CMS Cougar Communication

Hello CMS Students and Families,

Welcome back! I hope you had a relaxing and enjoyable Spring Break. As we return to campus, it's hard to believe there are just EIGHT weeks left in the school year.

With sunny days ahead and so many exciting things happening on and off campus, this is a great time of year—but it’s also an important time to buckle down. We’re encouraging all students to stay focused on academics, continue making positive behavior choices, and finish the year strong.

Be sure to check out the updates below so you don’t miss any key information about what’s ahead this spring at CMS.

Here's to a great week,

Brian Scharmann (he/him)

Principal
Christensen Middle School

Hi Christensen Middle School Families,

We’ve got some exciting news that we can’t wait to share! It’s almost time for the ultimate showdown: the Staff vs. Student Volleyball Game!

Join us for a fun-filled and action-packed event where the teachers and staff will go head-to-head with the students in a friendly, competitive volleyball match. Whether you’re playing or cheering from the sidelines, it’s going to be a blast for everyone involved!

Date: Friday, April 11th

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: Christensen Middle School Gym

Entry Fee: $2 CASH per person (to support the CMS AVID Program)

Important Info:

• This is a cash only event
• No in-and-out privileges—once you're in, you're in!
• This is a cash only event - This includes both the entrance fee to watch and the

  Food and

• drinks that will be available for purchase, so bring your appetite!

This is the perfect opportunity to show off your school spirit and enjoy a bit of friendly rivalry. CMS families are welcome to come cheer and enjoy the fun. We can’t wait to see you there, cheering on your favorite team!

See you soon, and let’s make this game one to remember!

-Mrs. Ramirez and Mrs. Garner
CMS AVID Teachers

Hi Parents!

Sometimes our children can exhibit unkind behavior, and while this can be distressing for parents to witness, it's important to remember that such actions are often a reflection of underlying emotions or challenges in expressing themselves. As a counselor, I encourage parents to model kindness, set clear and consistent expectations, and engage in open conversations about feelings and empathy. By discussing what hurtful words or actions can do to others, and by offering guidance on healthier ways to express emotions, we can help our children develop stronger, more compassionate relationships. Working together, we can create an environment that nurtures understanding and respect.

Dawn Allen, Counselor

Our 8th graders are nearing a major milestone as they prepare to leave middle school and step into their next adventure. To celebrate, we’re organizing a special 8th Grade Promotion Dance—an evening filled with fun, friends, and lasting memories!

To make this event truly spectacular, we’re asking 8th-grade families to consider a flat contribution of $40 per student (though any amount is appreciated). 100% of donations will go toward food, entertainment, and decorations to create an unforgettable night for our students.

Make your contribution here: my.cheddarup.com/c/8th-grade-promotion-dance-copy

If you can give a little extra to support other families, your generosity would mean so much.

Thank you for helping us send off our 8th graders in style!

We’ve got some exciting news that we can’t wait to share! It’s time for the ultimate showdown: the Staff vs. Student Volleyball Game!

Join us for a fun-filled and action-packed event where the teachers and staff will go head-to-head with the students in a friendly, competitive volleyball match. Whether you’re playing or cheering from the sidelines, it’s going to be a blast for everyone involved!

Date: Friday, April 11th

Time: 7:00 PM - 8:30 PM

Location: Christensen Middle School Gym

Entry Fee: $2 per person (to support the CMS AVID Program)

Team Fee: $12 per team, $2 per person (If playing on a team, student will not have to pay the entry fee)

Note: Only CMS students are eligible to play. CMS families are welcome to come cheer and enjoy the fun!

Important Info:

• No in-and-out privileges—once you're in, you're in!
• Food and drinks will be available for purchase (cash only), so bring your appetite!
• If you're interested in playing, look out for an email from Mr. Scharmann to sign yourself and some friends up to form a team!
• Winning teams will receive a mile pass per person—limited to one mile pass per person!
• 
  

This is the perfect opportunity to show off your volleyball skills, get in the game spirit, and enjoy a bit of friendly rivalry. Don’t forget to bring your school spirit, and feel free to dress in your best school colors or team gear!

We can’t wait to see you there, cheering on your favorite team or showing us how it’s done on the court!

See you soon, and let’s make this game one to remember!

Quest Science Center presents the 7th Annual Tri-Valley Innovation Fair to be held on Saturday, April 12, from 10am - 5pm at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. All ages are welcome. Admission is FREE. A flyer in English and Spanish is available for anyone to view.

Get ready for an unforgettable night of music, dance, and delicious food at SASA's Desi Dhamaka 2025! Mark your calendars for April 12th and join us from 7 P.M. to 10 P.M. at Livermore High’s Athletic Complex for an evening celebrating South Asian culture.

Enjoy exciting performances, indulge in flavorful cuisine, and experience the vibrant energy of Desi culture. Tickets are just $10 and can be purchased through the Cowboy Webstore or at the event.

Don’t miss out on this spectacular night—bring your friends and come celebrate with us!

Mark your calendars to enjoy concerts from our middle and high school orchestras and bands! These events are sponsored by LVEF and all ticket proceeds will support music education in our schools! Tickets can be purchased at lvef.org

• Festival of Bands: Thursday, April 17, 2025, from 7-8:30 p.m. at LHS
• Festival of Orchestras: Tuesday, April 22, 2025, from 7-8:30 p.m. at GHS

he CMS PTA Dance Committee is hosting a fundraiser at Hop Devine to support the 8th Grade Dance! Join us on April 17th from 11:30 AM to 9:00 PM at 1708 N. Vasco and enjoy delicious food and craft cocktails while supporting a great cause.

Hop Devine will generously donate 15% of your bill to the fundraiser—just be sure to let your server know you're there for the event!

Come dine and help make this year's 8th Grade Dance a memorable one!

The Society of Women Engineers at UC Berkeley invites middle school (6th-8th grade) female and non-binary identifying students to Tech Day, a free, day-long conference designed to introduce and inspire young minds in the world of technology.

• 📅 Date: Saturday, April 26, 2025
• 📍 Location: UC Berkeley Campus

Through engaging workshops, hands-on activities, and mentorship opportunities, participants will gain valuable exposure to STEM fields and connect with like-minded peers and professionals.

• Apply now: tinyurl.com/Sp25TechDayApplication
• Stay updated: tinyurl.com/Sp25TechDayNewsletter
• For more details, visit: swe.berkeley.edu/techday.html

Don’t miss this opportunity to explore the possibilities of a future in technology!

The CMS English Language Advisory Committee (ELAC) will meet virtually on April 29, 2025 from 6:30-7:30 p.m. To join the meeting, please use the following link: https://meet.google.com/gfh-mxvx-tkm.

The agenda is available here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pNK17o4oGuxT5BRCaErG5g0StgJxr2jbZq5RGZBE8P4/edit?usp=sharing

Friday, 5/2 at 7pm at LHS Gym, featuring teachers and staff players from Altamont Creek, Arroyo Seco, Croce, Jackson, Lawrence, Christensen, East, and Livermore High Buy your tickets for the 5/2 event HERE

The CMS School Site Council (SSC) will meet virtually on May 6, 2025 fat 3:00PM.

To join the meeting, please use the following link: https://meet.google.com/rzo-ktsz-kha.

Agenda to follow.

Craving Chipotle? Mark your calendar for Wednesday, May 14th, from 5-9 PM at 4691 1st St, Livermore, CA! When you dine in or order online for pickup using code P936KTK, 25% of event sales will be donated to the AVID program at Christensen Middle School. Your support helps provide resources and opportunities for our students. Remember, delivery orders and gift cards don’t qualify—so swing by and enjoy a meal for a great cause!

Thank you for making a difference!

Congratulations to our PBIS students of the week! These students were selected for being RESPECTFUL!

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Vrinda Karthikeyan

• 7th grader - Syeda Haider

• 8th grader - Colton Hill

Congratulations to our PBIS students of the week! These students were selected for being RESPONSIBLE!

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Jordyn High

• 7th grader - Ryan Willis

• 8th grader - Jett Proud

Local real estate agent (and former LVJUSD teacher) Deborah Byrnes has partnered with us to recognize a CMS staff member each month for their contributions and service to our school community.

This month's recipient is Ms. Douma. Ms. Douma is one of our dedicated Resource Specialists and plays an integral role in co-teaching both 7th grade Core and 7th grade Math. Her commitment to supporting all learners, especially those with unique learning needs, is evident in everything she does. With a collaborative mindset and a deep understanding of instructional strategies, Ms. Douma works tirelessly alongside general education teachers to create inclusive, engaging, and supportive learning environments.

We are incredibly grateful for Ms. Douma’s dedication, care, and the positive impact she makes each day. CMS is lucky to have her on our team!

Please take a moment to give a Shout Out to a deserving CMS staff member. Please complete this 3 question Google Form to give a Shout Out. Gratitudes will be shared with staff in our weekly internal newsletter.

Homework Club will be offered on Wednesdays from 1:30PM to 2:30PM. Homework club meets in the MPR and is a quiet place to get work done with support offered by CMS staff members.

We’re excited to offer breakfast service to help students fuel up for a successful day! Breakfast is available at the following times:

• 7:00 AM – 7:25 AM
• 8:00 AM – 8:20 AM

Please note that service ends promptly at these times to ensure students have enough time to get to class. We appreciate your support in encouraging punctuality so everyone can start the day on the right foot!

Calling all students who love nature and getting their hands dirty—our CMS Garden Group is welcoming new members!

The group meets every Tuesday during both lunches in the school garden area. No gardening experience is needed—just an interest in plants and making our campus a greener, more beautiful place.

Students interested in joining can complete this Google Form to sign up. We hope to see you out in the garden soon! 🌱

Support the CMS AVID program by attending a Giants game!

Here is some information about the fundraiser:

• Monday - Thursday games in April and May (some exclusions apply)
• Seating Areas: View Reserve and Bleachers
• $15 tickets

• Link: https://fevo-enterprise.com/group/GiantsschoolfundraisingNG
• Promo Code: christensenms

Our ASB President, Shree Manickaraja, is launching an exciting new initiative called WasteEasy, part of the Zero2Hero project. This program empowers students to help keep our campus clean by reporting or picking up trash—and earning points for every piece they remove!

Even better, those points can be redeemed for awesome prizes like Starbucks deliveries to your classroom or gift cards to your favorite spots.

Shree is inviting every CMS student to join the WasteEasy movement and help make our school the cleanest and greenest it can be. Signing up is quick and easy, and your impact starts right away!

Let’s make CMS shine—join WasteEasy, sign up today!

Click here for more info (must be accessed with an out-of-district email)

The latest edition of the CMS 8th Grade Class of 2025 Events newsletter with specific dates and details for our 8th graders is available here: https://secure.smore.com/n/qn0ycu.

Livermore Public Library is busy planning fun and educational events for the community. Highlights of Upcoming Events:

• April 3 – Planetarium Show for Kids and Teens
• April 4 – Spring has Sprung with EBRPD: The Colors of Nature
• April 16 – PokéSWAP
• April 25 - Día del Niño Celebration
• April 26 – Korean Culture Festival
• Wednesdays at 4pm, Maker Madness for ages 9-15

In addition, registration for the Summer Learning Program opens the last week of April, and information will be coming out about the Free Lunch Program offered at Rincon and Springtown libraries this summer.

We are fortunate that our district’s partnership with Tri-Valley Wheels provides free transportation to our students, many of whom use it daily to get to and from school. Please remind your students to respect the guidelines around priority seating for senior citizens and those with disabilities when riding the bus. Drivers may ask passengers occupying priority seating to move if it is needed for those it has been prioritized for.

There has been a lot of discussion recently about e-scooter and e-bike safety. To help clarify rider requirements and potential penalties for not following the rules of the road, the Livermore Police Department has created an informational pamphlet.

👩🏻‍🍳👨🏻‍🍳

We are serving up Chicken and Vegetarian options every other Thursday across all Secondary Sites.

The City of Livermore invites you to enter its 9th Annual Science Poetry Contest: Poetry in a Test Tube. Open to Livermore residents of all ages, this contest encourages creative poems inspired by science—any topic, any form, any length (no AI-generated poems allowed).

There are five divisions: K–2, 3–5, Middle School, High School, and Adult. Cash prizes will be awarded to the top three poems in each division: $75 for first place, $50 for second, and $25 for third. No entry fee!

Submit one original poem by email to Poet_Laureate@LivermoreCA.gov by Friday, April 19, 2025. Be sure to include your name, address, phone number, poem title, and division. Students should also note their grade and school.

Winners will be honored at an Awards Ceremony and Poetry Reading featuring Mayor John Marchand on Tuesday, May 13 at 6:30 p.m. at the Civic Center Library. Everyone is welcome to attend!

Calling all young poets! The City of Livermore and Poet Laureate Peggy Schimmelman invite middle and high school students (ages 13+) to participate in the Teen Poet of the 2nd Semester Contest.

Theme: "On the Outside." Interpret this however you like—being outdoors, feeling excluded, keeping a secret— get creative! Any style of poetry is welcome.

🏆 Winner Receives:

• ✔ A certificate from the City
• ✔ A $25 gift card to a downtown business
• ✔ Public recognition (featured in print, social media, and a public library display)

📅 Deadline: May 2, 2025

🌳 Bonus Opportunity!
Submit a poem mentioning “My favorite tree” by March 31, and it may be featured at the City’s Arbor Day celebration, with a chance to read your poem at the event!

📩 How to Enter: Email your poem to Poet_Laureate@LivermoreCA.gov using a personal email (school emails cannot be accepted). Include your name, grade, school, and teacher’s name.

Don’t miss this chance to showcase your poetry—get writing and submit your poem today! 🎉

Are you a passionate young writer with a love for poetry and a vision for change? The 2025 Youth Poet Laureate program is now accepting applications! This prestigious opportunity recognizes talented youth who use their voices to inspire, uplift, and make a difference in their communities. If you're between the eligible ages and have a strong portfolio of original work, this could be your chance to shine!

Don't miss out—apply now and take the next step in your poetic journey! Check out the flyer for more details.

We encourage parents, guardians, school staff and community members to join the CMS PTA. Please go to the Join Andrew Christensen PTA website (https://jointotem.com/ca/livermore/andrew-christensen-pta/join/register).

Show your support for our students by joining the CMS PTA. Our mission is to provide a positive middle school experience for every student and we are committed to putting students first. Members are not required to attend any meetings, but are encouraged to. Only PTA members can vote at the general meetings.

We appreciate your support.

Show your school spirit with new CMS spirit wear while helping raise money for the CMS PTA. Order at www.1stplacespiritwear.com

😎

program the CMS PTA has been running for the past five years. It's a great program that supports the fine arts at CMS. The theme for next year is Made By Me and CMS usually starts collecting entries in early November. We can't continue CMS PTA Reflections without your help. The chairperson's job is more behind the scenes and so appreciated. It's also a great way to be more involved in your child's school. If interested, please email cmscougarspta@gmail.com. The current CMS Reflections chair is happy to get you started, but has an exiting 8th grader and cannot continue being a CMS chairperson.

Email: bscharmann@lvjusd.org
Website: https://christensen.livermoreschools.org/
Location: 5757 Haggin Oaks Avenue, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925-606-4702