Cardinal Connections Newsletter

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Empowering and preparing students for life after high school is important, and this happened at last month's annual College and Career Fair.

All juniors and seniors at Clinton High School as well as students from nearby districts, participated in this event. Students had the opportunity to talk to more than 70 colleges, businesses, union representatives, technical/trade schools, and military representatives.

Thanks to Sara Heistand, Career Services Coordinator at Clinton Technical School, for her work in arranging such a successful event.

See more pictures here.

Interest in Clinton Middle School's Chess Club has skyrocketed this year, growing from just a few members to nearly 20 students! In fact, excitement was so high last month that the club ran out of chess boards and pieces.

Thanks to the generosity of a community member, the club now has 11 brand new chess boards, including three specialized learning boards that help students understand how each piece moves and how to record their games.

The district is incredibly grateful for this thoughtful donation and for the continued community support that helps students explore new skills and interests!

See more pictures here.

Welcome to BEYOND THE NEST, a spotlight on recent alumni and the journeys they’ve taken since graduating from Clinton High School.

We call it Beyond the Nest because, just like young birds leaving the nest, our graduates leave our halls PREPARED, CONFIDENT, and READY to soar into the world. From college, the workforce, trade school, military, and careers, this weekly series celebrates how our alumni are spreading their wings and making their mark. Join us as we share their stories, achievements, and the paths that began right here in our halls.

Armed with a love for business and a passion for leadership, this CHS alum is soaring high, putting those early lessons in teamwork and dedication to work in exciting new ways.

After graduating from Clinton High School in 2021, Emma Gover attended the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, where she majored in Marketing with a minor in Supply Chain Management. In November 2023, she began a project management internship at Bay Cities Packaging & Design, which later led to a full-time role. She graduated in December 2024 and, since July, has been working as a Sales Project Manager at Bay Cities in Bentonville, Arkansas. In this position, she oversees and coordinates projects from start to finish, primarily focusing on the displays and signage seen in major retailers. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring new parts of Northwest Arkansas, whether on her own or with friends and family.

"My time in the Clinton School District had a lasting impact on my career beyond high school. Being involved in clubs such as FBLA, DECA, and Student Council provided me with a strong foundation in leadership, teamwork, and business skills that carried into my Marketing degree. Through competitions, practices, and business-focused classes, I was able to apply what I learned in high school to succeed academically and professionally throughout college. These experiences not only prepared me for my current role as a Project Manager but also taught me how to lead effectively, manage my time efficiently, and excel under pressure. A major influence in my decision to pursue a Marketing degree was Jessie Thompson, whose classes and mentorship inspired me and provided support well beyond graduation!"

From high school leadership roles to managing projects for major retailers, Emma’s journey shows how Clinton High School lays the foundation for lifelong growth and success.

Since graduating in 2023, Landon Modlin has built a career in the banking industry and now serves in management at Equity Bank where he has earned several professional banking certifications. In 2026, he will attend the Graduate School of Banking in Madison, Wisconsin, to continue advancing professionally. Landon is still deeply rooted in the Clinton community where he has purchased a home and serves on the Board of Directors for both the Chamber of Commerce and Boy Scout Troop 430, and is also an active member of the Sunrise Optimist Club and Clinton Rotary Club. Most recently, Landon collaborated with Jared Goodbrake to launch a new internship program with CHS, giving students valuable real-world experience.

"Clinton High School laid a strong foundation in communication, teamwork, time management, organization, and problem-solving, while also instilling in me a strong work ethic and sense of accountability. I’m deeply grateful to the Clinton School District for guiding me and setting me up for success. They truly provided me with great role models whom I know I can always turn to for guidance throughout my lifetime. I credit Clinton High School for instilling in me the confidence and skills necessary to excel in my career."

Beautiful weather made for a picture perfect Farm Night last month.

This yearly event, sponsored by Parents as Teachers and the Clinton Early Childhood Center, is always a great time. Children enjoyed stick horse races, a petting zoo, haystack scramble, and SO much more.

Thank you to the sponsors who helped make this event possible; Golden Valley Tractor, Farmer's Elevator, Moreland Daycare, Golden Valley Daycare, Heritage Tractor, Billings Family, Seeds of Faith Preschool, Clinton FFA, Henry County Fair Board, and Henry County Farm Bureau.

See more pictures here.

Clinton High School biology students in Mrs. Morgan's class recently dove into an osmosis gummy bear lab to explore one of the six ways materials move into and out of cells.

The experiment? Placing gummy bears into different solutions and observing how they change over three days.

Use the link below to see the gummy bears before and after treatment, from a regular 2.39g gummy to a whopping 16.8g after soaking!

Hands-on labs like this make science fun, memorable, and oh-so-sweet!

See more pictures here.

Preschoolers in Ms. Madi's class recently had an exciting hands-on learning experience! Students opened up a pumpkin to explore what’s inside......the seeds, the stringy pulp, and all that gooey goodness!

Students worked together to scoop out the pumpkin insides, feel the different textures, and then turned them into pumpkin slime! It was the perfect mix of sensory play and science exploration.

Learning is always more fun (and a little messy) when pumpkins are involved!

See more pictures here.

Mrs. Gardner’s 4th grade class recently read two versions of Goldilocks and the Three Bears: the traditional story and a Halloween-themed version called Moldilocks and the Three Scares.

Students used a Venn diagram to compare and contrast the stories, discovering that all three chairs appeared in both versions. This led to a hands-on activity where students discussed, designed, and constructed chairs strong enough to withstand the weight of the “scares” without breaking. Impressively, two of the chairs held up!

Pumpkins for the activity were generously donated by Briggs Pumpkin Patch.

See more pictures here.

Clinton Technical School Health Sciences students in Ms. Snethen's class are gaining hands-on experience learning about contact isolation and personal protective equipment (PPE), essential skills for keeping patients and healthcare workers safe.

In this interactive lesson, students suited up in PPE and entered a mock patient room… with a twist! Shaving cream was used to highlight all the areas they could be exposed to, giving a “see it to believe it” experience that clearly showed how pathogens can spread. This reinforced the importance of proper PPE use and hand hygiene.

It’s all part of preparing these future healthcare professionals with the skills they’ll need to protect themselves and their patients in hospitals, clinics, and beyond.

See more pictures here.

Kindergartners in Mrs. Pulcini's class recently had a "fang-tastic" time exploring all things BAT! Students made bat hats, flew paper bat airplanes around the room, crafted their own bat caves (and even rested in one), and created their very own bats to take home.

Hands-on learning + imagination = one un-bat-lievable day!

See more pictures here.

Congrats to the employees below who were recently recognized for their outstanding dedication to Clinton Schools!

We’re incredibly proud of the progress our schools have made through the passage of Proposition Cardinals, and it’s all thanks to YOU, our amazing community!

We invite you to our Open House to walk the halls, explore the updates, and witness firsthand the incredible transformation Proposition Cardinals made possible.

• Date - November 18th
• Time - 5:00–7:00 PM
• Location - Stop by any (and all!) of our school buildings
• Refreshments - Clinton Middle School
• Save the Date - HERE

Your support has built this, and we can’t wait to celebrate it with you!

Don't miss our Talented Cardinals in this year's fall play, "Peter Pan & Wendy".

Catch this production in the CHS Performing Arts Center, at one of the three showings listed below:

• November 7th @ 7:30
• November 8th @ 2:00 & 7:30

Tickets are $7 for adults and $5 for students ($8 and $6 at the door)

Tickets can be purchased online at the link below or at the door with cash or card-

https://chstheatretroupe7011.ludus.com/

Please contact Madison Haynes, mhaynes@clintoncardinals.org, with any questions.

Christmas will be here in less than 50 days!

The annual Cardinal Holiday Mart is THIS weekend, Saturday, November 8th, at Clinton Intermediate School

You won't want to miss this amazing day of shopping!

All veterans and their families are invited to join us for breakfast and our annual Veteran's Day Assembly on November 11th at Clinton High School.

Breakfast will be served at 8:30, with an assembly to follow at 10:00.

Those wishing to attend must RSVP by using the QR code below or calling the CHS office at 660-885-2247.

We look forward to thanking our American heroes!

Since 2014, Bright Futures Clinton has been making a difference in the lives of Clinton School District students. We’re excited to reignite this passion and bring the community together to support student success, and the future of Clinton.

If you are interested in learning more about the Bright Futures Clinton program and how together we can make a difference, please plan to join us on the morning of November 13th.

Together, we can ensure every student has the support and resources they need, shaping not just their future, but the future of our community.

• Date: Thursday, November 13th
• Time: 7:30–8:30 a.m.
• Location: First Baptist Church (1531 N. Vansant)
• RSVP: alawson@clintoncardinals.org

Next week, November 10-14, is the district's annual food drive.

This community service project supports The Samaritan Center and Project Christmas Cheer. All schools have been asked to collect ramen noodles.

If your family is able to and interested in participating, please send donations to your child's school next week.

Parents, students, school staff, and community members are invited to join the Clinton School District as we celebrate American Education Week, November 17-21. This annual week provides schools and communities the opportunity to recognize the accomplishments of public schools and the essential role that educators play in the success of students.

The Clinton School District will be celebrating with A WEEK OF GRATITUDE!

There are several different ways that YOU can show your gratitude for educators in the Clinton School District during the week of November 17-21.

• Businesses, organizations, and churches around town are encouraged to show support for our Cardinal educators with a positive message on their marquee or storefront (more info below).
• Digital postcards will be available for you to send a short and sweet message to an educator in the Clinton School District. Please watch our social media pages, website, and your email for more info.

We are incredibly proud to be part of such a supportive network who put children first and we can't wait to celebrate! GREAT SCHOOLS HAVE GREAT COMMUNITY SUPPORT AND GREAT COMMUNITIES HAVE GREAT PUBLIC SCHOOLS!

During the week of November 17-21 you can help us PAINT THE TOWN RED AND BLUE and show appreciation for our amazing Cardinal educators who play an essential role in the success of our students and community.

We are asking businesses, churches, organizations, etc., to put encouraging messages to our Cardinal staff on their marquees or storefronts. If you choose to participate, please email a picture to alawson@clintoncardinals.org so that we can share these uplifting messages with our staff!

Did you retire from the Clinton School District?

If so, join us for a Teacher Retiree Breakfast & Reunion to reconnect with colleagues and see the amazing updates made possible by the April 2024 Proposition Cardinals bond.

• Monday, November 17
• 8:30–10:00am
• Clinton Middle School (600 E Clinton Street)
• RSVP by November 10 (email- alawson@clintoncardinals.org or call- 660-885-5845)

We can’t wait to welcome you back!

Clinton Schools will not be in session November 24-28 for Thanksgiving Break.

If your child will be in need of a coat this winter, please call 660-885-8229 (between the hours of 9am-4pm, Monday-Friday) to schedule an appointment to receive a coat.

If you have ever considered substitute teaching, we would love to have you join our team and help fill this very important role in our district **(substitute teachers pay has increased to $120/day).**

There are currently two paths to becoming a substitute teacher, 36 hours of college credit or 20 hours of online training.

You can learn more and apply to be a substitute teacher in the Clinton School District at the link below:

https://www.clintoncardinals.org/cms/One.aspx...

If you have questions, please call 660-885-2237.

Know a staff member who deserves some recognition?

Use the form below to give them a Cardinal Compliment.....it’s a quick, meaningful way to say “thank you” and recognize the difference they’re making.

Let’s start the year with gratitude!

Submit your compliment here.

FirstView is a bus tracking and communications app, offered in partnership with First Student, the district's transportation provider. The FirstView app offers parents live bus tracking with custom alerts and notifications.

To get started using FirstView, please use this link. If you should have questions, please contact Transportation at 660-885-2644.

Want to catch our Cardinals in action this year?

You can view a full athletic calendar on the MSHSAA website.

The 2025-2026 school year calendar can be found bdlow

You can also find a printable version on our website.