The Wolf Weekly
October 12, 2025
CTMS Family Newsletter
Wonderful Wolf Families,
Happy four day weekend!
On Tuesday, the wolves will return to the pack for the start of the second nine weeks of the 2025-2026 school year! The second nine weeks is full of fun and opportunities to get involved. See the PTA section of today's newsletter for information on classroom walks and our annual Trunk or Treat. Check the counseling section to learn about a parent book study. As always, the upcoming events lists many of the events for the coming days.
Wolves are kind, respectful, and responsible. This is the expectation IRL (in real life) and on devices, both school and home issued. As a reminder, school issued Chromebooks are for school work. Be mindful of how devices are being used and what is being shared on the devices. Think before sending, typing, sharing...is this kind, respectful, and/or responsible. Families, thank you, in advance, for monitoring device usage.
See you on Tuesday, Wolves! Looking forward to a fabulous four day week with the wickedly wonderful Wolf Pack!
Howl,
Jamie Halliburton
CTMS Principal
CTMS was selected by the Airpower Foundation to have a Medal of Honor winner speak to the pack on Friday, October 24, 2025 ahead of the annual Sky Ball. The purpose of the visit is to inspire students, staff, and community stakeholders through a live leadership panel and tribute highlighting Medal of Honor recipients whose actions exemplify courage, selfless service, and ethical leadership under extreme pressure.
On Monday, November 10, 2025 we will host a Veterans Day Reception, come and go, from 8:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. in the library for veterans and their families, This is always a very special time in which we take time to honor our veterans and their service to our country.
We would like to make this event personal to our students and families, and we are hoping you
can help us out. If you have any family members that serve or have served in the military, we
would love to get a little information about them with the purpose to honor them throughout
our Veterans Day celebrations.
If you and/or a veteran plan on attending the reception, please complete
our form by clicking on this link, even if you cannot attend, you can send in a picture and give
information so we may honor your veteran (if you sent a picture last year, we indicate that on the form and we will reuse it). Please complete the form by Wednesday, November
5th. If you are attending the reception, please bring a state issued ID so you can sign into our system and receive your visitor sticker.
Thank you in advance for helping us make this memorable for our CTMS students and families.
We hope that you can all attend and help us celebrate. If you have any questions, please feel
free to email Stephanie.Maupin@gcisd.net.
Recovery Resource
GCISD is partnering with Recovery Resource Council to bring Drug and Alcohol prevention curriculum to middle school students. As approved by the GCISD Student Health Advisory Committee, sixth graders will receive six lessons using Positive Action curriculum during PE/Pre-Athletics in the Spring semester and seventh and eighth graders will each receive one Drug & Alcohol Prevention lesson in the Fall. All students will participate in this program unless a Parent Opt Out is received. If you need a paper copy of this, please contact your Student Advocate. To preview this program, please visit https://www.gcisd.net/page/parent-previews-24 .
If you have any questions/concerns, you can reach out to Allyiah Daniels at Allyiah.Daniels@gcisd.net or 817-251-5323.
CTMS Dates (these are subject to change)
6th Grade - 1/13, 1/20, 1/27, 2/03, 2/10, 2/17
7th Grade - 10/22
8th Grade - 11/7
Parent Book Read Invitation
Join The CT Counseling Team in exploring The Anxious Generation by Jonathan Haidt
Why this book?
In The Anxious Generation, Jonathan Haidt explains why today’s kids are struggling with higher levels of stress, anxiety, and loneliness. He shows how the rise of smartphones and the decline of free play have reshaped childhood — and offers ideas for how parents and communities can help kids grow up healthier, happier, and more resilient.
Link:
Thank you to everyone who has joined PTA! Click this link to join the CTMS PTA and thank you to everyone who has already joined our PTA!
Interested in Volunteering: Volunteers make Cross Timbers Middle School great! Please consider sharing your talents and enthusiasm by volunteering! Complete this form.
Follow us on Facebook at "Cross Timbers Middle School PTA" to see updates and important information!
October 13 ~ No school for students and staff/ Playbill Fall Showcase @ CTMS
October 14 ~ First day of the second nine weeks grading period/CTMS Football vs HMS 5 pm/CTMS Tennis vs North @ GHS 5 pm
October 15 ~ PSAT School Day - 8th Grade & 7th ASPIRE / CTMS 7th Football@HMS 5 pm
October 16 ~ Picture Retake Day / CTMS Volleyball @ West 5 pm
October 20 ~ PTA meeting and classroom visits (see above)/CTMS Tennis vs GMS @ GHS 5-7 pm
October 21 ~ CTMS Choir Fall Concert @ GHS 6-8:30 pm
October 22 ~ District Cross Country Meet @ CTMS
October 24 ~ Medal of Honor Assembly @ 2:50 p.m. (see above)
October 30 ~ CTMS Trunk or Treat and Band Concerts (see above)
October 31 ~ Red Ribbon Week Assemblies (more details forthcoming)
Fees: Outstanding fee emails are sent to parents weekly. If you receive an email regarding outstanding fees, thank you, in advance, for taking care of the fees.
Get Ready to Feast – National School Lunch Week is Almost Here
Every October, GCISD goes all out for National School Lunch Week (NSLW)—and this year, we’re bringing the flavor and the fun to our Elementary and Middle School campuses from October 14–17!
This year’s theme? A taste around the world! 🌎🍴
Our menu is packed with student favorites, Texas-grown goodies, and some delicious international flair. Get ready for…
✨ Texas-made Taco Pizza
🌯 Savory Beef Gyros
🔥 Zesty Korean Meatballs
🥨 Bavarian Pretzel with Cheese
Students and staff love these tasty traditions, and Nutrition Services is thrilled to serve up the fun once again. Don’t miss out—mark your calendar and join us for lunch October 14–17!
📚🔥 Bonus Fun Alert: Literary Lunch is Coming! 🔥📚
On October 15, all elementary campuses will celebrate Literary Lunch, where stories and snacks collide in the best way!
This year’s featured book? The fan-favorite: Dragons Love Tacos! 🌮🐉
To celebrate, we’re serving up a twist on tacos—yep, Taco Pizza is on the menu!
But wait—there’s more!
🎁 One lucky student from each grade who grabs a plate lunch will be randomly chosen to win their own copy of Dragons Love Tacos!
📖 Plus, we’re donating a complimentary copy to every elementary school library so everyone can get in on the fun.
So come hungry and ready to celebrate—because at GCISD, lunch is more than just a meal—it’s an adventure!
This institution is an equal opportunity provider
Semana Nacional del Almuerzo Escolar
En octubre, GCISD celebra a lo grande la Semana Nacional del Almuerzo Escolar (NSLW, por sus siglas en inglés) y, este año, ¡llevaremos el sabor y la diversión a nuestras escuelas primarias y secundarias del 14 al 17 de octubre!
¿El tema de este año? ¡Un viaje de sabor alrededor del mundo! 🌎🍴
Nuestro menú está repleto de los platillos favoritos de los estudiantes, productos cultivados en Texas y un toque de sabor internacional. Prepárense para disfrutar de...
✨ Pizza de taco hecha en Texas.
🌯 Gyros de res.
🔥 Albóndigas coreanas picantes .
🥨 Pretzel bávaro con queso.
A los estudiantes y al personal les encantan estas deliciosas tradiciones, y el Departamento de Servicios de Nutrición está encantado de volver a ofrecer esta experiencia tan divertida. No se lo pierdan — ¡Marquen su calendario y acompáñenos a almorzar del 14 al 17 de octubre!
📚🔥 Alerta de diversión extra: ¡Se acerca el almuerzo literario! 🔥📚
El 15 de octubre, todas las escuelas de primaria celebrarán el almuerzo literario, ¡donde las historias y las comidas se combinan de la mejor manera!
¿El libro destacado de este año? El favorito de todos: ¡A los dragones les encantan los tacos! 🌮🐉
Para celebrarlo, serviremos una versión especial de tacos: sí, ¡la Pizza de taco está en el menú!
Pero esperen, ¡hay más!
🎁 Un estudiante afortunado de cada grado que elija un almuerzo será seleccionado al azar para ganar su propia copia del libro ¡A los dragones les encantan los tacos!
📖 Además, donaremos una copia del libro a cada biblioteca de las escuelas primarias para que todos puedan disfrutar de la diversión.
Así que vengan con hambre y listos para celebrar — porque en GCISD, el almuerzo es más que una simple comida: ¡es una aventura!
Esta institución es un proveedor que ofrece igualdad de oportunidades.
Parent Referral Window for GT/ASPIRE Testing 5th-11th Grade
Step-by-step directions for completing a referral in Skyward are available on the GCISD Advanced Academics website.
ATTENTION 8th Grade Wolves: Collegiate Academy Applications
Collegiate Academy is the early college high school for GCISD. To learn more, please plan to attend one of their parent preview sessions on either October 9 or November 6. See the flier for more information.
Their application for students opens on September 30. Click HERE to apply.
Preferred Participation Consent for Child Abuse Awareness and Prevention- Opt In Program
As required by federal and state law, we will soon begin presenting a personal safety curriculum to middle school students. GCISD uses the Play It Safe! ® program to teach this curriculum. Play It Safe! ® is a child abuse awareness and prevention program that incorporates age-appropriate scripts and movies to teach children how to reduce the risk of sexual and physical abuse, and sexual assault. It teaches them to recognize potentially abusive behavior, provides the tools to respond to threatening situations, and encourages them to report abuse to a trusted adult. It is presented by The Women’s Center of Tarrant County, Inc. which uses trained volunteers to present the program using videos and scripted discussions at an age-appropriate level.
Play It Safe! ® meets the State and Federal guidelines for curriculum addressing personal safety issues, child sexual abuse and pedophiles. The GCISD School Health Advisory Committee has reviewed and recommended these programs for all GCISD schools.
Our schedule for showing the Play It Safe Curriculum this year is as follows:
6th grade “Sexual Harassment”- November 12th, 2025
6th grade “Survivors of Abuse- March 11th, 2026
7th grade “Healthy Relationships”- October 8th, 2025
7th grade “Can’t Take It Back” - November 18th, 2025
7th grade “Abuse of Power” - February 25th, 2026
The purpose of this personal safety presentation is to provide the students with information and practical skills to reduce their risk of being in dangerous and/or abusive situations. They will learn how to recognize, react to, and report those situations. This one-hour program is presented in an age-appropriate, non-threatening manner through the use of stories, group discussions, and an age-appropriate movie.
We hosted a parent preview on September 18 via Zoom. Please find the preview for Play It Safe here: https://www.gcisd.net/page/parent-previews-24. Videos will remain available until 9/30/2025.
The Opt In form has been posted into your Skyward Family Access. If you would like for your student to participate, please complete the Opt In form two business days prior to the scheduled program date. If you choose for your child not to participate, your child will be provided an alternate location while this program is being presented. If the form is not completed, your child will not participate in the program.
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.
Personal Technology at School
House Bill 1481 prohibits the use of personal communication devices during the school day. Middle school students may use telecommunications devices before and after school. They may not use telecommunications devices during school hours except for their school issued devices.
What does this mean for the wolves?
- Personal devices will be in bags, not on wolves, throughout the entire school day.
- Families needing to relay messages can leave messages with the front office staff and office aides will deliver messages to classrooms.
- Wolves needing to contact families can use the phone in the front office during passing periods and lunch or, when appropriate, in their classrooms.
Technology Needs
- Submit a HelpDesk Ticket for the most efficient service we will be using the locker system outside of the administration building. More directions will be available in the helpdesk ticket
- Email technology@gcisd.net for assistance
Charger: In need of a new charger for a school issued Chromebook, click here for information on how to order a new one.
Volunteer Background Check
Grapevine-Colleyville ISD is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Volunteer Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our volunteer program of campus safety for students and faculty. This system is similar to what we have used in the past, AppGarden.
Please use the following link to apply to become a volunteer in GCISD.
El Distrito Escolar Independiente de Grapevine-Colleyville se complace en anunciar que comenzaremos a utilizar el Sistema de Gestión de Voluntarios Raptor en todas nuestras escuelas con el fin de reforzar nuestro programa de voluntarios para la seguridad de nuestras escuelas, para los estudiantes y el personal docente. Este sistema es similar al que hemos utilizado en el pasado, AppGarden.
Por favor, utilicen el siguiente enlace para solicitar ser voluntarios en GCISD.
To find out information on events that are not directly associated with Cross Timbers, click below to see the Peachjar flyers.
- School Hours: 8:05 a.m. to 3:35 p.m.
- Doors Open: 7:45 a.m.
- Wolves enter the building through the B 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: The first IDs are free and replacement IDs are $5. Per the student code of conduct, IDs are to be worn daily by all CTMS students and staff. All wolves will receive an ID on the second day of school as they get their school picture taken.
- GCISD Student Code of Conduct & Handbook: Click here for the 2025-2026 GCISD Student Code of Conduct and Handbook.
Who to Contact
Attendance
Lache Nealy
817-251-5326
Registrar
Jacqueline Knappenberger
817-251-5314
jacqueline.knappenberger@gcisd.net
Counselors
Patricia Salazar (last names A-K)
817-251-5315
Rachel Smith (last names L-Z)
817-251-5312
Student Advocate
Allyiah Daniels
817-251-5323
Nurse
Adriana Maxwell
817-251-5337
Assistant Principals
Holly Ybarrola (last names A-K)
817-251-5313
Cinthia Morales (last names L-Z)
817-251-5317
Principal
Jamie Halliburton
817-251-5320
Cross Timbers Middle School
Website: https://ctms.gcisd.net/
Location: 2301 Pool Rd, Grapevine, TX 76051
Phone: 817-251-5320