Looking for a Summer Activity for Your Child?

Parents/Guardian(s):

This summer the ISU Extension is offering five different hands-on, engaging camps for youth having completed 4th-7th grades that all revolve around the Governor's Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) initiative in Iowa.

Cost for each camp is $20 per participant and the registration deadline is May 15 for all camps.  Registrations are on a first come, first serve basis, and they must have payment and registration in hand to hold your spot.  Click here for registration form.

Camps available are the following:
1.  Solid as a Rock--Replicating an Artifact;
2.  Cooking Up Science;
3.  The Best of Bugs--Designing Hand Pollinators;
4.  Don't Runoff--Engineering Urban Landscapes;
5.  A Work in Progress--Improving a Play Dough Process.

Please consider sending your child to one or several of these camps!

Thanks--Dodgeball Tournament

Thank you to everyone who participated and attended our 3rd Annual Dodgeball Tournament.  We raised approximately $2,400 from admission, concessions, and teams' entry fees.  The money will be donated to Relay for Life.  Thanks again for your help in making the tournament a success.

3rd Annual Dodgeball Tournament

CMS is hosting our 3rd Annual Dodgeball Tournament for middle school students and staff on Friday, March 21st, starting at 5:00.  Proceeds from the teams' entry fees and admission will be donated to Relay for Life.  Admission is $3.  Snacks will be available.  Please join us for a fun night.

Student-Created Cyberbullying Video

Several of our 7th grade students created a video on Cyberbullying.  The students along with Mrs. Schulz, our Technology Integrationist, spent time during study halls and after school to put together the video.  Through teamwork, creativity, collaboration, and use of technology, the following video was created:
 
http://youtu.be/_mfL1WtdTHY 

Also, teachers presented the following discussion questions to the students after watching the video:

1.  What affect can harmful words have on people?
2.  How does technology make it easier for people to say negative things about others?
3.  Why is it important to think and watch what you post online?
4.  What are some of the ways that people hurt other people's feelings online?
5.  What are some of the similarities and differences between bullying and cyberbullying?
6.  What are some ways to handle a cyberbullying situation?

Link to Digital Citizenship

As I mentioned in a previous post, the middle school has been spending time on a weekly basis teaching students about Digital Citizenship.  With the help of Mrs. Schulz, our technology integrationist, and our teachers, the students are receiving instruction on the importance of using technology appropriately and responsibly in the school setting and also learning about the impact it can have beyond school.

I wanted to share the link of the lessons that have been created up to this point.  We encourage you to have conversations with your son/daughter on the discussion points that are included in the lessons. Please refer to the link throughout the year as lessons are posted weekly.

https://sites.google.com/a/carrolltigers.org/digital-citizenship/

Attendance

In the November 10th issue, the Des Moines Register wrote several articles on school attendance.  The articles hi-lighted several schools who have turned around their student attendance problems, and they also shared students' stories who are now making attendance to school a priority.  I am sharing several pieces of information/research from the articles, and also including CMS's attendance data from the 1st semester.

Hi-lights from the article:
1.  Absenteeism appears most prevalent in high poverty Iowa schools;
2.  The Des Moines Register found 1 in 5 Des Moines high school students were chronically absent, missing 10% or more of the 2012-13 school year;
3.  According to the Des Moines Register, in the Waterloo School District, 17% of all students missed 10% or more days of school;
4.  Research shows that students who miss more than 10% days of school are more likely to struggle academically and have more potential to drop out;
5.  Other research shows students who miss more than 10% of their kindergarten year are not likely to be proficient readers by the end of 3rd grade;
6.  Poor attendance is a community matter because students who drop out of school can impact the amount of taxes the taxpayer pays.

CMS's 1st semester attendance data (Note:  Students with 10 absences or fewer meet our attendance criteria):

1.  25% of our students had perfect attendance (93 students);
2.  97% of our students met our attendance policy of missing 10 days or fewer;
3.  Class attendance percentages:
              6th grade:  97.16% attendance rate;
              7th grade:  97.21% attendance rate;
              8th grade:  96.75% attendance rate.

As you can see from our attendance data, we are fortunate that our students and families make attending school a priority.  We encourage you to continue making your child's attendance to school a priority as it is an important life-skill that will pay dividends not only for your child's education, but also beyond school.

Source:  November 10, 2013, Des Moines Register.

Digital Citizenship

Digital Citizenship:  The norms of appropriate, responsible behavior with regard to technology use.

As we look toward the second semester, we recognize that our CMS students need more teaching and a better understanding of responsible behavior when using their Chromebooks.  Digital Citizenship, which encompasses many topics such as Digital Etiquette, Digital Communication, Digital Law, Digital Security, is an avenue to assist with this concept.

Because of the wide use of technology and the variety of communication options available today, there is an importance in educating our students in Digital Citizenship.  Students need to know how to become more responsible digital citizens in this digital era.  Students need educating on why it is important to make appropriate decisions when choosing and using all communication devices.

Starting second semester, we will integrate a Digital Citizenship curriculum on a weekly basis during STAR from our Technology Integrationist, Mrs. Schulz, along with follow-up discussions from our teachers.  We are committed to teach our students what Digital Citizenship is, so that they gain a better understanding of its importance and the real-life implications of exhibiting Digital Citizenship.

We live in such a digitized era and society that students need more educating on Digital Citizenship, so that they understand the importance in using technology appropriately and responsibly.

Source:  Heartland Area Education Agency's Digital Citizenship Website