February 8

CMITN565 / February 8, 2026

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The 5th Annual STEM Day with the United States Naval Academy (USNA) brought science, technology, engineering, and math to life! Students explored robotics, cybersecurity, naval science, and more through hands-on challenges and interactive demonstrations led by midshipmen.

A special acknowledgment goes to Sarah Durkin, Associate Director for STEM at USNA, whose leadership continues to make STEM Day a standout experience. We also appreciate our supportive parents, whose encouragement helps make events like this possible.

Despite the extreme cold weather, 122 students attended the event. The STEM Day is more than an event—it’s a chance to discover, explore, and imagine what’s possible in STEM. We look forward to making next year’s experience even bigger and better!

CMIT parents played a vital and inspiring role in supporting STEM Day, generously providing breakfast, hot dogs, drinks, and engaging with students throughout the event. When Dr. Clarke reached out for help, she didn’t even have a second word — our parents stepped up immediately, demonstrating their unwavering support for our students. Their enthusiasm was contagious — so much so that some parents even invited friends from our sister schools to come see the program firsthand.

The hands-on STEM activities led by the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) impressed everyone, and our parents were thrilled to see students actively exploring science, technology, engineering, and math. Their encouragement, participation, and support helped make the day a truly memorable and inspiring experience for the entire CMIT community.

A heartfelt thank you to all the staff who go above and beyond to make these events successful: Mr. Conde, Ms. de Guzman, Ms. Fermin, Mr. Freeman, Ms. Johnson, Mr. Major, Mr. Tekin, Mr. Elmaci (MS), and Ms. Tarver. Your dedication and teamwork make days like this possible!

Watch the video testimonies to see firsthand the excitement and impact of STEM Day.

David Quintanilla - Parents Testimony 1

Blessy Varghese - Parent Testimony 2

Jordan - Parent Testimony 3

Chesapeake Math & IT (CMIT) continues to build pathways for student growth through its partnership with the Engineering and Science Academy (TESA). As part of this collaboration, Dr. Clarke was invited by TESA to participate in a virtual presentation of the program with U.S. senators and education partners, highlighting opportunities to expand access to STEM learning.

TESA offers a specialized learning environment with a focus on engineering, science, and aerospace studies, providing students with hands-on experiences and academic enrichment designed to prepare them for future STEM careers.

Through this partnership, two CMIT students, Valeria Pena Jordan and Luis Guevara, are currently candidates for participation in the TESA program, allowing them to explore advanced STEM learning and potential career pathways.

CMIT remains committed to connecting students with programs that encourage curiosity, skill development, and future readiness.

Luis Guevara

Student Progress

Upcoming Season

Program Plans and Career Support

Planned supports include:

• Guidance with job and internship searches

• Resume development and individualized feedback

• Exploration of college majors aligned with IT, technology, cybersecurity, and data analytics

• Support in understanding how industry certifications connect to future academic and career opportunities

The IT Certification program is designed to be a meaningful and motivating experience—one that helps students see a clear pathway from high school to college, certifications, and technology careers they can be excited about.

For additional information or enrollment details, please email gclarke@cmitacademy.org

By Muneeb Sahibzada, Alumni 2021

A heartfelt thank you to our amazing Culinary Club for hosting STEM Day with a fantastic USNA breakfast and generously serving all 125 of our students. Your hard work, organization, and talent truly made the morning special and welcoming for everyone involved. The care you put into every detail did not go unnoticed! We are also so grateful for the delicious culinary creations you prepare every other Wednesday — you consistently give our school something to look forward to. Your dedication, teamwork, and passion make a real difference in our community.

On Friday, February 6, TRACC Bridge Club members Joseph Tinio, Redate Theodross, and Michelle Aguin successfully submitted their final project. Congratulations to the team for their dedication and hard work!

The TRACC Bridge Club is focused on fostering critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork through engineering challenges, including bridge design and construction. Students in the club explore STEM principles in a hands-on environment, learning how to apply math, physics, and creativity to real-world engineering problems.

CMIT looks forward to offering the AFT-JROTC program next school year, opening exciting pathways for leadership, discipline, and personal growth. The program reflects the vision and collaborative efforts of former principal Ms. Gonul Ozturk and current Program Coordinator Dr. Clarke, whose leadership has helped shape opportunities that empower students to build skills, confidence, and purpose. Through AFT-JROTC, CMIT students will engage in meaningful experiences that prepare them to excel in college, careers, and beyond.

This February and March, our Green Innovation and Environmental Justice Clubs are getting a head start on spring by planting seeds for a vibrant garden! Your support and donations help these clubs bring their eco-friendly ideas to life while also benefiting Team Illusion—our school’s robotics team—by providing resources and community support for their projects.

Every seed you help plant grows more than just flowers and vegetables; it grows teamwork, sustainability, and innovation! 🌿💡

Donate today and be part of the green impact!

• I bag of soil - 1 hour

• 1 pack of Seeds vegetables (peppers, tomatoes, eggplant, okra, ampalaya, onions, garlic, - ½ hours)

• 1 pack of Seeds Flowers (

• Growing pots (depending on how many or big it is)

• Black Plastic Mulch (depending on how big it is)

Join us for a powerful and inspiring movie night featuring Harriet, the story of Harriet Tubman’s bravery, leadership, and fight for freedom.

Thursday, February 19

Admission is FREE, but you must RSVP as we are limiting attendance to 40 students. Use the link below to RSVP and preorder Chick-fil-A items to guarantee your snack boxes. Regular concessions, including candy bars , candy , popcorn , and soda , will also be available for purchase at the door. Please bring exact cash to Mrs. Cunning in room 310 starting Monday, February 9. No orders will be accepted after 12pm on Friday, February 13th.

Key Things to Remember:

• Movie: Harriet

• Location: Meet in the cafeteria at 3:00 PM before heading to the viewing room

• Date: Thursday, February 19

• Time: 3:00–5:15 PM

RSVP Form: Click Here

Remember: History is made by those brave enough to change it.

Rho Kappa is excited to host a Nothing Bundt Cakes fundraiser! Cakes are just $7 each and make the perfect dessert for yourself or a gift for someone else.

Purchase from Mrs. Cunning or any Rho Kappa member

Cake pickup: Thursday, February 12

All money raised will help lower the cost of the Rho Kappa–sponsored field trip to New York City this spring and allow us to continue hosting school-wide historical events and providing scholarships for our members.

Stop by, grab a delicious cake, and support Rho Kappa—thank you for helping make this fundraiser a success!

Thank you to everyone who participated in this week’s poll! Out of 77 total votes, 47% of students shared that their main focus right now is improving their grades and staying on top of schoolwork.

It’s great to see so many of you committed to your academic goals—keep up the hard work! Let’s continue supporting one another as we push through the rest of the year

I hope you are staying warm, and I’m looking forward to seeing our students again on Monday (fingers crossed!).

For those who may not know, I am the Class of 2029 Advisor (yay!), and over the past few weeks, I’ve been working with our class officers to plan fun activities and fundraisers to get our year off to a great start.

We are excited to announce our VERY FIRST fundraiser, taking place February 9–12: Valentine CandyGrams! Since this is our first fundraiser, we do not yet have funds in our class account. To make this fundraiser successful, we are kindly asking for donations of bags of candy.

Our plan is to wrap donated candy in festive Valentine bags with a red ribbon and heart tag. CandyGrams will be sold during lunches and from my classroom throughout the week, then delivered on Friday.

• Small CandyGrams will be sold for $1

• Larger CandyGrams will be sold for $3

Every dollar earned will go directly toward Class of 2029 activities, and with enough candy donations, this fundraiser will be 100% profit for our class.

As a thank-you, students who donate candy will earn Kickboard points:

• Small bag: 50 points

• Large bag: 100 points

• Costco/BJ’s/Sam’s Club (giant bags): 200 points

Our officers are already planning future fundraisers, including a St. Patrick’s Day Lucky Charms sale, a field trip to Planet Word, and—fingers crossed—an end-of-year trip to Hersheypark. More details on these will be shared soon.

Each class fundraises throughout their four years with the goal of covering major senior-year expenses, such as the senior trip, cap and gown, senior breakfast, and more. Your support now helps set our class up for success in the years ahead.

Thank you so much for your generosity and support of the Class of 2029. Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions!

Warmly,

CMIT extends sincere appreciation to our parents and guardians for the generous in-kind donations delivered for afterschool and Saturday Programs. These contributions directly support our Saturday and after-school competitions, providing nourishment and essential supplies for students during extended STEAM activities. As we move into STEAM Competition Season (January–May), your continued partnership is invaluable. Please be sure to check the shared link for the full list of after-school competitions.

Suggested Donation Items (In-Kind):

• Bottled water

• Juice boxes or sports drinks

• Instant noodles / cup noodles

• Granola or protein bars

• Crackers or individually packed snacks

• Trail mix or nuts (individually wrapped)

• Cookies or snack packs

• Paper plates and napkins

• Plastic utensils

• Hand wipes or paper towels

Community Service Hours for Students

If families wish to make a monetary donation, please visit https://clfmd.org/, scroll to the bottom of the page, and click the “Donate” button. Families may also donate by check made payable to Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation. Please write “After-School Programs” in the memo line so the donation is used to support our after-school and STEAM competition activities.

Thank you for helping make our competitions successful and for supporting student leadership, service, and excellence.

100 days Activities Link

Did you enjoy all the festive winter-themed doors? I sure did! Let’s run it back—this time to honor Black History Month and Love by decorating our classroom doors.

To be entered into the contest, please follow these criteria:

• The door must align with the theme “Black History” or “Love.”

• The design must include a 2D or 3D component.

• The door must include an interesting fact related to the theme you chose.

Just like last time, we will have school-wide voting, and the winning teacher will be able to choose a reasonable prize of their choice.

• Voting will take place on February 17th.

We are also excited to announce a Teacher/Staff Only Spirit Week February 23rd-27th using the theme Black History and Love! Please see the attached flyer for each day’s specific theme.

Let’s have some fun, show our school spirit, and celebrate together!

The McDonald’s HACER® National Scholarship supports Hispanic high school students who demonstrate academic achievement, leadership, and community involvement. This scholarship provides financial assistance to help students pursue higher education and achieve their college and career goals.

The McDonald’s HACER® National Scholarship

Testing

Accuplacer testing eligibility and sign-up information will be emailed out soon. Testing will take place in February for students in grades 10, 11, and 12. Please be sure to check your email so you don’t miss any important details!

SAT Day will be given on March 4th to all 11th grade students. We will be on a modified bell schedule this day. Students in 9th, 10th and 12th grade will complete alternate assignments during the testing period.

We will be administering the mandatory high school graduation assessments MCAP and MISA on the dates listed below. These assessments are required for students to meet Maryland graduation requirements. Please note that we will be on a modified bell schedule on these testing days.

• MCAP Algebra I (Alg 1): April 15 and April 16 – 9th and 10th graders

• MCAP English 10 (Eng 10): April 20 and April 21 – 10th graders

• MISA Biology: April 27 and April 28 – 10th graders and some 9th graders

• MCAP Government (LSN): April 30 and May 1 – 10th graders

Lost & Found

The Lost & Found has started to look like a full coat closet! All Lost & Found items will be brought to the cafeteria on Monday, January 12th so students can look for their missing belongings. Any unclaimed items will be donated on Friday, January 16th.

Moving forward, students are reminded to place their coats and hoodies inside their lockers, not on top of them. If a student is unsure of their locker code, please have them ask Student Support.

School Policy

Since returning from holiday break, we have noticed many students wearing non-CMIT shirts underneath CMIT outerwear. Please be reminded that school policy requires a CMIT shirt to be worn under all CMIT outerwear.

Additionally, we have noticed many students wearing both wireless and wired headphones in the hallways. Please be reminded that wired headphones are only permitted in classrooms (with teacher permission) and during lunch.

Students who are found wearing wired or wireless headphones outside of these approved times will be asked to turn them in to Student Support, and Kickboard deductions will be issued. As a reminder, wireless headphones are never permitted at CMIT.

If you ever have questions about the school uniform or headphones, please refer to the CMIT Student Policy Handbook for guidance.

______

Dear Parents/Guardians and Students,

We will be administering the mandatory high school graduation assessments on the dates listed below. These tests are required for students to meet Maryland graduation requirements. Please note that the school will follow a modified bell schedule on testing days.

Testing Schedule:

• MCAP Algebra I (Alg 1): April 15 and April 16 – 9th and 10th graders

• MCAP English 10 (Eng 10): April 20 and April 21 – 10th graders

• MISA Biology: April 27 and April 28 – 10th graders and some 9th graders

• MCAP Government (LSN): April 30 and May 1 – 10th graders

Important Grading Information:

Chromebook Reminder:

Additional details, including the modified bell schedule and testing procedures, will be shared closer to the testing dates. Please ensure students are present and prepared on their testing days.

Thank you for your support.

We had a fantastic month showing appreciation for our school community! Thanks to your support, we successfully hosted:

• Jan 13 | National Rubber Duck Day: Every student and staff member received a rubber duck to brighten their day!

• Jan 15 | National Bagel Day: We treated our hardworking teachers and staff to a celebratory bagel breakfast.

A Heartfelt Thank You

To the parents and guardians who donated, joined, and shared your energy—you make these moments possible. The PTSO truly appreciates the daily dedication of our students, teachers, and staff.

Keep the Momentum Going!

Your ongoing contributions allow us to continue these traditions. Donations can be made via:

• Zelle: CmitNorthPTSO@gmail.com

• Venmo: CMITNorthHSPTSO

• PayPal: CmitNorthPTSO@gmail.com

Thank you for being an invaluable part of our Tiger family!

Last Friday, the PTSO helped us celebrate National Hot Chocolate Day with teachers, staff, and students. The warm, sweet treat was a big hit and came at the perfect time on such a cold day!

Thank you to everyone who supported the PTSO through the Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser. Thanks to your generosity and support, the PTSO earned over $900!

A special shout-out goes to our top three student sellers:

• Bryce Lomax

• Joseph Settles

• Jonathan Auguste

These three students will receive cash prizes and Kickboard points, great job!

Let’s also give a huge round of applause to our amazing principal, Dr. Gaskins, for being the top staff seller!!!!!!!

Please be on the lookout for upcoming PTSO fundraisers, and thank you again for continuing to support our school community.

Last week, CMIT North High School proudly celebrated our amazing school counselors—Dr. Gaudette, Mrs. Inci, and Mr. Conde!

Students showed their appreciation by signing a poster board, while teachers and staff signed a card to express their gratitude. In addition, our PTSO gifted each counselor a gift card as a small token of thanks for all they do to support our students and families.

If you haven’t thanked a counselor yet, please take a moment to do so—we truly appreciate all the hard work they do every day.

Hello Esteemed Golden Tiger Families!

Please consider joining our growing PTSO Family by signing up at the link below:

JOIN THE PTSO

UPCOMING: Community Iftar Dinner

Date: Wednesday, February 25

Denise Rosales

PTSO President

Pronouns: She/Her/Hers

E-mail: president_nhspto@cmitacademy.org

Click HERE to view the full update.