Eagle's Eye News

Challenger Middle School Families,

This is the last week of our #EagleUp Challenge. It is our big school fundraiser for the year. We appreciate any and all support. You can use the below links to donate. Thank you!

https://app.givebacks.gives/cms24/Campaign/Details

Our challenge ends THIS Friday, September 27. We have raised just over $5,000, so please help us reach our goal of $10,000.

The top earning class this week will get a pizza party!

It is College and Career Week this week. We are encouraging all students and teachers to wear their college colors on Monday.

Friday, September 27 is a half day. Students will dismiss at 12:00. We have our 1st quarter PBIS Celebration which will be color games and Kona Ice. If you would like to volunteer, please use the below link to sign up to volunteer.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70A0A4BAFAF22A7FC1-51493691-eagle#/

We have Fall Break September 30-October 4, so no school those days.

1st 9 Weeks report cards will go home on Thursday, October 10. Please make sure your student is getting all their work turned in and communicating with their teacher if they have missing or late work. The grading period ends Friday, September 27.

Our Homecoming Dance is Friday, October 11 from 6:00-9:00 in the CMS Cafeteria.

-Tickets are $10. Students can buy tickets at lunch Oct 7-11 or at the door (cash only).

-We will have a photo booth at the dance and students can buy photos for $1 each (cash only)

-Concessions 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 dance is for CMS students only

This Newsletter has lots of vital information, so please read through everything. We want to make sure you are all well-informed of the happenings at CMS.

I hope you all have a great week!

#WingsUp

#EagleUp

Sincerely,

Bo Coln

Principal

Challenger Middle School

james.coln@hsv-k12.org

September

23 - Wear college colors

24 - Football vs Chapman at 6:30 @ Milton Frank

27 - Half-Day. 12:00 Dismissal

October

Sept 30-Oct 4 - Fall Break

Oct 8 - HC Football Game at 4:30 @ Milton Frank

10 - Report cards go home

11 - Homecoming Dance. 6:00-9:00 in the Cafeteria.

September is Attendance Awareness Month. Please help your student achieve our SOAR principles by arriving ready and on time. If everyone is here and ready to go we will be able to achieve so much more.

Did you know that all 50 states now have anti-bullying laws, yet we are still seeing the regular occurrence of bullying. According to the U.S. Department of Education, 1 in 5 students is bullied at school. Bullying is repetitive, aggressive behavior in which an imbalance of power exists. The power imbalance does not necessarily come from physical size but could come from a number of sources such as popularity, strength, or cognitive ability. (StopBullying.gov) There are varying types of bullying including threats, rumors, physical harm, verbal attacks, and exclusion. While bullying can happen anywhere to anyone, some groups such as socially isolated youth and youth with disabilities are at an increased risk. Although bullying occurs most often among girls and among middle schoolers, social media has given older students a new platform on which to display aggression and perpetuate negativity. This, unfortunately, results in targets who are unable to escape the bullying at the end of the day. The Jamari Terrell Williams Act is an anti-bullying law that applies to bullying off campus and specifically pertains to cyberbullying! The things you post online are eligible for punishment at school and even by law enforcement.

This week all CMS students will participate in a lesson about bullying. While we talk about it all the time, many students still don't understand what bullying is, why it's so dangerous, and what to do about it. CMS and Huntsville City Schools have policies against bullying. If you or someone you know is being bullied, please report it to a school staff member. If you see something, say something. Let's work together to make Challenger the best school around.

Monday, September 23 is the kick off to College & Career Week and we will have College Colors day. Show off your spirit with all of your favorite college wear.

Thank you,

Mrs. Moak, School Counselor

megan.moak@hsv-k12.org

The Challenger Care Closet offers clothing, toiletries, and other basic necessities to our elementary and middle school students and their families; making sure our students know they are cared for and can go to school with confidence. If you need to access our care closet, use the links below or reach out to the guidance counselors.

• Donate and drop off hygiene items (deodorant, brushes, soap, shampoo, new kids/adult socks, new kids/adult underwear)
• Donate gently used kid/adult shoes and clothes
• Donate money to the Challenger Care Closet by a check made out to "CMS PTSA" or "CES PTA" or donate online
• https://challenger.givebacks.com/store/items/1059153

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 hallway 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 hallway or 6th grade hallway. Students that report to the hallways will remain in the hallways 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.

For the first week of school the homeroom classes with teacher names and room numbers will be posted in the hallways and cafeteria. We will have many teachers available to help students find their homeroom.

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.

• We will use the first several days to educate students on best practices, school/classroom procedures, and expectations.
• 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 E-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 Thursday, August 1. 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

Halter and spaghetti straps are not permitted unless covered

All undergarments must be completely covered

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.

Welcome to Challenger Middle School Athletics! We are so excited that you decided to jump on board and allow your son/daughter to participate in our sports teams here at Challenger. Below is some information and forms you will need in order for your child to participate.

First, the Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) allows for any student to participate in recognized school athletics beginning in 7th grade. Our district and school has the following recognized school sports for middle schools:

Fall Sports

• Football
• Volleyball
• Cheer

Winter Sports

• Boys Basketball
• Girls Basketball
• Cheer
• Boys Soccer
• Girls Soccer

Spring Sports

• Boys Track
• Girls Track

Additional sports not listed above are available at the high school level. Students in middle school are allowed to participate in those sports at their feeder high school (Grissom High School for us). If interested in this option, please reach out to the Athletic Director for Challenger, Coach Neeley via email at william.neeley@hsv-k12.org , for more information.

Next, the AHSAA requires ALL student-athletes to have certain paperwork completed by either a doctor/physician or a parent, depending on the form. As a way of keeping up with these forms, the AHSAA has partnered with DragonFly, a web-based company that allows for the upload or completion and storage of the required paperwork. Attached is a flyer on how to create an account for your child and yourself. Below is a list of required paperwork/documents needed in order to participate on a school team sport.

- Up to Date Physical Form (Back side must be completed and signed by a Doctor/Physician. IT CANNOT BE COMPLETED BY A NURSE PRACTITIONER!)

- Parent Release Form

- Concussion Form

- Copy of Birth Certificate

- Sportsmanship Course Certificate (Course completed through nfhslearn.com)

Finally, below is a list of our Athletic Coaching Staff and their email addresses so that you can contact them with questions you may have relating to their sports. Please keep in mind that these coaches are teachers in addition to their coaching duties, so they can be very busy. They will make every effort to respond in a timely manner, but sometimes it may be a little longer, especially during their given season.

- Athletic Director- William Neeley (william.neeley@hsv-k12.org)

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

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

- Head Cheer Coach- Makenzie Hill (makenzie.hill@hsv-k12.org)

- Head Boys Basketball Coach- Lorenzo Jones (breds2004@yahoo.com)

- Head Girls Basketball Coach- Rich Goodson richard.goodson@hsv-k12.org)

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

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

- Head Boys Soccer Coach- Patrick Greene (Patrick.Greene@hsv-k12.org)

- Head Girls Soccer Coach- TBD (For Inquiries about Girls Soccer, reach out to Coach Greene)

Thank you, National Defense Industrial Association, Tennessee Valley Chapter (NDIA-TVC) and Space and Missile Defense Working Group (SMDWG) for your $10,000 contribution to Challenger Middle School (CMS). With this generous donation, we will have a Math Interventionist for the 1st semester of the school year. Ms. Regina Carter, retired CMS math teacher, is joining our team. She will provide intensive math support to a select group of CMS students. We are excited about this partnership and expect to see great math growth from our students.

HOME OF THE EAGLES

Location: 13555 Chaney Thompson Road

Huntsville, AL 35803
Phone: 256-428-7620