The Miller Minute
The Parent Newsletter of Bob Miller Middle School
April 25, 2024
From the Principal's Desk...
Miller Families:
It was a four-day week on the Miller campus, so The Miller Minute is one day early! The calendar turns to May this week as we go into the homestretch. This week is our Spring Concert Series from our performing arts department. It is always a fun time to see the growth in our student-musicians each year. We will hold concerts at 6 PM on April 30, May 1, and May 2. More information is below.
As we approach Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10), we are hoping to create a "Teacher Snack Bar" in our Teachers' Lounge throughout the week. If you are interested in supporting this effort and donating items to be featured on the line, we would be more than happy to accept items in the front during office hours (7:00 AM - 3:30 PM). Items could include beverages, chips, candy, granola bars, and anything else you dream of! Thank you in advance for supporting our teachers and recognizing their efforts!
Please review the items below for important information and opportunities for students and families.
Here's to another amazing week at Miller Middle School!
Yours in Learning,
Joshua Wikler
Proud Principal
Miller Middle School
Important Dates
Spring Concert Series
April 30 - May 2
Art Show Opening Night
Monday, May 6
5 PM
Teacher Appreciation Week
May 6-10
Bobcat Shout Outs
The spring season has been full of incredible accomplishments by our amazing Bobcats! Here's a short list of all the amazing things happening on campus:
- Two Bobcats competed at the Nevada State Spelling Bee. 7th grade Olive Morgan placed 2nd in the state!
- The junior varsity quiz teams competed in the annual JVQ Tournament. The silver team finished in the top four and the blue team won the JVQ championship!
- The choir, band, and orchestra programs all performed at their annual CCSD festivals and all three programs received all superior ratings, the highest possible!
- Miller's Jazz Band performed at the Las Vegas Jazz Invitational and the Bella Voce choir program sang at Knott's Berry Farm in California.
- The Miller Science Olympiad Team went to the Nevada State Competition and placed 2nd in the state.
- Classes, clubs, and programs have taken field trips to Vegas PBS, the Springs Preserve, and the North Las Vegas courthouse for enrichment experiences.
- The school's Black Student Union hosted two inaugural events: a Spring Fever basketball game and their BSU Award Ceremony.
- Miller had several student-athletes tryout and make the Foothill and Coronado dance and cheer teams.
- The school's National Junior Honor Society inducted new members in a ceremony on April 16.
Online Registration Now Open!
Online registration for the 24-25 school year is now open! To complete registration, please go to the Parent Portal on Infinite Campus by clicking this link: campusportal.ccsd.net
Online Registration must be completed for all CCSD returning students. If you have a student new to CCSD, please visit the link: register.ccsd.net
Please see the flyer below for more information. If you have any questions, please contact our registration office at 702-799-2260 x4300.
Junior Varsity Quiz Broadcasts
Miller Middle School's Blue and Silver Junior Varsity Quiz teams had incredible seasons in 2023-24! The Silver JVQ team was in the semifinal and the Blue team took the championship. If you are interested in watching both teams in action on Vegas PBS, here is the schedule:
4/25/24 @ 7:30 PM (that's tonight) Silver Semifinal (Miller vs Johnson)
5/16/24 @ 7:30 PM Blue Championship (Miller vs Rogich)
Student Safety Updates
Electric Bikes and Scooters
Parents, if your son or daughter rides a motorized or electric bike or scooter to school, please discuss with them the following:
-No vehicle is permitted to be ridden on campus. All vehicles must be walked while on property.
-These vehicles present unique safety issues as they can be very dangerous when in use.
-Students should follow the directions of adults on campus when redirected.
-Students are advised not to ride these vehicles on the roadways around school as our students are not licensed drivers and the vehicles are not street legal.
Please have a conversation with your students about these vehicles and help us to ensure the safety of our students, staff, and community.
Parents encourage to file reports at the City of Henderson's website with concerns about traffic patterns and unauthorized vehicles on the road.
No U-Turns on Cozy Hill Circle
Parents, please remember that U-Turns on Cozy Hill Circle are not permitted. CCSD and Henderson Police are frequently patrolling the area and have stopped drivers in violation of those posted signs. Thanking you working to keep our students and community safe.
Crosswalk Usage
Parents, please remind students that crosswalks should be used when crossing Cozy Hill to get to school. Additionally, if an adult is operating the crosswalk and/or directing traffic that students should listen to that person's directions before entering the crosswalk.
Coming in 24-25: Non-Locking, Signal-Blocking Cell Phone Pouches
In our increasingly digital world, electronic devices have become an integral part of our lives, providing both opportunities and challenges. Recently the Clark County School District (CCSD) has provided schools with non-locking, signal-blocking pouches for use with student cell phones. When utilized properly, these pouches will successfully block all signals, including 5G technology, and can decrease distractions, enhancing instruction and student achievement.
The Clark County School District intended to have secondary schools implement the use of these pouches campus-wide beginning in the 2024-25 school year.
Miller Middle School is currently developing an implementation policy for the pouches, taking into account best practices related to daily procedures. As part of this process, some classrooms are piloting a variety of methods to determine the most effective and least intrusive ways to utilize the pouches in the classroom. Students' phones will remain on their person, and they will not be required to place their personal cellular devices in a lockable pouch, bin, or other similar locking mechanism which would otherwise restrict access to such communication devices in the event of an emergency.
Please contact the office if you have any questions.
Coming in 24-25: Required Student IDs for All Students
The Clark County School District has created a policy requiring all students in Grades 6–12 to wear an identification badge while on a CCSD campuses beginning in the 2024-2025 school year.
At Miller Middle School, students will be provided a student ID and lanyard within the first two weeks of the school year. Replacement badges and lanyards will be available for purchase, if needed. Students are not required to use the school-issued lanyard and may purchase a lanyard of choice, if they wish. More information on this policy will be released prior to the 24-25 school year.
Summer School Information
Does your 7th or 8th grader want to take summer school to have an extra elective for the 24-25 school year? Check out the attached Summer School Information Flyer for more information and, If interested, complete the linked Google Form. Registration can only be completed by your child's counselor and does not open until Monday, April 22, 2024.
Please Note:
-Moving into 8th grade - students cannot take Computer Science, Health 8 and PE 8 to be a Student Aide.
-Moving into high school - Summer school is only recommended for students enrolled in AP Classes, a Performing Arts class, and/or a Foreign Language Class.
Questions? Email your student's grade level counselor:
7th grade to 8th grade - Ms. Edwards at edwarpj@nv.ccsd.net
8th grade to high school - Ms. Florian at florila@nv.ccsd.net
Parent Information Meetings
The Miller Administrative Team hosts Parent Information Meetings each month via Google Meet.
Our most recent meeting was on Tuesday, April 16, 2024. If you missed that meeting, the agenda from it is linked. Our next parent information meeting will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 2024 at 1:00 PM via Google Meet.
Spring Concert Series
Spring Art Showcase
Bob Miller Middle School will host the Spring Art Show from May 6-10. Opening night will take place the evening of Monday, May 6 from 5:00-7:00 PM. The opening night will feature food trucks and musical performances from Miller ensembles.
Coronado Werstling
Please see the below flyer if your student is interested in the wrestling program at Coronado High School. Email Coach Pineda for more information at pinedib@nv.ccsd.net.
Web Store No Longer Available
Effective January of 2024, the Clark County School District is transitioning away from their current banking software to a more modern solution. The Web Store that previously accepted online payments has now been disabled. There is not timetable for the implementation of the new banking service.
Bob Miller Middle School will be happy to help you with your banking needs while CCSD changes over to this new program. We will be taking payments in the banking office with cash or check during this transition. Thank you for your patience.
Soccer Season
The soccer season is here! The Miller Soccer teams will play 14 games between now and May. All of our Miller families are invited to come out and support our teams! GO BOBCATS!
RAVE Reviews
The Recognize A Valued Employee (RAVE) Review Program is back! This program recognizes employees who go above and beyond and have demonstrated excellence in character, performance, and service. Fellow employees, parents/guardians, students, and community members are all eligible to nominate an employee.
More information about the program can be found on the CCSD Team Engagement website. To submit a RAVE Review for any CCSD employee, CLICK HERE.
Miller Activities and Athletics
Club and Activity Changes
The Miller Family encourages students to get involved in extra-curricular activities. The lineup of clubs, activities, and sports is frequently changing and being updated. Please consult the links below before making plans for your son or daughter to attend an after-school activity so that you are certain the activity is meeting that day.
Click the links below to view offerings on campus.
Social-Emotional Learning Resources
This month's digital Family Engagement content is focused on social-emotional learning, providing families with tips and strategies for supporting their students in building solid social-emotional skills.
Please follow the links below for video resources.
Parents Still Make A Difference, highlighting mental health strategies for teens (Spanish version)
Here are a handful of more SEL resources along with videos for intereseted families.
Sanford Harmony - Free online SEL learning program for families with students in PreK-6th Grade.
Teentribe - Peer-to-peer support group for teens faced with mental health challenges and complicated family dynamics.
Care Solace - Free mental health services for families and students.
Middle School SEL Activity Packet - These 6th-8th grade activities can be completed at home.
Every Day Matters Campaign
During the previous academic year, the Clark County School District (CCSD) experienced a chronic absenteeism rate of 36 percent. That means one out of every three students was absent from school 10 percent or more of enrolled days for any reason.
Why it matters: It’s an issue we must address head-on and with urgency. When students miss classroom instruction, it hurts their student success, affecting their grades and social development.
But there is encouraging news we would like to share. CCSD has launched a campaign, Every Day Matters, that will use a strategic approach to improve student attendance.
This campaign will be a communitywide effort, involving nonprofit organizations, businesses, and local governments that partner with CCSD. For us to get students to regularly attend school, however, the fact is it will depend on you and your child.
In the weeks and months ahead, our school and CCSD will be offering tips and strategies that you can use to get your child excited about going to school. If you are concerned about your child’s attendance, request a meeting with school counselors or an administrator so we can work on making progress.