Comet Connection

Greetings, CIS Families!🌏💫

Happy Women's History Month! We are looking forward to another productive and successful week of learning!

As we prepare for the week ahead, please remember that Daylight Saving Time begins on Sunday, March 8 at 2:00 a.m. Be sure to set your clocks forward one hour so that students arrive to school on time and ready to learn on Monday morning, March 9.

Arrival & Dismissal Safety Reminders

The safety of our students is always our top priority. We ask for your continued cooperation with the following procedures:

• Please use your turn signal when exiting the carline.

• Maintain one lane only when dropping off or picking up students in the front of the building during arrival and dismissal.

• Do not speed or pass other vehicles to depart or to access parking during arrival or dismissal.

• If you need to park, please park in a marked parking space. Do not park in the drop-off or pick up line.

• Students are expected to be in class by 8:15 a.m. Please ensure students arrive prior to 8:15 so they are seated and ready to begin instruction on time.

Your adherence to these procedures ensures a safe and smooth process for everyone.

As we begin this new week, we are reminded that growth and purpose often require perseverance. We remain committed to serving our students and families with integrity, consistency, and care. Thank you for your partnership and for helping us keep CIS safe and focused on excellence.

Have a wonderful week! 🤗

________________________________________________________________________________________________

Please take a moment to review this week’s newsletter for important updates and information.

Looking Ahead:

https://www.ciscomets.com/athletics/athletics-calenders.com/athletics/athletics-calender

• March 2: Last day to order Pi Day T-shirts

• March 10: NAEP Assessment (4th grade)
  

  March 10: ACT Assessment (HS juniors only)- All other HS students will be remote

  March 13: Pi Day Activities

Uniforms

CIS is a uniform school. Please ensure that your scholar is dressed in the appropriate, required uniform each day. For details, see the policy on our website, in the Student & Parent Handbook, or this newsletter.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out.

Arrival and Dismissal

An alarming number of drivers are exceeding the posted speed limit during arrival and dismissal times. Please be mindful of the speed limit and remember that the parking lot is an area with multiple moving vehicles and children. Safety must be our top priority.

Additionally, the front pickup and drop-off area is one lane only, not two. This design ensures the safety of students entering and exiting vehicles. When leaving the line after your child has been loaded, please use your turn signals. These procedures are in place to protect everyone on campus.

Ice Cream

Please note the following about ice cream sales for students in Kindergarten through 5th grade:

• Ice cream must be paid for in advance by Wednesday.

• The cost is $2 cash only.

• No money will be collected from K-5 students on Friday for ice cream.
  

• Only K-5 students who have prepaid will receive their ice cream on Friday.

Lunch Deliveries

All parent lunch drop-offs by parents should be delivered prior to the start of your student's scheduled lunch time. When students receive lunch late, it may cause them to miss important instructional class time.

Scheduled lunch times are as follows:

• Kindergarten - 2nd grade- 11:00 AM
• 3rd - 5th grade- 11:30 AM
• High School- 11:30 AM
• Middle School- 12:33 PM

Lunch deliveries via UberEats, DoorDash, etc. are not permitted. If a student orders lunch to be delivered, it will be kept in the front office until the end of the school day. In cases where a student forgets to bring lunch and a parent is not available to bring lunch to the school, parents can log into the Mama's site and order from the late menu.

Office Hours

• Office hours are 7:30 AM- 4:00 PM.
• Arrival begins at 7:45 AM. Students should be in class by 8:15 AM.
• The car rider line begins at 3:10 PM and ends at 3:45 PM. After 3:45, students should be picked up from the front office no later than 4:00 PM.

Any student who is not staying after school for a supervised practice, meeting, or rehearsal will need to be picked up no later than 4:00 PM each day or enroll in the after-school. Students can no longer linger and wait in the building to be picked up beyond 4:00 PM. There is not ample adult supervision to ensure student safety. https://www.ciscomets.com/support/before-and-after-school-enrichment

If you are interested in bus transportation for your scholar(s) for the 2026-2027 school year, please complete the interest form:

26-27 CIS BUS Interest Form

Ms. Sessoms is an Elementary Exceptional Children (EC) teacher at CIS. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Arts in Social and Criminal Justice from Ashford University. She also earned a Master of Arts in Education and a Master of Arts in Special Education.

Ms. Sessoms began her journey at CIS in 2019 as a substitute teacher. Since then, she has become an integral part of the CIS family. In addition to her work in the classroom, she has had the privilege of coaching middle school volleyball and middle school softball, further supporting students both academically and athletically.

Her philosophy of education is rooted in the belief that all children possess something unique and special that they bring to their learning. She believes students thrive when provided with an educational environment that nurtures their physical, academic, mental, emotional, and social growth. Ms. Sessoms is committed to creating this type of learning atmosphere not only in her classroom, but in every environment where she encounters students, so they can reach their full potential. She fosters this growth by providing a safe and supportive environment where students are encouraged to share their ideas, think outside the box, and develop problem-solving skills with confidence.💙💛

⭐️Get Social with Our PTSO!! 📱💻

Stay connected and up to date by following us on social media:

📸 Instagram: cisptso
📘 Facebook: CIS PTSO

📰 December Newsletter

Interested in volunteering or learning more about how you can get involved? Check out the PTSO webpage for more information: https://www.ciscomets.com/support/ptso or send us an email: PTSO@ciscomets.com

Let’s work together to make this a fantastic year for our scholars, families, and community!

We want to make you aware that there have been confirmed cases of measles reported in our surrounding community. At this time, there are no cases at our school, and we continue to work closely with local health officials to keep our students and staff safe.

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can cause serious complications, especially for young children. Vaccination is the best way to prevent the spread of measles and helps protect not only vaccinated children, but also those who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons. We encourage families to review their child’s immunization records and ensure they are up to date according to state and public health guidelines. If you have questions or concerns, we recommend speaking with your child’s healthcare provider or your local health department.

For more information, please visit the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services: https://www.dph.ncdhhs.gov/programs/epidemiology/communicable-disease/measles?mc_cid=ea05c7dbf5&mc_eid=65d099f200

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our school community healthy and safe. We will continue to share updates as needed.

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📌Tips to stay healthy!

• Staying hydrated 💧💧
• Getting exercise 🏃🏻‍♀️
• Getting plenty of sleep every night 💤
• Eating a well-balanced diet 🥗🥕
• Washing hands 🧼
• Staying up to date with immunizations 💉

💊Medication

• If your student needs prescription medication or over the counter medication while at school, a medication authorization form must be filled out.
• Only MS and HS may self-carry medication.

😷Sick children belong at home, well children belong at school!

• Fever, Vomiting, or Diarrhea
• Student MUST stay at home until it has been 24 hours without a fever or since their last episode of vomiting/diarrhea, without the use of medication to stop it.
• Cold, Flu, or Covid Symptoms
• Please keep them at home until symptoms subside. Common symptoms include fever, cough, tiredness, and body aches. If covid/flu/strep throat is confirmed, please contact anniesmith@ciscomets.com for instructions regarding return to school.

Annie Smith, BSN, RN

School Nurse

(704) 455-3847 x9514

anniesmith@ciscomets.com

Sister Countries

• Kindergarten: Kampala, Uganda
  
• Grade 1: New Delhi, India
• Grade 2: Krefeld, Germany
• Grade 3: Arequipa, Peru
• Grade 4: Baoding, China
• Grade 5: Mexico City, Mexico
• Grade 6: Limoges, France
• Grade 7: Kumasi, Ghana
• Grade 8: Wroclaw, Poland
• Grade 9: San Jose, Costa Rica Grade
• 10: Killarney, Ireland
• Grade 11: Istanbul, Turkey
• Grade 12: Port au Prince, Haiti

Our Partner School in Ghana- Grace Life International!

📢 Spring 2027 Trip Scheduled! 🛫

On this trip, you’ll get to:

• See iconic landmarks like Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame
• Walk through historic neighborhoods and world-famous museums
• Experience the culture, food and everyday life of two incredible cities
• See the world with your friends – and maybe even make some new ones!

If you’re interested or still on the fence, now is the time to secure your spot!

📎 Please see the flyer below for the latest information.

Spring 2027 London & Paris Trip

We can’t wait to see our students dream, discover, and explore the world together!

Bon Voyage!

Christiana Clarke✨

Program Leader

https://www.ciscomets.com/athletics/athletics-calender

The Spring sports season has begun!

Let’s Go Comets! 💙💛

Laptop Insurance

Laptop Insurance is available for $34.95 for the school year to help in cases of lost chargers and computer damages. Please note that CIS is not the insurance provider and CIS staff does not handle any insurance claims. Access the link below for insurance information: https://securranty.com/ciscomets

Here at CIS every day counts and attendance matters. Our Attendance Team will be closely monitoring and tracking attendance.

This year, all excused absence documentation must be submitted through our online form. No physical notes (from doctors, dentists, parents, etc.) will be accepted. For the attendance team to accurately track and update attendance records, parents must upload any necessary documents directly to the form. Please submit excused absence forms within 3 days of the attendance occurrence or the absence will be unexcused.

Here is the link to the excused absence form: https://forms.gle/NFUP4P53g21xDajt5.

Thank you!

Please review the arrival and dismissal procedures below:

🚙 Arrival (7:45–8:12 AM; school begins 8:15 AM)

K–5 Students

• Unload on the side of the building ↔️

• Applies even if middle/high school siblings are in the vehicle

K-5 Self-Contained Students

• Unload at the back (door across from K–3 playground) 🔙

• Use inside lane closest to building

Middle & High School Students (no K–5 student in car)

• Unload in front of the school 🏫

Middle & High School Self-Contained Students

• Unload in front of the school 🏫

🚗 Dismissal (3:10 PM)

Afterschool Programs, Carpools, Families with 3+ Students🧒🏼🧒🏼🧒🏼

• Load in front of the school 🏫

K–5 Students & Any Single Middle and High School Student with a K–5 Sibling 🧒🏼🧒🏼

• Load on the side of the building ↔️

• Parents: Enter back loop, inside lane, follow to the side

Middle & High School Students (loading 2 or fewer) 🧒🏼🧒🏼

• Load at the back of the building 🔙

• Parents: Enter back loop, outside lane, follow to the back

General Reminders 📝

• Turn signal = ready to pull out; wait for staff direction 🛑

• No pickup number? Give student’s last name to staff 🔢

If you have specific bus or transportation concerns, please reach out to Care Cab Kidz directly.

There will be a Late Ordering Menu Item available each day. This item is for the student/parent to order BEFORE 7:59 am. For example, if the student left their lunch in the car, forgot it at home etc. they can log into the Mama's site and order from the late menu. There will be only 1 item available, no substitutions allowed. This menu has a $2.00 additional charge.

🥪 Lunch Ordering

Order lunches online...Visit https://mamaslunch.ahotlunch.com to place your orders. CAMPUS CODE: K12Comets. The menu cycle is 2 weeks at time, please pay close attention to menu closing dates.

Questions? Contact mamaspizza.laura@gmail.com.

Ordering Instructions:

• Parents, please log in at https://mamaslunch.ahotlunch.com and sign-up for an account.
• You will not receive additional emails from Mama’s if you sign-up for an account.
• Although the online ordering system is intuitive, below is a list of each step, in case you have any questions.
• Campus code: K12Comets Click “parents click here to sign up” (located at the bottom of the login screen)
• Complete “parent sign-up” page. You will receive an email asking you to activate your account.
• Click on the activation link in the email. It will take you to the log in screen. Enter your email address and password.
• Go to “children” on left side of screen. Click “add child” (blue button) Enter your child’s first & last name and campus code
• Click “verify campus”. Go to “grade” drop down menu and select the corresponding grade for this school year.
• Go to the “classroom” drop down menu and select the teacher for this school year.
• Click “create” (blue button). Parents will see the child’s name was added. Go to “orders” on the left side of screen. Click “new order”. (This can be found under the word “orders”.)
• Click “order” (blue button) on next screen. Select your item(s).
• Click “checkout” (blue button) when your order is complete. You will see “Are you sure you want to checkout?” Click “yes” (blue button).
• Click “pay invoice” (green button). Select “pay all” (green button). You will see a multi-order payment screen. Click “yes” (blue button).
• Click “proceed” (green button) at the bottom of the page. Enter your credit card/payment information and press “pay” (green button). Only Mastercard and VISA are accepted.

Menu only reflects lunch for 30 days out, please come back to the menu if you need to order for dates at the end of the month

https://www.ciscomets.com/athletics/athletics-calender

March 2: Last day to order Pi Day T-shirts

March 10: NAEP Assessment (4th grade)

March 10: ACT Assessment (HS juniors)- All other HS students will be remote

March 13: Pi Day Activities

March 16: Optional Teacher Workday- No School for Students

March 17-20: Scholastic Book Fair

March 23- April 2: 3rd-8th Grade MAP Testing

March 27: K-5 Reading Fair

April 3-10: Spring Break- No School

April 17: Middle School Spring Formal Dance 7:00 - 9:00 PM

April 18: High School Prom

April 20-May 1: K-2nd MAP Testing

April 22: Earth Day Extravaganza 12:30-2:30 PM

May 4-8: Teacher Appreciation Week

May 4-8: Senior Week

May 11-15: High School Teacher-made Exams

May 11-22: 3rd-8th grade EOG Exams

May 15: Kindergarten Graduation 1:00 PM

May 18-22: High School EOC Exams

May 21: 5th Grade Moving-Up Ceremony 12:00 PM

May 21: 8th Grade Graduation 1:30 PM

May 22: Last Day of School

May 23: Class of 2026 Graduation Ceremony- 10:00 AM