking the Chromebook home at night, it stays at school for those two days.
Fourth Violation-- office referral and in-school suspension.
Why this matters: At school, we don’t have extra Chromebooks or chargers to loan. If a student forgets his/her Chromebook, they have to do all of the work with paper and pencil. Some of the students’ classes are totally digital. Depending on the activity, paper and pencil may not be an option, examples include PLTW and the ELA classes who are piloting Amplify. NWEA, interims for state testing, and state assessments are all administered via Chromebook. Typically class time is provided for students to work on assignments. If students choose not to use their time wisely or they don’t have their Chromebooks, they get further behind.
Thank you, for supporting and reminding your child about the responsibility involved with the use of Chromebooks.
Christmas Fun 8th-grade Students
Christmas Fun 8th-grade Students
Christmas Fun 8th-grade Teachers
8th-grade Tech Policy and Violations
Teachers have two posters in their rooms that display Chromebook and Electronics policies. Students are aware of these policies, as well as the consequences. Technology violations are as follows:
Step 1 Verbal teacher warning. Teachers notified via email.
Step 2 White List, one week. Teacher Assigning conferences with the student. Acceptable Use Contract Review. Parent Contact.
Step 3 Computer Loss (Two days: the remainder of the initial day plus two). Parent Contact informing the next step. The computer is taken by the teacher, given to Potter with a return date on the computer. DSF Folder with generic assignments in an alternate, centralized locations.
Step 4 Office Referral (ISS). Individual behavior plans.
Students are increasingly forgetting to charge Chromebooks, or in some cases, leaving computers at home. We do not have extra computers or chargers for the students to borrow. Teachers are documenting these cases, and the consequences are as follows:
Step 1 Verbal teacher warning.
Step 2 Parent contact.
Step 3 Computer Loss. Stays at school for a week.
Step 4 Computer stays at school.
8th-grade class Ice Skating Trip
Hangin' with friends
Making Memories
STUCO Valentine's Day Candy-Grams
Send a special Valentine Treat to your friends and teachers, or even your whole class!
Candy Grams will be delivered during seminar on Feb 13th by the STUCO Council.
Students may purchase Candy Grams before school in the Commons, or during lunch in the office, Feb 7th-13th.
Each Candy Gram is $1.00.
Lunch Account
You can also come in and pay in the office anytime or send money to school with your student.
Box Tops
We are still collecting Box Tops, if you have any, please send them to the library.
Otherwise, you no longer need to clip Box Tops! Scan your receipt and earn money for our school. For more information, go to the Box Tops website: https://www.boxtops4education.com/.
All proceeds from Box Tops help to purchase books for our library.