May-June 2015-16 English

Cherokee Heights

Middle School May/June, 2016

Cherokee’s Website Address:

https://cherokeeweb.madison.k12.wi.us

4301 Cherokee Drive Kevin Brown, Principal
Madison, WI 53711 Hong Tran, Assistant Principal
204-1240, Fax: 204-0378

Dear Cherokee Heights Families,

For this month’s newsletter, we want to highlight several positive accomplishments from our student
groups, preview the social emotional learning theme for May, continue to share our behavior data and
highlight a new group started by several of our parents.

Shout Outs
For a second year in a row, our 8th grade team brought home second place in the African American
History Bowl! Furthermore, our 8th grade team took first place in the mock trials held at the University
of Wisconsin-Madison. Well done students!

Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
For the month of May, our students will engage in dialogue around empathy in their homerooms. To
bolster community and encourage honest dialogue, many of our homerooms are trying the “circle
process” where students sit in a circle and use a “talking piece” to share their ideas. One of the
lessons is attached on the next page.

Behavior Data
For the month of April up to the 25th, we had 223 behavior support calls. Our sixth graders received
109 calls, seventh graders received 21 calls, and eighth graders received 93 calls.

A “Space for Peace”
A big shout out goes to several of our parents for starting a new student group. Dubbed a “Space for
Peace”, each week, a group of sixth graders practice mindfulness and regulatory skills.

Dr. Kevin Brown, Head Principal
Mr. Hong Tran, Assistant Principal

May/June Calendar

Dates Event

APRIL/MAY Tiempo disponible para exámenes WI Forward
4/25 – 5/20 Shape Up Cherokee Events
5/2 – 5/6 Salida Temprano @ 1:37 para Tiempo de Planificación
5/2 Almuerzo para apreciar a los empleados
5/5 4:30-6:00 p.m. Staff Forum w/Sarah Chaja - LMC
Salida Temprano @ 1:37 para Tiempo de Planificación
5/9 5:30-7:00 p.m. Staff Forum w/Sarah Chaja - LMC
Visita del 5to grado de Thoreau Elementary
5/10 Noche de Familia AVID – 5:30-6:30 P.M. - Cafetería
5/12 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Parent Forum w/Sarah Chaja - LMC
5/14 Salida Temprano @ 1:37 para Tiempo de Planificación
5/16 6:30-7:30 p.m. Washington, DC, Parent Information Meeting (8th)
5/17 1:04-2:37 p.m. Field Trip (7th)
Encuentro de Atletismo de Madison Memorial – 8th Grade
5/18 1:04-2:37 Field Trip (7th)
6:30-7:30 p.m. Concierto (8th)
5/19 1:04-2:37 p.m. Field Trip (7th)
MSCR – Last day of after-school programs
5/20 MSCR Lock-in
5/21 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Parent Forum in Spanish w/Sarah Chaja - LMC
5/23 Salida Temprano @ 1:37 para Tiempo de Planificación
5/24 6:30-7:30 p.m. Washington, DC, Parent Information Meeting (8th)
5/25 9:30 a.m. Track Meet (8th) - Memorial High School
Visita del 5to grado de Leopold Elementary
5/26 6:00-7:30 p.m. Community-building Meeting – LMC
4:00-6:15 p.m. Food Cart Fundraiser – School Grounds
5/30 6:30-7:30 p.m. Concierto (7th)
JUNE 6:00-7:30 p.m. Community Forum w/Sarah Chaja – LMC – Anyone
6/1 welcome
6/2 NO SCHOOL – Memorial Day
6/6
6/8 4:30-7:00 p.m. End-of-Year Celebration
6/9 6:30-7:30 p.m. Concierto (6th)
Cherokee Heights Family/Friends Night – Mallards Duck Pond
8th Grade Field Trip – Mt. Olympus
Last Day of School
10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 8th Grade Completion Ceremony

We are excited to announce a weeklong celebration of health and wellness from May
2nd through May 6th. This will consist of fun daily activities focusing on topics related to
nutrition and fitness. We will end with a school-wide fitness session beginning at 1:30
p.m. on Friday, May 6th. There will be music, giveaways, and field events.
Parents are invited to come and join in our celebration. If you would like to volunteer
with snack distribution, transitioning students between activities, or various other tasks,
please contact Marj Kutsche (204-1271) or Margaret Corbae at (204-1263).

DATE: Thursday, May 26th
TIME: 4:00 – 6:45 P.M.
We have the opportunity to earn 15% of total food sales for school-wide programs
because several food carts that will be on the grounds. Arrive early to have dinner
before the 7th Grade Music concert when students report inside no later than 6:30 and
the concerts begin at promptly at 7:00.

Interested in Madison Mallards
baseball? Students who
complete the reading program
will receive two free tickets to
the Cherokee Heights
Family/Friends Night on June
6that the Duck Pond. Students
win additional prizes for
‘rounding each base’ on their
reading tracker sheets. Check
with your student and/or
Reading teacher for details.
Go Mallards!

END-OF-THE-YEAR 8th Grade Completion
CELEBRATION! Ceremony

Cherokee is having a Thursday, June 9th
school-wide, end-of-the- 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
year celebration for all
students, families, and LAST DAY OF
staff on Wednesday, June SCHOOL

1st, on Cherokee’s Thursday, June 9th
playground fields. We will 7:35 – 2:37
have dinner, games, and

entertainment!

Please join us as we
celebrate our Cherokee

community!

ANNOUNCEMENT

COMMUNITY-BUILDING
(Parent-Teacher Organization)

UPDATE

Parents and teachers have been coming together for the
past few months to build our Cherokee Community. In March, we discussed
concerns and strengths we can build upon. In April, we shared further
conversation in Restorative Justice circles. Together we’re building
relationships and developing a vision for our children’s school experience. It is
an exciting time filled with new ideas and potential for Cherokee Heights!

If you are interested in helping lead the community-building effort and the
Cherokee PTO, please sign up in the survey, or contact Shannon Kunstman at
mailto:[email protected].

Please complete the Cherokee Parent Communications List survey to:
* be on the mailing list
* sign up for “focus groups” that were developed based on feedback gained

at the March meeting.
* add skills, talents, ideas that aren’t listed

African-American History Bowl

Cherokee Takes 2nd Place!

Every year the Madison Metropolitan School District and The 100 Black Men Organization hold the
African-American History Bowl. This year it was held on Saturday, April 2nd, at the Doyle
Administration Building. All 11 Madison middle schools competed.

Cherokee Heights was represented by 3 students: Danielle
Crimm, Alana Caire and Jackson Wheeler. These 3 students
worked for 3 months reading and studying about African
American History in the United States.
Our students competed in all four rounds of competition and won
2nd place. They did an amazing job and we would like to
congratulate them on job very well done! We are very proud of
their hard work and dedication.
Cherokee also won 1st place for the school with the most students in attendance at the event. The
students who attended will be receiving an amazing free lunch from Pizza Hut sometime in May. We
had over 40 people in attendance from Cherokee. Thank you for all your support!
The students were also honored at the MMSD Board of Education meeting on Monday, April 27th.

Finally, I would like to thank my colleague, Susan Cohen, for helping with the coaching duties. We
could not have done it without her.
Congratulations again to Danielle, Alana and Jackson!
Joni Shahrani (Coach)

Google Expeditions Pioneer Program

A Google representative visited on Monday, April 11th. We viewed a Rhinoceros Beetle in
Borneo, Auschwitz/Birkenau, the Great Barrier Reef, Aztec/Mayan ruins, Rome, and
swam with scuba divers in an underwater cage while sharks kept an eye on us!
Outstanding day! Thanks for signing up, Ms. Fogell! [Photos by Mrs. Erin Proctor]

Middle School Science Cohort

This year a number of 7th and 8th grade students participated in the Advanced Learning Middle
School Cohort. Students applied to three distinct cohorts: 1. Energy from the Earth: Geothermal
Power, Heat Transfer, and Engineering Design. 2. Complexity in Systems: Investigate the
Intersection of Neurons and Nematodes. 3. The Body’s Superheroes: Applications of Stem Cells.

Students worked with scientists from the Wisconsin Institute for Discovery (WID), and completed
assignments in the online Moodle format facilitated by an Advanced Learning Instructional Resource
Teacher.

In the Geothermal Cohort, students took part in different experiments, such as testing heat transfer
and creating a heating and cooling system for a birdhouse. One student commented: “Along with
meeting new people who work at the WID, you meet many different students from other schools who
are also interested in science!”

In the Complexity in Systems Cohort, students worked in small groups in order to notice patterns.
They tried making tree fractals (a fractal is a never ending pattern).They also made observations of
patterns between hypothetical nematodes in order to find out what was the most valuable skill in
order to navigate underground to find food. One student commented: “My experience at Science
Cohort was super fun and very educational.”

Stem cell participants worked on cardiomyocyte cells, testing the drug Verapamil. They also worked
on staining the nervous system of chicken embryos with a researcher at the WID, learning about
model organisms. Finally, they learned how to statistically analyze scientific data using analysis of
variance and tests.

Below are pictures from the three cohorts:

Devon Kalupa & Zachary Heintz

Paula Figiel & Christina Garnett

Emily Smedberg

Sairoong Brunner & Ella Kunstman

Middle School Science Cohort (cont’d)

Michael Heintz & Henry Lyne Ian McPhee
Submitted by Richard Hamel, Cherokee’s AL IRT

Black Lives Matter – A Student Project

A group of 8th grade boys and girls have collaborated in a fiber-art
project that pays tribute to unarmed young black people who have
been shot, most by police but some in other tragic situations. Their
embroidery works will be shown in the main display case during the
week of May 9th.

Under the supervision of 8th grade

teacher Ms. Kades, a group of students

D'andre Howard learned about the violence against young
black people and the penalties the

shooters have experienced. They transformed this

knowledge into a moving embroidery display.

The students who participated in this project are Oscar Ahn,

Stephanie Ashley, Destiny Anderson, Kiya Barnett, Mickyla

Braxton, Zaria Davis, Imani Flowers, D’Andre Howard,

Jimmyah Mills, Lashya’ Nicholson, and Artasia Wallace. Lashya' Nicholson

These students worked hard during many lunch hours and

after school to complete an embroidered panel for each individual who was killed.

We invite families and other community members to visit during the week of May 9th to
see this work of love and reverence on display in the main entryway at Cherokee
Heights Middle School.

French Club News

French Club members finished a beautiful mural of Georges Seurat's Sunday Afternoon
on the Island of La Grande Jatte. It is currently being displayed in the front
showcase.

Elizabeth, Danielle, Sage, Ian, Alana

French Club members also enjoyed learning how to make Crepes and - even more
enjoyable - filling and eating them!

From the Health Office

Medications (year-end): Parents/Guardians…if your child has pills, epi-pens or other medical
supplies at school, please pick them up during the last week of school. We do not send pills home
with students. Prescription medications will be disposed of if not picked up. Call the health office at
204-1262 if you need assistance with this.
Medication Disposal: Unwanted or unused prescriptions and over-the-counter medicines can be
found in every household. It is not safe to flush them down the toilet or to put them in the trash. Dane
County Med Drop is a program where you can take any unused medication for safe disposal. Refer to
the following website for more information: http://www.meddropdane.org/.
Immunizations: Please continue to update your child’s shots over the summer. Bring the dates of
the shots to registration in the fall…clinics do NOT notify us when your child has had an
immunization.
Healthy tips for the summer:

o Apply sunscreen when outdoors (SPF of 15 or higher)
o Take time DAILY to get outside and be active
o Wear helmets when biking, skate boarding, or riding a scooter
o Swim safely in places with lifeguards
o Make sure everyone in the car is wearing a seatbelt

o Have fun!

From Mr. Gomez

I. Cherokee Middle builds a partnership with Downtown Optimist Club Contest. Brenna Levy and
Cassandra Angeles delivered their speech at the Optimist Zone Oratorical Contest. Cassandra received a runner
up and Brenna moves to the South Optimist Competition on April 30th.

II. Youth Empowerment to Lead Every Child to Succeed are represented by People Program 8th grade
students: Shamyan Xiong, Juan Eulogio Martinez, Carolanne Weir, Joanna Weir, Angelia Yang, Claudia Mena,
Yasmin Garcia, Chelsea Maldonado, Jonathan Alfaro, Micah Edwards-Sopha and Cassandra Angeles. Youth
For Youth recognized their efforts and dedication by awarding their grant at the Youth For Youth Ceremony.

III. Ian McPhee will be recognized by the Kiwanis Club May 13th.

IV. Jackson Wheeler is a candidate for the Mann’s Scholarship

V. Stephanie Mauricio is a Candidate for the Sanchez Scholarship

ACADEMIC CAREER PLAN will be extended to 7th grade next year.
Any questions contact Mr. Gomez (204-1276)

Garden Volunteers Needed!

Hello Families!

Spring is here and so begins the request for help in the school garden this summer!!

The students are busy planning the garden and planting seedlings, but they need your help to
keep the garden growing. Please volunteer for a week in the summer to water and weed the
garden by adding your information to this form. These duties only take a few days and even less
if it rains, but more if hot and dry.

The best time to water is early in the morning. The best time to weed is a day after watering.
Water and weed as needed. Cherokee provides all tools, but please bring your gloves. The
benefits of volunteering are helping your school, getting fresh air, exercising, and bringing
home fresh produce during your week! If you bring along your family, you are also helping
them learn the importance and appreciation of gardening.

If you are interested in caring for the garden, please contact:

Jo Jensen at 204-1283 [email protected]
Dawn Schmid at 204-1316 [email protected]

Many thanks to those who helped out in previous years! And we look forward to more families
volunteering this year!

Thank you,
Jo Jensen and Dawn Schmid

Moving?

Are you moving, or have you moved this year?
If you have moved or plan on moving outside of your school's attendance area between
September 1, 2015, and August 31, 2016, you may need to fill out an internal transfer
application in order for your child to continue to attend the same school or feeder school for
the upcoming school year. To find your new attendance area, use the Find Your School
tool online or contact your child's school.

The Internal Transfer window opens May 2 and closes at 4pm on May 20. We encourage you
to apply during this first round to receive preference even if you are not planning to move
until the summer. Everyone that applies during the first round will find out if they were
approved or wait listed by July 1. All other applications will be finalized by August 25.

Internal Transfer Requests

INTERNAL TRANSFER INFORMATION FOR THE 2016-17 SCHOOL YEAR

Our internal transfer process provides an opportunity for our families to ask that their child attend an MMSD school that is
outside of their regular MMSD attendance area. Beginning with the 2015-16 school year, the Board of Education adopted a
revised application process for new internal transfer requests. For a copy of the Board policy, click HERE.

The revised process is needed because in some cases past internal transfer approvals may have contributed to crowding in
some of our schools. Crowded schools are not an ideal learning environment for our students. The new internal transfer
application process makes better use of information about classroom space and other considerations to help ensure the best
learning environments for all our students. This process also allows for more timely notification for families and school staff that
an internal transfer request has been approved or denied.

New internal transfer requests for the 2016-17 school year:

Our updated application form for new internal transfer requests will be available on May 2, 2016 so it can be used during the first
round of applications, which runs from May 2 through 4pm on May 20. The first round application window opens on May
2 because capacity calculations conducted at the end of April will determine which schools can accept applications and which
cannot. Families who submit their applications during this time will know if their application has been approved on or before July
1. Any application that is not approved during the first round will automatically go on a wait list.

There will be a second application period that runs from 4:00 pm on May 20, 2016 through 6:00 pm on August 19,
2016. Because we need to make sure there is room to accommodate internal transfer requests, we need to review and approve
second round applications after enrollments have finished for next year. So, families who submit their applications during this
second period or are on the wait list will know if their application has been approved or denied on or before August 25, 2016.

Beginning May 2, you can submit an internal transfer request for the 2016-17 school
year by accessing the application material here.

Schools that will not accept internal transfers will be determined prior to May 2, 2016.

If you have any questions about new or existing internal transfers please contact the Enrollment Office
at: [email protected] or call (608) 663-4957.

For more information, you can review the revised Board Policy 4023 – Internal Transfers by clicking HERE.

If you would like to see how the district decides to approve or deny an internal transfer request, the criteria we use are
available HERE.

West High School Cross Country

While 8th grade students here at Cherokee are busy finishing up their middle
school careers, many students are beginning to think about what high school
classes will be like as well as the opportunity to be on athletic teams next year
at West High.

Cross Country at West is an extremely welcoming, popular, and competitive
sport. In Cross Country, competitors race 5,000 meters, which is equivalent to
3.1 miles. During the 2015 season, there were 100 boys on the West team,
and over 80 girls. Unlike many sports in which competitors who try out for
the team can be cut from the team or ride the bench, every runner on the cross
country team competes in every race, except at Sectionals and the State meet,
where the top seven runners compete.

Both cross country teams at West are extremely successful athletic programs as the girls finished 3rd at the
Wisconsin state meet in 2011 and 2012, while the boys have won two recent team state championships in 2012
and 2014 and were the runner-up team in 2013. The West Boys also crowned its first individual state champion
since 1965, as Olin Hacker won the Division I race at the state meet in 2013 as well as in 2014, as he ran the
second fastest time in the history of the state. The team concept is crucial to the success of these teams, and
every member of the team is vital to the overall quality of the program. Many runners from both the girls and
boys teams have gone on to have extremely successful running careers in college as well.

In addition to the incredible athletic success, West cross country is well known for its academic
accomplishments, as its teams consistently have the highest cumulative grade point average of any sports team
at West, and both teams have had numerous National Merit Scholars and other academic award winners.

As you prepare to take the leap into high school life, please consider running on the cross country team at West
High. Incoming freshmen are invited to “Captains’ Runs” which take place daily at 8:00 during the summer
beginning on Monday, June 13, as the team captains lead runs from Monday through Friday starting at the West
tennis courts. Cross country is a great sport to get in shape, be part of an exceptionally successful team, and to
hang out with a fantastic group of student athletes who are competitive on the cross country course and in the
classroom.

If you have any questions, please see Mr. McCoy in Room 205A (phone 41259), contact [email protected], or
go to Madison West Cross Country or Madison West High School Girls’ Cross Country.

Certificates for Multiple Years of Service

Front Row: Ms. Fogell, Ms. Jensen, Ms. Kades
Back Row: Mr. Laufenberg, Ms. Selbee, Mrs. Blanchard, Mrs. Shapleigh, Mr. McCoy, Mr. Tran

Daily announcements will be posted
on the Cherokee website. As well,
these announcements are read to
students over the PA at the
beginning of each day. Here you
can find out about upcoming
events, when clubs are meeting,
cancellations, and so much more.
Check it out!

Kaj Siab House Fundraiser

Kaj Siab House is a Dane County agency that provides mental health services to many members of
our Hmong students' families. During May, Kaj Siab will be having its public Egg Role Sales. If you
are interested in supporting Kaj Siab or just want to enjoy or try Hmong egg rolls, you may print the
attachment and order form. Contact information is on the flyer. Thank you!







INTERESTED IN WORKING WITH KIDS?

Need a little extra cash?

Then, we want you!

Are you or someone you know, looking for a part-time 10-15 hour per week job? As a Crossing Guard, you
will be providing a great service to your community as well as earning $15.35 per hour. Limited benefits may be
available. The City of Madison is looking for interested, responsible individuals who enjoy working outdoors to
provide safety for our school children for the 2015-2016 school year.

Most shifts are 1 - 1 ¼ hours and fall between the hours of 7:00-8:45 a.m. and 2:30-4:00 p.m. with an earlier
shift Monday afternoons. Work is scheduled Monday through Friday with no weekend, evening or holiday work.
Some flexibility is required due to early release dates. This is a great job for the retiree, grandparent, or stay-at-home
parent re-entering the job market.

A job description and application will be available online at:
http://www.cityofmadison.com beginning in late June/early July; (select “jobs”, then
“job openings”; scroll down until you see the link for crossing guards under
“hourly/seasonal” positions). Please be sure to list on your application any experience
you have directing/controlling children (including your own children or grandchildren).
Interviews will be scheduled beginning Monday, August 17, 2015; employment begins
approximately August 24, 2015. For more information, please contact the City of
Madison Police Dept. Crossing Guard Supervisors at 266-4703 (Patti Knoche or Bob
Olson).

Important Numbers

Auto Attendance: 204-1240 Safe Arrival: 204-1247

Secretaries Brittany McKennie 204-1241 [email protected]
Dametra Moore 204-1246 [email protected]
Assistant Hong Tran 204-1250 [email protected]
Principal
Principal Kevin Brown 204-1241 [email protected]
Counselor Rafael Gomez 204-1276 [email protected]
Dean of Rebecca Gilman 204-1336 [email protected]
Students
Dean of Emily Cochran [email protected]
Students/
PBS Coach Ilah Furlow 204-1323 [email protected]
Food
Service Colleen Shapleigh 204-1275 [email protected]
Learning
Coordinator Reginald Lee 204-1273 [email protected]
MSCR Margaret Corbae 204-1263 [email protected]
Nurse Steven Honer 204-1257 [email protected]
Psychologist Kim Stalker- 204-1269 [email protected]
Social Herron
Worker