Colt Corner
Colleyville Middle School
October 7, 2022
Colts,
This week I was honored by the National Association of Secondary Principals as a top 3 finalist for the National Principal of the Year award. This recognition is about every single person that is a part of our Colleyville Middle School community. We have a mission in GCISD and at Colleyville Middle School and that is to Build Excellent Schools Together. I'm a firm believer in that mission, and I know that working Together is the key to our success. We all have one common purpose, to create the absolute best learning environment for our Colts, and we are continuously working within that purpose. Next week, I will have the opportunity to talk with members of the Principal Imaging Committee and I am looking forward to sharing about the important role that you play within our Colt community. Our students, teachers, staff, parents, and school community are the reason Colleyville Middle School is a special place. I am grateful to work alongside each of you. Thank you for your support. I hope you have an amazing three-day weekend!
David Arencibia, Ed.D.
Colleyville Middle School, Principal
School Twitter: @CmsColts - #TeamCMS - #ColtPride
B.E.S.T. - Building Excellent Schools Together
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS
October 10 - No School
October 11 - 8th Grade A & B Football - Schedule linked here
October 12 - 7th Grade A & B Football - Schedule linked here
October 12 - 7th & 8th Grade A & B Volleyball - Schedule linked here
October 13 - 8th Grade Parent-High School Planning Meeting, CMS Cafeteria 6-7pm
October 13 - CMS Band Fall Social - 6:00 - 8:00 pm Hall's Pumpkin Farm
October 17- 7th Grade A & B Football - Schedule linked here
October 17 - 7th & 8th Grade A & B Volleyball - Schedule linked here
October 18 - 8th Grade A & B Football - Schedule linked here
October 18 & 19 - Theatre Playbill Performance - CMS Cafeteria 7:00pm
October 20 - CMS Fall Band Concert - CMS North Gym 7:00pm
In this Edition of the Colt Corner
* Grading Report Check & UIL October
* PSAT
* Social Studies Student of the Week
* Attendance Matters
* Students Checking Out/Leaving Early
* Theatre Performance
* Save the Date: GCISD Emergent Bilingual Parent Engagement Event
* Holiday Greeting Card Contest
* PTA Reflections Contest
Counselors Corner
* College, Career, & Military Readiness (CCMR)
* Collegiate Academy Visit: (Wed. Oct. 19th)
* 8th Grade Parent Meeting This Thursday (Oct. 13th)
* Bullying/David’s Law Lesson for 6th graders
* Current Drug Trends: Parent Presentation
* Additional Resources
Repeated Information
* GCISD Update - October 5, 2022
* Just Say Yes-Youth Equipped to Succeed Program - 8th grade
* Safety and Security Reminders
* School Picture Order Information
* Parent Tech Academy
* 8th Grade Baby Pictures
* GCISD Collegiate Academy
* Athletics Fall Season Sports Schedules
* Reporting COVID-19 Cases
* Colleyville Middle School Directory - Who To Contact
CMS Social Media Section
* CMS on Twitter - @cmscolts
* CMS on Facebook
* CMS on Instagram
upcoming grading period
PSAT
The campus will be closed to visitors on Tuesday, October 12 for PSAT testing. No lunch deliveries will be accepted during the day.
GCISD will be offering the opportunity for all eighth grade students to take the PSAT 8/9, at no cost to the students, on Wednesday, October 12, during the school day. While the college admissions landscape continues to change in regards to national testing requirements, there are many benefits to our students taking advantage of this opportunity.
Taking the PSAT in 8th grade helps provide parents and students with information to decide which AP classes would be a good fit for your student with AP Potential, as well as helps them start exploring potential careers, and browse potential colleges, majors, and careers with BigFuture. Click here to find out more about how your student’s score can be used to benefit them and their future.
For more information about the test, please review the PSAT 8/9 Student Guide.
Social Studies Student of the Week
Attendance Matters
CHECKING OUT/LEAVING EARLY Reminder
Anyone picking up a student must be on the Skyward Family/Emergency List before signing out a student. Have your driver’s license with you as you will be required to provide identification at the outside intercom camera. Your student will come outside to you. Parents are to wait outside (or in their car). The Vestibule is not an area for parents to meet their child. Please allow plenty of time as students in Athletics or lunch may take longer to come to Attendance quickly. Students will not be pulled from class until a parent arrives at school.
Theatre Playbill
The CMS advanced theatre class, Theatre Playbill, proudly presents the Stage Reading of OZ by, Don Zolidis. This new retelling of the classic story of The Wizard of Oz follows a young girl named Beth. Reeling from her sister's death, Beth suddenly finds herself journeying through a world suspiciously resembling the film The Wizard of Oz. But with the yellow brick road sold to foreign investors after a financial meltdown, the Scarecrow reveling in his ignorant bliss, the Cowardly Lion acting like a paranoid sociopath, and the Tinswoman embracing her emotional numbness, Beth wonders what role she plays in this classic story gone awry. A hilarious and heart-wrenching exploration of grief and perseverance on the road to acceptance.
Performances are Tuesday, October 18th, and Wednesday, October 19th starting at 7:00 PM in the CMS Cafeteria. Tickets are $5 at the door.
The show is open to all CMS and GCISD communities. Come enjoy an evening performance in Colt Country.
If you have any questions please reach out to our Theatre Director, Mr. Aaron Arroyo at aaron.arroyo@gcisd.net.
Save the Date: GCISD Emergent Bilingual Parent Engagement Event
There will be multiple Chromebooks to ensure that families listen to the information in their native language. The languages that we will offer to our families are:
English
Spanish
Arabic
Vietnamese
Russian
Friday, November 11th. (see flyers below)
Holiday Greeting Card Contest
All elementary, middle, and high school students are invited to submit original artwork for GCISD’s Holiday Greeting Card Art Contest. This year’s theme is "A Season of Giving.” Three student designs – one each from the elementary, middle, and high school levels – will receive $25 and recognition at the December meeting of the Board of Trustees. The selected artwork will be featured on the district’s website and as cards sent by the GCISD Board of Trustees and Superintendent Dr. Robin Ryan.
Complete rules and guidelines can be found on this flyer. Last year's winning designs can also be found online.
PTA Reflections Contest
The PTA Reflections Fine Arts Contest 2022 is a wonderful way for all students in grades K-12th to showcase their talents in multiple ways! This year's theme is "Show your voice!" (Hazte escuchar!). Students may submit entries in categories such as painting, drawing, photography, poetry, dance, music and more. Each school will select campus winners whose art will be submitted to the district Council of PTAs. The deadline for entry is set by each campus, but is generally around the first of November. For more information, contact your PTA representative, or Paul Sikes, Director of Fine Arts.
Counselors’ Corner (October 10 - 14)
College, Career, & Military Readiness (CCMR):
Ms. Jobe (6th & 7th Grade Math): Ms. Jobe started her college education at the University of Texas at Arlington (UTA), but she also attended Tarrant County College, the University of Phoenix, and Lamar University. She was offered full tuition scholarships to Dallas Baptist University and Oral Roberts University, but chose UTA because it was close to home. She paid for college herself, at times working 3 jobs. That eventually became too much for her, so she took an alternative route and had to put her college education on hold for several years. She would advise students to meet with an admissions advisor or counselor before going to college to make sure they are getting signed up for the right classes. And she also suggests getting your name on the housing list as early as possible because college housing can be scarce. Ms. Jobe wishes she had known how huge the classes in college would be and that she had better study skills before going to college.
Lamar University and the University of Phoenix offer many online degrees which is a great option for students who need to work while they are in college or who want to save money and live at home. Online schools make it possible to take college classes from the comfort of your own home! You can learn more about UTA, TCC, University of Phoenix, Lamar University, DBU, and ORU by clicking the links below:
Collegiate Academy Visit: (Wed. Oct. 19th)
Collegiate Academy representatives will be at CMS on Wednesday, Oct. 19th during Colt Time to visit with 8th grade students interested in attending CA in high school. CA students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree by the time they graduate from high school. Any student who has questions or would like to learn more about CA is encouraged to attend this meeting! An announcement will be made letting our 8th grade students know when it is time to come to this meeting.
8th Grade Parent Meeting This Thursday (Oct. 13th):
8th grade parents, please mark your calendars! CMS counselors will be hosting a meeting for 8th grade parents on Thursday, Oct. 13th from 6-7 p.m. in the CMS cafeteria. They will discuss high school 4 year planning, high school course selection, and other important information related to transitioning to high school.
Preferred Participation Consent for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention
As required by federal and state law, we will soon begin presenting a personal safety curriculum to middle school students. GCISD uses the Play It Safe! ® program to teach this curriculum. Play It Safe! ® is a child abuse awareness and prevention program that incorporates age-appropriate scripts and movies to teach children how to reduce the risk of sexual and physical abuse, and sexual assault. It teaches them to recognize potentially abusive behavior, provides the tools to respond to threatening situations, and encourages them to report abuse to a trusted adult. It is presented by The Women’s Center of Tarrant County, Inc. which uses trained volunteers to present the program using videos and scripted discussions at an age-appropriate level. Play It Safe! ® meets the State and Federal guidelines for curriculum addressing personal safety issues, child sexual abuse and pedophiles. The GCISD School Health Advisory Committee has reviewed and recommended these programs for all GCISD schools.
Our schedule for showing the Play It Safe Curriculum this year is as follows:
6th grade “Sexual Harassment”- November 8th, 2022
6th grade “Survivors of Abuse- March 8th, 2023
7th grade “Healthy Relationships”- October 5th, 2022
7th grade “Can’t Take It Back” - November 30th, 2022
7th grade “Abuse of Power” - February 21st, 2023
The purpose of this personal safety presentation is to provide the students with information and practical skills to reduce their risk of being in dangerous and/or abusive situations. They will learn how to recognize, react to, and report those situations. This one-hour program is presented in an age-appropriate, non-threatening manner through the use of stories, group discussions, and an age-appropriate movie.
We are hosting a parent preview on September 29 at 10:00 AM via Zoom. The recording is posted to the CMS counseling web page titled “Play it Safe! Middle School Parent Preview 2022”
Videos and scripts will be available for parents to preview from 9/22/2022 to 10/7/2022. https://vimeo.com/showcase/7535617 Password: GCISD2022
Please complete the section below to indicate your preference for your child’s participation in any of the above programs. If you choose for your child not to participate, your child will be provided an alternate location while this program is being presented. If the form is not completed, and turned into the campus counselor prior to the date on your campus notification letter, your child will not participate in the program.
Please complete the following Play it Safe form and return to your campus Counselor prior to the date of the lesson! Play it Safe Form
6th and 7th grade students were also provided with a hard copy form which can be returned to Ms. Dumas (advocate counselor).
Bullying/David’s Law Lesson for 6th graders:
October 12th (Boys Pre athletics/PE class)
October 19th (Girls Pre-athletics)
Current Drug Trends: Parent Presentation
On October 25th at 6:00 PM in the GCISD board Room John Haenes from Challenge of Tarrant County will be providing a presentation to parents on current drug trends. Stay on Track is a community coalition through Challenge of Tarrant County. Stay on Track's mission is to increase awareness in Keller and its surrounding communities about the risks of substance use and engage residents in education that provides youth with the knowledge, confidence, skills, and environmental support needed to live a healthy, substance-free life.
Having a strong, open relationship with their parents is one of the most influential factors during a child’s adolescence. Communicating with children about drugs can protect them from many of the high-risk behaviors associated with drug usage.Parents being actively involved and supportive is critical to prevention of youth substance abuse.
Additional Resources:
National Institute of Mental Health
Helping Children as they Grieve
In This Edition
- GCISD Holiday Card Contest
- PTA Reflections Contest
- #WeAreGCISD – Meet Mr. Doug
- Why #GCISDShowsUp
- Upcoming Events
Just Say Yes-Youth Equipped to Succeed Program
GCISD 8th Graders and Parents
GCISD Collegiate Academy at Tarrant County Northeast will begin accepting applications for the fall of 2023 beginning October 10, 2022 and ending on December 16, 2022. This is an exciting opportunity for GCISD students to attend an early college high school where students earn a high school diploma and an associates degree all for free! GCISD Collegiate Academy is a stand alone high school located on the Tarrant County College Northeast campus. CA was established in the fall of 2014 and our students have been very successful academically. Here are just some of their accomplishments:
Over 400 Collegiate Academy Graduates (Class of 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2021, 2022)
Over 18 million in scholarships
269 Associates Degrees
26,000+ College Credit Hours
EVERY GRADUATE EARNED COLLEGE Credit
5 National Merit Semi-Finalist
6 National Merit Commended
Numerous Hispanic and African American College Board Scholar Awards
A Gates Foundation Scholarship recipient
Collegiate Academy competes in UIL Academics, One Act Play, Esports, UIL soccer and has many clubs and activities. We will be visiting your school this month to share information! We will be hosting a Parent/Student meeting at the PDEC on November 17 and a CA Open House for prospective students on November 29. More information regarding the Parent/Student meeting and Open House will be shared in early November!
Students we will be visiting your school on the following dates:
GMS October 11
CTMS October 14
HMS October 18
CMS October 19
CA students and faculty are excited to meet you and tell you about all the benefits of becoming a Phoenix! Come check us out!
Remember you can apply beginning October 10 using the QR code below or the QR code on the poster in your school! Find your Fire and become a Phoenix! There are only 100 spots for the Class of 2027! Apply for yours soon!
Attn. 8th grade - Yearbook Baby Picture
Safety and Security Reminders
One of our very top priorities at CMS is keeping our students safe! Please continue to partner with us to keep CMS a safe place by following these protocols and reminding your child of them, as well.
-Parents need to check-in at the attendance office and get a volunteer name tag if they are going to be on campus for any reason. Parents are not allowed to come in the building without checking in first. If a student needs to leave campus early, they must check out at the attendance office.
-Use the crosswalks during drop off and pick up. Students, parents, and staff members should not cross in front of cars. The second car line (furthest from the building) is for passing only. Students should not get in a car from the second car line.
-Door Dash, Uber Eats, and other similar services are not allowed by students or parents. Please do not order food and have it sent to CMS.
Thank you for your help ensuring our Colts are safe and secure while at school!
School Picture Order Information
8th Grade Football Schedule
7th Grade Football Schedule
8th Grade Volleyball Schedule
7th Grade volleyball schedule
Reporting COVID-19 Cases
COLLEYVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL DIRECTORY - WHO TO CONTACT
*Note, the point of contact is the first level to answer and questions or concerns. They are usually able to resolve your question/concern, but in the event that you did not reach a resolution, your concern will be elevated to the subsequent level until a resolution is reached.
To email a CMS team member type the first name dot last name @gcisd.net (i.e. David Arencibia = david.arencibia@gcisd.net) unless different and noted under the name.