Cass Lake-Bena Public Schools - #CLBSPANTHERS

Update 11/20/24 Studio Space for students is open to all area students age 12+ even if they are not attending CL-B. Every Friday 4-7pm at the ALC in Room 105 (Nelsons Nest) Supplies for all art offered will be provided. Please refer to the flyer for full description. Any questions call Esther at 218-335-6007

Hello - We will be starting up drum and dance for the Elementary students starting Monday December 2, 2024! When 305-430PM please reach out to the Elementary Office for permission slips. We will have a Drum section and a Dance section, both are separate leaning events taught by two different people, they can be at one or the other for the day.

REMINDER! Today is the 3rd Tuesday of November. 21st CCLC Advisory Group meeting will be at held at the ALC in Nelsons Nest tonight 5-7pm. Remember this program is for our students, families and our community. If you are interested in helping to steer this program please plan to attend each month and share your ideas and your voice.

DIY Wreath Making with Davina Smith for CL-B Elementary aged children. Register by contacting Esther Humphrey. Each team may register once. All decorating supplies and tools will be provided. If you miss your group day of harvesting you will lose your work day spot as well. All registered participants must harvest their own wreath materials. Any questions call Esther at 218-335-6007

Just a reminder Wrestling & Boys Basketball start today! Boys Basketball 11/18/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (All students will practice in the HS for the first week) Wrestling 11/18/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (HS wrestling room)

There will be no SNL this Saturday. We look forward to seeing you at the next SNL!

Say “hello” to two-way messaging in the Cass Lake-Bena Schools app! The same district app offers class streams, class announcements, and parent-teacher chat. If you haven't already signed up, look for your personalized invitation to begin using this feature in our app. Download for iPhone: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/cass-lake-bena-115/id1580813984 Download for Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.apptegy.casslake

7th & 8th grade Girls Basketball Parents there was a game added on 11/22/24 CLB vs Grand Rapids in the CLB MS gym. Please look at the northland conference for time updates https://northlandconference.org/public/genie/13/school/411/

Families of Varsity athletes, we are hosting a Fall Banquet/Awards! This event will be a potluck-style event for families to celebrate their students and see their achievements. When: Dec 4th, 5:30pm Where: HS Commons What to bring? 9th: Main Dish 10th: Sides/Chips 11th: Drink/Cups/Silverware/Plates 12th: Desserts If you have any questions, please get in touch with your Varsity Head Coach or Caleb Travis at ctravis@isd115.net

Parents, some important sports updates! With Girls Basketball starting yesterday for 6th-12th, there are some important updates! 1. Please make sure all paperwork is in the activities office. On the website below, there is a checklist to ensure your child has all the up-to-date paperwork. You can also download all the paperwork from the website. Activities website https://www.clbs.k12.mn.us/page/activities 2. All sports are open to 6th grade except cheer. Students can still participate in the Leech Lakers program. 6th grade students still need all required MSHSL documents. 3. Start dates for sports Girls Basketball 11/11/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (All students will practice in the HS for the first week) Cheer 11/11/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (HS Commons) Boys Basketball 11/18/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (All students will practice in the HS for the first week) Wrestling 11/18/24 (3:30 pm - 5:00 pm) (HS wrestling room) 4. Please check the Northland Conference Calendar for updates! https://northlandconference.org/public/genie/13/school/411/

The Book Fair Family Night is tonight, November 7th, from 3:15-7:00. It is at the Cass lake Elementary library. We hope to see you there.

Next week is a short week for CLB and we will be designating ROCK you MOC Week events. See poster for details!!

8th Grade Halloween Fun!

Cass Lake-Bena community members began hosting Saturday Night Live (SNL) at the old old Cass Lake High school gym in the 80's. Over the years community families and groups have kept it going. Today, one of the goals of the CL-B School Districts 21stCCLC is to host SNL the 1st and the 3rd Saturday of each month from October-May of the school year. There are still many community groups and families who help with SNL. SNL is truly a community event that continues to provide our youth and families a safe space to enjoy family togetherness, learning new things or just hang out with friends. Saturday Night Live will continue to be held the 1st and the 3rd Saturdays of each month at the CL-B High School. In the event the High School is not available notice of a new location will be posted on the schools webpage, events and face book page as soon as possible. SNL will host a variety of 3-4 supervised stations at each event: tables for coloring pages, playdoh, diamond dots, Lego play, reading corner/book giveaway, family themed movie, storytellers, beading, make and take snack kits, information of area resources, presenters in the media center (a different topic each Saturday), open gym to play volleyball/basketball/pickleball, and make and take crafts stations. Each SNL also provides a light meal. If any teachers, district staff, local families, students, community members or local programs wish to host or supervise a table or station please contact Esther Humphrey at 218-335-6007 or by emailing ehumphrey@isd115.net to set dates. If you have a program that provides a helpful resource to our community please feel free to attend, a table will be set up for you.

On November 15, 2024 Studio Space for Students will be open to all students ages 12+ every Friday from 4pm-7pm at the ALC in the Nelsons Nest Room. Students 12-17 will need to provide a registration forms completed by their legal guardian in order to participate. Please see the flyer for the list of activities each Friday. If you have questions or would like to teach any studio workshops please call Esther at 218-335-6007 Please contact Esther to request a registration form. *Planning is in the works for workshops for families and parents.

This is a reminder that there is no school for students on Friday, November 1. Have a safe and Happy Halloween!

Markis and Brayden carry themselves in a laid-back and pleasant way, but don’t be fooled- There is not an ounce of housecat in these two. Eighth graders Markis Washington and Brayden Dahl took on the challenge of running with the varsity "big boys" for the first time at the 8A Cross Country Championship. While many kids their age might prefer unwinding at home, these two PANTHERS embraced the opportunity to push themselves against a field dominated by juniors and seniors. It was a championship atmosphere at the Section 8A Championship meet. 24 schools would be competing for both individual and team titles as well as trips to the State Cross Country Championships. For Markis and Brayden, at just 13 years old, it was a leap into the deep end—no longer facing middle school rivals but now competing against the area’s top high school athletes over a longer distance. At the section meet, area teams bring their 7 best runners to compete. There were no “house cats” here, only true competitors. While Brayden and Markis naturally felt some apprehension before tackling their first 5K (most JH races are 3.2k), they were ready. Coach Ellyssa and Coach Voge assured them that they were in this race for a reason, that they deserved to be there, and everything they needed was WITHIN them. The day before, they watched an inspirational video about Billy Mills, the Oglala Sioux runner who overcame incredible odds to win Olympic gold in the 10,000 meters, a feat no other American has since matched. Mills once said, “The subconscious mind does not know the difference between reality and imagination.” With this in mind, Coach Ellyssa led the boys through a visualization exercise, guiding them to see themselves running their best race. Throughout the season, Markis and Brayden had put in the miles and proven their talent; now it was time to trust themselves and give it everything. The boys lined up amongst 115 other competitors, excitement buzzing through the crowd. With a bang, Brayden and Markis charged ahead with the rest of the field. 3.1 miles stood between them and the finish line. The duo was told to come through the first mile in 6:25-6:30 pace but coach Ellyssa also told them to trust their gut and to run THEIR race. As the starting gun fired, they took off, hitting the one-mile marker together at a strong 6:20—faster than advised but a pace they felt confident holding. In true Panther fashion, they went for it. Both surged forward, determined to show they belonged. Markis surged ahead and began passing older, more experienced runners over the next two miles. TWENTY-FIVE other runners would see him pass them by after the first mile, including a number over the final few hundred meters when he unleashed his “Panther Kick”. Cass Lake-Bena runners are known for their final sprint (known as a kick) to pass other runners on their way to the finish line. Markis finished in an incredible time of 19:47 , averaging 6:21 per mile. Despite having knee pain, Brayden stayed resilient. He held his place among seasoned runners, navigating hills and headwinds with determination. He already had an excellent race, battling hills, headwinds, and the competition. With 400 meters left, he could have settled, but that wasn’t his style. He pressed forward, using his own Panther Kick to gain another position and finished with a strong time of 20:49, averaging 6:41 per mile. These two eighth graders sent many “house cats” back through the cat door. Markis finished 45th, and Brayden 70th, out of 117 runners, proving they could more than hold their own on the varsity stage. Afterward, both boys admitted to feeling “cooked” by the older competitors, but a proud, reluctant smile revealed a quiet pride. Brayden said his lungs “burned,” and Markis mentioned a “ringing” in his ears—powerful reminders of the grit they’d shown. Coach Voge and Coach Ellyssa could not help but smile. These two athletes could have taken it easy; they could of went home and played video games but chose to pour every ounce of heart into the race. While their speed is undeniable, it’s Markis and Brayden’s SPIRIT that truly sets them apart. As Brayden and Markis walked from the finish line back to camp together, their bodies showed the effort of giving everything you have over 3.1 miles, but also the joy and accomplishment of taking on and conquering a challenge. Billy Mills once said, “The ultimate is not to win, but to reach within the depths of your capabilities and to compete against yourself to the greatest extent possible. When you do that, you have dignity, you have pride.” Billy Mills would be proud of Brayden and Markis. Markis and Brayden, we are incredibly proud of you. This season, you’ve shown not only your talent but also your HEART. You worked for this, earned it, and deserved this moment. Thank you for representing Cass Lake-Bena with such pride. This success is YOURS.

Team 3275 had a great weekend in Bemidji at the Northern Minnesota Robotics Conference Championship and Open events! Our boys were picked up Friday by the number 4 alliance captioned by team 4181 from Blackduck and joined by Team 5913 from Pequot Lakes. They fought their way through the bracket and ended up with a 2nd place finish in the Championship. On Saturday Team 3275 seeded 4th after qualifications and captioned their own alliance where they selected team 9576 from Loretto and team 5913 again. This time they could not be stopped and went through the entire bracket without a loss and on to a first place finish in the Open.

Coming Soon!! Creative Space for students. Each Friday from 330-6:30pm at the ALC Keep an eye out for details. If you would like to share idea or wish to present/teach please contact Esther at 218-335-6007 or email ehumphrey@isd115.net

The fall Book Fair is taking place next week, November 4th through the 8th, at the Cass Lake-Bena Elementary Library. Set up an e-wallet for your child, so they do not have to carry cash to school. Go to the website listed below: https://scholastic.com/bf/clbes