Just another day in the life of our hard-working teachers. Our Friday PIR was full of collaboration, data reviews, preparation, and homework help. First thing in the morning our teachers attended a training session devoted to using one of our personalized learning and intervention programs, MobyMax. This program allows students to work on prescribed standards-based skills in core subject areas. Afterwards, the Junior High and High School teachers delved into student achievement data using results from Fastbridge, student work, and teacher observation. Fastbridge is an assessment tool we use to benchmark test students in the fall, winter, and spring. Benchmarking is similar to an annual medical checkup with your doctor. It’s an assessment given on one day as a check in with students’ academic abilities. Just like a doctor looks at test results for blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood screenings, this is just a starting point for determining the best route to better physical health. Our teachers use these Fastbridge data points as a catalyst in determining educational support for all students. Teachers pull in other pieces of data to help create intervention plans to fill learning gaps students sometimes develop throughout their educational careers. Teachers are also using the data to help improve our instruction for our students’ ever changing needs. In the elementary school, the teachers prepared materials for Tuesday’s Math Night, collaborated on interventions through Google Meets, and met in small groups to develop specialized plans for the classrooms. As with every Friday, the teachers in Homework Help worked with students on missing assignments and even had some students attend who just wanted assistance and a quiet place to work. Next time you see one of our teachers, please thank them for the hard work and hours they put in each week. They are dedicated to the education of our students and the continued improvement of our school. 

Homecoming Activities: Theme is Movies!All outfits for spirit days must meet dress code with the exception of hats and wigs. Students must be visually identifiable and make-up must be in good taste and appropriate for elementary students to see.)Monday: Matching (Finds some friends and coordinate!)Tuesday: Celebrity (Look your best for the Red Carpet.)Picture Day is on Tuesday!Wednesday: Movie Theme Day (Who is your favorite movie character?)Thursday: 'Merica (Red, White, and Blue)Hallway Decoration Judging at 8:00 AMPep Assembly during 7th PeriodTeacher Door Decor Contest Judging by Student BodyFriday: SpiritPenny Wars all week. Coins Count, Dollars Deduct.Winning class with most participation gets a pizza party. Friday ActivitiesChariot and Float building at 9:00Chariot Races and Musical Chairs at 11:30 in the old gym.Family Movie Night on the field at 8:00 PM. Showing Barnyard Rated PG. Concessions of popcorn, pop, hot chocolate, and candy from 7:30-8:00 PM. Saturday ActivitiesVolleyball Parade at 3:00 (staging at 2:30)Football  

On Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 6:00-7:00 pm, we will be holding a Math Game Night. This is an opportunity for you to enjoy some quality, educational time with your child through fun and interesting math games. The evening is planned for students and their parents or another responsible adult (i.e., aunt, uncle, grandparent, etc.). We will provide snacks and drinks. We hope this evening will fit into your already busy schedules.  

On September 9th, 2021, the Cascade School District was notified that an individual associated with the District had tested positive for COVID-19. The individuals had contact with others in our school district on or before September 7th, 2021. If anyone associated with the District is at risk of exposure, Cascade School District will be in contact with that person to determine a safe and appropriate course of action. Any individuals who were in contact have been contacted. It is still recommended that any person who feels sick or ill, stay home and seek out their medical provider for specific instructions.Please take precautions to prevent the spread of illnesses: wear a mask, practice social distancing, stay home if you are sick, get vaccinated, and get a flu shot. School officials will continue to monitor the situation and will provide further information if and when it becomes available.It is important that individuals who feel ill, stay home to combat the spread of COVID-19.   Remember, the school can test individuals associated with the school if they are symptomatic.Please do your part and help us stay open!

Dear Parents and Community Members, Alluvion Health Clinic is holding a Flu & COVID-19 Shot Clinic at Cascade Schools on September 16, 2021 from 1:30p-3:00p. The cost of the vaccine is $35.00 for adults and children. This year, they will offer all individuals 50 years or older the higher dose influenza vaccine. There is a higher cost for this dose vaccine, however most Medicaid, Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans cover the cost. Cash, checks, and other insurances are accepted for payment. Please be sure to bring an insurance card or a copy of the front and back of all insurance cards. They will also be offering COVID-19, Tdap, Pneumonia and Shingles vaccines as well. 

University of Providence will be hosting the college fair on September 22nd, 2021 at the McLaughlin Gymnasium Center from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m. Cascade seniors are invited to attend with Ms. Jones, our counselor. Permission forms need to be returned to Ms. Jones or Mrs. Pieper by September 15.For more detailed information about MPSEOC, please visit https://www.montanacolleges.com/college-fairs.html or contact Amy Leary. The website has everything you and your students will need to know. 

Dear Cascade Families and Community Members,It has been amazing in our classrooms these past three weeks! The students are diligently working on new skills, and the teachers are getting to know the students in their new classes. We are so blessed to have such a wonderful group of students and staff.Thank you for your patience and  support as we are trying to manage the health of the students and community while providing the education our kids deserve. I know it has not been easy on you and your families. Our main goal is to provide safety for our students and staff in a way that will still allow them to learn at high levels. Thank you for your input and concerns from these past two weeks. If you would like to meet with either me or your students’ teachers, please contact us so we can make an appointment to fit your needs. As in prior years, if you would like to come in during school hours, stop by Tina’s office at the Commons so she can get you entered into our RAPTOR system and help direct you to the appropriate location. Make sure to check out the Cascade School’s website and the classroom webpages for information throughout the year. Not only will you find a calendar of events, you will also find athletic forms, contact information, board agendas and minutes, and other news items. We will be hosting a Math Game Night on September 14, 2021 from 6:00-7:00. Please come join us while the teachers and students share games that can be played at home to encourage family involvement. These games are a fun way to reinforce skills needed across grade levels. We hope you will join us. We will begin our fall benchmark testing in reading and math in the next few weeks. These tests are important because they help us pinpoint areas of strength and weakness so we can best meet your child’s individual needs through our reading and math intervention programs. As a Title I school, we provide all of the elementary students an intervention path that will help them reach their fullest potential. It is our goal in the elementary to have at least 80% of our students show a year’s growth. Please encourage your child to do his/her best work on the benchmark tests so our data will be as accurate as possible.  As with every year, we will be using the PAWS behavior expectations in our school. PAWS stands for Positive attitude, Act responsibly, Work ethic, and Show respect. Each student and staff member practices modeling the expectations every day. It has helped create a strong learning environment where everyone gains the confidence to take chances and try their best.  Thank you again for another great beginning at Cascade Elementary!Sincerely,    Michelle PriceElementary Principal406-468-9383 ext. 106michelle.price@cascade.k12.mt.us

September 1, 2021 Dear Cascade Families,The start of this school year reminded us that you can have a solid plan, and then rules change quickly and you need to always be willing to adjust. That said, teachers and students have remarked over the past three weeks how positive the school feels, how much they like their teachers, and how great it is to be eating in the cafeteria again. Our first Friday PIR felt more like a family reunion with laughter and conversation while we discussed school goals and improvement. I personally feel like I’m in my third first year here at Cascade with all the adjustments that have happened in the last few years. No matter how many changes the world throws at us, I will always get excited about teachers being in classrooms, the football team taking the field, fresh boxes of crayons waiting to create something amazing, and the smiles on students’ faces as they come into the building each morning. Please do everything in your power to keep you and your family healthy and safe. Get plenty of sleep, eat nutritious food, and rest when you feel ill. If you are short on resources, please contact Carrie Jones, our school counselor, at carrie.jones@cascade.k12.mt.us to get on the Thursday food bag list, the angel tree, and/or Thanksgiving and Christmas meals lists. Our school is a reflection of our community, and we want it to remain strong.We have Homecoming this month! Please watch our school website for events and information. Thanks to our community, we are hosting the first annual Career Fair for our students on September 20th. Students will meet with professionals and get a great idea of all the amazing jobs available to them when they get out into the “real world.” Our very own Jodie Campbell is compiling a list of people to represent their careers. If you would like to be a part of this event, please contact Jodie at townofcascade@gmail.com. This is going to be an amazing event!Respectfully,Nichole Pieper7-12 Principal

Hello Parents, First of all, I apologize for all of the confusion and inconvenience from the last week. Because of circumstances that developed over the weekend, I would like to inform you that as a parent, it is your choice when to send your child back to school. If you elect to send your student back to school on Monday, you may choose to do so.  A COVID test is not required. We are recommending that you follow the CCHD's guidelines.  Remember this is a recommendation and not a requirement.  CCHD's guidelines are as follow:Fully vaccinated (individuals who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination series and are two weeks post second dose): Do not need to quarantine unless they are symptomatic Test at 3-5 days after exposure Mask indoors in public for 14 days following the exposure If symptoms develop at any time, immediately self-isolate and get testedUnvaccinated: Quarantine for 10 days without testing May test at day 5 or later. If the test is negative AND they are symptom-free, they can return to work after day 7Positive for COVID in the previous 3 months: Do not have to quarantine if they remain symptom-free Please don't send students to school if they are ill.  The district is still able to test students and/or guardians if they would like to request a test.  Thank you for your patience and understanding,

Cascade County recommended guidelines:The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the following quarantine guidelines for a person who is identified as a close contact (within 6 feet of the infected individual for 15 cumulative minutes or more in a 24-hour period):If fully vaccinated (individuals who have completed a COVID-19 vaccination series and are two weeks post second dose): Do not need to quarantine unless they are symptomatic Test at 3-5 days after exposure Mask indoors in public for 14 days following the exposure If symptoms develop at any time, immediately self-isolate and get testedIf unvaccinated: Quarantine for 10 days without testing May test at day 5 or later. If the test is negative AND they are symptom-free, they can return to work after day 7If positive for COVID in the previous 3 months: Do not have to quarantine if they remain symptom-freeFor individuals that test positive, they must isolate until: 10 days since symptoms first appeared, or 10 days from test day if no symptomsAND Have had no fever for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medicationAND Symptoms must be improvingQuarantine means separating yourself from others who have not been exposed to COVID-19. This helps to prevent the spread of the disease. You should always remain at home during quarantine (except for testing or emergency care) and minimize interaction with other household members. If interaction with household members is unavoidable, you should wear a face covering, practice physical distancing by staying at least six feet away from members of your household, and limit close contact with others to less than 15 minutes per 24-hour period. If you want a more in-depth explanation here is the link for the CDC page on quarantine COVID-19: When to Quarantine | CDCIf at any time you develop the following symptoms contact your primary care provider, urgent care, or the local emergency room for further guidance. New loss of taste or smell Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches Headache Sore throat Congestion or runny nose Nausea or vomiting Please contact CCHD with any questions at 406-454-6950 from 8 am-5 pm Monday through Friday.