The Wolf Weekly

Wonderful Wolf Families,

The time between Thanksgiving and the end of the semester are always busy and full of learning and fun! Thank you for reading our newsletter to find out about all the happenings through the next two weeks as we put a bow on the first semester of the 2025-2026 school year.

Howl,

Jamie Halliburton

CTMS Principal

This week, Texas Association for the Gifted and Talented, hosted their annual conference at the Gaylord in Grapevine. On Thursday, Mr. Tucker led an incredible presentation on engaging gifted learners through co-curricular lessons. Then, on Friday, five wolves, Alexander, Alexis, Catherine, Jewel, and Safia, and one former wolf, Conner, spoke to a packed room of educators. Howl to all of these wolves for educating educators and representing the pack so well!

CTMS Cheer and Silver Dancers brought the holiday spirit during Thursday's Grapevine Parade of Lights!!!

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:

1. District Assessments (TEKS Checks): These assessments will cover the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) to ensure students are meeting the required learning objectives. This are the assessments our wolves take at the end of each assessment.

2. Algebra District Assessment: A comprehensive exam to evaluate students' understanding and proficiency in Algebra.

3. Biology District Assessment: An in-depth assessment focusing on key concepts and knowledge in Biology.

4. In addition, high school courses will have semester exams that may include hands-on projects, written assessments, or group projects.

5. i-Ready: Middle of the Year i-Ready diagnostic, just like the beginning of year assessment. This is not for a grade, rather this helps determine My Path Lessons and show growth from the start of the school year.

All mid-year assessments and semester exams will be given in a two week window from December 8-18, 2025. 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 6, 2026. 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 6.

This year, we will be following our traditional daily schedule, not having an exam schedule like our friends at the high school. 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.

The Cotillion registration page is live and ready for you to purchase your tickets for FOUR nights of !!! Cotillion, a sixth grade only event focused on fun, etiquette, and dancing, starts on January 16, 2026 and runs every Friday until February 6.

To Purchase tickets:

• Cotillion Information and tickets: https://www.ctmspta.org/cotillion
• If you receive a message that the page is not available, please check your contact record and make sure your 6th grade student is listed on your account. (Sales are limited to 6th grade students.)Account update: https://www.ctmspta.org/membership_step1 (click through to step 2, where your kids are listed)

For any issues, please email communications@ctmspta.org and we will work out the details.

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!

Click here for the official district calendar for the 2025-2026 school year

• December 9 ~ MOY i-Ready Reading
• December 10 ~ MOY i-Ready Math/Band Concert/Wrestling Meet
• December 16 ~ Choir Concert
• December 18 ~ Early Release for Wolves/Pep Rally @ 11:05 a.m.

Planning on cheering on the pack at any sporting events, get your ticket ahead of time. Scan below.

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.

Drop-off and pick-up occur in TWO locations: In the parking lot outside the academic halls at the B-hall door and outside the SAC. Thank you for waiting in carline and letting your wolf exit. It takes a few minutes to drop off and pick up over 800 wolves!

For the safety of all wolves, thank you in advance for driving slowly, keeping cell phones away, and staying alert and aware of others.

B-Hall Door

For drop-off and pick-up, the parking lot across from the football field is two lanes. Pull into the lane you will be exiting from, if you are turning right out of the parking lot, drop off and/or pick up your wolf in the inside lane (closest to the building) and if you are turning left out of the parking lot, drop off and/or pick up your wolf on the outside lane (closest to the football field). Also, please pull all the way up to let your wolf out of the vehicle. The doors to the school open at 7:45 a.m. and school dismisses at 3:35 p.m.

SAC Doors

This is a single lane drop-off and pick-up. The driveway is not for parking. If you need to assist your wolf, please park in a non-reserved space.

If anything is not working:

• 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.

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.

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.

GCISD Volunteer Page

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.

Página de voluntarios de GCISD

To find out information on events that are not directly associated with Cross Timbers, click below to see the Peachjar flyers.

Peachjar Flyers

Attendance

Lache Nealy

817-251-5326

lache.nealy@gcisd.net

Registrar

Jacqueline Knappenberger

817-251-5314

jacqueline.knappenberger@gcisd.net

Counselors

Patricia Salazar (last names A-K)

817-251-5315

patricia.salazar@gcisd.net

Rachel Smith (last names L-Z)

817-251-5312

rachel.smith@gcisd.net

Student Advocate

Allyiah Daniels

817-251-5323

Allyiah.Daniels@gcisd.net

Nurse

Adriana Maxwell

817-251-5337

adriana.maxwell@gcisd.net

Assistant Principals

Holly Ybarrola (last names A-K)

817-251-5313

holly.ybarrola@gcisd.net

Cinthia Morales (last names L-Z)

817-251-5317

cinthia.morales@gcisd.net

Principal

Jamie Halliburton

817-251-5320

jamie.halliburton@gcisd.net

• 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.

Website: https://ctms.gcisd.net/
Location: 2301 Pool Rd, Grapevine, TX 76051
Phone: 817-251-5320