Colt Corner
Colleyville Middle School
January 14, 2022
Colts,
This week we added another district championship to our board when our 7th grade girls cross country team brought home the title. Like our cross country teams, we all are experiencing the long journey that this school year presents. With the same determination that our student-athletes demonstrated in their last championship race this week, at school we continue to attack the hills, twists, and turns that come up and approach the journey with grit and grace. As always, thank you for the encouragement that each of you provide our Colts as they come to school full of confidence and support to succeed. On that same note, thank you for the positive encouragement that I see daily given to our teachers and support staff. As you all know, it is a challenging time in education with our current obstacles and substitute shortage, but together we will continue to push through and create the best school year possible. Enjoy the long three-day weekend and we will see our Colts on Tuesday.
David Arencibia, Ed.D.
Colleyville Middle School, Principal
Twitter: @CmsColts - #TeamCMS - #ColtPride
B.E.S.T. - Building Excellent Schools Together
UPCOMING DATES/EVENTS
January 14 - Cotillion CMS Cafeteria - 6th Grade 5:00 - 7:00pm, 7th Grade 7:30 - 8:30pm
January 15 - Region Choir Clinic & Concert - Creekview High School, Carrollton, TX
January 17 - No School
January 18 - Girls & Boys 7th Grade A & B Basketball - Schedule linked here
January 19 & 20 - CMS Theatre UIL Rehearsals 4:00 - 6:30 CMS Cafeteria
January 20 - Girls & Boys 8th Grade A & B Basketball - Schedule linked here
January 21 - Cotillion CMS Cafeteria - 6th Grade 5:00 - 7:00pm, 7th Grade 7:30 - 8:30pm
January 24 - Girls & Boys 7th Grade A & B Basketball - Schedule linked here
January 25, 26 & 27 - CMS Theatre UIL Rehearsals 4:00 - 6:30 CMS Cafeteria
January 28 - Cotillion CMS Cafeteria - 6th Grade 5:00 - 7:00pm, 7th Grade 7:30 - 8:30pm
In this Edition of the Colt Corner
* Upcoming STAAR Interim Assessments
* 8th Grade Mustang Nation Night - Moving from in person to Virtual
* Students Planning to Take Algebra I or Biology I Prior to 9th Grade
* COVID-19 Testing Center Consent Forms
* GHS Art Song Festival
* Last chance to order a Yearbook
* Counselor Corner: CANCELLED - 7th Grade TECC Field Trip, 8th grade Transition to High School, Collegiate Academy, David's Law Guidance Lessons, Play it Safe Parent Preview
Repeated Information
* GCISD Update - January 12, 2022
* MLK Day of Service
* 6th Grade: Determined to Succeed Program
* CMS Cheer Interest Meeting
* 8th Grade Baby Pictures for Yearbook
* Season Basketball Schedules
* Colleyville Middle School Directory - Who To Contact
Upcoming STAAR Interim Assessments
On February 1st and 3rd all students will take their math and reading interim assessments. This is the altered bell schedule for those days. These assessments will help us collect important check-in data to prepare students to maximize their success on STAAR state testing and to give students more experience practicing with the online testing format this year.
Please block these important dates on your calendars and help us plan for students to be at school these dates instead of out for appointments, etc. if at all possible.
To prepare for these exams, the week of January 24th, students will be practicing online tools for state testing during Advisory period.
Students can also practice the online tools at home using the practice testing site. To practice at home on this site, students should select ON for "guest user" and "guest session", select the green "sign-in" button, and select the grade level assessment. Students with a district-issued Chromebook can also access the practice test by following these directions. Students with a DELL laptop should have had the browser pushed to their district-issued student laptop. Additional parent information and video.
Algebra I Field Testing
This year the Texas Education Agency (TEA) has assigned STAAR field testing for Algebra I to take place at CMS. All Algebra I students will take the test on February 16th. Please mark your calendars and help us plan for all students to be here. This data helps the state validate test questions for future STAAR assessments. The field testing does not count against the student.
STAAR Telpas Online Practice Test linked here
CAMBIUM Testing tutorials linked here
Mustang Nation
8th Transition to High School:
Future Mustangs - Mustang Nation Night which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 19th is moving from in-person to virtual. As we receive updated information we will be sure to pass it on to you.
Students Planning to Take Algebra I or Biology I Prior to 9th Grade
Please read this message if your student is planning to take Algebra I or Biology I while in middle school.
Students who successfully complete a STAAR EOC assessment prior to 9th grade must also take a corresponding subject area SAT (Algebra I only) or ACT (Algebra I and/or Biology I) while in high school. These national assessment results are included in the high school's federal participation requirements, as well as, the high school's state accountability rating calculations.
Currently, the SAT is offered at school with no charge to students once between the spring of the junior year and high school graduation. For students needing the ACT instead, a reimbursement option is planned. The funding is provided by House Bill 3 and the Texas Education Agency.
COVID-19 Testing Center Consent Forms
GCISD Performance
Yearbook
Counselors’ Corner
CANCELLED - 7th Grade TECC Field Trip:
The district cancelled the 7th grade TECC field trip that was scheduled for January 27th, so there is no need to turn in the forms that were linked in last week’s newsletter and that were also emailed to 7th grade parents and students. In lieu of this field trip, the TECC will create a virtual presentation that will be shared with 7th graders on a later date.
8th Transition to High School:
Future Mustangs - Mustang Nation Night which is scheduled for Wednesday, January 19th is moving from in-person to virtual. As we receive updated information we will be sure to pass it on to you.
Counselors from both high schools met with CMS 8th graders on Wednesday, Jan. 12th to discuss transitioning to high school and freshman elective options. Please watch this short video with your child to help them understand the elective selection process and review this Padlet which has links to videos and other resources that you will find helpful. Students were also given the forms linked below to assist them in course selection.
High school counselors will return to CMS on February 2nd to meet with students one-on-one. At that time, the GHS/CHHS Course Requests/ Alternate Electives form is due with a parent signature. Both forms are linked here. Students will not be scheduled for their freshman classes until both sides of this form are completed and returned.
22-23 Freshman Course Selection Sheet
Collegiate Academy
Applications are still being accepted for enrollment in Collegiate Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. Students who attend Collegiate Academy can potentially earn a high school diploma and an associate’s degree by the time they graduate. This opportunity is offered to all GCISD students free of charge. If you have any questions, please contactRiley Cavanagh(Counselor at CA) at riley.cavanagh@gcisd.net. To apply, click on the link below:
Collegiate Academy Application Link
David’s Law Guidance Lessons:
8th Grade - Wednesday, Jan. 19th
Is it bullying??
This week Ms. Dumas and Officer Beregszaszy spoke to our 7th graders about David’s Law and Bullying. Students learned the differences between bullying or peer conflict. Parents, please review these scenarios with your students and see how you fare at identifying whether or not each case is bullying or peer conflict. For more information on bullying, please visit GCISD’s website here.
Scenario #1
Parker and Morgan go to the same school and walk home every day. One day, after leaving the school campus, Parker decides to tease Morgan on their walk home. Parker pushes Morgan to the ground and dumps out her backpack. Parker is much bigger than Morgan, so it was easy for her to push her down. Morgan runs home crying. Morgan’s mom has called up to the school to report that Morgan is the victim of bullying.
Senario #2
Lee waits for Jessie to leave their first period class at the middle school every day. Lee is of much larger stature, an athlete, and does not like Jessie. Almost every day, Lee confronts Jessie following their first period class by knocking Jessie’s books from his hands. Jessie does nothing to retaliate.
Is it bullying???
Scenario 1 - No, because this in an isolated incident/not a pattern of behavior
Scenario 2 - Yes, because it is a pattern of behavior, there is an imbalance of power, property is being damaged, it happened on school property, and the student being targeted did not retaliate.
Play it Safe Parent Preview
The Play it Safe! Middle School Parent Preview was held virtually through Zoom on September 23rd at 10 a.m. and was recorded for parents to watch at their convenience--you can click HERE to view it.
For CMS campus-specific dates for the upcoming 6th and 7th grade Play It Safe presentations, please see the English Flyer or Spanish Flyer. If you do NOT want your child to participate, please fill out the linked form and send/bring to school with your child or email Sarah Dumas at sarah.dumas@gcisd.net BEFORE the presentation date to let us know that you would like to opt your child out. Otherwise, all students will participate in the program.
Our schedule for showing the Play It Safe Curriculum this year is as follows:
6th grade “Survivors of Abuse March 2, 2022
7th grade “Abuse of Power” February 9, 2021
Additional Resources:
Out Came the Sun: Helping Children as they Grieve https://cbcst.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/CBCST-Grief-Booklet-051617-flipbook.pdf
GCISD Update January 12, 2022
In This Edition
No School on Monday: Monday, January 17, is Martin Luther King Jr. Day and therefore a student and staff holiday at all GCISD campuses.
COVID-19 Update: Read below for an important update as cases of COVID-19 continue to rise across the District.
All-State Musicians: Twelve GCISD students have been named TMEA All-State Musicians, the highest honor a Texas high school musician can receive.
Pre-K Lottery Open Now: Applications for the tuition-based Pre-K lottery will be available through Friday, January 21.
COVID-19 Testing Center Update: Please note that the GCISD COVID-19 Testing Center currently has a low supply of tests and has therefore changed some procedures. Read below for more information.
MLK Day of Service and Donation Drive: All GCISD campuses will be accepting donations in January to support GRACE and the CHHS Panther Pantry. Read below for when and where to drop off your donated items.
Additional COVID-19 Information: GCISD has numerous COVID-19 resources available for the community, including information on the GCISD COVID-19 Testing Center, positive cases in GCISD, current protocols and more.
MLK Day of Service
Campuses across GCISD are coming together this January to support local families through donations to GRACE and the CHHS Panther Pantry. The entire community can participate in this endeavor by donating various items (listed below) to campuses from January 5-14. Donations can also be brought to drive-thru events at GHS and CHHS on Monday, January 17, in honor of the MLK Day of Service. Those locations will accept donations between 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. For more information, visit our website
6th Grade: Determined to Succeed program
This year GCISD is continuing to use Determined to Succeed for the 6th graders.
Determined to Succeed focuses on “recognizing social/peer, technology,
and media related pressures”. The program briefly outlines the
problems of teen pregnancies and STDs, and then addresses the issues
of how to resist pressure to become sexually active. This includes
recognizing healthy relationships, sexual abuse, emotional hurts, and
resisting peer pressure (refusal skills), the media, and pornography.
ALL STUDENTS in 6th grade need to turn in a signed form with parent signature indicating whether or not their child may attend the program or not. Due to changes in State Law, a student must have a signed form with a parent's permission in order to attend the program.
There is a Parent Preview meeting for anyone interested thru WebEx
to hear about the curriculum on January 27, 2022.
Parent Preview will be on Webex
Thurs., Jan. 27 at 10AM-11AM or 6PM-7PM
Here is the parent preview info for the 27th:
10AM Meeting:
JOIN WEBEX MEETING https://gcisd.webex.com/gcisd/j.php?MTID=mf5109caecac1d942338d0a6ad8d9825d Meeting number (access code): 2622 387 1336 Meeting password: MAmcmPeF426 (62626733 from phones) TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY) +1-408-418-9388,,26223871336#62626733# tel:%2B1-408-418-9388,,*01*26223871336%2362626733%23*01* United States Toll Some mobile devices may ask attendees to enter a numeric password. JOIN BY PHONE +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
6PM Meeting info:
JOIN WEBEX MEETING https://gcisd.webex.com/gcisd/j.php?MTID=m444e940fb8918d4d436d10d339642f32 Meeting number (access code): 2621 757 7673 Meeting password: DmypzGAb523 (36979422 from phones) TAP TO JOIN FROM A MOBILE DEVICE (ATTENDEES ONLY) +1-408-418-9388,,26217577673#36979422# tel:%2B1-408-418-9388,,*01*26217577673%2336979422%23*01* United States Toll Some mobile devices may ask attendees to enter a numeric password. JOIN BY PHONE +1-408-418-9388 United States Toll
In-Person presentation will be February 23
All students who wish to attend must return a signed form attached here. Attached you will find the form along with a version in Spanish.
'22-'23 - Cheer Tryouts
8th Grade Baby Pictures
8th grade parents, please send 1 baby photo of your child for the yearbook. Send to lindy.morris@gcisd.net or scan the QR code. Due date 1/21.