We had a great first week of 2022 at CRMS! We welcomed many new students and saw Eagles across campus engaging in classes and activities. We are excited for a fantastic second semester!

A few reminders as we kick off 2nd semester:

• Now is a great time to get a mLISD school device. You can get it for half-price and have a school device with tech support available at school and ready to go for Spring testing like STAAR. Sign-up for a computer now!

• If your child forgets their lunch at home, you may only drop off the lunch for your own child. We cannot accept food for other children and we cannot accept food from delivery services like UberEats, Doordash, etc.

• Mark your Calendars: Monday, January 17th is a School Holiday. All campus and district offices will be closed in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr Holiday.
  

• Below you will find many upcoming dates for this month and the semester including course registration for next year, STAAR testing and more. Please mark your calendars as we get ready for a busy semester!

Follow us on social media:

Twitter: @Sturdevant_CRMS

Instagram: Canyon_Ridge_MS

Facebook: Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA

We are in need of 2 Instructional Assistants to support our students. It is a paid position here at the school in the community you live. Benefits are available and you follow the school calendar so you will get holidays and summers off.

Email Megan Prata today for more information or apply here.

7:13 a.m. Tacara Steiner Ranch @Office

7:16 a.m. Canyon Glen Circle at Gazley Lane

7:17 a.m. Canyon Glen Dr. & Hughes Ranch Rd. @Park

7:20 a.m. Coryell Dr. & Latimer Dr.

7:21 a.m. Caney Creek Rd. & Latimer Dr.

7:23 a.m. Epperson Trl. & Grierson Trl.

7:24 a.m. Grierson Trl. & John Simpson Trl.

7:26 a.m. John Simpson Trl. & Mulberry Creek Dr. - Closest to Steiner Ranch Blvd.

7:27 a.m. John Simpson Trl. & Mulberry Creek Dr. - Closest to Quinlan Park

7:28 a.m. Park Rd. Rip Ford Dr. & Latimer Dr. - South Intersection

Please be sure to have your student ready to board the bus 3 - 5 minutes prior to the listed bus departure time. If you have any questions or concerns, please call the transportation office at 512-570-0700.

Debate Club will take place on Tuesdays from 3:30-4:30 from now on in Room 0109 starting this Tuesday, January 11th. Everyone is welcome!

In collaboration with volunteers and local partners, the City of Leander will honor the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. by hosting its first MLK Day Parade & Street Festival themed "Community Unity - Bright & Bold" on Jan. 17, 2022, in Old Town Leander.

Leander ISD is partnering with the city to host a Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. essay contest. The contest is open to all students in Leander ISD. They can submit entries digitally or through the school through January 9, 2022. Details on the contest can be found here.

There is also a curated list of titles on our Sora Digital Library for readers to learn more about the life of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

A student information session about VHS International Baccalaureate will be held at CRMS on Friday 1/21/22 during advisory class. This is an optional student info session for 8th graders. In order for a student to attend, please submit this RSVP form by Tuesday 1/18/22. If submitting the form as a parent, you will need your child's LISD login information to access the form, so please do the form with them. Specific IB questions can be directed to the coordinator at VHS, Sherilyn Green. Other questions can be directed to Staci Cote.

Air Force Junior ROTC is a high school program to "develop citizens of character dedicated to serving their nation and community." AFJROTC students will present the many benefits of taking this elective in high school. This elective counts as a PE credit. In addition to physical training, students will get many leadership and community service opportunities. LISD buses VHS students over to AFJROTC at LHS for this high school program. A student information session will be held at CRMS on Friday 2/11/22 during advisory class. This is an optional student info session for 8th graders. In order to attend, please submit this RSVP form by Sunday 2/6/22. If submitting the form as a parent, you will need your child's LISD login information to access the form, so please do the form with them. Specific AFJROTC questions can be directed to Jeff Moffitt (jeff.moffitt@leanderisd.org). Other questions can be directed to Staci Cote.

CRMS families, if your child is proficient in a language and would like to pursue testing opportunities to earn high school credit for this language, please contact your school counselor for information on 2021/2022 testing. Testing date for spring 2022 is February 3, 2022 on the CRMS campus. The deadline to register for spring testing is January 27, 2022. Testing slots are limited due to the nature of the test and classroom capacity. Once the slots are full, a second spring date may be considered and/or summer testing dates will be offered. Testing is open to all grade levels, but recommended for 7/8 graders.

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 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 application, and those will be specified on the choice sheet. For current 8th grade students, your course transition is coordinated by VHS. The dates below are for current 6th and 7th grade students.

January 28:

Students receive a preview of the choice sheet in advisory class.

February 1:

• Parent Webinar (passcode 774990) at 5:30-6:15 for current 6th grade parents
• Parent Webinar (passcode 774990) at 6:30-7:15 for current 7th grade parents

February 4:

Students will complete a choice sheet in advisory class. Choice sheet will be brought home for a parent signature.

February 11:

Choice sheet with parent signature DUE for current 6th & 7th graders.

Students begin their high school four year plan during their 8th grade year. Over the course of this year, Mrs. Cote has been delivering four year planning student lessons as part of the 8th to 9th grade transition. Lesson resources can be found here. Thanks for partnering with us to support your child in their 8th to 9th grade transition!

Additionally, Vandegrift High School Counselors will be meeting with your child and hosting events in the spring semester for this transition. See VHS dates below and mark your calendars!

• 1/10/22 VHS Counselors to CRMS Campus for Course Registration Presentation
• 1/11/22 VHS Counselor to CRMS Campus for Review of Four Year Plan
• 1/11/22 8th Grade Family Night @ VHS (virtual)
• 1/13/22 Viper Night @ VHS (POSTPONED)
• 1/18/22 VHS Counselor to CRMS Campus for Review of 9th Grade Choice Sheet
  

*Dates subject to change. Accurate as of 1/6/2022

Each year, LISD offers students an opportunity to take an Exam for Acceleration (EA) at no cost to the family. LISD offers four EA testing windows each school year. Click this link for more information and dates. Students and parents can request the exam through their grade level counselor. The next testing window and deadline to register is listed below.

Testing Window Three: March 7-9, 2022

Time: Arranged with student's counselor

Registration deadline: February 7, 2022

Location: CRMS

Logistics: Arranged with student's counselor & UTHS

Note: Students who pass an Exam for Acceleration in the March 2022 testing window will complete the 2021-2022 school year in his/her current class. Students will receive their acceleration in the 2022-2023 school year.

• All 7th PACE & 8th Math STAAR Field Test: February 17th
• 8th grade Science STAAR: May 5
• 8th grade Social Studies STAAR: May 6
• 6th grade Math STAAR: May 10
• 7th & 8th grades Math & Algebra 1 STAAR: May 12
• 7th & 8th grades Reading STAAR: May 16
• 6th grade Reading: May 17

PTA has new Spirit Wear in Stock! Grab a soft, warm hoodie or a baseball tee for the cool days that are surely coming! We also have a new PTA t-shirt and girls youth PE shorts in smaller sizes. Show off your CRMS Pride and Eagles Spirit and visit our website to purchase! Eagles Spirit Wear - Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA

Yearbooks for the 2021-2022 school year are available online NOW! Don't miss out on the lowest price of the year; Order your yearbook before December 1st for $35. On December 1st, yearbook prices increase. Additionally, we are offering an opportunity for CRMS families to highlight their 8th grade students with a shout out. Shout outs are very similar to senior ads in a high school yearbook and are only available for 8th grade students. They can be purchased as an add on to the yearbook for $25. Shout outs must be purchased on or before January 31, 2022 and your short message and photos must be submitted by February 15, 2022. Our school orders a limited number of yearbooks each year. By pre ordering your yearbook now, you ensure that you will receive a yearbook. If you have any questions please email Jared.Lichtenberger@leanderisd.org .

Students from Vandegrift High School began a homework help service in 2012. Today Viper Nation Homework Help continues as a student-led, free tutoring service for elementary, middle and even high school peers in our community. To sign up your student for one of the Tuesday evening sessions, please visit https://signup.com/go/zmqysDO.

Leander ISD updated our Health Response Protocols and on August 17th, elevated to a new Yellow Stage. Please review and partner with us to keep people healthy and schools open:

• COVID-19 Update: New Health Response Protocols
• August 6th Update to COVID Notifications, Contact Tracing and Dashboard data
• August 17th Update: Mask Requirement for All
• Leander ISD COVID dashboard

CRMS Frequently Asked Questions - COVID

ALL tickets for all high school and middle school athletic events hosted at LISD facilities will be sold online only. There will be NO cash sales at the gate. Tickets can be purchased through link on the athletics webpage: https://www.leanderisd.org/athletics_ticketspasses/

Many have generously reached out and asked how you can donate or support the teachers/school during this time. If you are wanting to donate and unsure how, we will gladly accept donations on campus of the following:

• bottled water
• masks
• paper towels
• hand sanitizer
• Clorox wipes

Currently, there is no state funding for PPE this year, so donations will be accepted and very appreciated! You can drop off in the school front office at your convenience during school hours.

Home Access Center (HAC) provides families with an online tool where they can view helpful student information to support and guide their children through the educational process. From home or work, at any time of the day or night, parents can access the web portal to track academic achievement.

Features include:

• Grade notifications,

• Class schedules

• Attendance records.

Visit the Home Access Center page to learn more. Please allow time for our campuses to complete schedule and teacher assignments in the coming days prior to the start of the school year.

Beginning Aug. 5, 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 2021-22 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.

The Transportation Department will continue to use the Remind platform to communicate delay notifications and other important updates. Bus riders and their guardians will be added to a Remind “class” for their assigned bus route.

All students at CRMS must have a working computer/device with a keyboard. If you do not have your own device, that is okay! Click on this link to sign-up/re-enroll and pay the 2021-2022 mLISD non-refundable security deposit so you can get your computer as soon as possible!

Our schools and teachers use Remind to send text messages and emails to our parents. Make sure you log into Remind to set up your notification preferences, see archived messages, and send messages directly to your teachers and school staff. Download the mobile app (Google Play, Apple) for the best user experience.

Click here to learn more about Remind.

As Leander ISD Child Nutrition Services will continue to offer free breakfast and lunch meals to all students for the 2021–22 school year, low-cost meals are not being served at this time. To manage your student’s meal balance for snacks or extras beyond the meal service, please create your Titan Family Connect account (formerly MealTime). Leander ISD school menus, along with complete nutrition information, are available through Nutrislice.

School start and end times for elementary, middle and high school are listed below.

• Elementary School: 7:40 a.m.–2:55 p.m.
• Middle School: 8:10 a.m.–3:25 p.m.
• High School: 8:40 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

90-minute Early Release Schedule for 2021–22 School Year

• Elementary School: 7:40 a.m.–1:25 p.m.
• Middle School: 8:10 a.m.–1:55 p.m.
• High School: 8:40 a.m.–2:30 p.m.

*District Calendar linked below

Turn your sound on and please watch this video from CRMS students!

*Randall's will donate to CRMS PTA if you select us as your Good Neighbor Program just because you shop there! Complete this form and then e-mail to good.neighbor@randalls.com or take to any store customer service location..

*Did you know you can buy all your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile, and they will donate to our PTA all year long?!?! It doesn’t cost you anything and you order the same way. Just set up your Amazon Smile profile to donate to PTA Texas Congress Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA.

*CRMS PTA: If you have not yet, please consider joining the CRMS PTA. Memberships start as low as $10.

*SPIRIT WEAR: Spirit Wear is restocked. Porch pickup is very close to CRMS.

Be sure to follow Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA on Facebook and join the Facebook group for your child's grade level. Thank you for your time and all of your support for our Eagles!

AP/Counselor by grade-level for 2021-22:

• 6th: Monica Diaz Carle/Sabrina Anderson
• 7th: Cassandra Ricks/Katie Young
• 8th: Leah Cox /Staci Cote

Email: Wendy.Sturdevant@leanderisd.org
Website: crms.leanderisd.org
Location: Canyon Ridge Middle School, Country Trails Lane, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-570-3500
Twitter: @Sturdevant_CRMS