CMS Newsletter
Week September 28, 2020
Great Start of the School Year
Hello CMS Community,
We've completed our first week of the 2020-2021 school. A year that we hope becomes easier to navigate and that will unite us as a community more than ever. I want to thank everyone for being connected, helping your student navigate clever, live meetings, google classroom, and so many other virtual platforms that are involved in your student's education.
Please reach out to our school's main office or your community teacher is you need any type of assistance in supporting your student. Our offices are open every day and have the following supports for all families: a device, school supplies, learning packets, and if you need internet access please call us.
Lastly, I want to wholeheartedly thank everyone that made it to CMS this past Wednesday to pick up student supplies and learning packets. Our CMS staff was so excited to see our students come by and some cars were amazingly decorated. Cougars PRIDE was evident and palpable in the air. Despite the rainy and gloomy day I want to extend a special thanks to all of our CMS staff that weathered the climate and supported with the distribution.
Take care and be safe!
Johanna Castillo
Principal - CMS
Elective Schedules
Please review our Electives Schedule to support students and families attend live meetings.
CMS 2020-2021 Regular Bell Schedule
CMS Wednesdays 2020-2021 Bell Schedule
Wednesday Late Start
Chromebook Devise Tech Support
Please go to this website to receive Chromebook Tech Support when Needed.
IMPORTANT Attendance Information
Beginning, Monday, September 28th, you will receive a call informing you that your student has an unexcused absence if they did not participate in class activities or have interaction with their teacher, an educational assistant or paraprofessional during the school day. Interaction can include:
- Participating in a video class, communication from the student to the teacher via chat, text message, a communication app or email;
- A phone call between the teacher, educational assistants or paraprofessionals and the student, or, for younger students, with the parent or guardian of the student; or
- Posting completed coursework on a given day.
When there is no evidence of student interaction during a 24-hour period surrounding a scheduled school day, students will be reported as absent and you will receive a call.
Please be aware that teachers will take attendance daily.
We acknowledge that some students may be logging in and viewing videos after 4 p.m., once a teacher sees that the student has participated, the teacher will change the unexcused absence to present. We appreciate your help and support.
2019-2020 Yearbook
We will start distributing yearbooks starting Wednesday September 30, 2020 @ CMS.
Please do not come before Wednesday to pick up your yearbook.
Centennial Middle School Email Permission Form
Please consider filling out this form for your student, if you have not done so already. This will allow students to access their school email and it will facilitate communication between teachers and students.
Please fill out permission form below (IMPORTANT):
English (Agree/Disagree From):
Spanish (De acuerdo/en desacuerdo de Documento) : https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeAjrQ70E73ydLBeUi3DciBmqp4gTOyYs30UdSqJDRIiB5Fpw/viewform?usp=sf_link
Russian (Согласен / Не согласен с): https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdotVglZJkbolB1_FEek7xFBmCNi87dniAsY-NL0_zacBP50g/viewform?usp=sf_link
2019-2020 Student Belongings (from student lockers)
Families,
We still have a significant amount of student belongings at school. Please come and retrieve these as soon as you can.
Process:
- Call our front office about wanting to pick up student belongings. Please ONLY call the day you are planning to pick these up.
- Provide student full name and the team they were in last year (if possible not required).
- Provide Locker # form last year, if possible.
- Office staff will explain pick up procedures via phone.
These items will be donated to local non-profit organizations if they are not retrieved by November 15, 2020.
If you have any questions please call us at our school's main number: (503)762-3206
Making Connections from our Northwest Family Services Group
Girls Group: Virtual Stay on track Fall/ Winter
The Virtual Stay on Track group has been designed to offer one hour a week to connect with other youth, essentially a total of 11 week workshops. With a highly engaging schedule, and an opportunity to choose from hands-on workshops on art, culture, and skills for academic success.
Some example topics the group will cover through activities include topics of:
- Self-esteem/ stress/ building relationships as well as improving social interaction through these challenging times.
- Academic school support includes: how to effectively communicate with teachers/counselors, time/stress management, organization skills, school event updates, navigating distance learning, and homework/grade follow-ups.
- Groups will takes place virtually through Microsoft Teams, Tuesdays 12pm-1pm Starting Oct. 6th, 2020
- More information on the flyer!
Attached please review flyers in English & Spanish and Permission Slips in English & Spanish.
This Month CMS Proudly Celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month: Tuesday September 15-October 15, 2020
Thank you all who have sent pictures and stories that relate to our LatinX and Hispanic community, please continue sending these amazing memories to my email to highlight them in our CMS Community Collage.
A huge thank you to Mrs. Lee and Mr. Fisher for sharing their stories to commemorate Hispanic Heritage Month!
To commemorate National Hispanic American Heritage Month, I would be honored to hear from our Centennial Community about their love, experiences and traditions in our LatinX community. Please email me your stories in writing, video, photos or voice recording. I will compile your stories and archive them in our website and our newsletter to highlight our rich culture throughout this month. johanna_castillo@csd28j.org
Thank you all, and happy National Hispanic Heritage Month!
Mrs. Kristin Lee's Story (Math teacher in the Herons Team):
My great grandma, Jesusita, came here from Mexico (wading across the Rio Grande with her mom). She and her family lived in El Paso, Texas until she passed away about 10 years ago. My grandmother, Maria, grew up speaking Spanish and English. She left El Paso when she was 18 to join the Navy and, unfortunately, left most of her Mexican heritage behind. She met my grandpa in the Navy and because he did not speak Spanish, she decided not to pass it on to my mom and my aunt. We got to visit family once in El Paso when I was very young. I remember my great grandma Jesusita (we called her Grandma Chuy) teaching us kids how to roll tortillas. I often think about the rich culture we missed out on not celebrating my grandma's heritage. I think at the time, it was her way of taking control of her life. Although I didn't grow up really knowing much about my Mexican heritage (didn't even know the story above until I interviewed my grandma in college), I have always loved the community and family love of Mexican culture. I grew up in a big, blended family so I love having people around! I also love when former students post pictures from their quinceañeras! The dresses, the dancing, the whole thing always looks amazing!
Mrs. Lee's Family
My great grandparents Jesusita and Raphael, with my mom
Mrs. Lee's Family
My great grandmother Jesusita and my Grandma Maria
Mrs. Lee's Family
My great grandparents Jesusita and Raphael Medina
Mr. Fisher - CMS Teacher at CMS
In thinking about my wonderful experiences working with families in our LatinX Community, I instantly think of my Parent-Teacher Conferences, where I find myself in awe of their passion for family and their devotion and incredible appreciation for education. Even though our LatinX community comes from an incredibly diverse range of backgrounds, their families come to conferences with outstanding questions, exhibiting how thoughtful and committed they are to maximizing their child’s education. It is such a delight to see families walk in my room (with Ciria, our interpreter, who often already has a close relationship with the family, once again revealing their commitment to their child’s learning), sometimes bringing treats, sometimes bringing their entire extended family, but always clearly dedicated to helping their child be successful in school. Their enthusiasm for their child’s learning is the key component in my students’ academic achievement, because my students follow their family’s lead and clearly see how important education is, not just right now, but for their entire future.
Mr. Shane Fisher