CMS Thursday Notice
September 30, 2021
CMS K-8
A wonderful place where we all learn and grow . . .
Email: lakint@norwalkps.org
Website: cms.norwalkps.org
Location: 46 Concord Street, Norwalk, CT, 06854
Phone: (203)899-2840
RESERVA LA FECHA!
Important Dates
Friday, October 1: Virtual All School Mtg, 2:45 pm
Monday, October 4: Staff Professional Development - No School for Students
Tuesday, October 5: New School Hours & Bus Routes start date
Wednesday, October 6: Picture Day
Saturday, October 9: CMS Community Clean Up, 9:30 am
Sunday, October 17, CMS Hispanic History Celebration, 11-3
Friday, October 22: Halloween Happening
Monday, October 26: 2-Hour Early Dismissal
STARTING OCTOBER 5TH!
CHANGE IN SCHOOL START TIME
As you may know, the Norwalk Board of Education held a special meeting on Tuesday, September 15 to review solutions to the arrival and dismissal delays that we have been experiencing since the start of school. The meeting included an update from NPS about the impact delays have on instructional time, results from surveys of parents and students, and scheduling options to relieve traffic congestion. Public comments from parents, students and staff were also shared. Following this discussion, the Board made the decision to change school start times.
CMS school hours have been changed to 9:05 am to 3:40 pm (from 9:15 am to 3:50 pm). Due to this change, starting on Tuesday, October 5, our doors will open for students at 8:50 am. We will begin afternoon dismissal at 3:25 pm.
Updated bus schedules were published on the NPS website on Wednesday, September 22. Please see link below.
PLEASE NOTE: Some of the bus routes have been changed. If you do not see your child's bus stop on your usual bus, please look for your stop on other CMS buses. If you child will be riding a different bus, please make sure to let the classroom teacher know of the change. Thank you!
DURHAM BUS TRACKER APP
The flyer below gives directions for downloading the Durham Bus Tracker App. If your children do not know their ID numbers, you can request their numbers from their classroom teachers. Also, your child's name on the app must appear exactly as it appears in PowerSchool.
BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT RECORDED PRESENTATIONS
All presentations will soon be available for viewing on the CMS website.
VIRTUAL ALL SCHOOL MEETING
The All School Meeting will be recorded and shared at a later date with parents.
SCHOOL PICTURE DAY IS COMING!
This year Picture Day is Wednesday, October 6, 2021. Order forms were sent home with all students last week. To order online, go to www.coffeepond.com then select "Order School Portraits." Enter our city/state, and select "Columbus Magnet." Then enter your child's information, including full name (as it appears in the school's registry). Select your desired package and add to your cart. If you have another child, select "Order for Another Child" and repeat the steps above. Once you've completed your order, follow prompts for contact and billing information. After reviewing your order, click "Submit Order."
All online and paper orders are due on Picture Day.
Coffeepond has instituted the following measures to ensure a completely touchless and appropriately socially distant Picture Day:
- Bluetooth barcode scanning technology ensures paperless transactions.
- Each photographer will arrange a pattern of colored cones to communicate where students should wait and how to exit the space.
- Students will remove masks just before photos are taken and replace before walking away.
- Photographers will wear masks at all times while on school property.
- The Coffeepond staff will comply with all requests related to school Covid protocol.
CMS SCHOOL GOVERNANCE COUNCIL
School Governance Councils provide a remarkable opportunity for Connecticut schools to engage with families and community members in a partnership to make our schools centers of excellence that prepare all students for success. Councils are meant to represent the interests of the families, teachers, students and community members that make up the school population.
School Governance Councils serve in an advisory capacity and shall assist the school administration with analyzing achievement data and school needs, reviewing the school's draft budget, making programmatic and operational changes, and advising the principal on major policy matters affecting our school. Among topics to be tackled this year are indoor and outdoor beautification and our playground/field area.
The SGC is comprised of 7 parents, 5 teachers, and 2 community members. Term length is two years. Meetings are scheduled on Tuesday evenings, once a month starting in October and running through May (schedule: TBD). There currently is one parent vacancy on our SGC. Parents wishing to nominate themselves are asked to submit a letter of intent and a brief bio to Terry Lakin at lakint@norwalkps.org by Tuesday, October 5. If we receive more nominations than vacancies, it will be necessary to hold an election.
UPCOMING TESTING WINDOWS
mCLASS DIBELS
Mclass DIBELS TESTING WINDOW: September 29 to October 13, 2021
All Kindergarten-3rd grade students will be assessed three times a year in reading using mCLASS DIBELS Reading 8th Edition. This is a diagnostic assessment system which means that teachers will use the information to decide next steps in reading instruction.
After the end of each assessment period (beginning, middle, and end of year), teachers will send a Home Connect letter to each student's parent/guardian. This letter will include a large amount of information about your child's reading strengths and areas for improvement. It will even provide ideas for helping your child with reading at home.
NWEA/MAP ASSESSMENTS
Beginning September 23, 2021, the district will conduct NWEA/MAP assessments in both reading and mathematics.
Grades 1 and 2 will only take the Math assessment.
Grades 3-8 will take Math and Reading assessments.
These tests, along with formative assessments, help to determine your child’s instructional level and measure academic growth throughout the school year, and from year to year. MAP tests are unique in that they are adaptive tests. The questions become more difficult as your child answers correctly. When your child answers a question incorrectly, the test becomes easier. Therefore, the test adapts to your child’s ability. These tests are untimed and will be given on your child’s Chromebooks.
We measure growth in learning across multiple years. Teachers can use the score to inform instruction, personalize learning, and monitor the growth of individual students For more information, please visit the NWEA/MAP website - Parent Guide.
The testing window will remain open for the next two weeks to provide time for both the reading and math assessments as well as make-up sessions. We will be distributing the results of the MAP tests to parents.
- We ask that you send your children to school on time.
- Please contact your classroom teacher with questions.
PSAT
8th graders will be taking PSAT on Wednesday Oct 13, 2021.
PSAT measures the knowledge and skills in reading, writing, and math students learn in the classroom—the same knowledge and skills your child needs to succeed in college and career.
FREE IN-SCHOOL COVID TESTING AVAILABLE
In collaboration with Progressive Diagnostics, NPS will offer PCR testing for all unvaccinated NPS elementary and middle school students beginning with the week of September 27.
Research shows that school-based screening testing helps to identify cases sooner, rather than waiting for symptoms to develop.
Progressive Diagnostics will offer free testing once a week at each school to unvaccinated students, not exhibiting any Covid-related symptoms, with parental consent.
Consent Forms
Consent forms were provided to CMS families. Schools are not be responsible for selecting students to participate in this program. Parents interested in having their child participate may submit the form electronically.
Testing
The test is a non-invasive swabbing of the lower nostrils (no “brain tickling”) and takes only a few seconds to collect.
Results
Results will be available to parents within 24 hours via a HIPAA compliant online portal.
As we work together to keep our students and staff safe, please continue to keep your child home if they aren’t feeling well, or exhibiting any Covid symptoms. For additional information regarding Progressive school testing click here.
CMS PTA NEWS AND EVENTS!
CMS HALLOWEEN HAPPENING!
SAVE THE DATE!
Friday, October 22 is the CMS Halloween Happening in the CMS backyard! Wear your Hallowen costumes and kick off the evening by trick-or-treating through our Trail of Treats from 5:00-6:00 pm. Next, don't forget your blankets so you can bundle up for an outdoor screening of a (family-friendly) Halloween classic movie at 6:30 pm.
Stay tuned for more information. In the meantime, the PTA is looking for volunteers to set up trick or treat tables in the Trail of Treats area. Please click on the form below to learn more.
Upcoming Pie/Cookie Dough Fundraiser
The CMS PTA will sponsor a Lyman Orchard Pies and Otis Spunkmeyer Cookie Dough fundraiser from October 1 through October 22. Look for more information coming home soon.
DO YOU SHOP AT AMAZON?
Select "PTSA Connecticut Congress Columbus Magnet PTA" as your charitable organization on Amazon Smile and you can support CMS at no extra cost when you shop at https://smile.amazon.com/