September 24

CMITN577/ September 24, 2026

Welcome to the latest edition of our school newsletter! This publication is designed to keep students, families, teachers, and staff informed about the exciting events, achievements, and opportunities happening throughout our school community.

As the year progresses, we continue to celebrate academic success, athletic accomplishments, artistic talents, and the many activities that make our school a vibrant place to learn and grow. In each issue, you'll find important announcements, upcoming events, student spotlights, and stories that showcase the hard work and dedication of our school community.

We hope this newsletter helps everyone stay connected and informed. Thank you for being an important part of our school family, and we look forward to sharing another great edition with you!

Go TIGERS! 🎉📚🏆

We had an incredible turnout, and the feedback from our families was so encouraging. From the moment they walked through our doors, you welcomed them, engaged with them, and showed them exactly why CMIT North is the best choice for their scholar!

We were especially excited to have our PGCPS Board Member, Dr. Tiffani Andorful, and our CLF Parent Liaison, Leonard Upson, join us tonight. They were both so impressed by what they saw and experienced. We are grateful for their continued support of CMIT North and were so happy to have them in the building celebrating with us.

Every Day Counts. Every Class Counts. Every Student Counts!

At CMIT North High School, regular attendance is an important part of student success. Being present and on time gives students the opportunity to learn, participate, build relationships, and stay on track academically.

Be Here. Be On Time.

Students are expected to attend school every day and every scheduled class period. Please help your student develop the habit of arriving on time and remaining in class for the entire instructional period.

Remember:

• Arrive at school on time each day.

• Attend every class period.

• Remain in class for the full instructional period.

• Check in with the appropriate staff when returning from an absence.

• Submit required absence documentation promptly.

Absences & Documentation

If your student is absent, please remember to submit an absence note/documentation within three school days of the student's return. Documentation should clearly indicate the student's name, date(s) of absence, and reason for the absence. Absence Notes

Families are encouraged to communicate with the school regarding absences or attendance concerns as soon as possible.

Why Attendance Matters

Missing school—even for a day or a few class periods—can make it difficult for students to keep up with instruction, assignments, assessments, and classroom activities.

Your partnership makes a difference! Thank you for helping us ensure that our students are present, punctual, and prepared to learn each day.

CMIT North Attendance Goal

100% Attendance • On Time • Every Class • Every Day

Let's work together to make attendance a priority and help every Tiger have the opportunity to succeed!

PGCPS Food & Nutrition Services recently informed us that CMIT is now participating in the Maryland Meals for Achievement (MMFA) program. This means breakfast is free for all CMIT students, regardless of household income!

Lunch requires payment unless your student qualifies for meal benefits. Please check your student’s cafeteria balance and add funds through MySchoolBucks.

Families can apply for Free and Reduced-Price Meals (FARMS) through MySchoolApps. Eligible students receive meals at no cost. For questions or assistance, please contact Ms. McNeill.

The grading period for Quarter 1 progress reports ends September 30! Students, please review your grades, submit any outstanding assignments by your teachers’ deadlines, and communicate with your teachers about missing work or questions.

Families, please encourage your scholar to check their progress and finish strong!

CMIT North High School was delighted to welcome our families for an engaging and memorable Back-to-School Night. Parents and guardians had the opportunity to meet teachers, visit classrooms, learn about school programs, and strengthen the partnerships that support our scholars’ success.

We were also honored to welcome two special guests: Dr. Tiffani Andorful, PGCPS Board Member, and Mr. Leonard Upson, CLF Parent Liaison. We sincerely appreciate their continued partnership, support, and commitment to our students and families.

Thank you to everyone who joined us and helped make the evening such a success. Together, we are building a connected, supportive, and thriving CMIT community—One Team, One Mission!

11th grade Comprehensive ELA students should purchase the book "Just Mercy" by Bryan Stevenson to begin reading next week in class. *This is NOT for AP students.

9th grade ELA students (Kropkowski & O’Donnell) should purchase the book “Dear Martin” by Nic Stone NO LATER THAN SEPTEMBER 25TH.

The Counseling Department would like to thank all of the students and families that joined us at Back to School Night! We are so glad to have been able to meet new families and reconnect with our returning families.

As a reminder, here is our Counseling Team!

Dr. Gaudette - Counseling Department Chair & College Counselor

Mr. Conde - 9th and 10th Grade Counselor

Mr. Michael - 11th and 12th Grade Counselor

If you ever have any questions or need support for your student, please don't hesitate to contact us! We look forward to an outstanding school year!

🐯

CMIT invites you to our Club and Athletics Expo on Saturday, October 3, from 9:30 AM to 12:30 PM!

Join us at CMIT North High School to meet club sponsors and coaches, explore activities, and sign up for opportunities beyond the classroom. This year, we’re bringing clubs and athletics together in one exciting event!

Program Coordinator: Ms. Dundar

Students who attend the Expo will receive a wristband allowing them to participate in a dress-down day the following week, October 5th.

Come discover your interests, find your team, and get involved. We look forward to seeing you there!

What is next?

Please mark your calendars:

• October 5–9: Club Interest and Registration Week

• October 12–16: Enrollment and Club Handbook Completion

• Monday, October 19: Official Club Start Date

We're excited to announce that applications for the National English Honor Society are now open for current 11th and 12th graders! NEHS recognizes excellence in English and Literature and offers opportunities for leadership, service, and scholarship. Eligibility Requirements include a cumulative 3.0 GPA, a 3.0 in all English classes, and currently enrolled in or taking an AP English course or English elective (yearbook, journalism, media, drama, etc).

NEHS is a great opportunity to:

• Connect with other students who enjoy English and literature

• Participate in fun activities, events, and service projects

• Get involved and make a positive impact at school

Build your leadership and extracurricular experience

Applications due by September 22nd, If you're interested in joining, please sign up here: https://forms.gle/X5x5wtCkk3wpkGsRA

NEHS Inductions will take place with Rho Kappa on October 13th!

Dear CMIT North Math Olympiad Students, Parents, and Guardians,

Thank you to everyone who completed the Math Olympiad Team Interest & Registration Form. I carefully reviewed your responses, interests, and availability, and I am excited to announce our regular meeting days:

* Math Olympiad Practice Meetings have started already. Registration is still open.

Tuesdays & Thursdays

Our first meeting will be Tuesday, September 22.

If you are still interested in joining the team, please complete the Math Olympiad Interest & Registration Form

Math competitions require a different kind of mathematical thinking than regular classroom work. Developing problem-solving strategies, speed, persistence, and confidence takes consistent practice over time.

Our meetings will include competition problems, topic reviews, mock contests, and collaborative discussions of different solution strategies.

Two hours is not enough to master everything we will encounter, so regular attendance is important. I strongly encourage students to attend both Tuesdays and Thursdays whenever possible. If you cannot attend both days, please plan to attend at least one meeting each week and let me know in advance when you will be absent.

Please bring a snack if you are staying for the full two hours.

Most importantly, bring your curiosity, dedication, and willingness to challenge yourself! You do not need to know how to solve every problem—we are here to learn, practice, make mistakes, and improve together.

I am looking forward to building a strong Math Olympiad team with you this year and seeing what we can accomplish together!

Thank you,

Esra Keskin

Mathematics Teacher & Math Olympiad Coach

CMIT North High School

ekeskin@cmitacademy.org

The Office of College Readiness has their Annual College and Career Application Night coming up on October 15th. This event is a great opportunity for students and families to connect with college and career representatives and explore postsecondary options. Please share the flyers with your students and their families.

● Sept 11: 25th Anniversary of September 11 attacks

● 🏫 Sept 15: Back-to-School Night

● 🚫 Sept 16: No School (Professional Development)

● 🚫 Sept 21: No School (Yom Kippur)

● ⏰ Oct 2: Early Dismissal for Students

● ⏰ Oct 3: Club and Athletics Expo contact: Ms. Dundar zdundar@cmitacademy.org and Ms. Ashmore Dorian Ashmore

● 🧠 Math Olympiad Registration: Contact Ms. Keskin

Upcoming Key Dates & Testing

Mon, Oct 5 - Accuplacer Testing

Location/Details: Media Center (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

Requirements: Fully charged Chromebook (Assigned by Dr. Gaudette)

Wed, Oct 7 - Accuplacer Testing

Location/Details: Media Center (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

Requirements: Fully charged Chromebook (Assigned by Dr. Gaudette)

Thu, Oct 8 - Accuplacer Testing

Location/Details: Media Center (8:00 AM – 12:00 PM)

Requirements: Fully charged Chromebook (Assigned by Dr. Gaudette)

Wed, Oct 21 - PSAT 8/9

Location/Details: 9th Grade

Requirements: Fully charged Chromebook

PSAT/NMSQT

Location/Details: 10th & 11th Grade

Requirements: Fully charged Chromebook

College Trip

Location/Details: 12th Grade

Requirements: —

Thu, Nov 13 - Winter Sports Clearance

Location/Details: Gym

Requirements: Upload physical to Aktivate.com by 3:00 PM; Mandatory check-in to get tryout wristband

Sat, Nov 14 - Winter Sports Tryouts Begin

Location/Details: Specific locations TBA

Requirements: Wristband required; Min. 2.0 GPA (Q1); $100 fee (Due after making team)

Back to School Night was a wonderful celebration of family, community, and connection! This special photo, captured and shared with us by CMIT parent Ms. Hodge, shows our families supporting one another as their scholars continue their academic journeys from elementary school through high school.

Pictured are 11th graders Riley B., Aiden H., and Charles P., along with 10th grader Carter H., their parents, and their CMIT elementary and middle school siblings.

Thank you, Ms. Hodge, for sharing this beautiful moment with us! We are grateful for our families’ continued support and proud to see the CMIT community growing and learning together.

Please join us in welcoming Ms. Stacks to our school community. We are excited to have her as part of the Tiger family and look forward to the positive impact she will make on our students and staff. Ms. Stacks brings valuable experience, knowledge, and a passion for helping young people succeed.

Staff Quote:

Ms. Stacks Joins the Tiger Community

Although Ms. Stacks joined the Tiger community just a week ago, she is no stranger to Prince George's County Public Schools. She recently returned to the PGCPS family because she genuinely missed being part of the district and its mission.

As a licensed educator, Ms. Stacks enjoys working with young people and watching them learn, grow, and achieve their goals. She takes pride in being a supportive and reliable resource for students. Outside of school, she is especially proud of her two daughters and enjoys watching them thrive, which inspires her every day.

Ms. Stacks brings a positive attitude and strong work ethic to the school. She believes in collaborating with colleagues to solve problems and learn from one another. She also understands the lasting impact educators can have on students and values building meaningful relationships in the classroom.

She emphasizes the importance of teamwork, lifelong learning, and creating a classroom environment where students feel supported and encouraged to succeed. Her dedication to helping students reach their full potential makes her a valuable addition to the Tiger community.

Welcome to the Tiger Family!

We are proud to have Ms. Stacks as part of our school community. Her dedication, experience, and commitment to student success will undoubtedly make a lasting difference. Be sure to say hello when you see her and help make her feel at home here at CMIT!

Welcome to the Tiger Family, Ms. Stacks! 🐯🎉

Mr. Bevard once had hair!

Sharks are older than trees!

Math Olympia is looking for new members!

I spoke with Ms. K, our newspaper editor, about the life lessons she wishes she knew when she was younger:

Question

What's one piece of advice you thought was useless when you were younger but understand now?

Answer

Don't worry so much about the little things. Sometimes we spend a lot of time stressing over situations that won't matter a week, a month, or even a year from now. It's important to focus on what you can control and not let small problems take away from the good things happening in your life.

Take Away

Not everything deserves your energy. Before stressing over something, ask yourself if it will really matter in the long run.

How to Apply This

When something small goes wrong, take a step back before reacting. Give yourself time to think about whether it is actually worth worrying about, and try to focus your energy on the things that are important to you.

Congratulations to CMIT North sophomore A’vielle Lewis, recognized among The Washington Sun’s All-DMV Volleyball Players of Week 3! Her standout performances included 19 kills in the Tigers’ first-ever victory over Oxon Hill. We’re proud of A’vielle and our volleyball team!

Shoutout to our STEM Ambassador, Valeria Pena Jordan class 2028, for completing an internship at COMSPOC! 🛰️ We’re proud to celebrate her curiosity, initiative, and commitment to exploring opportunities in STEM.

🎥 Watch her video for a glimpse into her internship experience—and join us in congratulating her!

Keep reaching for the stars! 🌟

Thank you to the students who set up, run, and clean up concessions at every home game. You even find someone to step in when a teammate can’t make it. Your hard work and reliability help keep CMIT Athletics running smoothly. We appreciate you! 💙🏆

There are some common childhood illnesses

and winter is the time that we see an increased incidence in some of these illnesses.

Strep Throat:

About Strep Throat | Group A Strep | CDC

Conjunctivitis:

Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye) | CDC

In addition to the above illnesses, we are including resources on Flu, COVID 19 and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV):

Flu Virus:

Signs and Symptoms of Flu | Influenza (Flu) | CDC

Coronavirus (COVID 19):

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV):

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

However, having taken all the precautions, we can still become ill. Please review the attached document for guidance when deciding if you should send your child to school

The school nurse is available to discuss your child’s illness and provide return to school guidance.

Hello CMIT parents and scholars,

Dear CMIT North Parents and Guardians,

CMIT Academy School Nurse hsnurse@cmitacademy.org