CMS Cougar Communication

Dear Students, Parents, and Families,

As we close out the school year, I want to take a moment to reflect on the many moments of growth, learning, and connection that have taken place at Christensen Middle School this year. Our students have worked hard, supported one another, taken on new challenges, and continued to grow both academically and personally.

To our students, thank you for bringing your energy, personality, and spirit to campus each day. Middle school is a time of tremendous growth, and we are proud of the effort, resilience, and progress you have shown throughout the year.

To our parents and families, thank you for your continued support and partnership. Your encouragement at home, communication with our staff, and commitment to your children make a meaningful difference. We are grateful for the trust you place in us each day.

As we head into summer, I hope our students and families are able to rest, recharge, and enjoy time together. For those returning to CMS, we look forward to welcoming you back next year. For our 8th grade students and families, we are excited for all that is ahead as you move on to high school.

Thank you for being part of the Christensen Middle School community. It has been a privilege to share this year with you.

With appreciation,

Brian Scharmann (he/him)
Principal
Christensen Middle School

Hi Parents!

As summer approaches and students transition—whether to new schools or new places—I’ve noticed that friendships often shift and reorganize. Remind your child that it’s normal for friendships to change, and encourage them to stay open to forming new connections.

Friendship ups and downs—and a little “friend drama”—are a normal part of junior high. Students are learning who they are and what they want in relationships, and that can be challenging at times.

You can help most by listening and validating feelings without jumping in to fix things. Simple responses like “That sounds really hard” help kids feel supported. Encourage them to think about what makes a good friend—kindness, trust, respect—and to practice speaking up and setting boundaries.

Have a wonderful summer, and remember to keep your kids reading!

Dawn Allen, Counselor

Check out the latest Special Education Newsletter for families which is linked below! This newsletter includes important updates, resources, and opportunities for families to stay connected and informed.

Included in this edition is information about the upcoming Year in Review Webinar on May 20 via Zoom. This webinar will provide an opportunity to celebrate the work completed this year, build connections with families, and share plans for the 2026 to 2027 school year.

Families are also invited to provide input through a survey to help guide future workshop series for the 2026 to 2027 school year. In addition, updated program descriptions are now available on the district’s Special Education website.

Please take a few minutes to review the resources below:

• Special Education Newsletter
• Special Education Website

There will be no school on Monday 5/25 in observance of Memorial Day.

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Students may not bring their backpacks on the last day of school. All students will be released to go home at 12:25 p.m. on Thursday, May 28. We will not be releasing 8th graders early. If you need to sign your child out before 12:25, please remember those students who are promoting will be rehearsing until approximately 11 a.m. It is important that all students who are participating in promotion be at the rehearsal.

he Promotion Ceremony begins promptly at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 28, in the CMS Courtyard.

Promoting students need to arrive in the gym no later than 5:30 p.m. A royal blue promotion gown will be provided to each student to borrow for the ceremony. All students must wear the gown during the ceremony, and gowns will be returned at the end of the evening.

To participate in promotion, students must have passing grades in all classes for the third trimester. Students may still be eligible for promotion-related activities even if they were not eligible for the Six Flags trip.

We encourage our eighth graders to treat this as a special event and dress for success.

There will be no reserved seating. Gates will remain locked until 5:15 p.m. We ask families to respect handicap seating areas and be considerate of others. Seating is limited, so please plan accordingly.

Families should not bring noisemakers, balloons, or animals to the ceremony. Noisemakers can create distractions, and balloons can obstruct the view for others.

We will have a limited number of candy leis for $10, and cold drinks for $1 available for sale in the drop-off circle at the main entrance to the quad. Sales are cash only, so please bring small bills if possible.

We look forward to celebrating our eighth graders with you! Please call the office at (925) 606-4702 with any questions.

The first day of summer is the perfect day for takeout! Join us on Friday, May 29, from 11:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. at Hangout Livermore, 1524 N. Vasco Road, for a fundraiser supporting the CMS School Garden. Grab pizza, wings, drinks, and more while helping support a great cause.

Use code CHRIS25 to receive 25% off your order, and Hangout Livermore will donate 25% back to CMS! Be sure to tell them CMS sent you. Thank you for supporting CMS!

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LVJUSD Summer Office Hours 2026:

• Elementary School offices will remain open to the public from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. through Friday, June 5th.

• Middle and K-8 School offices will remain open to the public from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. through Friday, June 12th.

• High School offices will remain open to the public from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. through Thursday, June 25th. (Closed for the holiday on 6/19). Office support will be available by phone, unless otherwise noted.

All school site main offices will be closed to the public in July. Office support at Granada High and Livermore High will be available by phone, unless otherwise noted. Please contact our District Office at (925) 606-3200, or visit us at 685 E. Jack London Boulevard, for any assistance needed while offices are closed.

2026-2027 School Office Hours: All school offices will reopen to the public on Wednesday, August 5th, and resume normal office hours.

District Office Summer Hours: The District Office remains open to the public Monday - Friday from 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., excluding Fridays in July: 7/10/; 7/17; 7/24; and 7/31. We are also closed on the following holidays: Juneteenth (June 19th) and Independence Day (July 3rd).

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Congratulations to our Cougar Kudos winners this week! These students were recognized for consistently demonstrating the CMS Core Values of Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Be Kind.

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Wyatt Castro

• 7th grader - Kelsey Way

• 8th grader - Kane Hanby

We are so proud of these students for setting a great example for their peers—way to go, Cougars!

Congratulations to our End of Trimester - TOP COUGAR KUDOS RECIPIENTS! These students received the most COUGAR KUDOS for showing our core values!

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Camden Weber, Ella Olcese, and Elizabeth Medeiros
• 7th grader - Mason Miller, Adrian Mora, Jameson Wilhite
• 8th grader - Jenacia Rivera, Taylor Houser, Shaun Ray

We are so proud of these students for setting a great example for their peers—way to go, Cougars!

This week’s CMS Staff Spotlight is Mrs. Ramirez, who teaches math and has been part of the CMS community for 15 years. She loves scrapbooking, spending time with her family, supporting local businesses, and her favorite movie is Twilight. Her advice to students is, “Try your best and don’t worry about what other people think of you.” Thank you, Mrs. Ramirez, for all you do for CMS!

Join us at Oracle Park to watch the San Francisco Giants and support Christensen Middle School at the same time. For select Monday through Thursday games, families can purchase View Reserve or Bleacher seats for just $15 per ticket. Even better, $5 from every ticket sold goes directly back to CMS.

This is a great opportunity to enjoy a game together while giving back to our school community.

🎟 Tickets are available at: https://www.gofevo.com/group/GiantsschoolfundraisingNG, use promo code: Christensen2026

You can also scan the QR code on the flyer to purchase tickets.

We hope to see lots of Cougar families at the ballpark. Go Giants and go Cougars! 🧡🖤

Looking for an easy, fun outing for the whole family? We’ve partnered with Lost Worlds Indoor Entertainment Center for a fundraiser that lets you play and support Christensen Middle School at the same time. 💥 20% OFF WEEKDAYS: Use code CMS20 and receive 20% off weekday activities, and Lost Worlds will give back to CMS.

It’s a great way to plan a family night, celebrate a birthday, or just burn some energy while giving back to our school.

• 📍 6538 Patterson Pass Road
• 🌐 Visit lostworlds.rocks
• 🎟 Enter code CMS20 on weekdays

Have fun while supporting CMS. Thank you for continuing to show up for our students in big and small ways!

Raise some dough for CMS! Families can support Christensen Middle School by purchasing a Crumbl gift card. A portion of every gift card sold comes back to CMS to help fund important programs and activities for students. Gift cards are delivered by email and can be used at any Crumbl location nationwide. Thank you for supporting our school community!

Learn more or purchase here: successfund.com/53n9k

ClassLink will remain available to students through the end of July. Starting in August, the system will be offline for students to allow for program updates in preparation for the new school year.

The Reflections program is one the CMS PTA has been running for the past six years. It's a great program that supports the fine arts at CMS. The theme for next year is What My Culture Means to Me, and CMS usually starts collecting entries in early November. We can't continue CMS PTA Reflections without your help. The chairperson's job is more behind the scenes and so appreciated. It's also a great way to be more involved in your child's school. If interested, please email cmscougarspta@gmail.com. The current CMS Reflections chair is happy to get you started, but has an exiting 8th grader and cannot continue being a CMS chairperson.

We encourage parents, guardians, school staff and community members to join the CMS PTA. Please go to the Join Andrew Christensen PTA website (https://jointotem.com/ca/livermore/andrew-christensen-pta/join/register).

Show your support for our students by joining the CMS PTA. Our mission is to provide a positive middle school experience for every student and we are committed to putting students first. Members are not required to attend any meetings, but are encouraged to. Only PTA members can vote at the general meetings.

We appreciate your support.

Show your school spirit with new CMS spirit wear while helping raise money for the CMS PTA. Order at www.1stplacespiritwear.com

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Email: bscharmann@lvjusd.org
Website: https://www.livermoreschools.org/Domain/101
Location: 5757 Haggin Oaks Avenue, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925-606-4702