CMS Parent Newsletter
March 6, 2017
Dear Parents,
Please enjoy our students' artwork you will find scattered throughout the newsletter. This work is currently on display at Savannah Mall.
Upcoming Seahawk Events
March 7 - 3rd Marking Period Ends
March 7 - Blood Mobile at CMS 9am - 1 pm
March 8 - 4th Marking Period Begins
March 8 - Late Work Protocol Goes Into Effect
March 10 - Spirit Wear - Drama Club $1
March 14 - Papa John's Spirit Night
March 14 - 8th Grade HS Registration night - 5:30 - Mandatory
March 16 - Report Cards Issued
March 17 - Spring Break Begins
March 27 - Return to School
March 29 - Family Homework Pass - Do a good deed as a family
March 31 - Spring Fling for 7th and 8th grade students
April 3 - GMAS ELA part 1
April 4 - GMAS ELA part 2
April 5 - GMAS Math part 1
April 6 - GMAS Math part 2
April 7 - GMAS Science for 8th grade
April 10 - GMAS SS for 8th grade
New Marking Period Begins
The marking period concludes Tuesday, March 7th. The new marking period begins Wednesday, March 8th. Report cards will be sent home with students on March 16th. Please remember our late work protocol will go into effect on March 8th. We want our students to learn while they are young that deadlines must be met. Thank you to all who shared feedback about the new protocol.
GMAS April 3rd – 8th
Are you and your child ready? We can’t wait to see how much our children learned this year. 7th grade students will take the test online. Please spend the next few weeks preparing using the following resources:
· Moby Max – access from our homepage
· Read Theory – access from our homepage
· GMAS Study Guides – access from our homepage under Shared Documents.
Social Worker Appreciation Week
Ms. Diana Shiley is the BEST school social worker in our district! Over the years, she has helped numerous families and faculty with issues that are often complex and challenging. She always does so with the utmost care and concern for all of those involved and never stops working until the situation is resolved. Please let her know how much we appreciate her and the work that she does for all of us. Her quiet demeanor and her compassion for all of us often make her a "behind the scenes" person. Let's give her a few shout outs this week and let her know how much she means to us!
Attendance Awards
Research shows that a student's attendance directly correlates with his or her academic success. Over the past few weeks, we have been encouraging our students to enter school each day to assist their peers in the GREAT ATTENDANCE RACE. It was a huge success thanks to the hard work of Ms. Eallonardo, the students, the teachers and you...our families. Together, the following homerooms made it to the finish line with everybody in tow. Congratulations to these teachers and their homerooms and get ready for the next opportunity to win in the March Madness!
6th Grade:
1st Place- Santiago
2nd Place- Crider
3rd Place- Axelsson
7th Grade:
1st Place- Neidlinger
2nd Place- Sanders
3rd Place- Middleton
8th Grade:
1st Place- Livingston
2nd Place- Lilley
3rd Place- Eve
Seahawk Study Tips
Over the next few weeks, we will be offering our students some simple study skills that will enhance both their nightly study routine for homework and tests, as well as preparing them for the upcoming GMAS . Please encourage your child to try at least one of the tips each week to see if it makes learning easier!
- Choose a quiet place--one free of distractions.
- Find a comfortable, well-lit spot.
- Clear your workspace and get organized.
- Pick a time that is best for you. Example...do you work best before dinner or after dinner? If you don't know, experiment and find out.
IB Insights: Approaches to Learning
IB Approaches to Learning (ATL) skills improve students’ academic experiences by helping them “learn to learn.” The first category, Communication, addresses skills necessary to effectively exchange thoughts, messages, and information through interaction with others. It also includes skills that involve reading, writing, and using language to gather and communicate information.
Parent Testimonial
My son Isaac attended Coastal Middle School and was blessed to receive an education which prepared him for the real world. He had teachers who cared about him, assisted him in discovering his interests and taught him high-caliber lessons that prepared him for the rigors of high school. Also, my son was able to participate in the boys' group with the counselors; this extra help kept him on the right track and taught him life lessons that were relevant to him transitioning from a child to a teenager and then to an adult. Coastal will always have a special place in our hearts.--Betty W.
Community Opportunities
Hands on Future Tech -- Middle School Outreach Program [www.futuretech.gatech.edu ] Saturday, March 11th, 2017; 9:00am – 2:15pm
Georgia Tech’s Molecular Science & Engineering (MoSE) Building. This one day event is open to all BOYS and GIRLS in the 6th-8th grades. At the event, students will interact and participate in hands-on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) demonstrations with college students, faculty, and industry professionals.
The event will take place on Saturday, March 11th, 2017 from 9:00 am – 2:15 pm, at the Molecular Science & Engineering (MoSE) building on Georgia Tech's campus (901 Atlantic Drive NW, Atlanta, GA 30332). A visitors parking deck is located next to the building on State Street. The purpose of this event is to make STEM disciplines and concepts understandable, relevant, interesting, and applicable in student’s everyday life. The program will also include speakers, a parent’s session, and a career panel that provides information on STEM careers and the opportunities available in these areas. Lunch will be provided. To register and for further information, please go to: www.futuretech.gatech.edu
There are limited slots for participation and you are encouraged to register your students as soon as possible. Since we would like to share this opportunity with as many students as possible - there is a limit of eight students per school.
For further information please contact: Dr. Keith Oden at keith.oden@cos.gatech.edu
FREE, Family-Friendly Tara Feis Irish Celebration Sat. March 11, 11AM-5PM in Savannah’s Emmett Park.
The non-alcoholic family-friendly feis (pron. FESH) – or festival – will be a feast for the eyes, ears and palate, with live performances, food, art activities, crafts and games hosted with Irish ceremony, tradition and hospitality. The festival is held each year in the beautiful Emmet Park located in heart of downtown Savannah.
This event is a free, non-alcoholic event geared towards families & children.
TYBEE ISLAND IRISH HERITAGE PARADE Sat. March 11, 3PM Butler Ave., Tybee Island
FREE REFUGE DISCOVERY DAY, March 11 Discover YOUR National Wildlife Refuge in Savannah/Hardeeville. Join the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for a day of free, family fun at the Savannah National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) Visitor Center on Saturday, March 11, 2017, 10AM-4PM. Discovery Day will be filled with fun, wildlife-related educational activities for all ages. Have you ever wondered what a biologist, a wildland firefighter, an archaeologist, a forester or a refuge manager does on a National Wildlife Refuge? This is your chance to learn! Learn about wildland fire with hands-on activities involving real fire equipment; try your luck at target shooting with a bow while learning about our Refuge hunt programs; gain a better understanding of the Fish and Wildlife Service’s role in protecting endangered species; learn why water management matters to wildlife on Savannah National Wildlife Refuge; get close up with a variety of reptiles, and much more. All activities will be at the Savannah NWR Visitor Center located at 694 Beech Hill Lane Hardeeville, SC (off U.S. 17, approximately 7 miles north of Savannah, GA and 7 miles south of Hardeeville, SC). For more information on this rain or shine event, call 843-784-2468.
Repeats and Reminders
Spring Fling
The Spring Fling Dance for Coastal’s 7th and 8th grade students will be on Friday, March 31st from 7PM to 9PM. Tickets will be sold for $10.00 each and will include admission to the DJ’d event and a Chick-fil-A sandwich and soda. A photographer will be available for $2.00 per photo, and additional treats will be sold for $1.00 per item. Suggested attire for the dance is dressy casual to "Sunday best". Permission slips will go home the week of March 13th and collection will take place after spring break. No tickets will be sold at the event.
8th Grade High School Transition Night
Our 8th Grade High School Transition Night is scheduled for
Tuesday, March 14th. All 8th grade parents and students need to attend from 5:30 - 7:00.
Yearbook
Order Online at website www.yearbookordercenter.com and use Order # 20020. Or, order in the front office on a Monday, Wednesday or Friday before homeroom. Order forms are available on line. ($35 CASH OR MONEY ORDER ONLY if ordered in the school's office.)
SRI and MAP
The target scores below represent that while a child is not proficient with reading or mathematics, he or she possesses the necessary skills to be successful, with extra support, at the subsequent grade level. The scores needed to be considered proficient are actually much higher. SRI and MAP scores are one of many factors which are considered when deciding if a child is ready to be promoted to the next higher grade.
SRI
6th - 835
7th - 890
8th - 955
MAP
6th - 219
7th - 223
8th - 227
8th Grade State Promotion Requirement
Please remember that in addition to demonstrating proficiency in reading and math, as well as passing all classes, students in Georgia should also pass the GMAS assessment. Pull the study guides off our website and start working. This assessment serves as one of many factors that are examined when considering if promotion is appropriate.
Late Work
All work should be submitted on the date it is due. Teachers will accept no more than 2 late assignments, with parent signature, within 3 days of the date the assignment is posted, for no more than 70% credit.
Free Digital Resources
Please be aware that you and your child can access free, interactive digital textbooks through the Georgia Department of Education's website. The textbooks can be accessed by visiting www.gavirtuallearning.org/Resources. Texts are currently available for middle and high school courses.