Eagle's Eye News

Challenger Middle School Families,

It is hard to believe we only have 2 weeks left in the semester. Please encourage your students to finish the semester strong, turn in all assignments, communicate with their teachers, and attend after school tutoring if needed. This is the last week of after school tutoring for 1st semester. We will not have after school tutoring the week of December 15th.

Our ACAP dates for Spring 2026 are set. Please do not schedule appointments, trips, etc. those days. It is critical we have our students in the building for testing days. Thank you for your support.

Monday, April 13 - Science ACAP - 6th and 8th Grade Only

Tues, April 14 - Math ACAP

Wed, April 15 - ELA ACAP Day 1

Thurs, April 16 - ELA ACAP Day 2

𝐂𝐌𝐒 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫 & 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐟𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐬 𝐆𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐝 𝐃𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞

It’s time to spread some Christmas cheer to our amazing CMS teachers & staff! We’re collecting 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 — 𝗼𝗿 $ 𝗱𝗼𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝘁𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱 𝗴𝗶𝗳𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗱𝘀 — to bless our CMS team at their gift exchange this holiday season.

How You Can Help:
• Donate gift cards of any amount, turn them into the front office.
• OR send a monetary donation and we’ll purchase the gift cards for you

𝗦𝗶𝗴𝗻 𝘂𝗽 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0F4FA9AE2EABFBC25-60962033-challenger
Donate here: https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/donation-form/cms-staff-christmas-gift-cards

Every little bit helps us make the holidays brighter for the people who pour so much into our kids every day. Thank you for supporting our school!

We have another pajama day fundraiser on Friday. Students can bring $2 cash on Friday to wear pajamas. No blankets and stuffed animals, but slippers are allowed.

Please help support the girls basketball team by stopping into Jersey Mike's over the next 2 weeks. Use a coupon, save money and earn money for our team! You can use the coupons as much as you want over the next 2 weeks. They can be redeemed online, on a mobile device, or a paper copy. See the below flyer for the coupons.

After school tutoring is every Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 3:10-4:10 for any students who need extra help. There is no sign up required, students may come on an as needed basis. Students attending must report to Mr. Sivak's room (H109) after school. See the below flyer for more information. Please take advantage of this great opportunity for our students!

We are so excited to officially say Challenger Middle School is an "A" school. We've been working towards an A for many years, and are so excited to have reached our goal. Thank you to all our teachers, staff, students, families, and more for all your hard work and dedication to help us achieve our goal. Use the below link for more information about our report card score.

https://reportcard.alsde.edu/OverallScorePage.aspx?ReportYear=2025&SystemCode=159&SchoolCode=0037

#WingsUp #EagleUp #ExcellenceTogether

Sincerely,
Bo Coln

Principal

Challenger Middle School

james.coln@hsv-k12.org

Dec

12 - PJ Day - Pay $2 cash to wear PJs

15-19 - NO After School Tutoring

19 - End of 1st Semester. Noon Dismissal

January

6 - Students Return

8 - i-Ready Math

9 - Report Cards and Practice ACAP Reports go home

13 - i-Ready Reading

April

13 - Science ACAP - 6th and 8th Grade Only

14 - ACAP Math

15 - ACAP ELA Day 1

16 - ACAP ELA Day 2

Teachers select each grade level’s student of the week. Students earn student of the week by making it to class on time, being prepared, completing all assignments, being respectful to their peers and adults, having at least a C average, and being kind and helpful to everyone. Our students of the week exhibit SOAR behavior – Show Respect, Own Your Actions, Arrive Ready, and Reach Higher.

While the holidays are a fun and exciting time, they can also be very stressful. Shopping, cooking, parties and activities, and more than one person in the family having something going on at the same time can be very overwhelming. A person’s capacity for resiliency, growth through stress, can extend our life expectancy. Teaching young people specific coping techniques can give them healthy, dependable methods for dealing with adversity. This instills a lifelong habit of wellness, avoidance of substance use, and fulfillment of purpose.

Tips:

Model positive coping skills when you face challenges and encourage them to do the same. Know what you are feeling – sad, angry, jealous, scared…

• Take deep breaths.

• Take care of your body – eat, sleep, exercise, NO drugs.

• Do something you love – hobbies.

• Play positive music.

• Use positive self-talk.

• Talk to someone you trust.

• Find your safe place.

• Be kind to yourself.

• Drink a glass of cold water.

• Change your thoughts to positive thoughts.

• Separate yourself from the situation.

I hope you and your family enjoy this busy time of year.

Megan Moak

Challenger Middle School Counselor

megan.moak@hsv-k12.org

Bus Riders - exit the bus, enter through the main lobby doors, and go to the cafeteria or sit in their designated grade-level hallway

Walkers/Car Riders - enter through the main lobby doors, and go to the cafeteria or sit in their designated grade-level hallway

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. Students that do not wish to eat school breakfast will report to the designated grade-level 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.

• 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 upon request for $10. Students can purchase a locker during homeroom starting Monday, August 4. 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.

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

Head coverings​

• No more than 4 inches wide
• No bandanas of any color​
• No hats, no sunglasses

NO Pajama Pants, no house slippers ​
No hoods​ will be worn in the building
Jeans​

• No holes above mid-thigh/finger-tip length

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 wireless communication device policy.

Bus route and stop information for all registered bus riders is now available to view in the Powerschool Parent Portal. Registration is now also available for all parents of bus riders in the FirstView app. Please note that while registration may be completed now, routes and bus information will not be visible in the FirstView app until July 31.

Parents who previously had the FirstView app installed on their devices will need to delete the app that is currently installed on their device, and then download and install the new version of the app.

• Information about how to access the Powerschool Parent Portal is available on the Grades Online page of the HCS website.
• Information about accessing the FirstView app is available on the Buses & Transportation page of the HCS website.

For any questions regarding route assignments, please use the School Bus Transportation Comment Form or contact the First Student Customer Service Office at 256-361-0919.

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

- Sudden Cardiac Arrest Awareness 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- Ryan Hagen (ryan.hagen@hsv-k12.org)

- Head Girls Track Coach- Alicia Clarke-Mayes (alicia.clarke-mayes@hsv-k12.org)

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

- Head Girls Soccer Coach- William Neeley (william.neeley@hsv-k12.org)

Grab your CMS Superfan Home Game Punch Card for just $40 – it gets you into every home game for the whole season.

That’s right… ALL. THE. HOME. GAMES.

Show your pride, cheer your loudest, and save some serious cash.
Get yours online today @ https://www.zeffy.com/en-US/ticketing/2025-2026-cms-superfan-punch-card or send in cash to Coach Neeley – and let’s pack the stands, Go Eagles!!

𝗝𝗢𝗜𝗡 𝗣𝗧𝗦𝗔 𝗧𝗢𝗗𝗔𝗬 @ https://cmsptsa.givebacks.com/shop?category=9257

We would 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 to have you join us!

𝑾𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒗𝒐𝒍𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒕 𝑪𝑴𝑺 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒄𝒉𝒐𝒐𝒍 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓? We would 𝗟𝗢𝗩𝗘 to have you join us! Let us know what volunteer opportunities you are interested in @ https://forms.gle/CciFd7x5rxJ9m9sa7

CMS FAQs - Whether you are new or returning to CMS we know that the start of the school year can be overwhelming. Check out these CMS FAQs for tools and resources to help families support their child’s and CMS’ success! https://cmsptsa.givebacks.com/edit/w/cmsfaqs

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 continue to have a Math Interventionist for the 1st semester of the 25-26 school year. Ms. Regina Carter, retired CMS math teacher, will continue as our Interventionist. She will provide intensive math support to a select group of CMS students. We are excited about this on-going 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