2025 January Newsletter

Happy New Year and welcome back! I hope everyone enjoyed a restful and joyful Winter Break with family and friends. As we step into 2025, I wanted to take a moment to celebrate and reflect on our accomplishments in 2024, while also focusing on the important work that lies ahead of us this year.

🎉 Celebrating 2024 🎉

Last year was a banner year for Cody Middle School, filled with achievements that showcased the hard work, dedication, and excellence of our students, staff, and families.

In 2024, Park County School District 6 adopted our comprehensive 5-year strategic plan, setting our sights on four key priorities: Inspired Students, Supportive Schools, Empowered Staff, and a Connected Community. This plan will continue to guide our efforts to create an engaging and high achieving school community for all.

In 2024, Cody Middle School maintained its “Green School” status, meeting expectations on both federal and state accountability measures. Last year our students outperformed the state average on all WYTOPP assessments in each content area and at each grade level. Since WYTOPP was adopted in 2016, Cody Middle School has outperformed the state average on 40 out of 42 assessments! These results are a testament to the collective efforts of our teachers, students, and families.

In 2024, we were proud to continue to be recognized as a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. Cody Middle School is one of just three schools in the state of Wyoming to have the distinction of being a Special Olympics Unified Champion School. Schools earn this title by having an “inclusive school climate which exudes a sense of collaboration, engagement, and respect for all members of the student body and staff.”

Here are just some of the many other accomplishments of Cody Middle School in 2024,

• In 2024, Park 6 and Cody Middle School continued to lead as a one of the pilot districts within the state of Wyoming through our participation in the Governor's and State Superintendent's RIDE Initiative.
• Cody Middle School's Challenge of the Books team earned championship honors in their regional competition.
• Bronc and Filly musicians earned Superior Ratings at Showalter in both band and choir.
• Numerous Bronc and Filly athletic teams brought home Big Horn Basin Conference Championships, including most recently the CMS Cross Country team as well as both CMS Filly Basketball Teams
• In 2024, we highlighted over 50 students as Broncs & Fillies of the Month, celebrating CMS students for their continued success inside and outside of the classroom.
• In 2024, we introduced a school-wide Friday Rewards Day to further celebrate all students academic and behavioral successes.
• In 2024, we partnered with Cody Regional Health, the Cody Police Department, Wyoming Game and Fish, the Park County Public Library, and several other community organizations to provide hands-on learning experiences through our enrichment classes.
• In 2024, Cody Middle School students excelled and won awards in statewide academic competitions including, National History Day, Science Fair, and Foreign and World Language Day at the University of Wyoming.

Looking Ahead to 2025

As we step into 2025, we are committed to building on the incredible successes of 2024 while continuing to strive for excellence in all areas. Cody Middle School will remain focused on delivering high-quality instruction, fostering positive student behavior, and creating a safe and supportive learning environment for all students and staff.

This year, CMS staff in the core content areas of math, science, english/language arts, and social studies will continue their important work on Professional Learning Communities (PLCs), where they routinely collect and analyze student data to identify strengths and areas for improvement. This collaborative approach ensures we are continually refining our practices to improve student learning outcomes and help every student achieve their full potential.

We are also excited to expand our enrichment partnerships to provide students with more hands-on learning opportunities that connect classroom content to real-world experiences. This spring, we are proud to introduce:

• Agricultural Education with Northwest College, offering students a deep dive into careers and practices in agriculture.
• Documentary Filmmaking and Drone Flying, combining creative storytelling with cutting-edge technology.
• Intro to Army JROTC, developed in partnership with local active duty and retired veterans, to introduce leadership and service opportunities.

These join our ongoing collaborations with other community organizations through our Classroom 2 Careers initiative, ensuring students are equipped with knowledge, skills, and real-world connections to succeed beyond middle school.

As we look forward in 2025, we will also continue to:

• Support students in preparing for the transition to Cody High School as well as our upcoming Winter and Spring WYTOPP Assessments to uphold our tradition of academic excellence.
• Strengthen communication with families and the broader community to keep everyone informed and engaged about all of the outstanding work happening at Cody Middle School
• Host another Friday Rewards Day prior to Spring Break, celebrating students' academic achievements, positive behavior, and effort throughout the semester
• Provide effective remediation and Tier II academic supports through Cody Academy, our Literacy Lab, and Remediation Fridays for ELA and math, ensuring every student has access to the resources they need to succeed.

With these initiatives and partnerships, 2025 promises to be a year of growth, opportunity, and success. Together, as a school community, we will continue to create an environment where students thrive, staff are empowered, and families feel connected. Let’s make 2025 another unforgettable year at Cody Middle School, and as always Go Broncs & Fillies!

Sincerely,

Jacob R. Gogan

Principal

Cody Middle School

The Park County School District 6 Transportation Department would like to remind you of some important safety guidelines to ensure smooth and secure student drop-off and pickup at Cody Middle School.

Front of the School – Bus Pickup and Drop-Off Only

The front of Cody Middle School is designated for bus pickup and drop-off. Families should not use the front area to drop off or pick up students when buses are present. It is critical to follow this rule for the safety of our students and to ensure that buses can operate without interference.

Please note: Passing a bus when its stop sign arm is deployed is a serious traffic violation. These violations are captured on camera, and offenders may receive a traffic ticket, citation, and potential fine. We urge all drivers to adhere to this law to protect our students and avoid legal consequences.

East Side – Kiss & Go | Parent Pickup and Drop-Off

For families dropping off or picking up students, please use the Kiss & Go/Parent Pickup and Drop-Off area on the east side of the school. To maintain safety and a steady flow of traffic:

• Be patient and follow the established traffic flow.
• Do not pass other vehicles waiting in line.
• Pull all the way forward to prevent chokepoints and keep the line moving efficiently.
• Be watchful of our crossing guard and student crosswalks, exercising extra caution in these areas.

These guidelines are in place to keep all students safe and ensure the smooth operation of our school traffic patterns. Thank you for your cooperation and for helping us create a safe environment for everyone.

Northwest College is pleased to offer a new class, “Effective Substitute Teaching”, beginning in the spring 2025 semester. The two-credit course provides the training needed for a permit to substitute teach in the state of Wyoming as regulated by the Wyoming Professional Teaching Standards Board and will meet Mondays and Wednesdays from 4:30 p.m.-7 p.m., beginning January 15 and running through February 12.

Students will work to demonstrate competency in the required outcomes designated by the WPTSB which include: age level communication skills, use and application of lesson plans, use of instructional technology, and professional attitudes and behaviors. The course also requires 24 clock hours of classroom instruction time and 30 hours of observation in the schools. Completion of ENGL 0610 with a “C-” or better, or placement at English level 3 is a prerequisite.

For more information, contact Nancy Gilmore at nancy.gilmore@nwc.edu.

Please make sure to call the Cody Middle School Front Office if your student is going to miss school. Our number is (307) 587 - 4273. Ask to speak to Ms. Mindy Butcher.

If your student rides any bus, please make sure they have their Student ID. Park 6 Transportation will begin strictly enforcing the use of Student IDs on all buses, including in-town field trips. Park 6 wants to make sure all students are safe and accounted for as well as be able to identify when and where they get on and off the bus. If your student requires a new Student ID, please let the Cody Middle School Front Office know and we will provide you with a replacement card form that you can return to us along with a $5 ID replacement fee. If you have questions, please call the Park 6 Transportation Department at 307-587-2851.

The Park 6 and CMS Nutrition Staff are offering additional drinks and snacks for purchase during lunch. Your student may charge these additional drinks and snacks to their account as long as they have a positive balance. Please talk with your student if you approve of them purchasing these extra drinks and snacks. We know that many families only budget a certain amount for school lunches each month, so we want to make sure you are aware of this and able to have a conversation with your student. If you have any concerns or questions please contact us.