Welcome to CMS

As principal of Cloquet Middle School, I am proud to be part of the Cloquet Public School System and honored to lead a team of educators, paraprofessionals, secretaries, food service employees, and custodians who are committed to supporting your student during an incredibly important—and sometimes challenging—time in their lives.

We understand that the transition from elementary school to high school can be a big lift for both students and parents. Our goal is to partner with you throughout those years and provide the support, guidance, and opportunities your student needs to thrive.

I invite you to take a look at the CMS mission and vision statements, as they provide a good picture of our commitment to educating the whole child. We believe in supporting students socially and emotionally while preparing them academically for success at Cloquet Senior High School. We have also taken on the important challenge of ensuring that every student is reading at grade level before leaving CMS. With the partnership of our families and community, we believe we can accomplish this ambitious goal.

As a staff, we believe students learn best when they feel safe, supported, and connected to the adults around them. Building strong relationships with our students is a critical first step toward their success. Programs such as Student Support Time, WEB (Where Everybody Belongs), Restorative Practices, and our wide array of co-curricular activities demonstrate our commitment to creating those connections and helping every student feel that they belong.

Once those relationships are established, we are committed to providing every student with a curriculum that is both rigorous and relevant to the world in which they are growing up. Our goal is simple: we want every student who leaves Cloquet Middle School to be prepared to succeed academically, emotionally, and socially at Cloquet Senior High School and beyond.

Welcome to CMS!

Tom Lenarz

Principal, Cloquet Middle School

“All kids can learn.

We can teach them.

No exceptions, no excuses.”