Dear CST Family,

This is the last weekly of the semester and of the calendar year. The halls have been filled with positive energy and giving spirit. I've so enjoyed the fun that has been the Pennies for Shoes campaign. We are doing so good and I can't wait to share a final total. I've shared our top 5 on the announcements each day but all are within reach! I can't emphasize enough how wonderful a cause this is as it targets Olathe kids in need. Tuesday at 8:44am (WIN time) is the last day to turn in money...keep bringing it!

Our performing arts 6th graders had a busy day this past Wednesday. During the day the band and orchestra traveled to all CST feeder schools to play for their schools. The day involved a lunch at the Golden Corral. In the evening, our 6th grade One Act festival, along with our Theater 1 One Act of 7th and 8th graders, performed. The 6th grade one acts were directed by 8th grade students. It was a great night!

Our girls' basketball teams concluded their seasons on Saturday with the city basketball tournament hosted at Mission Trail (8th) and Prairie Trail (7th). Such a nice job on the season by both teams who were seeded 4th and 2nd respectively. The 8th grade finished 4th in city after tough losses to MT and OT on Saturday. The 7th grade had a tough loss in overtime against Prairie Trail. These two teams battled to the end in a hard fought city championship. I could not be more proud in the way our teams represented Chisholm Trail all season...nice job wildcats!

I want to wish you all a wonderful holiday season and all the best as we turn the calendar to 2022. It's been a great semester with students and I know we'll return for another great semester at CST.

Thank you for your role and support of us here at CST as we aim to provide the very best for your child in their middle school experience.

Have a wonderful break and we'll see you next year!

Rick

We are well on our way and only 2 more days left to give! Deadline is 8:44am on TUESDAY--may the best WIN time win! See message from Mayor Bacon below about how this money helps out local kids...thank you so much for your support of this important cause.

Raising money for the Olathe Mayor's Children's Fund, our WIN classes are competing against each other for the top prize! Winning classes (top 3) will receive celebrations/prizes...our goal is for 100% participation among all students/WIN classes...we are well on our way! Each day on morning announcements the top 5 classes are read (in no particular order). In the past teachers and parents have even offered to match their child's WIN class for donations...the WIN class with the highest average per student wins! Last year CST raised more than all Olathe middle schools...let's do it again!

Most importantly, through all the fun, this money goes directly toward fulfilling needs for Olathe kids. From shoes and socks, to jackets and dental care, your generosity will make a difference to kids right here in Olathe. Awesome job so far but let's keep the foot on the pedal and support kids most in need right here in Olathe!

Donations Due by TUESDAY, 12/14 at 8:44AM (WIN Time)!!!

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Below is a message from Olathe Mayor John Bacon

Right now, Olathe's dedicated charities are hard at work, ensuring the basic needs of Olathe children are met. They are helping families put food on the table, keep a roof over their heads, even put clothes in their kid's closets. This work is made possible by your generous donations to the Olathe Mayor's Children's Fund.

As our community continues to grow, so does the need for these services. 28% of children in the Olathe School District qualify for free or reduced-price meals, and 350 are homeless. Every dollar you donate will make a difference in a child’s life.

$50 covers the costs of supplies for 10 dental visits.
$100 fills five backpacks to ensure a successful school year.
$500 puts a new pair of shoes on 16 children’s feet.
$1,000 supplies a warm winter coat for 25 kids.
$2,000 stocks a kitchen pantry for 16 families.
$5,000 means 13 families can stay in their homes for at least one more month.

The caring and compassionate hearts of this community have helped the Olathe Mayor’s Children’s Fund Board raise more than $1.65 million since 2007! Please join us as we embark on our 2021 Campaign and work to bring hope to even more Olathe children.

Thank you for being a part of our community, and for helping to better the lives of Olathe families!

~Mayor Bacon

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Message from last week's WW

Beginning this Tuesday, 11/30, CST will kick off our campaign for the Olathe Mayor's Children's Fund...affectionately known as the "Pennies for Shoes" campaign. Money raised goes toward basic needs for Olathe kids...shoes, socks, coats, dental visits, etc. Last year, Chisholm Trail raised $1,107.94 (most in all Olathe Schools!) and we're hoping to top that number this year! We turn this into a friendly (most of the time) competition among our WIN classes. The 3 WIN classes with the most contributions will win prizes (Mr. Morrone is the current title holder from last school year). Last year this included pizza, ice cream, and/or drinks. In addition, if CST raises more money than the other Olathe middle schools, Assistant Superintendent of Middle Schools, Dr. Sarah Guerrero, has promised donuts for all CST students!

Tryouts for boys' basketball begins on January 4, 2022. There was a pre-season meeting for boys interested in trying out. The PDF below is what the boys received from Coach Reed.

As a reminder, all boys trying out must have a physical on file clearing them to play. Please contact Coach Reed if you have any questions (https://www.olatheschools.org/Page/7154).

• While seated on the bench during games players should be masked
• Coaches and managers should be masked at all times
• While playing, players are not required to mask

Cheer

• While cheering on the sideline or performing a routine on the floor, cheerleaders do not need to mask
• All other times (sitting on the bleachers, entering and leaving the gym, meeting with coach) cheerleaders should be masked.
• Coaches should be masked at all times

Dance Team

• While performing a routine on the floor, dancers do not need to mask
• All other times (sitting on the bleachers, entering and leaving the gym, meeting with coach) dancers should be masked.
• Coaches should be masked at all times

All spectators

• Students, parents, visitors, workers, staff all need to be masked at all times while attending a game

In the weeks ahead, we'll begin providing literacy intervention for students identified through our MAP testing and reading fluency assessments in the building. This intervention will be provided during our WIN class period (8:44-9:18) and students will work in groups of 5 or less with CST teachers. All students will still be eligible for the WIN prizes described above, but may spend WIN time with one of our building literacy interventionists (one of 13 CST teachers) while they receive literacy intervention targeting any of the identified literacy gaps. This intervention time is being utilized in our Olathe Schools and achieves the state literacy mandate.

In addition, beginning Monday, all CST students will begin to receive daily phonics lessons for the first 5 minutes of their science class. This, too, is part of a district wide effort to help close any gaps that may have occurred through any of our kids' schooling. Daily phonics lessons will be fulfilled by your child's social studies teacher beginning in January.

A nationwide trend has recently made its way into local schools. Unfortunately, CST has not been exempt from this trend, nor have the other Olathe middle schools and high schools. The trend has been credited to TikTok and involves vandalizing schools and posting the video evidence on the social media platform. This has resulted in various acts of vandalism in Olathe including broken bathroom stall doors, mirrors pulled down from walls, soap dispensers ripped from walls, trash cans turned upside down, etc. Some have been caught as a result of their posted video making rounds. Of course, these actions can result in both school and legal consequences. The first story below features Olathe North principal, Jason Herman, who was interviewed by the KC Star.

The other articles are informational, but recent, and deal more with the mental health impact social media can have. Even working in schools as an administrator, I was not aware of some of the information below. As more focus and attention is given to the mental health of our children, the various social media platforms and their influence on the developing teenage brain is an important part of the conversation. My hope is that the links below will provide awareness of current trends and more about outside influences on our kids. Even better if these promote discussion at home.

Johnson County school has bathroom doors and toilet seats stolen, following TikTok trend (featuring Olathe principal) (9/15/2021)

https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/education/article254240178.html

TikTokers Are Stealing From Their Schools in a New Trend (9/10/2021)

5 Things Parents Need to Know about Tik-Tok (Updated 2021)

https://kidmatterscounseling.com/blog/5-things-parents-need-to-know-about-tik-tok/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2021/09/14/facebook-knew-instagram-could-bad-teens-mental-health/8340578002/

The links below require a Wall Street Journal subscription but may be found in summary on other social media awareness sites.

How TikTok Serves Up Sex and Drug Videos to Minors (9/8/2021)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-sex-drugs-minors-11631052944

Inside TikTok’s Algorithm: A WSJ Video Investigation(7/21/2021)

https://www.wsj.com/articles/tiktok-algorithm-video-investigation-11626877477

Our CST library app has been fixed! Students may use the CST Library app (from Classlink) to access tutorials to get ebooks and audiobooks from Destiny and/or Axis360, browse book trailers and booktalks, use databases for school research, etc...

Also, bookfairs are returning!! Our fall bookfair will be the week of October 18th and the Spring bookfair will be the week of February 14th. Both of these weeks are the week after conferences and the fairs will be in the library. This year we will be using Scholastic Book Fairs. More details to come as we get closer...

https://sites.google.com/students.olatheschools.com/cstlibrary

Receptionist: Chrissy Walters

Assistant Principal's Secretary: Angie Peterson

Attendance Secretary: Connie Bray

Bookkeeper/Principal's Secretary: Sara Harris

Data Operator: Melynda Marquardt

School Nurse: Jennifer Ross

Please keep info updated (email, phone number, medical, etc.). Contact the office at 913-780-7240 if you are concerned you may be missing communication or need to update your family's information.