Ridge Relay

Safety is our #1 priority! We would like to remind all students, staff and families of important campus safety and security measures.

• Every adult in our building must be wearing a badge at all times. This also means if you come to our building to pick up your child, you will be required to show your ID. Even if you have been here many times, we are required to ask for your ID unless you have a school district badge. Please be kind to our office staff who are doing their job to make sure we keep our students safe.
• As well, parents should not show up to meet with teachers and staff without an appointment. We are happy to meet with you to address your questions or concerns - please email or call us and we will gladly schedule a time.
• We appreciate your help reminding students that if they see an adult on campus without a badge, they should immediately report it to an adult on campus. And they should never let someone into campus though any school exterior doors.

Thank you all for your continued partnership and support of CRMS!

Go Eagles! And Go Vipers - have a wonderful Homecoming tonight!

Mrs. Wendy Sturdevant

This week, we kicked off our competition against FPMS to see who can get the most PTA memberships. The losing school principal must wear the other mascot at the CRMS vs FPMS volleyball game. Please, please join for just $10 today to support CRMS & help the Eagles soar to success in this competition. All family members, neighbors & friends can join to help us increase that number of memberships & joining does not require you to volunteer. We welcome all new volunteers but your membership is free of obligation. Join here today!

• Based on student and family feedback, we heard a need to discuss time management with our 7th graders. This letter was shared with 7th grade students and families this week, but may be applicable and beneficial for other grade levels too :)

• As phones, social media, streaming, etc. continue to rise with our middle schoolers, we found this recent Today news story timely and applicable for our students' families. And this is another link about social media from May 9, 2023 that has APA recommendations for your reference.

Buy your tickets now - PTA is hosting our first ever CRMS Masquerade Ball. The Masquerade Ball is on October 13th, 6:30-8:30pm, and is for all 6th-8th grade CRMS students.

• Masks are optional. If you choose to wear a mask, it cannot be a full face covering.
• Tickets are $15 until 10/6/23 and then become $20.
• Please see your school counselor for financial assistance.
• This is a semi-formal event or wear your Sunday best. There is no need to buy a formal dress or suit, but we are hoping for a step up from our student hoodies and workout shorts. :)

This month, we celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month. During this time we celebrate the long and important presence of Hispanic Americans in the United States. The reason it starts on September 15 is because it marks the anniversary of independence for Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico celebrated its Independence on September 16, Chile on September 18 (today), and Belize on September 21.

National Hispanic Heritage Month traditionally honors the cultures and contributions of both Hispanic and Latino Americans as we celebrate heritage rooted in all Latin American countries. During this month and throughout the year, National organizations share history, heritage, and accomplishments of Hispanic and Latino Americans of past and present.

Wednesday, October 18 is Unity Day. Unity Day was created to encourage solidarity against bullying and foster kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. We do this by wearing and sharing ORANGE!

Come support our Eagles in our feeder pattern matchup at Vandegrift High School Gym.

Thursday, October 12th

B team game starts at 5:30 pm and A team immediately follows it at approx 6:30 pm.

• All Elementary students wearing their campus shirt will get in free.
• Parent tickets are $4.00. (Tickets go on sale at 8:00am on Thursday, October 12th.)
• There will be an Elementary presentation between the B Team Game and the A Team game.

Our students love our outdoor “recess” time after lunch each day but our basket of sports equipment is almost empty. If you have any sports equipment in your garage that you would like to clean out and donate, we will gladly accept footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, kick balls and basketballs. It does not need to be new--we welcome used equipment that we can put to good use for all of our students. Please drop off your donations anytime during school hours in the front office. Thank you for helping to provide for this valuable outdoor time for our Eagles!

Each year, LISD offers students an opportunity to take an Exam for Acceleration (EA) at no cost to the family. LISD offers four EA testing windows each school year. Click this link for more information and dates. Students and parents can request the exam through their grade level counselor. The next testing window of 23/24 and the deadline to register is listed below.

Testing Window Two:

• Time: December 5-8, 2023

• Registration Deadline: October 27, 2023 by noon

• Location: CRMS

• Logistics: Arranged with student's counselor, LISD, & UTHS

• Additional Info: High school credit courses only; CRMS counselors recommend waiting until March for testing.

Note: Students who pass an Exam for Acceleration in the December 2023 testing window will complete the 2023-2024 school year in his/her current class. Students will receive their acceleration in the 2024-2025 school year.

Join the CRMS Math Pentathlon Team! Math Pentathlon, a nationally recognized STEM program, has used problem-solving games to stimulate creative thinking and strengthen math skills for 45 years. For more information, check out the National Math Pentathlon Institute website.

In the Spring, CRMS will compete in the yearly National Tournament. On Tournament Day, our Eagles will compete with students from other schools, playing the math games they have practiced all year, to earn individual and team awards!

Apply Here! Deadline 9/29/23

1. We have been fortunate enough to have a few mentors here on campus to encourage and support our students, and we are in need of some more! We are currently looking for additional male mentors to work with our boys. We are happy to have more female mentors sign-up as well, but our biggest current need is male mentors. If you are interested in becoming a mentor for Canyon Ridge, please contact Cheryl Kleffner, cheryl.kleffner@leanderisd.org.
2. Join us, as we host Canyon Ridge Middle School's, first ever, Masquerade Ball on Friday, October 13th. Volunteers are needed for set-up, tear-down, and everything in between. Please consider signing up for a shift (or two, or three) and bringing a food or beverage item to be sold at the concession stand. Requests for donations are at the bottom of this sign-up and will be collected the week of Oct. 6th. Don't let your kids dissuade you from volunteering; put on a mask and come witness this magical middle school milestone!

~ As always, for any of these opportunities, volunteers must be approved through LISD. Click here for instructions.~

Parents, the first grading cycle newsletter from the CRMS counseling office is available via the link below. The newsletter serves to highlight CRMS students, provide an overview of guidance lessons, insights from the counselor’s book study, middle school tips, and upcoming dates. Enjoy!

Counseling Newsletter – The Echo

Reflecting Positivity through CRMS Counseling Services

Volume 6 Issue 1

September 2023

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.

Randall's has agreed to add CRMS to the Good Neighbor Support program and it is SO easy! Email below, then do your regular shopping and Randall's will donate back to the CRMS PTA.

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]

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month, a time to raise awareness of this stigmatized, and often taboo, topic. Suicidal thoughts, much like mental health conditions, can affect anyone regardless of age, gender or background. It’s important to be aware of warning signs that someone may be considering suicide, such as:

• Loss of interest in usual activities
• Increased or decreased sleep
• Increased alcohol and drug use
• Aggressive behavior
• Withdrawal from friends, family and community
• Dramatic mood swings
• Impulsive or reckless behavior
• Giving away possessions
• Tying up loose ends, like organizing personal papers or paying off debts
• Saying goodbye to friends and family

If you suspect that someone is having suicidal thoughts, it’s OK to ask them directly if they are thinking about suicide. If you or someone you know needs support, please seek help from a professional.

The Leander ISD Student and Family Support Team is a program available to students (with guardian consent) that provides mental health support to students such as school-based therapy and connection to community resources. The Student and Family Support Team is composed of Licensed Clinical Social Workers, Licensed Master Social Workers and Licensed Professional Counselors. To access these services please speak with your assigned student’s counselor or assistant principal and request an SFST referral.

Bluebonnet Trails Community Services Crisis Hotline: 1 (800) 841-1255 24 hour assistance for mental health emergencies in Williamson County

Integral Care Crisis Hotline: (512) 472-HELP (4357) 24 hour assistance for mental health emergencies in Travis County

The national suicide hotline can now be accessed by calling or texting 988 to connect with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline. There is also a live chat feature at www.988lifeline.org.

To learn more about mental health support, visit the National Alliance on Mental Illness.

“QUEST” is an acronym for Quality Utilization and Enrichment of Student Talents. Leander ISD’s QUEST and Gifted & Talented (GT) Services are designed to meet the needs of identified gifted students who have demonstrated above-average ability in the following area of giftedness as defined by the Texas State Plan for the Gifted: high general-intellectual ability at the top 8-10% of the campus population. If you wish for your child to request QUEST testing, please email your grade level counselor by September 29, 2023.

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 fall 2023 is October 20, 2023 on the CRMS campus. The deadline to register for fall testing is September 29, 2023. 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 spring 2024 list. Testing is open to all grade levels, but recommended for 7/8 graders.

Registration forms for DI are located on the LISD Destination Imagination Site.

Forms due to Mrs. Seema George by October 2nd

The Canyon Ridge Yearbook is available for sale HERE! Yearbooks are currently $40. Pre-order yours today!

Yearbook Recognition Ads are also available to purchase for 8th Graders ONLY; 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.

In April and May 2023, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests were administered to students. The state released final performance level results to parents this week on Wednesday, August 16th. Please see below for information on how to access your child’s scores using the STAAR Parent Portal.

Here are Steps to Access Your Child's STAAR Scores

On the STAAR Parent Portal, a screen will prompt you for a portal access code. Enter your student’s unique access code (not their school lunch/ID number. Portal access codes can be found on previous STAAR communications or in HAC following the linked steps).

If you need assistance, please contact Larissa Baggett, CRMS Testing Coordinator.

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 are no longer allowing 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!

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

High School Students: $60 per 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

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.

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.

Beginning last school year, all tickets for all high school and middle school athletic events hosted at LISD facilities will be sold online only. There will be NO cash sales at the gate.

Tickets can be purchased through link on the athletics webpage:

https://www.leanderisd.org/athletics_ticketspasses/

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