Colt Corner
Colleyville Middle School
October 30, 2020
Colts,
This week we had both remote and in-person students participating in many Red Ribbon Week topics, bringing awareness to living physically healthy lifestyles. We enjoyed seeing our students participating in the topics and dressing up in the themes throughout the week.
As a reminder, Monday and Tuesday, November 2-3, are student holidays and staff development days for CMS. There will be no class for in-person and remote learners at all campuses, except for Collegiate Academy and iUniversity Prep.
In the upcoming month of November, we will take the opportunity at CMS to find ways to be thankful as research shows that gratitude contributes to an individual's overall social and emotional well-being. I am grateful for our CMS community and the flexibility, grace, and willingness to work through these educationally difficult times together. I encourage you to take a couple of minutes to communicate with an educator to show your appreciation as they continue to juggle many challenging educational and relational tasks during these times.
As always, thank you for your positive partnership as we work together to do the best job possible for our Colts. Enjoy your weekend!
David Arencibia, Ed.D.
CMS Principal
Facebook: Colleyville Middle School
Twitter: @CmsColts
#TeamCMS - #cmscelebrates - #CMSstrengths
B.E.S.T. - Building Excellent Schools Together
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS
November 2 & 3 - Student Holiday
November 3 - 8th Grade A & B Football - schedule linked here
November 4 - 7th Grade A & B Football - schedule linked here
November 4 - 7th & 8th Grade A & B Volleyball- schedule linked here
November 4 - 20 - NJHS Canned Food Drive for Grace
November 9 - 7th Grade A & B Football - schedule linked here
November 9 - 7th & 8th Grade A & B Volleyball- schedule linked here
November 11 - Spelling Bee Qualifier
November 11 - Progress Reports
November 13 - UIL - Regain Eligibility
November 16 - 7th Grade A & B Football - schedule linked here
November 16 - 7th & 8th Grade A & B Volleyball- schedule linked here
November 23 - 27 - Thanksgiving Break
Student Holiday
As a reminder, Monday and Tuesday, November 2-3, are student holidays and staff development days for much of GCISD.
On that day, there will be no class for in-person and remote learners at all campuses, except for Collegiate Academy and iUniversity Prep. The complete 2020-2021 Student Instructional Calendar can be found online.
2020-2021 GCISD Student Instructional Calendar
In This Colt Corner Edition:
Bring your refillable water bottles
Canvas - How to receive notifications
Colt Rewards - CMS's 1st grading periods data
NJHS Canned Food Drive for Grace
Yearbook Pictures - Send in summer time pictures for the yearbook!
Veterans Day - Do you have a relative who served in the military? If so, see the info. below.
Collegiate Academy - Applications now being accepted for 8th grade Colts.
Counselors Corner:
8th Grade four year high school planning
Four Year Planning for Remote Students
Play It Safe Student Lessons
Character Strong
Friends For Life Hotline
Repeated Information:
GCISD October 28, Update: Repeated information from GCISD's Update email overview.
Spelling Bee - Qualifier is November 11th
Free Meal Extension - Nationwide waiver for free meals through June 2021.
Duke Talent Identification Program
UIL Calendar - Upcoming grade check (4:00pm) for ineligible student-athletes to regain eligibility, 11/6/20.
National Association for Gifted Children’s Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Scholar Award
National Association for Gifted Children’s Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Scholar Award
Congratulations to our very own Colt, Ellie Ojile, in 6th grade for being the recipient of the very prestigious Jenkins Scholar Award!
The Dr. Martin D. Jenkins Scholar Award is named in honor of Dr. Jenkins, Father of Research on Gifted Black Students, and designed to honor the achievements of highly gifted Black students who excel academically in school. To meet eligibility requirements, an individual must be a Black student enrolled in a public school in grades 6-12 and meet at least three of the following criteria: exceptional test score, accelerated coursework, exemplary achievement, early entrance/MS dual enrollment/HS joint enrollment, exemplary school work, or competition winner.
Award recipients receive a $300 scholarship, NAGC convention registration and an invitation to attend a featured session at the national conference, one scholarship covering registration to attend the Gifted Education Research & Resource Institute’s (GER2I) Summer Residential Program at Purdue University, and access to various Ambassador Programming & Peer Mentoring opportunities. Of the 85 students that attend CHHS, GHS, CA, CMS, CTMS, GMS, and HMS, Ellie won this honor!
Colt Country congratulates Ellie, we are so proud of this wonderful accomplishment!
Bring your Refillable Water Bottles!
Canvas
If you would like to receive notifications from Canvas about your student's assignments, here's some information about how to set up your preferences.
How do I set my Canvas notification preferences as an observer?
Learn more about becoming an observer in your student's Canvas here.
Colt Rewards
NJHS Canned Food Drive for Grace
Thanks to generous support from the community, GRACE was able to provide 481 Thanksgiving meals and 387 Christmas meals to families in need last year. The estimated value of each food basket is $80.00.
This year, Colleyville Middle School’s National Junior Honor Society will again be sponsoring a drive to collect food items for the Thanksgiving holiday.
Collections will be accepted from November 4 to November 20. Drop off boxes are located at major entrances of the school.
Please help NJHS help GRACE families with some of these suggested items:
Veteran's Day
Collegiate Academy
Counselor Corner For The Week Of November 2 - 6
8th Grade Parents: Please watch the video and review the information about high school course offerings and endorsements that is linked below with your 8th grade student. Then, complete the high school 4 year plan template with your student and email it to your student’s counselor. Counselors will enter the courses and endorsements that you write on the template into Skyward, and then meet with your child to review their course selections and endorsement choice. After the meeting, you will receive an email requesting that you review and electronically sign both the plan and the endorsement(s).
In January, high school counselors will come to CMS and meet with students individually and use the 9th grade courses that we enter into Skyward to create freshman schedules. Students will have the opportunity to change course selections at this time.
* On the template linked below, select core classes and electives for 9th grade, but only select core classes for 10-12 grade (not electives). While students will be filling out information for all four years of high school, only the 9th grade year will be used for scheduling. The 10-12 grade core course selection is only a “plan” and will not become a student’s future schedule. Students will make course selections every year throughout high school.
If the template is not completed and emailed to counselors, students will select courses during the meeting with their counselor.
4 Year Planning for Remote Students: Counselors will send Webex invitations to remote learners to review 4 year plans and endorsements. Please have your student check their school email account and accept the invitation when they receive it.
If you have any questions, please email us and we will be happy to help you! We want you and your student to make the most informed decisions possible so that your student is fully prepared for high school and feels confident about their course selections and endorsement choices.
8th grade 4 year plan meeting video
4 Year Plan Template for Parents
GCISD Course Selection Guide 20-21
Freshman Course Selection Sheet
Sophomore Course Selection Sheet
Play It Safe Student Lessons
Parents of 6th & 7th grade students, a parent preview for the Play It Safe program was hosted via a live Zoom on October 1st at 10 a .m. Students will view the lessons on the dates listed below. The lessons, taught in partnership with The Women’s Center of Tarrant County, encourage and teach students how to recognize, report and reduce the risk of being in an abusive and/or dangerous situation.
(7th Grade) Healthy Relationships - Oct. 13
(6th Grade) It’s Harassment - Nov. 12 (new date, one week later than original)
(7th Grade) Can’t Take It Back - Nov. 13
(7th Grade) Abuse of Power - Feb. 10
(6th Grade) Survivors of Abuse - March 3
Character Strong
Our district has adopted Character Strong as a way to support the social/emotional wellbeing and character development of our students. All GCISD secondary campuses will be focusing on the character trait/skill of HUMILITY for the month of October. Students will view the newest character video in school at the beginning of each month. We want to encourage you to also view it together as a family and find ways to work on the monthly trait/skill together. November Commitment Video
Also, as we build a strong connection with our community to support social emotional wellness, we will continue to share out the Family Character Dares for an extension into your home. Here is the latest!
Family Character Dare: No More Chores
Friends For Life Hotline
Have a friend in need? Is someone you know the target of violence or bullying? Did you see or hear something? Say something! Make an anonymous call and get them help! It's okay to help a friend.
817-469-8477
TEXT: "TIP117 PLUS YOUR MESSAGE" to 274637
VISIT: www.469tips.comGCISD Update | GCISD.net/Fall2020
Update October 28, 2020
AP Scholar Awards: The College Board has announced that 714 GCISD students earned various levels of AP Scholar distinction in 2020, a record for the District.
Athletics Safety Protocols/Online Tickets: As CHHS varsity football plays at Mustang Panther Stadium for the first time this season, please be aware of new safety protocols, and that tickets must be purchased online.
Free Meals Available: The USDA has extended a waiver allowing GCISD to offer free meals now through June 2021. Meals are free in elementary and middle school cafeterias, and curbside meal bundles are free to all children.
What's For Dinner?: GCISD's popular "Take and Bake" Meals program is ongoing in October and includes a new menu item, plus the return of a favorite from this summer.
Scripps National Spelling Bee
It is time to prepare for the Scripps National Bee competition! This is the highest-profile academic event for middle-school-aged students, and we encourage students to compete!
In order to compete in the Campus Spelling Bee, students must first qualify. The CMS Qualifier Spelling Bee will be on November 11th during Advisory. Students who qualify will advance to the CMS Campus Spelling Bee.
See more details here.