Colt Corner
Colleyville Middle School
November 11, 2022
Colts,
Greetings from Washington D.C.! Yesterday I had the privilege to be able to open and present at a National Conference full of administrators from around the country that were representing their respective states.
The main topic of conversation was Colleyville Middle School! It was an eye-opening experience to hear about all of the different schools and insights from around the country. The perspective that I continue to gain is that Colleyville Middle School is an absolutely fantastic school for so many different reasons. As always, a huge contributor to that, in addition to our students and staff, is you and our school community.
The partnership that we collectively have as a school is second to none. I'm grateful for our partnership in helping maintain Colleyville Middle School’s status as a premier public Middle School in the country with our shared mission of Building an Excellent School Together!
David Arencibia, Ed.D.
Colleyville Middle School, Principal
School Twitter: @CmsColts - #TeamCMS - #ColtPride
B.E.S.T. - Building Excellent Schools Together
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS
November 14 - 7th Grade Girls & Boys Basketball - Schedule linked here
November 16 - WICOR Warrior - Wear College/Military shirt
November 16 - Cross Country Meet - schedule linked here
November 17 - 8th Grade Girls & Boys Basketball - Schedule linked here
November 21 - 25 - No School - Thanksgiving Break
In this Edition of the Colt Corner
* CMS Honors our Veterans
* Social Studies Student of the Week
* Join Us for the GCISD Job Fair November 30
* 8th Grade Recognition Ads
* Substitute Nurses Needed
Counselors Corner
* College, Career, Military Readiness (CCMR)
* Collegiate Academy Interviews
* 8th Grade 4 Year Planning
* Preferred Participation Consent for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention
* Additional Resources
Repeated Information
* GCISD Update - November 9, 2022
* Grace Food Drive
* Semester Exam Schedule
* Zero Hour Schedule for December
* Morning Drop Off (Band Entrance)
* Yearbook Sales
* Emergency Contact Information
* Lightspeed Relay Parent Portal
CMS PTA
* PTA Thanks for Giving Pies
* 6th Grade Cotillion
* Colleyville Middle School Directory - Who To Contact
CMS Social Media Section
* CMS on Twitter - @cmscolts
* CMS on Facebook
* CMS on Instagram
CMS Honors our Veterans
Social Studies Student of the Week
Join Us for the GCISD Job Fair November 30
Join Us for the GCISD Job Fair November 30
Get ready for GCISD's “Working with GCISD Wednesday” Job Fairs. Starting in November, we will be hosting a job fair every month! One Wednesday a month, we will be conducting on-site interviews for various positions.
Our first “Working with GCISD Wednesday” Job Fair will be held on November 30 from 4-6 p.m. at the GCISD Administration Building.
Ready to join the GCISD family? Click the link to learn more: https://tinyurl.com/working-with-gcisd-wednesday
8th grade yearbook recognition ads
Substitute Nurses Needed
GCISD is seeking RNs who would be willing to cover their child's campus clinic when the nurse is out. If you or a fellow RN are interested, please fill out the Sub Nurse Application, and send an email to Director of Health Services Amy Taldo, (amy.taldo@gcisd.net). Current sub pay is $110/day, and you may choose days that work around your schedule.
Counselors Corner: Nov. 14 - 21
College, Career, & Military Readiness (CCMR):
Mr. Cassada, Thank You For Your Service! Since Veteran’s Day is today (Nov. 11th), we want to spotlight Mr. Cassada, one of our APs, this week! Mr. Cassada served our country as a U.S. Marine. Upon graduating from high school, Mr. Cassada decided that college was not the right path for him, so he joined the U.S. Marine Corps where he served from 1999-2004. During his years of service, he made incredible friends and gained valuable life experience. Mr. Cassada followed in the footsteps of his grandfather who was also in the military and a teacher. After serving in the Marine Corps, Mr. Cassada attended Arizona State University in Tempe, AZ. ASU’s mascot is a Sun Devil and their school colors are maroon, gold, and white. Mr. Cassada paid for his college education with a GI Bill, which he was able to obtain for his years of military service.
If you see Mr. Cassada in the hall, please thank him for his military service!
To learn more about Arizona State University, the U.S. Marine Corps, and GI Bills, please click these links:
Collegiate Academy:
Collegiate Academy’s counselor will be at CMS on Nov. 15th during Colt Time to interview 8th grade students who have applied to attend CA next year. Students will be called down to the Counseling Office when it is time for their interviews.
The window for applying for CA is still open! CA students can earn both a high school diploma and an associate degree by the time they graduate from high school. Any student wishing to apply to Collegiate Academy can do so by following this link:
Collegiate Academy application
8th Grade 4 Year Planning:
4 year planning for high school is well underway at CMS! If your student has not yet turned in their 4 year plan, please have them do so ASAP! Mrs. Bouchelle and Mrs. Brizzi have started individual meetings with 8th graders in preparation for high school counselors to visit CMS in January. Below are resources you might find helpful in completing your student’s 4 year plan:
8th Grade Parent Meeting Powerpoint
High School 4 Year Planning Document
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.
GCISD Health and Wellness Expo: Saturday: 12/3/22
Join our GCISD Community for a free Winterland Health and Wellness Expo at Grapevine High School Mustang Activity Center (MAC) from 10AM-12PM.
Additional Resources:
National Institute of Mental Health
GCISD Honors Veterans
Superintendent Search Process
Meet Mr. Rees, our second Stars of GCISD Honoree
Varsity Football Makes Playoffs
GHS Cross Country Wins State Championship, Volleyball Advances
And More!
Grace Food Drive
November 9th-16th our CMS Student Leadership Organizations are partnering with our CMS Dad's Club to host our annual Grace Food Drive. Grace is an organization that provides perishable and non-perishable food to individuals and families in need.
This year, Grace has shared that they are in need of pantry staples, so we are asking students to donate specific items by grade level:
Sixth Grade - instant mashed potatoes, sugar
Seventh Grade - salt, dried beans
Eighth - flour, rice
The grade level with the most donated items will receive an extended lunch! Students can give their items to Dad's Club during morning drop off or put them in boxes placed at the entrances (main, bus, band hall) and Learning Commons.
Zero Hour Reminder for December
December 2022
Wednesday, December 14: Zero Hour classes hold semester exams during regular class time; follow home middle school schedule for the remainder of the week
Thursday, December 15: Zero Hour classes do not meet due to testing schedule
Friday, December 16: Zero Hour classes do not meet due to testing schedule
Monday, December 19: Zero Hour classes do not meet due to testing schedule
Tuesday, December 20: Zero Hour classes do not meet due to testing schedule
Wednesday, December 21: Zero Hour classes do not meet due to testing schedule
Morning Drop Off (Band Entrance)
As a reminder, we like to have everyone dropped off by 8:05 so that students have enough time to be in class on time and ready to learn.
Yearbook Information
Emergency Contacts for Student Pick-up
Emergency Contacts for Student Pick-up
The primary guardian can add emergency contact persons themselves through their Skyward Family Access.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1nAcXkJYjdVxIxlhJ5oHEa6b3UocxXyD4AddbfeW_CZs/edit?usp=sharing
Lightspeed Relay Parent Portal
Parents should be receiving a weekly email for each of your students from Lightspeed Relay. This email contains a weekly report of your student’s internet activity. The body of the email contains the Top 10 websites visited. If you log in, you will have access to a more detailed, daily, time stamped web activity report. For more information, please visit the GCISD Lightspeed Parent Portal Website.
If you have not received an email from do_not_reply@lightspeedsystems.com please check your Spam.
6th Grade Cotillion
CMS is excited to be hosting the 2023 6th Grade Cotillion! Please Save the Dates:
Week One: Friday, January 20th - Western (CMS)
Week Two: Friday, January 27th - Sock Hop (CMS)
Week Three: Friday, February 3rd - Disco (CMS)
Finale: Friday, February 10th - Roaring Twenties (Colleyville Center)
Cotillion will be held from 6:30 - 9:00 p.m. each week. A website will be available soon for updates!
We'd love to have parent volunteers! Please click here to let us know how you would like to assist! We are planning a volunteer meeting on Friday, November 4th. Click here for details and to RSVP.
Thank you!
Cotillion Chairs,
Tamaron Hunt + Stephanie Wilkerson
Tamaron Hunt tamaron.hunt@gmail.com214-226-6993
Stephanie Wilkerson stephanie@wilkersontx.com 817-721-3288
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.