Clipper Currents

We have some thrilling news to share from the professional arts community! Today, BroadwayWorld officially announced the winners for the 2025 Maine Awards, and one of our very own has taken home the top prize. Please join us in congratulating Emma Bailey for winning Best Supporting Performer in a Streaming or Non-Professional Production!

Emma received this prestigious recognition for her standout performance in last Spring’s production of Matilda. Competing against talented performers from across the state, Emma’s dedication to her craft and her captivating stage presence clearly resonated with the Maine theater community.

The BroadwayWorld Awards are a massive celebration of regional theater, with winners determined by thousands of votes from theater-goers and fans. For Emma to be recognized at this level is a testament to her hard work, talent, and the vibrant arts culture we strive to support here at school.

Attention 8th-grade parents/guardians: If you are interested in placing an ad in the yearbook for your child, please go to https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=2736385. This link will be available until February 12, 2026.

We continue to take orders for yearbooks. It can be paid with cash or a check payable to China Middle School in the amount of $13. See Ms. Armour for order forms. Alternatively, yearbooks can be purchased online until April 17, 2026. Go to https://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A07634466

We need to empty the shelves of our Lost & Found. Please stop by our lobby to look for your lost items.

If winter weather requires us to shift to remote learning, we will announce the Remote Learning Snow Day in advance. This allows everyone to prepare.

What Are the Expectations?

• Grades 6-12 (Middle School):

  • Students must check Google Classroom for assignments posted by each of their teachers.

• Grade 5 (Choice Board):

  • Grade 5 students will be provided with a choice board containing various learning activities for the day.

• Assignment Completion & Attendance:

  • All assignments must be completed within 5 school days of the remote learning day.

Lunch/Meal Option

• We will offer a bagged meal option to all students in the event of a Remote Learning Snow Day.

• Action Required: To ensure your child can receive a meal, please SIGN UP HERE. This must be completed in advance, so please don't wait until the first Remote Snow Day!

For Quarter 2, we have a small group of 5th and 6th grade students starting up a school newspaper during Elective time at the end of the week. Next week's addition is attached below. Check out their great work!

We're hosting the SVAC Tournament this year at Erskine Academy! We're hoping to call on our families to help make this an awesome experience and successful fundraiser for China Athletics.

👇Want to help? 👇

-Concessions & Scoreboard/Scorebook/Possession Arrow

One of the most important parts of this tournament will be the concession stand, and we will need volunteers to help staff it for the entire event. Since proceeds from the tournament benefit all CMS sports, we're including student‑athletes and families from all sports. Many hands makes light work!

Please volunteer and/or donate items for the raffle. Each tournament session has been paired with both a winter team and an out‑of‑season team to cast a wider net of volunteers. In the signup form, you will also find spots for Scoreboard, Scorebook, and Possession Arrow duties for each session. Anyone willing to help in concessions or with game operations at any session will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for supporting our athletes and helping make this tournament a success!

Saturday morning (2/7) Boys JV Basketball and Boys Soccer

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4DADAC2FA5FB6-61581306-saturday

Saturday afternoon (2/7) Girls JV and Softball

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4DADAC2FA5FB6-61581487-saturday

Monday (2/9) Varsity Boys Basketball and Baseball

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4DADAC2FA5FB6-61581496-monday

Tuesday (2/10) Varsity Girls Basketball and Girls Soccer

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4DADAC2FA5FB6-61581538-tuesday

Thursday (2/12) Cheering and Track

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0E4DADAC2FA5FB6-61581555-wednesday

-Advertisements

Support our SVAC athletes and showcase your community spirit! Businesses, families, friends, and fans are all invited to place ads in this year’s SVAC Tournament Program. Highlight your business or cheer on your athlete. To reserve your ad space, please email jbrooks@rsu18.org with your design.

Pricing

$12 for 1/4 page

$25 for 1/2 page

$50 for full page

Our flier is attached.

👇Example Ad 👇

⛹🏻 Girls & Boys Basketball Games This Week⛹🏻

Monday, 1/20

🏀 China @ Whitefield GV/BV 4pm

Tuesday, 1/21

🏀 China @ Vassalboro BJV/BV 4pm

Thursday, 1/22

🏀 China @ SMS GV/GJV 4pm

Friday, 1/23

🏀 SMS @ China GJV/GV 4pm

Please refer to individual coaches Remind app updates for dates, times, and locations for your teams practices.

🌟 Cheer 🌟

Friday, 1/23

⭐ SMS @ China GJV/GV 4pm

Please refer to Coach Chellis' Remind app updates for dates, times, and locations practice times.

Josh Brooks

B.S. Sport Management
Athletic Director

(jbrooks@rsu18.org)

• Jan. 21 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Jan. 28 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Feb. 2 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Feb. 4 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Feb. 9 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Feb. 11 2:45 - 4:00 pm
• Optional for vacation week: Feb. 23, 25, and 27 2:45 - 4:00 pm

~ Mrs. Babson

• Thursday, Jan. 22 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, Jan. 29 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, Feb. 5 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, Feb. 12 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, Feb. 26 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, March 5 - 2:45 to 4:45
• Thursday, March 12 - 2:45 to 4:45

~Mr. Watson

We are changing the pick-up location for Drama and D&D after school. Student pick-up will be at the North end of the building through the winter sports season. Parking and pick-up/drop-off has been busy and we're hoping to move some of the traffic with a safer procedure. Please reference the picture below. Enter the north end of the building and form a line off to the side (driver closest to the building) and not park in the parking spaces. This eliminates students walking between parked cars while vehicles are exiting to Lakeview Drive. If you have any questions about this process, feel welcome to reach out to Mrs. Babson, Mr. Watson, or the office at 445-1500.

Next Meeting: Thursday, February 5th, 2026 at 6 pm via Google Meet https://meet.google.com/tks-adrj-vkn
Join our Facebook group and stay in the loop! https://facebook.com/groups/chinaschoolspto/

Important Dates:

February PTO Food Drive: January 26-February 6
Read-A-Thon: March 23-April 3

Staff Appreciation Week: May 4-8

Glow Dance Spring 2026: Seeking chairperson to head up planning for this year’s dance. Email ChinaSchoolsPTO@gmail.com if you’re interested!

We believe in creating a safe and engaging learning environment where we nurture student well-being and empower every student to achieve their fullest potential.

CMS is a place where every student feels they belong, students are challenged to meet rigorous academic goals, and they contribute positively to our community.

Serving students grades 5 – 8 in the town of China, Maine.

China Middle School is located near scenic China Lake in Central Maine. The school serves the children, families, and residents in the town of China. Our middle school has students in grades 5 – 8. We are part of RSU 18, which encompasses the towns of Oakland, Belgrade, Sidney, China and Rome.

Website: https://cms.rsu18.org/
Location: 773 Lakeview Drive, China, ME 04358
Phone: (207) 445-1500