Eagle's Eye News

Challenger Middle School Families,

We are now half-way through the 1st 9 Weeks. Progress Reports and 2023 ACAP Scores went home last Wednesday. I encourage you all to check-in with your child daily about their learning at school. Students best succeed when we are all on the same page. If you are unable to login into PowerSchool to check your child's grades, please email Ms. Smith, our Student Data Generalist. melanie.smith1@hsv-k12.org

We have 2 surveys we need all parents to complete. The first one is for our ACIP (school improvement plan), and the second one is for our application to be a National PTA school of Excellence. We appreciate your support in completing both surveys.

1) https://eprovesurveys.advanc-ed.org/surveys/#/action/230116/14839

2) https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSd1U2BE0-lCTFu1uMHgtP13z4rCp3NFTOjqedxvqNVRY2_dGg/viewform?usp=sf_link

Challenger Middle School's Homecoming Week is Sept 18-22. Please read over the below information in the CMS Homecoming section. It is going to be fun week at CMS!

We have our first E-Learning Day on Friday, September 29. Please read over the attached parent letter.

Have a great week!

Sincerely,

Bo Coln

Principal

Challenger Middle School

#EagleUp

CMS won several awards last year and we want to add to our collection this year.

Currently we have reached one of our goals, which is the Early Bird award with 175 members. Thank you to everyone who joined to make this possible.

We have two more goals to reach, Gold Leaf (183 members) and Oak Tree (220 members).

If you have not joined, please consider joining the CMS PTSA. Click the blue link below to join.

Also, we need your help spreading the word about our membership goals. Please feel free to share this information with anyone in our CMS community.

We are better together!

September

12 - Football vs McNair at 6:30pm @ Milton Frank

15 - Kona Ice during PE

19 - Homecoming Game vs Mountain Gap at 4:30 @ Milton Frank - Wear white!

22 - Picture Day

22 - Homecoming Dance, 6:00-9:00 in the Cafeteria

25 - Footballs vs HJHS at 6:30pm @ Milton Frank

29 - E-Learning Day

October

2-6 - Fall Break

The CMS Homecoming Game vs Mountain Gap is on Tuesday, September 19th at 4:30 at Milton Frank. Please wear your HC T-shirt or white to support our school. Tickets to the game can be purchased on GoFan (link below).

https://gofan.co/app/school/AL67209

Homecoming Dance - Friday, September 22 from 6:00-9:00 in the CMS Cafeteria

-Tickets are $10. Students can buy tickets at lunch Sept 18-22 or at the door on Friday night (cash only)

-We will have a photo booth at the dance and students can buy 5 photos for $5 (cash only)

-Concessions and glow bracelets will be sold at the dance (cash only)

**This is a cash only dance**

-Girls’ dresses should be finger-tip length or longer and strapless is not allowed

-The HC Dance is for CMS students only

-Parents, if you would like to volunteer at dance please sign up using the below link.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C044EABAB23ABFF2-homecoming

• Send in Parent Excuses within 2 days of your child returning to school. Please include first and last name. Students can give excuses to their homeroom teacher or bring them to Ms. Smith's office.
• 8 acceptable parent notes will be accepted as official excuses.
• Students with an excused absence have 10 days to make up the work missed.
• Email melanie.smith1@hsv-k12.org about anything attendance or excuse related.
• A child is considered chronically absent if they miss 18 or more days of school. This means they miss 10% or more of the school year.
• Excused and unexcused absences count towards chronic absenteeism.

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Coming to school everyday is not only necessary to learn, but it’s the law. Research shows that missing 10 percent of the school, or about 18 days in most school districts, negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month and that’s known as chronic absence. To encourage our students to come to school everyday, I am awarding one lucky student with perfect attendance this month, a Chick-Fil-A gift card. Let's all come to school and #EagleUp.

Ms. Moak

megan.moak@hsv-k12.org

Students can enter the building starting at 7:30am. School starts at 8:00am.

Bus Riders - exit the bus, enter the cafeteria, and remain in the cafeteria until released to homeroom.

Walkers/Car Riders - enter through the main lobby doors and go to your right toward the gym or the cafeteria

Breakfast is served in the cafeteria from 7:30-8:00. Students that choose to eat school breakfast will remain in the cafeteria until dismissed to homeroom. Walkers/Car Riders that do not wish to eat school breakfast will report to the gym. Students that report to the gym will remain in the gym until released to homeroom.

Students are not allowed to enter the building with outside food. Any outside food needs to be thrown away before entering the building. Example - Students will not be allowed to bring in Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A food and drink.

All students are dismissed at 3:00.

• Bus riders will report to the cafeteria.
• Walkers will exit out the band/choir doors (South exit)
• Car Riders will exit through the main lobby doors.

Unless students are involved in a school sponsored after school event, all students need to leave campus at 3:00.

• Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle to school. Only water is allowed in the water bottles.
• Restrooms usage will be limited during transition times. Students will use the Teacher Hall Pass when leaving class and/or visiting the restroom during class time.
• Transitions time for students is 3 minutes between class periods. Students can visit their locker between classes. We expect all students to get to class on time.
• Student lockers are available for $10. Students can purchase a locker during homeroom starting Wednesday, August 2. We will take cash or check. Checks should be made out to Challenger Middle School. Lockers will be assigned when students pay their homeroom teacher for their locker.
• Parents cannot bring in outside food for an entire class unless organized and initiated by the teacher.
• Students are not allowed to order food to be delivered to the school.
• Parents/Guardians must check out their child to eat any restaurant food brought into the school.
• Enjoying school or homemade lunch in the cafeteria with your child is welcomed!
• Outside drinks (Starbucks, Chick-Fil-A, Sonic, etc.) should be thrown away before entering the building. This applies when school doors open at 7:30am.

Once you are in MySchoolFees follow these steps:

1) Sign-In as guest

2) Select Challenger Middle School from the dropdown menu

3) Select the item you wish to purchase from the dropdown menu

• Yearbooks
• T-Shirts
• P.E. Uniforms

Please review the dress code with your student(s). We have been out of school for a bit and our students will need a refresher on acceptable school attire. Ex: length of shorts and shirts, holes in pants, leggings, and appropriate tops, no caps, etc.

Shorts

• Mid-Thigh/Finger-tip length ​

Head coverings​

• No more than 4 inches wide; must be able to see their hair​
• No bandanas of any color​

NO Pajama Pants, no house slippers ​
No hoods​ will be worn in the building
Jeans​

• No holes above mid-thigh/finger-tip length

The USDA has made available a program called the Community Eligibility Program (CEP). By participating in this program, a school serves free breakfast and free lunch to all students.

• Challenger ES
• Challenger MS

CMS students will not use cell phones during the school day. Please ask your child to turn off their phone and put it in their locker or backpack. In the event your child has their phone out during the school day, our teachers will follow our cell phone policy.

Nurse Poe will continue to operate out of the clinic near the front office. If you have questions regarding medication, please call 256-428-7620, select Ms. Poe (Nurse), or email, Julie.Poe@hsv-k12.org . We ask that you monitor your student at home for illness. Students who are not feeling well should stay home and seek medical care as you see fit. Students with a fever or who have been throwing up may not return to the building until they are symptom-free for 24 hours.

Attention all 7th and 8th Grade Parents:

If your son/daughter is interested in playing a sport at Challenger Middle School and/or Grissom High School this school year, please make sure to create an account on DragonFly for you and your child. A flyer on how to do that is linked/attached below. In order for your son/daughter to participate or even tryout for a team at Challenger and/or Grissom, he/she must have an active physical (front page signed by you and your child & back page signed by a doctor - not a Nurse Practitioner) uploaded in DragonFly. A physical form is also linked/attached below. Below is a list of AHSAA sanctioned sports we offer at Challenger Middle School. If you are interested in a sport at Grissom, please reach out to Coach Neeley, the Athletic Director, about those options. The coaches for each sport below are also listed along with their email address for you to contact them with any questions you may have.

Sports We Offer

Football (FALL)- Curtis Graves (curtis.graves@hsv-k12.org)

Volleyball (FALL)- Amelia Daniels (amelia.daniels@hsv-k12.org)

Cheerleading (FALL/WINTER)- Makenzie Hill ( makenzie.hill@hsv-k12.org)

8th Grade Boys Basketball (WINTER)- Lorenzo Jones (breds2004@yahoo.com)

7th Grade Boys Basketball (WINTER)- Ken Hargis (kenneth.hargis@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Basketball (WINTER)- Rich Goodson (richard.goodson@hsv-k12.org)

Boys Soccer (WINTER/SPRING)- Tegan McDermott/TBD (tegan.mcdermott@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Soccer (WINTER/SPRING)- Tegan McDermott (tegan.mcdermott@hsv-k12.org)

Boys Track (SPRING)- David Rosenberger (david.rosenberger@hsv-k12.org)

Girls Track (SPRING)- Ryan Hagen (ryan.hagen@hsv-k12.org)

We look forward to a great year at CMS both academically and athletically!!!!

-Coach Neeley, Athletic Director

HOME OF THE EAGLES

Location: 13555 Chaney Thompson Road

Huntsville, AL 35803
Phone: 256-428-7620