On behalf of the Clever Middle School staff, it is my great pleasure to warmly welcome you and your child as we begin the exciting 2024-2025 school year! We are delighted to welcome our new families who have chosen Clever as their academic home this year, and we also extend a heartfelt welcome back to our returning families.

Our dedicated teachers have been diligently preparing classrooms and corridors in anticipation of the new school year. As we approach the eagerly awaited day, Tuesday, August 20th, when our students return, our educators are fully prepared to provide a positive and enriching school experience. We remain committed to fostering each student's intellectual and emotional growth, creating an environment where they can truly thrive.

We look forward to a year of significant achievement and growth. Your support and collaboration are essential to our shared success. When school, home, and community work together in harmony, with education as our focus, every student can reach remarkable heights. We invite you to join us for our back-to-school open house on Thursday, August 15th, where you'll have the opportunity to meet our exceptional staff.

Looking forward to a year of collective success,

Justin Sullivan

Principal,

Grades 6-8

sullivanj@cleverbluejays.org

417-743-4820

"It's Time to Leader Up with Retro Video Games"

Our Leader In Me theme this year is, "Retro Video Games". Please be sure to order your student a leadership shirt. Students and staff will wear these shirts throughout the year on Leadership days, field trips, and more.

If you are in need of financial assistance in ordering your student's shirt, please contact Mikki Teague by email: teaguem@cleverbluejays.org

Please remember to bring your school supplies to the open house! You can place them in your locker and be all set for the first day of school.

Part of our mission at CMS is to keep students and parents up to date with important information. This year we will be using various platforms to help achieve this mission.

• Email - It is important that you have an updated email on file with the school office. Most often communication will be done using email.

• Facebook - Like the Clever Schools 6-8 page

• Rooms - Rooms is a new communicaiton application the district will be using. Information will sent out via text messages and emails leading up to the start of school.

• Canvas - Students will use Canvas on a daily basis for completing assignments; parents have the opportunity to create an observer account that is linked to their child's account.

• Lumen Touch Parent Portal - We encourage you to create an account to access and view student information at any time.

From work, to home, to school, our phones are a key tool to navigate and communicate throughout the day. The custom-built Clever R-V app makes it easy to stay up to date with district news and events.

Now, Clever R-V is making it easier to stay in touch with teachers and class information from that same app. Using the Clever R-V app you can easily switch from district and school information to Rooms, where you can see your student's classes and engage directly with teachers. Rooms can be accessed via the web and from our district app, which is available for free and can be used from both Apple and Android phones. To access Rooms, you will need to create a login and password.

Three Main Benefits:

1. One app for everything Clever R-V
2. Easily see class specific announcements
3. Message teachers directly

Beginning this school year, all communciation from teachers, coaches, and club sponsors will come through Rooms. We will no longer be utilizing Remind, SeeSaw, or other communication apps. Please be watching your email for a communication from Edurooms. The email will give you steps to sign up for your Rooms account.

Why Attendance Matters?

Consistent attendance is vital for your child’s academic success and overall development. Each school day is packed with learning experiences, from engaging lessons to collaborative group work, which are difficult to replicate outside the classroom. Regular attendance ensures that your child does not miss out on these valuable opportunities to learn and grow.

The Impact of Absences

Even a few absences can add up and affect your child’s progress. When students are frequently absent, they may struggle to keep up with their peers, miss important instructions, and feel disconnected from their classmates. This can lead to lower grades, decreased confidence, and added stress.

How You Can Help?

We understand that absences are sometimes unavoidable due to illness or emergencies. However, we encourage you to ensure that your child attends school every day they are able. Here are a few ways you can help:

Set a Routine: Establish a consistent bedtime and morning routine to help your child start the day on the right foot.

Communicate: Keep in touch with your child’s teachers if there are any concerns that might affect attendance.

Prioritize School: Schedule appointments and family vacations outside of school hours whenever possible. We encourage you to use Mondays when all possible.

Support Available:

If your child is facing any challenges that make regular attendance difficult, please reach out to us. We are here to support your family and ensure that your child has every opportunity to succeed.

Highlighted below are a few areas of the CMS Student Handbook that are important to know and understand. Please review them carefully with your child prior to the first day of school. Students and staff will be covering these items during the first week of school as well. Link to the complete CMS Student Handbook can be found below.

Personal electronic devices (PEDs) are defined as any cell phones, wearable device, radios, laptops, portable video games, bluetooth headphones etc. The inappropriate use of PEDs or other disruptive devices in schools poses increasing risks of disruptions, bullying, criminal activity, and academic dishonesty. The use of PEDs during the school day (7:53-3:40) is prohibited.

The use of PED’s is prohibited during the school day (passing times, lunch, and recess). Cell phones and other PED’s, if brought to school, need to be placed in a backpack and secured in their locker for the remainder of the day. Failure to comply will result in the following disciplinary action:

• First Offense - Device confiscated and turned into the office. Students are issued a warning Parents/Guardians notified by the administrator. Students may pick up devices at the end of the school day.

• Second Offense - Device confiscated and turned into the office and student assigned ASD. Parents/Guardians may pick up the device when the student is picked up from detention.

• Subsequent Offenses- Device confiscated and turned into the office, and the student is assigned ISS. Parents/Guardians must pick up devices at the end of school day.

*Headphones/Earbuds are only to be worn at the discretion of the classroom teacher and for educational purposes. All headphones/earbuds will need to be wired directly.

All personal belongings including backpacks, belt bags, fanny-packs, lunchboxes, and other personal items are not allowed in the classroom, and will be kept in student lockers. Students may go to their lockers in between classes and before lunch to get items they need.

The only materials students need in class are their chromebook(protective case is allowed), a binder/trapper keeper with paper, folders, and writing utensils.

Students are cautioned not to bring large amounts of money or electronic devices to school, or to take on school trips. If you wear glasses, watches, or rings; keep track of them at all times. Mark coats, PE clothing, shoes, etc. with your name so that the article may be easily identified. Students, not the school, are responsible for securing and the safety of their personal property.

*Special accommodations will be made for students with special needs/health concerns. Approval may be obtained by contacting the school administration.

Starting this academic year, we will no longer permit open beverage containers such as soda cans, fountain drinks, sports drinks, or coffee cups within the classroom learning environment. Students WILL be allowed to have refillable water bottles in the classroom learning environment.

Health and Hydration: Encouraging students to have water throughout the day supports their overall health and well-being. Water is essential for staying hydrated, maintaining focus, and enhancing cognitive function.

Reduced Spills and Cleanliness: Refillable water bottles are less likely to cause spills and messes compared to open containers. This change will help maintain a clean and safe school environment for all students and staff.

The exception to this rule will be that soda cans or other carbonated fruit or sports drinks will be allowed in the cafeteria during the students assigned lunch period. These items will need to be finished or discarded prior to returning to class.

Quarterly grades will be calculated using the following measures:

• Formative Assessments - 25% (Daily Assignments, Classroom Quick Checks)

• Summative Assessments - 75% (Tests, Projects)

Students will be assessed using the following grading scale.

Letter Grade Overall Percentages

A 100%-90%

B 89%-80%

C 79%-70%

D 69%-60%

F 59% or below

All Formative and Summative activities not turned in on time will be recorded as an Incomplete ("I") in the grade book. This will be calculated as a zero in the student's overall grade.

Formative: Due no later than the beginning of class on the following Tuesday from the original due date. Assessments will not be accepted after this deadline. The original due date will be determined by the date listed in LUMEN.

Summative: Retake/redo assessments are due no later than the end of the school day 14 calendar days (2 weeks) from the original due date. The original due date will be determined by the date listed in LUMEN.

*If the final due date is a day that school is not in session (inclement weather, breaks, etc.), it will extend to the next day school is in session.

In the world of work, we are given the opportunity to retake assessments and redo work that we did not master the first time. This usually happens following additional coaching, instruction and practice. The same will be true for students with the following guidelines:

• At the teacher’s discretion a legitimate effort must be made on the first attempt in order to be eligible for a retake/redo.

• Students must complete a CMS Retake Contract

• The student must receive additional instruction and/or complete additional practice to demonstrate progress toward mastery before completing the retake/redo.

Students will have the opportunity to earn maximum credit on redo formative & summative assessments.

If a student chooses not to make a first attempt or refuses to complete the additional work required prior to the retake/redo, the teacher does not have to allow the student the opportunity to retake/redo.

There will be four minutes between each class before the tardy bell rings for class to begin. A student is tardy if he or she is not in the room and seated or lined up outside the teacher’s classroom when the tardy bell rings. Permission to be late may be granted by an administrator, teacher, or other school personnel. Tardies will be tracked cumulatively for each quarter.

Students arriving after 7:53 a.m. in the morning must report to the office for a pass to class and must be signed in by a parent/guardian.

Students may be tardy cumulatively three times per quarter without penalty. Once the 4th+ tardy has been reached a discipline consequence will be administered. A referral will be generated from the principal’s office.

Grade checks will take place approximately every two weeks on Wednesday mornings.

A CMS student (involved in any activity) who receives two or more failing grades on any 2-week grade check will become academically ineligible until the following 2-week eligibility check. If the student is failing less than two classes when the next 2-week grade check is completed, he/she will regain eligibility on the day grades are posted. If, however, the student is still failing two or more classes, he/she will remain ineligible until the next 2-week grade period.

GRADE CHECK DATES:

1st Quarter: 9/4, 9/18, 10/2, 10/18 (end of quarter)

2nd Quarter: 11/6, 11/20, 12/11, 12/20 (end of quarter)

3rd Quarter: 1/22, 2/5, 2/19, 3/5, 3/14 (end of quarter)

4th Quarter: 4/9, 4/23, 5/7, 5/16 (end of quarter, could be moved pending snow days)

Clever Schools is implementing a Technology User Fee for grades K-8.

The Technology User Fee will be $25 for each student, we will be pushing out invoices for this through MySchoolBucks, https://login.myschoolbucks.com/, which is used to pay your lunch balances. Please watch your email for the invoices to come out.

This fee can be paid over the next 7 months if needed, you will be able to make partial payments until December 31, 2024.

As part of our district's technology mission, we continue to strive to pro­vide your child with the most effec­tive web-based tools and appli­ca­tions for learn­ing in a digital world. Clever Middle School uti­lizes several computer soft­ware applications and web-based ser­vices, oper­ated not by this school, but by third par­ties. These include Google Apps for Education (GAFE), Canvas LMS, and an assortment of others listed on the COPPA Compliance letter.

Student Email Access - Students in grades 6 through 8 will be provided access to a secure Google email account. This will enable seamless sharing of resources and enhanced communication between students and teachers for educational needs. Please note that students will only be able to send emails within the Clever Schools domain and will not have the capability to email recipients outside of it.

Chromebook Distribution - Students will use a device that is located in each classroom. Students will not be allowed to take devices from class to class or home on a daily basis.

Chromebook Damage - In the event that a student damages their device, it should be reported to the classroom teacher immediately. The technology dept. will assess the damages and if necessary a invoice for repair costs will be issued.

Student Schedules - All 7th & 8th grade students schedules will be accessible in the LUMEN student portal after next Thursday. Students should use the same login and password from last year. All 6th graders and new students will receive a schedule at the open house. Information for Lumen student portal will be shared with students the first week of school.

Breakfast - Students may pick up a grab and go style breakfast upon arrival to the school each morning. Designated pickup stations will be established at multiple entry points. Students will then report to their first hour class to eat.

Lunch/Recess - Students will eat by grade level in the cafeteria. All 6-8 students will also have recess throughout the week. Lunch money should be placed in the lockbox outside of the main office.

Hall Locker Access - Students will be issued a locker at the beginning of the school year. These should be used to store personal belongings throughout the school day. Backpacks , beltbags, or other large bags are NOT allowed in classrooms. Locks may be used to help keep items safe. An extra key or combination code needs to be provided to the school office.

Hallway Movement - Students will have four minute passing periods. This time should be used for stopping at their locker, refilling a water bottle, and going to the restroom. Students MAY NOT use PED’s during this time!

PE & Locker Rooms - Students will have access to the locker rooms and will be required to dress out for daily PE. PE lockers will be provided to students to store PE clothes and shoes. Locks may be used to help keep items safe.

JH Sports Practices will begin on Monday August 19th.

All participants are required to have a Final Forms account on file. If you had a Final Forms account last year please go in and update your information for this year and select the sports your child plans on participating in. If you did not play sports last year and do not have a Final Forms Account please use the following link to set up your account FINAL FORMS PARENT PLAYBOOK.

All participants are required to have a current physical on file before participating in the first day of practice. Physicals can be uploaded directly to Final Forms on your phone or mobile device, or turned into the JH Office.

Rooms: Clever Middle School 6-8

Website: www.cleverbluejays.org
Location: 103 S Public Ave, Clever, MO, USA
Phone: 417-743-4820
Facebook: facebook.com/Clever6-8