PRIDE TRIBE/Cents of Pride donations needed

Dear Cherokee Students and Families,
The Cherokee PTA and the newly formed "Pride Tribe" are excited to announce the beginning of a new community awareness project to assist the Cents of Pride program.
Your help is needed to provide donations of gently worn clothing, personal hygiene items, snacks, toys, and other "everyday" items that many of us take for granted.
Cents of Pride is a program dedicated to fulfilling the basic needs of students in Springfield elementary schools with extremely high percentages of children who receive free or reduced meal plans. Students earn "Behavior Bucks" each week by demonstrating appropriate behavior, responsibility, and by making good choices.
Working with school principals and sponsor schools, Cents of Pride sets up an in-school Pride Store for students to shop using their "Behavior Bucks." Store are stocked with donated items -- everything from clothes and shoes to toys and gifts. The students can shop for themselves or others and can spend or save their "Bucks" as they wish. Through the earning of "Behavior Bucks" to spend in a Pride Store, students experience a heightened sense of pride, self-confidence, and self-discipline.
The program was piloted last year at Weller Elementary with Disney serving as the sponsor school. The program has become a huge success and three more schools have Pride Stores: Bissett, Bowerman, and Campbell. The sponsor schools help to solicit
donations and provide PTA volunteers to work in each of the stores.
Cherokee will become the first middle school to join the program. CMS will be acting as a "floater" school. We will be collecting donations to be used at all schools with a Pride Store. PTSA is helping to promote the project, enlist volunteers, and solicit assistance from the business community.
We will immediately begin accepting donations and they can be turned in to the main office at Cherokee. You will continue to hear updates and donation requests throughout the year, so please check the website. Thank you in advance for your support of this unique and highly successful program!
Donations needed:
Hygiene items: shampoo/conditioner, toothpaste/toothbrush, deodorant 
Winter items: coats, gloves, scarves, snow boots
Sizes: boys/girls K-teen

Kim Acuff Cents of Pride
kacuff@yahoo.com
Bill Powers - Cherokee Principal
wtpowers@spsmail.org
Carrie Fain - PTSA President

Domino's Night

It's Domino's Night again CMS families!
Remember Cherokee receives $1 for every pizza sold when you tell Domino's it is for Cherokee. Plus, mention your student's homeroom teacher's name and the top two homerooms receive a pizza party.
Have a great week!
Bill

Tis the Season!

For giving!
We have several students/groups here at Cherokee Middle School working throughout the community to help brightening others holiday season.
Our 7th graders (340+ students) are currently collecting food, toiletries, cleaning products, and other items to help Ozarks Food Harvest.
Our National Junior Honor Society students are ringing the bell for the Salvation Army on Dec. 7, 8, and 9 at CPO in Springfield. These students are also participating in the Adopt-a-Senior project with the Office on Aging.
Finally, Cherokee Middle School is in the early stages of forming our Pride Tribe. The Pride Tribe will be promoting and collecting various items to supplement Pride Stores in various elementary schools in Springfield. This project started last year with Disney Elementary adopting Weller Elementary and created the Weller Pride Store. 
More information to come soon from the Pride Tribe.
If you have any questions or would like to help in any way with any of these projects you can call me at 523-7210 or email wtpowers@spsmail.org
I hope you all have a wonderful Holiday Season!
Bill Powers

Thanksgiving!

Cherokee families,
We have arrived at a very well deserved break for students and families - Thanksgiving.
I hope you all have a safe and peaceful Thanksgiving!
Bill

Important Message from SPS

We want to make you aware of information we received regarding a man who allegedly exposed himself to students on their way to school. Students reported that he was driving a black or dark blue sport utility vehicle. When he stepped out of his vehicle he was not wearing pants. The incidents occurred south of Republic Road and east of Fremont Avenue.
School Police Officers, Springfield Police Department and Greene County Sheriff's Department are investigating.
If you or your students notice any suspicious activity, please contact local law enforcement officials immediately.
We encourage you to take this opportunity to discuss safety with your children.

Another busy week at CMS

Cherokee families,
Here is a quick rundown of this week's events:
Tuesday - NJHS (National Junior Honor Society) induction ceremony. 
Dominos Pizza night - Cherokee received $1 for every pizza sold Nov. 9th when you mention CMS.
Thursday - Veteran's Day Assembly at 8:15. CMS has been raising funds to send WWII veteran's to Washington, D.C. to view memorial. To date we have raised $1800 for Ozarks Honor Flight.
Friday - Fall Harvest Dance in the gym.
If you have any questions or concerns please email me or give me a call.
Have a great week!
Bill

Conference Week

CMS Families,
This week is Parent/Teacher conference week. Several of you have signed up for Monday night (Nov. 1) and Wednesday night (Nov. 3). If you haven't and would like a conference please call the main office at 523-7200 to schedule one. If those dates/times don't work please feel free to email or call your child's teachers any time you need to schedule a conference.
As always feel free to call or email if you have any questions or concerns.
Have a great week,
Bill

Report Cards and MAP scores

Cherokee families,
Today we sent home the 1st quarter Report Cards and MAP scores from last spring.
If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to email your student's teachers or call us at 523-7200.
Have a wonderful weekend.
Bill

City Champions!

Congratulations to our 8th grade football team and Coach Ross and his staff on an undefeated season and All-City Championship!
I would also like to congratulate both 7th grade teams and Coach Byrne, Coach Brown, Coach Williams and their staff for great seasons as well.
All three of our teams were fun to watch and see them develop as young men over the course of the eight game season.
Thank you parents and families for an incredible football season as well.
Bill

Congrats!

Congratulations to both of our Lady Indian basketball teams on great seasons! Both teams brought home a 2nd place finish Saturday at Glendale. We are all very proud of these young ladies!

Championship Finals

Congrats to both the 7th and 8th grade Lady Indians! They will both be playing for the All-City Championship Saturday at Glendale High School. The 7th grade game is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. and the 8th grade game will follow. Good luck ladies!

National Day of Writing

Wednesday, October 20th is National Day of Writing. Our students have been working in their Communication Arts classes by answering the question - What I've Learned So Far. The students then placed this sentence on a sentence strip and each team has posted them on the walls around school. Today each team will have a gallery walk to see how other students answered the question.
Happy National Day of Writing!

Tournament Time

Congrats to both our 7th and 8th grade Lady Indian basketball teams and Coach Gray and Coach Dunn for claiming the top seed during the regular season. Both teams will be at home Tuesday with 7th grade playing at 3 p.m. and the 8th grade to follow.
Both squads will be playing at Cherokee again on Thursday and the tournament will conclude Saturday at Glendale High School. I will post updates this week to let you know game times.
Have a great Monday!

Busy Week Ahead

Hello CMS families. I hope you all enjoyed the beautiful weather this weekend. 
This week is another busy one at CMS with sporting activities, meetings, fundraisers, and a special guest.
Monday is our final regular season basketball game. 8th grade is home to take on the Reed Beavers while 7th grade will be at Reed.
Monday is also the kick-off of the Music Department fundraiser. Please help support the band, orchestra, and choir!
Tuesday at 9 a.m. is our monthly PTSA meeting in the cafeteria.
Tuesday is also CMS Domino's Pizza night. Order from Domino's on Republic Road and mention it is for Cherokee and give your student's homeroom teacher name so CMS will earn $1 per pizza. Our goal this month is 200. Thank you in advance.
Thursday author Roland Smith will be at Cherokee for two assemblies in the gym. He will be speaking to our 6th and 7th graders at 8:30 a.m. and our 8th graders at 10:15 a.m.  CMS families are invited to attend. Mr. Smith's visit is made possible by proceeds earned from the Book Fair.
Thursday evening our football teams are back in action after all three squads won last week. This week the 7th and 8th grade White teams play Study at KHS and the 7th grade Maroon team will play Pershing at Parkview.
I hope everyone has a Happy Monday!
 

School Picture Time

It is that time of year again families. Yes - School Pictures!
Students were given order forms at the end of the day Monday and pictures will be taken Wednesday morning in the commons area.

On the athletic side of things basketball is coming to an end very shortly. There are just two games remaining before the tournament begins the week of Oct. 18th. The 7th graders last home game is Wednesday vs. Pershing and the 8th graders final home contest is Monday, Oct. 11 vs. Reed. Both teams have had tremendous regular seasons and continue to work towards an All-City Championship.

We still have 4 more football games to go this season. This week the 7th and 8th grade White teams play Jarrett at Parkview and the 7th grade Maroon team plays Pleasant View at Hillcrest. 
Good luck the rest of the way Indians!!!

Progress Reports

Cherokee families,
Progress reports are being sent home today (Thursday, Sept. 30). This provides you a look at your students progress through the first six weeks of school.
Remember you can keep up with your child's grades by accessing them through eSchoolPlus+. If you haven't picked up your log-in and password you may do so anytime in the main office.
Remember we do not have school Friday, Oct. 1 as teachers will be participating in Professional Development.


Respectfully,
Bill Powers

MSIP Parent Survey

Cherokee Families,
I hope that each of you is doing well.
Your student should have brought home a Missouri School Improvement Program (MSIP) survey on Monday evening. If they didn't please let us know as we have extras in the main office.
This survey is 59 questions and should not take more than 10 minutes to complete. Your honest opinions are very important to us.
Please complete and return this survey before October 15.
If you have any questions or concerns please email me or call any time.
Thanks,
Bill Powers

My First Post

Cherokee families,
   I have decided to try this blog as a tool to keep you updated and informed about events and happenings at Cherokee Middle School.
   This week our Girl's basketball team plays Carver tonight (Monday, Sept. 27) and Pleasant View on Wednesday, Sept. 29. Seventh grade plays at Cherokee both nights and the 8th graders are on the road. Our football teams will be in action Thursday night with the White 7th and 8th grade teams playing Carver at Kickapoo. The 7th grade Maroon team will be playing Study at Parkview.
   Progress Reports will be sent home on Thursday.
   There will be NO SCHOOL for students on Friday, Oct. 1. Teachers will be participating in professional development.
   If you haven't picked up your log-in and password for the new eSchoolPlus+ Home Access Center, formerly STI, they are now available in the main office.
   If you have any questions or concerns please call us at 523-7200 or email me at wtpowers@spsmail.org

Bill Powers
Principal
Cherokee Middle School