The Curtis Connection

In today's Connection:

• Mr. Mela's Message
• Mark Your Calendar
• Parenting Today's Super-Connected Kids
• ECMS Winter Sports
• ECMS Theatre Troupe
• Pennies for Hope Fundraiser Competition
• Curtis 2024-2025 MathCounts Competition
• Reminders from the Office
• 2024-2025 After School Activity Packet
• Curtis School Council
• ECMS Private School Application Procedures and Guidelines
• ECMS 2025 Yearbook
• A Message from the ECMS Health Office
• Curtis Is Going to Washington in 207 Days!
• Curtis Schedule
• Lunch Menu for the Week of 10/21
• A Message from the CPO
• Curtis Core Values
• Contact Us

Dear Parents and Guardians:

To proactively address the mental health and well-being of Curtis students, school counselors will screen 7th and 8th-grade students currently enrolled in Health class for depression and suicide on October 28th and 29th, and November 4th and 5th. These screenings will take place during your child's Health class or Team block.

The Curtis mental health team will review the results of the screen and provide immediate follow-up for students whose scores indicate a risk of depression and/or suicide ideation. Parents and guardians will be notified if the assessment indicates any risk for their child.

The objectives of these efforts include:

• Educating students about the signs and symptoms of depression and suicide ideation.

• Helping our students understand that depression is a treatable illness.

• Encouraging our students to reach out to trusted adults when they need help or are concerned about a peer’s well-being.

• Identifying students who may be at-risk for mental health concerns.

• Partnering with families to coordinate appropriate intervention plans.

Sudbury youth health data collected from the 2023 MetroWest Adolescent Health Survey show that among Curtis students:

• 12% of 7th and 8th graders reported having depressive symptoms in the past 12 months

• 10% reported having considered suicide during their lifetime

These statistics are comparable to regional and national data. The seriousness of these health issues requires open discussion, prevention education, health screening to identify at-risk students, and collaborative efforts to coordinate appropriate support. The staff of Sudbury Public Schools is committed to partnering with families to meet the diverse needs of all of our students.

If you do NOT want your child to participate in the depression and suicide risk screening, please email Angela Menke, Assistant Principal, or call 978-443-1071 extension 7120, before the school day begins on Monday, October 28th.

Sincerely,

Jeff Mela

Curtis Principal

Betsy Grams

Wellness Coordinator

Wednesday, October 23 - 12: 45 Early Dismissal; 7:00 p.m. ECMS Theatre Troupe Parent Meeting

Tuesday, October 29 - Make-Up Day for School Pictures

Wednesday, November 6 - 12:45 Early Dismissal/PT Conferences

Monday, November 11 - No School - Veterans Day

Tuesday, November 12 - 6:30-8:00 pm Parenting Today's Super-Connected Kids

Wednesday, November 13 - 12:45 Early Dismissal/PT Conferences

This week we celebrated Digital Citizenship at Curtis, where we ask students to think about how they can be safe and kind on-line. We raise awareness through posters around the school, morning announcements, raffles and activities in the cafeteria. The students created a colorful bulletin board in the cafeteria where they focused on what they each can do to be kind online.

While we know these conversations happen all year long at home and school, this is a good week to talk to your children about their media use and screen time. Some families have a conversation about technology every Tuesday (Tech Talk Tuesdays), to set aside time to keep the dialogue going with their children. Ask your child what they see kids using for apps (works better to ask about other kids than to ask about themselves) and help your child to reflect on what they like and do not like about their digital experiences. Let your children know that they can always come to you if they have a concern about something happening on-line.

On Tuesday, November 12, from 6:30pm to 8:00pm, there will be an in-person presentation for parents and guardians called “Parenting Today’s Super Connected Kids” by Sarah Twenge, PhD, one of the researchers for the book “The Anxious Generation.” This is an in-person event at Curtis Middle School and they are asking people to pre-register (flier can be seen above). Registration for the event can be completed here.

We hope that this information is helpful to you. Happy Digital Citizenship Week!

Jennifer Hymes, Grade 6 Counselor

Ivar Henningson, Grade 7 Counselor

Terry Miller, Grade 8 Counselor

If your student is interested in Theatre Troupe, please attend this informational meeting for parents only on Wednesday, October 23rd at 7 pm in the auditorium.

We will announce the show and provide other important information about this year’s production, including crew interview and audition information, attendance policy, and mandatory dates. This is an important meeting to attend to get all your Theatre Troupe questions answered. We look forward to seeing you there!

Online sign-up for winter sports 2024-25 season is now available! Tryouts will start after Thanksgiving break. If your child is interested in playing a winter sport, please sign up early! Tryout schedules will be posted by November 22, 2024, on the ECMS Sports & Activities page. We are offering: 7/8th grade girls basketball and 7/8th grade boys basketball. These are travel teams. Registration is currently open and will close on November 21st. Please click here to access the online registration. Our Health Office must approve all registrations before a student can participate in a sport. Please make sure that your child has a current physical. This is mandated by the state and current physicals are valid for 13 months. There are no exceptions to this rule.

The ECMS website provides details on all sports we offer, schedules, tryout dates, and practice times. There is a time commitment to playing for our travel teams. Practices/ games are Monday through Thursday. Returning from away games is typically between 6-7 pm. Home games end by 6 pm. The schedule is on the athletic website and is subject to change. If you have questions regarding the winter sports we offer, please contact David Jurewicz.

The Pennies for Hope fundraiser competition at Curtis runs through Friday, October 25th. Collection jars for donations are located in each homeroom. On the 25th, donations will be collected and consolidated for each grade. The grade that raises the most money will win a movie to be shown at school the day before one of our upcoming vacations.

The money collected at Curtis will be presented to HopeSudbury in early November. During our last fundraiser, Curtis raised $1,600 for HopeSudbury. In the past, money raised by HopeSudbury has helped families cover expenses such as medical bills, household repairs and utility bills.

Please encourage your child to support this important fundraiser. If you have questions about the Pennies For Hope fundraiser competition, please contact Curtis Angels Faculty Advisor, Ivar Henningson.

Thanks for your support!

Attention, all math enthusiasts! We’re excited to announce that the MATHCOUNTS Competition is returning to Curtis this year. All Curtis students are eligible to participate in a school-level MATHCOUNTS practice competition. From this group, up to 14 students will be selected to represent Curtis at the Chapter Competition.

What is MATHCOUNTS?

The MATHCOUNTS Competition Series is a nationwide middle school mathematics competition that allows students to challenge themselves and compete alongside their peers. It takes place annually at four levels: school, chapter, state, and national.

This will be Curtis Middle School’s ninth year participating in MATHCOUNTS! Our goal is to have fun, build confidence, and enhance our critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Registration and Cost

School Practice Competition

Date: TBD before end of December 2024 (after school or weekend)

Cost: free

How to register: Complete the registration form here by Nov 30th

Chapter competition

Data: February 2025

Cost: $40 per student

Details: Up to 14 students per school will represent Curtis at the Chapter Competition

Who leads the Chapter team?

This year, the Curtis MATHCOUNTS team will be led by volunteer parents from Curtis. Practice sessions will be offered online or in person before the Chapter Competition, but there are no weekly meetings. This year’s coaches will be Junling Zhou and Shanhong Ji.

For more information or if you have any questions, please contact Junling Zhou at junlingz@gmail.com.

- If your child will be absent or tardy from school, please call 978-443-1071, press 1, and leave a message on the absence line, or send an email to ecms_office@sudbury.k12.ma.us, stating your child’s name, the date(s) of their absence/ tardiness and the reason. If there is a planned absence, you are welcome to call/email ahead of time -- you do not need to wait until that day.

- If you will be taking your child out of school for an appointment or picking them up early, please write a note and have your child drop it off in the front office. You must come into the office to sign out your child; if they return to school that day, they may come back in on their own and stop by the office.

- We do not need to know about a change in dismissal plans at 3:10 dismissal time (or 12:45 on an Early Release day).

- Students may only ride the bus to which they are assigned.

- We will interrupt class to have students pick up eyeglasses or Chromebooks dropped off in the office. All other items will be placed on the table outside the office. If your child calls and asks you to bring something to school, please tell them they must come to the office to retrieve.

- Students' cellphones are expected to be turned off during the school day, so they will not see a text you send them.

We are fortunate to offer a diverse list of clubs and activities this year to meet the interests of our students:

• Art Club
• Cauldron
• Chess & Strategic Games
• Computer Club
• Diversity Club
• Model UN
• Science Olympiad
• Speech & Debate Team
• Theatre Troupe
• Trivia Club

Click here to go to the Activities & Clubs webpage, where you will find a description of each of the course offerings, along with applicable forms to print out, complete, and return to school. Please be sure to make all checks payable to Town of Sudbury. If you have any questions, please email the advisor of the activity.

We are looking for School Council representatives for the Curtis School Council this year.

What is School Council?

A school council is a representative advisory group that collaborates in planning for and implementing school improvement. It is a form of site-based management that places the school at the center of planning, goal setting, and budgeting for improvement.

Who serves on a School Council?

It is composed of representatives of the school and community. Members of the council include:

~principal

~teachers

~parents of students attending the school

~community representatives

If you are interested in serving on the school council, please submit a brief statement about why you wish to serve on the Curtis School Council. Please send this information to Jeff Mela.

If your child is applying to private school, please contact your child’s grade-level school counselor so we can help facilitate the process. To ensure that this process is efficient and expedient, please follow these guidelines:

• Prior to submitting any forms (electronically or on paper), please ensure that your child contacts their teachers and the counselor to ask for their recommendation.

• Most schools are using on-line platforms for applications and recommendations. Please notify the grade-level counselor which schools your child is applying to and the platforms that these schools use.

• If the applications require paper forms, they should be dropped off at the ECMS main office to the attention of the grade-level counselor. Please do not send any paper recommendation forms directly to teachers; the grade level counselor will distribute the forms to teachers.

• In order to send records and recommendations to the private school, we must have a signed release from a parent or guardian. This is usually provided with the private school application form or may be part of the on-line platform.

• We request that you submit all forms as early as possible to allow teachers and counselors ample time to complete recommendations. Please be aware of the following timeline for submitting forms to the grade level counselor:

By December 2, 2024 for a January 1, 2025 deadline

By December 16, 2024 for a January 15, 2025 deadline

By January 3, 2025 for a February 1, 2025 deadline

• In early spring after you have heard from the school’s admissions department, please contact the grade-level counselor to inform us of the application outcome and private school decisions for your child.

Please direct any questions about the status of recommendations to the following counselors:

Jennifer Hymes - 6th grade counselor

Ivar Henningson -7th Grade Counselor

Terry Miller - 8th Grade Counselor

Thank you very much for your assistance and cooperation with this private school application process.

ECMS Counseling Department

Hello, Curtis parents! Your children are creating memories this school year. The yearbook is created and designed with student input. With pictures taken all throughout the school, they are creating a memorable book for you and your children to look back on their year.

When ordering, please be sure to use your child's formal name. Jostens uses a computer database to produce the emails that are sent to you. If you order using your child's nickname, your child's name will not be removed from the list and you will continue to receive emails. After placing your order, please be sure to save your email receipt, if needed for future reference. Please email our yearbook coordinator, Liz Kerrigan, if you have any questions.

Let's remember this year together! The price is $45. Please click here to order your yearbook today!

Across all SPS schools, we have noticed an increase in “Walking Pneumonia.”

Please see the information below from KidsHealth.

What Is Walking Pneumonia?

Walking pneumonia is a less serious form of the lung infection pneumonia. It's often caused by bacteria called Mycoplasma pneumoniae, but other bacteria or viruses can also cause it.

Most kids with this type of pneumonia (nuh-MOH-nyuh) don't feel sick enough to stay home — hence, the name "walking" pneumonia. But even a child who feels fine should stay home for a few days until antibiotic treatment kicks in and symptoms improve.

What Are the Signs & Symptoms of Walking Pneumonia?

When it seems like a cold is lasting longer than 7 to 10 days, especially if a cough is getting worse or not going away, it could be walking pneumonia. Symptoms can come on suddenly or take longer to start. The symptoms are often mild, but sometimes can be more severe.

Walking pneumonia symptoms to look for:

• a fever of 101°F (38.5°C) or below

• a cough that can last for weeks to months

• fatigue (feeling very tired)

• headache, chills, sore throat, and other cold or flu-like symptoms

• fast breathing or breathing with grunting or wheezing sounds

• labored breathing that makes the rib muscles retract (when muscles under the ribcage or between ribs draw inward with each breath)

• ear pain

• chest pain or stomach pain

• malaise (feeling of discomfort)

• vomiting

• loss of appetite (in older kids) or poor feeding (in infants)

• rash

• joint pain

Walking pneumonia symptoms usually depend on where the infection is concentrated. A child whose infection is in the top or middle part of the lungs will probably have labored breathing. Another whose infection is in the lower part of the lungs (near the belly) may have no breathing problems, but may have an upset stomach, nausea, or vomiting.

How Is Walking Pneumonia Diagnosed?

Doctors usually diagnose walking pneumonia by doing an exam. They'll check a child's breathing and listen for a crackling sound that often indicates walking pneumonia.

If needed, they might order a chest X-ray or tests of mucus samples from the child's throat or nose to confirm the diagnosis.

How Is Walking Pneumonia Treated?

Antibiotics are an effective treatment for walking pneumonia caused by Mycoplasma pneumoniae. A 5- to 10-day course of oral antibiotics is usually recommended. If your doctor prescribes antibiotics, make sure your child takes them on schedule for as long as directed to recover more quickly.

After starting on antibiotics, your child is less likely to pass the illness to other family members. But encourage everyone in your household to wash their hands well and often. Don't let your child share drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, or toothbrushes.

Teach kids to cough or sneeze into a tissue or into their elbow or upper arm (not their hands). Wash your hands after touching any used tissues. Also make sure that your kids are up-to-date on their vaccines to help protect them from other infections.

How Can I Help My Child Feel Better?

Your child should drink liquids throughout the day, especially if they have a fever. Ask the doctor before you use medicine to treat a cough. Cough suppressants stop the lungs from clearing mucus, which might not be helpful for lung infections like walking pneumonia.

For a fever or chest pain, acetaminophen (such as Tylenol or a store brand) or ibuprofen (such as Advil, Motrin, or a store brand) can help make your child more comfortable. Do not give aspirin to your child or teen as it's linked to a rare, but serious, illness called Reye syndrome, which can lead to liver failure and death.

With treatment, most types of bacterial pneumonia go away within 1–2 weeks. Coughing can take up to 4–6 weeks to stop.

Anne-Marie Hultin RN, BSN & Kiersten Varner, RN, BSN

Read the latest D.C. Digest for reminders, deadlines, links, and more.

Click here to see the 2024-2025 Sudbury Public Schools calendar.

Please click here to see the complete Curtis schedule for this school year.

CPO Volunteers Needed:

● Business Sponsor Liaison

● Fundraising (i.e. Dining Out Night Coordinator)

Please contact board@curtiscpo.org to learn more or if interested.

8th Grade Families - Volunteers Needs

● 8th Grade Social Committee

● 8th Grade Year End Events Committee

● DC Trip - Fall Volunteers Needed

● Frozen Fundraiser Coordinator

● Volunteers to fill orders (Wednesday Nov. 13th)

● Volunteers for cafeteria pickup (Wednesday Nov. 13th)

Contact christinescanga@gmail.com if interested.

Support the Curtis Annual Fund

Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the CPO to help support Curtis’ cultural, creative, and educational programming.

The CPO supports a variety of programs and initiatives, including cultural enrichment, Curtis Messenger, student scholarships, student social events, technology, end-of-year activities, classroom curriculum aids for teachers, UA supplies, recess equipment, teacher appreciation events, library furniture, the student counseling department, the tile project in the school hallways, outdoor beautification projects, and much more. These are all important additions to the Curtis community and they truly improve the students’ experience at Curtis Middle School. This is all possible because of the generosity of the Curtis parent community.

Your money goes directly to work for the students and the school, improving your child’s learning experience. Also, please check if your company offers a match to your donation.

Please support the CPO with a tax-deductible donation! We encourage a $100 donation, but welcome any amount.

Please note that donation acknowledgment letters will be provided by request only. If you require a letter for tax purposes, please email a request to cpotreasurer@gmail.com.

Curtis Gear

The Curtis online store is open throughout the year with lots of Curtis spirit wear and gear, including clothing, hats, bags, and more!

Business Sponsorship Opportunities

Are you a Curtis Family who owns a business or do you work at/know a business that would be interested in exposure to over 800 local families? Becoming a business sponsor of Curtis provides great marketing opportunities for businesses while supporting our school at the same time! We have very affordable sponsor opportunities available for 2024-2025. Please reach out to the CPO at board@curtiscpo.org

Earn Money for the CPO

The CPO earns money by filling the textile bins located in the Curtis parking lot. A check is sent to the CPO based upon the weight of the monthly donations.

The company takes footwear, clothing, linens, and stuffed animals. When cleaning out, bring those bags of textiles to the bins to earn money for the CPO! Please remember to bag your donations. For a complete list of items acceptable for recycling, please visit:

Bay State Textiles – Acceptable Items for Recycling

SPS Community Notices Page

Learning ~ Respect ~ Responsibliity

If you need this information translated, please copy and paste it into Google Translate. The link to Google translate ishttp://translate.google.com/

Spanish

Si necesita que se le traduzca esta información, por favor, copie y pegue en Google Translate. El enlace de Google Translate es http://translate.google.com/

Portuguese

Caso precise traduzir esta informação, por favor, copie-a e cole-a no Google Tradutor. O link para o Google Tradutoré http://translate.google.com/

Mandarin

如果您需要翻譯該資訊,請將其複製並粘貼到 Google 翻譯。 Google 翻譯的鏈接是 http://translate.google.com/

Russian

Если вам нужен перевод этой информации, скопируйте и вставьте ее в Google Переводчик. Вотссылка на Google Переводчик: http://translate.google.com/