Catalayah Elementary

Friday is the last day to get your recipe turned in for the Junior Master Chef Challenge. Forms are in the office!

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mr. McCaw from Rogers County Search and Rescue came to visit Mrs. McCaw’s classroom — and he didn’t come empty handed! He brought a drone AND a book to go along with it! After reading to the class, everyone headed outside to see the drone in action. Mr. McCaw demonstrated how it works and even captured some amazing aerial photos while it was in the air — including THERMAL images! 😮🔥 How cool is that?! Thank you, Mr. McCaw, for taking time to read with our students and for giving them such an exciting, hands-on experience! We loved it! 🚁 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

In Mrs. Ward’s 1st grade class, their intern Miss Oviatt read “Chickens Aren’t the Only Ones” — a nonfiction book all about animals that lay eggs! 📚✨ After reading, students became researchers and learned about oviparous animals (animals that lay eggs!). They wrote about what they discovered and shared their new knowledge like true little scientists. 🧠🔍 To top it off, they took a walk around our beautiful pond and found LOTS of oviparous animals right here at school — turtles 🐢, fish 🐟, geese 🪿, and butterflies 🦋! Learning + fresh air + real-world connections = the best kind of day at Catalayah! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Friday is Popcorn Day!!!
Students can purchase Popcorn Friday on their way to Rise and Shine for $1.00 each. Popcorn must be purchased first thing in the morning.

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Math with a View! ☀️➗🦓 Mrs. Ritter’s 5th grade class at Catalayah Elementary took their math work outside to our outdoor learning pavilion and turned it into a classroom with a view! With sunshine overhead and a light breeze in the air, our 5th graders were busy solving problems and working hard. There’s something about learning outdoors that boosts focus, sparks creativity, and makes even math feel a little more exciting! ✏️📚 We love seeing our Zebras making the most of every space on campus — proving that great learning can happen anywhere! ❤️ #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. Ritter is kicking off a little friendly competition in 5th grade at Catalayah Elementary! Each week, students will work on mastering their math skills, and the top three students who master the most skills will earn a spot on the leaderboard! 🙌 🥤 1st Place – Soda 🍫 2nd Place – Candy Bar 🍬 3rd Place – Jolly Ranchers A little competition, a lot of motivation, and tons of math growth happening in 5th grade! We can’t wait to see which Zebras rise to the top! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Friday Alfresco Fun ☀️🍎 Mrs. Hall’s 1st grade class at Catalayah Elementary took learning outside for a little Friday Alfresco time! What does alfresco mean? It’s an Italian word that means “in the fresh air.” So Friday Alfresco simply means taking our learning (and snacks!) outdoors to enjoy the sunshine and fresh air together. 🌿🌤️ They relaxed under the front awning, enjoyed a snack, and soaked up the beautiful weather. Sometimes the best classroom doesn’t have four walls — just blue skies and happy smiles! 🦓❤️ #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Next week is Read Across America Week. Here is a copy of the dress up days!

#CPS

Our Popcorn Fundraiser started today!! There are several delicious options to choose from. Orders are due March 13th and popcorn should be delivered to the school middle of April.

Packets are coming home today!!

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🍿✨ POP, POP, HOORAY! ✨🍿 Mrs. Castle’s 3rd grade class is on a roll! They mastered 100 skills in IXL and earned themselves a well-deserved 🍿 Popcorn Party! That’s 100 skills of hard work, determination, and brain power! 💪📚 We are SO proud of their commitment to learning and growing every single day. But they aren’t stopping there… 👀 The next goal? 🎯 Another 100 skills mastered = 🍩 DONUT PARTY! Keep popping with success, 3rd grade! We can’t wait to celebrate the next sweet milestone! 🎉✨ #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

🍳👩‍🍳✨ Junior MasterChef Challenge is BACK! ✨👨‍🍳🥞

Do you have a breakfast recipe that makes everyone say “YUM”? 😋
This year’s theme is 🥓 Breakfast Delight! 🧇

We’re inviting ALL students to join the fun!
Share your favorite breakfast recipe for a chance to become our next Junior MasterChef!

🌟 Here’s how it works:
🥣 Submit your favorite breakfast recipe
📅 Recipes are due March 6th
🎉 Finalists will be announced March 13th
🔥 Final Cook-Off is March 31st

AND here’s the best part…
If you make it to the finals, YOU get to cook your recipe for the judges! 👏👩‍🍳👨‍🍳 How fun is that?!

Whether it’s pancakes, breakfast tacos, smoothies, casseroles, or something totally unique — we can’t wait to see what you create! 🍓🥞🌮

📍 Entry forms are available in the office.

Let’s get crackin’ and make this the most DELICIOUS challenge yet! 🥚💛

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mrs. Ward’s 1st grade class is doing SUCH a great job on their journal entries! ✏️💕 Last Thursday for Thoughtful Thursday, their prompt was: “The most difficult thing for me…” Some of their honest answers included: • Climbing a tree 🌳 • Hitting a baseball ⚾ • Jumping off the diving board 💦 How sweet (and brave!) is that? It takes courage to try hard things — and even more courage to write about them. Their responses are such a good reminder that everyone has something that feels a little scary or challenging at first. But with practice, encouragement, and confidence, those “hard things” can turn into proud moments. 💛 What’s something that’s been difficult for you? #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Menu Change for
Wednesday February 25, 2026

Choice 1- Brunch for Lunch

Choice 2- Tony's Cheese Pizza

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

While STEM time is usually just for our 3rd–5th graders during the school year, Ms. Henry made the magic happen for our younger learners, too! 💡 By pairing our big kids with our littles, something pretty special happened… 🔬 Our older students stepped into leadership roles, modeling STEM lab expectations and showing what it means to be responsible innovators. 🧪 Our younger students got a hands-on sneak peek into the exciting world of STEM. ❤️ And together? They built confidence, curiosity, and connection. There’s nothing sweeter than watching our students learn, lead, and inspire—side by side. The future is bright at Catalayah! #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

The weather looks good for Running Club on Monday!

For all my sweet friends that like to plan ahead, I’m here for you!!!! March 2-6 is Read Across America. Here are the dress up days March 2-6 #CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Mr. Winiecke’s music students have been learning all about the triangle! They’ve been practicing how to read their music carefully and, just as importantly, learning when to rest.

Playing the triangle may look simple, but it takes focus, timing, and great listening skills. One tiny ting at just the right moment can make the whole song sparkle!

We love seeing our students grow as musicians — learning that sometimes the most important note is knowing exactly when to play… and when to pause.
#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Kindness is in the air at Catalayah, and it’s been so special to watch it spread throughout our building!

Our amazing counselor, Mrs. McComb, has assigned secret missions to each grade level — and even one for our staff members! 🤫💛 From quiet acts of service to intentional words of encouragement, it has been so much fun seeing students and teachers complete their missions without others even knowing.

Mrs. McComb also created the sweetest Kindness Wall, where students can give shout-outs by writing kind things they see others doing. It’s filling up quickly with notes of encouragement, gratitude, and positivity — proof that kindness truly is contagious! ✍️✨

We challenge YOU to finish out the week strong!
Look for ways to serve.
Speak words that lift others up.
Notice the good.
Be the reason someone smiles. 😊

Let’s continue spreading kindness everywhere we go! ❤️🖤🤍

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE

Earlier this week, Mrs. Meyers took Mrs. Hall’s class outside for library time, and they were able to enjoy reading under our outdoor gazebo!

What a beautiful day to take our books outside and soak up some sunshine while diving into great stories. There’s just something extra special about reading in the fresh air! 🌿✨

We love finding creative ways to make learning even more enjoyable at Catalayah Elementary!

#CPSZEBRAPRIDE