Alma Schrader Elementary

• Alma Schrader was pleased to host the Realtor’s Breakfast on November 6. Over 50 realtors attended the breakfast along with staff from the Central Administrative Office. Presentations were made by Dr. Jim Welker and Board president, Kyle McDonald. Fourth grade students under the direction of music teacher, Ms. Rebecca Gentry, presented musical selections. Students highlighted our Character Education program through their songs. Ms. Julia Unnerstall, guidance counselor at Alma Schrader, provided receptionists, escorts, and tour guides through her Fourth Grade Character Council Ambassador program. It was such an honor to host this breakfast and let our realtors have a glimpse of a day at Alma Schrader.
• The fourth grade choir has been very busy since November. The choir has sung at West Park Mall, Downtown Merchants Christmas on Main Street and to a very active senior citizen’s group. The choir will be traveling on December 15 for a “Tour of Cape”. The choir will be performing in the lobby and cafeteria at St. Francis Hospital. First Missouri State Bank, Chateau Girardeau and then the Central Administrative Office. Finally, the Choir will perform one last time on Thursday, December 18 at West Park Mall in front of Old Navy.
• The third grade classes will be presenting “Santa Goes Green” at the PTA meeting Tuesday, December 16, with an encore performance on Thursday, December 18 at 10:00.
• Students collected canned food for FISH for their November service project. For December students are collecting hats/mittens/gloves/scarves for the Salvation Army and items for the Humane Society. Our Christmas tree was totally covered by the hats/mittens/gloves/scarves.

 

Barbara Blanchard Elementary

• On December 4, Blanchard hosted visitors for “Blanchard Reads”.  Blanchard’s guests were Mrs. Laurie Everett, owner of Annie Laurie’s Antiques, Mrs. Ellen Dillon, SEMO professor, Ms. Faune Riggins, KZIM, Mrs. Sharee Galnore, Cape Girardeau Police Department, Dr. Jim Welker, Superintendent, Dr. Greg Leet, Optometrist, Dr. Tahsin Khalid, SEMO professor, Dr. Sean Byrd, veterinarian, Dr. Jim Morgan, psychologist, Mr. John Heisserer, attorney, Rev. Jim Cooper, minister, Father Patrick Nwokoye, priest, Mr. Sam Blackwell, SEMO professor, Mrs. Polly Cotner, retired SEMO librarian, Mr. Paul Fortner, vice-president of Rapco Horizon, Mrs. Raina Childers, dietician, and Mrs. Oralee Poteete, psychologist/ counselor, The guests each visited a classroom to discuss the book, Champ. After the classroom visit, a reception was hosted in the library by the students.
• Students are busy earning punches on their Holiday Gift Cards. When the card has twelve punches, the student may purchase a free gift at the Holiday Store. Gifts are given to family members or other loved ones. Punches are earned by making good choices, studying hard, reading, doing homework, preparing for tests, being kind to others, etc.
• Our Christmas music program featured first and second graders. Karen Bowles, music teacher, conducted the program entitled, “The Backwards, Upside-Down Night Before Christmas.” 
• Our second graders are learning each and every day in new and exciting ways. One target area is vocabulary. The classroom and communications arts teachers are incorporating vocabulary activities in every content area, reinforced by word wall games, corner activities, and numerous other strategies.  Pre- and post-assessment data is collected over the 12 words selected for each month. As culminating activities, the students will participate in two language based field trips rich in vocabulary experiences.

 

Charles Clippard Elementary

• We had a fantastic holiday program on Tuesday, December 2 with our first and second grade students performing “Christmas at the OK Corral” complete with Bubble Gum Bart and Candy Cane Kate.  Our third and fourth grade choir members also sang beautifully as they treated us to several holiday songs.  A big thank you to Debbie Kyle, our music teacher, for all of her hard work.
• The third and fourth grade choir members sang at the mall on Thursday, December 4 at 10:30.  This is a great way to show the public how hard these students work.  The choir is a voluntary group that meets after school every Monday to practice.
• Over 200 people attended Movie Night on November 18.  We had a great time watching “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving” and “Mayflower Voyagers” while enjoying free popcorn. 
• Our fourth grade students will be selling candy canes to raise money for their spring field trips to Jefferson City and St. Louis.  Students may purchase candy canes for other students and include a holiday message for $1.00.  The candy canes will be delivered on December 18, our holiday party day.
• On Friday, December 19 we will have a time for singing holiday songs at 9:00 a.m.  Our choir will perform some of their songs, we will sing some Christmas carols, and someone will read “Twas the Night Before Christmas!”  This has become an annual tradition at Clippard and is enjoyed by one and all.

 

Franklin Elementary

• The Polar Express is returning to Franklin. Our first and second graders will be performing music from the movie Polar Express for our Winter Concert.  Hot chocolate and cookies are being served. In addition, the PTA is providing sacks filled with fruit and goodies.
• Our popular Gingerbread House and ornament making night is also scheduled for December. This is a popular event for our families as we generally make over 250 houses. The night is free for our families and offers a time to get to know each other better and build stronger relationships.
• Franklin is collecting canned foods along with hats, mittens, and scarves. The classroom that collects the largest amount will receive a special award.
• This is the eighth year for Franklin to host the “Christmas Store.” Students earn “Christmas Dollars” for good behavior, homework, and character pillars. The dollars are used to purchase a gift for a relative. Every student is allowed to pick out one gift. Volunteers wrap the gifts for the children.
• Our tutoring program is going full strength. Many thanks to our volunteers which consists of our A students, Big Brothers/ Big Sisters, and community volunteers.
• Franklin School will be hosting the “Winter Writing Festival” on Wednesday, December 17 from 12:30-2:30 pm. in the Franklin School gymnasium. Please join us as our proud author’s display their work.
• The “Brown Bag Book Club” is still on-going. Parents are invited to come and enjoy listening to a book and eat lunch with their child. Franklin received full funding through a Cape Foundation Grant so parent lunches could be paid for. The parent(s) and student have a choice of either a Brown Bag lunch or a cafeteria tray. They then go to the cozy book room to enjoy a story read by the literacy coach and participate in a book discussion.

 

Jefferson Elementary

• We are very happy to welcome The Bank of Missouri as our new partner in education. Employees from the bank have been working at Jefferson in our classrooms, book fair, and field trips. Two new basketball goals and art supplies have been purchased for our school by the Bank of Missouri. We know our relationship is going to be a long and lasting one and will benefit our Jefferson Tigers. Thank you Bank of Missouri!
• Jefferson’s PTA coupon card fundraiser raised over $3,000. The PTA will be purchasing DVD/VCR combos for all teachers. The PTA is also purchasing a new combo system for the library.
• Jefferson will host its annual Holiday Store on Wednesday, December 17. The students have been working hard to earn good behavior tickets. The tickets will be used to purchase Christmas presents for family members.
• On December 18, Jefferson will be hosting “Polar Express Night.”  All of our families are invited to an evening of fun. The movie “Polar Express” will be shown with students having to have their tickets punched by our conductor in order to get on board.

 

Central Middle School

• The Drama Club at Central Middle School was very excited to be a part of the Madrigal Feaste at Central High School on December 13^th. The Drama Club is new to Central Middle School this year. The students were responsible for the opening entertainment and entertainment during dessert. The Madrigal Feaste is a yearly event put on by the CHS choir department. Students from CMS were dressed in period costume and performed dialogues in medieval style. Students who performed were Rachel Bagby, Sierra Jones, Shelby Wilkerson, Kendra Gosche, Erica Scott, Sarah Boerboom, Olivia Bess, Mary Smith, Adrian Underwood, and Bella Sander. Adult sponsors Rhonda Young, Amanda Dugan and Katie Rose also performed. Currently students are working on five different Greek Myth plays which will be performed sometime after the first of the year.
• CMS teachers are still continuing to receive training on how to use the SmartBoards effectively. SmartBoards are being used to enhance student learning.
• Shere Khan, the recorder club, and the choir performed a holiday concert at the Westfield Mall on December 10.
• CMS students collected over 2400 canned goods for the Salvation Army.  Ms. Hardin’s class brought in the most cans with a total of 166 cans.

Central Junior High School

• On November 9, Andrea Anderson, Taylor Bain, LeShawn Jackson, Alexys Meyer, Ramsey Scott and Brandon Wells represented Central Junior High School as members of the 2008 Southeast Missouri All-District Choir.  The annual choral event was held on the campus of Southeast Missouri State University.  Over one hundred choral students selected from around the Southeast Missouri area performed in an afternoon concert at Academic Auditorium under the direction of Christy Elsea of Lebanon, Missouri. 
• We are so proud to have the following students make the Southeast Missouri All-District Concert Band during the month of November: Daniel Yang, Jeremy Edwards, Chad Robinson, Joy Mueller, Sydney Santschi, Alexis Meyer, Ashley Thornton, Allyson Busch, Courtney Monie, Matthew Clark, Teniya Williams, and Claire Herbst.  Alternates were: John Maltbie, Hanna Bagot, Ryan Watts, Luke Philliips and Haley Braswell.  Around 300 students auditioned at Jackson Middle school on November 4^th in order to qualify for a limited number of spots in the All-District Band.  The musicians performed a concert on November 13 at Sikeston Field House in Sikeston, MO.   
• The Jr. High Jazz Band performed at the West Park Mall on December 13^th.
• The Student Council sponsored the first dance of the year on Friday, November 14.  The students had a great time!
• Central Jr. High School held the second All School Science Olympiad Tournament on November 14 in the school gym.   Science Olympiad tournaments are competitions that consist of a series of team events.  These events bring science to life, show how science works, and emphasizes problem solving aspects of science as well as the understanding of science concepts.  All of the events require teamwork, group planning and cooperation, with the emphasis on learning, participation, interaction, having fun, and developing team spirit. The winners in the following categories were: Bottle Rockets (Uses Newton’s Laws of Motion to launch a two liter bottle filled with air or water.)- First place, Jennifer Boston, Jessica Cooner, Josh Lemons, Second place, Jameelah Woods, Jezmaraya Spence, DeVonce Patterson, Third place, Elise Hall, Elizabeth Greable, Christina Chavez. Bridges (Using engineering techniques and the Law’s of gravity.)- First place, Bailey Bliss, Jamal Cox, Emma Graham, Cicely Holder, Second place, Martez Carter, Blade Bannister, Tim Oats, Tyler Baker, Third place, Tristen Bartlett, Jacob Boerboom, Tesla Austin, Zoe Handley. Catapults (Using simple machines, potential and kinetic energy)- First place, Taylor Bain, Claire Herbst, Caroline Retter, Second place, Caleb Jones, Terrinisha Baker, Zenovia Nwosu, Third place, Makayla Anderson, Rachel Long, Courtney Limbaugh, Mission Possible (A Rube Goldberg device using simple machines to perform a simple task)- First place, Eleazar Edwrds, Nick Locke, Cassandra Morris, Emleeo Smith, Cory Ponder, Second place, Harlie Anderson, Jerry Buck, Kendra Kelch, Tanisha Watkins, Derek Nunnery, Third place, Lizzy Allen, Megan Heuring, Aiysha McReynolds, Brae Taylor, Paige Myrick; Vehicles (Using elastic energy to run an egg carton vehicle)-First place, Joe Scruggs, Daniel Yan, Austin Weissinger, Second place, Taylor Rinda, Chleo Legrand, Faith Tegal, Third place, Brittany Adams, Charles Huskey.

 

Central Junior High School

• The novel Twilight by Stephenie Meyer is extremely popular in the Central Jr. High Library. We even have a waiting list to check out the book. When the movie, based on the book, opened in theatres the CJHS Library decided to host “Twilight Week.” There were contests with prizes and students were able to dress up like their favorite character in the book or wear Twilight t-shirts, buttons and jackets. “Twilight Week” was featured on the KFVS 12 news segment “Making the Grade.” Students had a lot of fun, were excited about reading, and loved talking about their favorite parts in the book and how it might measure up in the movie.

 

Central High School

• Congratulations to our Cape Central Academic Department Students of the Month for December.                           Art-Leah Hughey, Business-Veda Riley, Communication Arts-Holly Teague, Family and Consumer Sciences-Jordan Sheets, Industrial Technology-Hunter Smith, Mathematics-Dalton Williams, Music-Garion Lovig,            Preparing for Academic Success-Danielle Swoboda, Physical Education and Health-Danielle Swoboda, Science-Jerica Moore, Social Studies- Sushil Sobti, World Languages-Josh Wen.
• We recently honored 88 of our sophomores, juniors and seniors for their academic success during the 2007-2008 academic year in the presentation of our academic letters and bars.   
• Congratulations to Cape Central vocalists Cat Goeke, Garion Lovig, Quitman McBride and Nate Nall and to Choral Director Dina Strickert on our kids being selected through audition for the Missouri All-State Choir.  They will appear at the Missouri State Convention at the Lake in January. 
• Congratulations to junior Sam Gramling and to Coach Dayna Powell on Sam’s success last weekend at the Missouri State Swimming and Diving Tournament.  This year, Sam won two seventh-place medals in the 200 and 500 freestyle to go with the seventh-place state medal he won last year as a sophomore. 
• Congratulations to Tiger Dance Team members Julie Mothershead, Rachel Berry, Harlie Waldon and to Coach Merritt Gerlach on our dancers being invited to dance in the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. 
• Congratulations to our Cape Central Women’s Cross-Country Team and to our coaches, Mark Hahn and Bryan Kelpe.  Our women’s team won our conference championship, and then they won our district championship, and then they won our sectional championship, and they concluded their season by placing third in the Missouri State Cross-Country Tournament.
• Our Cape Central Academic Competition Team defeated Rockwood Eureka in the championship round of the North St. Francis County Academic Invitational Tournament to finish in first place.  There were twenty teams entered in what will be one of the largest academic tournaments of the season including Jackson, Notre Dame and Poplar Bluff.  Top medalist for our Tiger scholars was Josh Wen who was joined by team members Garion Lovig, Beth Propst, Matt Pirtle and Sebastian Starrett in winning the tournament championship.  Congratulations also to our academic team coaches, Dr. Al Nicolai and Ms. Emily Limbaugh.

 

Career Technology Center

• The CTC and the Boy Scouts of America Shawnee District joined forces on Saturday, October 18 to work through requirements to earn merit badges. Merit badges were in metal works, energy, woodwork, electricity, electronics, auto mechanics and cinematography. Several volunteer CTC instructors lead the boys through the requirements using tools and equipment in the various shops. Thirty-seven boys went through the difference workshops and received a badge for completing the work in their field.
• Dean Whitlow, assistant director of CTC, was a presenter at the 15^th Annual Summit for Student Success Conference in Jefferson City. Mr. Whitlow was invited to present on the topic of students “Transitioning to Higher Education Opportunities”.
• The Cape Girardeau Conservation Nature Center sponsored a one-evening free workshop for families on building a bat house.  Mr. Eckley’s woodworking class prepared fourteen bat house kits for the workshop with plans and materials provided by the Conservation Department. The students worked on detailed measurements, angles, and cutting considerations to maximum material use.
• On Thursday, November 6, CTC dedicated and named the new annex. Over 100 family and friends were present at the dedication. The Martin L. Jansen Annex is located on the east side of CTC.