CMIT South MS/HS Newsletter
Friday, December 1, 2023
TEACHER NEWSLETTERS
GENERAL SCHOOL NEWS
2024 STEM/MAKER'S FAIRE UPDATE
Dear Parents, Students, and Guardians,
I hope this message finds you well. I am grateful for your patience and understanding as we navigate the STEM/Maker's Fair process. Your support has been invaluable.
If you have any questions, please contact your student's Science teacher directly for guidance.
- Deadline Extension: Due to some students' challenges, the rough draft submission deadline has been extended to December 8th, 11:59 pm. The submission form and rubric are available on Canvas with detailed instructions. The paper should be completed in a Google Doc or Word doc. Reminder this is just a rough draft of your paper, so it's okay if some sections are incomplete or if you plan to make revisions (for example, the results section consists of the data table being used to collect information and a graph set up that will allow you to display your data as it pertains to your project). Some sections will just include the section header as a foundation for the final version of the report.
- Extra Credit Opportunity: Students who submit their rough drafts by the initial deadline of December 1st will receive extra credit.
Warm Regards,
Miss Hamilton
Science Department Chair
CMIT SOUTH NHS & NJHS WINTER COAT DRIVE
CMIT South M/H School National Honor Society & National Junior Honor Society is partnering with Shabach Ministries, Inc. to host a Winter Coat Drive. Please donate gently used or new coats for elementary, middle, and high school students.
Please help us make sure that children in need have access to coats, hats, and gloves this winter. Your coat donation will greatly impact a child's life and well-being this season.
CMIT SOUTH MHS- HOMECOMING BAZAAR
We are happy to announce that CMIT South MHS is hosting a Homecoming Bazaar this year on Saturday, December 16! If you are interested in being a vendor, please register via the provided link. Vendor registration is OPEN! Please spread the word, share the flyer, and join us for festive holiday shopping! Please come out and support your local school community businesses.
STUDENT FOOD DELIVERIES
Students, Parents, and Guardians,
OPEN HOUSE
CMIT Family,
Open house dates for interested lottery applicants:
- In-person:
- November 11, 2023
- Virtual:
- December 13, 2023
- January 11, 2024
SATURDAY ACADEMY
Dear CMIT South Family,
I hope this message finds you well. I am excited to announce that Saturday Academy officially began on October 14th, and we are thrilled to have your child/children participate with us. As part of our commitment to providing students with quality educational experiences, we will have two sessions to choose from, just like in previous years. The first session will run from 9:00 AM-10:40 AM, and the second session will run from 11:00 AM-12:30 PM. Of course, you are welcome to choose both sessions.
So, what do we offer? Our Saturday Academy provides an optional small group setting to assist our students in core classes such as English, Math, AP Class Support, and SAT Prep. During these sessions, we will help with homework and provide additional skills and practice in RELA and Math. This year, we are excited to introduce science help every week, along with a once-a-month science lab. Please note that to participate in the labs, there will be a sign-up Genius, as we must limit the number of students participating for safety reasons. We reserve the right to have some discretion in those who participate in the labs again for safety reasons. October 28, 2023 will be a science lab day. Please use this link to sign up to participate. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050E48A8AD23A1F94-45412223-science
Wondering about the procedure? Your scholars will be dropped off and picked up on the same side as normal drop-offs and pick-ups. There will be a sign outside of the door that we will utilize each Saturday. This is the only door that students will use each week. I will be waiting for your scholar to sign in and direct them to where they need to go.
What do I need from you and your scholar? I need your scholar to know what he/she needs assistance with. Upon entering, the first questions I will ask them are: What grade are you in, and what do you need help with today? Are you staying for both sessions?
I need you as parents/guardians to provide your scholar with a snack if possible if they plan to stay for both sessions because that is a long time without something to eat. I will try to have a snack available each Saturday, but it may not be what they want. Most importantly, I need you to respect our time together. We are providing a service, but we also have families to get home to on the weekends. Please pick up your child on time.
Lastly, use the link below to register your child.
If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us. We look forward to helping your child/children receive additional support.
Sincerely,
Ms. Jones
HELP NEEDED
As a follow up to many parent concerns, we are creating a Traffic Safety Committee to address your concerns to Prince George's County. Please click the link below to share your concerns and sign up for the Committee.
This committee will be led by parent, Mrs. Candice Perkins, who worked extensively while at the Elementary school and was very instrumental in their traffic safety project currently in review with Prince George's County Safety Division. Let's offer more voices to the overall effort and make our scholars' safety a priority!
Should you have any questions, please respond directly to the PTO at pto@cmitsouth.org and Mrs. Perkins at cperk421@gmail.com. Thank you.
CMIT SOUTH MS/HS ATTENDANCE UPDATES & POLICIES
Hello CMIT South MS/HS Families,
We want to ensure that all parents and students know the CMIT South attendance policies. At CMIT South, we follow the PGCPS attendance policy AP 5113. Below are some quick bullet points of the attendance policies:
- CMIT South will use the Google form 2023-2024 Absence Reason Notification Form CMIT South Middle/High School for all student's absences. This form will be the official means of parent/guardian notifications for student absences. Parents can also email attendance@cmitsouth.org when their student will be absent.
- CMIT South does not take paper excused/doctor notes. When a student is absent please fill out the Google form 2023-2024 Absence Reason Notification Form CMIT South Middle/High School. This form will be sent straight to the attendance manager. Parents are the only ones who can fill out the form and email the attendance manager about a student who is absent. A student cannot send the email or fill out the Google form, the absence will not be excused if a student does it.
- The Google form must be filled out within 3 days of the student’s absence; otherwise, the absence will not be excused. This can be emailed as well.
- Students who are considered unlawfully (unexcused) absent from school or a class will not have the opportunity to make up missed assignments.
- A doctor’s note is needed if a student is reported absent for three school days for an illness, and a physician’s certificate will be required if a student's absences reach six days. Please send the physician’s certificate to the school's attendance manager at attendance@cmitsouth.org.
- Mental Health Day. Students may receive as an excused absence one (1) day of absence in each semester of each school year for a student’s mental health needs. A note from a physician to excuse a student’s absence for mental health needs is not required.
Once again, these are just some of the new updates that PGCPS has put in the attendance policy AP 5113. We encourage all parents to read the full updated attendance policy linked below.
For all attendance-related information or questions, please direct it to attendance@cmitsouth.org.
Thank you.
ADVENTURE ON!
Greetings,
Happy Holidays and warm wishes to all scholars, staff and families.
Are you ready to experience adventure and activities that will give you exceptional opportunities for community service, leadership, character development and life skills. You can have this and more while making friends to last a lifetime.
BSA Troop 1237, welcomes all students and adults with interest in scouting and/or venturing to visit or contact us for more information. All identities and needs are welcome and supported.
Scouts are all youth ages 11 up to age 18, that seeks a more traditional scouting experience, volunteer opportunities and outdoor experience. www.scouting.org/programs/scouts-bsa/
Venturing is Co-Ed for ages 14 up to age 21, that seek group adventure and activities to develop essential life skills. www.scouting.org/programs/venturing
Adults are always welcome to join and be a part of the experience for scouting and/or venturing. Positions of leadership, advising, committees or support are available.
Youth and adults are eligible to join both programs without without additional membership cost. Financial assistance is available when needed. Activities and events are available all year round and attendence is voluntary and flexible.
Interested in starting your adventure feel free to contact for more information at (301) 200-2219 or email
Adventure On!
Troop 1237
Cheltenham, MD
ATHLETICS NEWS
ATHLETIC UPDATES FROM MR. SMITH
First with the week recap!
- Our Middle School Girls basketball team went 2-0 this week. They were able to defeat Thurgood Marshall 41-7 on Monday. Then they turned around and defeated Accokeek Academy 38-6 on Wednesday. Their next game will be on 12/4 vs John Hanson. It will be a home game.
- Our Middle School Boys basketball team went 1-1 this week. They dominated Thurgood Marshall on Monday for an easy win! After that, they took a heartbreaking loss to Accokeek Academy in our home opener. The boys are now 2-2 to start the season. They also will play on 12/4 vs John Hanson.
The Week Ahead:
- This week will kick off our High School basketball season. Our Girls will start their season off facing Laurel High School on 12/5. They then will take on Largo HS on 12/7 and Ballou HS on 12/8 to end their week.
- Our HS boys will kick their season off on 12/5 when they take on Phelps HS out of Washington, D.C. They will then face Largo HS on 12/7.
Upcoming:
- The BSN team store is now open. Use the link below to order your CMIT South gear.
- All HS students interested in participating in athletics must register on Aktivate. The link is at the bottom of this post.
- All students must have a physical completed within the last calendar year in order to be on an athletic team.
HIGH SCHOOL NEWS
HIGH SCHOOL HOMECOMING SPIRIT WEEK 2023!
High Schoolers mark your calendars for Homecoming Week 2023!
We will celebrate Spirit Week from Monday, December 11th to Friday, December 15th. Follow the Spirit Week schedule and read the dress requirements for the week. The biggest thing to remember is NO CROCS or LEGGINGS at all.
Plan to attend the afterschool activities that week as well. Come out and cheer on your Tigers during our Homecoming Basketball Game on Thursday, December 14th vs Gwynn Park HS at 5:30 pm and 7:00 pm. The Talent Show is on Friday, December 15th, from 6-8 pm, and our Winter Wonderland Dance is on Saturday, December 16th, from 7-10 pm!
WINTER WONDERLAND HOMECOMING DANCE
High Schoolers, mark your calendars for our Winter Wonderland Homecoming Dance on Saturday, December 16th, from 7-10 pm! Attire is Semi-Formal/Formal. Purchase your tickets via the Cheddar Up link below.
LIST OF SCHOLARSHIPS!!!
Seniors!!!
The following link is a list of scholarships with deadlines in early October! For any questions or concerns, please reach out to the contact information provided on the scholarship's page.
RON BROWN SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Seniors,
Please check out the Ron Brown Scholarship Opportunity by clicking the following link:
JACKIE ROBINSON FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Seniors,
Please see the attached Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Opportunity!
PRESTIGE PHOTOGRAPHY SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITY
Seniors,
Please check out the Prestige Photography Scholarship opportunity by clicking the following link:
SMART SCHOLARSHIP ELIGIBILITY & STEM DISCIPLINES
Happy Wednesday, Juniors and Seniors!
Please see the below scholarship opportunity. Students who are currently taking dual enrollment courses may apply for this scholarship. Please take note of the applicant requirements under the "Undergraduate Applicants" section. For any questions or concerns, please email smart@smartscholarship.org.
SMART Scholarship Eligibility & STEM Disciplines
To learn more about the Ronald V. Dellums Memorial SMART Scholarship (Dellums SMART Scholarship) and to review eligibility requirements of the Dellums SMART Scholarship, visit the About Dellums page: https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart?id=kb_article&sys_id=5eb87d811b1f6d504e7ba820f54bcbf7
Eligibility Requirements: Review the below scholarship requirements to ensure you are eligible to apply for this life-changing opportunity. Who can apply? The SMART application is open August through December of every year, with awards being granted the following spring.
All applicants must be:
- a citizen of the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or United Kingdom at time of application,
- 18 years of age or older as of August 1, 2024
- requesting at least 1 year of degree funding prior to graduation (which starts at the program start date),
- able to complete at least one summer internship (multi-year scholars only)
- willing to accept post-graduation employment with the DoD,
- a student in good standing with a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale,
- pursuing a technical undergraduate or graduate degree in one of the 24 STEM disciplines listed below,
- able to produce a fall 2023 college transcript from a regionally accredited US college or university, OR be pursuing a graduate degree at a regionally accredited US college or university.
For more information, watch the SMART Eligibility Requirements video.
What kind of STEM?
The program focuses on students pursuing disciplines that are critical to national security functions of the Department of Defense (DoD). The following is a list of SMART’s 24 approved STEM disciplines. These disciplines are general umbrella disciplines – specific applicant majors or fields of study may fall under one or more discipline on this list. Please note, non-technical degrees, including management, arts, or humanities, are not approved or funded by SMART.
- Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering
- Biomedical Engineering
- Biosciences
- Chemical Engineering
- Chemistry
- Civil Engineering
- Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences
- Computer Science and Engineering
- Cybersecurity
- Data Science and Analytics
- Electrical Engineering
- Environmental Sciences
- Geosciences
- Industrial and Systems Engineering
- Information Sciences
- Materials Science and Engineering
- Mathematics
- Mechanical Engineering
- Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering
- Nuclear Engineering
- Oceanography
- Operations Research
- Physics
- Software Engineering
What you need to know
Scholarships are awarded for a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 5 years of funding, depending on degree requirements. SMART is a one-for-one commitment; for every year of degree funding, the scholar commits to working for a year with the DoD as a civilian employee.
Undergraduate applicants
Must be currently enrolled at a regionally accredited U.S. college or university Must be able to produce a fall 2023 (or earlier) college transcript at the end of the term AP coursework is not considered college credit
Graduate applicants
Can be either currently enrolled in a regionally accredited U.S. college or university or awaiting notification of admission If awaiting admission, you must be accepted for entrance in the fall 2024 term Scholars enter the program as either recruitment or retention. Learn more information on how scholars participate in the SMART Program through recruitment or retention. Learn more about the citizenship and security clearance requirements for SMART scholarship awards.
CLF TEACH Service Grant
Greetings CMIT South Class of 2024!
Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation has taken a proactive position in identifying early interest and recruiting educators for each of their seven schools located in Anne Arundel and Prince George’s Counties. To that end, they are elated to share The CLF TEACH Service Grant Application for eligible 2024 graduating seniors, or CLF alumni.
Once the grant applications have been received, the Application Review Committee will select recipients for the one-time $10,000 grant. Recipients will agree to serve in a teaching capacity at any of our Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation Schools for one year to repay the $10,000 grant (1:1). If a grant recipient does not teach at one of our seven schools immediately upon graduation from the college or university, the grant will become a loan, repayable with interest.
If you are interested, the deadline for submitting applications is December 15, 2023.
MIDDLE SCHOOL NEWS
7th GRADE JA FINANCE TRIP THIS WEEK!!
Please read the important information below to ensure your scholar is prepared for their trip.
- All scholars must wear their white Oxford shirt and tie on the day of the trip.
- Students cannot bring bags to the trip location. Please have them leave any school bags and materials at home on the day of their trip (except for those who have athletic practices after school and need to put their gym bags in their lockers).
- If students are bringing their lunch, they have to be able to throw away ALL lunch materials. They cannot bring any lunch bags or reusable containers on the day of the trip.
- Food cannot be delivered to the field trip location for students.
- All students must be dropped off and picked up from CMIT South at their normal times on the day of the trip, even if their parent is volunteering on the trip.
- Please ensure students are on time to school the day of their trip so they do not miss the bus.
As a reminder, here is the field trip schedule for the 7th-grade cohorts:
- Thursday, December 7th: Fisk, Salisbury, UMBC
- Friday, December 8th: CAU, Coppin, Frostburg
PTO NEWS
VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES
Greetings CMIT Scholars,
Scholars, do you need SSL hours? If so, here's your opportunity!
The PTO needs assistance hosting the concession stand at the MS Basketball Games and would love a few helping hands of support.
Sign up by clicking the link below.
GET INVOLVED WITH THE PTO
The Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) is a school-based organization made up of parents, guardians, teachers, staff and administrators who work together to supplement and enrich the educational experience at CMIT Academy South Middle and High schools. Please consider joining our PTO and getting involved with school activities.
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