CMS Cougar Newsletter

A Letter from the Principal

Dear Cougar Families,

What a great week it has been at Covington Middle School!

On Thursday, November 6th, our students were provided a unique opportunity to experience “The Accidental Hero”, performed by Patrick Dewane. This stunning, true World War II story tells of an American soldier who unknowingly liberates the land of his ancestors - brought vividly to life by his grandson. The performance was both moving and inspiring, reminding our students of the courage, sacrifice, and humanity that connect generations across time.

We also wrapped up another successful week of learning, celebration, and Cougar pride. Our students continue to amaze us with their hard work, teamwork, and enthusiasm in everything they do.

On Friday, we celebrated our 6th graders for winning the October Attendance Challenge with an Ice Cream Sundae Party! Their consistent effort to show up, be engaged, and give their best each day truly paid off. Congratulations to our sixth graders - you’ve set the bar high for November!

While these challenges bring excitement, the message behind them is one that truly matters: Attendance counts. Missing just a few days each month may not seem like much, but it adds up quickly.

• Missing 2 days a month equals 20 days a year—that’s more than a full year of school missed by graduation.

• Missing 4 days a month equals 40 days a year, which adds up to over two years of lost learning time by the time students reach graduation.
  
  

Each day in class matters. Every discussion, activity, and lesson builds on the next, and when students are present, they stay connected, confident, and ready to succeed.

We’ve noticed that Mondays and Fridays tend to be the days when our attendance rates drop the most. We know those mornings can be tough - especially at the end or beginning of a long week - but those are often the days when important learning and relationship-building happen. Please help encourage your student to push through those tough mornings and show up ready to learn. A consistent routine makes a huge difference, and your support makes all the difference for them.

If your child is struggling with any aspect of school - academically, socially, or emotionally - please reach out to us. We want to partner with you to develop a plan and work together to make things better. Our goal is for every student to know that they can achieve success, that they belong, and that they matter. We are here to help, and we believe in every one of our Cougars.

Our November Attendance Challenge is now underway! The top three first-period classes with the highest attendance this month will win donuts for their entire class! Let’s keep our momentum going and show that Cougars show up - every day, ready to learn and lead.

Tomorrow, Monday, November 10th, we will celebrate Veterans Day with a special program honoring the men and women who have bravely served our country. This event gives our students a chance to reflect on the sacrifices made by those who have defended our freedom. There will be no school on Tuesday, November 11th in observance of Veterans Day. We look forward to coming together as a school community to show our gratitude and respect.

Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and commitment to helping our Cougars grow, learn, and thrive.

With Cougar Pride,

Lori Mattson

Interim Principal

Covington Middle School

💻 Chromebook Reminder 💻

Now that we’re well underway in the second quarter, it’s a great time to remind every Cougar to come to school each day with their Chromebook fully charged and ready to learn. Having a charged device helps students stay engaged in lessons, complete assignments smoothly, and take full advantage of all the learning opportunities this quarter has to offer.

Families, thank you for continuing to remind students to charge their Chromebooks each night. Your support keeps our classrooms running efficiently and ensures our Cougars are always prepared for success!

Physical Education and Heath Update

Our PE classes recently wrapped up the soccer unit, with some great games and even a few exciting rounds of scooter soccer! Next up, we’ll kick off our basketball unit, while Mr. Wyatt continues with LST for Health.

🔢 Math Update

We are proud to recognize these 4 Math Students of the Week.

6th Grade – Riley Craft

7th Grade – Haley Jonas

8th Grade – Lucas Macey

Algebra – Eden Puffenbarger

These students have shown impressive progress in understanding complex

math concepts and demonstrates a fantastic effort and determination, even

when the problems are challenging. Their willingness to take academic risks

and persistent problem-solving attitude are truly commendable, keep up the

great work!

Math Strategies for understanding and practice

Understand, don’t just memorize:

Focus on the “why” behind formulas and concepts. Try explaining a concept to

someone else to solidify your own understanding.

Practice consistently:

Solve a variety of practice problems regularly to reinforce concepts and build

problem-solving skills.

Work through examples:

Go over example problems in your textbook or notes. Write down each step to

understand the process.

Review mistakes:

Analyze your errors to understand what went wrong and how to correct

them. Don’t just glance at the correct answer; learn from the mistake to avoid

it in the future.

Language Arts Update

6th Grade:

Students in Mrs. Linsin's language arts class are continuing to work on their novel study of Lois Lowry's The Giver this week. We are concentrating on conflict, foreshadowing, and characterization this week in our study. Students have a vocabulary quiz coming up on November 19th, and they should be studying their flashcards a little each evening.

Students in Mrs. Linsin's English strategies class are working on root words and affixes this week. They, too, have flashcards they should be studying, and their quiz will be on November 21st.

Mrs. Boone's 6th grade classes are working on text features in nonfiction text. They are reading articles to identify the parts.

7th Grade:

Mrs. Fields' seventh graders just finished studying about how author’s use organizational structures to relay information. Students are becoming invested in their independent novels for the second nine weeks.

8th Grade:

Mrs. Simons' classes just finished up a suspense unit that included several short stories highlighting suspense, foreshadowing, and dramatic and situational irony. Students also used these stories to review important story elements, such as characters, plot, conflict and theme. The unit culminated into students writing a persuasive essay about greed, where students had to choose whether greed is good or bad. Students used evidence from their own research and from our suspense stories to prove their claim and reasoning.

🗺️ History Department Update

8th Grade - Civics & Economics:

This week students wrapped up CE. 3, with a focus on State Government and took their test. Students then began their study on Local Government, which will conclude this week. Studying Local Government helps students to be able to recognize the incredible impact that they can have right here in their community. This unit also helps students to know who their local, elected officials are and the responsibilities of each role. We are excited to press forward in our studies of Civics and Economics!

🎶 The Weekly Beat 🎶

Choir Highlights/Updates

• This week, we continued work on the music for our Holiday Concert.

• Students also took a singing test on the all-district choir prepared piece, “Beautiful Dreamer.”

• Next week we will prioritize Holiday Music during rehearsals.

• All-District Choir Audition results should be available by 11/17. I will inform students as soon as that information is available.

Band Highlights/Updates

• Students experimented with different holiday tunes as we sightread new additions to our Holiday Program

Reminders for Families

• Any parents interested in being a part of the Performing Arts Boosters should consider attending our next meeting November 24 @ Alleghany High School at 6:00 PM in the Cafeteria.

Special Opportunities

• Tri-M

• Fall Tri-M Small Recital - 11/10 in Curfman Hall @ 5PM - Free Admission for All

• Next Regular Meeting 11/20 from 4-5pm in the Band Room.

• Spring Musical

• Spring Musical audition info for cast and applications for crew are available with Mr. Snedegar in Curfman Hall. This is open to all students at CMS! This year’s show will be Aladdin Jr.

🔬 Science Update

6th Grade: The 6th graders continued their weathering, erosion, and deposition unit. They took a trip to Wiley's Greenhouse, and completed hands-on activities to see how erosion and pollution not only affect water in our area, but other areas as well.

Covington Middle School

Asst. Principal: Mr. Marty Wood

Asst. Principal/Athletic Director: Mr. Zach Hamilton

Main Office: 540-965-1410

Attendance Email: Attendance Notes
Website: https://cms.ahps.k12.va.us/
Location: 606 South Lexington Avenue, Covington, VA 24426
Phone: 540-965-1410
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CovingtonMSCougars
Instagram: cmscougars2023