CMS Cougar Courier
2nd Quarter 2021-22 School Year December 3, 2021
Important Dates:
- December 9 - Choir Concert - CMS Commons
- December 17 - January 3 - Winter Break
- January 12 - HRHS 8th Grade Parent Night
The Secret to Student Safety & Daylight Savings
It's been documented by the National Highway Safety Traffic Administration, psychologists, and insurance companies that accidents increase whenever daylight savings time takes place. Let's protect our future!
PLEASE know that the daylight savings time change now puts the sunrise at an angle that will cause vision problems for many Eastbound drivers during the same time students are arriving at schools in the morning.
Please take the following precautions:
Remind students who walk to school to pay extra attention to "blinded" motorists who may not see them
Remind parents who drive their children to school to be extra cautious and slow down (especially when driving Eastbound)
According to the Colorado State Patrol (CSP), fatal crashes have increased by more than 40% since last year in the communities surrounding our schools and other nearby districts. CSP has provided information, as they want to ensure everyone has a safe holiday season.
Masks
We hand out thousands of masks every day that end up littering the campus.
Thank you!
Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS)
Clarification/correction:
You are able to OPT out your child from the Healthy kids survey at Cresthill- deadline 12/14/21. The survey is set for 12/14. Follow the directions in the newsletter or click on this link and return the OPT out form to the main office.
Please email me if you need assistance. gmchambers@dcsdk12.org
Also, this is the DCSD version of the survey. Please note that our district did remove some questions.
https://docs.google.com/document/d/12qh7l6crdcJAQ2VFiBNkaZEwWccRj5H7U3WjNEDu1TM/edit
On Tuesday, December 14th, during all Cresthill Social Studies classes, students will take the Healthy Kids Colorado Survey (HKCS). It is an important survey about student health and behavior. The survey will ask students about health topics including exercise, diet, alcohol, tobacco, drug use, mental health, suicide, bullying, sexual behaviors, and how they have been affected by the COVID19 pandemic. The survey also asks students about school life, school safety, trusted adult relationships, and other things known to be connected with healthy choices.
Click on this LINK, to preview a copy of the HKCS. Students do not have to take this survey. The survey is optional and anonymous. It takes no longer than one class period to complete. The survey process will protect your student’s privacy. No information is collected on the survey that can identify a student. Only your child will know how he or she answers the questions. Students do not get school credit for taking the survey, and there is no penalty for not taking the survey. Students who take the survey may choose not to answer a question.
Click on this LINK to read more information about the HKCS. If you choose to OPT your child out of the survey, please click on this LINK, print and fill out the form, and return the form to the Main office by Monday, 12/13/21. If you are in need of a hard copy of the OPT out form or have any questions, please reach out to Gina Chambers at gmchamber@dcsdk12.org or (303) 387-2807. Thank you.
2022 Apple Awards
The Foundation for Douglas County Schools encourages the community to submit Apple Award Nominations: The links are open and the Foundation is accepting nominations for the 2022 Apple Awards until Sunday, December 12! Please find the links here to nominate deserving educators and classified staff at our school or in the District.
Team Summit
In Language Arts class, students have been working on iReady in class - which will determine growth in reading since the beginning of the year.
In Wellness classes, students will finish watching the documentary "the Social Dilemma" and discussing how social media impacts a person's Emotional/Mental Wellness. In gym, students will be continuing with our basketball unit.
In social studies classes we continue to read our novel Fever 1793 - comparing and contrasting the yellow fever epidemic of 1793 to the Covid-19 pandemic we are all living through today.
In science classes, students will be working on a stations lab during the block days next week. Please note that all work from the weather unit will be due by December 16. Anything not turned in by that date will be recorded as a zero for Quarter 2.
Have a wonderful weekend!
Team Horizon
Wellness is currently learning about social media by watching and discussing how social media affects one's mental health with the documentary The Social Dilemma. They are also balling it up in the gym with basketball tactics and gameplay.
Science is doing the the wacky world of weather! Exploring how meteorologists use data to predict weather, learning about air pressure and creating models of air pressure, condensation and heat transfer.
Social studies continues to work on My Brother Sam is Dead and exploring what it means to be free and what freedom looks like.
ELA is working on iready diagnostics as well as continuing to read Shakespeare. The end is in sight though, and more essay’s are on the horizon!
Thanks for your support.
Team Trekkers
Hello Trekker families. Our Trekker students are hard at work as we enter the last few weeks of the 2nd quarter.
This week in Wellness students started their class magazine project for our Tobacco/Nicotine unit. Be on the lookout for each class's magazine in the coming weeks newsletter.
In Social Studies this week, Trekkers tried to understand the meaning and the impact of apartheid in South Africa. We also compared and contrasted South African apartheid with racial segregation in the United States.
Language arts students started the middle of the year I ready reading diagnostic test. Next week we will pick up where we left off in Animal Farm. There is a chapter 1 through 3 quiz on reading comprehension and vocabulary on Monday.
Team Navigators
Wellness classes are finishing our unit on tobacco and beginning our alcohol unit. In the gym, we are continuing with floor hockey and our cardio activities. A healthy heart is a happy heart :)
In social studies we are learning how micro-enterprise/micro-entrepreneurs can improve their lives, their families, and the communities in which they reside.
In language arts this week, students concluded their examination of moral ambiguity by engaging in a writer’s workshop for the Animal Farm Essay.
Science: in physics this week we are continuing to study changes in forces and motion. We are learning Newton's 2nd law. We are solving speed, velocity and acceleration problems as well.
Team Explorers
Language Arts
This week in language arts we are going to continue to read the novella, Animal Farm by George Orwell. We are going to read chapter 6 this week in class. We are also going to continue writing our NGO speeches. There will be a vocabulary quiz this Friday.
Science
This week we will be participating in a physics lab and working on our accompanying graphing skills.
Another piece of information, DON’T MISS OUT on an opportunity to see physics in action at an Optional Afterschool Enrichment opportunity at iFly Denver. See the following link for more information. Space is limited so sign up quickly.
Social Studies
This week we are learning about cobalt mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo and working on our NGO speeches and presentations.
Wellness
This week in Health, we are starting our discussion on alcohol. We are starting by learning the vocabulary words for the unit and we will start to focus on the negative health effects associated with excessive drinking towards the end of the week. In P.E., we will be finishing our Floor Hockey unit! We will be in the gym on Tuesday, block day, and Friday this week!
iFly Denver
Hello Parents/Guardians and Students,
I have worked to set up an enrichment activity with iFly Indoor Skydiving’s STEM program to review our topic of Physics. This is an opportunity to see physics in action in a way that goes beyond what is possible in the classroom. Students will take part in a classroom activity and then have the opportunity to make 1 skydiving “jump”.
Date: 12/10
Time: Show up at 3:15 and begin at 3:30
Where: iFly Denver: 9230 Park Meadows Dr, Lone Tree, CO 80124
Price: $35
I can take the first 48 students so please sign up ASAP if you would like to attend.
Here are instructions for registering on MySchoolBucks.com:
Log into MySchoolBucks.com
Click on School Store
Click on Browse All Items
Filter by Cresthill Middle School and by Extracurricular
Scan activities until you see the image to the right...
Click on View Details and complete the registration, waiver and payment.
You will receive a confirmation email immediately upon the successful registration of your student.
When Filling out the waiver you should have seen it in MySchoolBucks, but if not,
Choose the iFly CO - Denver option
Defend the Den
DEADLINE IS HERE FOR SIGNUPS FOR CMS 7TH GRADE GIRLS BASKETBALL!!!!!
We wanted to let you know that you are down to the last days to sign up for our 7th Grade Girls Basketball Season. We would LOVE to have our 7th grade girls get into the action this year and represent with pride our CMS program. The season starts on Dec. 6. The great news? ZERO EXPERIENCE IS REQUIRED!!!!! Please use our CMS Athletics page to guide your registration process and remember that No Physical = No Play. If you have any questions please reach out to our outstanding CMS Bookkeeper and Athletics Administrative Assistant, Stephanie Young, at 303-387-2816 or stephanie.young@dcsdk12.org. You can also contact our CMS Athletic Director, Brad Wiidakas, at bpwiidakas@dcsdk12.org. Thanks again and GO COUGARS!!!!!!!!!!
From the Counseling Office
DCSD Middle School Honor Ensemble Concert
I hope you are well! I wanted to personally invite everyone to the 6th Annual Douglas County School District Middle School Honor Ensemble Concerts on Saturday February 12, 2022, at 1pm at Castle View HS! This is an outstanding event that showcases some of the best young musical talent from all across our district. We would absolutely love it if you could attend. The invitation is inserted AND attached below!
For more information about this awesome district sponsored, teacher run, and student inspired organization, please go to our website
DCSD Middle School Honor Ensembles Website, or check out this PHENOMENAL video the district media department did for us about the Honor Ensemble a few years ago:
DCSD Middle School Honor Ensembles Video.
Thank you and we hope to see you all there!
CMS Europe Tour Summer 2022
Travel Abroad to London, Paris and Italy July 2022
We are excited to offer a custom travel abroad experience for students to visit London, Paris, Florence, Venice & Rome, July 7-17, 2022. We will explore these cities through food, language, culture, art, museums, historical landmarks and so much more.
Want to find out all the details? We will be hosting a zoom information session on Monday, Dec 13 at 6pm. RSVP to receive the zoom link.
RSVP at https://rsvp.eftours.com/85upvwd
Yearbook Orders
Donations Needed
Cougar Mart School Pride Items
Supporting Cresthill
Once logged into your King Soopers or City Market account go to: Savings and Rewards > King Soopers Community Rewards then you can search for Cresthill Middle School either by name or YJ180 and then click Enroll. New users will need to create an account which requires some basic information, a valid email address and a loyalty card.
Box Tops for Education
No need to cut out box tops anymore. It’s digital!
Download the Box Tops Mobile App
Set up your Username and Password
Find your school: Type in Cresthill and click on Cresthill Middle School when it appears Click on the right arrow
Complete your Profile and you are done!
Now when you shop simply scan your store receipt and watch the donations that are made to our school!
American Furniture Warehouse
NONDISCRIMINATION NOTICE
The Douglas County School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity/expression, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, age, marital status, genetic information, or physical characteristics, disability or need for special education services in admissions, access to, treatment of, or employment in educational programs or activities. The School District’s Compliance Officer is Ted Knight, Assistant Superintendent, 620 Wilcox Street, Castle Rock, Colorado, complianceofficer@dcsdk12.org, 303-387-0067. Complaint procedures have been established for students, parents, employees, and members of the public.