The Falcon Connection
Your link to Quail Hollow Middle School | September 20, 2018
Important Dates
Dates are current as of publication. Check the QHMS website and social media for updates.
SEPTEMBER
- Thur 20 Softball/Volleyball v. Crestdale at QHMS MOVED TO NOV 8!!
- Mon 24 Softball/Volleyball v. Community House at Community House
- Tues 25 Documentation of Immunizations and Physical Due
- Tues 25 Curriculum Night 5:30-7:30
- Wed 26 Football v. Crestdale at QHMS MOVED TO NOV 14!!
- Wed 26 Golf at Renaissance Golf Course
- Thur 27 Softball/Volleyball v. Southwest at Southwest
- Thur 27-Fri 28 First Quarter Progress Reports
OCTOBER
- Mon 1 Softball/Volleyball v. South Charlotte at QHMS
- Wed 3 Football v. Community House at Community House
- Thur 4 Softball/Volleyball v. Carmel at Carmel
SCHOOL NEWS
Curriculum Night Next Tuesday!
News from the Media Center
Required Immunizations & Physicals
Children entering school in N.C. are required to present a completed immunization record on the first day of school (G.S. 130A-155). Students must be up to date on required immunizations. Any student new to NC public schools is also required to submit a Health Assessment (Physical Exam) completed within 12 months prior to the first day of school entry. If not in compliance with the laws related to immunizations or health assessments, parents are to be given a “Notice of Deficiency” letter. After 30 calendar days from the first day of school entry, the principal shall exclude the student from school, in accordance with North Carolina law, until proof of immunization or health assessment is provided. All documentation is due Tuesday, September 25th.
Mecklenburg County Health Department currently has on-going immunization clinics with open appointments designated for school immunizations. Call now to schedule an appointment at any of their 3 locations (704) 336-6500.
Dress Code
Do we have your info?
GET CONNECTED! JOIN CLUBS, ACTIVITIES & SPORTS AT QH!
Fall Spots Schedules Adjusted due to Hurricane Florence
Due to the impact of Hurricane Florence, the CMS middle school athletics fall schedule will be adjusted as follows:
- ALL softball and volleyball games, in all conferences, originally scheduled on Thursday, September 20th will be picked up and moved TO Thursday, November 8th (SB/VB inclement weather date).
- ALL football games, in all conferences, originally scheduled on Wednesday, September 26th will be picked up and moved TO Wednesday, November 14th (FB inclement weather date).
- The Tuesday September 25th match has been rescheduled for Thursday September 27th. Tee time is 5:00 P.M at Renaissance Golf Course.
Cross-Country for Youth
Cross-Country for Youth (CCFY) is a unique fitness program that introduces young people to cross-country training and character-building concepts to develop the whole person. CCFY programming takes place twice a week. A typical day of activities begins with a general introduction, the character focus of the day, an overview of cross-country principles and continue with stretching, a group run and wrap-up exercises. The character development concepts include Integrity, Respect, Sportsmanship, Responsibility, Perseverance, Teamwork, Commitment, Courage, Discipline and Leadership.
Learn more about the program and register here. Scholarships are available! Download a form here. More info in the video below!
This is the last week to sign up!. If you are interested in this program, please stop by the front office to get a flyer with further information.
Chess Club
Open to all Students 6th-8th
Mondays 4:30-5:30 Starting October 1st *Students must have a ride*
Tournament Trips planned for later in the year!!!
Interested? Email ASAP! Kennethl.dailey@cms.k12.nc.us
Come see Mr. Dailey! Location: A14
Future Problem Solvers (FPS)
Join Boy Scouts in Pineville
LEND A HAND, SUPPORT QHMS
QHMS PTSA 2018 - 2019 Falcon Fund Campaign Kickoff!
What is the Falcon Fund Campaign?
- Annual fundraiser
- The only PTSA fundraiser for the school year
- A time for QHMS families and our community to donate money and support our school.
- Benefits the students, staff and facilities of QHMS.
- Every dollar you donate goes directly towards your child’s education.
How is the money used? Some examples from last school year:
- T1-84 Calculators
- Camcorders to assist with teacher coaching
- Professional development for teachers
- Student Incentives
- Band Instruments
- PATH & Honor Roll Celebrations
- Registrations for competitions, conferences, festivals & field trips
- Science EOG prep materials
- School Beautification
- Monthly staff breakfasts
- Math Olympiad
- Custodial staff hand truck & supplies
- Field Day
- And MORE!
When?
The QHMS Falcon Fund Campaign will begin Tuesday, 09/25/18 and will end Friday, 10/12/18.
Goal?
To fund our current PTSA budget, we need to raise $20,000.
- Help fund special projects:
- Large projector and screen for the media center
- Revamp of the staff lounge/workroom
Ways to donate?
- Individual donations – look for the gold donation form in your child’s backpack
- Employer Matching -Many employers will MATCH your donation. Ask your company to match your donation and take the time to submit the paperwork. $9,000. or 36% of the money we raised last year came from corporate matches!
- Grade level activities. Last year 6th, 7th & 8th grade activities generated $3045.00 to support the Falcon Fund. Look for information during the campaign.
Please donate and spread the word! We can’t do this without YOU!!
It's time to re-link your Harris Teeter VIC Card!
PTSA Needs YOU!
The PTSA needs YOUR support! We need members to support our school, and we are looking to fill several chairperson positions. If you want to learn more, please reach out to Shelley Tuttle at shellyjtuttle@gmail.com or Stephanie Klapheke at a217702@mail.com. We'll also be available at Curriculum Night to answer questions.
- Student Incentives: Help make our stellar students shine by assisting with the quarterly recognition ceremonies, including providing treats/surprises for our A and B Honor Roll kids. Could also include group photos, a bulletin board, etc.; bring your creativity! Limited time commitment needed (Quarterly).
- Prospective Student Lead: Support families coming to or considering Quail. You'll assist with Open House events by arranging for greeters at the door and parent chaperones for school tours, and providing light refreshments. Approximately 3 events a year (October, January, and March).
- Student Dance (Valentine's Dance): Great at event planning? This is for you! Lead the committee that will plan and decorate for the Valentine's Dance, arrange for parent chaperones/food servers, and sell tickets. One time event!
- Affinity Night Lead: Help us develop relationships with local businesses such as Salsarita's, the Rusty Onion, TCBY, Rusty's, etc. by scheduling affinity nights, where Quail gets a portion of the proceeds from special partner nights. Can be done outside of school/work hours.
Proud to be Falcons! Join the Booster Club and register to win your child a Quail Hollow hoodie!
Your Booster Club funds go directly to Quail Hollow sports programs, to supplement our physical education department and growing school spirit!
Forms to join Booster Club are in the front office or went home with your child this week. Return the form to the front office or their homeroom teacher.
If you are interested in volunteering or would like specific information on what the Booster Club supports please contact Sara Harb at scharb2317@gmail.com
GO FALCONS!
TopGolf Golf Tournament to Benefit QHMS at Ashley Park PreK-8!
Easy Ways to Support QHMS!
NEW NAME: Amazon Smile *Quail Hollow School PTA*
Proud Falcon yard signs
Tell ‘Em QHMS Sent You! “The Rusty Onion” Gives Back!
*NEW* My Coke Rewards
Box Tops
Clip Box Tops for Education logos from food items like Pillsbury, Betty Crocker, General Mills cereals and Hamburger Helper. Logos can also be found on household items like Hanes, Scott, Hefty, Ziploc and Avery office products. Drop Box Tops in the collection box in the front office.
Compare Foods
Compare Foods donates 3% of your purchase! Save your receipts and drop them off in the front office.
CMS NEWS & EDUCATION ANNOUNCEMENTS
Save the Date! International Day of Learning
When: Saturday, October 27th 2018 from 10am to 2pm (doors open at 9:30)
Where: Garinger High School 1100 Eastway Dr. Charlotte, NC 28205
Why:
- To connect with our parents and community and share academic and community resources!
- To celebrate our diversity through cultural performances, music, food, and dance!
- To enjoy a fun-filled, FREE day of learning!
Families can attend class sessions and receive tickets for free face-painting, balloon animals, and a chance to win prizes!
The first 600 participants will get a free lunch, and international food trucks will be on-site!
Here Comes the Bus App
Want to know where your student's bus is in real-time?! Download the Here Comes the Bus App and see where the bus is!
Here Comes the Bus is a school bus tracking app that can simplify morning and afternoon routines for parents and students by giving them real-time bus location and text or email notification alerts to help get them to the bus stop on time. Here Comes the Bus utilizes our GPS data and an easy to use customizable map that works on a computer, tablet or smartphone.
Signing up is EASY! On your desktop computer, you can sign up at https://herecomesthebus.com/getting-started/. You will need the district code (73877) and your student's ID number to sign up. For your smartphone or tablet, download the Here Comes the Bus app from the App Store or Google Play.
Once activated, you can customize or edit features, including how the app will communicate with you and the size of the notification radius around your bus stop.
Pro Tip: If you used the app last year, you may need to uninstall and reinstall the app for all of the features to work!
After School Programs at the Harris YMCA
Livable Meck
Voice of the Community is hosting neighborhood forums throughout Mecklenburg County. QHMS families and neighbors are encouraged to attend a forum in the community and there are two nearby options!
The first is Thursday, September 13 from 10am-11:30am at Southminster. The event is free and a light breakfast will be provided. You can register here!
Another option is Tuesday, September 25 from 5:30-7:00 and light refreshments will be provided. The event is hosted by the Town of Pineville at The Hut. You can register here!
You can learn more about Livable Meck here on Facebook or Twitter, and watch the video below!
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools continues proactive water testing
Dear CMS families and staff,
Students’ health and safety is our top priority. As part of this commitment, CMS is continuing voluntary testing all sources of water in schools intended for drinking, food preparation or cooking including water fountains, faucets and spigots and other fixtures.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools plans to begin the second round of water quality testing on Sept. 24 and for this testing to be completed by Nov. 9. The second round of testing will include 17 high schools, 15 middle schools and three administrative sites, all built before 1989 – see full list of schools below. Adjustments may be made to the timeline as the process moves forward to ensure the best work possible.
We do not expect to find significant water quality issues in this second round of testing, but we’d rather be safe than sorry. This is a proactive measure intended to ensure our students’ and staff members’ well-being at school.
Communicating with you on water quality
The district will bolster communications related to the water quality program to ensure families, staff and the public are informed.
- Before actual testing begins, CMS will send additional letters to families of students at the schools to be tested, informing them of the exact testing schedule in their schools.
- As results are available and any actions taken, subsequent letters will include expert data, analysis and descriptions in plain language of any actions taken and in what locations within each school.
- To further increase access to this information, all letters, reports and results (when complete) will be shared on the district’s social media and on the CMS Water Quality Web Page.
- The district will also reach out to media as this information is updated.
To ensure that you are fully informed as this water quality program moves forward, below is the media release being shared today, which includes the schools in Round 2.
MEDIA RELEASE
For Immediate Release: Aug. 30, 2018
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools continues proactive water testing
Middle and high schools built before 1989 are focus of second round
CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 30, 2018 — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools announced the second phase of voluntary water testing, planned to begin Sept. 24 and to be completed by Nov. 9.
The second round of testing will include 17 high schools, 15 middle schools and three administrative sites, all built before 1989. The district said that adjustments to the schedule may be made as the process moves forward.
“This water quality effort is about being better safe than sorry because student and staff safety and well-bring are top priorities,” Dr. Clayton Wilcox, superintendent, said. “That is why we are continuing this voluntary water testing program in our schools. We’re starting with our schools built before 1989 because the EPA recommends this priority due to the age of buildings, plumbing and fixtures in them. As in the first round, we will continue to take action to keep water in schools safe.”
Increased Communications
The district will bolster communications related to the water quality program to ensure families, staff and the public are informed. Additional efforts will include letters to families, a dedicated web page and social media.
Before testing begins, CMS will send letters to families of students at the schools to be tested, informing them of the testing schedule. As results are available and any actions taken, subsequent letters will include expert data, analysis and descriptions in plain language of any actions taken and in what locations within each school.
To further increase access to this information, all letters, reports and results (when complete) will be shared on the district’s water-quality web page, which also includes a list of schools scheduled for testing (list also below).
Retained Third-Party Experts
The district has engaged AECOM, a certified independent environmental consulting firm, to conduct the second round of testing at 35 district sites. AECOM, a Charlotte-based firm, has already conducted water testing at 58 elementary schools at the district’s request. These first round results are available on the CMS Water Quality page. The cost of the second round of testing is estimated at $237,000.
Results from Round 1
The initial round of testing was conducted by AECOM at 58 older elementary schools. No water quality issues were identified that affected an entire school. However, at a few schools, the tests showed contaminants in the range identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as “alert levels.” All necessary repairs, replacements or removals have been made to specific fixtures such as faucets, spigots and water bubblers. Many of the fixtures with levels above EPA alert limits had been unused for long periods of time or were in areas inaccessible to students.
Experts available for review
Experts remain available to answer questions from any parent or staff member about results in their school by e-mailing ehs@cms.k12.nc.us.
CMS Schools to be Tested in Water Quality Program Round 2
Albemarle Road MS
Alexander Graham MS
Atrium (Education Center - CMS Main Admin Bldg)
Bishop Spaugh
Carmel MS
Cochrane (iMeck Academy)
Coulwood STEM Academy
East Mecklenburg HS
Eastway MS
Garinger HS
Harding University HS
Hawthorne Academy of Health Sciences
Independence HS
JT Williams Montessori
Kennedy MS
Leadership Academy HS
Myers Park HS
North Mecklenburg HS
Northeast MS
Northwest School of the Arts
Olympic HS
Performance Learning Center (Derita ES)
Piedmont Open MS
Providence HS
Quail Hollow MS
Randolph MS
Ranson MS
Sedgefield MS
Smith Family Center
South Mecklenburg HS
Villa Heights ES
West Charlotte HS
West Charlotte Project LIFT Academy (Graham Center)
West Mecklenburg HS
Wilson STEM Academy
CMS Annual Forms and Notices
At the beginning of each academic year, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools (“CMS”) is required, pursuant to federal regulations and state law, to provide students and their parents with certain annual notices. These notices, along with more detailed information, may be found in the 2018-2019 Parent-Student Handbook at http://www.cms.k12.nc.us/mediaroom/backtoschool/Pages/documents.aspx. In the 2018-19 Parent-Student Handbook (p. denotes page number) you will find the following required notices:
- Non-Discrimination & Equal Access to Facilities: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 p. 41; Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 p. 41; The Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504) p. 17; The Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, (ADA) p. 18
- Students with Disabilities: Pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), CMS must provide special education services to all children residing in the school district who are between the ages of three (3) and twenty-one (21) who have been diagnosed with or are suspected to have mental, physical or emotional disabilities and who are unable to benefit from a regular school program without special assistance. If your child may qualify for such special assistance, please contact: CMS Exceptional Children Department at 980-343-6960. p. 19
- Homeless Students: McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 p. 24
- Student Records: Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) p. 38
- Notice for Directory Information p. 39
- Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment p. 40
- Student Testing Information p. 21
- Free or Reduced School Lunch p. 28
- Student Health: Influenza and Meningococcal Diseases p. 25; Human Papillomavirus p.25
- Student Wellness Policy p. 25
- North Carolina Safe Surrender Law p. 25
- School Health Education Program: Right to Opt-Out p. 26
- Student Discipline Policies p. 15
- School Bullying/Cyber-Bullying Policies p. 15
- Student Restraint/Seclusion/Isolation p. 42
- Asbestos Hazard Emergency Response Act p. 44
- Use of Pesticides p. 44
For information on parent/student appeal procedures, see CMS Board Policy JIIAA at www.cms.k12.nc.us. For information on Title I Schools, see www.cms.k12.nc.us, search Title I. For information regarding advanced courses, see www.cms.k12.nc.us, search Curriculum and Instruction. For information on a school’s annual report card grade or CMS’s Local Education Agency Report Card or a copy of the report card, see www.cms.k12.nc.us/cmsdepartments/accountability, click NC School Report Cards. Pursuant to N.C.G.S. § 115C-47(58), you will be notified of the most recent grade of the school your child is attending, as issued by the State Board of Education, if the school received a grade of “D” or “F”.
Students will also be bringing home a copy of this notice this week.
Let Us Know about Amazing Falcons, QH News, or Share Photos!
Email: jaimes.mccaughna@cms.k12.nc.us
Website: http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/quailhollowMS/Pages/Default.aspx
Location: 2901 Smithfield Church Road, Charlotte, NC, United States
Phone: 980-343-3620
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/QuailHollowMiddleSchool
Twitter: @QuailHollowMS