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Chisago Lakes Middle School is an educational stepping stone for over 850 students. CLMS students are divided within each grade into two cores of roughly 150 students each, where educational programming that is relevant, challenging, integrated and exploratory is delivered by a core group of teachers.

Our students, as well as millions of other middle level students, are making critical and complex life choices on a daily basis. They are forming the attitudes, values and habits that will directly impact their behavior as adults.

A goal of CLMS staff and administration is to create a positive school environment where each student learns to develop and display positive character traits.

We hope to do this through a new initiative for the 2006-07 school year called, Core Connect, in addition to continuing to model the CLMS High “5” (Respect, Responsibility, Commitment, Integrity and Compassion).

Core Connect will be comprised of daily activities, focusing on the High “5”, during the first 23 minutes of each day. Activities and discussions will encourage personal connections and provide academic and social support.

Goals of this program include:

(1) Creating opportunities for students to discover what is unique about themselves and about others so that they might come to better appreciate, respect and make the most of the many differences among people.

(2) Helping students understand themselves better as learners, thereby providing students with the skills to better cope with academic concerns and to set goals for a satisfying and engaging year.

(3) Creating meaningful opportunities for students to contribute to CLMS and the community, as well as to celebrate those contributions.

(4) Promoting critical thinking and the making of responsible choices through discussion, problem posing and problem solving.

(5) Developing a variety of skills which enhance effective communication.

(6) Creating meaningful opportunities for students to engage in shared decision making in ways that: build self-esteem; increase students’ acceptance of responsibility for their own actions; cultivate personal integrity.

As a school community we look forward to the opportunity to put discussions, research and observations about Core Connect into action; however, it is important that you know that student growth lies with all of us. To create opportunities for growth in knowledge and understanding, the home, school and community must create and sustain an environment for teaching and learning, and for participation and cooperation.

We seek and will continue to seek the involvement of parents and the community in the learning process. Many of you give so freely of your time and talents for the good of our school.

Our success is really an extension of the success experienced at home and in our community. I feel blessed to be part of an organization that welcomes students for learning and always strives to seek improvement. CLMS will continue to provide a safe learning environment that stimulates involvement and fosters learning and self-esteem. CLMS is a great place where education is honored, students are nurtured and successes are embraced.

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