CMS Cougar Newsletter

A Letter from the Principal

Dear Cougar Families,

It’s hard to believe we’re already nearing the end of the first marking period! Time is moving quickly, and our students continue to impress us with their curiosity, determination, and Cougar pride. Every day, we see more and more students stepping up — taking charge of their learning, setting goals, and realizing that they are the drivers of their own success.

Our 6th graders kicked off the week with Math Bootcamp, where they revisited key skills and strategies they’ve built this quarter. It was exciting to see so many students actively engaged and pushing themselves to reach new levels of understanding. They’re learning that effort and focus lead to confidence — and confidence leads to growth!

Our 7th graders represented Covington Middle School with excellence at Career Quest 2025. They explored a wide variety of careers and began connecting what they’re learning now to the goals and opportunities that lie ahead. We’re so proud of how mature, respectful, and engaged they were — truly demonstrating what it means to be a COUGAR.

Our 8th graders continue to set the standard as leaders in our school community. Last week, all students in 6th through 8th grade took their Math benchmarks, and this week they’ll complete Reading on Wednesday. Our 8th graders also take additional benchmarks in Civics and Science — Civics was completed last Friday, and Science will be given this Thursday. These assessments serve as valuable checkpoints on each student’s learning journey, helping them see how far they’ve come, where they can grow next, and how their hard work pays off.

Success starts with preparation — remind your child to rest well, eat a healthy breakfast, charge their Chromebook, and come ready to show what they know!We’re not just measuring progress — we’re building self-discipline, confidence, and pride in hard work.

Attendance also plays a huge role in learning success. We’ve launched our October Attendance Challenge, where the grade level with the highest attendance rate will win a free Ice Cream Sundae Party! Mondays and Fridays continue to be our most challenging days for attendance, and we’re working together to change that trend. Every day your child is here is a day they grow stronger as a learner. If your child is struggling with any aspect of school, please reach out — our team is here to help in every way we can.

Thank you for your continued support and for reinforcing at home what we believe at CMS — that every student has the power to own their learning, overcome challenges, and achieve greatness.

With Cougar Pride,

Lori Mattson

Interim Principal

Covington Middle School

Cougar Pride in Our School🐾

October is Anti-Bullying Month in Virginia, and at Covington Middle School, we are committed to ensuring that every student feels valued, supported, and respected. Our staff works hard each day to build strong relationships and foster a culture of kindness — because every Cougar deserves to feel like they belong.

Cougar Pride shines through every hallway, classroom, and event at Covington Middle School. It’s seen in the way our students support one another, take charge of their learning, and represent our school with excellence. Cougar Pride means working hard, showing respect, and being accountable — in school and beyond. Together, as students, staff, and families, we’re building a community where every Cougar can learn, grow, and lead with confidence.

We’re also excited to celebrate Red Ribbon Week during the week of October 20–24, 2025, as we unite to make healthy, positive choices and live drug-free lives. Our students and staff will show their spirit all week long with special Spirit Days:

• Monday, 10/20 – Rally in Red: Wear red to kick off Red Ribbon Week!

• Tuesday, 10/21 – Put a Cap on Drugs: Wear your favorite cap or hat.

• Wednesday, 10/22 – Unite for KINDNESS: Wear orange to stand together against bullying and for kindness.

• Thursday, 10/23 – Inside Out Day: Wear your clothes inside out to show that being different is something to celebrate.

• Friday, 10/24 – Team Up Against Drugs: Wear your favorite team shirt or jersey to show that Cougars play strong and stay drug-free!

Through these celebrations, our students are reminded that kindness, respect, and positive choices are at the heart of Cougar Pride. Together, we are building a school where everyone belongs, and every Cougar can shine.

💻 Chromebook Reminder 💻

Cougars, please make sure to bring your Chromebook to school every day, fully charged and ready to use. This is especially important for our 1st Quarter Benchmarks! Having your device ready helps you stay on track with assignments, classwork, and learning activities.

Parents, your support in ensuring students come prepared with their charged Chromebook is greatly appreciated—it helps the school day run smoothly and keeps students engaged and ready to learn!

It’s time for Pink Out! The class that raises the most money for the Scholarship Fund for AHPS Seniors will win a pizza party - last year, they were thrilled to award $5,800 in scholarships to the graduating seniors!

Let’s make this year even bigger and brighter and do our part here at CMS — go Cougars! 💖

Also - CMS PINK OUT SPIRIT DAY will be held on Friday, October 17th! Which class will win a PIZZA PARTY!?!?!

One of the most important skills your child will ever develop is the ability to read—and read well. At Covington Middle School, we see every day how hard our students and teachers are working to strengthen this essential skill. But we also see the challenge ahead: too many of our students are not yet reading at the level they need to thrive in middle school, high school, and beyond.

This is not a challenge our school can solve alone. We need our entire Cougar community—families, teachers, and students—working together to make reading a priority both in and out of school.

At CMS, we are making important shifts in how we teach reading, grounded in the Science of Reading and the latest best practices. Yet research is clear: the greatest gains happen when schools and families partner to support reading growth. When you make reading a regular part of your home routine, you are doing something that changes the trajectory of your child’s future.

Here are a few powerful ways to help at home:
📚 Make reading a daily habit. Just 15–20 minutes each night builds stamina, fluency, and confidence.
💬 Talk about what your child is reading. Ask questions, share reactions, and make reading a conversation.
👀 Model the love of reading. Let your child see you reading—books, magazines, even recipes count!
🗣️ Build language through conversation. Dinner, car rides, or bedtime talks strengthen vocabulary and comprehension.
🤝 Stay connected. Reach out to your child’s Language Arts teacher if you need ideas or support.

Every time you read together, talk about a book, or encourage your child to keep going when it gets hard, you are helping them build a skill that opens doors for life.

Together, we can build a community where every Cougar becomes a confident, capable reader. Your partnership matters. Your involvement matters. And most of all—our students’ futures matter too much to do anything less than our very best.

📚 Cougars… Keep Reading and Reaching!

The Covington Middle School Library is thrilled to announce that our 2025 Read-A-Thon is in full swing — and our Cougars are off to an amazing start! Students have jumped right in, showing enthusiasm, focus, and a true love for reading. It’s inspiring to see so many Cougars taking charge of their learning and proving that readers truly are leaders!

The Read-A-Thon runs from Wednesday, October 1 – Friday, October 31, 2025, giving our students the entire month to set goals, challenge themselves, and celebrate their reading growth.

Families can still join the fun by activating their child’s personal page to track reading progress and cheer them on throughout the month! If you haven’t yet, simply visit:
https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/UHvfyF/1?utm=email
and follow the quick steps to get started.

We love using Read-A-Thon because it:
✅ Builds reading skills in a fun, engaging way
✅ Motivates students to set goals and celebrate success
✅ Encourages family and community support with minimal time commitment

We can’t wait to see how many minutes our Cougars will log by the end of the month! Let’s keep the momentum going — Cougars read with pride, purpose, and passion! 💙📖

🧮 Math Update:

A huge round of applause for our students of the week.

6th Grade: Benjamin Powell

7th Grade: Ashtyn Crawford

8th Grade: Carl Daniel Malinao

Algebra: Abigail Powell

These students have shown a fantastic ability to see challenges as opportunities

for growth. Instead of getting frustrated by a tough problem, they

have persevered with a great attitude, reminding us all that the journey of learning

is just as important as the answer.

Basic Tips for Success in Math:

1. Attend class and pay close attention.

2. Show respect to your classmates and teacher.

3. Make note of things you do not understand so you can clarify them during the next

class.

4. Do not wait until a test or quiz to study.

5. Always review your work after you are finished, whether on a test or homework.

PE & Health Update:

PE Update:
Our students just wrapped up the Badminton unit, and it was exciting to see so much growth! They learned the fundamentals of this lifelong sport, showed off some impressive volleys, and made some fantastic plays. It’s always rewarding to watch their skills improve and their confidence grow throughout the unit. Next week, we’ll kick off our Soccer unit, and we can’t wait to see that same energy and progress on the field!

Health Update:
In Health class, Mr. Wyatt will be guiding students through LifeSkills Training (LST), helping them build important skills for making healthy, safe, and responsible choices.

📜 History Department Update

6th Grade Social Studies

This week, students will continue their unit on Native Americans.

7th Grade Social Studies
Students will continue their study of the impact of Westward Expansion.

8th Grade Civics & Economics

Students took their Civics benchmark on Friday and will begin studying the structure and powers of Virginia's State Government.

🎨Art Update:

Artists of the Week

We are excited to recognize the amazing creativity that continues to happen in our art classrooms! Congratulations to this week’s Artists of the Week:

• 6th Grade: James Persinger - Zentangle Print

• 7th Grade: Maci Doran Mullins - Linoleum Print

• 8th Grade: Jagger Rowland - Paper Mache Pencil

Your talent, effort, and creativity make our school shine. Keep up the incredible work, COUGARS!

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