6th grade Line Dance Program
We want to make sure your child has shared with you the information about their 6th Grade Line Dance Program this Thursday, February 8th. We are so excited for you to see the work from PE/PreAthletics/Dance class:
5:30 – Students arrive to prepare for line dance program (report to small gym)
6:00 – CATCH information session and Line dancing program - main gym
We look forward to seeing you all this Thursday for our annual 6th grade event
Mystery Friend Book Valentines
Open to all CRMS students! CRMS students fill out the form to recommend a book to a friend, and then the friend can come and pick up the book on 2/12 or 2/13 with a message from the friend. The goal is to keep working to make reading visible in our community.
Check it out today!
Note: Book topics and messages will be monitored for kindness and appropriateness.
Attn: 6th & 7th graders mark your calendar!
I know it seems crazy to already be thinking about next year courses, but we will begin that process soon. Students will be getting course registration and transition information through advisory class and Language Arts class in the coming weeks. In addition, we will be hosting parent webinars to help with all of this information too. Please plan to join us! Some CRMS courses will require an enrollment form/application/meeting/etc., and those will be specified on the choice sheet. For current 8th grade students, your course transition is coordinated by VHS. These dates are for current 6th and 7th grade students.
January 30: Students preview course registration information in advisory class. No selections made at this time.
January 30:
February 1-8: Students complete a choice sheet in Language Arts class with their grade level counselor. Choice sheet will be brought home for a parent signature.
February 12: Choice sheet with parent signature DUE for current 6th & 7th graders.
February 20: Students have time in advisory class to complete applications and enrollment forms if necessary.
February 26: Applications and enrollment forms DUE for current 6th & 7th graders.
2023-2024 Yearbooks for sale!
Yearbook Recognition Ads are also available to purchase for 8th Graders ONLY until February 8th or until space sells out for these dedicated ad pages; they cost $25.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Jared.Lichtenberger@leanderisd.org
Please note that we have a new yearbook vendor for this year, so please make sure you are purchasing with our link for Jostens Canyon Ridge Middle School Yearbook.
Free Dance Class
The Dyami Dancers officer and spirit leaders will be hosting a free dance class! Come and meet new friends and learn some fun dance moves!
- Open to all 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th grade students.
- Friday, February 9th
- 4:30-6:30 pm
- CRMS Gym
Students may wear any dance attire or athletic shorts and a t-shirt. Please wear tennis shoes or jazz shoes and bring a water bottle.
Want to be a Cheerleader?
For our 2024-25 CRMS Cheer tryout requirements, and other important information about how to become a CRMS Cheer Team Member. You do not have to be able to tumble or you can be an experienced cheerleader; either way, we want you to be part of our team to come bring spirt to our Eagle community!
- Mandatory Parent/Student Meeting
Topic: Cheer 2024-25 Mandatory Parent/Student Zoom Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://leanderisd.zoom.us/j/84115276326
Passcode: CRMSCheer
- Mandatory Tryout Clinics at CRMS: February 27 and 28, 4:30-5:30pm
- Mandatory Tryouts at VHS: February 29, 5:15pm
- Mandatory Team Cheer Camp: July 9-12
Annual CRMS Glow Party!
Tickets for sale online now
$7 online presale
$10 cash at the door
Friday, February 16, 2024
6-8pm
All 6th, 7th and 8th graders are invited to attend!
Attn: 8th graders mark your calendar!
8th Grade Parents--save the dates! Information will be updated on the VHS Counseling Website as the dates get closer. Be sure to check there for all VHS related information!
February 22 // 8th Grade Parent/Guardian Info Webinar // Link will be posted here
counselors will provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade families
parents/guardians will learn about the course selection process and ask related questions
February 26 - 27 // Four-Year Planning & Course Selection Overview with VHS Counselors (2 days at each school)
VHS counselors will visit Four Points and Canyon Ridge Middle Schools to provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade students
students will submit tentative course requests
students and their parent/guardian will be emailed a PDF copy of these tentative requests
choices are editable - a new PDF copy of updated courses will be emailed after each edit
VHS counselors will meet individually with 8th grade students to review four-year plans and course selections
March 4 @ 4pm
deadline to lock in initial course selections for the 2024-25 school year
- while there will be additional change opportunities, finalizing your requests as early as possible provides the highest likelihood of being placed in the classes you want
students and families will have the opportunity to further explore course options
Viper Night will include an elective fair, club & org fair, breakout sessions, and student panels
NEW! IB Student Info Session, 7th and 8th grade only
Parents, if you wish for your 7th or 8th grade student to attend an informational session on the VHS International Baccalaureate Programme, please have them complete the google form located in their grade level google classroom. A representative from VHS IB will be providing an info session for students during advisory class on February 22, 2024. Students must complete the form by 2/20/24 at 12pm in order to attend. Contact Staci Cote with any questions.
5th to CRMS 6th grade planning
- Tuesday, February 20th, 5:30-6:15pm: Parent Webinar
If you are unable to join the webinar, it will be recorded and shared later that week.
- Friday, February 23rd: 5th Grade student visits to CRMS, students will ride the bus from the elementary (SRE, LWBE & RRE) campuses to CRMS
Want To Be A Dyami Dancer?
Please read over the 2024 - 2025 Dyami Dancers Auditions Information for our tryout requirements, and other important information about how to become a CRMS Dance Team Member.
- Mandatory Parent/Candidate Meeting
When: Feb 28, 2024 at 6:00 PM
Topic: CRMS - Dyami Dancers Mandatory Parent/Candidate Meeting
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://leanderisd.zoom.us/j/85300379258
Passcode: Dyami!
- Dyami Dancers Audition Clinic
Date - March 7th - March 8th
Time: 4:30 pm - 6:30 pm
Location - CRMS main gym
What to wear- Black leggings, black t-shirt or tank, jazz shoes or tennis shoes.
- Mandatory Team Fitting Date
Date - April 10th
Time: 4:45 pm - 6:15 pm
Location- CRMS dance room
**Payment due at fitting
**The time will be divided by alpha last name to prevent overcrowding in the dance room.
A - M - 4:45 pm - 5:30 pm
N - Z - 5:30 pm - 6:15 pm
- Mandatory Summer Line Camp
Date- July 16th - July 19th
Time - 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Location - Rouse High School
District Seeks Community Input as Part of Instructional Resources Adoption Process
All LISD parents and students have the opportunity to provide input on the adoption of primary instructional resources. A list of the courses adopting new resources this year, opportunities to view the resources, and opportunities to ask questions are provided on the Leander ISD Instructional Materials Selection website.
This spring, Leander ISD will consider the adoption of new instructional resources, including AP Government, AP European History, AP Economics, AP Psychology, AP Chemistry, K-12 Science (All grades & courses, including Astronomy, an approved new course), and 14 different Career & Technical Education courses.
A feedback form is open to input with our Curriculum team on any of the subjects currently up for review. Digital access to materials and course descriptions are now published on the district’s site. And physical copies of these texts – when noted with “Hard Copy Available” – will be available at two in-person locations: the LISD Admin Building and Cedar Park HS.
Three Q&A Zoom sessions with the Curriculum Coordinators are scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 7, at the following times: 9 a.m., 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.
We encourage the #1LISD community to provide feedback on these resources between now and Feb. 16.
6th Grade Puberty Lessons March 4-6
Required form for all 6th graders to OPT-in to the Puberty Lessons due by March 4th at 9:00am:
Leander ISD 6th grade students are about to study an important lesson on the early stages of puberty, including reproductive and sexual health, in alignment with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) for Health Education. On March 4th-March 6th students will have an opportunity to learn the following lessons.
6th grade Lessons will be done in PE/Pre-Athletics/Dance classes.
2024 STAAR Testing dates at CRMS
February 6th - 6th ELA STAAR Field Test (STAAR field test information letter)
April 16th - 6th ELA
April 17th - 7/8 ELA
April 23rd - 8th Science
April 24th - 8th Social Studies
April 30th - 6th Math
May 1st - 7/8 Math/Algebra
*Some of the STAAR testing dates overlap with the religious days of Passover and Vesak. We can offer an alternative testing date if your student is not able to attend during one of those days. Please complete this form by Friday, March 22, 2023 so that we can connect with you to reschedule.
VHS’s Viper Golf Classic
Swing into action and join VHS’s Viper Golf Classic Fundraising Tournament on April 1st, 2024! Tee off for a day of fun, friendly competition, and community support. Your participation or donation makes a difference! Sign up now for a memorable day on the greens, where every stroke counts towards a great cause, the Viper Golf program!
Secondary G/T-QUEST Spring Referral
“QUEST” is an acronym for Quality Utilization and Enrichment of Student Talents. Leander ISD’s QUEST and Gifted & Talented (GT) Services are designed to meet the needs of identified gifted students who have demonstrated above-average ability in the following area of giftedness as defined by the Texas State Plan for the Gifted: high general-intellectual ability at the top 8-10% of the campus population. If you wish for your child to request QUEST testing, please email your grade level counselor by April 2, 2024 at noon.
Special Programs Updates
We're excited to announce the spring dates for our Family Workshops! February Parent Events
Special Programs Spring Family Workshops Save-the-Dates
January Newsletter: Special Programs & Services: Learn about upcoming family events, ARD parent survey, STAAR accommodations, age of majority, everyday math, and community resources.
Destination Life...Regional Transition Fair and Conference is right around the corner! This year's conference will be held on Saturday, February 24th from 9:00am -1:00pm. This conference helps Central Texas families prepare and support their student(s) with disabilities for life beyond high school. Families can expect to gather information and gain access to experts on how to help their student(s) with disabilities ranging from early childhood through high school. Click here to learn more about the event and RSVP
Early College HS Opens Enrollment for 2024–25 School Year
Do you have an 8th-grade student who would benefit from obtaining their high school diploma while also earning an associate degree tuition free? Leander ISD’s Early College High School makes this possible through the district’s partnership with Austin Community College at the San Gabriel Campus.
ECHS combines high expectations, academic rigor through inquiry-based instruction, and individualized student supports to prepare our scholars for academic success.
In an effort to offer interested 8th-grade students and their families the opportunity to learn more about the Early College HS program, a series of town halls have been added to the calendar:
- Thursday, Feb. 1, from 6–7 p.m. in the ECHS Multipurpose Room at the ACC San Gabriel Campus
- Saturday, Feb. 10, from 10–11 a.m. on Zoom (password ECHS2024!)
- Tuesday, Feb. 20, from 6–7 p.m. in the Cedar Park MS library
- Wednesday, Feb. 28, from 6–7 p.m. in the Wiley MS library
LISD ECHS is now accepting applications for its third cohort, which will then be selected through a blind lottery process later in the spring for incoming 2024–25 9th-graders. The deadline to apply is Friday, March 8, 2024. Apply Here
Calendar for 2024-25 approved
During its consent agenda, Trustees approved the 2024–25 academic calendar, closing out a months long process of community feedback.
Key features of the calendar include:
- First day of school is Wednesday, Aug. 14, 2024, the same week as in 2023–24
- Last day of school is Friday, May 23, 2025, maintaining an end date before Memorial Day
- Preserves two dedicated teacher workdays incorporated into the schedule before school starts
- Student early release days for teacher work time: Dec. 20 and May 23
- Continuous Improvement Conference: Nov. 4–5, aligning with Tuesday’s student holiday for Election Day.
- Spring Break: March 17–21, aligning with Austin Community College
- Staff development days during the school year will balance new learning with teacher planning and collaboration time: Sept. 23, Oct. 7, Jan. 6, Feb. 17, March 24 and April 21
Ms. Neal, 6th STEM Teacher
Ms. Neal is a 6th grade STEAM teacher here at CRMS and has been teaching for 16 years. She says that her favorite thing about Canyon Ridge is the sense of community. Fun fact: Ms. Neal's daughter attended CRMS when it first opened. Ms. Neal says that she loves teaching STEM because it brings together her love of Math, Science and Technology. She loved teaching Computer science but is excited for their robotics unit this year. She loves seeing her students be creative in their projects. Ms. Neal says, “My best advice in a project-based class like STEM is to read directions carefully, to manage your time wisely in the classroom, and make use of all the experience and knowledge of your peers and teacher by asking for help when you get stuck.”
Ms. Collier, Special Education Team Lead
Ms. Collier is the department chair for the Special Education team here at Canyon Ridge. She has been in education for 19 years and says that her favorite part about CRMS is her special education team and students. Ms. Collier says, “CRMS is such an amazing and inclusive campus. I love that we have so many students interested in being PE and Elective PALS every year.” Ms. Collier loves to golf with her family, so if you see her out on the course be sure to wave hello.
Ms. Vallee, Study Skills Teacher
Ms. Vallee is one of our awesome Study Skills and Inclusion Teachers. She has been teaching for over 11 years now and we are lucky to have her here at Canyon Ridge. Her favorite thing about CRMS is the people. She is excited for some of the new
Curriculum for Study Skills she can’t wait to use it and see how it helps her students. Her best advice to her students is to not stress about school. Try and remember to have fun. Fun fact about Ms. Vallee she is a 2nd degree black belt in Taek Wan Do.
Off-Campus Physical Education (OCPE) Guidelines Update
It is important that any student interested in applying for OCPE for the 24-25 school year look over these guidelines and become familiar with the changes.
Golden Eagle Weekly Recognition
Parents: Here is an opportunity to recognize a Canyon Ridge Middle School teacher or staff member who has made a difference! Every week, a faculty member will be chosen as the Golden Eagle recipient. If the teacher or staff member you nominated is recognized for this award, you will be invited to come to campus and join us to present the award with the admin team. Please complete this brief form to honor a CRMS teacher or staff member.
Shop & support CRMS
Simply copy/paste the below message to send an email to good.neighbor@randalls.com with the following:
Hello,
Please link my customer account connected to phone number [type your Randall's phone number] with Good Neighbor Charity #14216 for Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA.
Thank you,
[type your name]
Attendance
Important Attendance Reminders:
- Absence notes should be emailed to crmsattendance@leanderisd.org within 48 hours of the absence.
When you email the school, please include the student's first and last name and ID #. Student nicknames can cause confusion with attendance coding.
If you will be picking up your child from school early, please call the school (512-570-3500) ahead of time to let the Receptionist know. This allows our Receptionist time to get a pass written ahead of time and helps to move the process along more quickly.
The only people who will be permitted to pick up a child will be parents/guardians and those individuals listed as an emergency contact in your Home Access Center (HAC). Due to safety reasons, we cannot allow a parent to call in and give permission for someone to pick up your child during the school day other than those listed in HAC.
We do not allow early pick up after 4:00pm.
- If you feel like there is an error for a particular class period, please email the teacher directly first. For example, if your student was tardy and the teacher accidentally already marked the student absence, email the teacher because the attendance office has to have it in writing from the teacher before attendance can update anything
- There is a turn around time in updates if a student was with the nurse, AP, counselor, etc. It is not necessary to email the attendance office. Please remember that we have almost 1100 students so it will take 1-2 business days to show the update. We appreciate your patience and understanding that our team is working tirelessly to support all of our Eagles!
mLISD devices for the 2023-2024 year are still available!
At CRMS, we are a 1-to-1 device campus. All students are required to have a device with a keyboard each day at school. Students may bring their own device or get a device from mLISD.
This coming school year, all 6th graders will begin receiving new devices as part of the technology rollout from the last bond election.
The payment window is now open for families to secure their students’ district-provided laptops for the 2023-2024 school year. Plans to distribute laptops will be communicated at a later date. This program is optional. A non-refundable security deposit will be required for participation. The security deposit will be waived for students who qualify for Free and Reduced meals.
Price:
Middle School Students: $40 per school year, starting December 1: $20 for remainder of school year
High School Students: $60 per school year, starting December 1: $30 for remainder of school year
Students who qualify for Free and Reduced meals: $0.00
(Registration through our online store, currently EdPay, or submission of a signed acceptance form is required.)
Payment methods:
A) Debit/credit cards through the mLISD website
B) Scholarship opportunities are available. Please contact mlisd@leanderisd.org or your counselor for more information. Please include the following information in your email:
The student’s name
Campus
Student ID number
Parent phone number
Click here for more information about mLISD, scholarships and access to sign-up and pay
Bus updates from Transportation
The Leander ISD Transportation Department uses SMART Tag – a system that provides accurate, near real-time monitoring of where and when students load onto and unload off of their school bus – to help promote student safety and security, keeping parents, school administrators and the district’s transportation department more informed.
Returning bus riders are asked to continue to use the SMART Tag card they were issued last year. If they do not have a card, the student will punch in using their lunch number (student ID) when getting on and off the bus. Bus drivers will begin to issue cards in September for new bus riders.
The online parent portal allows parents and guardians to register to receive alerts for when the bus will arrive at their child’s stop; see a live map of their child’s bus; and view a riding history for their child. Be sure to register if you have never done so.
By Wednesday, Aug. 9, Leander ISD parents can enter their home address into Infofinder to look up their child’s bus route number, pick-up/drop-off times, and bus stop locations for the 2023–24 school year. Bus routes are subject to change, so LISD parents are strongly encouraged to confirm their child’s bus information again the week prior to the start of school.
School Breakfast & Lunches
During the 2023–24 school year, Leander ISD will welcome back Southwest Foodservice Excellence (SFE) as its food-services provider. That’s right – that means Crispitos are coming back!
All students who qualify for free meals during the 2023–24 school year will receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. In 2023–24, students who qualify for reduced-price meals will receive free breakfast meals and lunch for $0.40.
For elementary students who do not qualify for F&R meals, prices will remain the same from last year. At elementary school, the cost of breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $2.90. For secondary students, the cost of breakfast is $1.75 and lunch is $3.15.
Parents who would like to apply to find out if they are eligible for F&R meals for their children can visit our Child Nutrition Services website for more information.
Athletic events tickets for Middle School online!
Tickets can be purchased through link on the athletics webpage:
Canyon Ridge Middle School
AP/Counselor by grade-level for 2023-2024:
- 6th: Dr. Ashley Thompson1 / Kimberly Mills
- 7th: Leah Cox / Jillian Baaklini
- 8th: Brian Bass / Staci Cote
Email: Wendy.Sturdevant@leanderisd.orgg
Website: crms.leanderisd.org
Location: Canyon Ridge Middle School, Country Trails Lane, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-570-3500
Twitter: @Sturdevant_CRMS
