Hello Eagles!
*Don't forget this Friday (12/22/23) is a half-day for students. Middle school students will be dismissed at 1:05pm. Due to the early release bell schedule, we will not be able to do any early pick-ups after 12:10pm so please plan accordingly.
*As we near the holiday break and there are multiple illnesses going around, a few important reminders:
- Absence notes should be emailed to crmsattendance@leanderisd.org within 48 hours of the absence. When you email the school, please include the student's first and last name and ID #. Student nicknames can cause confusion with attendance coding.
If you will be picking up your child from school early, please call the school (512-570-3500) ahead of time to let the Receptionist know. This allows our Receptionist time to get a pass written ahead of time and helps to move the process along more quickly so call sooner than when you are about to pull into the parking lot :)
The only people who will be permitted to pick up a child will be parents/guardians and those individuals listed as an emergency contact in your Home Access Center (HAC). Due to safety reasons, we do not allow a parent to call in and give permission for someone to pick up your child during the school day other than those listed in HAC.
Unless you send in the proper note for an absence (as per the handbook & statutory requirements TEC 28.087), any absences leading up to the holidays, just like any other time of the school year, will be coded unexcused.
*Thank you to our PTA for our new holiday tree at CRMS - we are loving the December holiday spirit all around our campus. And thanks to Dwell ATX Realty Group for sponsoring our Faculty Retreat room and decorations too. Please check out the calendar below for our CRMS Countdown to the Holidays. We have started our themed dress-up days that will continue until the holiday break, and we have many opportunities for you to check out a CRMS sporting event or Holiday concert.
Go Eagles!
Mrs. Wendy Sturdevant
Student Spring Semester Schedules in HAC
Families, some students may have a different schedule for the spring semester. There are various reasons for changes in schedules, so we encourage all students and parents to check the HAC to view their child’s schedule. Classes designated with C1-C6 are full year classes. Classes that show as C4, C5, C6 are spring semester classes. If you have questions, please reach out to the grade level counselor. Have a wonderful break! We look forward to seeing students back on campus January 9, 2024.
Ms. Polit, 8th gr ELA Teacher
Mrs. Nayak, 6th gr Math Teacher
Ms. Bantolo, 7th gr Science Teacher
This is Ms. Bantolo’s second year at Canyon Ridge, she has been teaching for 8 years. She is a 7th grade science teacher. She says that One thing that stands out about CRMS is the way students' unique talents and academic abilities are showcased with the support of excellent educators and administrators. One of her favorite things from her class this year; “As part of our current unit on Taxonomy, the students had the opportunity to observe protists under the microscope. After explaining how to use the microscope for this lab, I was pleasantly surprised by how well-behaved the students were and how much they enjoyed the experiment. This experience taught me that fostering curiosity amongst my students creates a positive learning environment in the classroom. Allowing them to explore science in their own ways can make learning more engaging and fun for them.” She wants her students to remember that she is always a resource for them and she is always happy to answer their questions. Fun fact about Ms. Bantolo; she taught in Dubai for 2 years. We are happy to have her as part of our team.
Share Your Voice in Leander’s MLK Jr. Essay and Video Contest
The City of Leander and Leander ISD are partnering to host our annual essay contest to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The theme for Leander’s 2024 MLK Day March and Celebration is Action Starts with Me. Leander ISD students grades K-12 can apply! Deadline for entries in Dec. 31.
Foreign Language Testing - Deadline January 16, 2024
CRMS families, if your child is proficient in a language and would like to pursue testing opportunities to earn high school credit for this language, please contact your school counselor for information on 2023/2024 testing. Testing date for spring 2024 is February 6, 2024 on the CRMS campus. The deadline to register for spring testing is January 16, 2024 or when all slots are filled. Testing slots are limited due to the nature of the test and classroom capacity. Once the slots are full, your child can be added to the fall 2024 list. Testing is open to all grade levels, but recommended for 7/8 graders.
2023-2024 Yearbooks for sale!
Yearbook Recognition Ads are also available to purchase for 8th Graders ONLY until February 8th; they cost $25.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jared.Lichtenberger@leanderisd.org
Please note that we have a new yearbook vendor for this year, so please make sure you are purchasing with our link for Jostens Canyon Ridge Middle School Yearbook.
Golden Eagle Weekly Recognition
Parents: Here is an opportunity to recognize a Canyon Ridge Middle School teacher or staff member who has made a difference! Every week, a faculty member will be chosen as the Golden Eagle recipient. If the teacher or staff member you nominated is recognized for this award, you will be invited to come to campus and join us to present the award with the admin team. Please complete this brief form to honor a CRMS teacher or staff member.
2024-25 Academic Calendar Feedback Requested
It’s the time of year when the district reviews the current academic calendar and finalizes the academic calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. 2024-2025 Calendar Draft
Our community’s insights are essential to ensuring we develop an academic calendar that best meets the needs of everyone in the district. There are two different formats for community members to provide feedback. Choose the one that works best for you, or participate in both. Our goal is to collect as much feedback as possible.
Complete our Community Survey
The survey will open Monday, Nov. 27, and close at 8 a.m. Jan. 8, 2024
Off-Campus Physical Education (OCPE) Guidelines Update
It is important that any student interested in applying for OCPE for the 24-25 school year look over these guidelines and become familiar with the changes.
Special Programs Updates
LEEF Gala - January 27, 2024
The Leander Educational Excellence Foundation (LEEF) is hosting its annual Gala and Auction on January 27, 2024 at The Crossover in Leander, Texas. We welcome you to come walk the yellow brick road with us into An Evening in the Emerald City where we will honor and celebrate our Leander ISD students and staff. You will enjoy cocktails, dinner, dancing and the opportunity to help raise funds for LEEF to continue investing in Leander ISD and your future leaders!
Come join us and we'll show you why #There'sNoPlaceLikeLISD
Attn: 8th graders mark your calendar!
8th Grade Parents--save the dates! Information will be updated on the VHS Counseling Website as the dates get closer. Be sure to check there for all VHS related information!
**These dates are accurate as of 10/5/23.
February 22 // 8th Grade Parent/Guardian Info Webinar // Link will be posted here
counselors will provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade families
parents/guardians will learn about the course selection process and ask related questions
February 26 - 27 // Four-Year Planning & Course Selection Overview with VHS Counselors (2 days at each school)
VHS counselors will visit Four Points and Canyon Ridge Middle Schools to provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade students
students will submit tentative course requests
students and their parent/guardian will be emailed a PDF copy of these tentative requests
choices are editable - a new PDF copy of updated courses will be emailed after each edit
VHS counselors will meet individually with 8th grade students to review four-year plans and course selections
March 4 @ 4pm
deadline to lock in initial course selections for the 2024-25 school year
- while there will be additional change opportunities, finalizing your requests as early as possible provides the highest likelihood of being placed in the classes you want
students and families will have the opportunity to further explore course options
Viper Night will include an elective fair, club & org fair, breakout sessions, and student panels
Early College HS Opens Enrollment for 2024–25 School Year
Do you have an 8th-grade student who would benefit from obtaining their high school diploma while also earning an associate degree tuition free? Leander ISD’s Early College High School makes this possible through the district’s partnership with Austin Community College at the San Gabriel Campus.
ECHS combines high expectations, academic rigor through inquiry-based instruction, and individualized student supports to prepare our scholars for academic success.
LISD ECHS is now accepting applications for its third cohort, which will then be selected through a blind lottery process later in the spring for incoming 2024–25 9th-graders. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 8, 2024. Apply Here
Shop & support CRMS
Simply copy/paste the below message to send an email to good.neighbor@randalls.com with the following:
Hello,
Please link my customer account connected to phone number [type your Randall's phone number] with Good Neighbor Charity #14216 for Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA.
Thank you,
[type your name]
Restroom damage - Reward
CRMS families - we need your help!
We continue to have students making poor choices in our restrooms (primarily in the boys restrooms). Just to give you a few examples, they are breaking soap dispensers, peeing on the floor, wetting paper towels and throwing on the walls/floors, cramming items in the toilet or sink to cause an overflow, etc. We know we have a lot of amazing students and this is not all of our Eagles, but it is an almost daily occurrence in one or more bathrooms, and it is leaving our restrooms in a condition that other students don't want to go into the restroom. This has been a priority for our admin team this year because I know it's disgusting to have boys coming out of the restroom with shoes squeaking from getting wet from the urine on the floor. Our hard-working custodians clean them regularly and our staff is monitoring them as consistently as we can, but due to privacy, we cannot have someone standing in the restroom staring at students or have cameras inside the area.
Please talk to your students about this issue and encourage them to report damage or a mess being made as soon as they see it. Student names will be kept CONFIDENTIAL, but it is critical that they report it in a timely manner on the day that they see the issue.
Attendance
Important Attendance Reminders:
- Absence notes should be emailed to crmsattendance@leanderisd.org within 48 hours of the absence.
When you email the school, please include the student's first and last name and ID #. Student nicknames can cause confusion with attendance coding.
If you will be picking up your child from school early, please call the school (512-570-3500) ahead of time to let the Receptionist know. This allows our Receptionist time to get a pass written ahead of time and helps to move the process along more quickly.
The only people who will be permitted to pick up a child will be parents/guardians and those individuals listed as an emergency contact in your Home Access Center (HAC). Due to safety reasons, we cannot allow a parent to call in and give permission for someone to pick up your child during the school day other than those listed in HAC.
We do not allow early pick up after 4:00pm.
- If you feel like there is an error for a particular class period, please email the teacher directly first. For example, if your student was tardy and the teacher accidentally already marked the student absence, email the teacher because the attendance office has to have it in writing from the teacher before attendance can update anything
- There is a turn around time in updates if a student was with the nurse, AP, counselor, etc. It is not necessary to email the attendance office. Please remember that we have almost 1100 students so it will take 1-2 business days to show the update. We appreciate your patience and understanding that our team is working tirelessly to support all of our Eagles!
mLISD devices for the 2023-2024 year are still available!
At CRMS, we are a 1-to-1 device campus. All students are required to have a device with a keyboard each day at school. Students may bring their own device or get a device from mLISD.
This coming school year, all 6th graders will begin receiving new devices as part of the technology rollout from the last bond election.
The payment window is now open for families to secure their students’ district-provided laptops for the 2023-2024 school year. Plans to distribute laptops will be communicated at a later date. This program is optional. A non-refundable security deposit will be required for participation. The security deposit will be waived for students who qualify for Free and Reduced meals.
Price:
Middle School Students: $40 per school year, starting December 1: $20 for remainder of school year
High School Students: $60 per school year, starting December 1: $30 for remainder of school year
Students who qualify for Free and Reduced meals: $0.00
(Registration through our online store, currently EdPay, or submission of a signed acceptance form is required.)
Payment methods:
A) Debit/credit cards through the mLISD website
B) Scholarship opportunities are available. Please contact mlisd@leanderisd.org or your counselor for more information. Please include the following information in your email:
The student’s name
Campus
Student ID number
Parent phone number
Click here for more information about mLISD, scholarships and access to sign-up and pay
Bus updates from Transportation
The Leander ISD Transportation Department uses SMART Tag – a system that provides accurate, near real-time monitoring of where and when students load onto and unload off of their school bus – to help promote student safety and security, keeping parents, school administrators and the district’s transportation department more informed.
Returning bus riders are asked to continue to use the SMART Tag card they were issued last year. If they do not have a card, the student will punch in using their lunch number (student ID) when getting on and off the bus. Bus drivers will begin to issue cards in September for new bus riders.
The online parent portal allows parents and guardians to register to receive alerts for when the bus will arrive at their child’s stop; see a live map of their child’s bus; and view a riding history for their child. Be sure to register if you have never done so.
By Wednesday, Aug. 9, Leander ISD parents can enter their home address into Infofinder to look up their child’s bus route number, pick-up/drop-off times, and bus stop locations for the 2023–24 school year. Bus routes are subject to change, so LISD parents are strongly encouraged to confirm their child’s bus information again the week prior to the start of school.
School Breakfast & Lunches
During the 2023–24 school year, Leander ISD will welcome back Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE) as its food-services provider. That’s right – that means Crispitos are coming back!
All students who qualify for free meals during the 2023–24 school year will receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. In 2023–24, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will receive free breakfast meals and lunch for $0.40.
For elementary students who do not qualify for F&R meals, prices will remain the same from last year. At elementary school, the cost of breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $2.90. For secondary students, the cost of breakfast is $1.75 and lunch is $3.15.
Parents who would like to apply to find out if they are eligible for F&R meals for their children can visit our Child Nutrition Services website for more information.
Athletic events tickets for Middle School online!
Tickets can be purchased through link on the athletics webpage:
Canyon Ridge Middle School
AP/Counselor by grade-level for 2023-2024:
- 6th: Dr. Ashley Thompson1 / Kimberly Mills
- 7th: Leah Cox / Jillian Baaklini
- 8th: Brian Bass / Staci Cote
Email: Wendy.Sturdevant@leanderisd.orgg
Website: crms.leanderisd.org
Location: Canyon Ridge Middle School, Country Trails Lane, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-570-3500
Twitter: @Sturdevant_CRMS