CMS T-Birds Newsletter
March 2020
Principal's Notes
CMS would like to inform you about the new Transportant stickers our students were assigned over the last few weeks. Transportant is not a tracking device to monitor your child's' movements outside of school. This is a means for our Transportation Department to have a real-time account of which students are on which buses at any given time. The use of these stickers would allow our District to pull a roster of students in real-time to provide to first responders in case of an emergency. This is just another level of security that our District is providing for our students and their families. If your child is not a normal bus rider it is still important for them to have a tracker in case they are in an extracurricular activity, on a field trip or any other activity that would require them to ride a bus. In the future, there will be an app so that you can track your students while they are in transit between home, school, and activities. We will let you know when that app is available.
Athletic Director's Report
Boys Basketball
The boys' basketball teams wrapped up their seasons with the league tournament in El Dorado. Both teams made it to the finals. Our 7th-grade boys defeated Augusta and claimed the Patriot League East Division title. The 8th-grade boys lost a close game with Augusta and finished 2nd. Both teams finished the season with 14-1 records. Congratulations to the boys, the coaches, and all who supported them throughout the season.
Scholars Bowl
Both Scholars Bowl teams finished their season at the league meet held here at Circle Middle School on February 4th. Our 8th grade finished in 2nd place and the 7th graders were 5th.
Math Relays
Circle Middle School sent four 7th and four 8th grade students to the league math relays event at El Dorado on March 3rd. Both grades were one student short so they did not place as a team (we had the teams set but due to illness two students couldn’t attend). As of this time, individual results have not been provided.
Track Season
Track Season begins on Monday the 9th. Practice will be at CMS on the 9th & 10th. No practice on March 11th-20th. Practice will resume March 23rd and will be at the High School for the remainder of the season.
Track Events:
Mar 31st- 3:30 pm El Dorado Blackmore Triangular
Apr 7th- 3:30 pm Rose Hill Invitational
Apr 13th- 3:30 pm Prairie Hills Participation
Apr 16th- 1:30 pm McPherson Invitational
Apr 21st- 2:30 pm Clearwater Invitational
Apr 28th- 3:30 pm Circle Participation
Apr 30th- 3:30 pm Mulvane Invitational
May 4th- Time TBA Goddard Eisenhower Participation
May 5th- 3:30 pm Haysville West Invitational
May 12th- Time TBA League Meet @ Circle
Counselor's Corner
State Assessments begin after Spring Break. 8th-grade will test March 26th & 27th, April 8th & 9th, and April 22nd & 23rd. 7th-grade will test April 8th & 9th, and April 22nd & 23rd. If you have any questions about testing, let me know scross@usd375.org.
Upcoming Events
Mar 9- Track Practice begins
Mar 9-12- Book Fair
Mar 10- 6 pm Band Instrument Step-up Display in CMS band room
Mar 11- 8th-grade Pre-Enrollment
Mar 11- 4:30- 8 pm Student-Led Conferences
Mar 12- NO SCHOOL 9 am- 3 pm Student-Led Conferences
Mar 13- NO SCHOOL
Mar 16-20 NO SCHOOL Spring Break
Mar 25- CMS ONLY NO SCHOOL League Band Festival @ CMS
Mar 26- 7 pm Incoming 7th-grade Orientation
Apr 1- Vocal Music Festival @ Newman University
Apr 3- 7-7:45 am Muffins with Mom
Apr 10- NO SCHOOL
Apr 13- NO SCHOOL Staff Development
Apr 20- 6:30 pm Middle School 101 & Site Council
Apr 27- 6 pm Spring Vocal Music & 7:15 pm Band Concert
As always, all games are listed in our District calendar or check out our new website and app to keep up with our Track season at https://www.usd375.org/
7th-grade
January: P- Ali Rogers, R- Gavin Williams, I- Chandler Tripp, D- Arabella Waldemier, E- Morgan Henry
February: P- Braden Koontz, R- Vanessa Roat, I- Ashlyn Stipp, D- Claire Kilgore, E- Allie Schlabsz
Finance Friday:
Friday, February 21, CMS 7th grade students had the experience of Finance Friday. Finance Friday was totally developed by Laura Jensen and shared with our CMS students. During this time, different scenarios were presented to the students about the math they have been using in grade school through pre-algebra and how it is used in real life.
A bank teller has a drawer of money that has to be bundled correctly and sold to the vault and then there is some cash left in the drawer. The students calculated the bundles and leftover cash. If it was not correct, they did it again; just like a bank teller. Just like on an assignment with an incorrect problem. Doing the problem over helps students prepare for a job where a task needs to be done again.
The students looked at a pay stub and learned the difference between gross monthly income and net monthly income and created a debt to income ratio to determine if the debt to income was good, ok, or bad. Then the students used their percentage and interest skills to figure a monthly house payment. The students also calculated the 20% down payment.
The last scenario still incorporated the knowledge of percents to calculate interest on a $50,000 investment. Once the annual percentage was calculated, then the students calculated the percentage allowed to be used for scholarships.
It was a great day of learning and applying math skills to the real world.
8th-grade
January: P- MaKya Thornton, R- Andrew Tien, I- Julia Austin, D- Hannah Sharp, E- Aiden Wendall
February: P- Kennedy Baker, R- Austin Kline, I- Arianna Dukart, D- Samantha Kelton, E- Rylee Greer
March: P- Monika, R-Caitlyn Swift, I- Dylan Hunter, D- Jason Smith, E- De'Kya Gulley
Mrs. Graham- Science
This semester, we have been digging deep into Genetics and Heredity! Students made their own "Emoji" based on random traits they received from flipping a coin. One student even managed to randomly flip a Spongebob! We have also just started our unit on Evolution and Natural Selection. We started by addressing misconceptions about the topic, and have been working on unpacking the variety of evidence found in our natural world. I believe it has been enlightening for everyone!
Mr. Rorabaugh- Social Studies
Students have examined the political struggle between France, Britain and the USA. This includes how the USA was challenged by other nations to support or stay neutral to their causes. They understand what key events forced America into the War of 1812.
They have learned what pressures and opportunities America faced as the young country expanded west. Specifically, students have explored the main goal President Jefferson gave Lewis and Clark after the Louisiana Purchase.
Currently, we are studying the path of differences widening between the north and south regions of America. Students are learning about the decisions made by leaders of the country, the geographic differences and the beliefs of the people, which are drawing the country closer and closer to the Civil War.
Mrs. Thiessen and Ms. Hill
We have had a wonderful time diving into our Global Unit novels over the last few weeks. We have read, reflected upon and discussed the novels in-depth, examining serious issues such as immigration, genocide, women's rights, and poverty. All of this has taken place in the context of collaboration with four other schools around the globe: Japan, England, France, and Vietnam. Students are able to interact through videos, comments, and our unit Instagram account. We will be collecting food to send care packages to our partners and need donations of snack items.
Mrs. Fowler- Pre- Algebra
A few weeks ago we turned the classroom into a Hawaiian luau as a fun way to prepare for our chapter test over exponents. The students brought in beach towels, we listened to waves crashing on a beach and tossed around a beach ball with different review problems. Overall, it was a fun way to forget about winter! Next week we will be starting a mini-unit on statistics.
Mrs. Weber- Algebra
Algebra students are currently learning about Polynomials. This is an extension of a previous chapter when we learned what a Monomial was.
Polynomial comes from poly- (meaning "many") and -nomial (in this case meaning "term") ... so it says "many terms". A polynomial can have constants, variables, and exponents, but never division by a variable. Students are learning how to add, subtract, multiply, factor, and name many different types of Polynomials. Ask your student to show you an example from class!
Mrs. Graham- Explorations in Science
We have had a lot of different things going on this semester! We started by exploring electricity and circuitry. Then, we have explored some random Space information that doesn't get covered during regular science. We are currently working on a Project-Based/ Personalized Learning project where we "Unpack" a space topic of their choice.
Sawyer- Robotics
Students had a lot of fun so far building our claw bots in Robotics. We are getting ready to start our Robotics research project where students will individually explore a robot of their choice to report back to the class.
8th-grade Expo Project
8th-grade Expo Project
8th-grade Expo Project
MUSIC
Band/Vocal Contest
Circle Middle School is hosting the Patriot League East band festival on March 25. A total of 6 schools will attend the event. Each school will bring 1-2 full bands as well as several solos and ensembles. There will be NO SCHOOL that day for students that are not involved with band.
Newman University will host our league vocal music festival on April 1st. All 12 Patriot League schools will be in attendance. A special thank you to NU for hosting again this year.
Library News
Congratulations to our CMS Library Winners!
Reading Winner for January was Sophia Narciso.
Reading Winner for February was Nick Williams
Box Top Winner for January was Sariah Trier.
Remember that the Spring Scholastic Book Fair will be March 9th-12th. Students can buy books during the school day and during Student-Led Conferences on the 11th and 12th.
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.
Lunches
You can also come in and pay in the office anytime or send money to school with your student.
Tech World
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.
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.