CMS September 2026 Newsletter

As we move into September, our students and staff are settling into the routines of the school year, and I want to reinforce an important part of what we believe here at Cody Middle School: high expectations should always be matched with high levels of support.

We expect a great deal from our students because we believe they are capable of a great deal. At CMS, we expect students to be safe, respectful, responsible, and kind. Those expectations do not change based on where students are or who is watching. They apply in our classrooms, hallways, lunchroom, shared spaces, athletic facilities, activities, and anywhere our students are representing Cody Middle School.

Our goal is not simply to tell students what we expect. We also want to teach, model, reinforce, and support those expectations. Middle school is an important time for students to learn how to manage increasing independence, make good decisions, respond appropriately when they make mistakes, and understand how their actions affect the people around them. We want CMS to be a place where students know that adults care about them while also holding them accountable for doing their part.

Our Fall Sports teams are now in full swing, and we are excited to watch our Broncs and Fillies compete. Athletics and activities provide another opportunity for our students to represent themselves, their families, their teammates, and CMS. We look forward to seeing them compete hard, demonstrate good sportsmanship, and represent our school and community well.

Academically, teachers are beginning to enter more assignments and grades into PowerSchool. Please make sure that both you and your student are able to log in and regularly review grades and attendance. Middle school students are beginning to take greater ownership of their learning, but they still benefit tremendously when families stay informed and have regular conversations about how school is going. If you are unable to access PowerSchool, please contact our office so we can help.

Finally, I want to encourage families to continue communicating with our CMS staff. We value the partnership between school and home, and questions or concerns are often best addressed through direct communication with the teacher or staff member involved.

At the same time, I want to set a reasonable expectation regarding email communication. Please allow our staff up to 48 hours to respond to emails. Our teachers and staff spend their school day teaching, working directly with students, providing additional support, preparing lessons, attending meetings, and supervising students throughout the building. They may not always be able to respond immediately.

I also believe strongly that our staff members should be able to be excellent educators while also being present in their lives outside of school. They are teachers and professionals, but they are also spouses, parents, family members, coaches, friends, and members of our community. Protecting some balance outside of the school day ultimately helps our staff bring their best energy and attention to students when they are at CMS.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are off to a strong start, and I am excited about the opportunities ahead for our students this fall. Together, we will continue to maintain high expectations, provide high levels of support, and make Cody Middle School a place where students can learn, grow, belong, and succeed.

Sincerely,

Jacob Gogan

Principal

Cody Middle School

BARR — Building Assets, Reducing Risks — is an evidence-based system that provides our school with a strength-based, comprehensive approach to meeting the academic and non-academic needs of every student. Through BARR, we work to harness the power of relationships and data to focus on students’ strengths and ensure that all students are supported.

At Cody Middle, all core content teachers are grouped into grade-level teams. These teacher teams meet throughout the week to monitor student progress, identify strengths, and consider ways to support and challenge all students on their team. Each week, our administrators and counselors meet with our teacher teams to offer additional support for students and provide recognition for students' unique strengths and talents.

BARR is the framework that provides us the opportunity to get to know each student's strengths and interests. As educators, we leverage the knowledge we gain through relationship building and I-Time lessons to better engage and challenge our students.

What are these I-Time lessons my student talks about?

Once a week, teachers facilitate an I-Time lesson. The goal of I-Time is to strengthen student-to-student and staff-to-student relationships and to build classroom community. Important topics explored together include: building community, goal setting, stress management, bullying, and communication skills.

How does BARR benefit my student?

BARR educators focus on your child as more than just a learner – we work to understand them as a whole student. They are trained to use strength-based techniques to build positive relationships and support each student toward success in the classroom and beyond. Staff are provided with ongoing professional development on the BARR system.

The BARR system has a 20-year track record of student success and has been proven to drive significant improvements in school climate measures and standardized test scores. BARR has shown decreases in behavior referrals and absenteeism.

If you have questions or want more information about BARR or the I-Time Lessons at Cody Middle School, please contact either of our BARR Coordinators Brittany Wenke (brittanywenke@park6.org) and Taylor Hensen (taylorhensen@park6.org)

If your student rides any bus, please make sure they have their Student ID. PCSD6 Transportation will begin strictly enforcing the use of Student IDs on all buses, including in-town field trips. PCSD6 wants to make sure all students are safe and accounted for as well as be able to identify when and where they get on and off the bus.

If your student requires a new Student ID, please let the Cody Middle School Front Office know and we will provide you with a replacement card form that you can return to us along with a $5 ID replacement fee.

If you have questions, please call the PCSD6 Transportation Department at 307-587-2851.

We suggest The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness by Jonathan Haidt.

Jonathan Haidt’s The Anxious Generation examines how major changes in childhood, particularly the rise of smartphones, social media, and reduced opportunities for independent play, have affected the mental health and development of young people. Haidt argues that childhood has shifted from being largely play-based and face-to-face to increasingly phone-based, changing the way children build confidence, relationships, independence, and resilience.

Drawing on research in psychology, adolescent development, technology, and mental health, Haidt explores the connection between increased screen use and rising levels of anxiety, depression, loneliness, and social comparison among young people. He emphasizes the importance of giving children more opportunities for in-person interaction, responsibility, independence, outdoor play, and meaningful experiences away from screens.

A central message of the book is that families, schools, and communities can work together to create healthier boundaries around technology while restoring experiences that help young people grow socially and emotionally. Overall, The Anxious Generation encourages adults to think intentionally about how technology, and specifically social media, are shaping childhood and what can be done to help students develop stronger relationships, greater independence, and healthier habits.