They are popping up like wildflowers! These colorful jars to support the Cedar Springs Library are popping up at local businesses everywhere. Look for these matching fundraiser jars and throw in your loose change (we take paper money, too) to help the library get closer to the $50,000 matching grant towards a new building.

Thanks to the CTA staff and students for their part in decorating the containers—they are truly works of art! Also, a big thanks to the Cedar Springs Post and the many others who have put in their time and effort to support our local library.

All Parents and Students in the area are invited to attend Freshman Orientation at Cedar Springs High School.  An informational meeting for the 2012-2013 school year will be held Thursday, February 9, 2012 in the High School Auditorium at 7:00 p.m.

Eighth-grade student Alex Teal practices his presentation skills while describing research results. Presentations were created using www.prezi.com.

Exploring Technology is taught by Jeremy Plain in both the seventh and eighth grades. While each class covers different topics, the idea is the same; show students some new and fun ways to process and display information.  In addition to the familiarity students gain with new types of technology, Mr. Plain’s classes are designed to reinforce classroom concepts in science, reading and math.

Some of the activities students complete throughout the trimester include researching, organizing and producing presentations; creating how-to videos using screen captures at www.screencast.com; implementing reading strategies to explore developments in technology and designing informational and persuasive posters.

“We are difference makers” is the school wide theme for Cedar Trails Elementary School in Cedar Springs. This year young students in preschool, kindergarten, and first grade joined together to build some important “Habits of Mind.”

Kindergarten teacher Cheryl Tacoma helped coordinate the effort and shared her thoughts with the staff at a recent staff meeting.

During the holiday season 15 classrooms took the challenge to make a difference with their kind hands and kind hearts. They chose to raise money to help other children around the world. The Cedar Trails students did extra jobs at home to earn dimes and quarters. The parents were delighted with their children’s enthusiasm to do extra jobs.  What fun the families had earning, “Dimes for Ducks, Quarters for Quackers,” or “Change for Chickens!”

These young students stepped up to the plate and took their commitment to help other children very seriously. They truly wanted to help and make a difference.  Kindergarten student Brielle Sarniak explained how our Dimes for Ducks worked.

“You see, we kids do jobs at home and get dimes, then we bring them to school and add them all up and then we send the money so the poor people can have the ducks.  Then they eat the duck’s eggs for food, but they can’t eat all the eggs, so they sell the extra eggs and get some money so their kids can go to school like us.”  Kindergartner Nolan Myers summed it all up by saying, “and that’s called kind hands kind hearts!”

In less than 2 weeks the Cedar Trails staff, students and families were able to make these amazing donations to World Vision for 312 ducks, 10 chickens, 1 goat, 2 children able to attend school for a year; $115 to St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and $100 for food for children in Hand of Hope. The combined gifts totaled approximately $2500.

There is no doubt Cedar Trails Elementary is “making a difference!”

Cedar Springs Public Schools has implemented millions of dollars in budget cuts over the last decade.

State funding for education has forced continued spending cuts and is forcing choice between quality education and maintaining roads and facilities. The district placed priority on keeping cuts as far from the classroom as possible.  As a result, school infrastructure needs were deferred.  Without an alternative source of funding, the Board of Education would be forced to divert funding from classrooms to cover school infrastructure needs.  Additional budget cuts, increased class size, and/or depletion of fund balance may be necessary.

An Advisory Committee consisting of parents, staff, and community members worked together to determine a long range plan for facilities and infrastructure of Cedar Springs Public Schools by identifying the needs of the district.   The priorities included: security modifications, technology infrastructure, repaving parking lots and roads, increased parking at Cedar Trails, Beach, and High School, replacement of Gym Floors at Beach and Cedar View Elementary, energy efficient boilers, and many others.

Identified facility needs can not be met within current general fund expenditures without significant budget adjustments.  The Advisory Committee recommended the pursuit of a one mill sinking fund to support infrastructure needs.  The February 28, 2012 election will include a ballot proposal to secure a short-term, dedicated stream of funding for basic school improvement projects for Cedar Springs Public Schools.

Sinking funds, unlike traditional tax bonds, generate a fixed amount of funds over the period of the tax and incur no interest.  A one mill assessment for an owner of a $100,000 home would be fifty (50) dollars a year.  Sinking funds can be used for remodeling or repairing facilities, improving sites, structures, athletic facilities, playgrounds, or other facilities; and technology infrastructure.  School districts are not allowed to use funds from a sinking fund for operating expenses such as teacher, administrator or employee salaries.

The Sinking Fund would ensure funding remains in classrooms for learning, teaching, books, and technology, provide students with basic necessity of a warm, safe and dry learning environment, create efficiencies and long-term financial savings, create jobs and support of local businesses.  The Sinking Fund is the means by which the District can protect the community’s investment used by our students, staff, parents, and community.

Free Income Tax Preparation

KSSN has partnered with United Way and the Kent County Tax Coalition to provided free income tax preparation for the 2012 tax season.  Tax preparers will be available on Mondays from 4:00 – 7:00 beginning Feb. 6th through March 26th by appointment only.  To schedule an appointment you must call United Way’s 2-1-1 helpline or (616) 459-2255.  Please do not call the school to make your appointment.

Extended hours for applying for DHS Benefits.

Beginning February 6th you will be able to apply for DHS benefits on-line.  This service will be available on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 5:00pm – 8:00pm at Red Hawk elementary.  Assistance will be available.  This service will be available through May.  For more information contact Caroline Geist at 696-7330 ext. 6298

VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITES

Schools of Hope – Become a volunteer reading tutor today! Volunteer with Schools of Hope in-school reading program. You can make a huge difference in the life of child; all you have to do is give 30 minutes of one-on-one tutoring every week to improve reading skills of first through third graders. One two-hour training session is required, all materials are provided. Cedar Springs training dates are February 7 from 6-8 or February 15 from 1-3. For more information please contact Caroline Geist at cgeist@hwmuw.org or call at 696-7330 ext. 6298.

En-gedi – an after school youth center designed for students in 6th- 12th grades.  It is housed in Red Hawk Elementary.  Volunteers are needed on a weekly basis during the hours of 2:30 – 5:00.  For more information call Craig Owens at 667-7773.

CTA’s boys varsity basketball team traveled up north to take on two Traverse City teams.

Friday night, CTA tipped-off against St. Mary’s of Lake Leelanau. The Eagles of St. Mary’s bested the Chargers with a final score of 42-24. 14 of the Charger’s 24 points came from Senior guard, Cole Chilcote. Early in the 3rd quarter, Chilcote hit a 14-14 game tying 3-point basket. However, St. Mary’s found a way to convert turnovers into baskets, and make it difficult for the Chargers to score for the remainder of the game. Guards, Travis Johnson and Austin Armstrong each added 4 points.
The good news was the Chargers did not have to hang their heads long over Friday night’s loss. They played the Bulldogs of Traverse City Homeschool early Saturday. The first half looked shaky for Creative Tech, as the Bulldogs used their 6’3” center to have their way around the basket on both ends of the court. The Chargers made a few adjustments on the defensive end, and held the center to just a few touches for the remainder of the game. The Chargers were also more determined to attack the basket and get their forwards involved. Creative Tech took the momentum of a buzzer-beater 3-point shot from the hand of junior Austin Armstrong into halftime to trail the Bulldogs by just 2 points. However, the biggest points may have come from senior Zach White from the charity line. With less than 30 seconds left in the game, White’s made free-throws put the Chargers up by 4 points, making it a two-possession game. The Bulldog’s settled for a desperate 3 point attempt as time ticked away. The shot came up short bouncing out of bounds, possession to the Chargers. The Chargers were able to play keep away for the remaining 10 seconds and win with a final score of 26-22.
Creative Tech improves to 5-4 as they reach the halfway point in the season. Tuesday, they take on Waypoint, of Muskegon, and end the week with a trip to Grattan Academy.

CTA Grades K-6

Daddy/Daughter Dance

February 9, 2011
CTA Cafeteria

$10.00 per family
Refreshments, Desserts, Photo Included

Spring Parent/Superintendent Town Hall Meeting

(originally scheduled for April 23)

Has been rescheduled to
Thursday, April 19, 2012

This is also Family Night at CTA!

Hope to see you all there!