Ridge Relay

TODAY is the final day to join the PTA and help us beat FPMS in our membership drive! Please see the link below and join now to save me from wearing the FPMS Falcon head at our community night volleyball game this week. :)

There are a lot of important dates in October so please mark your calendars and don't miss any events!

Go Eagles!

Mrs. Wendy Sturdevant

This week, we kicked off our competition against FPMS to see who can get the most PTA memberships. The losing school principal must wear the other mascot at the CRMS vs FPMS volleyball game. Please, please join for just $10 today to support CRMS & help the Eagles soar to success in this competition. All family members, neighbors & friends can join to help us increase that number of memberships & joining does not require you to volunteer. We welcome all new volunteers but your membership is free of obligation. Join here today and make sure you have done it no later than TODAY Wednesday, October 11th.

For all you meal planners out there, plan to eat at Chick-fil-A Four Points this Thursday, October 12th from 4-8pm on your way to/from the CRMS volleyball games.

Tell them in person or in the app that you are there for CRMS and they will donate back to the Eagles!

Excited for our first annual CRMS Pink Out to support our community with cancer awareness. Get your Pink Out Eagles shirt for all the upcoming October events here:

https://canyonridgemspta.memberhub.com/store/items/943936

Come support our Eagles in our feeder pattern matchup at Vandegrift High School Gym.

Thursday, October 12th

B team game starts at 5:30 pm and A team immediately follows it at approx 6:30 pm.

• All Elementary students wearing their campus shirt will get in free.
• Parent tickets are $4.00. (Tickets go on sale at 8:00am on Thursday, October 12th.)
• There will be an Elementary presentation between the B Team Game and the A Team game.

Buy your tickets now - PTA is hosting our first ever CRMS Masquerade Ball. The Masquerade Ball is on October 13th, 6:30-8:30pm, and is for all 6th-8th grade CRMS students.

• Masks are optional. If you choose to wear a mask, it cannot be a full face covering.
• Tickets are $15 until 10/6/23 and then become $20.
• Please see your school counselor for financial assistance.
• This is a semi-formal event or wear your Sunday best. There is no need to buy a formal dress or suit, but we are hoping for a step up from our student hoodies and workout shorts. :)

Wednesday, October 18 is Unity Day. Unity Day was created to encourage solidarity against bullying and foster kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. We do this by wearing and sharing ORANGE!

Hello CRMS families,

State mandated spinal screens will be taking place at your child's campus on 10/19/23. Trained screeners will check your child for signs of spinal problems like scoliosis.

Girls

Girls will be screened two times, once in 5th grade and again in 7th grade.

Boys

Boys will be screened one time in 8th grade.

The screening is simple. Screeners will look at your child’s back while he or she stands and bends forward.

Important Recommendations:

• All students will have to remove their shirt for the exam.

• Girls should wear a sports bra or two-piece swimsuit top.

• Boys and girls will be screened separately and individually.

The campus nurse will send you a letter if your child does not pass the screening. The letter will tell you how to follow up with a doctor.

This screening is not a medical exam. Your child still needs to see a doctor for their annual checkups.

If you do not wish to have your child screened for religious reasons, you must submit notification via email to the campus nurse school no later than 10/10/23.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions.

Thank you,

Rachael Kristoff RN, BSN

Canyon Ridge Middle School Nurse

512-570-3507
512-570-9258 confidential eFax

We realized this week that not all students/families know that the district has drug dogs randomly search all middle school and high school campuses. We had our first search of the school year this past week and wanted to provide you with some information about how this works:

In alignment with board policy, Leander ISD has a contract for searches to take place at all middle school and high school campuses. This was our first campus search this year, but at middle school, it occurs approximately once every other month and at high schools, approximately once a month.

As a campus, we do not know when they are going to show up so it is not pre-planned. When they arrive, we honestly try to cause the least disruption possible so we try to choose random classrooms that aren't in the middle of a test, presentation, etc. but we choose different rooms every time to keep it random. By luck of the day or class period, students may not see it often but it occurs throughout the year. When we get to the room, the teacher stands in the hallway with the students (so the dog does not sniff any students directly), and the campus administrator goes into the classroom to monitor the dog search.

We are very proud that they did not find anything with our recent search, and we are blessed that they do not find things often at CRMS, but the dogs are trained to find a variety of illegal drugs and substances including prescriptions or other pills. If something is found during the search, the item(s) is brought to the office to address the situation immediately, speak to the student privately and contact parents regarding next steps.

Visit our PTA website for details on: Volunteering, Bookfair, & EWallet: CRMS Book Fair

ELA class visits available by grade level:

• Mon, 10/23: 6th grade
• Tues, 10/24: 8th grade
• Wed, 10/25: 7th grade

BRING Cash or EWallet to SHOP

• Mon, Oct 23rd: Before School: 8:35-9:05am AFTER SCHOOL: 4:20-7pm FAMILY NIGHT
• Tues, Oct 24th: Before School: 8:35-9:05am AFTER SCHOOL: 4:20-5pm
• Wed, Oct 25th: Before School: 8:35-9:05am AFTER SCHOOL: 4:20-5pm
• Thurs, Oct 26th: Before School: 8:35-9:05am Lunch ALL Grades w/ Pass & Money

*Bring FAMILY on Mon 10/23 & Come support your Eagle volleyball teams and shop from 4:20- 7pm!

October is Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month. In an effort to educate the Leander ISD community and increase awareness of the dangers of fentanyl and potential overdoses, the district is sharing information to assist parents and guardians by providing resources for use with students. The information below is from the National Institute for Drug Abuse. These resources will also be available on the Leander ISD Empowering Parents webpage.

Because illegally manufactured fentanyl is increasingly found in counterfeit pills, individuals are often not aware of the danger of the pill they may take. The only safe medications are ones that come from licensed and accredited medical professionals. The DEA warns that pills purchased outside of a licensed pharmacy are illegal, dangerous, and potentially lethal.

Fentanyl Poisoning Awareness Month in LISD

Leander ISD students and parents are encouraged to attend the district’s College Fair from 6–8 p.m. Monday, Oct. 23, at Vista Ridge High School (200 S. Vista Ridge Blvd. in Cedar Park) to learn more about admissions, financial aid and scholarships to prepare for students’ collegiate endeavors.

Students will have the opportunity to meet with representatives from four-year and two-year colleges and universities, trade schools and technical programs. Additionally, the armed services will be represented.

Parking is available at Vista Ridge HS, with overflow parking available across the street at Gupton Stadium. College representatives will be in the cafeteria and competition gym.

Register​ in advance to spend more time getting the information you need from the schools that interest you and less time filling out forms.

How to Register

• Go to the Registration page and select Student
• Complete the required information and print your barcode
• Don’t forget to bring your barcode to the college fair

Our students love our outdoor “recess” time after lunch each day but our basket of sports equipment is almost empty. If you have any sports equipment in your garage that you would like to clean out and donate, we will gladly accept footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, kick balls and basketballs. It does not need to be new--we welcome used equipment that we can put to good use for all of our students. Please drop off your donations anytime during school hours in the front office. Thank you for helping to provide for this valuable outdoor time for our Eagles!

1. Join us, as we host Canyon Ridge Middle School's, first ever, Masquerade Ball on Friday, October 13th. Volunteers are needed for set-up, tear-down, and everything in between. Please consider signing up for a shift (or two, or three) and bringing a food or beverage item to be sold at the concession stand. Requests for donations are at the bottom of this sign-up and will be collected the week of Oct. 6th. Don't let your kids dissuade you from volunteering; put on a mask and come witness this magical middle school milestone!

2. October 23-26 Book Fair volunteer sign-up link: CRMS PTA: Canyon Ridge MS Book Fair Fall 2023 (signupgenius.com)

~ As always, for any of these opportunities, volunteers must be approved through LISD. Click here for instructions.~

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 of 23/24 and the deadline to register is listed below.

Testing Window Two:

• Time: December 5-8, 2023

• Registration Deadline: October 27, 2023 by noon

• Location: CRMS

• Logistics: Arranged with student's counselor, LISD, & UTHS

• Additional Info: High school credit courses only; CRMS counselors recommend waiting until March for testing.

Note: Students who pass an Exam for Acceleration in the December 2023 testing window will complete the 2023-2024 school year in his/her current class. Students will receive their acceleration in the 2024-2025 school year.

The Special Programs Parent Advisory Council has two vacant Executive Council positions. The Parent Advisory Council is an opportunity for families of students who receive 504 or Special Education services to share their voice and help make a difference in the LISD Special Programs community. We are on the search for a President and Inclusion and Diversity Liaison. Click here to learn more about the positions and apply by October 13.

Special Programs Parent & Family October Events

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.

Randall's has agreed to add CRMS to the Good Neighbor Support program and it is SO easy! Email below, then do your regular shopping and Randall's will donate back to the CRMS PTA.

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]

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!

**These dates are accurate as of 10/5/23.

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

February 29 - March 4 // 8th Grade Individual Student/Counselor Conferences (February 29 & March 1 - CRMS // March 4 - FPMS)

• VHS counselors will meet individually with 8th grade students to review four-year plans and course selections

April 3 // Viper Night (more details to come!)

• 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

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

The Canyon Ridge Yearbook is available for sale HERE! Yearbooks are currently $40. Pre-order yours today!

Yearbook Recognition Ads are also available to purchase for 8th Graders ONLY; 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.

In April and May 2023, the State of Texas Assessments of Academic Readiness (STAAR) tests were administered to students. The state released final performance level results to parents this week on Wednesday, August 16th. Please see below for information on how to access your child’s scores using the STAAR Parent Portal.

Here are Steps to Access Your Child's STAAR Scores

On the STAAR Parent Portal, a screen will prompt you for a portal access code. Enter your student’s unique access code (not their school lunch/ID number. Portal access codes can be found on previous STAAR communications or in HAC following the linked steps).

If you need assistance, please contact Larissa Baggett, CRMS Testing Coordinator.

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 are no longer allowing 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!

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

High School Students: $60 per 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

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.

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.

Beginning last school year, 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/

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