Central Issue PROOF 1

8/14/2019 Central Issue PROOF 1

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IcemeWeae

Ifmai

School cancellationinformation isreleased to the

media as soon aspossible. The best

way to get schoolclosing informationis by checkingour Web site orwatching TV.

Please check withthe school districtWeb site at http://

www.qualityschool.org/schoolclosing/

index.shtml

Television and

Web sites

4 WOOD8

4 WZZM134 http://www.woodtv.com clickon School and EventClosings

4 http://www.wzzm13.com/ clickon Event Cancella-tions

Membership 200809PresidentDoug Bowen

VicePresidentBill SimpsonSecretary Roxanne Switzer

TreasurerJoe KohnTrusteeMark Christensen

TrusteeMike WilliamsTrusteeChris Wetherington

Board of EducationBoard of Education meetings will be held monthly and

will begin at 7 p.m. Meetings will be in the high school

library media center.

Published by CMPSSuperintendent: Jake Helms

Editor: Rick Heitmeyer

The Central Issue is published six times during the school yearfrom AugustMay. If you have any suggestions, or questions,

please contact the Board of Education Ofce at (989) 8312000between the hours of 8 a.m.4 p.m.

All ContEnt CopyrIght MMIX by

CEntrAl MontCAlM publIC SChool.

WEb SItE: http://WWW.QuAlItySChool.org

SChool tIMES

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Community forums helpedguide Board of Education

We hope you were able to make it to one of our three Community

Forum Focus Group meetings. Topics discussed ranged from the

newly adopted single bus runs to re-alignment of schools by grade

levels and all day, every day kindergarten. Many of these topics

depend on one another to be implemented. An example of this is

the grade level re-alignment. If grade levels arent re-aligned to

make staff available, all day everyday kindergarten would not be

able to become a reality.

The challenge the Board has assumed is to try and move student

learning into 21st Century Learning with a limited amount of

resources. The Board is also challenged to look at the complete

district, pre-k through adult, and make the well-informed decisions

in the best interests of the district. The belief the Board has adopted

is Whats best for kids. We appreciate everyone who made the

time to attend one of our forums. Great comments, concerns, and

feedback were shared by many parents and employees present

at the meetings. The Board plans to continue this practice in the

future. Look for meeting dates and topics of interest to be able to

give your opinions and input. The podcasts of these meetings are

available for your viewing at http://www.casair.net. Pick eitherpodcast to gain information on some of the topics currently under

consideration by the administration and the Board of Education.

You are also encouraged to contact Jacob J. Helms, Superintendent

at [email protected].

As stated earlier, single bus runs have been adopted to start in the

2009-10 school year. New buses will be purchased with anticipated

savings from reduced fuel consumption and other expenses. Exact

start times have yet to be determined, but school will likely start

later in the morning around the 8 a.m. hour and end around the 3

p.m. hour.

The ultimate goal is a bus ride that would be no longer than one

hour. Safety was an issue with many parents, and we want to assure

you that student safety will remain a priority.The Board extended a permanent contract to Mr. Helms as

our superintendent. He has accepted the position with a contract

extending until June 30, 2011, and then will serve as a consultant

until December 2012. We are happy to continue working with him

and look forward to moving Central Montcalm forward in the best

interests of our students, parents, and employees.

Submitted on behalf of the Board,

Roxanne SwitzerBoard Secretary

Early childhoodprogram available toCMPS families

The Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) for 4yearolds

is held at both Stanton and Sheridan Elementary. It is funded

by a special grant through the State of Michigan.

This program provides a quality preschool experience two

days a week, for 32 weeks. It is a wonderful experience for

children in a warm and nurturing environment.

Children participate in a variety of activities to enhance their

language and social abilities, ne and gross motor skills, as well

as prereading and math skills. They also participate in gym

and in music.

During this program, parents are actively involved in

their childs education. They participate in an open houseat the beginning of the year, as well as two parent/teacher

conferences and two home visits. At times, parents also help in

the classroom and with eld trips.

Shelley Misner teaches the Central Montcalm GSRP, with

the help of Deanna Braman.

If you are interested in enrolling your child for the 200910

school year, applications will be available in April at the ofces

in Stanton and Sheridan Elementary.

Your child must be four by December 1, 2009, and live in

the CMPS district. You can call either elementary school for

more information. Stantons number is (989) 8312400 and

Sheridans is (989) 8312500.

Board of Education ......... (989) 8312000Jake Helms, SuperintendentJill Folsom, Business Manager

Community Education .... (989) 8317902Kathy Betts, Director

Food Service ................... (989) 8312312Dianne Mitchell, Supervisor

High School ...... .............. (989) 8312100John Kearney PrincipalDave McLoughlin, Assistant Principal/Athletic Director

Middle School ................ (989) 8312200Thomas Torok, Principal

Sheridan Elementary ....... (989) 8312500Rick Heitmeyer, Principal

Stanton Elementary ......... (989) 8312400Marty Combs, Principal

Transportation ................. (989) 8312240Val Conklin, Supervisor

Upper Elementary ............ (989) 8312300Susan Koster, Principal

Administration

and Supervision

If ae ieesed i ei cid f e 200910 sc ea,

aicais wi e avaiae i Ai

at the elementary ofces.
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200809Sc yeaKe Daes

4 April 6April

12No school due toSpring Break

4 May 22We Love

American Parade, 11

a.m. at the high schoo

football eld

4 May 25No

school due to

Memorial Day

observation

4 May 29Last

student day

4 Sept. 8First dayof school for 200910

school year

Hornet

Pride

Support Hornet athletics4by John KEArnEy, prInCIpAl

Hornet athletics is always looking for help at athletic events.

If you are interested in helping with the concession stand,

selling rafe tickets, Hornet track relays, or state tournaments,please call the athletic ofce at (989) 8312142.

Get involved with Hornet athletics by joining the Hornet

Boosters. We have our meetings second Monday of each month.

We will be looking for you in March. The meetings are held in

the high school media center.

Come out and show your support for Central Montcalm

athletics. People with scheduling or other questions may call

the athletic ofce at (989) 8312142

On Saturday, February 21, the Central Montcalm High School

band attended the Danish Band Festival at Greenville High School.

The band performed three selections, and then took part in

an hour-long clinic with Bill Gourley, retired band director from

Chelsea High School.

During the clinic, Gourley complimented the band members on

their tone and rhythmic skills while giving suggestions to polish their

attacks, balance their sound, and explore greater dynamic contrast.

The band members came away from the day with memories of a

good performance, tools to improve their playing, and excitement in

being able to show their pride in the Central Montcalm Bands.

The annual Race for the Cure event at Sheridan Elementary began

several years ago when it was discovered that a student was suffering

from Juvenile Diabetes.

Rylan Myers, son of Mike and Colleen Myers, was a second graderat Sheridan Elementary when his family learned he had Juvenile

Diabetes.

To help raise awareness and support for the cause, Sheridan

Elementary School held an event where children walked to help

raise money. It was called Race for the Cure, and featured a visit

from a local race car driver.

Brennan Bowen has returned every year to help support the cause.

On Friday, April 17, Bowen will return to the school and help lead the

annual race.

Students enjoy the walk, but the highlight every year is a chance to

get a photograph with Bowen and his car.

Its time to go racin.

CMHS band attends DanishBand Festival at Greenville

Sheridan Elementary Schoolto race for the cure in April

21st Century learningincludes differenttools and approaches

4by AMy MEInhArDt, DAtA AnD tEChnology Support

Many of the students at Central Montcalm are exposed to

21st Century tools daily, either at school or home.

This might include a cell phone, pager, laptops, desktops,GPS, digital projectors, digital cameras, etc.

There is an important difference between 21st Century tools

and 21st Century skills. Many 21st Century education experts

identify life and career skills, learning and innovation skills,

and information, media, and technology skills as being the

main student outcomes we should be striving for.

As we integrate 21st Century tools into the curriculum at

Central Montcalm we will also be working to integrate 21st

Century skills.

Stanton Elementary saysgoodbye to its leader

Stanton Elementary second

graders said good-bye to their

principal, Marty Combs, by

performing a play in his honor.

The students sang songs aboutCombs and performed comical

skits. The entire school enjoyed

the music and laughter.

Combs will be missed at the

school. He was a good friend to

staff and students alike. We wish

him the best with his new career.

Combs accepted a position at

the Montcalm Area Intermediate

School District as an early

childhood special education

programming director. His last

day as principal was February 16.

Jane Trimper, longtime Central

Montcalm educator, will serve as

the principal on an interim basis

through the remainder of the

200809 school year.

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Please take a

moment to register

in the Edvantage

Program by

following the simple

instruction below.

Your involvement,

coupled with

fellow members,

could generate a

signicant amount

of additional support

for our school.

So tell alumni or

individuals about

this Edvantage and

help the athletic

program.

Go to http://www.

EdvantageProgram.

com/MIAAA/

CentralMontcalm

On the bottom left

of your screen, click:

Click here to access

the registration

form>

Once on the

registration

form page, ll

out the required

information. Should

you be required to

enter an Access

Code, please use

the following:

CentralMontcalm.

4by rICK hEItMEyEr, prInCIpAl

Central Montcalm Public School believes in

doing whats best for kids as we move into

21st Century Education. What exactly is 21st

Century Education? What does a school look

like today?Educational technologist Mark Presnky says

kids have radically changed in the last several

years.

In the article, Digital Immigrants, Digital Natives, he

wonders how in all the hoopla and debate these days about

the decline of education in our country, we ignore the most

fundamental of its causes. Our students have changed radically.

Todays students are no longer the people our educational

system was designed to teach.

Author Wesley A. Fryer adds that U.S. educators in the early

21st Century face formidable challenges, but are blessed with

access to unprecedented tools and opportunities for shared

professional learning.He suggests

that teachers must

help students

master content

area knowledge

and skills, but also

develop and rene

a set of important

21st Century literacy

skills which are

not measured on

traditional, multiple-choice examinations.

How can we effectively and realistically

enable our students and teachers to meet

the learning demands we have inherited

from 20th Century legislative mandates, and

simultaneously embrace and encourage thedevelopment of 21st Century skills, he asks.

A focus on creating and collaborating

within a context of project based learning offers hope in the face

of these challenges, according to Fryer.

Prensky suggests that todays students K through college

represent the rst generations to grow up with this new

technology. They have spent their entire lives surrounded by and

using computers, video games, digital music players, video cams,

cell phones, and all the other toys and tools of the digital age.

Future learning of content may be to a large extent, not

surprisingly, digital and technological, Prensky says. But while

it includes software, hardware, robotics, nanotechnology,

genomics, etc. it also includes the ethics, politics, sociology,

languages and other things that go with them. Content is

extremely interesting to todays students, says Prensky. But

he adds that natives still need to learn the core curriculum of

reading, writing, math and logical thinking.

The District School Improvement Team and Board of

Education have worked together to address these ideas during

two workshops. Furthermore, the school improvement teams at

each building are working to create school improvement plans to

address the changes occurring within the district and buildings.

Watch The Central Issue for more information about the

changing landscape of education.

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A night of science at CMUE4by SuSAn KoStEr, prInCIpAlEveryone at Central Montcalm Upper Elementary, A Night of

Science, held on February 24, had a night of fun and discovery.

Over 35 CMUE families joined in the activities after enjoying

a pizza dinner. The focus of the evening was on commonly held

misconceptions about the causes of the seasons and the phases of

the moon, ending with a hands-on activity where families made

models of the moons phases.

Using the models each family was able to actually see all the

moons phases from Earth! Many families commented afterwards

that this was great fun for the whole family! We at CMUE thought

so too, and thank you all for your participation!

New ways to Lear

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MACC preschoolhas openings

Montcalm Area Career Center Preschool hasopenings in our morning preschool sessionrunning from 8:15 to 10:00, Tuesday,Wednesdayand Thursday. Age appropriate activities andsnack provided for children ages 2 1/2 to 5 years.The cost is $25.00 per month. For an enrollmentpacket or more information call Dorothy or Lu

at (616) 2255720.

MEL.ORGDid you know that the state of Michigan

provides free research materials to all residents?Mel.org has a variety of resources, including fulltext newspapers and magazines.

You can prepare for an ACT test, work on your GED, practice for a cosmetology exam,improve your math skills or use any one of theother twenty three tests and tutorials. To use thesite, all you have to do is type in your driverslicense number.

CMCF offers

scholarshipsThe Central Montcalm Community

Foundation has over $6,000.00 in scholarshipsto award to qualied CM seniors. You maypick up an application in the counseling ofceor download one from the Web site: www.cmcommunityfoundation.org. Please contactKris Thwaites in the middle school library if

you have questions. The application deadline isMarch 29.

CommunityFoundation

The Central Montcalm Community

Foundation (CMCF) is interested in updatingalumni of Central Montcalm Public Schoolson their scholarships, grants and endowmentfunds. If you are having a reunion in 2009 andprovide us with a mailing list, we would behappy to mail information to your class.

If you are not having a reunion this year butare interested in these services, we can alsoprovide you with information. Please contactthe CMCF at (989) 289-2312.

MontcalmCentral Nursery

Montcalm Central Co-Op Nursery will behaving an open house on April 23 from 3:30-

6:30 p.m. in Stanton Elementarys room 3for all interested parents. There are openingsfor both mornings and afternoons. For moreinformation please contact Jeri Hardy at (989)831-0610.

Summer youthCMYL girls softball and boys baseball sign

ups are coming soon. Ages ve through eighthgrade can participate. Forms will be available inschool ofces soon, and you will be able to signup at the Education Showcase or March 28 atthe Sidney Township Hall from 10 a.m. 1 p.m.Mailin deadline is April 10. Questions? Pleasecall (989) 2483575.

Board hires Helms to stay at CMPS When Jake Helms agreed to

serve Central Montcalm as its

interim superintendent, he

had no idea that he would be

coming out of retirement for

more than a year.

On Saturday, January 31,

the Central Montcalm Public

School Board of Education

voted 60 to offer Helms a

contract that will run through

June 30, 2011.

Helms earned a Bachelor of Science

and Master of Arts Degrees from Central

Michigan University and started his

career as a history and geography teacher

at Vestaburg Community Schools. He

then served as high school principal at

Baraga Area Schools in Michigans upper

peninsula.

Next, he held superintendent positionsat Bergland Community Schools, Brimley

Area Schools, Hart Public Schools, and

the Manistee Intermediate School District.

He retired from the Michigan Education

system in 2003.

Project Prom enters fourth yearThe Knights of Columbus of the Edmore

and Stanton area voted unanimously to

donate $850.00 to a Central Montcalm

High School project called Project Prom.

Jerry Winkler, former principal ofCMHS, presented the idea to the Knights of

Columbus in such a sincere manner it was

hard to say no.

Project Prom started before he retired, so

he had seen the results of the program and

wanted to help support

the project.

The program began

about four years ago when

Cathy Scott presented the

idea to Christine Nanzer.

The mission of Project

Prom is to allow special

education students in

eleventh and twelfth

grade who may have

barriers, to attend their

local Prom Celebration.

Scott found clothing,

shoes, and accessories

for students. Nanzer

started fundraising to

buy tickets and pay for

dinner. They had so much

fun helping the kids and

dancing at prom they

decided to continue.

Nanzer said, Cathy really has a knack fo

nding great deals on clothing and recruitin

others to help accomplish what she sets he

mind to do. She has recruited her familmembers Millie King, Marie Jeffers, Deor

Jeffers, and Mae Loper to help the girls with

their hairstyles and painting nails.

The girls look so lovely, and the specia

attention helps add to a memorable night.

thak you Kihs of Columus! Chris nazer, Depuy grad nihFly, ad Mary bovee.

Since that time, he and

his wife, Barb, have been

traveling for her job. She is

a respiratory therapist and

worked for an agency tha

places medical personnel

in temporary assignments

throughout the country.The Helms have two grown

sons, Todd, who is teaching

in Hulett, Wyoming, and

Scott, who is attending Upper

Iowa University in Fayette, Iowa.

Helms roots are in this community. He

says that he and his wife are happy and

proud to have a history and an association

with Central Montcalm. They are living in

the house at Clifford Lake that we lived

in 35 years ago. I guess you really can go

home again!

Helms says his educational philosophyhas always been and will continue to be

doing whats best for kids.

By striving for educational excellence at

all levels, I believe that we can make our

great school even better, Helms said.


7/8

Free Throw contest at CMHSSeven boys and girls from Central

Montcalm, ages 10 and 14, were named local

champions of the 2009 Knights of Columbus

International Free Throw Championship

and earned the right to compete next at the

district level.

Knights of Columbus Council #7585, in

Stanton, sponsored the local competition at

Central Montcalm High School. A total of

16 students took part in the competition on

Saturday, January 24.

The winners in the girls division were

10yearold Mackenzie Barnwell, 11

yearold Brooke Schneider and 14year

old Alexandra Barnwell. Winners in the

boys division were 10yearold Hunter

VeltKamp, 11yearold Kenyon Heether,

12yearold Todd Switzer, and 13year

old William Plavan.

The Knights of Columbus Free Throw

Championship is sponsored annually by theK of C and consists of competition at the

local, district and state levels. International

champions are determined based on scores

at the state competitions.

Last year more than 199,000 boys

and girls participated in 2,990 local

competitions.

Prizes for the winners were donated by

Meijer, Inc. of Greenville. Thank you to high

school students Jackie Swanson and Jacob

Wright, who helped with the competition.

tursday, Aril 2, 20096 8 .m.

Cenral Moncalm Middle/hig Scool camus

Annual EducationShowcase

to CeleraeStudent Success

picured lr (fron row) todd Swizer, Kenyonheeer, huner VelKam (ack row) Alexandrabarnwell, brooke Scneider, Mackenzie barnwell,and William plavan.

March 21 at CMMS

Beginning at 8 a.m.

Must be in fourth grade

or older to participate

$50 per 8person team

Deadline to signup is

March 15

Call Tammy at (989)

613-0624 for more

information

This is a fundraiser for

Sixth Grade Camp 2010!

Thanks for your helpand support!


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Central Issue PROOF 1