Happy New Year!  2020 has arrived and we are preparing for great things to come.  We are a couple weeks away from our staff selection day.  I spent some time recently with Taylor Drennan, John Warner Assistant Principal, to look at all of our potential teachers to think about those that would be the best fit for what we want for our students.  The talent pool is incredible!  We would like to get out to Jeff Middle and Gentry Middle soon to meet and greet students. I will mention that our 8th grade enrollment is currently around 145 students (due to grandfathering and students staying at current buildings).  This is a one year anomaly and we will be up to 190-200 in future years.  I think as we move forward more and more students will want to be a part of John Warner's first 8th grade class.  I project being closer to 170 this first year once school starts.  Our 6th grade should have around 190 students and our 7th grade will be about the same.  I have been receiving many phone calls about our athletic teams and what we will have to offer students.  We will have all of the sports teams that all other middle schools have.  I am currently working with our district athletic department and Adidas to order uniforms and equipment.  We have a mascot and colors and our athletic department is working to put the finishing touches on the logo.  We will be able to reveal that soon after it has been completed.  If you have any questions please don't hesitate to contact me at jhale@cpsk12.org. 573-214-3400 Ext. 26481

Voting for the John Warner Middle School mascot and colors has officially begun!  I just sent out an email to all students who are supposed to attend JWMS. The email contains a link to a Google Form where students can vote on the mascot.  Some of the most popular mascots in the country have been included but students also have the option of coming up with one not on the list.  Dark green is our primary color and students will have a choice of secondary colors to go along with it.  One entry per student.  Also, we cannot choose a mascot already adopted by another CPS school.  Students have until Friday, Dec. 13 to submit their choices.

I hope everyone is doing well in preparation for the holidays.  We have made much progress in the recent weeks.  First, we have an Assistant Principal candidate that will be taken to the BoE for approval.  This individual is dynamic, fun, and understands the students, staff, and community which we serve.  I have been meeting with potential teachers and staff and I must say that CPS has some incredible people that work with our children.  Staff selection will occur in January, which gives me just enough time to meet with everyone who wants to bring some magic to JWMS.  We will be setting up interviews in December for our two Professional School Counselors and will also be interviewing for our Library Media Specialist.  The LMS will be in charge of our incredible Media Center, Maker Space Lab, and Instructional Lab.  I envision this area being the hub of creativity and productivity.  When we get back from Thanksgiving Break, we will be sending an email to all students who will be attending John Warner Middle School in 2020.  Students will have input on Mascot ideas and secondary colors.  Construction is moving along well.  We are definitely on track for completion in early April.  As soon as I am able to I will send out information about touring the completed building.  Happy Thanksgiving and enjoy some time with your family during the break!

John Warner Middle School!

So many people have expressed to me what an amazing person John Warner was and the impact he had on their lives. I talked with many of our wonderful folks in law enforcement and when I ask about John Warner the reaction is always the same.  Grown men, hardened by the streets and the tough nature of what they do each day, get misty eyed and their voices start to crack.  When they talk about what a great person, officer, and friend John Warner was to them you can tell he was special.  I didn't have the privilege of knowing John Warner personally but I am excited that we will be able to honor what John Warner stood for in the work we do each day.  Teaching our students to be of the highest character, to act with integrity, to build positive relationships with other students, staff, and community, to embrace each day and make a positive impact on their future, their school, their community, and the world. What a great role model for our students to look up to and honor with their contributions.

Exciting week this week! (Nov. 11-15, 2019)

I have been having many conversations with teachers throughout the district who would like to be a part of the new middle school!  So many amazing teachers in CPS!  I will be having these meetings until Winter Break and possibly into the first week of 2020.  When mid-January hits, we will put together the team of teachers that will lead the charge and be the first faculty in school history!

We will be interviewing for the Assistant Principal position!  Many outstanding individuals to choose from.  When all is said and done, we will have someone in place who will bring positive energy each day and support our students, staff, and community in the best ways possible.

We will be presenting the result of the Naming Committee's work to the Board of Education.  Pending approval, we will finally have a name for the new school and will start to build on that identity.  Not too far in the future I will ask for students in the district to help come up with a Mascot for the school.  Information will be coming to all the schools soon!

Check out the new pictures of the ongoing construction.  The building is coming along as planned and starting to take shape.  It is going to be a beautiful facility the community can be proud of.