The Wolf Weekly
December 15, 2024
CTMS Family Newsletter
Wonderful Wolf Families,
The pack spent the week spreading HOWLiday cheer! During their winter concert, our band performed at Grapevine High School. Wolf Time Choir carolled at the GCISD's administrative building. Additionally, both band and choir traveled to neighboring elementary schools to share their talents. Our Spanish IV class walked to Timberline and practiced their language skills while sharing their holiday spirit. See below for pictures from some of these events.
Welcome to the last week of the first semester of the 2024-2025 school year! Our wolves will have TEKS checks and semester wrap up activities this week. See below for more details. Also, take a few minutes to check Skyward to ensure all grades are in so we can end the semester on a great note.
On Friday, we will celebrate the first semester, starting with a pep rally at 8:20 a.m. CTMS PTA is providing popcorn to all wolves. HOWL to PTA! Concessions will be for sale, cash only, after the pep rally. The wolves have early release on Friday, December 15. They will be released at 12:10 p.m. Thank you, PTA, for helping celebrate the end of the first semester!
All items in the lost and found will be donated after school on Friday. Take a few minutes to check the lost and found for sweatshirts, jackets, water bottles, lunch boxes, and more!
Looking forward to a wonderful last week of the semester week with the Pack!
Howl,
Jamie Halliburton
CTMS Principal
As we approach the end of the semester, we would like to inform you about the upcoming mid-year assessments for GCISD middle schools. These assessments are a crucial part of gauging our wolves' progress and ensuring they meet the educational standards set by the district.
This semester, the mid-year assessments will include:
District Assessments (TEKS Checks): These assessments will cover the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to ensure students are meeting the required learning objectives.
Algebra District Assessment: A comprehensive exam to evaluate students' understanding and proficiency in Algebra.
Biology District Assessment: An in-depth assessment focusing on key concepts and knowledge in Biology.
In addition, high school courses will have semester exams that may include hands-on projects, written assessments, or group projects.
All mid-year assessments and semester exams will be given in a two week window from December 9-20, 2024. We encourage you to support your children in their preparation for these assessments by ensuring they have a quiet place to study, a consistent study schedule, and all the necessary materials. Additionally, please remind your children to get plenty of rest and maintain a healthy diet during this period.
We are unable to give district assessments early. If your wolf is absent for any exams, they will have an opportunity to take them on January 7, 2025. Please contact your wolf's school counselor if this applies to your wolf, and they will get them scheduled to make up their tests on January 7.
This year, we will be following our traditional schedule for assessments. This will keep routines in place as we close out the semester.
If you have any questions or need further information about the exams, please do not hesitate to contact your child's teacher or the school administration.
CTMS will reset dress code expectations upon our return in January. During the first semester, we primarily provided warnings, reminders, and opportunities for wolves to self-correct. Moving forward, CTMS will adhere to GCISD's established dress code guidelines and apply appropriate consequences for non-compliance. We ask families to partner with us in ensuring wolves follow the dress code to minimize disruptions to the school day and maintain a focus on learning.
Our most common infraction during the first semester was inappropriate length of shorts and IDs. As a reminder of expectations the GCISD Dress Code is linked below.
Any infraction addressed will be documented in Skyward using the following parameters:
ā First infraction: Warning, wolf makes a change to meet dress code standards, and then may return to class.
ā Second infraction: Consequence given (detention or similar), wolf makes a change to meet dress code standards, and then may return to class.
ā Third infraction: Consequence given (1 day of ISS), wolf makes a change to meet dress code standards, and then may return to class.
ā Subsequent infractions may be addressed as persistent misbehavior pursuant to the GCISD Student Code of Conduct.
Shout Out the PACK!
Your kind words of encouragement truly uplift our teachers and staff! If you have a positive experience to share, weād love to hear about it! Use this form to leave a shout out for our amazing wolf staff!
December 15 ~ End of early bird pricing for cotillion (see above)
December 19 ~ PTA Candy gram delivery during Wolf Time
December 20 ~ Pep Rally at 8:20 a.m./Early release at 12:10 p.m.
January 8 ~ Students Return to School
January 10 ~ Spinal Screening for Students 8 - 11:30 am
January 13 ~ PTA General Meeting (see above for details)
February 5 ~ 5th grade information night at CTMS
Middle School Health Just Say YES - Determined to Succeed (6th Grade) Parent Preview - Additional Opportunity
GCISD uses several resources and programs for middle school health curriculum in order to be proactive in our delivery of education concerning human sexuality.
Determined to Succeed will be presented to your student according to the campus schedule, found in the Parent Preview Letter linked here.
Parents may participate in an additional opportunity to preview this program on December 19, 2024, at 5:30 PM online using the links provided in the Parent Preview Letter linked here.
After the Parent Preview has been conducted, every parent will be asked to indicate their preference of participation for their child electronically in the forms section of Skyward or by completing and returning a paper consent form by the deadlines established on the Parent Preview Letter linked below for each campus.
These deadlines allow each campus time to adequately prepare spaces, supervision, and account for student attendance. Thank you in advance for adhering to these deadlines.
Spanish
Salud Escolar en la escuela secundaria- Solo dĆ sĆ: Decidido a tener Ć©xito (Just Say YES - Determined to Succeed) (6Ā° grado)-PresentaciĆ³n Preliminar para Padres
GCISD utiliza varios recursos y programas para el plan de estudios de salud escolar en las escuelas preparatorias con el fin de ser proactivos en ofrecer una educaciĆ³n sobre la sexualidad humana.
El Programa Decidido a tener Ć©xito (Determined to Succeed) serĆ” presentado a su estudiante segĆŗn el horario escolar que se encuentra en la Carta de PresentaciĆ³n Preliminar para Padres en este enlace.
Los padres pueden obtener una presentaciĆ³n preliminar de este programa el 19 de diciembre del 2024 a las 5:30 PM en lĆnea utilizando los enlaces proporcionados en la Carta de PresentaciĆ³n Preliminar para Padres que se encuentra aqui.
DespuĆ©s de que se haya realizado la presentaciĆ³n preliminar se pedirĆ” a cada padre que indique su preferencia de participaciĆ³n de su hijo en la presentaciĆ³n; podrĆ”n hacer esto electrĆ³nicamente en la secciĆ³n de formularios de Skyward o llenando y regresando un formulario de consentimiento en papel antes de las fechas lĆmite establecidas en la Carta de PresentaciĆ³n Preliminar para Padres en el enlace que se encuentra a continuaciĆ³n para cada escuela.
Estas fechas lĆmites permiten que cada escuela tenga tiempo para preparar adecuadamente los espacios, la supervisiĆ³n y la contabilidad de la asistencia de los estudiantes. Gracias de antemano por respetar estos plazos.
- School Hours: 8:10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
- Doors Open: 7:45 a.m.
- Wolves enter the building through the C hall doors or the SAC doors. 6th & 8th grade wolves wait in the SAC and 7th grade wolves wait in the lecture hall for the bell to walk to first period.
- Bell Schedule
- Campus Map (click present for easier viewing)
- Front Office: 817-251-5320
- Mascot: Wolf
- School Colors: Silver & Black
- Planners: All wolves use a planner at CTMS. This is to assist with organizing, prioritizing, and planning. You can purchase a CTMS planner for $5 on the first day of school or use one of your choosing. Wolves use their planners daily.
- Student IDs: All wolves who did not attend Wolf Camp or Registration will be issued a temporary CTMS ID on the first day of school. The first IDs are free and replacement IDs are $5 and $1 for replacement lanyard. Per the student code of conduct, IDs are to be worn daily by all CTMS students and staff.
- Lost & Found: The Front Office currently has several pieces of jewelry, keys, glasses and phones that are lost and have found their way to the office! Come by to check to see if your item was found!
Who to Contact
Attendance
Lache Nealy
817-251-5326
Counselors
Molly Brown (last names A-K)
817-251-5315
Rachel Smith (last names L-Z)
817-251-5312
Student Advocate
Allyiah Daniels
817-251-5323
Registrar
Ilia Kaku
817-251-5314
Nurse
Riley Heimuli
817-251-5337
Assistant Principals
Alishia Ilic (last names A-K)
817-251-5313
Cinthia Morales (last names L-Z)
817-251-5317
Principal
Jamie Halliburton
817-251-5320
Need a Charger
In need of a new charger for a school issued Chromebook, click here for information on how to order a new one.
Thank you for helping our wolves be prepared for school each day by ensuring their Chromebooks are charged nightly!
Secondary Grading Policy
Click here to see the updated secondary grading policy from GCISD. All wolf pack teachers will be following this policy this school year to communicate the progress of each wolf.
Grades are a method of communicating the progress each wolf is making at CTMS. If you ever have questions or concerns over a grade, please reach out directly to the teacher.
Here is the link for the 2024-2025 GCISD Student/Parent Handbook and Code of Conduct :https://www.gcisd.net/o/gcisd/page/studentparent-handbook.
GCISD's Student-Parent Handbook contains information that students, parents and staff are likely to need during the school year. In addition, both students and parents need to be familiar with the Student Code of Conduct. Both students and parents should become familiar with the Grapevine-Colleyville Independent School District Student Code of Conduct, which is a document adopted by the board and intended to promote school safety and an atmosphere for learning.
Cell Phone Policy
Middle school students may use telecommunications devices before and after school, and during
lunch. They may not use telecommunications devices during passing periods or classes.
What does this mean for the wolves?
- Devices can be used before 8:00 a.m., during lunch, and after 3:30 p.m.
- Smartwatches can be worn as long as they are used for telling time.
- Earbud, airpods, and the like will not be used in the hallway or during class time.
Updated ID Practice
Starting Wednesday, November 6th, we will implement a new CTMS practice for forgotten wolf IDs. As a reminder, the wearing of student IDs is part of the GCISD dress codes and outlined in the student code of conduct. We want to ensure consistency and encourage responsibility among our wolves, so each wolf will begin with a fresh start on this date.
The updated practice is as follows:
- First forgotten ID: Verbal warning.
- Second forgotten ID: Lunch detention.
- Third forgotten ID: Two lunch detentions.
- Fourth forgotten ID: Parent phone call, and a replacement ID will be automatically charged to the wolf's Skyward account.
- Fifth forgotten ID: In-school suspension (ISS) for repeated dress code offenses.
Additionally, please note that failure to return temporary IDs will result in lunch detention.
All wolves receive IDs, free of charge, on picture day. For those wolves who join the pack after picture day, they receive IDs when registering. Replacement IDs can be purchased from Ms. Richards in the front office before school or during lunch daily.
Thank you for your support in helping our wolves build good habits and follow GCISD expectations!
Buy Your Student I.D. Online ANYTIME!
Exciting News! CTMS Now Offers a New Online Purchase Option for Student ID's and Wolf Lanyards!
We are excited to announce that CTMS has added a new, convenient way for students and parents to complete your ID purchase needs online! This new payment option makes it easier and faster than ever before. You will find this payment option on the GCISD.net web page under the Quick Links heading and navigate to the red square reading RevTrak and click on it. the new window is where you can create your personal Web Store account. Once your account is created, click on the Middle Schools square and choose Cross Timbers Middle School. Complete your purchase* through the Security/Dress Code option. Students will be able to finalize their order in Mrs. Richards' office the following day once ID is personalized with the students' photo download. We hope this will be a helpful addition to preparing you student for a successful day at school everyday!
*Purchase includes both the I.D. and Lanyard if student doesn't have one or both of these items*
Student-Parent Handbook: Food Deliveries
Student-Parent Handbook page 55: Except in emergencies, delivery of messages or packages to students will not be allowed during instructional time. A parent may leave a message or a package such as a forgotten lunch, for the student to pick up from the front office during a passing period or lunch. Students are not permitted to order food using delivery services such as UberEats, DoorDash, etc.
What this means for the pack: Wolf pack family members may drop items off items to the vestibule for wolves. Delivery services are not permitted. Wolves will visit the vestibule during passing periods to pick up items dropped off by parents.
Volunteer Background Check
For the protection of students and staff, all volunteer applicants must read the Volunteer Handbook (in EspaƱol) and are asked to apply online authorizing the district to obtain a criminal history background check.
Note: All volunteers are required to reapply each year.
GCISD utilizes Volunteer Tracker for volunteer applications and signing up for volunteer opportunities. Please follow the steps provided to sign up. If you have any questions about registration, please contact App-Garden at support@app-garden.com or submit a help ticket.
Cross Timbers Middle School
Email: ctms.info@gcisd.net
Website: https://ctms.gcisd.net/
Location: 2301 Pool Rd, Grapevine, TX 76051
Phone: 817-251-5320
Twitter: @CTMSWolfWay