News from Centennial Middle School
February 15, 2024
Centennial Middle School
Website: www.isd12.org/cms
Location: 399 Elm Street, Lino Lakes, MN, USA
Phone: 763-792-5400
Dates to Remember
Friday, February 16th:
- NO SCHOOL (Staff Development Day)
Monday, February 19th:
- NO SCHOOL (Presidents' Day)
Tuesday, February 20th: B Day
Wednesday, February 21st: A Day
Thursday, February 22nd: B Day
Friday, February 23rd: A Day
Direct Drive Fundraiser February 12th through March 4th!
2024 CMS Academic Booster Fundraiser
We make it easy. No bake sales, no selling, no discount cards! This is the only fundraiser we do for CMS! The Direct Drive Fundraiser goes from Monday, February 12th to Monday, March 4th.
Funds received will provide classroom materials, celebrations for students and staff, and technology to enhance academic learning.
Please complete the attached form and have your child return it to their MDS teacher by Monday, March 4th. Paper copies of the forms are also available in MDS classrooms or from the school office.
Returned forms with a parent signature, regardless of a donation, will be entered into a drawing for a pizza party for a lucky student from each grade level and their whole MDS class!
All MDS classes that have 100% participation will also be entered into a separate drawing for an additional pizza party or DQ Dilly Bars! 100% participation just means that all students returned their Direct Drive form signed by a parent. No donation is necessary.
Thank you for supporting Centennial Middle School!
Messages from Principal Stevens
Caffeinated Beverages
Specific to the impacts on learning and attendance, please be reminded that we do not allow caffeinated beverages for students at Centennial Middle School during the academic school day. We have drinking fountains throughout the building for students to use between classes. This expectation reminder is related to the wellness of students and to eliminate a considerable number of impacts to the school day. The following are some examples of the impacts that led to this decision a few years ago:
- Significant visits to the health office with stomach aches, dizziness, and other issues from students not eating a meal before school and then drinking caffeinated beverages and high sugar drinks on empty stomachs.
- Significant visits to the counseling office due to during-the-day anxiety. We found that some students who were anxious were consuming high caffeinated and/or high sugar-based drinks with or without their parents’ permission.
- Loss of “seat” time during instruction. Students who brought large beverages to school were often asking to leave classrooms to take bathroom breaks rather than using the natural hallway transition time.
- Students bringing in these types of beverages and sharing them with other students without parents’ knowledge. Some students have tried to sell these caffeinated drinks to other students as well.
For these reasons we went back to the basics.
Can students have these items during lunch?
We do not deliver caffeinated beverages to students if they are dropped off in the office, but what you put in your child’s lunch bag is up to you. They will not be allowed to leave the lunchroom with them, however.
Can students have these drinks during AM Supervision?
Students arriving to the before-school supervision program often bring things to eat and drink from home. While we are not going to stop students from bringing things in during AM Supervision, they will not be bringing them into classrooms.
Make-Up Work
Please remember it is the child’s and family’s responsibility to go to Schoology and/or Campus to access the assignments and work that was missed for extended absences. Teachers typically give a couple of extra days for students to turn in make-up work; and they oftentimes make special concessions for long projects.
We are using the supports we have in place for struggling and at-risk learners; and we do not have the bandwidth to help families do make-ups for vacations or trips. Please also remind your child that they can work on their make-up work during Mid-Day Studies and can connect with their teachers if needed through Schoology.
Thank you for helping us to prioritize our resources to meet learners’ needs.
Last chance to order your 2023-24 CMS Yearbook is quickly approaching!
Mrs. Duffy, the Yearbook Advisor, has been working hard to ensure everyone who wants to be in the yearbook has a spot. To guarantee your student has a book of memories, order yours by February 29th!
Don’t miss out on the limited-edition collection of our stories from the year. Share it with your friends and hang on to it for years to come. Remember, we do not order extra yearbooks at CMS. Only those who pre-order are guaranteed a book!
Personalization ordering is officially closed. To guarantee a book, orders need to be placed by February 29th. Order yours today! Visit jostens.com/2024yearbook or scan the QR Code .
Centennial Fishing Team
“Do you love to fish? Have you ever wondered what it would be like to fish competitively? If so, you might consider joining the Centennial Fishing Team. There will be an informational/registration meeting for the 2024 season on Wednesday, February 21 at 7pm in the West Learning Commons at Centennial High School. Please email srasmussen@isd12.org if you have any questions.”
2024-2025 Varsity Cheerleading Tryouts!
Open Tryouts for Sideline Team for Grades 9th-12th
**Dance, Sideline Chants, Jumps, and Stunting
Open Tryouts for Competition Team for Grades 8th-12th
**Dance, Motions, Jumps, and Stunting
March 4th and March 5th, 3:30-5:30 pm in CHS West Cafe.
Learning Materials March 7th, 3:30-5:30 pm, CHS West Cafe. Tryout Day!!
Tryout results will be sent March 8th by 12 pm via email.
**Experience**
Dance?? Gymnastics? Cheer?? No experience??
Interested in being a part of the 2024-2025 Varsity Cheerleading Team??
Please fill out our Tryout Registration Form before March 3rd:
District News
Centennial Preschool Registration Opens March 1
The Centennial School District offers high-quality part-day and full-day preschool experiences. Preschool classes are designed to prepare students, ages 3-5, and families for success in kindergarten, practicing both academic and social skills in a “learning-through-play” philosophy. Full-day classrooms are located at each of the elementary schools in the Centennial School District; part-day classrooms are at the Early Childhood Center. Our preschool has earned a 4 Star Parent Aware Rating. Registrations received between March 1 and March 22 will be included in the placement lottery. Registration will remain open after the lottery for remaining seats. Program and registration information can be found on the district’s website.
District Survey Reminder
We want to hear from you! Reminder to parents/guardians to complete the district’s annual survey. The survey is short—takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. The survey is open until Sunday, February 18, 9:00pm.
Middle School Track & Field
Attention all Centennial Middle Schoolers! Are you interested in competing against other middle schools around the area by running, jumping, and throwing? Then Track is for you. Come join the Centennial Middle School Track team. You can participate in a number of events and compete in four to five Track Meets! Sixth, Seventh, and Eighth graders are welcome!
Community Education
Happening soon:
Mar. 15- Actor’s Workshop and Monologue Cabaret (gr. 6-12)
Mar. 18- Middle School Archery (gr. 6-8)
Mar. 19- Middle School CoderZ League (gr. 7-8)
Middle School Cougar Strength (gr. 7-8)
Mar. 20- Small Group Fitness-Females (gr. 6-8)
Mar. 21- Fencing (gr. 2-8)
Apr. 2- Middle School Track & Field (gr. 6-8)
Go online to view all activities and to register: www.isd12.org/community-education.
Welcome to the Digital Backpack!
Welcome to the Digital Backpack, the district’s central posting place for community flyers. If you have questions regarding these programs, please contact the organizations directly. Click HERE to browse the Digital Backpack.
Roof Replacement at Centennial Middle School
Starting later this spring and throughout the summer, the Centennial Middle School roof will be replaced. To complete this large project before the first day of school in September, the first stage of the roof replacement will begin in early May, weather permitting. Materials will be delivered, and to minimize learning disruptions for students, the roofing crew will begin work on the non-classroom areas of the school during the last few weeks of the school year. Thank you for your patience as we complete this necessary work. If you have any questions, please contact the Centennial Middle School office. Please note, programming typically held at Centennial Middle School over the summer will be relocated. Participants will receive communication regarding information and details.
Reporting Student Absences
Student absence requests are now submitted through Campus Parent Portal. An “Attendance Request” link will be found on the Parent Hub on your school website for easy access to the Portal and resources to assist. The direct link can be found here: https://www.isd12.org/departments/technology/campus-attendance
Helpful links:
Parent Portal Login Assistance
For attendance reporting questions, please email Sara Verke at sverke@isd12.org.
E-Hall Passes and Early Releases
If you need to pick your child up from school before the end of the school day, please make sure you fill out an Attendance Request in Campus Parent Portal. Students will then receive an appointment pass in E-Hallpass. Please remind your child to check their E-Hallpass every hour.
Unless it's a last-minute emergency, please also give your student a reminder before they go to school if you are picking them up early. As a second scoop, you are welcome to text them if they have a cell phone, as most students check their phones between class periods and at lunch. You may also email your child using their school email address as well.
Centennial Resource Locker
The Centennial School District has compiled a wide variety of resources for our students, families, and greater community. These resources include mental health, learning and enrichment, services specific to our aging population, crisis, where to find economic assistance and much, much more. You can find these resources on our district website here.
"Week at a Glance" Links on MS Website
Schoology vs. Campus -- Parent Accounts
24/7 Free Academic Support for Students in Grade 6-12
Centennial School District has partnered with Paper to provide free, 24/7 access to 1-on-1 tutoring and writing support for students in grade 6-12. Through federal relief funds, we are able to provide additional academic support for students. Students can access this online tutor via the chat function. The app is available on student Chromebooks. For more information about Paper, click here.
Food Services Information & Menus
Click here for all Nutrition Services information, as well as lunch and breakfast menus.