Eagle's Eye News

Challenger Middle School Families,

Open House is Thursday, August 31st from 5:00-6:30. We will start at 5:00 in the cafeteria with our PTSA General Meeting and a quick principal update about the happenings at Challenger Middle. From 5:30-6:30 families are invited to visit the classrooms. I encourage you all to attend, as this is a great time to meet your child's teachers and make a connection. I hope to see you all on Thursday.

The teachers have duty free lunch on Thursday, August 31. Please consider signing up to support our teachers. We need you in the lunchroom from 11:55-12:30 on Thursday. Thank you!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BAFAF22A7FC1-cmsduty3#/

Friday, September 1st is a half day. We will dismiss at 12:00 and lunch will be served. We do not have school on Monday, September 4th in observance of Labor Day.

This past week we completed the first round of i-Ready testing. We will test again in December and then in May. We now have a good baseline of where students are academically and exactly what skills we need to target with our students.

Last Friday, August 18th we had Mr. Bob Sawada, a Holocaust survivor, speak to our school. Below is the link to a video of the program.

https://imd0mxanj2.execute-api.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/ssr/watch/64e6783269a63c00082000c3

Please consider joining our PTSA as our students can greatly benefit from your involvement and contributions. Outreach and recruitment of parent and community volunteers are vital to the success of our school.

https://cmsptsa.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

A flyer is linked below to order a Moe's family kit. This is a fundraiser to support our school. The last day to order is Tuesday, August 29.

Have a great week. See you Thursday!

Sincerely,

Bo Coln

Principal

Challenger Middle School

#EagleUp

August

28 - Home Football Game vs Whitesburg at Milton Frank @ 6:30

29 - Home Volleyball Match in the CMS Gym @ 4:00

31 - Open House and PTSA General Meeting 5:00-6:30

September

1 - Half Day - Dismiss @ 12:00

4 - No School - Labor Day

6 - Progress Reports and 2023 ACAP Scores go home

22 - Picture Day

22 - Homecoming Dance, 6:00-9:00 in the Cafeteria (more info coming)

We've made it to the last week of August and the school routines are being established. The Mental Health Opt-In forms are slowly coming in. 6th and 7th grade are at about 50% returned but 8th grade is less than 25%. All students under the age of 14 must have one of these forms on file every year. If your child has not brought one of these home, or it has been lost, they are available in the Counselor's office. Students cannot receive any counseling services, other than academic planning, without a form. Thank you!

Ms. Moak

megan.moak@hsv-k12.org

• Send in Parent Excuses within 2 days of your child returning to school. Please include first and last name. Students can give excuses to their homeroom teacher or bring them to Ms. Smith's office.
• 8 acceptable parent notes will be accepted as official excuses.
• Students with an excused absence have 10 days to make up the work missed.
• Email melanie.smith1@hsv-k12.org about anything attendance or excuse related.
• A child is considered chronically absent if they miss 18 or more days of school. This means they miss 10% or more of the school year.
• Excused and unexcused absences count towards chronic absenteeism.

Students can enter the building starting at 7:30am. School starts at 8:00am.

Bus Riders - exit the bus, enter the cafeteria, and remain in the cafeteria until released to homeroom.

Walkers/Car Riders - enter through the main lobby doors and go to your right toward the gym or the cafeteria

Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:30-8:00. Students that choose to eat school breakfast will remain in the cafeteria until dismissed to homeroom. Walkers/Car Riders that do not wish to eat school breakfast will report to the gym. Students that report to the gym will remain in the gym until released to homeroom.

Students are not allowed to enter the building with outside food. Any outside food needs to be thrown away before entering the building. Example - Students will not be allowed to bring in Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A food and drink.

All students are dismissed at 3:00.

• Bus riders will report to the cafeteria.
• Walkers will exit out the band/choir doors (South exit)
• Car Riders will exit through the main lobby doors.

Unless students are involved in a school sponsored after school event, all students need to leave campus at 3:00.

• Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school. Only water is allowed in the water bottles.
• Restrooms usage will be limited during transition times. Students will use the Teacher Hall Pass when leaving class and/or visiting the restroom during class time.
• Transitions time for students is 3 minutes between class periods. Students can visit their locker between classes. We expect all students to get to class on time.
• Student lockers are available for $10. Students can purchase a locker during homeroom starting Wednesday, August 2. We will take cash or check. Checks should be made out to Challenger Middle School. Lockers will be assigned when students pay their homeroom teacher for their locker.
• Parents cannot bring in outside food for an entire class unless organized and initiated by the teacher.
• Students are not allowed to order food to be delivered to the school.
• Parents/Guardians must check out their child to eat any restaurant food brought into the school.
• Enjoying school or homemade lunch in the cafeteria with your child is welcomed!
• Outside drinks (Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Sonic, etc.) should be thrown away before entering the building. This applies when school doors open at 7:30am.

Once you are in MySchoolFees follow these steps:

1) Sign-In as guest

2) Select Challenger Middle School from the dropdown menu

3) Select the item you wish to purchase from the dropdown menu

• Yearbooks
• T-Shirts
• P.E. Uniforms

Please review the dress code with your student(s). We have been out of school for a bit and our students will need a refresher on acceptable school attire. Ex: length of shorts and shirts, holes in pants, leggings, and appropriate tops, no caps, etc.

Shorts

• Mid-Thigh/Finger-tip length ​

Head coverings​

• No more than 4 inches wide; must be able to see their hair​
• No bandanas of any color​

NO Pajama Pants, no house slippers ​
No hoods​ will be worn in the building
Jeans​

• No holes above mid-thigh/finger-tip length

The USDA has made available a program called the Community Eligibility Program (CEP). By participating in this program, a school serves free breakfast and free lunch to all students.

• Challenger ES
• Challenger MS

CMS students will not use cell phones during the school day. Please ask your child to turn off their phone and put it in their locker or backpack. In the event your child has their phone out during the school day, our teachers will follow our cell phone policy.

Nurse Poe will continue to operate out of the clinic near the front office. If you have questions regarding medication, please call 256-428-7620, select Ms. Poe (Nurse), or email, Julie.Poe@hsv-k12.org . We ask that you monitor your student at home for illness. Students who are not feeling well should stay home and seek medical care as you see fit. Students with a fever or who have been throwing up may not return to the building until they are symptom-free for 24 hours.

Attention all 7th and 8th Grade Parents:

If your son/daughter is interested in playing a sport at Challenger Middle School and/or Grissom High School this school year, please make sure to create an account on DragonFly for you and your child. A flyer on how to do that is linked/attached below. In order for your son/daughter to participate or even tryout for a team at Challenger and/or Grissom, he/she must have an active physical (front page signed by you and your child & back page signed by a doctor - not a Nurse Practitioner) uploaded in DragonFly. A physical form is also linked/attached below. Below is a list of AHSAA sanctioned sports we offer at Challenger Middle School. If you are interested in a sport at Grissom, please reach out to Coach Neeley, the Athletic Director, about those options. The coaches for each sport below are also listed along with their email address for you to contact them with any questions you may have.

Sports We Offer

Football (FALL)- Curtis Graves (curtis.graves@hsv-k12.org)

Volleyball (FALL)- Amelia Daniels (amelia.daniels@hsv-k12.org)

Cheerleading (FALL/WINTER)- Makenzie Hill ( makenzie.hill@hsv-k12.org)

8th Grade Boys Basketball (WINTER)- Lorenzo Jones (breds2004@yahoo.com)

7th Grade Boys Basketball (WINTER)- Ken Hargis (kenneth.hargis@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Basketball (WINTER)- Rich Goodson (richard.goodson@hsv-k12.org)

Boys Soccer (WINTER/SPRING)- Tegan McDermott/TBD (tegan.mcdermott@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Soccer (WINTER/SPRING)- Tegan McDermott (tegan.mcdermott@hsv-k12.org)

Boys Track (SPRING)- David Rosenberger (david.rosenberger@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Track (SPRING)- Ryan Hagen (ryan.hagen@hsv-k12.org)

We look forward to a great year at CMS both academically and athletically!!!!

-Coach Neeley, Athletic Director

Tryouts for the Grissom Golf Team will be Monday, August 28th at Valley Hill Country Club at 4:30pm. Email Coach Beumer at william.beumer@hsv-k12.org if you want to sign up for tryouts

HOME OF THE EAGLES

Location: 13555 Chaney Thompson Road

Huntsville, AL 35803
Phone: 256-428-7620