April Newsletter
Combs Cougars
A Message From the Principal
Can you believe we are in the final quarter of the school year? This year is flying by and I can’t wait for the yearbook to come out so you can share in all of the memories we created this year at Combs Middle School. Snap chat is temporary, yearbooks are forever.
8th Grade Parents.
We want to give you a few heads up for next Month. We are in the process of planning 8th grade formal and 8th grade field trips. The 8th grade field trip will cost approximately $20.00. We have to put a deposit down so we will need to collect funds in advance. More information to follow soon. 8th grade formal is for 8th grade students only. Every year we also treat our students to an 8th grade only farewell lunch.
The last quarter of school is always fun. But please remember that the rules are the rules. Here are the usuals.
*Any cell phone taken at this point is parent pickup. There are clocks on the walls and on their devices so please don’t believe the ever popular “ I was checking the time” Most importantly you can not aim your disappointment at staff. Save it for your child.
*Dress Code. As much as I love a fresh Tilly’s outfit, half shirts and short shorts are for after 4pm and weekends. This applies to all students regardless of gender.
*Disrespect will not be tolerated. This includes student to teacher and student to student. Kindness Matters.
April is the month of state testing. 8th graders will begin with AZSci on Monday March 28th and the entire campus will begin testing AZM2 (formally known as AzMerit) This will take place April 1st-22nd. We would like to encourage students to bring their earbuds for testing. We would also like to request donations of peppermints. These items can be turned into the front office.
Kind Regards
Principal Ridge
We would appreciate your support and partnership in trying to avoid removing students from school on test days for appointments.
Hello Combs Cougars and Families, we hope that you enjoyed your Spring Break. We are very excited to be back on campus with you all for our final quarter of the school year! We had some exciting happenings in the month of March and some exciting things to come:
Mindful Schools
Mindfulness practices are beneficial to students for a multitude of reasons including: stress reduction, increased ability to regulate emotions, improved impulse control, increase in self-compassion and kindness towards others, improved levels of attention and more. With state testing fast-approaching, our most recent Mindful Schools lessons have focused on providing students with the tools to calm their nervous system when anxiety or stress arises related to testing. Students spent time in the CMS Mindful room visualizing test-taking experiences and learning how to use mindful breathing techniques to increase a sense of calm prior to and during test taking. It is our hope that students will utilize these skills during the upcoming testing season and any time a sense of calmness is desired.
Cougar Coping Kits:
Starting this quarter, each classroom on campus will have a Cougar Coping Kit available for student use. The purpose of this kit is to empower students to practice self care and emotional management strategies when needed. Some examples of when students may want to access the Cougar Coping Kit are: when they may be struggling with anxiety, stress, frustration, disappointment or any other intense emotions impacting their ability to learn best in that moment. Taking a quick break to access coping items in the Cougar Coping Kit can allow students to regain a sense of calm and focus and return to learning in a short amount of time. Items in the kit include coloring pages, liquid bubbler, fidget, sketchbook etc. We hope that, by providing these kits, students will experience an increased sense of support and empowerment.
Screenagers at CMS:
The J.O. Combs Parent University team hosted a parent and student viewing of the documentary titled: ScreenAgers Next Chapter: Uncovering Skills For Stress Resilience on Thursday 3/31/22 at the Combs Performing Arts Center. This documentary addressed the stress, anxiety and depression often experienced by teens in relation to their use of digital devices (phones, computers, gaming systems).
The Counseling Team has received exciting news that, as part of the licensing agreement, CMS has an opportunity to host a viewing of this documentary on April 1, 2022 during 6th period classes.
A parent "opt-out" letter was sent to all families on March 24, 2022. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact Laurene Shindledecker, School Social Worker lshindledecker@jocombs.org
Athletic Updates
Cougar Family,
4th quarter sports are underway and the athletes are excited to start competing. Please make sure you are consistently checking the schedule on our website because games will change throughout the season. I wanted to remind you that we have a parent meeting on Wednesday, March 30th at 5:30 In the CMS gym. This will be a quick meeting to go over expectations and meet your child coach.
Please remember that grades come first. If your child is wanting to participate in sports it is the expectation that they are passing their classes. We have an online tutoring program called paper, and throughout the week our teachers offer tutoring. Please take full advantage of this if you feel it is necessary.
If you have any questions please feel free to contact me.
Mr. Clark
Dean of Students
Athletic Director
Combs Performing Art Center News
Tickets at www.etix.com
Beauty and the Beast presented by Combs Drama
April 21, 22, 23 at 7 pm.
Tickets at www.etix.com
Spring Holiday
Glow Dance
4th Qtr. Sports Pictures
Combs Middle School
Email: aflores@jocombs.org
Website: combsms.jocombs.org/
Location: 37611 North Pecan Creek Drive, San Tan Valley, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-882-3510
Twitter: @combscougars
J.O. Combs Unified School District #44 does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, disability, age or sexual orientation in admission and access to its programs, services, activities, or in any aspect of their operations and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups. J.O. Combs Unified School District #44 also does not discriminate in its hiring or employment practices. The following employees have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies: Compliance Officer for Title IX, Assistant Superintendent, 43371 N. Kenworthy Rd, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 or 480-987-5300 and Compliance Officer for Section 504/ADA, Director of Student Services, 43371 N. Kenworthy Rd, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 or 480-987-5300.
El Districto Escolar Unificado de J.O. Combs #44 no discrimina en base a su raza, color, religión, origen nacional, sexo, discapacidad, edad, o la orientación sexual para la admisión y su acceso a sus programas, servicios, actividades, o en cualquier aspecto de sus operaciones y proporciona un acceso igualitario a los Boys Scouts y otro grupos de jóvenes designados. El Districto Escolar Unificado de J.O. Combs tampoco discrimina en sus prácticas de empleo y contratación. Los siguientes empleados han sido designados para manejar las preguntas en cuanto a las pólizas de no discriminación: Funcionario de Cumplimiento de Título IX, Superintendente Asistente 43371 N. Kenworthy Rd, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 or 480-987-5300 and Funcionario de Cumplimiento para la Sección 504/ADA, Director de Servicios Estudiantiles, 43371 N. Kenworthy Rd, San Tan Valley, AZ 85140 or 480-987-5300.