Message Board
Laptops for Sale
We will be selling the 2008 white laptops this year. The price is $200.00 per machine, and students will have a chance to buy their own, whenever possible. They will come with the factory settings of OSX 10.6.8 and iLife Suite, but NO Microsoft Office. You could also choose to install Google Apps for free. Computers are sold “As Is” and will not have a warranty.
All community members are also invited to reserve a computer. There is a limit of 5 per household. Please call LouAnn Phillips at the school (438-6181) or stop by with your payment by June 29th. Computers will not be reserved without a deposit, and all past fees must be paid. There are only 300 available, so get yours reserved today! Computers will be available for pickup on July 15th.
Last Day Announcement
On May 25th students in grades 9-11 will be dismissed at 11:30 AM as part of the incentive for earning grade level proficiency marks of at least 80% as a class in Reading, Math, and Science.
If transportation cannot be arranged, the students are welcome to remain at school in the Commons until the end of the school day. The school buses will run at regular times.
2011-2012 Yearbook Ordering
To order a 2011-2012 yearbook, please call 1-866-282-1516 or contact Mr. Swanson
1:1 Refresh Cycle for Students in Grades 7-12
Just an update on last night's BOE meeting as it pertains to the 1:1 refresh cycle.
The decision to refresh all the machines for all students in grades 1-11 was made.
The device for students in grades 5-12 will be the Lenovo E420.
The device for students (and staff) in grades 1-4 will be the iPad 2.
We will be working on what to do with the staff machines. We need to gather some additional data, before we determine which direction/options we should pursue.
We have some work to do to get the ball rolling and to get ready for the beginning of school next year. We are excited about a 1-12 refresh, and understand that there may be some bumps along the way, but we will work through those just like we have for our previous implementation.
Please feel free to send Mr. Kurt an email with any questions, comments, or concerns.
Facilities
We are getting close to the official beginning of Summer. We often talk about "Summer Projects" in schools, but the reality is that the projects often go throughout the school year. We worked to create facilities plan with the input of an architectural firm, and then we prioritized that list with the assistance of our maintenance staff and some community members with experience in maintenance/construction. Obviously, the need is often greater than the budget. However, we did create some short-term plans to address areas of major need, and utilized a number of different funding streams (including PPEL, SILO, Harkin Grants, Donations, and Rebates) to help fund the projects. It is interesting to look back to the start of last summer and reflect on the facility improvements of the last 12 months.
We repaired a large section of our roof. The current state of the roof is good, and the oldest section of roof is currently at about its half-life.
We replaced a number of Elementary windows, and are currently in the process of replacing the remainder of those windows. We did receive a Harkin Construction Grant and Harkin Fire Grant to help offset the costs of this project. The windows that are being replaced were original to the building, and were very inefficient. As part of this project, we also addressed lentels that needed to be replaced and some masonry repairs.
We erected a Greenhouse to be used by our students in a number of classes as an engaging and hands-on experience. This project was more work than we anticipated, but we are very excited about the potential and possibilities. A huge thank-you to numerous community members who helped with financing and the labor to get the Greenhouse up and running.
Currently we are working with an engineering firm to create specifications for the replacement of our Elementary Boiler system. We are working to help cover the cost of this major project through the use of a low interest loan over 15 years to be in part paid off with energy savings. Although, the project has not been officially approved, a feasibility study has been completed, and they are working on documents to take out for bids. This is part of process that started with the roof, and continued with the windows. It made sense to improve the envelope of the building, prior to replacing the boiler.
We are also currently working on residing the crow's nest and improving the overall appearance of that building.
Of course, all this is in addition to the general maintenance and upkeep that our custodial staff undertakes on a daily basis. Hopefully, you have noticed the improved condition of the buildings (ex., old gym and multi-purpose facility) since we hired back our own custodial staff a couple years ago. Our custodial staff has done an excellent job, and have helped create long-term plans that addressed flooring needs, carpet replacement, and a paint cycle to ensure the continued improvement of our building.
This summer, in additional to the boiler project, we will also be looking to replace some of the entrances to the building, as some of the doors and frames are rotting away.
If you ever have questions, comments, or concerns on our facilities, please feel free to give us a call.
New Central City Commercial On Education
As part of the efforts of City Council/Main Street you can find the first in a series of commercials that will be shown on KCRG. The commercials celebrate Central City. The first commercial is about the Education opportunities at Central City Schools.
Link to Download/Watch the Commercial
Central City Preschool
If you have a child that is three or four years of age by September 15, 2012 and you are interested in registering your child for preschool, then Central City Preschool is your perfect choice. You may register your child anytime now. Registration materials are found under the preschool tab and at ABC Child Care Center. to get your child registered you must drop off your completed form and fee at ABC. If you have further questions you can find more information under the preschool tab or contact Mrs. V at 438-1710.
Looking for kindergartners!
It is time to start thinking about kindergarten for the fall of the 2012-2013 school year. Kindergarten round up will be held on April 5th from 8:30-11:00 AM. This is a chance for kids to meet the teachers and for us to take a quick assessment of who we have. If you have a possible student or know of one please see the download page of this website for more information and forms. Remember a child must be 5 on or before September 15, 2012 to be eligible to attend kindergarten this coming fall. Thank you.
Message from the Counselor’s Office
The Counseling Department has had a great end for the calendar year! On the K-6 front, we have been working on our character development. In classroom guidance lessons, we learned about self-discipline, fairness, and integrity by discovering our emotions and how to control them, resolving conflicts, treating our friends and others fairly, being a positive thinker, and keeping organized. We have also been busy with social skills groups and learning how to work together as classmates. Preschoolers have been exploring listening, sharing, and personal space. On the other side of the building, the 7-12 graders have been busy with PSAT tests and preparing for life after high school through college planning & financial aid presentation nights, and attending the college fair. Upperclassmen have also been taking advantage of job shadow experiences through Workplace Learning Center. K-12 students also stop by the guidance office when going through difficult personal or social circumstances and are always welcome. Next semester, our K-6 students will be investigating perseverance, compassion, citizenship, responsibility, and respect. 7th graders will be attending a career field trip at Kirkwood and 8th graders will participate in a Financial Literacy Fair (both in May). Also, 8-11th grade students will work on I Have a Plan Iowa career planning. Much to look forward to in the months ahead!
Robotics Teams make State!
Team 4156 and 5097 have both qualified for state! The will be competing at the Iowa Memorial Union (IMU) on Sat, Feb 25th, 11:00AM. We are proud of the efforts of our teams, and how they have progressed throughout the year. Keep up the great work!
Student Enrollment
We recently completed our student enrollment count and for the 3rd year in a row we have an increase in enrollment. It is encouraging to see more students enroll in our school. I believe we have excellent staff, programming, and opportunities for our students. I believe people are recognizing the efforts of our school district, and are choosing to take advantage of the opportunities that we provide.
Virtual Reality
During the October Board of Education Meeting students from Mr. Pangburn's Virtual Reality class presented what they are working on in class. The idea that our students are working with Blender and Google Sketch-up to create 3-D renderings is pretty crazy. I really enjoyed seeing what they are working on, and am excited to see where they go with the development of their skills, because I know they are putting in a lot of work outside of the classroom
Robotics
Congratulations to Mrs. Litterer for being awarded a $2000 Grant from Iowa State University. The purpose of the grant is to give students more exposure to STEM related fields. The grant will provide funding for 8 Lego robots. We will start this year with a pilot activity in a 4th grade classroom, and look for full implementation in grades K-4 next year. The program will last about 2-3 weeks in each classroom, and will help develop critical thinking, collaborative problem solving, and give our students an introduction to programming and design.
This grant will be a great opportunity for our younger students to begin to work with Robotics, as they often see our Middle School and High School students working with the Lego Mindstorms and are pretty jealous.
Our High School Robotics Club and Class continue to participate in Robotics Challenges and are changing and improving their designs as a result. They are getting ready for the State Level competition, and are excited to try and improve on their excellent showing from last year.
Kirkwood Community College
We continue to take advantage of our partnership with Kirkwood Community College by sending students to the Jones Regional Academy. CCCSD is strongly behind our students in helping prepare them for College and/or a Career. The school district not only pays for the tuition and the books, but we provide transportation to and from the site. The opportunities of Jones Regional are excellent, and it encouraging that 32 students chose to take advantage of the opportunities. As a result, we will have some students who are better prepared to go into the world of work or who are closer to earning their associates degree. We will also have students who through their hard work and dedication that will end their high school careers with 30-40 college credits. I am proud of the work that our students have put in, and know that this is just the tip of the iceberg. I believe our students will be prepared to compete with anyone in the competitive work force.
Greenhouse
We continue to make progress on the Greenhouse that has been erected as part of our Agriculture program. Through the generosity of local citizens we are able to construct a building that will give our students exposure to growing plants, running a business, Aquaculture, Hydroponics, and much more. Soon, we will have live, green plants to sell!
Congratulations to the Class of 2011!!!
2011 Graduation Pictures
Class of 2011 Graduation pictures are now available to view for free online at:
http://cchsgraduation2011.shutterfly.com/pictures
One Call Emergency and School Messaging Service
If you are not getting current school information from the One Call service or need to update or add additional phone numbers to receive information from One Call, please contact LouAnn Phillips in the High School Office.
Extra Announcements and Powerschool Bulletins
This message board is not the only location to read about school or student announcements
Please review the bullentin information that is posted on Powerschool
If you do not have access to your student logon for Powerschool, please contact Barb Dudley or LouAnn Phillips
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