News from Carl Junction Schools - October 2018
 Bulldog Bytes - October 2018
News briefs about the people, places, and events of the Carl Junction School District.
Upcoming Events
Oct 11: Family Library Night @ K-1, 2-3, & Int. Libraries, 3:30 - 6:30 pm
Oct 12: CJ Day - Wear your Red & White
Oct 12: PAT Group Meeting: Language Ages & Stages @ Early Education Center K-1, 9-10 am
Oct 15: PAT Group Meeting: Language Ages & Stages @ Early Education Center K-1, 6-7 pm
Oct 15-19: National School Lunch Week
Oct 16: End of 1st Quarter
Oct 18: Great Central U.S. Shake Out - Earthquake Drill @ 10:18 am
Oct 19: CJ Day - Wear your Red & White
Oct 22: Early Out for students - 1:30 / Parent Teacher Conferences - 2-7 pm
Oct 22-26: Red Ribbon Week
Oct 22-26: National School Bus Safety Week
Oct 25: Parent Teacher Conferences 4-8 pm
Oct 26: No school for students or staff
Oct 31: Fall Festival Parties & Parade (Parade for K-3 at noon). Early out for students - 1:30 pm
For more information, check out your
student's building newsletter or daily announcements:
Safety in school & bus zones
Recent events in and around our community have brought to light an increasingly visible and urgent threat to the safety of all of our children. Incidents of careless, distracted, aggressive driving are endangering student and staff pedestrians before and after school, even in Carl Junction. The same behavior has also been documented – endangering bus riders during loading and unloading situations. 

Each morning and afternoon, thousands of children and vehicles converge in the relative small area on the Carl Junction campus. Walkers, bike or scooter riders, bus riders, and students that are dropped-off and picked-up are all at risk.

Some alarming statistics and also suggestions for safe driving and safety awareness are detailed in the FULL ARTICLE HERE .
Wilson named National Merit Commended
Carl Junction Senior Conner Wilson has been named a Commended Student in the 2019 National Merit Scholarship Program. Conner is the son of Darwin and Theresa Wilson of Webb City.
 
About 34,000 Commended Students throughout the nation are being recognized for their exceptional academic promise. Although they will not continue in the 2019 competition for National Merit Scholarship awards, Commended Students placed among the top five percent of more than 1.6 million students who have entered the 2019 competition by taking the 2017 Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test (PSAT/NMSQT®).
District enrollment declines
The last Wednesday of September is the first state reporting day for school district enrollment each year.

Carl Junction Schools have seen a decline in enrollment three of the last four years, this year, dropping to a ten-year low with only 3,155 students. While public schools have very little control over enrollment numbers, Carl Junction Administrators and Board of Education members monitor trends in birth rate, new construction, the economy, and educational options to best prepare for the current and future district budgets.

"Much of our funding from the state's Foundation Formula is tied to our enrollment numbers, so dropping 83 students isn't the best scenario," said Superintendent Dr. Phillip Cook. "If enrollment would have remained consistent, we would have about a million dollars more in this year's budget. We do expect enrollment to increase over the next few years as new home construction is ramping up in our area. In the meantime, we will definitely be making adjustments to remain financially responsible."
2018-19 Enrollment by
grade-level:
K - 251
1st - 241
2nd -230
3rd - 221
4th - 232
5th - 258
6th - 235
7th - 256
8th - 241
9th - 277
10th - 242
11th - 233
12th - 237
Basye releases a new children's book: "Count Spatula"
When he is not teaching 2 nd , 3 rd , and 4 th graders the “home row,” Carl Junction Computer Lab Teacher Isaiah Basye moonlights as a children’s book author and illustrator under the pen name, Izzy B. His latest book, "Count Spatula," hits online bookstores this month. This is the fourth children’s book by Izzy B and this one, also features illustrations by the author.

“I have been working on this book for five years,” said Basye. “The last two years, I have been teaching myself how to do computer illustrations. I knew what I wanted this book to look like and when it came down to it, I just needed to learn how to do it myself.”

In 2016, "Count Spatula" was named the “Top Manuscript” by the Society for Children’s Book Writers & Illustrators earning Basye a ten-minute coaching session with the executive director of Penguin Press.

The Joplin Public Library is hosting an Author Showcase to celebrate the release of Count Spatula. Come, meet Izzy B (Isaiah Basye), and join in the fun of Count Spatula.

  • Saturday, October 27
  • 10 am – 2 pm
  • Joplin Public Library
  • 1901 E. 20th Street, Joplin
  • Copies of Izzy B books there for purchase. Count Spatula will be discounted at $8.50
For more information or to order Izzy B books online visit:
Carl Junction students shine at national technical conference
Carl Junction students representing the Technical Students’ Association (TSA) competed with over 8,000 students from across the nation at the National TSA conference in Atlanta, Georgia this past summer.
 
Earning national honors were:
  • Junior Audrey Garoutte, 4th place in Promotional Design
  • Junior Ashley Stokes, 9th place in Extemporaneous Speech
  • Sophomore Jackson Marlett, Co-Champion in NAO Humanoid Robotics
  • Juniors Emily Boyer, Ashley Stokes, and Audrey Garoutte, Co-Champions in NAO Humanoid Robotics
Juniors Audrey Garoutte and Ashley Stokes pose for a photo on the stage at the National TSA Conference.
Along with the competition winners, Ashley Stokes was elected National TSA Sergeant-at-Arms and Audrey Garoutte was elected National TSA Secretary.
 
Carl Junction TSA Parent Sponsor Robert Stokes was also honored with the highest award offered by TSA – Honorary Lifetime Achievement Award.
 
Also attending the National TSA conference were Connor Pittman (11 th grade), Allec Uber (2018 Graduate), Madeleine Garoutte (8 th grade), and Morgan Hughes (8 th grade).
Read-a-thon for Power of Play
Carl Junction students are reading to raise money to renovate their playground. Students in Mrs. Eichelberger’s 4 th grade class are hosting a Read-a-Thon and many of the Carl Junction elementary classrooms have joined them to raise money for the Power of Play project. This project is a vision of the Carl Junction School District to create a playground that is universally inclusive for all people.

Instead of spending time selling fundraising products, students will be focusing on reading. Students commit to completing 10 reading sessions, ranging from 10-30 minutes a day. They may choose any book they would like to read. The reading sessions will take place October 17 -30 with donations accepted until November 9.

Readers build personal Read-a-thon pages, set their own reading goals, and then share their link with friends and family using social media, email, or text. Those friends and family are asked to support the reader by making a one-time online donation.

CJ 7th Grader turns 4H project into successful agri-business
Junior High Student Caitlyn Garrett had a very successful summer with her business. That’s right; this seventh grader started her business when she was just 10-years-old. Initially a 4H project, turned year-round business, this project teaches her valuable lessons about sportsmanship, leadership, teamwork, empathy, math and finances, biology, nutrition, veterinary science, meteorology, communication skills, record keeping, marketing, and how weather patterns influence the price of groceries.

Caitlyn raises sheep. She currently has a flock of twenty sheep that she shows and sells at fairs, livestock shows, and livestock auctions.

Her parent’s Mike and Leigh Anne Garrett helped her get started with this project as a way to teach her about responsibility and hard work. Those lessons have turned into so much more than just ribbons, banners, and awards.

Caitlyn is currently evaluating her livestock with her future goals in mind and plans to upgrade to a bigger-framed, meatier stock in 2019. She also hopes to expand her business by adding goats.
Students Selected for High School District Honor Choir
Front row, L to R: Hannah Huffman, Alexandrea Moore, Davin Ducre, Audrey Hoggatt, Emma Lietz, 2nd row: Morgan Crespino, Tim Kowis, Madelyn Bailey, Taylor Lewis, Emma Schultz. Back row: Ty Amos, Dylan Veytovich, Miles Stamper, Lance Smith, Lucas Sisk, Jackson Marlett . Also selected but not pictured, Olivia Bliss

Seventeen students have been selected to the Southwest District Honor Choir and have now qualified to audition for the All-State honor choir to be chosen in October.
Carl Junction High School band takes flight in competitions
Carl Junction High School’s marching band competed at the Springfield Parkview “Valhalla” Marching Festival on Saturday.
 
Twenty-six area bands participated in the preliminary rounds. The groups were judged in the areas of music performance, music effect, percussion, visual performance, visual effect, and auxiliary. The CJHS band finished the preliminary competition with a second place finish in Class D and color guard was awarded Outstanding Auxiliary recognition in Class D. This score qualified the band for the finals. Not all competitors could participate as the event was cut short due to rain, but CJ band was named 5 th overall out of the twelve qualifying bands.
  
This Friday, the combined bands from the high school and junior high will perform at halftime of the CJ/Branson football game. Senior night festivities will also be taking place. There will be about 300 CJ musicians and auxiliary on the field.
 
The band will also perform at the Maple Leaf Parade on October 20 in Carthage .
PAT "Ages and Stages" meetings to address developmental milestones
Carl Junction Parents as Teachers consists of a group of trained parent educators. Their mission is to boost early literacy and Kindergarten readiness in the District's Early Learners - Birth to Kindergarten.

In the past, these educators have reached families by organizing in-home visits, scheduled screenings, and play dates. This year, due to funding and time challenges, in addition to these, PAT is hosting a new exciting series of events - developmental milestone group meetings. At these "Ages and Stages" open forums, while children play - caregivers receive information and resources, and educators can address any concerns or questions they may have.

The meetings are to be held in the Early Childhood Center, K-1 Building:
2018 dates for Ages & Stages
Oct. 12: Language Ages and Stages 9-10 am
Oct. 15: Language Ages and Stages 6-7 pm
Nov. 9: Social/Emotional 9-10 am
Jan. 11: Early Learning / PJ party!!! 9-10 am
Jan. 14: Early Learning 6-7 pm
April 12: Motor Skills 9-10 am

Parents as Teachers is a free and voluntary service offered to those who reside within the school district of Carl Junction. If you are not yet a member but fall within these criteria, feel free to sign up with us at these events, or see our Early Childhood Facebook page .
CJ to participate in Shake Out
What do you do in the event of an earthquake? Carl Junction students will participate in a drill to educate them on earthquake safety. As part of an organized/simultaneous regional drill: “The Great Central U.S. Shake Out,” students of Carl Junction will practice the procedure on Thursday, October 18 at 10:18 am.

The Shake Out program and CJ schools follow a method for earthquake safety known as:  Drop, Cover, Hold On . Firstly:  Drop  to the ground. Next,  Cover  your head and neck. Get under a desk or work table. And lastly,  Hold On , to whatever you can and don’t move until the event is completely over.

To learn more about this program, visit  their website .
Red Ribbon Week at CJ Schools
October 22-26
During Red Ribbon Week, messages about living a healthy, drug-free life will be incorporated into the daily lessons of our elementary students.

Fun events are planned during the week to encourage further engagement for students. See Facebook  during the week of October 22-26 for further details.
Homecoming Queen
Madison Bennett was crowned 2018 Homecoming Queen. She is escorted by Senior Joe Kennedy.


Nominate an Outstanding Teacher!
The Joplin Globe Newspaper in Education (NIE) program is seeking nominations for HOOT (Honoring Our Outstanding Teachers). Any Pre-K through 12 th grade teacher may be nominated by any administrator, staff member, parent, or student.

If you would like to nominate a deserving teacher, send the following information to nie@joplinglobe.com :
Teacher’s Name
School Building, School District, Subject taught
Nominating Person’s Name relationship to teacher
Why you are nominating the teacher in 75 words or less

A feature teacher will appear every Wednesday in the HOOT column on the NIE page.
Bulldog Athletic Updates
  • Athletic Calendar
  • The Girls Cross Country Team earned the 2018 Central Ozark Conference Championship!
  • Tennis: Abby Hodson placed 2nd in the District Individual Tournament and will compete at Sectionals the Girls Tennis Team received 2nd place in Districts
  • Freshman Ally Montez set a School Record for fastest 5K at the Pittsburg Invitational Cross Country Meet with a time of 18:25
  • Admission to High School and Jr. High Athletics: $4/adults & $2/students
  • Athletic Passes are available by calling the HS Office at 417-649-7081. $65/single, $120/for 2, $140/family of 4. Cash or check only. The Athletic Pass is good for all Jr. High and High School home, regular-season events.
  • Varsity Football games and a variety of other sporting events will be live-streamed on the Bulldog Broadcast Network/CJTV
  • Check out CJTV's Take-5 for last week
Jenna Teeter: Dominating Girls' Golf
Jenna Teeter, junior at Carl Junction High School, has had an amazing season so far in Girls Golf. Here are some highlights:
  • Tied Monday (10/8) as Sectional Champion (score 78). Will compete in the State Golf tournament next week in Kansas City. Go Jenna!
  • District Champion (Score 72)
  • COC Champion (Score 76)
  • On September 28, shot a 68 on a Par 72 course (Briarbrook). Setting a School and State Record for lowest 18 hole score on a Par 72 course.

You are amazing Jenna, we are very proud of you!
Carl Junction Bulldog Athletics
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For Bulldog Athletics updates:

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