Cardinal Connections Newsletter

DISTRICT WEBSITE I DISTRICT FACEBOOK I DISTRICT INSTAGRAM I JOIN OUR TEAM

We have some exciting updates regarding the Home Run for the Future capital campaign!

• WE HAVE SURPASSED THE HALFWAY MARK-Check out our progress tracker below!
• LOOKING FOR A TAX DEDUCTION?- If you are interested in making a 2024 tax-deductible donation, you have 20 more days to do so!
• FLEXIBLE GIVING OPTIONS-This campaign also offers donors the flexibility to make pledge commitments over a period of up to five years (for donations of $25,000+), maximizing the impact of your generosity while providing extended tax benefits.

As you will remember, the Home Run for the Future capital campaign began with an incredible $750,000 donation from the late George Lilleston, a CHS Class of 1958 graduate. The remaining funds are needed through donations and pledges by January 15, 2025. The complex is set to open in the Spring of 2026.

• If you have any questions, please reach out to foundation@clintoncardinals.org
• Visit our website to learn more-www.clintoncardinals.org/district_/a_home_run_for_the_future

At the November 25th Board of Education meeting, the school board reviewed and approved construction bids for the bond projects included in the April 2024 Zero-Tax Levy Increase Bond package. This approval represents a significant and exciting milestone in the bond's progress. And even better news….the bids came in at the estimated costs, ensuring the district can move forward as planned.

Construction crews will soon be visible at various school buildings as work begins. As a reminder, all district buildings will benefit from updates and improvements. These projects include:

• Classroom and restroom renovations and additions
• Parking lot enhancements
• Cafeteria and gymnasium updates
• Safety upgrades
• Building settlement repairs
• Playground improvements
• And more

Clinton Technical School EMT students recently had the opportunity to explore career options with tours of the Clinton Fire Department and Golden Valley EMS. A huge thank you to these supportive community partners for taking the time to answer questions and inspire future professionals.

Next stop.....the hospital, as these students gear up to begin their career clinicals this month!

See more pictures here.

In November, Mrs. Taylor's 7th grade Computer Literacy students explored the world of coding! Starting with block and python coding, they quickly leveled up their skills by programming Sphero Bolts.

Coding is the process of giving computers instructions using specialized languages, allowing students to design, build, and control technology in innovative ways.

See more pictures here.

Last school year, CHS student, Xavier Mason was the winner of the annual student council sponsored Mr. CHS event. The winner of this event chooses a charity to donate the proceeds to and Xavier chose the Samaritan Center. Recently, he had the opportunity to deliver the check.

Interested in supporting this annual event? Good news....Mr. CHS is right around the corner on December 19th. See the "Infos and Reminders" section for more information.

Seventh graders in Mrs. Combs' class have been mastering integer addition with a fun and challenging Integer Game! Students strategized to trade cards and get their score as close to zero as possible, helping them define additive inverses like 8 + (-8) = 0. This hands-on learning paves the way for mental math skills when adding positive and negative numbers.

Check out the winning scores and their smiling faces here.

First graders have been diving into the frosty world of Arctic animals! Last week, they explored how blubber keeps animals warm by using a fun hands-on experiment with Crisco and ice water.

Students also learned about Arctic habitats, survival features, and categorized animals by traits like living on land, in water, or both.

Each class chose an Arctic animal to research and started creating dioramas. Once completed, the first-grade hall transformed into a gallery showcasing their amazing work.

See more pictures here.

Last week, Clinton High School students were provided the opportunity to attend the first ever SFCC & GVMH Health Science Exploration Day.

Students started the day at State Fair Community College in Clinton, rotating through informational health science sessions, completing hands-on activities to learn more about what each pathway entails, and ending with lunch. The afternoon consisted of touring Golden Valley Memorial Hospital, GVMH Clinton Therapy Services, and Bourland Radiation and Oncology Center. At each location, students learned more about different career opportunities within the healthcare industry, and most importantly, the exceptional impact that healthcare workers have on their patients and in the community.

A huge thank you to Mindy Beebe at SFCC for organizing this amazing event and both SFCC and GVMH for providing our students with an exceptional learning experience throughout the entire day.

See more pictures here.

Clinton School District students have been working hard and are looking forward to sharing their musical talents with their family, friends, and our community on the dates below.

• CMS Band Concert, December 15th @ 3:00 @ CHS PAC
• CHS Band Concert, December 15th @ 4:30 @ CHS PAC
• Henry Elementary 2nd Grade Program, December 18th @ 6:30 @ CHS PAC
• CIS Choristers Concert, December 19th @ 6:00 @ CIS

Mr. CHS, the annual Clinton High School pageant show, is Thursday, December 19th. Join us at 7:00 in the Clinton High School Performing Arts Center (PAC).

This is always a fun night with all money raised going to the winner's charity of choice!

The 4th annual Clinton & Sherwood Dunk On Cancer basketball games will be held on January 3rd.

This year the game will be held in Sherwood and we would love to see the bleachers packed with Clinton and Sherwood fans wearing this year's Dunk on Cancer shirts (order link below). There will also be a soup/chili dinner and other events at the game to help raise funds. Proceeds will be donated to the Dr. James and JoAnn Bourland Radiation Oncology Center in Clinton. The online store below closes December 15th.

ORDER HERE

The games on January 3rd are scheduled for the times below:

Boys JV-5:00

Girls Varsity-6:00

Boys Varsity-7:30

As we enter the winter months, it's important for families to review the district's inclement weather procedures.

If school must be canceled due to inclement weather, the district will make every effort to notify parents by 5:30 am (these communication methods are outlined below). We encourage all families to develop contingency plans if school must be canceled or released early. It is especially important to have plans for younger children who are too young to stay home alone.

When school remains in session during winter weather, please plan for potential bus delays. The bus company may use snow routes if most roads are safe for travel but some rural roads are not. Parents are also encouraged to ensure their children dress appropriately for protection against prolonged exposure to cold weather.

During the 2024-2025 school year, inclement weather school closures in the Clinton School District will result in a virtual instruction day, also referred to as AMI days. AMI stands for Alternative Methods of Instruction. This means that students will learn at home on that day, and the school day will not be made up later in the year. Schools are allowed 36 hours of AMI days a year. ****Please note that each student's attendance on an AMI day is based on their completion of assignments from their teachers. Assignments must be submitted the first day school is in session after an AMI day, or students will be counted absent for the AMI day.****

Below are the AMI plans for each building:
CECC-Google Classroom or learning packets. Teachers will communicate expectations with parents.
Henry-Learning packets will be sent home prior to a possible AMI day.
CIS-Learning packets will be sent home prior to a possible AMI day.
CMS-Teachers will communicate the expectations with students, or learning packets will be sent home prior to a possible AMI day.
CHS-Google Classroom
CTS-Google Classroom

Also, here is a quick refresher on how the district will communicate school closures with you:
SOCIAL MEDIA-The first notification you will receive about a school closure will come from our district's social media pages (Facebook and Instagram).
TEXT, EMAIL, AND PHONE-This will quickly be followed by a text message, email, and phone call. The successful delivery of this information is dependent upon accurate contact information obtained from school records. If your contact information changes, please let your child's school office know as soon as possible. Only those who have opted-in to receive text messages (text Y to 67587 from the cell number the district has on file for you) will receive the text message.
WEBSITE-This information will also be placed on our district webpage, www.clintoncardinals.org.
NEWS MEDIA-The cancellation info will be provided to KDKD and Kansas City news stations.

The Board Secretary of the Clinton School District #124 will accept declarations of candidacy from any person interested in running for a position on the Clinton Board of Education to be elected at the annual election on April 8, 2025.

Persons interested may file at the Administration Building, 701 S. Eighth Street, Clinton, MO 64735 starting at 8:30 a.m. on December 10, 2024, and will continue during regular business hours, which are Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. With the exception of the first and last day of filing, filing will not occur on days that the Administration Building is closed due to inclement weather. Filing will also not occur on the following days during the holiday season: December 23, 24 & 25. On December 31, 2024 the Administration Building will be open until 5 p.m. Candidates may call 660-885-2237 ext. 3004 or email smckinley@clintoncardinals.org should you have any questions regarding filing. Filing will end on December 31, 2024 at 5:00 p.m. Names will appear on the April ballot in order of filing.

There are two (2) positions available, both of which are three year terms. Candidates must be citizens of the United States and resident tax payers of the district, who have resided in Missouri for one year preceding their election or appointment. Candidates must also be at least 24 years of age; be current on state and local taxes; have not been found guilty of or pled guilty to a felony under Missouri or federal law; are not registered or required to register as a sex offender; and have filed required campaign documents for all previous campaigns, if any.

All board members initially elected or appointed in this succeeding election shall successfully complete 18.5hours of orientation and training within their first 12 months of service as required in Section 162.203 RSMo.

Clinton High School has an immediate opening for a front office secretary.

If you are looking for a great work environment with supportive colleagues, a positive atmosphere, and amazing students, this is the job for you!

Learn more and apply online here.

FirstView is a bus tracking and communications app, offered in partnership with First Student, the district's transportation provider. The FirstView app offers parents live bus tracking with custom alerts and notifications.

To get started using FirstView, please use this link. If you should have questions, please contact Transportation at 660-885-2644.

Want to catch our Cardinals in action this year?

You can view a full athletic calendar on our website at this link.

To accommodate students who purchase school meals, payment options include an online payment system (found here) that will take credit and debit cards, or cash and check payments may be made at all school buildings. We ask that lunch accounts do not incur a negative balance.

If you have not already completed a Free and Reduced Meal application for the 2024-2025 school year, we encourage you to do so. This application can be found here on our website, or you may request one from your child’s school office.

Please be aware that even if your child qualifies for free/reduced meals, there are still circumstances where they will be charged full-price for food/drink items.

• A la carte items (CMS/CHS)
• Choosing extra entrees as they go through the lunch line (CHS)
• Getting a second chance breakfast after having a regular breakfast earlier in the morning (CHS)
• Extra milk with lunch/breakfast (all schools)
• Snack milk (Henry Elementary)

The Cardinal Compliment program is back!

This program is a way for you to salute any Clinton School District employee who goes above and beyond what is expected. Whether you're a parent impressed with that special touch your child's teacher added to a moment, a coworker who thinks their colleague doesn't hear often enough about the great job they are doing, or a community member who witnesses a staff member’s commitment to kids - you can send a Cardinal Compliment!

Supervisors, including the superintendent, will see your submission. The employee will receive a certificate of gratitude and a token of appreciation that lets everyone know he or she was given a Cardinal Compliment.

Every month, Cardinal Compliment recipients will be listed on the district website and posted on the district Facebook page to let others know the names of the district's difference makers!

NOMINATE HERE

The 2024-2025 school year calendar can be found below.

You can find a printable version on our website.