THE PAW PRINT
VOL. 4 - Week of September 7, 2020
NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS!
Weekly Schedule for Week of September 7
CCMS Supplies Pick up Days & Make-up Picture Day
Fun Friday Starts This Week!
CCMS Celebrates Diversity with Theme Months!
Hispanic-Latinx Heritage Month is Sep. 15 - Oct. 15!
Hispanic Heritage Month recognizes and celebrates the contributions Americans tracing their roots to Spain, Mexico, Central America, South American and the Spanish-speaking nations of the Caribbean have made to American society and culture. The observance was born in 1968 when Congress authorized the president to issue an annual proclamation designating National Hispanic Heritage Week. Just two decades later, lawmakers expanded it to a month-long celebration, stretching from September 15 to October 15.
The timing is key. Hispanic Heritage Month — like its shorter precursor — always starts on September 15, a historically significant day that marks the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. The designated period is also a nod to those from Mexico and Chile, which celebrate their independence on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.
WHY HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH IS IMPORTANT
Strong impact on America: Hispanic influences are tightly knitted in the fabric of American life. Think music, food, art, cinema, politics, literature, and so much more.
Around one-fifth of the U.S. population is Hispanic: The state with the largest Hispanic and Latino population overall is California with over 14 million.
Our kids benefit: While Hispanic children learn about their roots this month, all kids can benefit from learning about Spanish history and culture.
Check out the two resources below:
- Oprah Mag: On OprahMag.com, we celebrate Latinidad and all identities every day. But for Hispanic Heritage Month September 15 through October 15, we're highlighting stories from Latinx perspectives, which you can read here. Disfruten! (Highly recommend)
- National Park Service: Telling All Americans' Stories, American Latino Heritage
Exciting Opportunity for Black and Latinx Girls!
READY TO LEAD ROUNDTABLE: BLACK AND LATINX GIRLS SPEAK OUT
Thursday, Sept. 10, 2020
1:30 pm PT/4:30 pm ET
Join us for a girl-led roundtable discussion of Ready to Lead: Leadership Supports and Barriers for Black and Latinx Girls. Register Now
Four years ago we set out to gather a new set of data that tells the more complex, nuanced, and intersectional story of the leadership development of girls of color. That data turned into Ready to Lead: Leadership Supports and Barriers for Black and Latinx Girls.
Don’t miss this one-hour interactive roundtable event. Hear our panel of experts discuss their lived experiences of these findings. Get your questions answered by a panel of youth leaders, report author Dr. Charlotte Jacobs, Girls Leadership Chief Program Officer Kendra Carr, or Grantmakers for Girls of Color Executive Director Dr. Monique W. Morris, who penned the foreword of the report. Susan Reid, Morgan Stanley’s Global Head of Diversity and Inclusion, will open the roundtable. You will gain firsthand insights into how leadership is successfully cultivated for these girls, the barriers they face, and what changes need to be made to create a supportive environment at school.
After School Performances Program
If you are interested in participating in the after school Performances Program for the fall production, check out all of the info below!
Update on Wednesday PAWs
New Information Regarding Grab n Go Meals!
Serving Procedures:
- Grab 'n Go meals will be offered daily at all school sites.
- CCMS will serve at the main entrance from 1:00 PM to 2 PM daily.
- Lunches will include a student’s choice of lunch entrées along with accompanying side dishes.
Schedule Changes Due to Class Size Balancing
In an effort to maintain appropriate class sizes, there are times when administrators and counselors must make adjustments to students’ schedules to accommodate all of our learners. For example, this semester we had to change some students’ schedules to balance class sizes.
A number of factors may impact class size, including our overall enrollment numbers, interest in various electives, level changes, caps on the number of students allowed in certain classes, and zero period offerings. We do our best to plan when classes are offered, but sometimes we must make changes due to reasons beyond our (and teachers’) immediate control. When these changes occur, we cannot revert back to students’ prior schedules.
While we understand that this can create some confusion and anxiety, this is done during the first two weeks of school to minimize further disruptions to students’ schedules. CCMS teachers in all departments work collaboratively, so although students’ teachers might change, students will still have the same instruction in their new classes. Teachers also work together to make grade adjustments if necessary based on different types and numbers of assignments that may have been completed before the class schedule change was made.
We appreciate your patience and understanding during these adjustments.
How to Remove Old Google Classrooms From Your Account
An Update on CCMS Fall and Winter Sports
Due to Covid-19 all Fall and Winter sports have been canceled at CCMS.
We are looking into spring sports as a possibility, and we hope we will be able to offer a full sports program for the 2021-2022 school year.
If you have additional questions about particular sports, please contact the AD for the sports under their name.
Athletic Director - Tom Salter tomsalter@ccusd.org 310-842-4200 x6060
Fall - Flag Football , Water Polo , Girls Tennis
Winter - Swim
Spring - Softball, Boys and Girls Lacrosse, Boys Tennis
Athletic Director - Angelo Sablan angelosablan@ccusd.org
Fall - Girls Volleyball , Cross Country
Winter - Boys and Girls Basketball
Spring - Boys and Girls Soccer, Track, Boys Volleyball
Athletic Assistant - Tonya Mclinn tonyamclinn@ccusd.org
OPPORTUNITIES AND EVENTS FOR PARENTS
Opportunity for Spanish-speaking Parents!
Volunteers needed for the Backpacks for Kids Program
The Backpacks for Kids program provides bags filled with food and snacks for children to take home each week when needed. Sponsored by Council PTA, we have been distributing bags all summer and are expecting to distribute even more this school year. We need help though! Please check out the volunteer opportunities listed below and let me know if you're interested and able to help- volunteers do NOT have to be CCUSD cleared but masks & distancing are required. Please email Connie at cslwong123@gmail.com if you can help. Thanks! (Monetary donations can be made at https://www.ccbackpacksforkids.com/ ).
Volunteers Opportunities:
1) Wednesdays, 9-10:30am, Packing Bags at CCMS
Looking for two volunteers that can consistently come to the pantry each week to help pack food into bags. The pantry is a small indoor space located at CCMS so masks and distancing will be required inside. No children allowed. Volunteers should be able to work quickly, may need to carry bags and lift heavy boxes, and should be willing to also do tasks such as mopping the floor, clean, re-stock shelves, take out trash, breakdown/fold boxes, etc.
2) Wednesdays, 11:00-11:30am, Transporting bags from CCMS to Farragut Cafeteria
Looking for 1 to 2 volunteers that can consistently come to the pantry each week to pick up bags from CCMS and drop them off at the Farragut cafeteria for distribution to students. Volunteers should have a large SUV/minivan/truck to fit ~100+ bags and can comfortably carry and move bags of food.
3) Thursdays, 11:30am-1:15pm, Distributing Bags at La Ballona during Grab-and-Go Meals
Looking for a friendly volunteer to help pass out bags to students/families on Thursdays at La Ballona Elementary School during the Grab-and-Go Meal pick-ups. Volunteers should enjoy working with people and will be expected to help make sure things run smoothly. Being able to speak Spanish may be helpful.
Why You Should Donate to the CCMS 100 Campaign
“My name is Amy Held. My husband and I love Culver City and feel so lucky to be raising our family here. We have three kids – a 3 rd grader at Farragut and a 6th and 7th grader at CCMS. This has definitely been the strangest start to a school year - especially for my 6th grader starting middle school. It’s a lot to learn to navigate having multiple teachers, zooms, Google classrooms, the alternating block schedule and much more. I’m so thankful that the WEB program was there to smooth the transition and the wonderful teachers have been patient and focused on welcoming and getting to know the kids and creating a warm classroom/zoom room environment before diving into academics. Now more than ever I want to support them with the tools they need to work the miracles they’re working and to support other CCMS families with technology and whatever our Panthers need to succeed.”
This is just one of many reasons why all CCMS families should donate to the CCMS 100 (Annual Giving) Campaign, collaboratively run by our PTSA and Panther Partners (booster club). This Campaign funds essential CCMS programs including teacher supplies, student counseling, technology, the arts and so much more. If we don't raise these funds, we will have to scale back or cut some of these important programs.
The Campaign is simple:
– 100% of families donating
– during the first 100 days of school
– to raise $100k for CCMS!
So far, we have raised more than $16,500, more than 15% of our goal. This is amazing Panther Parents – let’s keep it going!!! Families who donate $250 or more will receive a FREE luxurious plush navy blanket embroidered with the #CULVERPRIDE insignia. If you haven’t given yet, please do so now!
Click here to donate today to help us get to 100%.
You can give once or monthly. We ask all families to stretch to give meaningfully, recognizing that the amount is different for every family – whether you can give $25 or $1,000, we ask that you lean it to support our school at the level that you’re able. A public education is free but a great one takes all of our support.
Thank you so much!
Your Fellow Panther Parents
Sip Some Wine & Support Our Schools on September 26!
Support our schools on September 26th
Only 3 weeks until the Culver City Education Foundation’s virtual fundraising event, SIP for our Schools.
Join us virtually to see how your donations are making an impact in our schools, enjoy visits from special guests, bid on our silent auction items, and much more....
Tune in for free and sip your own beverage of choice, or buy a ticket to enjoy a creative wine tasting adventure (with real wine!) and cooking demonstrations from local award-winning chefs.
Ticket prices increase after September 11th so don’t delay!
Click here to purchase your tickets today:
http://events.handbid.com/auctions/sip-for-our-schools-2020
Please join us as we SIP together and support our schools on September 26th.
Book Recommendation: The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents: How to Support Your Child's Academic, Social, and Emotional Development in Any Setting
We are in this together and will get through this together
Parent involvement has always been a vital part of any child’s education, but the pandemic and resulting remote instruction require that parents and educators partner at a deeper level.
Following the tremendous success of The Distance Learning Playbook, K-12, education authorities Doug Fisher, Nancy Frey, and John Hattie have teamed up with New York Times bestselling author and parenting expert Rosalind Wiseman to bring you the consummate guide to support your child's academic, social, and emotional development in any learning environment – while not overwhelming you in the process.
This essential guide will arm you with the tools and insight to
Create an environment conducive to learning, establish routines, and most importantly, take care of yourself and your child
Maximize the time you spend supporting learning by focusing on what is proven to work best in education
Help your child develop the cognitive attitudes and habits that foster creativity, critical thinking, and increased responsibility for their learning
Support the development of your child’s social and emotional learning skills, including the ability to navigate social interactions, build friendships, and regulate emotions at a time when they have never been more important to have, and more challenging to maintain
The Distance Learning Playbook for Parents outlines supportive strategies for navigating virtual environments to ensure effective and impactful learning that aligns the needs and expectations of teachers, parents, and students alike.
Check out the flyer below!
PREVIOUSLY POSTED ANNOUNCEMENTS
CCUSD Roadmap to Reopening
Parents, make sure to check out the CCUsD Roadmap to Reopening Brochure. See the full brochure HERE!
Wednesday PAWs During Distance Learning
During a regular on-campus school year, PAWs (Panther Achievement Workshops) is held on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 30 minute sessions. However, due to distance learning, PAWs has been moved to Wednesdays, and each subject has its own 30 minute time-slot in which students can receive additional help, re-take tests, makeup missed work, or take part in enrichment activities with their teachers.
**Please note that PAWs is different from teacher office hours. PAWs is for students to receive intervention/enrichment from teachers and seats should be reserved. It is not a "drop-in" session.
Eventually, we hope to continue our use of Enriching Students, an online sign-up tool, for students to reserve spots in their teachers' Wednesday PAWs sessions. Until then, we are asking teachers to invite students to their individual sessions, or students can reserve a spot by contacting their teachers. We've also asked teachers to provide a Zoom or Google Meets link to students on Wednesdays if they're attending PAWs. If your child does not sign up for or receive an invitation from a teacher for PAWs, this time should be used for independent study time, as it is still considered part of the school day.
Please encourage your child to sign up for PAWs with their teachers for additional support--especially if your child needs to make up missed work or tests or needs academic support.
Panther Pod Expectations for Students
Meeting in Panther Pod allows students to have a touch point with a caring adult.
Logistics:
- Students meet in their Panther Pod class every Wednesday from 9:05-9:35 AM.
- Attendance is required.
- Each Panther Pod class has its own Google Classroom.
- Teachers will post the lesson and Zoom link there.
- Make sure you've joined the class to be ready for next Wednesday!
What do students do in Panther Pod?
- Monthly theme lessons and social emotional lessons
- Needs check in
- Student recognition
- Student run concerts, fundraisers, and spirit weeks
Recommended Google Chrome for Google Classroom
Sandy Segal Youth Health Center Services
CCMS Office Will be Open By Appointment Only
- Complete Aeries Registration (if unable to do it at home)
- Pick up an item: pre-purchase yearbook from last year, 8th grade certificate or award, etc
In an effort to keep our community safe, we encourage you to call or email all other questions or concerns that do not require an in-person visit.
CCMS Main Line: (310) 842-4200
Office Hours by Appointment: 9AM-2PM
Culver City Rental Assistance Program
AFTER SCHOOL CLASSES AND SPORTS INFORMATION AND REGISTRATION
Panther Partners After School Classes--REGISTRATION OPEN NOW!
Registration is now open for the Panther Partners After School Classes!
Register here: Click here for Panther Partners After School Classes Registration!
Panther Partners After School Classes/ASC program is offering a dynamic selection of virtual learning classes for Fall 2020. Classes will start September 7, 2020 ( Labor Day week) and run through the week of December 11, 2020. That’s 14 weeks of classes!
We recommend EARLY registration to ensure enrollment in the class you choose.
Enrollment is first come, first served and will close once the limit is met.
Please note: Classes that do not meet enrollment minimums will be cancelled.
SCHOLARSHIPS ARE AVAILABLE.
PP ASC will be offering:
Fiction Writing
Beginning & Continuing French
Zooga Yoga
Jr. Culinarians
3 different art classes
Mathcounts & Math Olympiad
Actors’ Workshop
Singing
Digital Skills for Entrepreneurs (coding)
Creative Web Design (coding)
Photography
Folklorico Dance
Magic: The Gathering
Stay tuned to the Paw Print and check on out social media and websites below for announcements of open registration. https://www.facebook.com/groups/PantherPartnersofCCMS,
https://www.pantherpartners.com/, & CulverCityMiddleSchool@yahoogroups.com
CCMS IMPROV After School Program Info
CCMS is the largest and longest-running after school program at CCMS. Started in 2011, 100+ students participate each year.
Improv is a comprehensive study of game-based, short form improvisation directed and taught by award-winning professional improvisers Eric Price, Sarah Parga, and Eddie Quintana.
Students learn, practice, and perform fundamentals of improvisation as well as advanced concepts and skills (scene study, character work, styles, genres, and musical improvisation). Most importantly, students develop essential life skills such as acceptance, commitment, flexibility, courage, collaboration, critical thinking, and kindness. No experience of any kind is necessary; only commitment and positive attitude are required!
Please see our short informational video at ccmsimprov.com, and check out the flyer below for additional information.
Registration begins Aug 18 ~ classes start Sep 14. Register at ccmsimprov.com
RESOURCES FOR PARENTS
Access the Incredible Resources of CCUSD!
Visit Our CCMS Store Today!
Follow us!
On Twitter, Instagram and Facebook @CulverCityMS
Culver City Middle School
Website: http://ccms.ccusd.org/
Location: 4601 Elenda Street, Culver City, CA, United States
Phone: 310-842-4200
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CulverCityMS/?hc_ref=SEARCH&fref=nf
Twitter: @culvercityms