California Trail Parent News

Art Studio 3:20 p.m. - 4:15 p.m.

XC practice 3:40 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.

Volleyball games vs. FT 3:45 p.m.-5:45 p.m.

9/24

FCA 7:15 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.

Anime Club 3:20 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Volleyball practice 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

XC meet @ PRT 3:40 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.

Screen Sanity Training 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

9/25

Math Club 7:15 am. - 8:15 a.m.

Volleyball games vs ST 3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

XC practice 3:40 p.m. - 4:40 p.m.

9/26

XC practice 7:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

Science Olympiad 7:15 a.m. - 8:15 a.m.

Games Club 3:20 p.m. - 3:50 p.m.

Volleyball Service Project 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.

7th grade football game @ CT vs ST 3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

8th grade football game @ ST 3:45 p.m. - 5:45 p.m.

9/27

Picture Retake Day 8:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Volleyball practice 6:40 a.m.- 7:40 a.m.

XC practice 7:00 a.m. - 7:40 a.m.

Dance team choreography 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

9/28

Dance Team Kids Clinic 8:00 a.m. - 11 a.m.

Hello Parents,

I made the mistake of looking at the weather for this weekend. It looks like rain (yes, much needed) may play a factor in what we will all get accomplished this weekend, possibly limiting outdoor activities a bit. If that is the case, it might be a good time for a conversation with your child about how things are going, school wise. This week is the 6th week of the school year and students should be settling in with their new teachers, understanding routines and adjusting to the nuances of each course they have. Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for the week of October 14, with more information to come soon.

This would be a good time to have your student pull out their school device to show you StudentVUE. In StudentVUE, they can show you their grade, see if they have any missing assignments and get an idea of how they are performing. If there is a class they have missing assignment or seem to be struggling, ask them if they have talked about it with the teacher. If not, please encourage this. Self-advocacy skills become more and more important as students progress through school and into the workforce, learning a trade, higher education or whatever path they choose to take. Giving them the nudge to reach out, following up with them to see that they do, and helping them see the benefit of communicating with their teachers will translate well in future, higher stakes situations they will face. I know there are times when it’s important for us, as parents, to reach out and have those conversations on our child’s behalf, but if we help our kids build that skillset, they’ll be better prepared for what life throws at them, maybe even eventually living on their own, doing big things.

Make it a great weekend. Mike

Please click on the link below to order CT spirit wear.

https://ctbulldogs.itemorder.com/shop/home/

Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) is a student-led club where students gather weekly to have fun and connect with others around the values of their faith. FCA welcomes all students; you don't need to be an athlete or a Christian to come have fun with us! We meet weekly on Tuesday mornings from 7:15-8:15 in room 700.

Lifetouch will be in the building on Friday, September 27th, from 8:00 a.m.- 11:30 a.m. for picture retakes. There will be announcements throughout the morning when students will be called to come down to the auditorium.

Hello parents/guardians,

Our annual CT Service Day project is coming up! On Thursday, October 10th, our students will be serving our community at a variety of locations around the KC Metro. We have partnered with 24 different organizations to offer a variety of service opportunities for our students. Some of these are cleaning up parks, making care packages, working at elementary schools, gardening, helping at animal shelters, and many more. Most of our students will be leaving the building on this day with a few groups staying at CT to work on service projects here. All 6th students will be signed up as a group, working outside, cleaning up parks or working in community gardens. Our 7th and 8th grade students will be able to sign up for a location of choice. This will be done at school during their WIN time on September 27th. Obviously, there are capacity limits at locations and if something is full, they will have the opportunity to sign up for another.

If you have a concern about your student attending a specific location, please talk with them prior to sign-ups so that we can get them signed up for a location that works. For example, if they are allergic to cats/dogs, it might be good for them not to sign up to work at an animal shelter. Also, be aware that some locations will require waivers, and we will be getting those to you to sign once all students have been assigned.

Pulling this event off is a huge undertaking with many moving parts. Thank you for your support and if you have a specific concern please reach out to Brandie England. We are excited to show our community how much CT Cares!

Thank you,

Brandie England

CT will have their night football game on October 9th at CBAC. The theme will be a "Black Out" to match the new football uniforms! If you are interested in riding the spirit bus to the game, see the informational flyer below! If you have questions, reach out to Mrs. Lovell (melovell@olatheschools.org) or Mrs. Bruse (jjbruse@olatheschools.org)

In order to comply with our new cell phone policy, students now come to the office and use the school phone to call their adults about forgotten items or other concerns.

This has exposed two glaring gaps in our students’ knowledge: 1. a phone number for the adult they are calling, and 2. how to actually make a phone call, including how to leave a voicemail.

It is very important that your student memorize a phone number for their adult; not just to save office staff and students some time, but it’s a necessity for any unexpected situation in life. It will also be very helpful to teach them how to make an actual phone call, including leaving a message. Many times we have students come to the office and not understand how to leave a voicemail to let you know why they called.

These are important skills and information that our students need. Find out if your student knows your number and teach them how to leave you a message. This will save everyone involved a lot of time and confusion.

Thank you.

CT Parents –

September is National Suicide Prevention Month. During the month, students will learn warning signs of suicide; how to help those in need; available resources; the importance of self-care and coping skills. Information about suicide awareness and prevention can be found at the link below.

OSD Mental Health and Wellness

Olathe families, community members, students and staff are invited to join members of the Board of Education and superintendent for Community Conversations starting in September. These informal events are designed to encourage two-way dialogue between the Board of Education and community members about the topics that are top-of-mind in the district. There is no set agenda, but rather participants will have an opportunity to engage in conversation regarding a variety of topics. Various dates and times have been selected for community members to choose a time that works best for them.

All community conversations will be held in the Board of Education room (14160 S. Black Bob Rd., Olathe). Four Community Conversations are planned for the 2024-25 school year, including:

• September 24, 2024 – 9-10:30 a.m.
• November 19, 2024 – 5-6:30 p.m.
• February 20, 2025 – 9-10:30 a.m.
• April 24, 2025 – 5-6:30 p.m.

Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP in advance. If you intend to join the Tuesday, Sept. 24 Community Conversation, please submit an RSVP at this link by Friday, Sept. 19.

The yearbook staff needs the cutest pic of your 8th grader from when they were a baby. The age can range from newborn to toddler; it doesn’t matter, we just want to be able to include everyone. Please send pictures to ctmsyearbooksquad@gmail.com by October 10th. If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Zugelder at mbzugelder@olatheschools.org

Yearbook orders are made by using the Jostens' link below.

https://www.jostens.com/apps/store/productBrowse/1029398/California-Trail-Middle-School/2025-Yearbook/2024071812150449358/CATALOG_SHOP/

All student ($5) and adult ($10) activity passes will be digital through GoFan and are currently being sold on the enrollment/fee payment page, here is the link Middle School Activities Pass. These digital passes will now be tied to a mobile device. The pass can be displayed at the ticket table for each event where admission via ticket is required. This simply replaces the student ID and card that parents were using for access.

If your 8th grader is showing an interest in one or more of the 21st Century Academies, we would strongly encourage you to visit the open houses at the various high schools. These are great opportunities to see the 21st Century Academies in action!

Each of the academies will hold an open house for students and parents to attend in order to visit the facilities and find out more details about the academy. Each open house happens on different a date; families may attend as many as they choose. If a family is unable to attend the scheduled date, there are many resources on the https://www.olatheschools.org/21stcenturyacademies website or you may email the academy facilitator.

Distinguished Scholars

Tuesday, October 22, 6:00pm – Olathe North 600 E Prairie Street, Olathe, KS 66061

Animal Health, Geoscience, Medical Professions, Sports Medicine

Thursday, October 24, 5:45pm-7:45pm – Olathe North 600 E Prairie Street, Olathe, KS 66061

Green Tech, Public Safety

Wednesday, October 30, 6:00pm-8:00pm – Olathe West 14545 W 127th St, Olathe, KS 66062

Civic Leadership, Design, Future Educators

Wednesday, November 6, 5:30pm-7:30pm – Olathe East 14545 W 127th Street, Olathe, KS 66062

BioMedical Engineering, Business Finance, Computer Science

Thursday, November 7, 6:00pm-8:00pm – Olathe South 1640 E 151st Street, Olathe, KS 66062

e-Communication

Tuesday, November 12, 5:30pm-7:30pm – Olathe Northwest 21300 College Blvd, Olathe, KS 66061

Engineering

Wednesday, November 13, 5:30pm-7:30pm – Olathe Northwest 21300 College Blvd, Olathe, KS 66061

We have a new daily schedule this year. Doors will now open at 7:40 a.m. and students need to be picked up in the afternoon by 3:40 p.m.

• The Olathe Public Schools prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity in its programs, activities or employment, and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups to its facilities as required by: Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Equal Access Act of 1984 and other relevant state and federal laws as amended. Inquiries regarding compliance with applicable civil rights statutes related to race, ethnicity, gender, age discrimination, sexual orientation, gender identity or equal access may be directed to Staff Counsel, 14160 S. Black Bob Road, Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone 913-780-7000. All inquiries regarding compliance with applicable statutes regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act may be directed to the Executive Director of Special Services, 14160 S. Black Bob Rd. Olathe, KS 66063-2000, phone (913) 780-7000. Interested persons including those with impaired vision or hearing, can also obtain information as to the existence and location of services, activities and facilities that are accessible to and usable by disabled persons by calling the Assistant Superintendent, Operations. (05/22)

Front Office Hours:

Monday-Thursday 7:30 a.m.-4 p.m.

Friday 7:30 a.m.-3:45 p.m.

School Hours:

8:20 a.m.-3:20 p.m.

Location: 13775 West 133rd Street, Olathe, KS, USA
Phone: 913-780-7220