Columbus Middle School

✨Staff Spotlight✨ Mr. Ostander is one of our 8th-grade Math Teachers. He has been working for the district for 2 years now. In addition to teaching 8th-grade Math, he coaches Track and Freshman Girl's Volleyball! I asked him some questions about this and here is what he said, Q: What is your favorite math unit to teach? A: When we talk about transformations. Q: Why did you decide to teach Math? A: Math was always my favorite class growing up, and I love helping people, and it's a good combination of both. Q: What is your favorite thing to do in your free time? A: If it's nice out I like to go fishing or do anything outdoors.

CMS Reality 101 returned Friday. The annual tradition gives 8th-graders a chance to see and solve real-life financial decisions. Volunteers from community businesses help students with tasks such as purchasing homes, paying medical expenses and budgeting salaries.

🎭✨ One More Chance! ✨🎭 Did you miss last night’s performance of A Christmas Carol? 😱 Don’t worry—there’s still one more opportunity to see this amazing show! 🎄👏 📅 Final Performance: 🗓️ Saturday, December 7 ⏰ 2:00 PM We hope to see you there! 😄🎉🎬

🎄✨ We've had so much fun with our Holiday Dress-Up Days this week! Thank you all for bringing your festive spirit and creativity. 🎁❄️ We can't wait to see your amazing ideas for next week! 🎅👕 Check out the dress-up schedule below and start planning your outfits! 🎨🎄 📅 Next Week's Dress-Up Schedule: 📌 Show your Holiday Bling 📌 Holiday Family Photo Day 📌 Holiday Headwear 📌 Candy Cane Day

🎉 Congratulations to our December 2-6 Students of the Week! 🎉 8th Grade ⭐️The student of the week is a great example of doing the work and putting in the effort. His attitude and willingness to help others contributes greatly to the class. He is highly motivated and actively seeking success. Great work, Brian! ⭐️Peyton exemplifies kindness in everything she does, treating everyone she meets with genuine respect and warmth. Her dedication to excellence shines as she consistently strives to do her very best both inside and outside the classroom. Beyond her own achievements, she is always willing to lend a helping hand, showing compassion and generosity whenever it's needed. Her positive attitude and supportive nature make her a role model for her peers, and she truly embodies the qualities of a Discoverer

🎉 Congratulations to our December 2-6 Students of the Week! 🎉 7th Grade ⭐️The 7 Silver Student of the Week is Caylee. Caylee is a quiet leader in the classroom. She is a positive role model and a hard worker. Caylee is always doing what is expected of her every day. Caylee completes her work on time, every time, and it is always done well. We are proud to have you on our team, Caylee! Keep shining bright! ⭐️This Maroon 7 student is a top performer, consistently thorough in her work. She is also a valuable classroom asset, always willing to assist her peers and help with classroom organization. Congratulations Kaylyn!

🎉 Congratulations to our December 2-6 Students of the Week! 🎉 6th Grade ⭐️Alex deserves a big shout-out for being so responsible in all his classes! He always stays on task and works hard, setting a great example for everyone around him. His quiet focus contributes to a positive learning environment, and his commitment to completing homework shows just how dedicated they are. Keep it up, Alex! ⭐️Our 6 Maroon Student of the week is a Kristopher. He is always willing to work with anyone around him. He is patient with others and tries to help them. He is always responsible and stays on task. He continues to work hard and help contribute to a great learning environment. We are proud and lucky to have you on our 6 Maroon Team Kristopher!

🎉 Congratulations to our December 2-6 Students of the Week! 🎉 5th Grade ⭐️This week’s student of the week is a shining example of kindness and dedication. Always ready to help others, spread positivity, and give her best effort in all she does, she makes our classroom a better and brighter place for everyone. Thank you for being you, Deisy. ⭐️Conner is a great example of a model student. He always follows the teacher’s directions and works hard on his assignments. Conner is also an active participant in class discussions, sharing his ideas and helping to make lessons more engaging. His dedication and positive attitude make him a fantastic role model in our class!

🎭✨ A Spectacular Show! ✨🎭 On Wednesday, December 4, some fifth and sixth graders at CMS performed an amazing play—Christmas Carol! 🎄👏 You have two chances to catch these incredible performers! 🌟 📅 Upcoming Performances: 🎟️ Friday, December 6 at 7 pm 🎟️ Saturday, December 7 at 2 pm Come see these talented students bring the holiday spirit to life on stage! 🎅❄️🎬 Don’t miss out! 🎉

✨Staff Spotlight✨ Mrs. Shevlin is a school counselor at CMS going on 18 years in the district. She went to many colleges such as UNK, UNL, College of Saint Mary's, Wesleyan University, Wayne State, CCC, and Metro. Mrs Shevlin has 6 kids and 2 dogs. She chose to be a school counselor because she left her old job because she missed the kids, and teaching then led into being a counselor.

Here are some pictures taken of 7th-grade basketball teams against Norfolk! Support them next Monday for a home game against Lakeview! Go, Discoverers!

🎄✨ Starting December off strong with some festive fun! Today’s dress-up theme: Holiday Pajama Pants! 💤🎅 Everyone brought their cozy and cheerful spirit to kick off the month. Who doesn’t love staying comfy and festive at the same time? ❄️ Check out the calendar for the remaining dress-up days for this week!

Students in Ms. Schoenberner's class used their design skills to make personalized ornaments on the laser cutter.

🦃 Students in Mrs. Alswager's class designed disguises for turkeys using their digital design skills 🥸 🦃

✨Staff Spotlight✨ Mrs. Hauder is a 6th-grade science teacher and has been teaching at Columbus Public Schools for 8 years. Some of her extra-curricular duties include being a Team leader and a PLC leader. Question 1: What made you want to teach 6th Science? Answer: It’s very interactive; students can do many hands-on experiments and projects. Question 2: What’s your favorite lab/experiment to do with students? Answer: My favorite would be learning about the different body systems. Question 3: What’s your favorite activity to do outside of school? Answer: I enjoy watching sports in my free time. We appreciate all that you do at CMS Mrs. Hauder!

Our 5 Silver team students showcased their creativity and knowledge by building dioramas representing the four Earth Systems: Geosphere, Hydrosphere, Biosphere, and Atmosphere. 🌎✨ After presenting their work, the students voted on their favorites, and we are excited to announce the winning dioramas! 🏆👏 You can check out these incredible projects on display in the CMS Media Center or the 5th Grade Hall Display now through Christmas. 🎄 Don't miss the chance to see their hard work and innovation in action!

🎉 Congratulations to our November 18-22 Students of the Week! 🎉 8th Grade ⭐️This student's kind attitude and willingness to participate have such a positive impact on her classes. She is quick to volunteer and puts incredible effort into every task. Her teachers appreciate her dedication to her learning. Keep up the great work, Stella! ⭐️This student a kind hard working student who is always willing to help anyone who needs it. His teachers appreciate the positive energy he brings to class. Keep being awesome. Congrats, Lucius.

🎉 Congratulations to our November 18-22 Students of the Week! 🎉 7th Grade ⭐️The 7 Silver Student of the Week is Derek Anchundia-Camacho. Derek is super helpful to his peers and works hard with his partner in class. Derek helps keep others on task. Keep shining bright, Derek! We are very proud you! ⭐️This 7th-grade Maroon student consistently demonstrates a positive attitude in every class. He is diligent in completing his work, and his dedication to achieving success is evident. Congratulations, Yosniel!

🎉 Congratulations to our November 18-22 Students of the Week! 🎉 6th Grade ⭐️Jesus is an amazing student who consistently helps others without being asked! He’s always willing to translate for his classmates, making sure everyone understands. His hard work and dedication really stand out, and he gives his best effort every single day. It’s inspiring to see how much he cares about helping others succeed. Keep being awesome, Jesus! ⭐️Our 6 Maroon Student of the week is Xavier. Xavier comes to school every single day, ready to learn and is always so kind to everyone around him. He brings positive energy and always has a smile on his face. He is always willing to lend a friend a pencil, charger, or anything else he might have with him! We are lucky to have him! Congrats to Xavier.

🎉 Congratulations to our November 18-22 Students of the Week! 🎉 5th Grade ⭐️This week’s student of the week is a positive, hardworking, and respectful classmate who consistently gives their best effort. Whether it's helping others, participating in class, or showing kindness and responsibility, she is a role model for her peers. Always prepared and eager to contribute, she makes the classroom a better place for everyone. Keep up the fantastic work, Gracie. ⭐️Parker is a very polite and kind student. She is always ready to help others when they need it. Parker makes sure to finish her work on time and puts in her best effort. She is a great friend to have and makes our class a better place. We're lucky to have Parker with us!