Cheney Middle School News

As we roll into the final week of school, it’s hard to believe another year is coming to a close! Cheney Middle School has been filled with laughter, learning, energy, and just the right amount of middle school drama to keep life interesting.

We are truly going to miss our students this summer. Their personalities, humor, and daily adventures make our school an amazing place to be. That said, we are also excited to graciously return your wonderful, hormonal adolescents to you for a few months of quality family bonding time!

We hope your summer is filled with great books, exciting travels, late-night bonfires, pool days, family memories, and plenty of laughter. And surely summer will NOT include sleeping until noon, dramatic sighs, slammed bedroom doors, mysteriously disappearing chores, or teenagers eating everything in your pantry approximately 14 minutes after grocery shopping.

Thank you for sharing your children with us this year. Have a safe, restful, and memory-filled summer. We look forward to seeing everyone again in the fall—slightly taller, slightly wiser, and hopefully still using deodorant regularly!

Amber Rudolph, Principal

CMS

School Hours - 8:40am - 3:40pm

Students allowed inside the Commons at 7:40am daily

Office Hours - 7:30am - 4:15pm

Main Phone Line - 701-356-2090

Email - cheney@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Website - Cheney Middle School

www.west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Transportation/Bus Barn - 701-356-2120

May 25 - June 18 - Monday - Thursday, 7:30am - 1:00pm.

June 19 - July 28 - Closed

July 29 - August 14 - Monday - Thursday, 7:30am - 1:00pm

Important Dates for 2025-2026

• Device Hand In - 8th Grade - Monday, May 18
• Device Hand In - 7th Grade - Tuesday, May 19
• Device Hand In - 6th Grade - Wednesday, May 20
• Last Day of School - Thursday, May 21

Important Dates for 2026-2027

• 6th Grade Bonanza - Tuesday, August 4
• CMS Football/Volleyball starts - Monday, August 24
• Back to School Night - Tuesday, August 25
• First Day of School - Thursday, August 27
• Labor Day - No School - Monday, September 7
• Picture Day - Wednesday, September 30
• Fall Conference Night 1 - Thursday, October 8
• Fall Conference Night 2 - Tuesday, October 13
• No School - Thursday-Friday, October 15-16
• No School - Wednesday, November 11
• Picture Retake Day - Friday, November 13
• No School - Wednesday-Friday, November 25-27
• No School - December 24 - January 1

• NO Backpacks will be allowed on the last day of school.

• All lockers should be cleaned out and personal belongings taken home before the last day of school on Thursday.
• The school cellphone law remains in effect through the final day of school. If a staff member sees or hears a cellphone, it will be turned into the office and recorded as a cellphone offense.

Thank you for your attention to these important reminders as we finish the school year strong.

Help us plan for the upcoming school year by sharing your plans! There is a short survey in Parent Portal that includes a few quick questions and should take less than 60 seconds to complete. Once you’re in Parent Portal, you will find the survey in the “Forms” section. Your response helps us effectively plan and allocate staffing and resources for the 2026-27 school year to best support our learners. Thank you for helping us prepare to serve your family well in the year ahead! If you need assistance navigating to the survey, please contact your child’s school.

Check our Cheney Middle School website for the daily announcements! These announcements are read to the students every morning during advisory time.

Summer Activities/Camps

• Packer Hockey
• Packer Power
• Soccer Camp
• West Fargo Packer Middle School Football Camp
• Volleyball
• Packer Power and Strength & Conditioning

AVID CELEBRATION

5TH & 6TH GRADE TRACK MEET

NDA+ TESTING

Celebration for top 5 math scores from each team

CAREER ON WHEELS

A day of learning and exploration

Thanks to the following business for taking time to showcase their company and answer questions:

• Touchmark, Wags & Whiskers, Bridging the Gap, Bell Bank, Apex Therapy, SW & L, NDSU School of Engineering, Bobcat, Midco, John Deere, Public Works, FM Ambulance, WFPD and the National Guard.

Honor Band

As the weather begins to warm up, students are spending more time outside walking, biking, and gathering with friends. This is a great time of year for outdoor activity, but it’s also a good opportunity to review a few safety reminders with your child.

Please encourage your student to stay aware of their surroundings when walking or biking to and from school. Wearing a helmet while biking, using crosswalks, and putting phones away when crossing streets can help prevent accidents. If your child rides a bike, remind them to follow traffic rules and be visible to drivers.

Warmer weather also means more time at parks and in the community. Students should always let a parent or guardian know where they are going, who they are with, and when they expect to return home. Traveling in groups when possible is another good safety practice.

Finally, as more people spend time outdoors, we sometimes see an increase in minor mischief or risky behavior. A quick conversation about making good choices and respecting community spaces can go a long way.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our students safe. If you ever have questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to reach out.

Stay safe and enjoy the warmer days ahead!

Do your part to keep CMS safe! Text the school resource officer with information about theft, bullying, vandalism, violence, or illegal activity. Text A Tip - (701) 541-7815

Please remember to lock your bikes and scooters to the bike racks provided!!

Health Information

Medication must be picked up by 5/21/26!

New heath care forms are required each school year. 26-27 forms will be expected in the fall.

Get your sports physical and immunization requirements updated this summer

• · Faxed to 701-356-2099 or mailed to CMS at 825 17th Ave E West Fargo, ND 58078
• · Immunization requirements due October 1st

Have a fun and safe summer!!

• · Be sure you and your learners are wearing sunscreen and using bike helmets.

· CMS Nurse- Amber Hanson (AMHANSON@west-fargo.k12.nd.us, 701-499-1614)

Mental Health Awareness Month

Supporting Your Middle Schooler

Middle school can bring big changes—academically, socially, and emotionally. Mental Health Awareness Month is a great time to check in and support your child’s well-being.

At School

Students are learning to:

• Manage stress and strong emotions
• Build healthy friendships
• Solve problems and make safe choices
• Ask for help when needed

At Home

• Check in with specific questions
• “What did you did you learn today?”
• “What did you eat for lunch today?”
• “What was most fun about your day?”
• Normalize feelings (all emotions are okay)
• Encourage balance (sleep, activity, downtime, screen limits)
• Model coping skills
• Stay connected—your presence matters

Watch For changes in

• Mood, sleep, or appetite changes
• Withdrawing from friends/activities
• Increased irritability
• Drop in school performance

Early support makes a difference.

Crisis & Support

• 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline – Call or text 988 (24/7)
• Crisis Text Line – Text HOME to 741741
• North Dakota Crisis Line – 1-800-472-2911
• FirstLink (ND) – Dial 211 or text ZIP to 898211
• Emergency – 911

We’re Here to Help

Contact your school counseling team with any concerns. Working together supports resilience, confidence, and healthy coping.

Strong minds, strong students.

Have a good summer!

Your CMS counseling team,

Terri Kroll (A-G) - Tkroll@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Robin Nein (H , I , L-Q) - Rnein@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Andrew Bates (J, K, R-Z) - Abates@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Developing all learners well-being for tomorrow’s world

CMS Counseling

Did you know?

Cheney Middle School is part of the lunch repackaging program. Unserved lunch meals are able to be packaged, frozen, and provided to families. We also have a small food pantry if food is a need.

Lots of resources from the social worker 😊

If your family needs some additional supports, please see attachments and info below!

GREAT PLAINS FOOD BANK

2-1-1 or Home | FirstLink

Have you started thinking about summer activities yet? If you need help with finding activities for summer, please reach out! The community has a lot to offer!

Always feel free to contact Bridget Hins at 701-499-1729 or bhins@west-fargo.k12.nd.us if you have a need for any other supports or resources.

Fargo Mom has been a great resource to find what’s all happening in the area. It will post upcoming weekly activities to interest just about anyone!

Fargo Mom | Family Guide to Fargo-Moorhead

Summer Camps & Activities in Fargo | 2026

Code Ninjas-Build video games, learn to code, and have a blast!

Clubs in Fargo (Fargo) | Code Ninjas

Teens and Young Adults - Boys & Girls Clubs of America

West Fargo Park District summer schedule-programs and pool info.

Activities | West Fargo Park District

Fargo Park District summer schedule-programs and pool info.

Youth Programs | Fargo Parks

Moorhead Community Education

https://www.isd152.org/o/commed/page/community-education-catalog

MSUM College For Kids and Teens

https://www.mnstate.edu/about/engaged-learning/college-for-kids-teens

NDSU Herd U

https://www.ndsu.edu/continued-learning/k12-students/herd-u

NDSU STEM Kids Camp

https://www.ndsu.edu/engineering/outreach/stem-kids-camp

Interested in horses? Check out Rusty K Ranch!

https://rustykranch.com/summer-camps/

Free Summer Bowling!

Kids Bowl Free (ages 2-15) has two locations this summer: Kingpinz and West Acres Bowl.

Families have to register to receive two free games of bowling each day this summer. Shoe rental fees still apply. If bowling at Kingpinz, families must book a lane ahead of time.

• KidsBowlFree.com: Kingpinz Social
• KidsBowlFree.com: West Acres Bowl

Other options to consider:

Spend time at the zoo! Red River Zoo Zoo

Camp info: Education Programs – Red River Zoo

Or Zoos Near Fargo That Are Worth the Drive

Feel good about giving back to your favorite non profit or things that interest you: Here are some volunteer opportunities:

Volunteer : How To Help : Homeward Animal Shelter

Volunteer | Cats Cradle Shelter

Volunteer Application - 4 Luv of Dog Rescue

Or consider joining a Church youth groups or get a gym membership near to you!

In honor of April being National Poetry Month, the library hosted a Blackout Poetry competition. Out of 250 entries, the top 10 winning poets are Mariah Charbonneau, India Robinson, Naomi Cowan, Miya Roberts, John Serre Lewis, Kaiser Wallette, Urbano Rocha IV, Hank Dooley, Colten Haring, and Lyla Anderson. Winners received a swag bag of treats and a new book.

Congratulations to the April & May’s Library Trivia winners: Stella Staska, Radjabu Bin Lutake, Blake Vanyo and Cora Van Engelenhoven! They each received a new book and a bag of treats for their wealth of knowledge.

Congratulations go to April’s Bookmark Contest winners: Kira Bettenhusen, Zawadi Victorina, Colson Wyn Ketterling, Leeza Tamang, and Sonia Oppong. These creative students each received a new book and a swag bag of treats, and their bookmarks were distributed in the library this month.

The Summer Slide refers to the learning loss that many students experience during the summer months when school is out. This phenomenon is particularly evident in reading and math but can be easily countered through regularly reading 5 books in the summer.

Why Summer Reading Matters for Middle-Grade Students

Students can lose up to 2 months of reading skills over the summer if they don’t read regularly.

• Source: Cooper, H. et al. (1996). “The Effects of Summer Vacation on Achievement Test Scores.” Review of Educational Research.

Reading just 4–6 books over the summer has the potential to prevent a decline in reading achievement scores.

• Source: Kim, J. S. (2004). “Summer Reading and the Ethnic Achievement Gap.” Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk.

Middle-grade readers are shifting from learning to read to reading to learn, so maintaining their reading level is crucial. Therefore, reading helps prevent learning gaps in content areas like science, social studies, and vocabulary.

• Source: National Summer Learning Association (https://www.summerlearning.org/)

Choice matters. Letting kids choose their own books (even graphic novels or audiobooks!) increases motivation and engagement.

• Source: Allington, R. & McGill-Franzen, A. (2012).

Learn more about summer reading opportunities & challenges for CMS students:

Questions about our library; need a book recommendation? E-mail tnelson@west-fargo.k12.nd.us

Toni Nelson

Library Media Specialist

West Fargo Cheney Middle School

825 17th Avenue East | West Fargo, ND 58078

701.499.1656

Be sure to check out the CMS Library Services Website!

Where's the Beef Cheney Middle School on Taco in the Bag Day 2026!

The National School Lunch Program provides nutritionally balanced, reduced-cost or free meals to children each school day. The program is managed by the USDA. All children in households receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF) can get free meals regardless of their family’s income. Also, children can get free or reduced-price meals if their household income is within the limits on the Federal Income Chart.

West Fargo Public Schools encourages all families to complete the free/reduced meal application, as the federal program provides more than just meals:

• School Funding: The amount of funding the district receives is dependent on our rate of free/reduced students, as is our eligibility for additional grant funding. Ensuring our free/reduced rate is an accurate representation of our district is vital in providing a valuable education.
• School Meals: Most commonly associated with the free/reduced application is the opportunity to receive free or discounted school meals for children. Eligibility is based on family size and income.
• Activities: Families enrolled in the federal free/reduced meals program are eligible for fee waivers associated with student activities.
• College Applications: Families enrolled in the federal free/reduced meal program are eligible for fee waivers associated with the college application process at select universities.
• Standardized Tests: Families enrolled in the federal free/reduced meal program are eligible for fee waivers associated with national standardized tests (ACT, SAT, and AP Exams).
• Student Fees Assistance: All children in households who qualify based on income, or receiving benefits from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), or the Temporary Assistance Program for Needy Families (TANF) can get free student fee assistance. Release of information question MUST be checked 'yes' on your online application. If you submitted a paper application you must also fill out the release of information form. Also, your children can get school fee assistance if your household income is within the limits on the Federal Income Chart.
• Instructions for Filing
• Apply today!
• Menus
• My School Bucks
• More Foodservice Information

No outside food deliveries (restaurant delivery, Door Dash, etc) for students will be allowed.

To be in compliance with the new state law, Senate Bill 2354, Cheney Middle School will be implementing a fairly restrictive personal device policy during the school day. This law requires all ND school districts to prohibit the use of personal electronic devices during instructional hours. In addition to cell phones, it will also include smartwatches, tablets, and laptops, etc. At Cheney, this restriction will be in effect from the moment learners walk in the front door until the last bell at 3:40pm.

Beginning the 2025-2026 school year, CMS rules regarding personal device usage (cell phone, smartwatch, personal laptop, etc.) will be as follows:

• Cell phones, smart watches, and all other personal devices that can send and receive messages are OUT-OF-SIGHT and OUT-OF-USE from 7:40am until 3:40pm.

• Devices CANNOT be kept on the learners (in a pocket, etc.). They must, at a bare minimum, be kept in a CLOSED backpack pocket.

• Devices CANNOT be utilized or checked before school, during passing times, or at lunchtime.

Consequences:

• First offense: The device is brought to the Main Office, picked up by the learner at the end of the day.

• Second offense and beyond: The device is brought to the office, picked up by the parent/guardians at their convenience.

A few other notes:

• The law addresses personal student devices like cell phones, laptops, and smartwatches. It does NOT include Bluetooth headphones, as they do not have the capacity to send and receive messages.

• Learners with medical notes denoting required access to devices will be placed on special plans.

• We encourage all families to utilize email to communicate with learners, as they will have access to their Outlook accounts.

• Our office staff is ready to receive and deliver important messages for learners.

If you have questions about the state law, please contact your legislators (find your legislator here).

Thank you for your support!

One of the most important factors of student success is being present!

Please help your student get to school every day and on time.

Absences

• If your child will not be in school, please call the school office at 701-356-2090 or email: cheney@west-fargo.k12.nd.us before the school day begins, with the following information:
• Child's First and Last Name
• Reason for Absence
• In the event a child needs to be picked up prior to the end of the school day, a parent/guardian must contact the school office by phone or email and request the child be dismissed from class. If your child is aware of what time they are leaving, they can inform the teacher and may come to the office at that time. The parent/guardian does not need to come into the office as long as they have contacted the main office.

Tardies and Detention

• Every 5th unexcused tardy (no call from parent/guardian or late for class without an excuse) will convert to an unexcused absence and the student will be assigned detention. This is per class period and will adhere to the attendance policy.
• Students who skip classes will be given time in detention to make up for at least every minute they miss. A pattern of skipping will result in a meeting to consider educational alternatives for the student.