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MARCH 2017
The Challenger Connection
Things are happening at Challenger!
Not a day goes by that I’m not reminded about what great kids we have here
at Challenger. They represent CMS in
such a positive manner in athletics,
activities, and in the classroom.
Parent/Teacher Conferences have
been scheduled for Wednesday, March
22nd from 3:00-6:30pm and Thursday,
March 23rd from 7:30am until
6:30pm. Drop-in times will be from
5:30-6:30pm on Wednesday; 7:30am8:30am and from 5:30pm-6:30pm on
Thursday. As with previous conferences, the teams will be contacting you
directly if they feel a conference is warranted. If you have not been contacted
and want to set up a conference with
your student’s team, please call or
email the team leader directly to set up
a time or stop by during one of the
drop-in times.
State testing is around the corner. I
would ask parents to emphasize to
their children that it is important to put
forth their best effort on the
tests. Standardized testing is a way for
schools to make decisions about proper placement for students or give support in needed areas where students
may not be proficient. It also gives the
school and teachers valuable information for key curricular decisions.
Even though state testing is only one
measure of success, it is an important
one. Challenger will do everything to
provide the best possible testing environment for all students. Please make
every effort to have your child attend
every day of testing (April 17, 18, 19
for all grades and April 21 for 7th and
Letter From the PrincipalTony Scott
[email protected]
8th grade only). Make-up tests are always hard to schedule, and the student
misses key instructional time being
pulled out of class for make-up testing.
I know it’s hard to believe, but it is time
to start planning for the next school
year. Soon, our counselors will be in
the 6th and 7th grade classrooms to
begin their registration process. It is
also the time of year to give the counselors any information that would be
helpful for your student’s educational
placements for next year. A request
for a specific team would not be appropriate, as teams have yet to be determined and many changes occur before
the start of the following year. Information that would be helpful is whether
your child works better in a highly
structured environment or a less structured setting, whether they would benefit from a smaller team or a larger
team, and other educational and social
information you would like to share.
Counselors will need to receive your
information no later than May 1, 2017
so they can start the team placement
process.
GO CHEETAHS!!
10215 Lexington Dr.
Colorado Springs, CO
80920
Main Office: 719.234.3000
Fax: 719.234.3199
http://www.asd20.org/cms/
Inside this issue:
Staff Spotlight
2
Band
3
PTA/TAG
Yearbook
4
Cheetah Sports
5
CLIC
6
Counseling Corner
7
Student Page
8
Literacy Notes
910
Nurse’s Notes
11
Calendar
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CMS MISSION STATEMENT
Challenger Middle School, a
community
dedicated to each unique learner,
provides
transformative education and
innovative learning,
with a technological emphasis
and intentional
social skills development, in a
safe and nurturing
environment that cultivates
students' passions,
character, and critical thinking in
preparation for an unimaginable
future.
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STAFF SPOTLIGHT
THE CHALLENGER CONNECTION
Page 2
Hello, I’m Kathy Kolahi-Koocheki (co-la-he coo-check-ē). No, the name is not Hawaiian, but that is the #1 guess.
And yes, it is all my husband’s name. I consider it a nice icebreaker as it’s much more interesting than say Smith
(which was my maiden name). I’m a Washington apple, GO HAWKS! We lived back east in New Hampshire for a
couple years before we moved to Colorado in 2000. I have worked for ASD20 for 16 years traveling to the different
schools where needed. Some of the schools I have worked at are; Air Academy high school, Pine Creek high school,
Timberview middle school, Liberty high school, part time at Discovery Canyon Campus and now I have landed at
Challenger middle school. Working in the school system helped me keep in touch with what was going on so that I
could be more in tune w/my three kids when they were in school and now with my four grandkids. I love animals,
enjoy reading, like going to movies, LOVE going to the state fair w/my grandkids for the rides and enjoy learning
more about the Native American culture. I abhor cooking as well as those people driving in the left lane that are
holding back traffic – MOVE OVER! Then there are those that seem to have a broken turn signal. They really do
need to make an appointment w/their mechanic and get it fixed! I love my drives into work as the first morning
rays bring a beautiful glow to the snowcapped mountains. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 37
years and we hope to move back to Washington when we retire. If we could have the ocean on one side of us and
the mountains on the other, we’d be perfectly happy to stay here for our retirement years.
Kathy
Important Dates
Kolahi-Koocheki
Future Eagles Band Concert
March 1
BB Carmel @ CMS
March 2
Pep Assembly
March 3
BB D20/D38 Tourney
March 3
BB D20/D38 Tourney
March 4
BB DCC @ CMS
March 6
BB CMS @ Panorama
March 8
BB CMS @ Eagleview
March 9
Choir Concert
March 9
Saint Patricks Day Parade
March 11
BB CMS @ Lewis Palmer
March 13
TAG 7th Grade presentations
March 14
BB CMS @ Watson
March 15
Evening PT Conferences
March 22
Parent Teacher Conf. No School
March 23
Office open till 12– No School
March 24
Spring Break
March 27-31
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Page 3
Mark your calendars now for the Band
Instrument Selection nights, This is an
opportunity for students new to band to
try all the instruments and find their
best fit. Meeker Music and Graner Music
are graciously donating their time and
instruments for this event. All students
going into 6th, 7th, and 8th grade for
the2017-2018 school year are welcome
to attend. No music experience needed.
Stop by the CMS band room on Tues,
April 11
Or Wed. April 12 from 4-6 pm
Try the various woodwind, brass, and
percussion instruments!
Band
Come cheer on CMS at the
St. Patrick’s Day Parade on
Saturday, March 11. Now
an annual tradition, the
CMS bands, color guard,
and poms squad will be per-
forming. The festivities begin
at noon. If you’d like more
Please contact Vanessa Lyttle
information about the perfor-
[email protected]
mance, please contact Mrs.
Dickey’s sub, Vanessa Lyttle
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Yearbook
PTA
Thank you to all the volunteers that made the Blast a success! We
couldn't have done it with out each of you! I think we broke a record for student attendance. The kids danced hard, played hard and
ate a lot of pizza. Huge Fun for all.
March 8th PTA Family Evening Social
Has been cancelled. The PTA would love to hear from our members how to serve the community at large. Middle School is a different experience than elementary. We are looking for creative
ways to reach tween & teen parents better.
March 23rd staff appreciation Luncheon
During teacher conferences. A catered lunch is provided. A signup genius will go out prior requesting assistance with desserts,
setup and serving.
More information will be included in Cheetah Chat.
Nominations for next years board should be completed for by mid
March.
We are hard at work on this year’s
yearbook! Be sure to purchase a
yearbook before we run out at the
end of the year. The price stays at
$45 for the rest of the year. You
can purchase a yearbook online by
going
to
www.challenger.asd20.org
and
click on ‘Order a Yearbook’ at the
bottom of the home page or by going to www.Jostens.com and ordering from Challenger Middle School.
If you need to pay with a check,
send it in with your student to Mr.
Tippie, it will be $48.71 with tax
made out to Challenger Middle
School.
Also, the yearbook staff would love
your pictures of school events, especially the resent seasons of basketball and dances. Please e-mail
any pictures to Mr. Tippie at:
[email protected]
If you are interested in helping with a specific committee
Please email [email protected]
Or message on FB Challenger PTA
TAG
Chess, Backgammon, and Cribbage club has begun for all grades after school every Friday, in room 106 from 3:00 to
4:15. Chess activity forms are required and are available in room 106. The Chess Activity is limited to twenty- four students. Activity Applications are available at room 106.
The District 20 Chess Tournament will be held on April 8, 2017 at Eagleview Middle School.. The early registration
deadline for a $4.00 discount is March 22, 2017, however registration at the door is available (assuming space is available) for $18.00. To participate at the Secondary level there is no middle school chess elimination contest, all those interested may enter into the D20 K-12 Chess Tournament. Registration information is available at room 106
The Optimist Brain Bowl Championship competition was held on February 25, 2017. Ten Challenger teams qualified for
the state championship having placed in the top six in all grade levels at the Southern Regional tournament that was
held on February 4th. The teams competed at the state level with outstanding results: In the sixth grade level, Challenger finished second and third, while in the seventh grade level, Challenger placed second and fourth. One Challenger
eighth grade team made it to the quarter finals and finished sixth.
Due to an unusually low response, unfortunately I had canceled Shutter Bugs this year.
Check with your son or daughter to see if they have heard about these activities and whether they may be interested in
signing up. To sign up they simply need to talk to Dr. Howard and/or sign the class list on the information board outside
room 106.
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Challenger Cheetah Sports
Boys’ basketball season is wrapping up on March 18. Congratulations to all intramural
and interscholastic players that represented our school! We had a great turn out this
season.
Up next is track. Track begins on Monday, April 3. Start registering your athlete now!
The sports packet which includes: registration form, sports constitution and current
sports physical are available in the front office and online.
*** Please REMEMBER that 7 th and 8 th grade students need a current sports physical
to participate in our athletic programs. Physicals are valid for one year, so please plan
accordingly. CHSAA rules require a sports physical for participation in intramural and
interscholastic sports. This is a requirement that cannot be waived.
Sports CLINICS
We have 3 clinics left for the school year. Please get registered now!
Sport
Dates
Cost
Volley Ball Clinic
April 4-7, 11-14
$25
Poms Clinis
May 1-4, 8-11 (will perform at May 12 pep assembly)
$25
Basketball Clinic
May 8 - 11, 15 - 18
$25
*** Please fill out a registration form and pay your fee before clinics start. Remember that for
sports clinics your child does not need a sports physical.
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Challenger Library and Information Center (CLIC)
It’s March – Time for Book Madness!
The CLIC would like to recognize the following 8th graders for participating in our March Book Madness
promotion. The display case below was designed and implemented by Kaylie Foster and the logo designed
by Gerard Garcia.
About the program:
As part of a world-wide program originally started in Central Ohio, the
CLIC is participating in a book playoff bracket in March. Here is the list of
books that will compete. The books are available in the CLIC and on Overdrive. The official brackets will be announced February 8 and the voting
will start March 1. Get reading!
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Fish in a Tree by Lynda Mullaly Hunt
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
Echo by Pam Munoz Ryan
The Fourteenth Goldfish by J ennifer Holm
Roller Girl by Victoria J amieson
Absolutely Almost by Lisa Graff
Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate
A Night Divided by J ennifer A. Nielsen
The War that Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Booked by Kwame Alexander
El Deafo by Cece Bell
Sisters by Raina Telgemeier
Counting by 7s by Holly Goldberg Sloan
The Honest Truth by Dan Gemeinhart
Pax by Sara Pennypacker
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On March 15th we will be meeting with our current 6th grade students and our current 7th grade students to
discuss class choices for next year. This year registration will be online for all next year 8th grade students.
Directions for online registration will be sent home with each student. All next year 7th grade students will be
doing paper registration. The registration form will need to be returned to your student’s cheetah time
teacher before leaving for Spring Break.
Conflict Resolution Ideas
Dealing with conflict can be quite a challenge, but if handled well can lead to positive results and build
healthy relationships. Here are some ideas about how to deal with conflict effectively:
· Take a deep breath before jumping into a conversation or reacting out of anger.
· Think about what you would like to say. Using an “I” message helps clarify the situation for everyone. Start
by saying what is happening that concerns you, then say how you feel about it, and end with a request for
what you would like to see happen.
· Use a calm, clear voice.
· Watch your body language. Try to keep an open posture and make good eye contact.
· Listen for understanding. Acknowledge what the other person is saying and clarify what you mean to
say. By negotiating a solution, both people can feel understood.
· Stay with the present situation…don’t “dump” past problems on to what is currently going on.
· Come from a place of “best hopes” rather than “worst fears.” If you approach a problem with a positive
attitude you are much more likely to work out a good solution.
If the conversation is not going well, think about using a 3rd person who is neutral and can mediate the situation for mutual understanding. Practicing conflict management strategies by role playing situations gives
everyone time to practice these skills in a safe environment. Then, when the heat is on you can fall back on
what you know will work. Finally, forgiveness is a key to letting go of toxic feelings and moving forward with
new understanding.
8th Grade counselor– Melissa Gonzales, 234-3031
7th Grade Counselor – Jordia moorman, 234-3028
6th grade counselor- Craig holbeck,.234-3026
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Forensics had a great season this year. Please enjoy reading about Forensics from
one of our 8th grade participants!
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Literacy Notes-
Angela Montgomery Reading Specialist,
CMS
Encouraging students to read with the eye of a writer
In the last newsletter, we examined ways to encourage close reading. Teaching our children
to ask themselves four basic questions is a great start. Those questions were:
What is the author telling me here?
Are there any hard or important words?
What does the author want me to understand? (Inferential meaning)
How does the author play with language to add to meaning?
It is the fourth question we will delve further into today, as we review ways to encourage
our students to view the text through the eyes of a writer. We can all improve our own writing
by reading examples of excellent writing. Our job as adults is to help students recognize what
makes good writing to begin with. Appreciating a writer’s craft isn’t hard, once students know
what to look for. Some helpful craft techniques are shared
Craft Technique
below.
Imagery, including comparisons:
Similes/Metaphors/Personification/
Figurative language/Symbols
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS
What is being compared?
Why is the comparison effective? (typically because of the
clear, strong, or unusual connection between the two)
What symbols are present? Why did the author choose these
symbols?
Word choice
What word(s) stand out? Why? (typically vivid words, unusual
choices, or a contrast to what a reader expects)
How do particular words get us to look at characters or events
in a particular way? Do they evoke an emotion?
How do particular words get us to look at characters or events
in a particular way? Do they evoke an emotion?
Did the author use nonstandard English or words in another
language? Why? What is the effect?
Are there any words that could have more than one meaning?
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Literacy Notes-
Angela Montgomery Reading Specialist,
CMS
Encouraging students to read with the eye of a writer CONTINUED
Tone and Voice

sentence structure
POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

Short sentences

Long sentences
Is the voice formal or informal? If it seems informal, how did
the author make it that way? If it’s formal, what makes it formal?

Sentence fragments

Sentences in which word out about the way this sentence is written?
order is important

Questions
Does the voice seem appropriate for the content? What stands
Why did the author make this sentence really long? (for example,
so it stands out from sentences around it, for emphasis)
Why did the author make this sentence really long? (for example,
to convey the “on and on” sense of the experience)
Why did the author write a fragment here? (for example, for
emphasis or to show a character’s thoughts)
Based on the order of the words in this sentence, which word do
you think is the most important? Why? What was the author trying to show by placing a particular word in a certain place.
How a text is written is as important as the content itself in getting the author's message across. Recognizing and appreciating good writing begins at
home, and later, in the middle years, it needs to be reinforced at home. It is
as simple as commenting over dinner about an author that you just adore because of her fantastic sense of humor, or her dynamic portrayal of a flawed
hero. It could be asking your middle school student to read a particularly sarcastic and biting op-ed piece from the paper or online, and then asking them
how they would respond. Valuing the opinion of your student is vital, but don’t
forget to ask them what made them feel that way! Chances are, the writer’s
craft will be part of the answer, even if your student doesn’t know to call it that, yet.
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From the School Nurse . . . .
Middle School is a time for much change for our students as they grow socially,
emotionally, and physically into young adults. Puberty can be a challenging
time with all of its growth spurts, acne, voice changes, and hormones! Sometimes personal hygiene can take a back seat. Soaps, shampoos, deodorants,
hairbrushes, toothpaste, and toothbrushes may be left unused on the bathroom
counters. Please share the following WebMD article regarding six tips for maintaining good hygiene with your student. It can be an uncomfortable topic of discussion; however, this talk may help avoid situations where other classmates or
staff notice your student’s body odor, but your student doesn’t!
1. Keep Yourself Squeaky Clean
Shower at least once a day and you'll wash away sweat as well as reduce the number of bacteria on
your skin. Sweat by itself is virtually odorless. But when microscopic bacteria that live naturally on
your skin mix with sweat, they multiply quickly and raise quite a stink. So washing thoroughly, especially areas prone to sweating, can reduce body odor. If you sweat normally, you might have more of
a problem with body odor than people who sweat too much. That's because, when people sweat excessively, the sweat tends to wash away the odor-causing bacteria.
2. Use Antibacterial Soap
Choose an antibacterial bath soap. Washing thoroughly with an antibacterial soap bar will reduce the
bacteria count, in turn reducing the odor. Look for the words "antibacterial" on the soap's packaging.
3. Towel Off Thoroughly
Once you've showered, be sure you dry yourself completely. Towel off and make sure you dry any
areas where you sweat a lot. If your skin is dry, it's harder for bacteria that cause body odor to breed
on it.
4. Apply "Industrial Strength" Deodorants or Antiperspirants
Once you are clean and dry, use a strong deodorant or antiperspirant on your underarms. While deodorants do not prevent sweating, they mask the smell of bacteria on your skin. Antiperspirants contain aluminum chloride, a chemical that reduces sweating, and often also contain a deodorant.
Stronger deodorants and antiperspirants are available without a prescription. Look for products that
say on the label they are higher strength due to ingredients. If you think you need even more help,
you may want to ask your doctor about prescription antiperspirants. Apply the deodorant or antiperspirant twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening.
5. Keep Your Wardrobe Squeaky Clean
Change clothes often when you're sweating heavily. Fresh clothes help keep body odor down. Be
sure to change your socks as well, especially if you tend to have foot odor. Use deodorant powders
in your shoes, replace insoles frequently, and go barefoot if possible.
6. Cut Out or Cut Down "Offensive" Foods or Drinks
What you eat affects your body odor. Foods that tend to make you sweat
more, such as hot peppers or other spicy foods, might also contribute to body
odor. And the aroma of foods such as onions or garlic can be carried in the
sweat, making you smell bad. Drinks with caffeine or alcohol may also cause
you to sweat more.
http://www.webmd.com/skin-problems-and-treatments/reduce-body-odor
MARCH 2017
SUNDAY
26
MONDAY
27
TUESDAY
28
What season is it when you are on a trampoline?
WEDNESDAY
1
Future Eagles Band
Concert @ PCHS
7:00 pm (8th Grade
Band only)
THURSDAY
2
Boys’ BB
Carmel @ CMS
3:45
6
7
Boys’ BB
DCC @ CMS
8th plays first
3:45
12
19
26
8
9
Boys’ BB
CMS @ Eagleview
Boys’ BB
CMS @ Panorama 4:00
4:15
Choir Concert
Pep Assembly
2:15
SATURDAY
4
Boys’ BB
D20/D38 Tourney @
Liberty HS TBD
10
11
Saint Patrick’s
Day Parade
17
18
6th/7th/8th 7pm Disco
13
14
Boys’ BB
CMS @ Lewis
Palmer 3:45
7th Grade TAG Boys’ BB
presentations- CMS @ Watson
3:45
Disco 6:30
20
21
27
3
Boys’ BB
D20/D38 Tourney @
Liberty HS TBD
Spring-time!
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FRIDAY
28
15
16
END OF 3rd QTR
22
Evening Parent
Teacher
Conferences
3-6:30
23
29
30
Parent Teacher Conf.
No School
7:30 am-6:30 pm
Walk-in times availableCheck website for times
24
25
Office Open till 12
No School!
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