Chippewa Falls Middle School
March 2024 Family Newsletter
From the Principal
Dear CFMS Families:
Our staff and students are gearing up for the final stretch of the school year with the goal of finishing the year with strong academic growth in each of our tested areas.
Our students participate in several assessments throughout the year so that we can monitor each student’s progress. Students participate in STAR math and reading assessments three times during the year. These assessments, in conjunction with their classroom performance assessments, allows us to assess each child’s academic growth and when appropriate and necessary, provide appropriate interventions and support.
Our students also participate in state testing each year. Again this year, our students will participate in the Wisconsin Forward exam that will be administered during our window from March 19 - April 26.
Standardized assessments are our reality and have been in public schools for decades. Although the state test provides us collective feedback on areas of strength and areas of opportunity, our primary focus is on providing high quality education to all of our students at Chippewa Falls Middle School. That way, regardless of what test is put in front of us, our students will be ready. The reality of this helps reinforce the importance of our school focusing on student learning, not chasing student test scores. This is exactly what our focus has been and will continue to be.
Our school district's mega result is: All students will graduate prepared with the knowledge, skills, attitudes, and behaviors necessary to achieve their personal goals and make a positive impact in the world. Our staff at CFMS are dedicated to ensuring that this is happening for all of our students, and seeing this happen is what inspires me to come to work each day and work hard for all of our students, staff, and families.
As always, if you have questions or wish to discuss your child, please do not hesitate to contact any one of the great staff members with whom your child works.
In Partnership With You,
Derrick Kunsman
Principal
Cardinals in Action
Click on the buttons below for an 11 minute referendum video and the referendum website.
Middle School Summer School
MATHCON
MATHCON
This year we were able to offer MathCON, a math competition that includes students throughout the United States and Canada. CFMS had 40 students who chose to complete practice sessions and a final online test. The students who scored in the top 600 will be invited to compete in the final round in Chicago, IL on May 11, 2024.
We are very proud of all the students who participated in this challenge!
The students who achieved the top scores at CFMS are:
Kai Berg for 8th grade
Zayne Grimm for 7th grade
Emmett Lesperance and Nora Weber in 6th grade
Message From Nurse Lexi
From the health office:
Absenteeism due to illness should be telephoned daily to your child's school secretary. Please be specific about illness (i.e. flu, strep, chickenpox, etc.) because it is helpful in the control of communicable disease. Thank you to families for calling your student's school when they are ill and for reporting the diagnosis made in the physician's office.
Reminder: Your child should not come to school if:
- They have a fever of 100.4 or higher before medication (Tylenol/Ibuprofen)
- They have been diagnosed with a contagious illness and have been on medication less than 24 hours.
Good hand washing habits are the number one way to prevent the spread of illness!
Stay safe and healthy, Nurse Lexi
For COVID specific: CFSD is following the guidelines of Chippewa County Department of Public Health. We are encouraging families to please reach out to CCDPH or your student’s Health Care Provider for specific return dates and guidance.
Public Health COVID Contact: Deb
715-944-8351
Please have a medical note or public health email sent to your student’s school as well so their attendance can be marked appropriately if they were diagnosed with any contagious illness.
Thanks!
CFSD Health Office
New Health Assistant
My name is Brittany Johnson and I am the new middle school health assistant. I grew up in Cornell and currently live in Lafayette with my Husband, Randy and 3 kids; Brantley is 9, Brynlee is 6 and Averly is 4. I also have a cat named Milo. In my free time, I enjoy being outside, going for walks, traveling, and spending time with my family.
STUDENTS LEAVING ILL DURING SCHOOL DAY
STUDENTS LEAVING ILL DURING SCHOOL DAY
From Page 17 of the Parent handbook
Students are required to go through the nurse’s office if they feel ill during the day. The school nurse’s office documents illnesses and if necessary, will allow the student to call home from their office. Students are not to use their cellphones to call home or chromebooks to email parents / guardians.
Student Attendance
Student Chromebooks
Student Chromebooks
Each CFMS student will checkout a school Chromebook. These will be distributed on the first days of school.
Students are able to bring Chromebooks home with them at night. It is a student's responsibility to charge and care for the device at home. Students should bring charged Chromebooks to school daily.
CFMS Athletics
CFMS Athletic Director
Mr. Cory Hahn- ext. 2242
Administrative Assistant Ms. Mary Meyer - ext. 2241
Cardinal Market
Cardinal Market is here!
The Cardinal Market is a convenient spot in our building where students can grab food items that your family may need for the week. The items available will vary from week to week, but each Monday and Wednesday your student will receive an email with a form on which they can select what they would like to receive that Wednesday, Thursday or Friday depending on their grade. This is different from the Weekend Kids Meal program we offered in the past in that students will not automatically receive items each week (as a note we will no longer be doing weekend kids meals). They will only receive items on the weeks that they complete the order form. We hope this gives both students and families more flexibility.
All of this is free of charge.
We hope your student and your family can benefit from this convenient resource this year! If you have any questions or need any additional information, please email Jenelle Jero at jeroje@chipfalls.org or call 715-726-2400 x2250.
School Lunch Info
School Meals
Please add money to your student's lunch account or complete a free and reduced meal application prior to the start of the school year.
Money can be:
1. Deposited through the IC parent portal, under the food service tab (preferred method)
2. Dropped off or mailed to 1130 Miles St., Chippewa Falls, WI 54729.
3. Dropped off at each school.
You can also set up automatic payments under my accounts, recurring payments. This will automatically deposit money when the balance gets low or on a set basis (monthly, weekly).
Apply for meal benefits online through IC parent portal or complete a paper application. If you have already received a letter indicating you qualify for free or reduced price meals no further steps are needed.
Menus, meal prices, links to the application and other information about our food service program can be found here.
ARRIVING LATE AND EATING BREAKFAST
We want to make sure that all students that want to eat breakfast are given that opportunity. We understand that sometimes students are running late for various reasons. Please know that there will be a member of the kitchen staff in the cafeteria until 8:45 and that students coming late can grab a breakfast and head to their first period class.
Box Tops for Education
Students of the Month
World Languages Student of the Month
Music Department News
Music Students of the Month
PE Student of the Unit
Empowering Digital Citizens: Essential Tips for Kids' Online Safety
Empowering Digital Citizens: Essential Tips for Kids' Online Safety
In today's digital age, the internet is a vital part of a child's life, whether they're at school, home, or anywhere else. While internet-connected devices can enhance learning and social interactions, they also pose risks that concern both parents and educators.
Protecting children from online dangers such as inappropriate content and contact is crucial. But when should we start teaching them about security awareness?
Ideally, children should be introduced to these concepts as soon as they begin using the internet, even under supervision. With children spending an average of four to six hours daily on screens by the age of eight, and more than half of teenagers dedicating at least four hours a day to social media, the need for early education on online safety is evident.
Who takes on the responsibility of educating children about online security? Initially, parents or guardians play a significant role, followed by educators once children enter school. However, not all adults are proficient in security awareness, making it essential to know where to begin.
Keatron Evans from Infosec suggests tailoring security education based on age groups:
For grade school children: Establishing good habits like not sharing personal information and being cautious with links and downloads.
For middle school children: Teaching them to separate school and personal accounts, and educating them about email safety and phishing attempts.
For teenagers: Focusing on privacy settings, using unique login credentials, and implementing multi-factor authentication.
Parents play a crucial role in fostering security awareness in their children. Numerous resources, such as cybersecurity-themed books and educational videos, are available to aid parents in this endeavor. Additionally, parental control features in apps can be effective for younger children, although older ones may find ways to bypass them.
Modeling good security behavior is essential, as children often mimic the actions of those around them. Ultimately, both parents and educators must work together to equip children with the skills and knowledge to navigate the digital world safely.
By instilling security awareness in kids, we empower them to take control of their online privacy and security. For additional resources, visit Infosec’s Security Awareness and Training Resource Center or Common Sense Media’s Parenting, Media, and Everything in Between website.
Information taken from "Security Awareness for Kids: Tips for Safe Internet Use" (Video)
Mental Health Supports
The Cardinal Feeder
The Cardinal Feeder is a place where parents and the community can seek information and resources for families in the Chippewa Falls School District.
At some point in our lives, we all need a little (or sometimes a lot) of support. The Cardinal Feeder is here to provide information about support services available through Chippewa Falls Schools, the Chippewa Falls Community, and the Chippewa Valley.
This resource will be updated monthly to keep information fresh and relevant.
Family Connections
SPEAK UP SPEAK OUT WISCONSIN
Created by the Wisconsin Department of Justice, Speak Up Speak Out Wisconsin is a one-stop place to turn with school safety concerns.
Students, parents, school staff, or community members can submit a school safety concern or threat via the Speak Up Speak Out WI website, mobile phone app, or toll-free number.
Resource Center staff work 24/7 to respond to tips and to deploy a response locally by communicating directly with school administrators, counselors, and law enforcement.
For more information or to submit a tip click here.
Voyagers After School Program Update
Student Connections Update
Mentor Chippewa
School Communication
SCHOOL COMMUNICATION
Please make sure that Infinite Campus information is up to date and includes a list of people to contact in case a child needs to be picked up during the school day.
The Chippewa Falls Middle School primarily communicates with parents and/or guardians electronically. All parents and guardians who receive school information electronically must have their parent portal in Infinite Campus set up in order to access report cards, schedules, homework assignments, grades, attendance, fee statements, etc. We are pleased to offer parents this opportunity to be more active in their child’s education.
If you do not have your parent portal account setup, please follow the guidelines below to setup your account. We discourage the use of your child’s account as you won’t have access to the necessary information you may need or want.
Please make sure that your e-mail address is kept current at all times on the parent portal. You may update your email address at any time by selecting Contact Preferences on the parent portal menu. If at any time during the school year you lose the ability to access the internet, please notify the appropriate grade level office immediately so that we can make the necessary adjustments to our database.
You can also make lunch account, registration and athletic fee payments in the Infinite Campus Portal. There will be no convenience fees added. If you need help, call our help desk at 715-726-2413 for assistance.
Bus Information
Chippewa Yellow Bus Company
All student rerouting requests will originate at Chippewa Yellow Bus Company. Student rerouting requests require a 24 hour notice and approval by the bus company. This includes one time and/ or occasional rerouting requests.
Click HERE for more information from the bus company 715-726-2454
Community Education Brochure!
Quick Links to more Middle School Information
Chippewa Falls Middle School
Website: https://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/middle/
Location: 750 Tropicana Boulevard, Chippewa Falls, WI, USA
Phone: 715-726-2400
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chippewafallsschool/
Twitter: @CFMSCardinals