Hello Eagles!
As we start November, it is a great time to take a moment to be thankful and share. We value a strong partnership with our parents to create a team that supports every child at CRMS. We want to make it a norm and a habit to thank our teachers. Please reach out with a note of thanks for all of their hard work. Thank you for being supportive parents and partnering with us in your child's education. CRMS is a great place to be!
**Reminder: There is no school for students on TUESDAY, November 8th. CRMS is a voting location for Travis County on election day, so the campus will be closed to students for staff professional development.
We encourage everyone to get out to vote. Please be informed and check out information below regarding Prop A & Prop B that is on the ballot.
- Early Voting this week at Randall's: Monday, Oct. 31, through Friday, Nov. 4: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
- Election day at CRMS: Tuesday, November 8: 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
This Friday, November 4th is the Fall PTA Family Movie Night outside on the CRMS football field. Bring your chairs/blankets and come out as a family to watch Jungle Cruise. Admission is free and concessions will be for sale. (Please note this is a PG-13 movie.)
Thank you to everyone who recently joined the PTA! We beat FPMS in our membership drive and raised money to support students and teachers at CRMS. And bonus, the FPMS principal had to wear our Eagle head and jersey at the football game. Way to go Eagles!
Let’s crush the CRMS PTA Shoe Drive! We have the month of November to see if we can meet our goal of 100 bags of shoes! Go ahead and clean out your closet -- All types of outgrown or unwanted gently used shoes are welcome! Cleats, sneakers, sandals, dress shoes, boots, flats. Please band pairs or tie laces together and drop them off in the lobby at Canyon Ridge MS. The shoes go to an organization called Funds2Orgs. They get them to the “micro entrepreneurs in developing countries” and pay us a small amount based on the weight we collect. Happy Purging!
Go Eagles!
Veteran's Day 2022 - Last call for submissions!
Veterans Day is quickly approaching on November 11th! We want to take the time to recognize and honor Veteran's in our Eagle Community. We are creating a video assembly to show our appreciation and give thanks to all who have served our country with grace and honor. The video will include various student pieces, and we would really love to feature our veteran community members. Please complete this Veteran's Day form if you are a veteran or have a veteran in your family that you would like to honor. Form submissions will be accepted through this Wednesday, November 2nd.
*As well, we look foward to wearing Red, White & Blue in honor of our Veteran's on Friday, November 11th.
Counselor Corner
Parents, the second grading cycle newsletter from the CRMS counseling office is available via the link below. The newsletter serves to highlight CRMS students, provide an overview of guidance lessons, insights from the counselor’s book study, middle school tips, and upcoming dates. Enjoy!
Counseling Newsletter – The Echo
Reflecting Positivity through CRMS Counseling Services
October 28, 2022
Bullying Awareness Lesson Follow-up Parent Coffee Talk
Thank you to those of you who were able to join us for our first PTA coffee talk in October to preview and have a thoughtful conversation about the challenging but important topic of Bullying Awareness. Mrs. Cote and I took your questions and feedback and debriefed with our admin and counseling team. We worked to make some adjustments to the video and our lessons, and now we would like to offer another opportunity for parents to preview and give input before moving forward.
The second and final opportunity for parents to join us for a preview of our follow-up lessons (that will take place in January) will be on Thursday, December 1st at 4:45pm at CRMS. At the coffee talk sponsored by our CRMS PTA, we will also have a CRMS administrator and counselor in attendance to answer questions you may have at that time. We ask that you RSVP on the Dec 1 Parent Preview Sign Up Form.
In January, 8th grade CRMS students will be shown video clips only as part of a bullying awareness lesson only if a parent chooses to opt IN their child. To opt IN your child, please complete the Opt IN Form by Friday January 2, 2023.
Shoe Donation Drive!
Your Book Fair is a wrap...
THANK YOU to all of our amazing volunteers for making the book fair happen for all of our Eagle students!
Foreign Language Testing - Deadline to Request January 20, 2023
Alcohol, Tobacco, and Other Drug Prevention Lessons
Leander ISD middle school students receive yearly prevention lessons in order to promote and support wellness, healthy choices, and a drug-free lifestyle. See lesson dates and parent information below. Contact your grade level counselor with any questions.
6th grade lessons on October 4-6, 2022
6th grade ATOD Lesson Parent Information - English
6th grade ATOD Lesson Parent Information - Spanish
7th grade lessons on October 18-20, 2022
7th grade ATOD Lesson Parent Information - English
7th grade ATOD Lesson Parent Information - Spanish
8th grade lessons on November 29-December 1, 2022
Attn: 8th graders!
"8th Grade Parents--save the dates! Information will begin to be updated on the VHS Counseling Website as the dates get closer. Be sure to check there for all VHS related information!
**These dates are accurate as of 10/14
January 12 // 8th Grade Family Night (5:30pm) & Viper Night (6pm) counselors will provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade families students and families will have the opportunity to further explore course options by continuing on to Viper Night Viper Night will include an elective fair, club & org fair, breakout sessions, and student panels January 18 - 19 // Four-Year Planning & Course Selection Overview with VHS Counselors (2 days at each school) VHS counselors will visit Canyon Ridge Middle Schools to provide a high school academic planning overview to 8th grade students students will submit tentative course requests students and their parent/guardian will be emailed a PDF copy of these tentative requests choices are editable - a new PDF copy of updated courses will be emailed after each edit January 24 - 25 // 8th Grade Individual Student/Counselor Conferences (Jan 25 - CRMS) VHS counselors will meet individually with 8th grade students to review four-year plans and course selections January 27, 4pm deadline to lock in initial course selections for the 2023-24 school year while there will be additional change opportunities, finalizing your requests as early as possible provides the highest likelihood of being placed in the classes you want
Clubs!
https://sites.google.com/leanderisd.org/crmsclubs/clubs-home
Sports Equipment Donations needed!
Our students love our outdoor “recess” time after lunch each day but our basket of sports equipment is almost empty. If you have any sports equipment in your garage that you would like to clean out and donate, we will gladly accept footballs, volleyballs, soccer balls, kick balls and basketballs. It does not need to be new--we welcome used equipment that we can put to good use for all of our students. Please drop off your donations anytime during school hours in the front office. Thank you for helping to provide for this valuable outdoor time for our Eagles!
Art Club
Art Club will meet at 8:15 am the last Thursday of each month. There will be a different project each meeting.There is no cost to join. Regular attendance is preferred
● Students attending this month’s meeting will meet Mrs. Blevins at the main entrance at 8:15am- Late students won’t be able to enter the building until the doors open at 8:35am, thus will be unable to attend art club
● Students will work on the lesson until 8:55am, then they will be dismissed for first period.
● Students will pick up their work at the end of the day to take home!
Eagle Allies Club
"Eagle Allies" exists to promote inclusion, kindness, diversity, and acceptance at Canyon Ridge. All are welcome!
As part of Eagle Allies, members will also work toward CRMS's No Place for Hate® initiative which provides educators and students with the resources to ensure that anti-bias and diversity education are an integral part of the school curriculum. No Place for Hate® also helps to create and sustain inclusive school environments where all students feel valued and have the opportunity to succeed by promoting respect for individual difference while challenging bigotry and prejudice.
We meet every other Tuesday morning at 8:15 in room 1130.
9/13, 9/27, 10/4, 10/18, 11/1, 11/15, 11/29, 12/13, 1/10, 1/24, 2/7, 2/21, 3/7, 3/21, 4/4, 4/18, 5/16
Google Classroom Code: ouii5lo
Library Club
Meeting is one Wednesday each month 8:15-8:55 AM
Students meet at the main doors of the school to get let in for the meeting. Students who arrive after 8:20 at school can come to the Library Club meeting in progress when the doors open at 8:35.
Library Club will meet one Wednesday each month: 10/19, 11/16, 12/14, 1/18, 2/15, 3/22, 4/12, 5/17.
The CRMS Library is a great place to find a home, make friends and help promote a love for reading on campus. The Library Club once-a-month meetings are held on the second Thursday before school in the CRMS Library. The monthly meeting usually include a group game/team building activity, library care, planning upcoming events, and prize drawings at each meeting. Library Club members help run the Read-a-Thon, Adopt-a-Shelf program, chess and game mornings, maker-space crafts, and assist with Book Fair, author visits, book clubs and general library upkeep. This is a vibrant club where students really take ownership in their library and make long-lasting friendships. Students will meet other readers and can even form their own student-run “Lunch Bunch Book Clubs” within Library Club to meet at times that work for the students and library schedule.
Co-Directed by Student Library Aides, Sponsor: Mrs. Illingworth, CRMS Librarian
Clothes Closet needs your help!
The South Location of the Leander ISD PTA Clothes Closet is up and running! This resource provides free clothing to families with students who reside within the LISD boundaries in grades PRE-K through the SELF (18+) program. The South Location can be found at River Place Elementary School in Portable #3 & #4. See flyer for address, shopping dates, and shopping hours.
If you would like to contribute to the clothes closet, you may donate gently used shoes and clothing at the green bin outside of Four Points Middle School located near the football field. Additionally, you can help out by purchasing off of their Amazon Wish List.
Leander ISD Board Sets November Votes on Robin Hood and Tax Rate
Proposition A on the November ballot is an Attendance Credit Election, which state law requires when a district’s revenues from property values exceed its calculated entitlement and the excess is due to the state through a process called recapture (also known as Robin Hood). If voters approve Proposition A, the school district will proceed with making its mandatory recapture payments to the state as required. If voters defeat Proposition A, the state could detach a portion of the district’s total property value — effectively shrinking the tax base. This “Detachment of Territory” is permanent and irreversible, even if in future years the property values within the district make it no longer subject to recapture.
Proposition B is a Voter-Approval Tax Rate Election, or VATRE. It would ratify the action the Board took on August 18, 2022 by adopting an increase in the tax rate for Maintenance & Operations, which is the component of a school district tax rate that pays for operating expenses such as teacher salaries.
If voters approve Proposition B, the district will see an estimated $32 million net increase in revenue, which would fund pay increases for teachers and other employees that trustees approved earlier this year. The additional revenue will prevent future cuts to personnel and programs — especially because LISD is now subject to recapture at a greater level than past years.
Because of state-initiated reductions in the M&O rate, and the Board’s action to lower the LISD Interest & Sinking tax rate, taxpayers will see a reduction in the overall tax rate of more than 6 cents per $100 in property valuation if Proposition B is approved.
“If Proposition B does not pass, we expect a deficit of $35 million,” Gearing said. “That deficit could impact future pay raises for teachers and the sustainability of educational and extracurricular programs.
“State law and the state school finance system require us to put this decision before the voters,” he added. “We encourage everyone to participate in the upcoming election.”
For much more information about these propositions, please visit leanderisd.org/elections.
Volunteer Registration
To complete or renew your volunteer registration, click the appropriate link:
CRMS Cell Phone Procedures
We are reaching out to let you know of some updates we have made to cell phone practices currently in use on our campus for 2022-23.
Cell phones are everywhere. They can be handy tools, but also insidious distractions. We have seen a rise in student violations with regards to the use of cell phones, AirPods, and social media on campus, which directly impacts our campus culture, student learning, and safety.
Campus Cell Phone Expectations
Maintaining the integrity of the learning environment is our top priority, which is why these changes will be implemented. We will begin using new practices, detailed below, so that students know what to expect and teachers have a consistent system to help students manage expectations.
At CRMS, students will be permitted to bring cell phones or other items used for communication. However, cell phones and all functions within the cell phone (i.e. cameras, AirPods/headphones, smart watches, and all other applications) are prohibited during class unless permitted under Section 504 or within a student’s IEP. When students walk into each classroom, they will have a secure location to safely store their silenced cell phone for the class period. Phones and AirPods/headphones may be used on school grounds before school, during lunch, and after school as long as students are not violating the District’s acceptable use guidelines.
We are aware that special circumstances arise and sometimes an important call must be made or received. Students are advised to communicate with their teachers if there are extenuating circumstances on a particular day. In the event of a true emergency, family members should call the main office at 512-570-3500 if they need to get in touch with a student.
Why the change?
We looked at data and at policies from a half dozen other school districts. We learned some important things. 95% of all middle and high school students have phones they bring to school. Some teachers allow students to use phones as part of their instruction, and others do not. However, nearly all teachers agree phones distract students in class. Most students want to be able to carry their phones, but they agree their phones can be distracting in classes. Parents want to be able to contact their kids during the school day, but they also recognize students remain focused on classwork at school.
Keeping these things in mind, the campus came to consensus on the changes above for the 2022-2023 school year. As these new rules are implemented, the CRMS team will meet periodically to gauge the impact of the changes, and suggest adjustments that need to be made as needed.
Check out these short videos for more information:
According to the Leander ISD Student Code of Conduct, students are required to follow the expectations around proper usage of technology. This extends to the use of personal devices while on an LISD campus. Below are the expectations copied from the handbook for your reference.
1. Violating any of the prohibited behaviors/conduct listed in the LISD Technology Resource Acceptable Use Guidelines.
2. Recording the voice or image of another without the prior consent of the individuals being recorded, or administrative approval, in any way that disrupts the educational environment or invades the privacy of others.
3. Copying, downloading, reproducing, distributing, retransmitting, redisplaying, or modifying items from the District’s website.
Campus Guidelines
If a student violates the cell phone procedure during class, in the halls, restroom, etc., the following consequences will apply consistent with the gravity of the infraction.
1st Offense: The student may pick up his/her phone from the Counseling Office after the dismissal bell at the end of the school day.
2nd Offense: The student’s parent may pick up the student’s phone from the Receptionist after the dismissal bell at the end of the school day.
3rd Offense: The student will be assigned appropriate consequences, and the student’s parent may pick up the student’s phone from the Receptionist after the dismissal bell at the end of the school day.
4th Offense: The student will be assigned appropriate consequences, and the student’s parent may pick up the student’s phone from the Receptionist after the dismissal bell at the end of the school day.
Changes in Meal Service for 2022-23 School Year
Beginning this 2022-23 school year, meals for Leander ISD students will be provided by Sodexo, a food-services provider committed to improving the quality of life of students within districts they serve through quality food services.
All students who qualify for free and reduced-price (F&R) meals during the 2022-23 school year will receive breakfast and lunch at no cost. Due to a partnership with USDA, reduced-price meals will be free for the 2022-23 school year.
For elementary students who do not qualify for F&R meals, prices are remaining the same as they were in 2019. The cost of breakfast is $1.50 and lunch is $2.90. For secondary students, the cost of breakfast is $1.75 and lunch is $3.15.
Parents who would like to apply to find out if they are eligible for F&R meals for their children can visit our Child Nutrition Services website for more information.
Bus updates from Transportation
We recognize that there have been some bus delays, issues with SMART Tag, and weather in the past few days. We know this has been frustrating for our families and apologize for the inconvenience. We appreciate your patience and support as we are working out the kinks with our new system and expect to be on track with expected pick-up and drop-off times soon. Please go here for information and to sign up for the SMART Tag portal.
Bus Routes & Bus Stops
2022-23 Bus Route Information will be available after Friday, August 5, 2022. To maximize efficiencies and ensure students arrive at their respective campuses safely and on time, bus stops will be located on main roads and centralized, near neighborhood parks, pools, mailboxes and campuses, wherever feasible. This will potentially reduce the number of bus-stops in a sub-division from prior years, reduce the number of miles on each route and the time it takes to run the route.
Get Ready for Smart-Tag
After a successful pilot roll-out at several LISD Campuses, Smart-Tag will roll out district-wide for the 2022-23 School Year. This system provides real-time route information to drivers, campuses, and families letting them know where the bus is, approximate arrival time, if a student loaded the bus and also ensures they do not get on the wrong bus or off at the wrong stop. Find out more information here. And you can get a jump start and pre-register with Smart-Tag.
Interested in supporting CRMS and getting paid to be here?!?!
COVID-19 Health Protocols
Athletic events tickets for Middle School online!
Tickets can be purchased through link on the athletics webpage:
Join PTA & Amazon Smile to donate to CRMS PTA
*Did you know you can buy all your Amazon purchases through Amazon Smile, and they will donate to our PTA all year long?!?! It doesn’t cost you anything and you order the same way. Just set up your Amazon Smile profile to donate to PTA Texas Congress Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA.
*CRMS PTA: If you have not yet, please consider joining the CRMS PTA. Memberships start as low as $10.
Be sure to follow Canyon Ridge Middle School PTA on Facebook and join the Facebook group for your child's grade level. Thank you for your time and all of your support for our Eagles!
Canyon Ridge Middle School
AP/Counselor by grade-level for 2022-2023:
- 6th: Leah Cox / Staci Cote
- 7th: A-K Leah Cox & L-Z Cassandra Ricks / Sabrina Anderson
- 8th: Cassandra Ricks / Katie Young
Email: Wendy.Sturdevant@leanderisd.orgg
Website: crms.leanderisd.org
Location: Canyon Ridge Middle School, Country Trails Lane, Austin, TX, USA
Phone: 512-570-3500
Twitter: @Sturdevant_CRMS
Empowering Parents: Safety, Security, Health & Wellness Summit
With a continued focus on the safety and security of our students, Leander ISD is hosting a Safety, Security, Health and Wellness Summit, “Empowering Parents.” In response to community requests for more educational awareness, district leadership and our community partners will answer questions about substance abuse, particularly the use of fentanyl. We will also address concerns about campus safety and security.
If you missed this event, you can view the Video Recording.