COUGAR COURIER
February 15th, 2019
From the desk of Principal Ruiz
Be sure to mark your calendar for Parent/Teacher Conferences! The CIA staff welcomes each family to attend a meeting with your scholar's teacher between the hours of 4:30 - 7:30 P.M. on Thursday, February 21st. Be sure to check the newsletter link for your child's teacher to view the format for conferences.
There is NO SCHOOL on Monday, February 18th due to the President's Day holiday. Enjoy the long weekend!
Has your scholar misplaced a mitten, hat, jacket, shoe, or lunchbox? Our Lost & Found is filled with missing items that may belong to your scholar. Be sure to visit the Lost & Found when visiting CIA for Parent Teacher conferences. All remaining items will be donate to the Salvation Army on March 1st!
Our Cougar Elite Visual Arts Team painted the first CIA mural in the school. Our Cougars literally and figuratively have the opportunity to leave a lasting imprint on CIA. Thank you to Ms. Katzenberger and our very own Cougars for bringing school spirit to life at CIA!
Parents, you will want to inquire with your scholar about their opportunity to explore band and orchestra as an elective class for the 2019 - 2020 school year. CIA scholars will each select a visual or performing arts class for their next year's schedule. Once the selection has been finalized, changes will not be made. Please ensure your scholar chooses the best-fit class for next year. If there are question or concerns about scheduling, please contact Mrs. Callahan, our Guidance Counselor.
Another special video link has been added to this week's edition of the Cougar Courier titled, Love is...be sure to see how CIA views love! This is an extension to last week's edition.
Due to the number of weather related days of school that were missed this week, there will not be an edition of It's aGreat Day at CIA video performed by our very own Cougar Cast, this week. Be sure to check back next week for another way to "view" CIA.
Have a wonderful weekend - as always, it is a great day to be a Cougar!
Serving with scholars in mind,
Ms. Angela Ruiz, Ph.D. Candidate, Ed.S.
Why are Parent/Teacher Conferences important?
Research proves students do better in school when parents and guardians are involved. Attending Parent/Teacher conferences is one way to be involved and help your scholar succeed.
A Parent/Teacher conference is a great opportunity to:
- discuss your scholar's progress
- share your scholar's strengths and needs
- work with the teacher(s) to help your scholar succeed in school
At CIA, Parent/Teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year. These meetings are brief, lasting approximately 10–15 minutes. Our second conference for the year is scheduled for Thursday, February 21st from 4:30 - 7:30 P.M.; if this date and time conflicts with your schedule, email or call your scholar's teacher to arrange another time to meet. If you absolutely can not make it into the school to meet in person, ask your scholar's teacher if you can schedule a phone conference.
Parent/Teacher conferences are structured to focus on learning, although behavior and social concerns may be discussed. Each teacher will review your scholar's progress, including strengths and areas where improvement is needed. Data from MindPlay, ExactPath, NWEA, and daily Exit Tickets will be utilized to support the progress or concern for each scholar.
We encourage parents to track their scholar's schoolwork and progress, prior to the meeting. Whether this is your first conversation with your scholar's teacher or one of many, the meeting time will be maximized when parents are prepared with their questions and concerns. Even if your scholar is progressing well, attending conferences shows your scholar that you are interested in supporting the educational process.
These tips can help you make the most of those important meetings:
- In the weeks ahead of a conference, check in with your scholar about how they are doing on homework and in each subject. Review homework and any recent projects, tests, quizzes, report cards, or progress reports.
- Ask if there are questions or issues your scholar wants you to discuss with the teacher.
- Plan to bring something to take notes with (paper and pen or a laptop or other device).
- Share a few things about your scholar with the teacher — interests, strengths, favorite subjects — to help their teacher know your scholar better.
- Write down questions or topics you would like the conference to cover. We encourage parents to ask about:
- whether your scholar is meeting grade-level expectations (not how he or she compares with peers)
- at-home remediation if your scholar is struggling
- what the teacher sees as your scholar's strengths and challenges and how these are being addressed in school
- making a plan to check in regularly if there are any learning or behavior problems
- your scholar's work habits, independently and during large and small group instruction
- how your scholar gets along with other scholars in class and during lunch, recess, and other classes
The CIA teachers will be meeting with parents in back-to-back meetings, so try to be on time, if your meeting has been scheduled. Please be patient if the structure for the meeting is first come, first served.
Keep in mind that you and your scholar's teacher have the same goal: To help your scholar succeed in school.
We look forward to seeing you on Thursday evening!
COUGAR FACEBOOK SILENT AUCTION
Mark your calendars, Cougar Families! The CIA Parent Teacher Student Committee is hosting a silent auction on Facebook!
Bidding will open on SUNDAY, MARCH 3rd at 5pm EST. Bidding with close four hours later at 9:00 P.M. EST. There are many fantastic items up for bid!
BIDDING IS EASY!
1) Visit the auction Facebook page via this link, or cut and paste http://www.facebook.com/ciaauction2019 into your browser bar
2) 'Like' our page and SHARE with all your social media friends!
3) Select 'photos' from the menu on the left side of our page
4) Select the photo album labeled 'silent auction items' - here you will find all the items up for bid! Be sure to check back often as we are adding new items daily!
5) Once bidding is open, COMMENT on the item you hope to win. Include the DOLLAR AMOUNT of your bid, which must be higher than the previous bids, and the EMAIL ADDRESS associated with your PayPal account or Venmo account. These are our only payment options. If you don't have either a PayPal or Venmo account, they are both free, secure, and very easy to use!
6) MAKE SURE TO CHECK BACK toward the end of the auction to ensure your bid is the final, highest bid! We expect LOTS of exciting bidding wars!
Winners will be contacted within 24 hours of the auction's close. If payment is not received by 9pm on Tuesday March 5th, we will offer the item to the second highest bidder.
We are excited to raise much needed funds for our National Junior Honor Society dues, library materials, playground equipment, Teacher Appreciation Week, and MUCH, MUCH MORE! Please remember to 'Like' and SHARE the event with family and friends. Anyone can bid and we will ship items to winners anywhere in the U.S.!
CIA Athletic Schedule:
BASKETBALL:
Tuesday, February 19
Edison @ Clay
Wednesday, February 20
LaSalle @ Clay
Saturday, February 23 Varsity Tournament
Clay & Jackson @ Navarre
WRESTLING:
Wednesday, February 20
Clay and Edison @ Jefferson
Admission at CIA and all Intermediate Center sporting events: adults $3 and scholars K-12 $1.
Science Fair Award Recipients:
Congratulations to the MYP scholars who were awarded for their Science Fair display.
7th Grade Placement:
1st Place: pH by Arturo Carbajal-Diaz
2nd Place: Custom Speaker by Noah Fernandez and Anthony Scales
3rd Place: Do white candles burn faster than color candles by Starr Harris
Honorable mention -- Forensics by Mara Richardson
8th Grade Placement:
1st Place: Water Purification by Sean Willis and Hayden Griffith
2nd Place: Sticky Situation by Noah Stone
3rd Place: The Sound of Fear by Maeve Milito
Honorable Mention -- How many licks by Alyssa Pena and Anna Tucker
All Things Student Council (STCO) - Aspiring to Inspire
Pennies for Patients
STCO is still working hard as a “Hero Squad” member by helping out the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society raise funds for their organization. So far, even with the bad weather, CIA students and staff have donated $265.00. Wow! Way to go Cougars!
As you know, each classroom is in a race to raise the most money for this very worthy cause, with the winning classroom receiving a Dunkin’ Donut Hole party! The last scheduled day for the campaign is Tuesday, February 19th. However, we will be counting the final total at our Thursday, February 28th meeting, so keep sending in your change!
Right now, Mrs. Schena’s Kindergartners are STILL in the lead with a class total of $48.13! And, while they are cute, the race is still on, so, let’s all fly high as part of the Hero Squad and bring in that change! Together WE CAN change the face of cancer!
Online donation page: CIA LLS Hero Squad!
8th Grade Scholars are heading to Washington D.C.
We are excited to share the brand new CIA website that will provide the necessary information for the trip to Washington D.C. and is also designed answer any questions that one may have.
On the website one will find the following information:
Itinerary
Hotel
Terms and Pricing (Includes the Cost for the Trip and Cost for the Bus)
Registration
All participants MUST complete registration no later than April 1st.
Fundraising is a service that we are providing all participating scholars to help build their personal trip fund. Scholars are not required to participate in the fundraising events. However, our scholars and staff would appreciate each family helping to spread the word to all friends, family, co-workers with the details for each restaurant give-back night.
Pease direct all questions or concerns, to Mr. Summers
Cougarette Dance Club News:
Practice Schedule:
Until further notice, the CIA Dance team will practice each Monday and Thursday after school in the small gymnasium from 4:15 - 5:50 P.M. All dancers should be picked up at door 18 (in front of the gym) no later than 6:00 p.m. Activity buses are available to transport dancers home if the scholars do not have a ride.
Who Can Dance
Grade 5 - 8 scholars are encouraged to participate as long as they are in good standing in the following areas:
• Attendance (scholars must have 95% attendance or better)
• Behavior
• Academic Performance (“C” average or better to participate with passing grades in all core classes)
Gather your Box Tops to raise money for CIA
The spring BoxTops are counted and the total is $55.00 for CIA! Which means we have earned a total of $75.00 this year just because our families clipped off the BoxTop and sent it in with their students. Thank you for showing your Cougar Pride!
Ronald McDonald House:
Well, it was brought to our attention by our own Anna Tucker, a CIA 8th-grader, that we should be collecting pop tabs to donate to the Ronald McDonald House of Michiana. So, beginning Tuesday, February 19th, you may send in tabs from cans that STCO will collect and donate to this very worthy charity each year in May. Great idea, Anna!
Parent Teacher Student Committee News:
Wednesday, March 6th
Wednesday, April 10th
Wednesday, May 1st
We look forward to seeing you there!
National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)
Clay International Academy (CIA) will participate in the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) on February 28, 2019. NAEP is the largest nationally representative and continuing assessment of what scholars know and can do in various subjects. NAEP is administered by the National Center for Education Statistics, within the U.S. Department of Education. NAEP is different from our state assessments because it is a common measure of achievement across the country. The results are released as The Nation’s Report Card, which provides information about student achievement to educators, parents, policymakers, and the public.
Your child may have been randomly selected to take an assessment in mathematics or reading. For more information, click here...
Principal Ruiz
Email: aruiz@sbcsc.k12.in.us
Website: http://clayintermediate.sb.school/home
Location: 52900 Lily Road, South Bend, IN, USA
Phone: 574-393-4300
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ClayInternationalAcademy/?hc_ref=ARSPi9IBwtzl5EJdceUcqxSSyItIHbU4cIAKX3ZtMeCZAoKpGJMFSGRmc0FRNLyfIJ0&fref=tag
Twitter: @cia_cougars