Colt Corner
#TeamCMS
September 15, 2017
Dear Colts,
This week our UIL sports and activities really began to ramp up with games and performances. These activities give our Colts an opportunity to take on new responsibilities and offer them a chance to grow as athletes and performers. As an example of hard work and commitment paying off, CMS was recently informed that our Honors Band was named as a National Winner in the Mark of Excellence by The Foundation For Music Education. This prestigious award was only given to six middle schools out of the thousands of middle schools throughout the state of Texas. We are fortunate to have such hard working and committed students, coaches, directors, and families that all make recognition like this a reality. We are proud of all of our extra-curricular activities at CMS and the dedication of so many!
BEST,
David Arencibia, Ed.D.
CMS Principal
Facebook: Colleyville Middle School
Twitter: @CmsColts
#TeamCMS - #cmscelebrates - #CMSstrengths
Student Voice at CMS
An example of what student voice means to me would be how my social studies teacher gives us voice and options on how we can present information over a project we can choose related to the class. It gets me more involved in the class, and I like how my thoughts over the work we do matters.
Lindsey McConnell -
6th Grade Colt
PTA
Help us reach our goal and win the Early Bird Achievement Award. We are 72 memberships away from reaching this goal and we have until September 30th to do so.
Did you know students can join our PTA? Both parents, grandparents and businesses can join as well! Memberships cost only $10 and although volunteering is a huge help, it is NOT required.
Membership benefits include: discounts to Great Wolf Lodge, Six Flags, La Quinta hotels, Sea World and Schlitterbahn, just to name a few! Your membership also helps fund teacher grants, student & teacher scholarships, purchase library books, and last year it helped pay for our new school marquee (this will be installed in just a few short weeks)!
Joining is easy! Just go to http://www.joinpta.org/
CMS, did you know?
Did you know that CMS adopted a campus wide homework policy limiting the amount of homework that our students receive that reflects best practices?! More information can be found here via this Twitter feed.
"Homework - I appreciate how homework has been removed from my child's list of expectations. Now he can decompress after school (he has to work hard to focus all day) and can get energy out outside or in sports. He can read and use programs to build his skills but it is not required, and he is not punished".
Parent Technology Academy
CMS Band wins the Mark of Excellence project!
The Foundation for Music Education is pleased to announce the results of the 2017 Mark of Excellence Project. Two Hundred and Seventy Eight of the finest high school and middle school musical ensembles in the United States entered the project, a record number!
The Mark of Excellence consists of the National Wind Band Honors, National Choral Honors, National Orchestra Honors, National Jazz Honors, and National Percussion Ensemble Honors. It is a competition, entered by recordings, in which the top quarter are selected as National Winners and the second quarter receive Commended Honors.
The musical ensembles are a wonderful example of the musical achievement, and are a credit to the CMS band program. Congratulations to the directors and all involved!
Learning Commons
Hurricane Harvey Update
There were a lots of smiles on every volunteer as they unloaded the completely full truck plus 6x12 trailer of supplies. They were so incredibly grateful for every item that we were able to bring. St. Albert needed everything provided from clothes to food to pet supplies. People had been notified that supplies were coming and were already waiting in line in anticipation.
Leigh Ann Crowder-
CMS would like to thank Leigh Ann & David Crowder and Jeanie Pavliska & AVID team for their leadership in organizing assistance to those in need in the Houston area!
*Together the CMS community modeled for our students what it means to be good local/global citizens! Thank you!
Registered Nurses
Counselor Corner
Week of September 18 – September 22
SIGNS OF SUICIDE (SOS)
During the month of September the CMS Counselors will be leading guidance lessons from the SOS (Signs of Suicide) curriculum. This program will be shared with all GCISD middle and high school students and staff. Students will learn how to respond to a friend who may need extra support. One tool they will gain is the acronym ACT.
A: Acknowledge the problem;
C: Care. Let the person know you care; and
T: Tell a responsible adult.
Counselors will also discuss the difference between sadness and depression.
7th Graders will have their lesson Tuesday, September 25.
8th Graders will have their lesson Tuesday, September 21.
6th Graders will have their lesson Tuesday, September 27.
Please see attached OPT out form. Also, here is the link to the district website that also has the video in case you cannot attend the parent preview. http://www.gcisd-k12.org/Page/38638
PLAY IT SAFE VIDEOS for 6th and 7th – The parent preview is Thursday, September 28 at 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM at the administrative offices. Opt Out Forms will be coming soon.
October 5 – 7th Grade – Play It Safe – Healthy Relationships
November 10 – 7th Grade – Play It Safe – Can’t Take It Back
November 17 – 6th Grade – Play It Safe – It’s Harassment
February 16 – 7th Grade – Play It Safe – Abuse of Power
March 2 – 6th Grade – Play It Safe – Survivors of Abuse
GUIDANCE LESSONS
This is the schedule of CMS counselor guidance lessons for September:
September 20 – 6th Grade Girls PE – Self Image and Self-Improvement
September 21 – 8th Grade SOS – Signs of Suicide
September 25 – 7th Grade SOS – Signs of Suicide
September 27 – 6th Grade SOS – Signs of Suicide
October 4 – 6th Grade Boys PE – Self Image and Self-Improvement
SEVENTH GRADE – DUKE TIP
The Duke University Talent Identification Program (Duke Tip) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to serving academically gifted and talented youth. Duke Tip’s talent searches serve as the entry point to academic benefits and programs for gifted and talented students in grades 4-12. Fro more information, click here:
https://tip.duke.edu/programs/7th-grade-talent-search/enroll-now
Parents may directly enroll their child online at https://tip.duke.edu/programs/7th-grade-talent-search/enroll-now or via paper applications at any time during the enrollment period, September 15 – January 31. Fees are paid only once, and need-based financial aid is available. Students must have attained a qualifying test score at or above the 95th percentile on at least one accepted subtest area of a grade-level standardized achievement test (Stanford or Iowa Test of Basic Skills), or achieved a score of a 125 or above on an aptitude test (OLSAT, CoGAT, NNAT) or mental ability test (IQ test such as WISC), or met the Duke approved score on a state criterion-referenced test (STAAR). A school code will be provided on the Duke Tip website during the enrollment process.
Parenting Workshops 2017-2018
Hosted by GCISD Elementary Counselors
Join families from across GCISD and receive valuable information on some important topics. Workshops will be held at different elementary campuses throughout the year.
All parents in GCISD are encouraged to attend.
September 26th @ 6:30 pm: Bullying presented by the Parenting Center
Krystal McCure – Counselor A-K – 817-305-4916
Leslie Walden – Counselor L-Z – 817-305-4917
Shari Vanderwork – Registrar – 817-305-4955