CRESTHILL MIDDLE SCHOOL

April 7th: 8th Grade CMAS Testing (Science)

April 8th: 7th Grade CMAS Testing (Math/ELA)

April 8th: School Accountability Committee Meeting 5:00-7:00

April 9th: 7th Grade CMAS Testing (Math/ELA)

April 10th & 11th: Spring Play - Matilda 6:00-7:20

April 14th: 8th Grade CMAS Testing - (Math/ELA)

April 15th: 8th Grade CMAS Testing - (Math/ELA)

April 17th: Q3 7th Grade Honor Roll Assembly 9:20-9:45

April 24th: Teacher Work Day (NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

April 27th: Teacher Compensation Day (SCHOOL CLOSED)

April 29th: iReady Testing - Reading 9:00-10:30

April 30th: iReady Testing - Reading 9:00-10:30

May 4th-8th: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 5th: iReady Testing Math (end of year)

May 6th: iReady Testing Math (end of year)

May 6th: SAC Meeting 5:00-7:00

May 7th: Q3 8th Grade Honor Roll Assemblies 9:20-9:45 ❗❗UPDATED❗❗

May 7th: NJHS Induction 5:30-6:30

May 8th: Outsider's Day

May 12th: Band/Orchestra Concert 6:30-7:30

May 13th: Choir Concert 6:30-7:30

May 14th: HRHS "Moving Up" Assembly at HRHS for 8th Grade STUDENTS ONLY

May 15th: Chromebook Collection Day

May 25th: Memorial Day - SCHOOL CLOSED

May 28th: LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - ❗❗UPDATED BY THE DISTRICT ❗❗

7TH GRADE TEAMS

• JUNIPER
• PINON

• BLUE SPRUCE
• ASPEN

• ELECTIVES
• GIFTED AND TALENTED FAMILY UPDATES
• COUNSELING CORNER

TOURS WILL TAKE PLACE EVERY THURSDAY @ 8:00 am

SIGN UP HERE

Explore Cresthill’s academic programs and pathways, and see what makes CMS an exceptional place to learn. Discover our student activities, athletics, and extracurricular opportunities. Learn how our AVID program prepares students for college and career success, and meet our Counseling Team to see how we support every student’s academic and social growth.

Anime Club, Chess Club, Drama Club, Homework Club, Movie Club, Ping Pong Club and so many more....see the full list of Clubs HERE!

Join TODAY! Register Below at My School Bucks!

Attention Families!

LAST CALL to Register for Coed 7th/8th Grade Track — Practice starts next Monday, 4/13 after school! Follow the registration steps below!

Live Stream our Games!!

Click this LINK to learn more information about how you can stream all of our home games here at Cresthill!!

Important Fundraiser Information:

This school year, our student-athletes participating in any of our sports teams will be participating in a special fundraising effort to support our athletics programs. Please access this LINK for more information regarding our sports fundraiser.

Registration Details:

To ensure your student-athlete is properly registered to participate in 7/8th grade Coed Track please follow the steps/links below to register your student-athlete.

1. Please visit CMS Athletics Website to view important information and sport specific schedules.

• To register for Coed Track use this LINK
• To order a Track T-Shirt please use this LINK

Please note:

• All CMS student-athletes must have a current sport's physical in order to practice/play. Please use this physical waiver form to register LINK

• All paperwork & fees must be completed and paid in order to practice/play.

If there are any questions or concerns, please contact Stephanie Young at stephanie.young@dcsdk12.org or 303-387-2816 or our Athletic Director, Joe Wahl, at jwahl1@dcsdk12.org

Cresthill Community!

We are SO excited to highlight Cirilo Ibarra, Owner of David & Goliath Contracting, LLC, as one of our fantastic Defend the Den sponsors! His generous support directly benefits our athletics programs here at Cresthill, helping create memorable experiences for ALL of our student athletes. Thank you, Cirilo, for standing with us and investing in our student-athletes future and supporting Cresthill athletics!!!

See more about Cirilo’s business by reading below and visiting his website.

If you’re interested in becoming a Defend the Den sponsor, please click this LINK to learn more.

#DefendTheDen #CommunityStrong

From our Sponsor!!

"Hello, my name is Cirilo Ibarra, founder of David and Goliath Contracting and a proud sponsor of Cresthill’s Defend the Den! We are a local, family-owned construction company based in Highlands Ranch, offering residential and commercial services. Our licensed and insured team handles everything from full renovations to repairs and specialty work, including HVAC, plumbing, electrical, concrete work, and landscaping. Whether it is through a project or a quick conversation, I look forward to connecting whenever our paths cross!"

Cirilo Ibarra

David & Goliath Contracting, LLC

720.940.1755

(newest and most important at the top)

As our mornings get busier, we want to ensure every student arrives at school and returns home safely. Colorado traffic laws are designed to protect our most vulnerable commuters, and staying informed helps our entire community.

Please review these essential safety reminders and state laws with your student:

🚗 For Our Drivers:

• Yield at Every Crosswalk: In Colorado, pedestrians have the right-of-way at all intersections and crosswalks—even if the lines aren’t painted. You must yield or come to a complete stop to let pedestrians pass.

  
  

• The "No-Passing" Rule: It is illegal to pass a vehicle that is stopped at a crosswalk. They are likely stopping for a student you cannot see yet.

  
  

• School Zone Awareness: Under current 2026 guidelines (HB26-1318), school zones are defined as all roadways within 1,000 feet of school property. Please stay alert, as fines for traffic violations are doubled in these zones.

  
  

• Make Eye Contact: Before turning or proceeding, look for pedestrians and make eye contact to ensure they see you.

🎒 For Our Students:

• Use the "Walk" Signal: Always push the crosswalk button and wait for the steady "Walk" sign. If the "Don't Walk" sign is flashing, do not start crossing.

• Eyes Up, Phones Down: Distracted walking is dangerous. Please put away phones and remove headphones when approaching a street so you can hear oncoming traffic.

  
  

• Left, Right, Left: Always look both ways before stepping off the curb. Even if you have the right-of-way, make sure cars have come to a complete stop before you enter the road.

• Be Visible: Especially on cloudy mornings or during after-school activities, wear bright clothing or reflective gear so drivers can spot you easily.

Did you know? Colorado law requires drivers to exercise "due care" to avoid colliding with pedestrians. However, pedestrians also have a duty to not "suddenly leave a curb" into the path of a moving vehicle that is too close to stop. Safety is a shared responsibility!

Thank you for helping us keep our school zone a safe place for everyone!

Our CMAS (Colorado Measures of Academic Success) Assessments are scheduled to begin here at Cresthill on Tuesday, April 7th. 8th graders will be testing on 4/7 (Science 8) and 7th graders will pick things up with their Math & English Language Arts testing on 4/8 and 4/9. 8th graders will then pick up with testing on 4/14 and 4/15 with their Math & English Language Arts assessments. (See the full schedule here.) As we have mentioned previously, these assessments and ensuing results are one of the important student-data moments in the learning and instructional cycle of our school. The information that we glean from these assessments is hugely beneficial in helping us, as a staff (and, the staff of our HRHS neighbors) in determining both our strengths and weaknesses and critical "next steps" in attending to student academic needs. This is also a "low stakes" opportunity for practice for much higher stakes assessments that will surely be a part of your child's academic and work future. We would encourage students to participate in order to help us all in these processes.

If you have thought about excusing your student from testing, you can find all the information necessary as well as information regarding our planned schedule for CMAS & CoALT/DLM testing and the DCSD Assessment Policy and district schedule, on the "State Mandated Testing" tab on the Cresthill website. We ask that, if you are leaning toward excusal, that you please read through, first, the information regarding CMAS testing/information under the "Excusal Information" heading. Please keep in mind, there will be no regular classroom activities or homework assistance for excused students on the days of testing.

Please reach out to our School Assessment Coordinator, Mark Wakefield (mdwakefield@dcsdk12.org), if you have any questions.

Thank you!

To ensure you receive important updates regarding school safety, grades, and events, we recommend checking your Spam or Junk folder periodically.

If you find an email from @dcsdk12.org in your spam folder, please mark it as "Not Spam" or "Move to Inbox." This simple action helps "train" your email provider to recognize our communications as safe, ensuring our future messages reach you directly.

Since we never know exactly when the weather will turn colder in Colorado – it’s a good time for a refresher on how our school district handles school delays and closures in the case of inclement weather (snow will be here before we know it). Be sure to review THIS page on our district website to learn how we call a delay or closure and how soon you can expect to be notified. This is also a good time to make sure you are signed up to receive emergency messaging from our school district so that you are notified right away in the case of a school delay or closure.

How to Receive Emergency Messages from DCSD

Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and click on the “person” icon in the top right-hand corner of the page. Navigate to “Contact Preferences” and review your contact information. If you see an incorrect phone number or email, please update it in Infinite Campus, or contact the registrar at your child’s school to request an update.

CRESTHILL IS NOW AN AVID SCHOOL!!!!

Cresthill families, we are so EXCITED to announce that we are now an official AVID school...

The REALLY EXCITING PART??? Cresthill is the ONLY middle school in Highlands Ranch to offer this incredible program. AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) is a college readiness system designed to close the opportunity gap by preparing all students for college and career success. Through AVID, students develop critical thinking, organization, and leadership skills in a supportive environment that fosters academic achievement and personal growth. Click this LINK to learn more about how AVID is helping Cresthill students reach their full potential!

E-Bikes in Colorado: Know the Rules. Ride Responsibly!

We are calling on all Cresthill parents and families to make student attendance a priority!

Want to learn why attendance matters for your student and what you can do to support them? Visit our DCSD Attendance Web Page for more information.

👉If your student will be absent for any reason please call our Attendance Line at 303-387-2802. Please speak slowly and leave a clear message with your child's first name, last name, and the reason for the absence.

👉If your student needs to leave early for an appointment or any other reason, we kindly ask that you notify us in advance whenever possible. You can call the attendance line or the main office 303-387-2800. Please provide your child's name, the reason for dismissal, and whether they will be returning to school. We'll issue a pass to your student so that they are ready to leave at the specified time.

👉A photo ID is required when picking up your child from the building. Please remember that anyone picking up your student MUST be listed as an emergency contact on Infinite Campus. You can update this information within "Express Check In" in your Infinite Campus Portal.

👉 Please Note: If you need to pick your student up towards the end of the day, we ask that you pick them up BEFORE 2:30pm. This will ensure that we can get your student to you in a timely manner.

The mission of the SAC is to inform, encourage, and provide opportunities for parents/guardians and community members to be involved in the planning and evaluation of the school’s instructional program and quality improvement processes. You do not need to be a voting member to participate in meetings. All are welcome to attend.

If you have topics you’d like to be considered for the agenda please email cresthillsac@gmail.com.

Our next SAC meeting is on March 11th from 5:00pm-7:00pm in the main office. Future meetings will be held on April 8th and May 6th.

Regional School Accountability Committee Training:

Regional SAC Trainings have been held for the 25-26 School Year. The slides are available under the SAC Training Module Section. You can also find more information at our District SAC Page.

Become a member of the Cresthill Parent Group and make a difference by:

• Supporting staff appreciation efforts
• Organizing fundraisers
• Assisting with school projects and needs
• Volunteering as a chaperone for school events
• Coordinating restaurant nights

Interested? Reach out to Jennifer Swanson in the front office. jswanson2@dcsdk12.org

We have 2 new Raptor Visitor Self Check-In kiosks in the front of the school for adults that will be in the building for a period of time. Please follow the steps below when visiting Cresthill:

1. Have your ID out and ready

2. Complete the instructions on the kiosk

3. A name badge will be printed and given to you by security or our attendance secretary.

Note: Frequent visitors can download the "Raptor Safe" application from the Apple Store or Google Play for a seamless visitor check in experience.

With cold and flu season upon us, we want to remind everyone of our illness policy:

👉If your student has a cough, runny nose and isn't feeling well enough to participate in school activities, consider keeping them home to rest.

👉If your child has a fever, vomiting and/or diarrhea, sore throat, rash, or other conditions requiring antibiotics, your child must stay home.

👉A student may return to school after 24 hours of antibiotics for any diagnosed illness.

Exception: If being treated for Pertussis, students must be on antibiotics for 5 days before returning to school.

👉 Students must be free of the following conditions for at least 24 hours:

• Fever (without the aid of fever reducing medication)
• Vomiting and/or diarrhea when accompanied by other illness symptoms or due to a virus such as Norovirus)

Thank you for helping to keep all of our students safe and healthy!

😉Nothing For Now🙃

Dear DCSD Families Eligible for School Bus Transportation,

We are excited to begin the new school year and look forward to serving our students and families.

Thank you so much for your cooperation and understanding as we implemented a rolling bus cancellation schedule over the past several years.

Over the past year, we have worked diligently to increase staffing to eliminate route rotation cancellations. While we’ve made significant progress, some routes will need to remain on the rolling cancellation schedule for at least the first part of the school year.

While we are pleased to have been able to restore a number of routes, we know our work will not be finished until all of our bus routes are off of the rolling cancellation schedule. Enhanced recruiting, training, and retention initiatives continue to be pursued.

We will communicate continued progress on our cancelled routes along with an updated schedule in early October so families can plan accordingly.

Please click here to view the current rotation schedule and to check if your route will be affected as we begin the new school year.

As a reminder, this rolling bus cancellation schedule is for general education bus routes only. Special education routes will continue as normal and will not be impacted.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we work to provide safe and reliable transportation for all students and please spread the word, “WE’RE HIRING!”

Sincerely,

Jackie Millet, Chief Operations Officer

Donna Grattino, Director of Transportation

Douglas County School District

P.S. If you know of anyone who might want to join the DCSD family as a bus driver or assistant, please encourage them to apply at www.dcsdk12.org/careers.

For more Transportation Information, see our district page linked HERE.

Dear Cresthill Families,

Here at Cresthill, we make use of numerous online instructional and learning tools and applications. A number of these are used regularly, by many teachers and in many learning situations here at CMS. That being said, we wanted to offer the opportunity for any student to be opted-out from any of these instructional tools as deemed necessary by parents or guardians.

Linked below is a document that is for Opt Out purposes only -- you, as a family, do not need to take any action if you are comfortable with your student using these instructional tools in the course of their schoolwork at Cresthill.

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mr. Wakefield (Professional Learning Specialist) at mdwakefield@dcsdk12.org

Thank you!

Parent Letter for App or Website Use

• Honor Roll at CMS also looks directly at both content knowledge AND work habits during each quarterly grading period. CMS designates the Honor Roll using the following criteria:

• Students must exhibit work habits that “Exceed Expectations” (Grade of ‘A’) in at least 6 of 8 classes (with no grades of ‘C’ or ‘U’).

• Students must have more A’s than B’s in Content Knowledge with no C’s, D’s, or I’s. (A minimum of 4 A’s for Content knowledge grades)

If you have any questions about grades, please reach out to your students teacher via email.

Dear Cresthill Families and Students,

If you are unsure of the grading and reporting practices of Cresthill -- and, for example, why it looks like your student has a 3 out of 100 for a grade in a class! -- check out the video and presentation below. You will get clarification on what you and your child will see in their Infinite Campus gradebook and understand a lot better why and how we grade as a Standards-Based Grading school.

Check this out:

• Grading Practices at CMS & Infinite Campus Gradebook Clarifications (CMS Website)

• Standards-Based Grading Presentation

If you have any questions, please let us know or reach out directly to our Professional Learning Specialist, Mr. Wakefield, at mdwakefield@dcsdk12.org

Dear CMS Community,

If you are asking a lot of questions about AI and education -- or, don't know where to even start -- take a few minutes to listen to a presentation by Matt Miller on the topic, "10 Things for Parents to Know about AI & Education". We here at Cresthill, like Matt Miller, are very much in the process of wrestling with the implications of AI in our educational world and are constantly seeking out ways to not only make sense and good use of AI tools but also to help educate and train our students in the best uses of these resources and tools.

Check out his presentation here or scan the QR code below.

Cresthill is thrilled to offer a unique experience for our students! Our PBIS store (Swag Shack) is a vibrant space where positivity shines and good choices earn rewards! Students can earn “Cougar Cash” by showing awesome behaviors that reflect our S.H.A.R.E.S. values, like kindness, respect, and being good stewards of Cresthill!

Whether it’s demonstrating positive behaviors, achieving perfect attendance, or helping create a supportive and respectful school community, Cougar Cash lets students celebrate their successes in a fun and meaningful way.

We invite you to be part of this exciting journey! Help us make the PBIS store unforgettable by donating items that our students will love to redeem. Let’s come together to celebrate and encourage our students!

Click the Cresthill PBIS Store LINK to see how you can help us stock the store before the first day of school. Every donation counts—thank you for supporting our community!

For our Multi Lingual Learners.....

😉Nothing for Now 🙃

👉Support Cresthill Middle School — It’s Free & Takes 2 Minutes!

Every time you shop at King Soopers, the school can earn money — at no cost to you. All you have to do is link your Shopper’s Card one time.

How to set it up:

1. Go to KingSoopers.com and sign in (or create an account).

2. Click My Account → Community Rewards.

3. Search for Cresthill Middle School.

4. Click Enroll or Save.

That’s it!
Now just shop and swipe your Shopper’s Card as usual — the school earns automatically.

Please take 2 minutes to help us reach 100% participation!

Please join us for our mandatory parents meeting for all players who are interested in playing football for HRHS this fall on Thursday, April 9 at 7 pm in the HRHS Library.

This is an important meeting and every player should have at least one representative. During this meeting, we will discuss our summer and fall practice schedule and all other pertinent information to be a part of the team this upcoming season!

Please contact Jason Shumaker, Head Football Coach, at jshumaker@dcsdk12.org with any questions!

Go Falcons!

Head Football Coach

Social Studies Teacher

Highlands Ranch High School

We'd like to invite all players interested in boys basketball at HRHS next year and their parents to an informational meeting Tuesday April 14th at 5:45pm in the HRHS Commons. We'll be going over our summer workout/ tournament schedule along with general information and expectations. Use this link to sign up for the HRHS Boys Basketball TeamSnap for future communication and scheduling information. If you have any questions, please feel free reach out to abucholtz@dcsdk12.org

In honor of Mr. Humphreys' final year at Eagle Ridge, we are requesting notes from the Eagle Ridge Community capturing favorite memories or stories of your time with Mr. Humphreys at ERE. If you would like to participate in this collection, please drop off handwritten notes with our office or email Ms. Sanger (jesanger@dcsdk12.org) with your messages.

Note - we are trying to keep this a secret from Mr. Humphreys, so Shhhhhh!

Office Hours: 7:00 AM - 3:30 PM

Before school/bell schedule:

7:25 AM First bell

7:30 AM Period One begins

After-school dismissal and expectations:

2:45 PM Dismissal

2:57 PM Buses Depart

3:00 PM

All students are off campus by 3:00 PM if they are not participating in a sport or activity.

Students are not allowed to be on campus after 3:00 pm without permission/supervision.

Main Office: 303-387-2800

Attendance: 303-387-2802

Registration: 303-387-2810

Bookkeeper: 303-387-2816

ADMINISTRATION

Francesca Pappalardo - Principal

303-387-2805

fpappalardo@dcsdk12.org

Gina Chambers - 8th-grade Assistant Principal/Activities Director

303-387-2807

gmchambers@dcsdk12.org

Joe Wahl - 7th-grade Assistant Principal/Athletic Director

303-387-2806

jwahl1@dcsdk12.org

Mark Wakefield - Professional Learning Specialist

mark.wakefield@dcsdk12.org

Mascot: Cougar

School Colors: Black, Red, Gray, and White

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