Colt Corner
Colleyville Middle School
January 13, 2023
Colts,
The first school week of 2023 has been a smooth one and our students are already back to work, competing at a high level. Our student-athletes who participate in wrestling had their first meet this week with a lot of individual successes, our basketball team played hard this week and our fine arts programs are practicing with renewed enthusiasm.
Also this week, our 6th grade and new to CMS students took the Clifton Student StrengthsExplorer inventory, which highlights their personal strengths. The report comes with an insight guide that has details on how their strengths can be best maximized in school and in life. When you get a moment, ask your Colt to show you their Top 3 report which can be found in their Google Drive.
In other exciting news, Colleyville Middle School has once again been named a Texas School to Watch by the Texas Association of Secondary Schools Principals (TASSP) and a Nationally Recognized Model Campus by the Forum to Accelerate Middle-Grades Reform! This three-year re-designation was received after the organization reviewed all aspects of CMS and determined that Colleyville Middle School is a top-performing school beyond the regular state testing metrics used. The qualitative and quantitative analysis of the school revealed that CMS is one of the best middle schools in the state and country. Thank you for helping us in our mission of Building an Excellent School Together!
Enjoy your 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
January 16 - Student/Teacher Holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
January 17 - Wrestling Meet - Schedule linked here
January 17 - All-Region Jazz Auditions
January 17 - 7th Grade Boys Basketball - schedule linked here
January 17 - 7th Grade Girls Basketball - schedule linked here
January 17 - Choir - 7th/8th Grade GCISD All District Auditions at GMS - Students will have individual times until 5:30
January 17 - Band All Region Jazz Auditions - 5:00 - 8:00pm
January 21 - Region Choir Audition - 8:00-5:00 pm (students will have individual times ). Audition is at Ted Polk MS in Carrollton.
January 23 - 7th Grade Boys Basketball - schedule linked here
January 23 - 7th Grade Girls Basketball - schedule linked here
January 26 - 7th Grade Boys Basketball - schedule linked here
January 26 - 7th Grade Girls Basketball - schedule linked here
January 27 - Wrestling Meet - Schedule linked here
January 27 - Honors Band Master Class - 4:00 - 6:00
January 27 - PTA Cotillion (50's Sock Hop) - 6:30 - 9:00
In this Edition of the Colt Corner
* MLK Day of Service
* CMS Showcase Night - Incoming 6th Grade Families
* Secondary Student GT/ASPIRE Referral Window
* GHS Fine Arts Credit - Dance for Athletes
Counselors Corner
* 8th Transition to High School
* Upcoming Dates for 7th Graders
* Preferred Participation Consent for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention
* DNA Kits
* Additional Resources
Repeated Information
GCISD Update - January 11, 2023
CMS PTA
* 6th Grade Cotillion
* Colleyville Middle School Directory - Who To Contact
CMS Social Media Section
* CMS Portrait of a Graduate Video
* CMS on Twitter - @cmscolts
* CMS on Facebook
* CMS on Instagram
MLK Day of Service
Hey, Colt Families! Colleyville Heritage High School is hosting a Martin Luther King Day of Service to raise food and other items for families in need. If you would like to participate, please drop off requested donations at the front entrance of CHHS on January 16th between 8am-3pm. Thank you!
Incoming 6th Grade Showcase Information Night (23-24)
Secondary Student GT/ASPIRE Referral Window
The window to refer secondary students for GT/ASPIRE testing is January 16-31. Parents, please visit the Advanced Academics website and scroll to the bottom of the page for referral instructions.
If you need assistance, please contact Angela Harris at angela.harris@gcisd.net.
Attention all 8th Graders going to GHS and 8th Grade parents
This high school dance class at GHS is a Fine Arts Credit that is specifically geared towards athletes. In this class dance and yoga techniques are used to help with flexibility and mobility as well as recovery & injury prevention. This class is in place to allow athletes to earn their fine arts credit while continuing to train and focus on their sport.
The class is "Dance for Athletes" however is coded in the system for scheduling as "Dance Wellness".
Counselors’ Corner (Jan 17-20th)
8th Transition to High School:
Below, you will find the links for the presentation done by our high school counselors with our 8th graders this past week. During this presentation, students received a course selection sheet for freshman year, a copy of their completed 4 year plan worksheet and a green course request form. This green course request form must be filled out, signed by both student and parent, and turned in to their social studies teacher by January 27th. On the course request form, students will list the core classes and electives they would like to take. Students will also need to list 4 alternate electives as well in order of preference. You and your student may choose to utilize their 4 year plan worksheet and copy the courses chosen there onto the green 9th grade course request sheet or you may choose completely different courses. CMS counselors DO NOT need to be informed of any changes to 4 year plans that you make from this point forward. The green course selections sheet will be the document used by high school counselors to determine which classes each student will be placed in their freshman year.
On February 1st, high school counselors will return to CMS to meet with each 8th grade student individually. At that time, they will review the green course selection sheets with students to ensure accuracy and to make corrections and/or suggestions. They will then use those green course selection sheets to create freshman schedules. Before the end of this school year (probably May, 2023), you will have the opportunity to review course requests in Skyward for accuracy and any mistakes will be corrected by high school counselors at that time.
Welcome To High School Presentation
2022-2023 Course Selection Guide
8th Grade Transition to High School Flyer
January 18th - Mustang Nation Night - 6-8pm
January 25th - Panther Showcase - 6-7:30pm
February 1st - Counselors from both high schools will be back at CMS to meet individually with every student throughout the day. High school counselors will be going over the green 9th grade course requests and alternates to ensure accuracy.
COLLEGIATE ACADEMY DATES
January 13th - Decision Letters will be Delivered to Applicants
January 20th - Deadline for Returning Signed Decision letters to CA
UPCOMING DATES FOR 7TH GRADERS
7th grade students will have the opportunity to go on a field trip to the TECC (Technical Education and Career Center) at Grapevine High School on Tuesday, January 24th, to learn about some of the courses and programs available to them in high school. Mrs. Brizzi and Mrs. Bouchelle will soon begin helping our 7th graders select courses for 8th grade and this field trip will be beneficial in determining which CTE courses students might take in 8th grade to earn high school credit while still in middle school. TECC courses are available to students on both GCISD high school campuses. GCISD provides transportation for CHHS students who take classes at the TECC.
On January 24th, we will leave CMS at 8:45 a.m. and travel by bus to the TECC (located at Grapevine High School). After the tour we will return to CMS in time for lunch – by 11:20 a.m.
Students were given a blue consent form this week in their science classes. Both sides of this form must be completed, signed by a parent, and returned to science teachers by Tuesday, January 17th, in order to participate in this field trip. Students who do not return a signed and completed consent form by that date will not be permitted to go on the field trip.
Attached below is a video about some of the programs students will learn about on our tour of the TECC.
If you need an additional copy of the consent form, it is linked here.
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
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). There is a recording of the parent preview located on the CMS counseling webpage.
DNA Kits:
In compliance with Texas S.B. 2158, Grapevine-Colleyville ISD offers parents and legal guardians inkless fingerprint and DNA kits for their children upon request. This kit is designed to “help locate and return a missing or trafficked child,” according to S.B. 2158.
Parents and legal guardians may request these kits through the front office at your child's campus.
Additional Resources:
National Institute of Mental Health
8th Grade Transition - Panther Showcase and Mustang Nation
In This Edition
11 GCISD Students Named to All-State Music Ensembles
Superintendent Search Update
Pre-K Lottery Application Now Available
Library Acquisitions List for Approval February 27
And More!
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.