CMS September Newsletter

Our eighth graders are up bright and early, ready to make sure our student body has all the information they need to make it a great day every day!

Happy Labor Day, CMS Families!

Does anyone know why we celebrate Labor Day? It's a time to honor the hard work and contributions of workers who have helped build and strengthen our communities and our country. It is also a wonderful reminder that every job, every effort, and every person’s contribution matters.

At Central Middle School, we see hard work every day... from our students who are learning and growing, to our families who support them, to our teachers and staff who work tirelessly to help our students succeed.

Our Labor Day Challenge for CMS Families: Take a few moments today to talk with your child about the importance of hard work. Ask them: What is something you are working hard to improve this school year? Then, encourage them by sharing something that you have worked hard to accomplish in your own life. We're sure it'll be a great conversation!

Together, let's continue building a community where hard work, responsibility, and perseverance are celebrated!

Have a safe, restful, and Happy Labor Day, CMS!

Help shape our school community and make your voice heard! Please take a few minutes to complete our Parent Training Needs Survey.

Your feedback directly guides how we plan parent activities, schedule school events, and invest our time in you, our CMS families, throughout the school year. From technology resources and family reading books to academic support programs, whether you want to share a unique talent, volunteer, or let us know the best times for meetings, your input ensures we support you and your child in the best ways possible!

This is one way you can help us create a stronger, more connected community for our students, so take five minutes to fill it out!

Students may bring only clear or sealed water bottles to school. Please remember that this does not include soda, Prime, energy drinks, juice, coffee, iced tea, etc.

To Be Perfectly Clear: Any non-water beverage brought into the building without being packed in a lunchbox will be discarded.

Because students do not have access to their lockers or backpacks during the school day, we recommend sending your child with a refillable water bottle if they may need more than one serving of water throughout the day. Water refill stations and drinking fountains are available on every floor.

Thank you for partnering with us to help keep CMS healthy, hydrated, and focused on learning!

At CMS, we believe student dress should reflect respect for oneself and our diverse school community. While we encourage individuality, there are certain non-negotiable expectations that must be followed to keep our school safe and focused on learning:

🚫 Not Permitted:

• Torn pants, pajama pants (unless part of a spirit week), sagging pants (pants must be worn at the waist).

• Shorts, skirts, jumpers, or dresses less than 3 inches from the knee (leggings must be worn underneath if shorter).

• Flip flops, slides, shoes with wheels.

• Revealing clothing, including crop tops, low-cut tops, strapless/halter/muscle shirts, or clothing that exposes undergarments, the stomach, or private areas.

• See-through or backless clothing.

• Clothing or accessories with obscene language, sexual content, drugs, alcohol, violence, gangs, or derogatory messages toward any group or individual.

• Head coverings (hoods, bandanas, sheisties, hats, caps) unless required for religious or medical purposes.

• Outerwear (backpacks, jackets, winter coats) inside the school day unless approved by an administrator.

👟 Clothing & shoes must be safe and appropriate for school—items deemed unsafe or disruptive by administrators will not be permitted.

✅ What’s Okay:

• Clothing that fits properly and covers the body appropriately.

• Refillable water bottles (clear/see-through).

• Head coverings for religious or medical reasons (with documentation).

👉 Please help us by checking your child’s attire before school each day. Our goal is to maintain a responsible, respectful, safe, and distraction-free learning environment for everyone!

A new school year means a new adventure! As our Red Knights begin another journey of learning, growth, and discovery, we invite CMS families to take on the September Red Knight Family Quest.

This month, our quest is all about starting strong, building positive habits, and supporting one another. Families are encouraged to complete at least three quests together during September!

⚔️ The Quest of the Strong Start

Take a few minutes as a family to talk about the school year ahead. Ask your Red Knight:

“What is one goal you want to accomplish this year?”

Write it down and revisit it together later in the year.

📚 The Scholar's Quest

Spend at least 20 minutes reading, learning, or exploring something new together. Your student can read to you, teach you something they learned in class, or your family can discover a new topic together.

🛡️ The Quest of the Red Knight Code

Practice the CMS Student Mantra at home: Be Responsible〰️Be Respectful〰️Be Safe

As a family, challenge yourselves to identify one way each person demonstrated one of these values during the week.

For example:

🛡️ Be Responsible: Did you complete a task, keep a promise, or take care of something without being reminded?

🤝 Be Respectful: Did you speak kindly, listen to someone else, or treat others the way you would want to be treated?

⚔️ Be Safe: Did you make a choice that helped keep yourself or someone else safe?

At the end of the week, gather as a family and ask: “Which Red Knight value did we demonstrate the most this week, and how can we continue to grow?”

Red Knights demonstrate character not only at school, but wherever their quest may take them! 🏰🛡️

🏰 The Quest of Organization

Help your Red Knight prepare for success by creating a simple routine for school days. Check backpacks, charge devices, prepare clothes, and make sure assignments are ready before bedtime.

A prepared knight is a confident knight!

❤️ The Quest of Kindness

Complete one act of kindness as a family. Help someone, encourage a neighbor, thank someone who serves your community, or simply brighten someone's day.

Remember: You never know what someone else may be facing.

🔥 The Quest of Family Connection

Put away phones and devices for 30 minutes and spend time together. Play a game, take a walk, cook something, share stories, or simply talk.

👑 The Final September Challenge

At the end of the month, gather your family and ask:

“What is one thing we accomplished together this month that made us stronger?”

Every quest begins with a single step, and every great knight grows through courage, character, and commitment.

Red Knight Families, your September quest has begun! 🛡️

CMS is a big school, and we’re fortunate to have a big support team for our students. Each grade has its own Assistant Principal, School Counselor, and School Social Worker. Please save these contacts for the 2026–27 school year:

Assistant Principal: Mr. Aron Shutter

School Counselor: Mrs. Celeste Quirindongo

School Social Worker: Ms. Morgan Thomas

7th Grade

8th Grade

Restorative Practices Specialist

Instructional Supervisors

Principal

You can reach Dr. Beaver via Class Dojo or school email. If ever you need to meet with any of these team members, please remember to schedule an appointment through the main office. Come in to schedule or call (484) 258-7365 so we can give you the time and attention you and your loved ones deserve.