Wildcat Pride                    November 17, 2015
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It seems the weather has taken a turn and we are heading towards some colder weather.   CLMS is celebrating a "Novembeard Fundraiser" in honor of middle school math teacher Jim Sauerbry and other cancer survivors - look for some follow-up photos at the end of the month of some fairly scruffy-looking teachers.  The first round of parent-teacher conferences has wrapped up, a long with the first book fairs. Hopefully you picked up something new to read...next to a roaring fire...in your comfy chair...mmm, winter.

Veterans Honored Across the District

Each year Chisago Lakes School District honors Veteran's Day in ways big and small. Here are a couple of things that happened last week...CLHS opened its doors to the public with a Veteran's Day Program that included the school choir and band; teacher Bryon Rogers facilitated the program and reminded students of the sacrifices made on their behalf, and guest speaker Colonel Loren Hubert highlighted the connection that we all have to veterans near and far.  Oh, and there's a video...thanks to Liz Valeen at the high school for putting it together.


At the middle school, Mrs. Hawkinson's Minnesota History class created a flag from notes they made. There are a few more pictures.  At Taylors Falls Elementary the students and staff welcomed veterans and their families to come in for coffee and cookies.  There are pictures from that as well. And, s ome of our school community even made it out into the larger community for a special Veteran's Day dinner at Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church. The choir sang and the administrators served...and, yes - there are pictures.
Award winners attended a banquet in St. Cloud on November 4th to receive their awards through Resource Training & Solutions.
        LEEA Awards Program 

For the past 24 years, teachers have been recognized with Leaders in Educational Excellence Awards.  This year's recipients were: Kerry Zupko from the Primary (pictured with Principal Brenda Schell), Peggy Johnson from the Family Center (pictured alone), Barb Holm from Taylors Falls Elementary (pictured with Principal Jason Riebe),  Sarah  Schmidt,  District Curriculum and Communications Director; Kellee Knutson, Middle School English; Melissa Lideen, High School Social Studies; and Shelley Wilmer from Lakeside Elementary (pictured left to right with Superintendent Joe Thimm).   Read more...

Season of Giving: Food and Clothing Drives Making a Difference
As we approach the holidays, various sites in the district are putting in some extra time to collect items to make things a little better for those in the community.   Students and staff at the Chisago Lakes Education Center participated in SOCKTOBER.  Socktober is an initiative started by Kid President to bring needed supplies to children in shelters.  Students and staff had a goal of collecting 100 pair of new socks to donate to a local homeless shelter.  Students at Pathway to Change made posters, did a Math Lab with the socks, kept a "Sock Tally,"  and  were able to "purchase" socks using their points that they earn using the Boys Town Motivational System.   Students not only reached their goal of 100 pair of socks, they surpassed it by collecting 140 pair.   

Taylors Falls Elementary is doing a Funds for Friends drive to get turkeys to families in need. The Primary is collecting cake mixes and canned pumpkin - and have reached about 100 items of their 300 item goal. Lakeside will have their Teen Toy Drive starting next week, and the middle school completed their first Compassion Drive, while at the high school NHS participated in We Scare Hunger on Halloween collecting 987 lbs of goods from the community for the local food shelf.

On the calendar:

Nov. 17: PTO Fundraiser Night at the Northern - mention the PTO      and 10% of your pretax bill will go back to the schools!

Nov. 18: Superintendent's Office Hours from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

Nov. 19-22: Grease at CLHS


Nov. 25-27: Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL

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