January 2015 - Chippewa Falls Area Unified School District

The Cardinal Connection
Connecting Chippewa Falls Middle School
with Families and the Community
January 2014-2015
Check out the
middle school website
at this address:
http://
Message from the Principal
cfms.chipfalls.k12.
Dear Parent(s) and Guardian(s):
wi.us
Chippewa Falls Middle School
Building Principal
Like many of you, I was asked on New Year’s Day what my New Year’s resolution is going to be. Honestly, I don’t usually set one. You see, in the world of
education, my new year starts in August. I usually set an August resolution!
People set New Year’s resolutions because it is human nature to embrace a fresh
start, to take advantage a chance to renew our focus on being our best. A drive to
improve doesn’t necessarily mean something is wrong. It means we can always be
better. In education, we are seeing drastic changes as we as a country, as a state,
as a district, and as a profession try to do better for our children.
Heidi Taylor-Eliopoulos
Assistant Principal
Jerim DesJarlais
Assistant Principal
Derrick Kunsman
Newsletter Highlights
JAR
Students of the Month
2
BB4C
3
Visiting 5th Grades
Breakfast/Lunch Info
4-5
Feed My People
6
Honor and Merit Rolls
11-17
Parent University
18
TIES
The Back Page
2324
If it feels like everything is changing in education, that’s because it is. We have
been using 19th century strategies to teach 20th century content to 21st century
learners. Surely, we can do better than that! The schools our children will be
learning in over the next few years are going to look very different than the
schools we went to when we were students. It is completely natural to feel both
apprehensive and intimidated by this. All of this being said, it is important to remember that at the heart of all of the overwhelming changes is our desire to do
better for our children. We want to provide the best learning experiences that prepare them to have the most doors open to them for their futures.
So, if I must pick a New Year’s resolution, it is going to be to over-communicate
to you when it comes to these changes that are taking place. After all, our goal is
the same as yours. We all want our children to be well-rounded, successful, happy
contributors to our community. We are learning more every day about the best
ways to make this happen.
I look forward to continuing to work with you in 2015! It’s going to be a great
year!
Best,
Heidi Eliopoulos
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Cardinal Connection
The Whole Child
January Teach-To: Just acting right (JAR) wherever you are.
Be Productive: do as you should in all areas of the building or school grounds.
Be Responsible: throw garbage away where it belongs (no gum under tables)
Be Respectful: be kind to peers and staff
Be Safe: no horseplay; push in chairs
This month’s JAR challenges were chosen based on the data relating to proper
behavior in the building.
January 5-9: Be respectful by raising your hand and participating in class.
January 12-16: Walk in the hallways.
January 19-23: Keep hands and feet to yourself.
January 26-30: Be respectful in the lunchroom.
The Whole Child
FALCON
Lisa Landwehr
Riley Strassburg
ROAD RUNNER
Jennah Johnson
Caleb Michlig
SKYLARK
Max Kauphusman
Kiley Liedl
ENDEAVOR
Jared Jarosz
Emerson Schultze
TREK
Hayden Goodman
Paige McNamara
RISING STAR
John Dienger
Kiana Pitsch
DOLPHIN
Elizabeth Bowe
Reece Swan
EAGLE
Jackson Sedivy
Julia Wahl
STARFISH
Adeline Bengtson
Wyatt Veitch
Join in the Merriment
Become a mentor and you’ll find the start to a story. What happens
next could be merry, spirited, or completely unexpected. It’s all up
to you. Contact the Chippewa Area Mentor Program to add your
twist to the story.
Call Ashley at 715-726-2400 ext. 2516 or visit
www.facebook.com/ChippewaMentorProgram
Tons of Opportunities . . . More Things to Love
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Cardinal Connection
Register your 4-year-old for BB4C—(Chippewa Falls School District’s Pre-K Program)
Building Bridges 4 Children (BB4C), the district’s 4-year-old early learning
program is accepting registrations for the 2015-16 school year beginning
February 1st, 2015. BB4C is open to all children who will be 4 years old on or
before September 1, 2015. Please bring your child’s birth certificate with you
when you register your child. The district has partnered with the following
sites to ensure a quality early-learning program designed for children this age.
CESA 11 Head Start
Circle of Friends Early Learning Center
Kids USA Learning Center Inc.
MACS-St. Charles Borromeo
Monkey Business Early Educational Community
Rhymes-N-Rainbows
YMCA Early Learning Community
123 Look @ Me Early Learning Center
2820 E. Park Avenue
1750 Hallie Road
656 Lakeland Drive
429 W. Spruce Street
1300 Lowater Road
5051 171st Street
630 Miller Street
2964 Cty Rd F, Eau Claire
715-723-1211
715-552-9696
715-726-1507
715-723-2161
715-723-7444
715-723-8000
715-723-5135
715-874-4779
For additional information or to pick up registration materials, contact a BB4C partner site, download forms
from the BB4C website (http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/bb4c/), or contact the BB4C Coordinator:
Dana Sommerfeld, BB4C Coordinator, 715-726-2414 ext. 3004, bb4c@chipfalls.org
Speech and Language/Early Childhood Screening for 3 and 4 Year Old Children
The Chippewa Falls Public School District is hosting a screening for all 3 and 4
year old children who live in the Chippewa Falls School District. If there are
concerns regarding your child’s speech, language, or general development,
please plan to attend this screening.
(PLEASE NOTE: All 4 year old children attending BB4C will be screened for
speech and language at their BB4C site. Those BB4C screenings are done each
fall.)
When: Thursday, February 19, 2015
Where: River Source Family Center, 403 N. High Street, Chippewa Falls
Time:
2 pm to 6 pm
No appointment is necessary for the screening. Screening should take approximately 15 minutes depending
upon the number of children attending. Come any time within the times listed above. Please contact Vicki
Johnson, SLP, at 715-726-2414, ext. 5040, or Ann Seibel, SLP, at 726-2414, ext. 3032, with any questions.
CFMS Registration for 2015-16
It may seem a bit early to be thinking about next school year already, however, students will begin the
registration process with their counselors at the end of January and early February. Incoming 6th grade
students will have an orientation night on February 2nd for families that are new to CFMS and on
February 3rd families that already have had a student at CFMS are invited to the middle school, both
at 6:00 PM. Students going into 7th grade next year will start registering for classes the last week in
January and forms will be due February 3rd. Students going into the 8th grade next year will start
registering for classes the first week in February and forms will be due February 10th.
Also, a reminder to any 8th grade students who have not turned in your pink 9th grade registration
course selection sheet and yellow 4 year plan sheet to please turn them in to your TA teacher or Ms.
McClean.
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Cardinal Connection
Visiting 5th Graders
Do you have a 5th grader who will be joining us next fall? If so, there are some upcoming events for you to
know about!
The middle school principal, Heidi Eliopoulos, and counselor, Kara McClean, will be visiting 5th graders at
their elementary schools to provide information about the middle school as well as their music options for 6th
grade. These visits will take place at the end of January.
Two orientation nights will be held for 5th graders. The night will include general information about the middle school, course selection materials, and a self-guided tour. In order to accommodate the number of families
joining us on these evenings, we ask parents to consider the following schedule:
Monday, February 2nd, at 6 pm: Families NEW to CFMS
Tuesday, February 3rd, at 6 pm: Families that have had another child attend CFMS
In August, the middle school will host two Registration Days. Every middle school student and a parent or
guardian will be required to attend a Registration Day to get their picture taken, complete needed paperwork,
walk their schedules, and try their lockers. Registration Days will be:
Tuesday, August 11th, from 1:00 pm to 6:00 pm
OR
Wednesday, August 12th, from 2:00 pm to 7:00 pm
The first day of school will be WEB Day! WEB Day will take place on Tuesday, September 1st. This is a
specially designed day just for incoming 6th graders and their 8th grade mentors. This is a high-energy day
that includes an assembly, team-building activities, a building tour, and a schedule run. We are SO EXCITED
about our new crew of 6th graders who will join us next year. We are already planning great activities for the
2015-2016 school year. It will be here before we know it!
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Cardinal Connection
Breakfast is available at all schools. Elementary is $0.35/day, Middle School is $0.85 and High
School is $1.00. Additional items can be purchased at the Middle School and High School and each
item will be charged individually.
Lunch cost for January per child: (19 meal days)

Elementary $2.00/meal and $38/month.

MS and HS $2.25/meal and $42.75/month.

Milk is available for purchase at any school for $0.35 for all
students. If you send a lunch from home, you may want to
consider sending a beverage if you do not want to incur a milk
charge on your account.

Additional items can be purchased at the MS and HS and
each item will be charged individually. Students on free or
 reduced price meals will also be charged for items purchased
in addition to the meal.
 HS has a la carte available for purchase. There must be money in the account to purchase
these items.
Limiting meal purchases/expense: At the Middle and High School level, students are allowed to
purchase items individually or in addition to the traditional lunch and breakfast meal. Restrictions
can be placed on an individual student’s account to not allow a la carte purchases. It does not
mean the student cannot have it, but rather they must provide cash at the time of purchase. Additionally, a dollar limit can be set per student.
Free and Reduced Price School Meals: All students on free or reduced price meals are entitled to
one breakfast and lunch per day. Milk only or extra items are charged at full price. Meal applications are accepted any time throughout the school year. They are available at any school office, at
the Administration Office or online.
Breakfast and Lunch menus for all schools are posted monthly at http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us//
foodServices.cfm. All meal account inquiries/questions can be directed to 715-726-2581.
CHANGES BEGINNING JANUARY 5
Starting January 5, 2015, second meal items will be charged individually due to new government
guidelines. Prices for meal components are listed below. Middle School students will be able to
purchase additional amounts of any item on the posted menu. Please note students are NOT
required to take a fruit or vegetable as part of a second meal. Keep in mind they will be charged for
each individual component taken. Additional purchases will only be permitted if funds are available.
Breakfast: Entrée is $1.00; Fruit is 50 cents; Cereal is 65 cents; Granola Bar is 50 cents; and milk
or juice is 35 cents.
Lunch: Entrée is $1.75; Side Dish or Dessert is 75 cents; Fruit or Vegetable is 50 cents; Milk is 35
cents.
This only applies to second meals. To avoid unnecessary charges please encourage your children
to only take the items they want. It you would like to block additional purchases or place a daily
spending limit on your child’s account, please email meyerc1@chipfalls.org or call 726-2581.
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Cardinal Connection
Weekend Kid’s Meals Program
Chippewa Falls Middle School is happy to begin offering the Weekend Kid’s
Meals Program. This program is offered through Feed My People Food Bank.
 The purpose of the program is to provide food for your child during the
weekend when school breakfasts and lunches are not available.
 There are no income guidelines or requirements. Anyone is welcome to
participate in this program. The food is at NO COST to you or your child.
 If you choose to enroll your child, he/she will receive a plastic bag each
Friday with enough food for breakfast and lunch for him/her for Saturday
and Sunday, plus snacks and fresh fruit.
 The meals have not been screened for different allergies; therefore, parents are responsible for determining
if this program meets your child’s dietary and health needs.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact Derrick Kunsman, Assistant Principal, at
kunsmadw@chipfalls.org or 715.726.2400, ext. 1144. Families are able to sign up or discontinue this program anytime throughout the school year by contacting Mr. Kunsman.
Fresh Food Distribution
Free fruit, vegetables, dairy products and bakery goods are available to
Chippewa County residents who use local food pantries. Ask for an identfication number from the food pantry you use. Bring a large box or a
small grocery cart and bags.
WHEN: third Tuesday of the month (January 20)
WHERE: Chippewa River Industries, in the Industrial Park that is
located across from St. Joseph’s Hospital
TIME: 4-5 PM
Spinach is the January Food of the Month
 Pick spinach that is bright green and is not wilting or discolored
 Leaves should be well developed with no bruising or blemishes
 Stems should be thin; should smell fresh and not sour or musty
 Will last in refrigerator for 2-3 days
 Eat raw or cooked (boiled, fried or microwaved)
 Add to bread, muffins, stuffing or other desserts
 Add to salads, dips, quiches or casseroles
Recipe: Creamy Spinach Soup
Combine 1 pound chopped spinach (frozen and thawed, fresh), 2 cups water, 4 teaspoons chicken bouillon
granules, ½ cup chopped onion and ¼ teaspoon garlic powder in large pot over medium heat. Bring to boil
and reduce to medium-low and simmer until onion is tender.
While that is cooking: melt ¼ cup butter in small saucepan; whisk in ¼ cup flour until smooth; cook for 2
minutes; slowly stir in 3 cups half-and-half and mix until smooth.
Pour cream mixture into spinach and simmer until thickened, about 10 minutes.
Season to taste with favorite spices
Page 7
Cardinal Connection
CFMS’ Monoskier
In early December Ty, a 7th grade student at CFMS, had
an amazing opportunity to attend a monoski race camp in
Breckenridge, Colorado! At the urging of his current
instructor from Hyland Ski and Snowboard in Minnesota
Ty applied for a scholarship to attend this week long
camp. In case you’re wondering; monoski is a single
wide ski used for skiing on snow. Unlike in snowboarding, both feet face forward, rather than sideways to the
direction of travel.
Ty has been skiing for about 5 years and will start monoski racing this January. Ty will travel to Minnesota on
Monday nights to practice and then race at various ski hills on the weekend. Ty said his favorite part of the trip
was meeting the different kids from all over the U.S. His least favorite part? Although you might think training for almost 8 hours would be hard on anyone but surprisingly it was not the physical exhaustion from the
long training days but more the emotionally difficult part of getting hurt twice in one week and having to take
time off from training. Wow! One tough cookie! When asked if he would go back... Yes! Without a doubt.
Music Students of the Month
CHOIR
Ausman, Ella 6th
Bowe, Cole 7th
Frion, Lauren 7th
Gunderson, Mia 6th
Hull, Gabrielle 7th
Sillman, Hannah 8th
Staves, Abby 8th
ORCHESTRA
Gardow, Kat 7th
Gering, Rachel 6th
Honaker, Kaylie 8th
Isenberg, Cassie 7th
Longdo, Darian 6th
Potter, Grace 6th
Raschke, Jillian 7th
Renaud, Jessica 7th
Riedel, Sammie 8th
Rowan, Kayla 8th
Sanchez, Isaiah 6th
BAND
Bobb, Logan 6th
Brawdy, Leah 6t
Buckwheat, Allison 6th
Dean, Lukas 6th
Dodge, Tori 8th
Hakes, Ava 6th
Harris, Alondra 7th
Hering, Alissa 8th
Krogstad, Sirach 6th
Loebertman, Shelby 6th
Pynch, Hayden 7th
Rislove, CF 8th
Saron, Max 6th
Smithberg, Caleb 8th
Voigt, Zachary 7th
Wingert, Chloe 7th
A Renewed Promise, A New Perspective
Page 8
Cardinal Connection
3rd Quarter Sports Information:
7th & 8th Girls Basketball practice will start on Tuesday, January
20th from 4:00 - 5:00pm. We practice on M - T - Th - F's at this time.
7th & 8th Boys Swimming practice will begin on Tuesday, January
20th from 6:30am - 7:45am.
We will practice at this time on M - T - Th - F's at this time.
Physicals, Alternate Year Cards, Athletic Codes and Concussion
Presentation forms must be turned in and on file before you are
able to practice. If you have not had an ImPact Test given by Mrs. Julie
Petersen yet this year, she will
be at the meeting on Monday the 19th and will be available to answer any questions you may have. If you
have taken the test, you don't need to take it again.
Wrestling practice has already started and they practice M - T - Th - F's from 4:00 - 5:45pm in Gym A.
Schedules of wrestling meets have been scheduled and handed out.
Girls Basketball and Boys Swim Meets will have their schedules determined on Friday, January 30th.
Schedules will be handed out on Monday, February 2nd. Schedules will be posted on the Middle School
Athletic Website at some point on Monday, February 2nd. Schedules will also be given to the athletes at their
practices on Tuesday, February 3rd.
6th/7th/8th Cheer and Stunt practice remains the same M - T - Th - F's 4:15 - 5:45pm. Competition(s) will
be held. See Mrs. Hamman for details. There are no more added students to this program, due to the competitions.
There will be an informational meeting for the athletes on Monday, January 19th, in Gym C from 4:00
­ 4:45pm. Parents are welcome to come, but it isn't necessary. Have your child arrange for a ride home after
the meeting. All fees are to be paid to the Reception Area. (Mrs. McKillip took a new job at the Board
Office and we will have a new person handling those duties soon.)
From the Reading Department
During the month of January students at the CFMS will be taking the winter
assessment to identify growth in their lexile scores. Classroom teachers use
these scores to help identify growth by students as readers. As a parent you can
use the lexile numbers to help your son or daughter find a book that matches
their reading ability. When students read within their lexile range (50L above
and 100L below the Lexile Measure) they can be expected to have about a 75%
comprehension rate. They shouldn’t be frustrated with their reading, but the
selection should be hard enough that it encourages reading growth. Remember,
it is OK to look at books that are above or below the Lexile range, just be
aware that the book may be a very easy read or a challenging read.
The following link will help you find books that are interesting to your son or
daughter and fit their Lexile range https.//lexile.com/fab/. By the end of January each student at the Middle School should be able to provide you with an
updated Lexile score. If you have questions about their Lexile score, make sure
you contact your child’s reading teacher.
Page 9
Cardinal Connection
World Language Students of the Month
Levi “Leandro” is Señora Arendt’s selection for December’s Spanish Student of the Month
in the World Language Department. Leandro is a joy to have in class! He enters the class
every day with a smile and a Spanish comment or question. He focuses on each detail
from class and impresses everyone when he references the smallest fact or word that was
used earlier in class or previous classes. Leandro will be attending the World Language
trip to Concordia Language Villages at the end of January. We are excited to have a student like Leandro represent Chippewa Falls at the camp! ¡Eres fenomenal, Leandro!
Madelain “Adelina” is Señora Arendt’s selection for December’s Spanish Student of the
Month in the World Language Department. Adelina constantly impresses her classmates by
using Spanish words and phrases that she has learned outside of class. She loves to share
new apps or songs that she has found to further explore and expand her Spanish. Adelina
loves to help others in class and has inspired her classmates to download Spanish apps
and search for new Spanish songs. Adelina will also be attending the World Language trip
to Concordia Language villages at the end of January.
¡Eres increíble, Marisol!
Joe “José” is Señorita Wolner’s selection for December’s Spanish Student of the Month in
the World Language Department. José demonstrates excellent leadership skills in class
each day. He raises his hand regularly to share ideas, works well with others to complete
activities, and brings a positive attitude to have fun. José is thoughtful and hardworking.
He is willing to invest time and energy into learning the language well, and it shows in his
ability to use Spanish. José makes class a great place to learn. ¡Fantástico, José!
Grace “Gracia” is Señorita Wolner’s selection for December’s Spanish Student of the Month in the World Language Department. Gracia is a talented Spanish student
full of energy and excitement for the language. She regularly volunteers to participate in
class discussions and activities. Gracia is committed to practicing and using her Spanish.
She is willing to work hard to keep up with her language learning. Gracia also tries to connect her Spanish outside of class. Her positive attitude and fun spirit make Spanish a better
place. ¡Bravo, Gracia!
Faith “Anne-Marie” is Mademoiselle Hemauer’s selection for December’s French Student of
the Month in the World Language Department. Anne-Marie is one of the most motivated
students in French I. She always comes to class with a smile and is always willing to help
out in class. She is a dedicated student who wants to learn as much as possible about the
French language and culture and also shares her passion with her family, her classmates,
and her French teacher. While reading a French novel, Anne-Marie searched for further
information that her classmates had questions about. She is an absolute pleasure to have
in class and the French Department is honored to have such an amazing young individual.
Fantastique, Anne-Marie !
Ryan “Renan” is Mademoiselle Hemauer’s selection for December’s French Student of the
Month in the World Language Department. Renan is always very enthusiastic about speaking French and his pronunciation of the language is very impressive. He always uses French
expressions and phrases when entering the class to greet and communicate with his teacher. Renan also turns in exceptional work and works very hard at being accurate in not only
speaking, but reading, writing, and culture. His knowledge of the language and culture will
allow Renan to succeed in French I, as well as future and more advanced French classes.
His attitude and motivation make him an awesome French student! Formidable, Renan !
Page 10
Cardinal Connection
CEO Students of the Month:
The Business Department selects Bayleigh & Mikayla
as the CEO’s for the month of December. They have
exhibited excellence in the classroom in their dedication
to creating a quality yearbook and by setting a good
example for their fellow classmates to follow.
Their design was chosen to be used on this year’s yearbook, but their contributions did not stop, they practically
laid out the entire page ladder for the yearbook as well.
They are always willing to take on extra work to ensure
that this year’s yearbook is of quality measure. For continued, consistent high performance, they have been
nominated as this month’s business CEOs.
- Mr. Burger
I nominate Sirach for the CEO award. Sirach comes to class daily with a smile
and positive attitude. He participates in class and acts as a leader in lab situations. Way to go Sirach and keep up the good work!!
- Mrs. Parker
Matt has been nominated for lasting enthusiasm coupled with an interest and
willingness to learn. Matt also has no qualms about giving up his own time to
help others with their work or accept extra projects.
- Mr. Zabrowski
The CFMS Art Department would like to recognize Nicole for her outstanding
efforts in art. Nicole is a self motivated student who challenges herself with
every project. Her determination, talent, and craftsmanship exceeds all expectations. Beyond her creative talents, Nicole is a joy to have in class. She is
respectful, responsible, and is a great role model for other students. Great job
Nicole!
- Mrs. Armitage
Grade 6 Honor Roll List for 1st Quarter
MADELINE ADAMS
LUKE GRIFFITH
KAILEY MAKUCK
EMILY RICHMOND
PEYTON ADAMSON
BAILEY GUIBORD
ABIGAIL MARTIN
ALEX ROBINSON
ASHLEY ANDERSON
ROBERT GUMNESS
SEAN MARTIN
PARKER ROTH
JOSIAH ANDERSON
EMERSON HAEN
JOSEPH MARTINEAU
BRUCE SANBORN
TRYSTON ASH
AVA HAKES
SOPHIE MARTINEAU
ISAIAH SANCHEZ
LYLA BARBER
GRETA HANSEN
TYLER MATHERNE
MAXWELL SARON
ANDREA BARRON VARGAS
NATHAN HANSON
SYDNEY MATHWIG
AJ SCHEMENAUER
ELLA BEHLING
KALIB HEBERT
NYAH MATTHEWS
ADDISON SCHINDLER
CALLYN BILLEN
DEVON HELWIG
AIDEN MCCAULEY
LEAH SCHINDLER
SHELBI BLAESER
MATTHEW HERING
IAN MCCORMICK
EMMA SCHNEIDER
LOGAN BOBB
MAKENZIE HINES
NOAH MCGIVERN
JAYDEN SCHROETTER
SAWYER BOWE
JAYDEN HOOVER
ALINA McINTYRE
AUSTIN SCHULTZ
GRIFFIN BRANDT
KESTREL HUEBLER
LILLIAN MEIER
GAVIN SHAURETTE
LEAH BRAWDY
BAYLEE JACQUEMART
SIERRA MELVILLE
HANNAH SHORT
NICHOLAS BRESINA
TAYLOR JENSEN
JONATHAN MEYER
RACHEL SHORT
TIANNA BUCHHOLZ
JAZMINE JOHNSON
JOSLYN MEYER
SAVANNAH SMALL
ELIZABETH BUCKLI
JENNAH JOHNSON
SETH MEYER
KAIRA SMISKEY
BRADY BUTAK
ELINA JOUPPI
CALEB MICHLIG
ISABELLA SMITH
GRACE CHRISTIE
ABBEGALE KADLEC
ASHTON MILLER
KAITLYN SMITHBERG
STEVEN COULSON
MAX KAUPHUSMAN
EVALYN NASCIMENTO
ALISHA SOMMERFELD
CONNOR CROTTY
JOSEPH KELLY
JENNA NELSON
JACOB SPAETH
SYDNIE DANIELSON
JOSEPH KLOSS
ALEXIS NORTON
MATEO STANLEY
ARIANNA DAVIDSON
SIRACH KROGSTAD
JACKLYN OLDROYD
BEN STEINMETZ
HALEY DAVIDSON
KATELYN KUKUK
GABRIEL OLSON
RILEY STRASSBURG
JASPER DAVIS
TYLER KURTENBACH
PARKER OLSON
TEAGAN SWIFT
ALEXIS DAWSON
MICHAEL LAMBERT
ZACHARY PARKHURST
ALYSSA SYKORA
REYNA DETIENNE
LISA LANDWEHR
KAYLIE PAUL
EMILY SYVERSON
JACOB DOUGLAS
GEE LEE
TEIG PERLBERG
JASON THACH
BRIHAN DRESSEL
ANNIKA LEMANSKI
RILEY PETTMAN
ISAAC VANG
BRETT ELKIN
ALEXIS LEQUIA
JACOB POLZIN
PAIGE WATSON
HAYLEY ERICKSON
KILEY LIEDL
SIDNEY POLZIN
CAMERON WELTER
BROOKLYN FARNHAM
SHELBY LOEBERTMAN
DREW POST
LAUREN WHETSTONE
ANTHONY FINK
LAWRENCE LONETREE-BURGESS
GRACE POTTER
ABBY WIBERG
BRADY FIXMER
DARIAN LONGDO
AIDAN PRICE
ALEXA WICKLAND
HAILEY FORCIER
NOUSOUA LOR
ETHAN RAFFESBERGER
KYLEE WILSON-ROSS
DANIEL FREDRICKSON
CASON LORENZO
RYAN RASMUSSEN
C. WINDELSPECHT
AVA FRIES
LILY LUCAS
CORT RATHBUN
MALEAH WITTMAN
RACHEL GERING
NATHAN LUCAS
KYA RAYCHER
AMANDA ZAWACKI
AMBER GRAHAM
MEGAN LUDY
HATTIE REPINSKI
JACK ZENNER
ASHLEY GRAHAM
JORDYN LUEDTKE
JOSEPH REUTER
KARI ZWIEFELHOFER
Grade 6 Merit Roll List for 1st Quarter
ELIZABETH ANDERSON
ALEXA KORDECKI
CARTER STEINMETZ
JESSI ANDREO
TRISTAN KUPCZAK
JASMINE STOLBERG
AUTUMN ANGER
SETH KUSMIREK
REBEKAH STUDINGER
GABRIELLA AUSMAN
JOSEPH LACASSE
JAYDEN SULLIVAN
BRYLEE BERG
SERENITY LARUE
LUCAS SVENDAL
MEGAN BOWE
ADRIENNE LEUCK
IAN SWANSON
SYDNEY BRADEN
ALLISON LINDVIG
DONALD TEUPEL
ALLISON BUCKWHEAT
COLE LING
BOHDE TORKELSON
LOGAN BURCHETT
DILLON LONGDO
VINCENT TROTT
BRAYDEN BURT
DOMINIC MARTINEZ-HENGST
ETHAN TROWBRIDGE
NICHOLAS CARLSON
EMILY MATTKE
XXAYVION TUCKER
ERICA CHANDLER
CHARLES MAYSACK
TINA VANG
NICHOLAS COUEY
DIANE MCCLENNING
LANDEN VEITCH
LUKAS DEAN
MELANIE MCVINNIE
JACOB WALCZAK
SETH DILLMAN
HARMONY MOLUMBY
HUNTER WELCH
GAVIN DOLLARHYDE
JANESSA NILSESTUEN
DAKOTA WEST
WESLEY ELIASON
ABIGAIL OWEN
JORDONA WHITE
KATELYN ELLIS
KAIRA PAPIERNIK
JI LIA YANG
ETHAN FENNER
TIMOTHY PATRICK
KIARRA ZEINERT
ISAAC FRENETTE
TRAVIS PIERSON
TANNER ZILK
GRACE GARDNER
TREVOR PIERSON
CALEB GARDOW
ALEXIS PROSECKY
KEGAN GERLACH
MARSHALL RADLE
DYLAN GNOZA
TAISHA RADLE
MIETTE GOSSE
AUTUMN RAYMOND
OWEN GOULET
AUSTIN REIMANN
MIA GUNDERSON
JOHN RIPIENSKI
BLAKE HANSON
REAGAN RIVARD
SOPHIE HEDRINGTON
JOSEPH ROBERTS
LOGAN HEGG
ASHTON ROPER
MADISON HENNEMAN
CARSON SCHICK
CHRISTIAN HOBBS-WIEMAN
ETHAN SCHLAGETER
KEILYN HOLEN
COURTNEY SCHUSTER
ALYSSA HYSELL
LOGAN SCOTT
SHAYLIN JOCHUM
HAILEY SHEARER
KIRSTEN JOHNSON
LOGAN SHEMICK
OPHELIA JOHNSON
KYLE SIDDONS
ISAAC KASS
JACOB SIEGENTHALER
CARTER KATZ
ABIGAIL SIPPEL
KIERYN KOHLS
MORGAN STARCK
Grade 7 Honor Roll List for 1st Quarter
CHLOE ADAMS
NOAH GRAFFUNDER
PYPER LEIRMO
HANNAH SCHICK
REBECCA ADAMS
GRACIE GRENKO
KAILEE LIEN
EMERSON SCHULTZE
COLLIN ALBRIGHT
ALYSSA GRODEVANT
ISAAC LINDSTROM
CAMERON SCOBIE
ALIYAH ANDERSON
SAMANTHA GUBRUD
SHYANN LING
AUDREYANNA SEIDLITZ
ASHLEY ANDERSON
RUTHANN HAILE
NATHAN LOEBERTMAN
MORGAN SHEPHERD
TEAGAN ANDERSON
IRIS HAKES
EMMA MAES
TIGER SLOWINSKI
CARLY ARNESON
REBECCA HALL
BROOKLYN MATTHAEI
HANNAH SMALL
MARNIE BARTH
ASHLEY HANLEY
AALIYAH MCMILLAN
DANNAH SOKUP
ANDRES BAUTISTA
ALONDRA HARRIS
PAIGE MCNAMARA
KEYTON SOLBERG
CHLOE BEAUDETTE
JOSEPHINE HARVEY
ALEXA MERCIER
GRIFFIN SPINDLER
SYDNEY BELONGE
LEAH HAYDEN
JORDAN MEWHORTER
LILY SPOONER
SYDNEA BERG
EMMA HERRIGES
ALEXANDER MITCHELL
EMMA SPRAGUE
TYLER BOHLAND
ETHAN HEUER
KENDALL MONSON
ALAINA STEINMETZ
GRACE BOWE
EVELYN HIETPAS
NATALIE MORENCY
ADRIANA STEPHENSON
DYLAN BROWN
JAYDEN HODGSON
DANIEL MOUCHA
TRISTAN STYGAR
NICHOLAS BRUDER
MITCHELL HOWARD
EMILEE MURPHY
MADELYN SUCHOMEL
MAXWELL BRUNNER
CASSANDRA ISENBERGER
MEGAN MUSSELMAN
JACOB THOMPSON
TAYLER BUCHHOLZ
JACOB JACKAN
THERESA NICHOLS
BLAKE TRIPPLER
SAIGE BUCKLEY
SAMANTHA JAEGER
CALEB OLSON
KYLIE VAN DYKE
KAITLYN BUCKLI
JARED JAROSZ
IAN OLSON
KEELIN VAUDREUIL
PAIGE BUTAK
KAYLA JENSON
ALISIA PALMS
KADEN VERHULST
NICOLE CRUMBAKER
CHEYENNE JOCHUM
ALEXANDRIA PAMPUCH
ALYCEA VRANISH
ASHLIE CUMMINGS
ALLISON JOHNSON
VICTORIA PATRICK
MATTHEW WALTERS
NADIA DETLAFF
CAMERON JOHNSON
ANNA PETERSON
SYDNEY WARD
BROOKELYN DEWBERRY
KAYLEE JOHNSON
KIANA PITSCH
MEGAN WEGNER
JOHN DIENGER
COLE JONAS
ANTHONY PLECHACEK
TANNER WHELAN
JAYLIN DUBBERKE
SARAH KAUPHUSMAN
GRACE POLHAMUS
TY WIBERG
MARAH DUNHAM
JACK KENNER
ISABELLE POLNASZEK
LINDSEY WIENER
MATTHEW EMERSON
DEVON KLATT
KIANNA PRINCE
KAIA WILKIE
EMMA ESLINGER
MAKAYLA KLINE
HAYDEN PYNCH
CHLOE WINGERT
MADELYNN FASBENDER
CORA KNIGHT-HAMM
JILLIAN RASCHKE
JAILIAN XIONG
STEPHANIE FEDIE
DAKOTA KOENIG
ERIC RASMUSSEN
ALEXIS ZENNER
MADISON FISHER
ALEXA KROMREY
COURTNEY RAYMOND
NICHOLAS FRAZER
RYAN KRUMENAUER
JACOB REESE
LAUREN FRION
SAMANTHA KUKUK
JESSICA RENAUD
MOLLY FRIZZELL
MAXWELL KUNKEL
ERIN RICHMOND
KATARINA GARDOW
CAMRYN LAHR
CONNOR RISINGER
OWEN GEHL
KAYLEE LAUNDERVILLE
AUTUMN ROBINSON
CAELAN GIVENS
LOGAN LECLEIR
BRYSTAL ROSHELL
HAYDEN GOODMAN
ZONG LEE
HANNAH SARAZEN
Grade 7 Merit Roll List for 1st Quarter
ZACHARY ABBOTT
JONAH KRUEGER
AIDAN WEGRZYN
BRIELLE ADRIAN
KYLE LAMPMAN
RACHEL WELKE
BENJAMIN ANDERSON
HAEDYNN LEAZOTT
KURT WELTZIN
TESSA ANDERSON
ZACHARY LEE
BROOKE WILLIAMSON
ADAM AUSMAN
DESTINY LELAND
BRIANNA WOOLEY
WILLIAM BAXTER
AUSTIN LITTLE
ARIANNA WOOTAN
DONALD BERG
SAMMANTHA LONG
ALEXANDER YANG
WILLIAM BERGEMAN
MATTHEW MacLAUGHLIN-BARCK
NATASHA YLINIEMI
JAYLYN BLAESER
NATHANIEL MARSH
JOSEPH ZIEHR
COLE BOWE
MADISON MCDONOUGH
KAITLYNN BUCKWALTER
JAIDAH MCHIE
OWEN CARPENTER
HOPE MCNAMARA
CONNOR CLARK
HUNTER MELGAARD
AUSTIN COPAS
CADEN MILLER
MORGAN DETERMAN
LASHAY MORRIS
AMBER DEVAUL-NUTE
JACK MULLEN
JARED DIRCKS
ROBERT MULLENBERG
DARICA EDWARDS-SMITH
MCKAYLA NOWAK
ASHLEE ENDVICK
AMBREA OLSON
CHRISTIAN ENGEL
COLE OLSON
HARLEY FORD
ALEXUS PARENTEAU
RACHEL FRANSWAY
WESLEY PARTLO
MADISON GARDOW
TYLER PATZOLDT
AMBER GILLES
BRAYTON PECENKA
SYDNEY GRINNELL
KARLIE RAMHARTER
HOSANNA GUERRERO
CALEB RAY
SHELBY GULSETH
MARJORIE KAY REITAN
ISABELLE GUNDERSON
PEYTON ROGERS-SCHMIDT
JAYKOB HAMMAN
DYLAN ROTHBAUER
JORDAN HARRIS
ZACHARY RYAN
HUNTER HAYES
JORDYN SCHULTZ
ODESSA HAZELTON
DYLAN SHACKLETON
CARTER HOLM
AIDAN SHERBINOW
ELIJAH HOLTY
LOGAN SHERMO
GABRIELLE HULL
GABRIELLE SHOPE
ALEXIS HUSET
AUSTIN SMITH
SEAN IRVINE
NOAH STEWART
MATTHEW JEFFRIES
MEGAN SWORSKI
ROSS KAZ
ZACHARY VOIGT
JASMINE KOHLS
NEVAEH WEGERER
Grade 8 Honor Roll List for 1st Quarter
MADELAIN ADRIAN
TRENT ECKWRIGHT
CALVIN KUKUK
CALEB RISLOVE
ERIC ALBITZ
HANNAH ELIASON
SPENCER KURTENBACH
TYLER ROBARGE
EMILY ANDERSON
LOGAN ERICKSON
VICTOR LABELLE
ZACHARY ROHDE
FAITH ANDERSON
SHADIA ESCORCIA-CURE
SAMUEL LANGEL
ANDREW ROLFES
AMBER ATCHISON
JACK EVANS
MADY LANNERS
MAKAYLA ROMUNDSTAD
MIKE AYENSU-MENSAH
COURTNEY FISHER
SETH LARSON
KAELIN ROSHELL
AUSTIN BADALUCO
EMILY FLATEN
KELSEY LATO
KAYLA ROWAN
JACOB BAKER
EMILY FLIEHR
HANNA LITSCHER
MIKAYLA RUNGE
DANIELA BARRON VARGAS
FAITH FORD
LALY LOR
KATHERINE RUSHMANN
JON BEGLEY
JOSEPH FORSTER
PATRICIA LOWRY
GARRETT SABASKA
ADELINE BENGTSON
LUKE FRANZ
SAWYER LUBS
JAKE SABASKA
DEVEN BERG
CAMERON GATES
JONAH LUCAS
DAVID SALAZAR
LEVI BERG
TREY GERBERDING
INGRID LYBERG
KAYLA SARGENT
KENNEDY BERGH
JOSHUA GIENAPP
JACOB MAIER
EMILY SCHAEFER
ADRIANNA BERNIER
CALI GOULET
NATHAN MAKUCK
JENNA SCHEMENAUER
JOHN BILDA
RYAN HAGEN
NICHOLAS MASON
LUKE SCHEMENAUER
MATTHEW BLAKE
NATHAN HAYES
COOPER McCANNA
JACK SCHIMMEL
MCKENNA BLUM
CAMERON HAZELTON
GARRETT MCDONOUGH
MADALYN SCHMIDLEY
ELIZABETH BOWE
NAOMI HEIDTKE
BETH McILQUHAM
HAILEY SCHNEIDER
MOLLY BOWE
MADISON HELLAND
TYLER MCILQUHAM
CHLOE SCHREURS
CIARA BREEZEE
SOPHIA HELLER
SAMANTHA MCNAMARA
JENA SECRAW
EMMA BRESINA
ALISSA HERING
DIANA MEDINA
JACKSON SEDIVY
WILLIAM BUTAK
ALAYNA HETKE
LEVI MEYER
ELLIE SENN
KAYLEIGH CAROTENUTO
EGAN HILL
MARA MILLEDGE
ABIGAIL SHEEHAN
RAENAH CHAPEK
HALEY HINES
PAIGE MINER
KATELYN SIDDONS
SYDNEY CLAXTON
KAYLIE HONAKER
MARISSA MONPAS
HANNAH SILLMAN
GRANT CRANK
EZEKIEL HUEBLER
ELAINA MYERS
CALEB SMITHBERG
ETHAN CROCKER
NOLAN HUTZLER
TALIN NEITGE
PAYTON SOLBERG
JOHN CZECH
CIERRA JANUARY
SOPHIE NELSON
KAITLYN SOMMERFELD
OLIVIA DANIELSON
ALEXANDER JOHNSON
PAYTON NIBLETT
RACHEL SPAETH
KYLE DAVIES
GRACE KASPAREK
LACEY O'DONNELL
ABIGAIL STAVES
MAXIMUS DAVIS
JULIA KAUFFMAN
KALEIGH OEMIG
KATELYN STEINMETZ
ELLA DENNING
JAMES KENNER
ADRIENNE OLSON
LYDIA STEINMETZ
AIDAN DETIENNE
WYATT KEYESKI
EMMA PALMBERG
REED SWAN
AMANDA DEUTSCHLANDER
AURORA KILLOUGH
NICOLE PATZOLDT
MADISON SWEENEY
VICTORIA DODGE
EMMALIA KLINE
OLIVIA POMIETLO
CATELYN SWENSON
BAYLEIGH DRESEL
COLE KOXLIEN
ALYSSA POTTS
AUSTIN SYKORA
TIRZAH DUNHAM
MICHAEL KRAMER
CASSIDY QUINLAN
KEVIN THACH
DAVID DVORACEK
ADLER KRANICH
GRACE REITER
SYDNEY THIES
ADRIANNA EBY
CHLOE KUESTER
SAMANTHA RIEDEL
ALEXANDRA THOMAS
Grade 8 Honor Roll List for 1st Quarter—continued
GAVIN THORSON
JACKSTON TILLOTSON
KAITLYN TINBERG
TAYLOR TUSCHNER
MITCHELL VANYO
ELIZABETH WAGNER
JULIA WAHL
KELSEY WALLA
KORAH WALLA
DANE WEILAND
BRADY WEYANDT
LEAH WOODWARD
BAILEY ZANK
MADELYN ZENNER
Congratulations to all of our
Honor and Merit roll students!
We are proud of you!
Way to go!
Grade 8 Merit Roll List for 1st Quarter
VICTOR ADAMS
LACEY HAMM
THOMAS ROTHBAUER
JASIEL ALBARRAN MOLINA
REED HEBERT
KARA SALTER
MARLEY ALLEN
CHASE HOLM
ISAAC SANCHEZ
ABIGAIL ANDERSON
KYLER HOLMLUND
JADELYN SCHMIDT
AUSTIN ANDERSON
JADEN HOOPLE-LEISZ
LUKE SHERMO
BRANDON ANDERSON
ALEXIS HUBER
JARON SILVERNAIL
KORBYN ANDRE
ALEX JAKE
DANE SIMMONS
JOSHUA BEAUDETTE
ZACHARY KERCKHOVE
SHAWN SMITH
LOREN BEAUDETTE
BLAKE KETCHENS
SHYANN SMITH
GABRIEL BENSON
ALEXIS KING
ALEXANDRIA SMITHEE
MONEKIA BENSON-MCNULTY
SAMUEL KRARUP
JUSTICE SOFLIN
ETHAN BEST
MASON KRUGER
SONNY STABENOW
SELENA BUCKLI
ALEXANDRIA LACKNER
MALLORY STERLING
TAYLOR BURCHETT
DARIA LARSON
NATALIE STEWART
DYLAN BUSH
KAITLYN LATO
BAILEY STRASKOWSKI
JOCELYN BUSS
SAMANTHA LEVINE
MONTGOMERY SUNDE
ORION CANEFF
JASMINE LILYQUIST
REECE SWAN
JORDAN CHARTRAND
ELLA MAKEMSON
COLE SWINK
JANNA COBB
AUSTIN MARTELL
ABIGAIL THIBEDEAU
BAYLEIGH CRAWFORD
AFTYN MAURER
SAMANTHA TRINRUD
NATHAN CUSTER
DENON MCLAUGHLIN
KIRSTEN TURNER
GIANNA DEACON
CHRISTIAN MILLER
SERENA VANG
EVAN DILLMAN
SUNSHINE MOUA
WYATT VEITCH
ISAAC DUCOMMUN
TUCKER MUELLER
CRYSTAL VELIE
VINCE EGGEN
RYLEE MYERS
JILLIAN VIRIJEVICH
JORDAN ELIASON
ALEXANDER NELSON
RACHAEL WAGNER
RAYNA EVANS
KAILEE NEUBAUER
CLAIRE WALTER
TIMOTHY EVANS
MAURICE NIESEN
ETHAN WEESE
CHLOE EYSTAD-NERISON
MATTHEW OLSON
ISAAC WHALEY
BRANDON FEIGUM
MAKAELA OUIMET
ORION FRANZE
CARVER PARKHURST
RILEY FREID
JACOB PELESCHAK
AUDREY GADKE
ALEX PETERSON
KEARA GARBERS
PARKER PICKERIGN
JUSTIN GASSEN
TAYLOR PIERSON
KAYLA GERCZAK
ABYGAIL RALSTON
SADIE GRAMLING
JADE REAGAN
GRACE GREENE
NATHANIEL RIEDEL
MARIAH GREGORY
BAILEY ROE
COLLIN GWIAZDON
NICHOLAS ROTHBAUER
A Renewed Promise, A New Perspective
Page 19
Cardinal Connection
Machines Behaving Badly
The 14th Annual Voyagers Robotics End of Class Tournament was held November 15th before a large and
appreciative crowd. As the event involves three pound combat robots it has been alternately dubbed
“Machines Behaving Badly”.
This year we had 25 competing robots, one from each class participant. A few volunteer drivers from the
audience were also sent into battle with no experience at all. Some did quite well.
The robots ranged from complicated machines with whirling blades, through simple but effective pushing
machines and on out into the weird world of peculiar entrants such as “Slow the Snail” a cardboard box with a
smile drawn on it. For the record, “Slow” outperformed all the intricate spinner robots, which have a tendency
to shake themselves to bits.
The technology involved is fairly basic, but students do get to learn how to solder wiring, to “hack” electronics
to do unexpected things, and about the many aspects of successful design….varying wheel size for torque
versus velocity….where to set the center of gravity for ideal performance….how much glue and duct tape is
enough/not enough/too much…
The tournament is always the Final Exam. Things that should work - sometimes don’t. Things that shouldn’t
work - sometimes do.
The debris has been swept up and the team of Minions that assemble to run the event have gone back to their
lairs. A few students will be going on to an Advanced Robotics class in the second Voyagers session.
Presumably all the others will spend the next year plotting their robotic comeback in fall of 2015.
Page 20
Educational Excellence
School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education
Members of the Chippewa Falls Middle School staff presented at the annual
School Leaders Advancing Technology in Education conference in December.
The conference was attended by over 1400 educators from around the state of
Wisconsin. Our staff presented on Using Technology to Navigate the Changing
Educational Landscape. Presenters representing the middle school were Tech
Coaches Cara Schueller and Sarah Radcliffe, as well as Building Principal
Heidi Eliopoulos. We are proud to have the Chippewa Falls School District
showcased on this state-level stage!
8th Grade Manufacturing Tour
Cardinal Connection
Page 21
Cardinal Connection
Parent Corner
eParenting
Chippewa Falls Middle School is excited to announce participation in the
Dunn County Cooperative Extension’s eParenting®: High-Tech Kids pilot!
Chippewa Falls Middle School is one of several schools across Wisconsin
testing this method of providing parenting information and support.
Over the next 4 months, CFMS parents will receive an email once per
Week with a link to a new eParenting®: High-Tech Kids blog post at http://fyi.uwex.edu/eparenting/. We are
excited to partner with our community to provide free and high-interest resources for our families. Thank you
to CFMS parent Kristen Bruder for her work in connecting us to this program!
BadgerLink
Parents and Guardians, have you been missing out on a valuable
resource? “BadgerLink is Wisconsin’s online library which provides
access to licensed content such as magazines, newspapers, scholarly
articles, videos, images, and music. These resources are provided
exclusively for use by all Wisconsin residents and are materials that are
not available through regular search engines such as Google.” It is available to students at school and to you and your children from home. You
can access BadgerLink at http://www.badgerlink.net from your home computer 24 hours per day, 7 days a
week. You can also use this resource through the public library.
BadgerLink can support you as you help your children achieve in school by providing reliable and up-todate information on many subjects for all age groups. You can also use it for your own interests, like genealogy research. BadgerLink is a safe Internet environment that includes:
 Full text magazine and newspaper articles
 Online dictionaries and other reference books
 Large, organized collections of maps, pictures, and charts
 Poems, short stories, essays, and speeches
 Children’s literature information including interviews with authors and author programs
 Primary historical documents and digitized information from library collections
Winter Student Connection groups will be starting January 27.
 Keeping Your Cool – anger management
 While They’re Away – coping when a family member is in jail
 Friendship – develop positive relationships with peers
 Da Guys – become more confident
 Girl Power – become more confident, assertive and goal oriented
 SOS – ways to handle issues that come up with drug use
 ADD – use strengths to succeed in school and life
 Sib Shop – share feelings about having a siblinh with a disability
 Brothers & Sisters – learn ways to resolve conflicts between
brothers & sisters
 I Feel Better Now – discover the inner strength to move on when bad things happen
 Coping With Illness – share feelings and concerns when a family member is seriously ill
 6% - celebrate differences with other minority students
 Hole In My Life – talk about feelings to cope with death/grief/loss
If you would like your child to participate in one of the groups, please contact Gayle Klitzke, Coordinator.
Call 715.726.2400 ext. 2240 or email klitzkgd@chipfalls.org
Volume
Page 2224 Issue 1
Cardinal Connection
What’s Trending
New Year’s Resolutions
Students were asked if they made any New Year’s Resolutions or goals. After a lot of blank stares in response to the
question, a few did make a resolution. With a few more
making up a goal while others responded. Our fantastic
middle schooler’s responses are:
Olivia—Make it to state in wrestling and take first place
Caleb– To go to the gym to work out more
Patricia—To get better grades and have no missing work
Ian—To lose weight
Lilly—Be nicer to my siblings
Landon—Be awesome and to save my money
Vincent—To not hurt anyone
Alexa— To get more things done during TA
Paige—Study for the battle of the books
Jenna—Have no missing work
Kyle—Be more flexible
Brihan—To run more
Emma— Swim the 200 breast stroke on the swim team
Brian—To be less cynical
Abby—Not to write 2014 and write 2015 instead
Katie—Be in the top 10 for the Geography Bee
Patrick—Pay attention
Page 23
Cardinal Connection
Staff Spotlight
TIES 2014
Often educational conferences are an experience to dread. As a middle school tech ed teacher, I find myself searching for relevancy at most
conferences. General educational conferences often focus on nonelective courses, and technology specific courses often focus on High
School. When I was told about the TIES conference in 2013, it seemed
like a perfect fit. The focus was to be on integrating technology into all
subject areas and all grade levels. The experience did not disappoint.
However, I did attend a few sessions that covered a concept called
“gamification”. The idea is to use the same strategies that make games
so addictive in your classroom. As a lifelong gamer, this idea appealed to
me. However, I found that the strategies suggested were concepts I had
already developed beyond what was covered. So come TIES 2014, I decided to present my ideas.
As a first year presenter, I was understandably nervous. My nervousness got worse when I found out that one of the
pioneers of gamification and one of my educational idols, Jane McGonigal (see picture below), was the keynote speaker. Generally speaking, keynotes are often about motivation above all else. I did find Ms. McGonigal to be very motivating, but also incredibly informative. She covered ways that she has used games of various genres (video games, alternate reality games etc.) to affect change. The entire talk gave me ideas and inspiration to easily carry me the rest of the
year. I’ll admit, I was a bit star-struck.
When I found the room I was to present from, I was taken aback. There was seating for around 300. Though I was
confident in my materials, I didn’t think I warranted such an audacious space. At the start of the presentation, another
attendee estimated the crowd to be about 100. My presentation was a bit grand in scope: “How to turn a classroom into
a semester long game using video games, role playing principles and 3D printing while integrating standards based
grading.” As a teacher, you don’t expect that your hobbies would ever play such a large role in your teaching style. I was
concerned that my explanation of how rolling dice for a tabletop game could apply to a classroom would be ill-received.
There was also the risk that I would not be able to change minds when I explained how I used the game Minecraft to
teach and create an alternate universe for my students. However, as I stalked the aisles, pacing and trying to make a
connection, I noticed that smartphones were out and pointed at me. It’s an odd sensation knowing that your picture is
being tweeted while you speak of uniting games, the common core and grading for learning principles.
After explaining and detailing my implementation of a semester long class, how character sheets are used, and how
these principles could be implemented at any level and subject, I called for questions. As with most classes, there were
none. However, after the official end of my talk, I had a line of people waiting to speaking with me about suggestions for
their own situation. I was incredibly happy to talk about my class and spoke with over a dozen people, each with their
own point of view on the subject.
The portions of the conference before and after my presentation were focused on attending
other breakout sessions. Each time slot had about 30 to choose from. Many were specialized and
applied to only a certain area of study (Elementary math, library sciences etc.). Most of the sessions could be applied to many areas of study. This year, I decided to learn everything I could
about augmented reality. Crossing good old fashioned reality with virtual reality to create something with one foot in each pond. Many of the applications that were demonstrated were pretty
stock and trade. A few blew me away. For example, the android app Word Lens allows you to
point your device at a sign in a different language and it will be translated, in real time and overlay
the original on your screen. The winner of the conference was an application called Aurasma. An
app that allows you to take any trigger image and link it to videos or other information. Imagine
pointing an iPad at a picture of a president and having your iPad instantly link to a student
presentation about that president.
All in all, I find the TIES experience to be incredibly useful and I plan on attending as many
future conferences as I can. I also highly recommend them to any teacher, technologically savvy
or not. I owe a lot of ideas to TIES and was happy to give back with some of my own. Oh, I got
Jane McGonigal’s autograph.
- Dan Zabrowski
Page 24
Cardinal Connection
The Back Page
Friday, January 23, 2015, is the end of the first semester.
We begin the third quarter on Monday, January 26.
Mid-winter break is February 23-27.
SCHOOL HOURS:
Regular School Day
Collaboration/Late Start
Start Time: 8:30 am
Start Time: 9:30 am
COLLABORATION/LATE START DATES:
January 7
March 4 & 18
February 4 & 18
April 1 & 15
SCHOOL MEALS:
Middle School
Breakfast: $0.85
End Time: 3:44 pm
End Time: 3:44 pm
May 6 & 20
Lunch: $2.25
Milk is served with all meals or can be purchased for $0.35
Dietary accommodations can be made for students with food-related allergy/disability
Payment Information: Deposits can be made online through the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, under
the Payments menu. Payments can also be mailed or dropped off at the District Office, 1130 Miles
Street, Monday through Friday, from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm, or turned it at any school. Payments cannot
be made through the Infinite Campus mobile app. Students can also bring checks made out to
“Chippewa Falls School District” and give them to our lunch staff when they go through lunch lines.
CHIPPEWA FALLS MIDDLE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE
To report an absence or request a pass, please call the appropriate attendance line:
6th and 7th Grade
715.726.2400
Press 1 or ext. 1570
8th Grade
715.726.2400
Press 2 or ext. 1572
Parents are required to notify the school when their child will be absent.
Parents must notify the school whenever their child will arrive later than 8:30 am. Students who arrive
late to school need to check in at the main office and receive an admittance pass from their grade level
office. Students who need to leave school during the school day need an Off-Campus Pass. Parents need
to notify the school as early as possible so that a pass may be issued.
For your convenience, attendance lines are accessible 24/7. Notification should include the time your
child needs to leave, the time that they will return, if applicable, and the reason they will be gone. Pass­
es will be delivered to students or they may stop at the grade level office to pick up their pass. Students
who return to school need to check in at the main office and receive an admittance pass from the grade
level office.
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Cardinal Connection
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Each parent/guardian is granted a Parent Portal account. For instructions, please contact
the middle school grade level office. This portal gives you access to lunch payments, attendance, grades, assignment due dates, and much more. Other private messages and information regarding your child are also available here.
School Website
The middle school public website can be found at http://cfsd.chipfalls.k12.wi.us/middle/.
School calendars, athletic schedules, teacher webpages with lesson plans, and other useful information can be accessed through the site.
District Mobile App
This mobile app has all of our district information, including our website and Facebook
Page. The district has a mobile app that can be downloaded from iTunes/Google Play.
Facebook
The Facebook page offers regular updates on events, student activities, school closings,
Timely information about our district, and adult education opportunities. The Facebook
Page is accessible through the district website or by searching for the Chippewa Falls
Area Unified School District.
Twitter
Follow items of interest—share your insights. We are tweeting such things as updates
on projects in our school and great things students and staff are doing. Find the middle
School’s Twitter account @CFMSCardinals and the Chippewa Falls Area Unified School
District’s Twitter account @ChippewaFallsSD.
Chippewa Yellow Bus
For all questions bus related, contact:
Chippewa Yellow Bus Company—715-726-2454. 510 E. South Ave., Chippewa Falls, WI
54729. If your child is taking an alternative way home, any given day of school, such as
riding their bike or getting picked up when they would normally ride the bus, a parent/
guardian must provide a written note to the school. Your child’s safety is of utmost importance to us. Parents needing alternative drop off locations for their child in the afternoon or if the child is riding home with a friend, a bus deviation must be completed.
These forms are available in school offices.
Attendance at Public Events
Upon request to the building administrator, submitted 24 hours in advance, the district shall make reasonable
accommodation including the provision of informational material in an alternative format as necessary for a
disabled person to be able to participate in this activity. At least twenty-four hours advanced notice of the need
for accommodation is appreciated.