• Mr. Mela's Message
• Dates to Remember
• Costume Day!
• Halloween Candy Collection Drive for U.S. Military Veterans
• School Pictures
• Digital Citizenship Week
• Scholastic Book Fair
• 2022-23 Winter Sports at ECMS
• A Message from the ECMS Health Office
• Curtis Is Going to Washington in 186 Days!
• ECMS Private School Application Procedures and Guidelines
• Curtis 2022-2023 MATHCOUNTS Competition
• Curtis Schedule
  
• Lunch Menu for the Week of 10/31-11/4
• CPO News
• A Message from LS Athletics for 8th Grade Girls
• Curtis Core Values
• Contact Us

Dear Parents and Guardians:

As a reminder, the school counselors will be screening 7th and 8th-grade students for depression and suicide throughout the school year. Students will complete the Brief Screen for Adolescent Depression (BSAD) during the Health classes or Team block.

The Curtis mental health team will review the results of the screen and provide immediate follow-up for students whose scores indicate a risk of depression and/or suicide ideation. Parents and guardians will be notified if the assessment indicates any risk for their child.

The objectives of these efforts include:

• Educating students about the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide ideation.
• Helping our students understand that depression is a treatable illness.
• Encouraging our students to reach out to trusted adults when they need help or are concerned about a peer’s well-being.
• Identifying students who may be at-risk for mental health concerns.
• Partnering with families to coordinate appropriate intervention plans.

Sudbury youth health data collected from the 2021 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey show that among Curtis students:

• 17% of 7th and 8th graders reported having depressive symptoms in the past 12 months

• 13% reported having considered suicide during their lifetime

These statistics are comparable to regional and national data. The seriousness of these health issues requires open discussion, prevention education, health screens that aim to identify at-risk students, and collaborative efforts to coordinate appropriate support. The Sudbury Public Schools staff are committed to partnering with families to meet the diverse needs of all of our students.

If you do NOT want your child to participate in the depression and suicide risk screening, please email Angela Menke, Assistant Principal, or by telephone at 978-443-1071 extension 7120.

Enjoy the weekend,

Jeff

Wednesday, November 2 - 12:45 Early Release: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Wednesday, November 9 - 12:45 Early Release: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Friday, November 11 - No School - Veterans Day

Wednesday, November 16 - 12:45 Early Release: Parent/Teacher Conferences; 5-6:30 pm Frozen Fundraiser curbside pickup

Wednesday, November 23 - 12:45 Early Release: Thanksgiving

Thursday, November 24 - Friday, November 25 - No School - Thanksgiving Recess

November 28 - December 2 - Scholastic Book Fair

All Curtis students will have the first Spirit Day on Monday, October 31st. With a $2 donation, students may wear a costume to school. The donation will benefit the D.C. Supply Fund.

Costume guidelines are as follows:

• Donate $2 to the D.C. Supply Fund

• No face paint

• No weapons of any kind

• No plastic or rubber masks

• No inappropriate themes or content (offensive language, profanity, etc.)

• If you are dressed inappropriately, you will be asked to change.

• Have fun!

The Curtis Angels will be collecting unwanted/leftover Halloween candy which will be donated to the Homeless Veterans Centers in Worcester and Boston.

If you would like to donate Halloween candy, students can drop it off at Mr. Henningson’s office in Student Services. If you have questions about the candy collection drive, please contact Mr. Henningson. Thanks for your support of U.S. military veterans.

A message from Stuart Beeby Photography:

We’ve reopened the Curtis Portrait Package website for anyone who missed the previous deadline to pre-order their Curtis Portrait Package.

The website will remain open for pre-orders until October 31,2022. If you miss this extended deadline, you will still have an opportunity to order prints or digital products, but as an a la carte item, once we are finished processing all prepay package orders.

How to pre-order your Curtis Photo Package:

Click this link: http://beebystudios.orderschoolpix.com/53089

1. Search for your child’s name in the subject name field (all students have been added – Please be sure to select the correct name – TIP: We advise to search by last name to avoid nicknames or abbreviated first names not being visible
2. PASSWORD field is NOT required
3. Enter your email address
4. There are three tabs to choose from in the store: Packages (Best value)/ Prints (individual) / Products
5. Pre-order deadline is October 31, 2022 (The site will be closed after this date)
6. There is NO DELIVERY CHARGE for pre-orders
7. Print Package: A+, B+, C+, D+, E+ INCLUDE the HIGH-RESOLUTION Digital (It must have a “+ “ after the letter to include the Digital File)
8. If you have siblings, please repeat steps 1-4 and use SEPARATE names for each sibling order. (This is essential so that the photo studio can match up your order to your child’s photo)

Questions? Please read our FAQ’s below:

Do you offer a RETOUCHING OPTION?

If you would like retouching applied to your child’s picture before it’s printed, please add the retouching at the point of order. Retouching is optional but recommended. It can be done after the fact but you will need to re-order your print package with the retouched photo if we apply retouching after the prints have been made!

Can we see the photo before we order?

Unfortunately, no. We do not provide a proofing service, but we will give you a full refund if you decide to return your package now that Retake Day has been completed.

But I still want to see before I buy. How can I do that?

Yes but, only once we have completed and delivered the pre-pay orders. If you want to view before you buy, we will send you a link to view your child’s picture and you have an option to order anything as an a la carte item. But the pre-pay packages (which provide the best value and discounted products), will not be available. Only individual a la carte items will be available. If you would prefer to order a la carte items, please send us the following details and we will send you the link once we are all set with the extended order deadline:

Your Child's First and Last Name

Your Child's School and Grade

Again, the extended deadline for pre-ordering is MONDAY, October 31, 2022. If you have any questions, please email: yearbook01776@gmail.com

This week we celebrated Digital Citizenship Week at Curtis. This is a week where we ask students to think about how they can be safe and kind on-line. We raise awareness through posters around the school, morning announcements, raffles and activities in the cafeteria. The students created a colorful bulletin board in the cafeteria where they signed a pledge to be safe and kind online.

While we know these conversations happen all year long at home and school, this is a good week to talk to your children about their media use. Some families have a conversation about technology every Tuesday (Tech Talk Tuesdays) to set aside time to keep the dialogue going with their children. Ask your child about what they see kids using for apps (works better to ask about other kids than to ask about themselves) and help your child to reflect on what they like and do not like about their digital experiences. The resources shared below contain some great conversation starters for you to start conversations with your family.

Common Sense Media has an abundance of information for parents and educators about how to help our children navigate technology in a safe and balanced way. In this link you'll find an article for parents about how to help kids manage their media lives.

Want to keep up with the media your child is using (YouTube, SnapChat, Discord, etc.)? Check out Common Sense Media’s Parents Ultimate Guide to Media to learn about all the current trends.

Lastly, here is a link to a Family Media Agreement for your consideration. This is a great tool helping you and your child to find a healthy balance of media use/screen time that works for your family.

We hope that this information is helpful to you. Happy Digital Citizenship Week!

Terry Miller, Grade 6 Counselor

Jennifer Hymes, Grade 7 Counselor

Ivar Henningson, Grade 8 Counselor

The Book Fair is coming! Curtis' in person Book Fair will be taking place November 28 through December 2 this year, with online shopping starting on November 21. As usual, all purchases go to support our library!

If you would like to get a jump on things, you click here to check out our website. The site will give you a preview of some of this year's books, as well as offer you the opportunity to set up an eWallet for your student. We are also looking for lots of parent volunteers to help the fair go smoothly! If you are interested in joining us, you can sign up here. Any questions, contact Jessica Moore.

Welcome to the winter sports season at ECMS! We have an online sports registration process to register students for 7th and 8th grade boys and girls basketball. Our online registration is through FamilyID (www.familyid.com). FamilyID is a secure registration platform that provides you with an easy, user-friendly way to register for our sports, and helps us to be more administratively efficient and environmentally responsible. When you register through FamilyID, the system keeps track of your information in your FamilyID profile. You enter your information only once for each family member for multiple uses and multiple programs.

The winter sports offerings are:

• 7th/8th grade girls basketball

• 7th/8th grade boys basketball
  
  

The $195 athletic fee must be paid by check made out to “Town of Sudbury” and given to your child’s coach after the rosters are finalized. Practices will be from 3:20 -4:30pm Monday thru Thursday. The game schedules can be found on the ECMS Athletics under the individual sport. Team updates and any cancellations of sessions due to weather by 1pm on that day may also be found on this website.

The tryouts will begin on during the week of November 28, 2022:

The tryout schedule will be on the sports website by November 16, 2022

To be able to try out, Family ID must be fully completed. Students will also have access to the locker rooms..

BEFORE YOU REGISTER:
Have your child’s latest physical exam from within the last 13 months available to upload during the registration process.

INFORMATION NEEDED TO REGISTER:
It will be helpful to have the following information handy to allow for accurate completion of your online registration:
Doctor information
Health insurance information

REGISTRATION PROCESS: Our sports registration process is now open and will close on Nov.16, 2022. A parent/guardian should register by clicking here.

Follow these steps:

1. To find your program, click on the link and select the registration form under the word Programs.

2. Next click on the blue Register Now button and scroll, if necessary, to the Create Account/Log In green buttons. If this is your first time using FamilyID, click Create Account. Click Log In, if you already have a FamilyID account.

3. Create your secure FamilyID account by entering the account owner First and Last names (parent/guardian), E-mail address and password. Select I Agree to the FamilyID Terms of Service. Click Create Account.

4. You will receive an email with a link to activate your new account. (If you don’t see the email, check your email filters (spam, junk, etc.).

5. Click on the link in your activation Email, which will log you in to FamilyID.com

6. Once in the registration form, complete the information requested. All fields with a red* are required to have an answer.

7. Click the Continue button when your form is complete.

8. Review your registration summary.

9. Click the green Submit button. After selecting ‘Submit’, the registration will be complete. You will receive a completion email from FamilyID confirming your registration.

10. Athletic fee in the amount of $195.00 must be paid by check made out to “Town of Sudbury” and given to your child’s coach when the team’s roster is finalized..

At any time, you may login at www.familyid.com to update your information and to check your registration(s). To view a completed registration, select the 'Registration' tab on the blue bar.

SUPPORT:
If you need assistance with registration, contact FamilyID at: support@familyid.com or 781-205-2800 x1. Support is available 7 days per week and messages will be returned promptly.

If you have any medical questions, please contact the Curtis Health Office at 1-978-443-1071 x 7528 or x7509. For schedules or cancellations, please visit the ECMS athletics website. General inquiries regarding fall intramural sports, please email David Jurewicz.

Sincerely,
David Jurewicz
Director of Athletics

***GRADE 7 PHYSICALS***

Please submit a copy of your 7th graders most recent physical exam to the Health Office (within the past 13 months). If you have already submitted one, thank you! No need to submit another one. To date, we have only received about half of the required physicals.

***COVID GUIDELINES***

Please continue to remain vigilant for symptoms of COVID-19. If your student becomes symptomatic please test. If your student tests positive please notify the health office for isolation guidelines.

FROZEN FUNDRAISER VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!

Volunteers are needed to assist with the curbside pickup on Wednesday November 16th from 3-7pm. If you would like to volunteer, please submit this form.

Have you registered yet?

Reminder to 8th grade families: Register now for lower monthly payments. To register your 8th grader for the civics trip, go to Worldstrides AND Family ID. To seek financial aid, use the D.C. Scholarship Request Form. For other information and links, please visit the ECMS D.C. Website.

If your child is applying to private school, please contact your child’s grade level school counselor so that we can help facilitate the process. To ensure that this process is efficient and expedient, please follow these guidelines:

• Prior to submitting any forms (electronically or on paper), please ensure that your child contacts their teachers and the counselor to ask for their recommendation.

• Most schools are using on-line platforms for applications and recommendations. Please notify the grade counselor which schools your child is applying to and the platforms that these schools use.

• If the applications require paper forms, they should be dropped off at the ECMS main office to the attention of the grade level counselor. Please do not send any paper recommendation forms directly to teachers; the grade level counselor will distribute these to teachers.

• In order to send records and recommendations to the private school, we must have a signed release from a parent or guardian. This is usually provided with the private school application form or may be part of the on-line platform.

• We request that you submit all forms as early as possible to allow teachers and counselors ample time to complete recommendations. Please be aware of the following timeline for submitting forms to the grade level counselor:

By December 1, 2022 for a January 1, 2023 deadline
By December 15, 2022 for a January 15, 2023 deadline
By January 3, 2023 for a February 1, 2023 deadline

• In early spring after you have heard from the school’s admissions department, please contact the grade level counselor to inform us of the application outcome and private school decisions for your child.

• Please direct any questions about the status of recommendations to the following counselors.

Procedure for applications requiring direct mail:

• Include a large (10 x 13) stamped standard mailing envelope for each school with the forms, so that we are able to mail them out quickly when the applications are complete.

• On each mailing envelope, include a postage amount of $2.94.

• Print the specific name and address to whom we are directing the application.

• Leave the return address blank as we will fill this in indicating that the materials came from Curtis.

- Terry Miller, Grade 6 ext. 7513

- Jennifer Hymes, Grade 7 ext. 7512

- Ivar Henningson, Grade 8 ext. 7511

Thank you very much for your assistance and cooperation with this private school application process.

ECMS Counseling Department

Attention all math lovers!

The MATHCOUNTS Competition is coming back to Curtis again this year! This competition series will be in person. All in-school students of Curtis 6th - 8th graders are eligible to participate in a school level MATHCOUNTS practice competition. Following that, a group of up to 12 selected students will be representing Curtis Middle School at the Chapter

Competition.

What is MATHCOUNTS?

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a nationwide middle school

mathematics competition that provides students the opportunity to compete

in-person against and alongside their peers.

The competition is held annually at the school, chapter, state and national

levels. This will be the sixth year that Curtis Middle School will participate

in the competition. Our goal is to have fun, build confidence, and improve our

critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Registration and Cost

School Practice Competition

Date: TBD before end of January 2023(after school time or weekend)

Cost: free

How/when to register: Complete the registration form here by Nov 20th

Chapter competition will be held in February 2023.

Registration fee for Chapter Competition: $30 / student

A group of up to 12 students per school will attend the Chapter Competition.

Who leads the Chapter team?

The Curtis MATHCOUNTS team will be lead by volunteer Curtis parents. There are no weekly meets. There will be online or in-person practice sessions before the chapter competition for the school group. This year’s coaches will be Mr. Yi Hou and Sophia Hou.

Please contact Yi Hou at yihou@hotmail.com with any questions.

Curtis Directory

You can still purchase online access to the Curtis directory and make a donation to

Direct Appeal in one easy step. Online access for the directory is $10 and you will

have access right after you place your order. Visit this link to get Directory access

today !

Direct Appeal

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the CPO to help support Curtis’ cultural, creative, and educational programming. The CPO supports a variety of programs and initiatives, including cultural enrichment, the 1:1 computing program, the Curtis Messenger newsletter, student scholarships, student social events, technology, end-of-year activities, classroom curriculum aids for teachers, UA supplies, recess equipment, uniforms for school sports teams, library furniture, the student counseling department, the tile project in the school hallways, outdoor beautification projects, and much more. These are all important additions to the Curtis community and they truly improve the students’ experience at Curtis Middle School. This is all possible because of the generosity of the Curtis parent community.

We suggest a $75 donation—but no donation is too small—and all are appreciated! Also, please check if your company offers a matching donation. Click here to donate.

Please note that donation acknowledgment letters will be provided by request only. If you require a letter for tax purposes, please email a request to cpotreasurer@gmail.com.

(You can also make a donation when you order your directory!)

Lost & Found

Please remind your student to check the Lost & Found in the cafeteria for missing items. There are a lot of clothes, shoes, bags and water bottles and other items that need to go back home. On our Facebook page you can find a recent post with videos/photos of items in the Lost & Found. It is important to note that there are multiple sizes of several items, so please check before taking what is yours.

CPO Facebook Page

The CPO Facebook is a great resource to get information and ask questions. Please remember to answer the required questions to be approved. This is important for us to keep the membership contained to Curtis families.

Curtis Gear

The Curtis online store is now open with lots of Curtis spirit wear and gear, including clothing, hats, bags, and more!

8th Grade Events and Washington DC Trip: VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We are still looking for volunteers to form a team to help with various aspects of the DC trip.

Additionally, we need a team of parent volunteers to start planning the 8th Grade events including the end of the year Social.

Please reach out to the 8th Grade Co-Chair Nalini Luthra via email nluthra647@aol.com if you would like more information or sign up to help.

CPO Messenger

Please share this newsletter with others who are new to Curtis and encourage them to sign up for their own copy!

If any 8th grade girls are interested in playing ice hockey this upcoming season for the Lincoln-Sudbury Girls Hockey team please go to this website for information: https://lsrhs.rschoolteams.com/

Please register on familyid at: https://www.familyid.com/organizations/lincoln-sudbury-regional-high-school-4ac54fb4-90ee-4280-a244-e2025e662db0

If you have any questions please contact art_reilly@lsrhs.net or call 978-443-9961 x3100.

Thank you,

LS Athletics

Learning ~ Respect ~ Responsibliity

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