THE CMS CONNECTION

Parent Teacher Conferences are scheduled for March 5th from 3:15pm-7:00pm and on March 6th from 12:00pm-4:00pm. If you need to double check your sign up time, please contact the team of teachers.

If students had additional testing completed for gifted identification, parent notification letters regarding those results will be coming home this week. Please ask your child for the testing results.

Great news! Columbia Local Schools has partnered with Smile Programs ... the mobile dentists to offer dental care at school, MARCH 25TH. See the Mobile Dentist Parent Letter below for more details or Sign up online now at www.MySchoolDentist.com.

Grades 5 and 6 Riveon Mental Health and Recovery (formally the Nord Center) Kidz First Children's Advocacy Center will be providing programming to 5th and 6th grade. This will be a one day lesson when your child is taking the physical education/health class.

Quarter 4 - March 25, 2025

Please see the attached Parent Letter from Riveon.

Grades 6-8 Please see the attached letter to learn more about College Credit Plus (CCP) classes.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to reach out to me via email at edelvalle@clsdraiders.org or by phone at 440-236-1227.

Columbia Local Schools is now on Facebook! Visit https://www.facebook.com/CLSDRaiders/ or search for Columbia Local Schools and follow us to stay up to date on district news and events.

School Fee letters were mailed home on Thursday, August 15th. You should have received a letter with your fees that outlines the new procedures that we have in place regarding paying school fees. All fees were due by September 15th.

Please click here to view the School Fees for the 2024-2025 School Year.

Payment options: Pay through the PaySchools system on the school's website, mail payment with check made payable to Columbia Middle School, or send check or exact cash with your student to pay in the office. If you have any questions, please contact the office at (440) 236-5741.

March

5 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 3:15-7:00pm

6 - Early Release at 11:05am, Parent/Teacher Conferences 12:00-4:00pm

7 - Conference Comp Day - No School

11 - Spotlight on the Arts Night

21 - End of 3rd Quarter

April

18 - 27 - Spring Break - No School

28 - School Resumes

29 - 4th Quarter Midterm

May

2 - Professional Development Day - No School

28 - Early Release at 11:05am, Last Day of School

28 - Last Day of School

The state requires all schools to complete multiple safety drills during the school year (fire, severe weather, and lockdown). Please be advised that we have to complete a lockdown drill and fire drill within the first 10 days of school.

Fire Drills

March 6 - Rapid Release

April 29 - 9:45 am

May 23 - Rapid Release

Severe Weather/Tornado Drills

March 19 - 9:50 am

April 17 - 1:30 pm

May 7 - 10:00 am

The following dates are early release days for students:

• Thursday, March 6
• Wednesday, May 28 (LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS)

Early Dismissal Time at CMS is 11:05am

The following days are set aside for CLSD staff professional development. There is no school for students on these days:

• Friday, May 2

Spring

Students in grades 5-8 will complete NWEA Fall MAP testing in Math, Reading, and Science during one of the following dates - March 17 -28

Please mark your calendars for the state testing dates and take these dates into consideration when booking vacations and appointments.

Grades 5-8 - ELA Part 1: Tuesday, April 1st

Grades 5-8 - ELA Part 2: Wednesday, April 2nd

Grades 5 and 8 only - Science Part 1: Tuesday, April 8th

Grades 5 and 8 only - Science Part 2: Wednesday, April 9th

Grades 5-8 - Math Part 1: Tuesday, April 15th

Grades 5-8 - Math Part 2: Wednesday, April 16th

Students that are not in school on these days are required to complete make-up testing within the allowed time frame given by the state.

We understand that in today’s world many students have a cell phone. However, there is not a use for a cell phone in the middle school classrooms. If a student possesses a cell phone, it should remain in the student’s locker, turned off or in silence mode throughout the school day. Students that have their phone out in the classrooms will have them taken by a staff member and students can retrieve them from the office at the end of the school day. At CMS we do allow the students to check their phones when they visit their locker between classes. There are times that students ask to use their phone in the office to call their parent/guardian, we also allow students to use their phone from the office. If we need to get in touch with a parent we will do so using the emergency contact numbers on your OneView account. This also includes the use of smart watches/iWatches. Although a watch can be worn for the watch’s intended purpose, smart watches and iWatches should not be used during the school day for texting, games, or other apps. This includes lunch and recess. Failure to comply with these guidelines will result in the cell phone or watch being taken away.

Meal Pricing

Breakfast - $2.25

Lunch - $3.75

Milk Only - $0.55

Ice Cream - Prices Vary

Families may add money to their child's account to cover meal costs and extras. You can send in cash or check, or add funds online at https://www.payschoolscentral.com/

Families are also invited to apply for Free and /or Reduced Meals. By applying for Free and Reduced lunch benefits, families may be eligible for additional assistance. You can access the application by clicking: 2024-2025 Free/Reduced Lunch Form

We need your help in making sure all of our students are prepared for school each day, in the past we have had several students come to school without a Chromebook or a Chromebook that has not been charged. We also have students without headphones, which are required for listening to sound on their Chromebook. Please remind your student to charge his/her Chromebook each night and bring it to school each morning. Headphones can be left in their supply pouch at school.

Athletic Booster membership form and information are available and online. Please consider joining and help support 7th-12th grade CLSD athletics.

The Columbia PTO is an amazing supporter of Columbia Local Schools! We can't thank them enough for all their hard work, passion, and dedication to our Columbia students.

The current Board is in search of Committee Chairs for this year! Please contact the president, Brittany Hamper, at pto.columbiaschools@gmail.com with any questions or interests in these positions.

PTO Resources:

Join the PTO

PTO Meetings & Updates

Email

Join the PTO in our yearly Kalahari night!! Book your room at a discounted rate here:

https://book.passkey.com/e/50896600?utm_source=49785631&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=295417739&trkid=586931053&linkid=3423395291

Please open the pdf to see available opportunities.

The weather changes from day to day. Please make sure your child has appropriate weather attire for recess. We do go outside if the temperature AND wind-chill is 20 degrees or higher. Our staff members monitor the weather continually during the cold and snowy months. If your child is in need of any of these winter items, please contact Mrs. Figliano.

This is a great flowchart to help you with who to contact when you have a specific question or concern.

District Contacts

Will your child be out of school for an extended period of time such as a family vacation? If so, make sure you fill out a planned absence form and return to school ASAP.

Planned Absence Form

If your child will be absent, the parent/guardian must report the absence by calling the school attendance line at 440-236-5748. You must state your full name, your students full name, and reason for the absence. The following reasons are considered excused absences: illness of the student, death in the family, planned absences (form completed), quarantine of the home.

The link below is a from the parent/student handbook and outlines attendance and tardy policies. If you have further questions, please contact our office.

Attendance Policies and Procedures

Please click here to access the CMS Student Handbook, Planned Absence Forms, Chromebook agreement and Insurance, Medication Forms, Transfer/Withdraw forms, and attendance/truancy policies.

Office Hours 7:00am-3:00pm

School Hours 7:30am-2:35pm

Enter building starting at 7:20am
Car riders dismissed at 2:30pm.
Bus riders dismissed at 2:35pm.

Email: tfilut@clsdraiders.org
Website: https://www.columbia.k12.oh.us/
Location: 13646 West River Road, Columbia Station, OH, USA
Phone: 440-236-5741
Twitter: @RaiderMiddle

Mrs. Filut - CMS Principal - 440-236-5741 or email tfilut@clsdraiders.org

Miss Del Valle - CMS Counselor - 440-236-5741 or email edelvalle@clsdraiders.org

Mrs. Figliano - CLSD Wellness & Support - 440-236-5741 or email efigliano@clsdraiders.org

There has been an increase in the number of written referrals for behavior issues and safety issues on the bus. Please review the bus rules, procedures, and expectations with your child.

Key Points which seem to be the reason for most referrals.

* NO eating or drinking on the bus.

* Students MUST stay properly seated for the duration of the ride. NO jumping seats, sitting

backwards, sitting on the floor, hiding under the seat, etc.

* Students MUST remain in their assigned seat.

* NO inappropriate language, discussions, gestures, etc.

* Keep your HANDS to yourself.

Follow the Raider Way...Respect. Empathy, Pride, and Integrity. The school bus is an extension of the classroom. SAFETY is the number one priority. We appreciate your help and support with this matter so that all students are safe.

For more information you can visit the transportation section on our district website. The link for bus transportation routes, questions, and concerns can be found on the CLSD website or by clicking the link below. Please note: Your child will not be marked tardy if the bus is running late.

https://www.clsdraiders.org/Transportation.aspx

SCHOOL BUS PROCEDURES

The school bus is a privilege that can be taken away if it is abused. The bus driver has a tremendous responsibility seeing that the students arrive at their destination safely. Discipline must be maintained on the school bus so that nothing interferes with the driver’s concentration. When students misbehave on the school bus, the driver’s concentration is then diverted and a serious accident could occur. Failure to comply with bus rules may result in loss of bus privileges. At such time, a student is not excused from attending school, but the parent must provide transportation to and from school. NO daily bus passes will be issued. If you have further questions, please reach out to the transportation department at 440-236-8222.

Dear Parents/Guardians,

The safety of our students and staff is one of our primary concerns and any threats of violence, even if deemed not credible, are taken very seriously. After several recent school tragedies across the United States, we felt it was important to remind you about our safety initiatives.

Please know that all threats against our students and staff are taken seriously and thoroughly investigated through our partnership with local law enforcement.

Threats against schools are treated very seriously, and students who are determined to have made such threats face consequences through our school’s Code of Conduct, as well as potential legal, financial, and criminal consequences.

This is an opportune time to discuss this situation with your children and emphasize that there are severe consequences of such actions, even if the threat is made in jest. Please remind your children about the importance of reporting any suspicious or potentially threatening activity to an adult as soon as possible. The Ohio School Safety Center (OSSC) partnered with the Buckeye State Sheriff’s Association and the Ohio Association of Chiefs of Police to create awareness to this issue through a video PSA called Joining Together for School Safety please watch it with you child.

The OSSC provides an anonymous reporting system, the Safer Ohio School Tip Line (844-723-3764) to report concerns for safety. Crisis response professionals are available 24/7 to assist with getting concerns to local law enforcement and schools for investigation. You can call, text, use the Safer Ohio smartphone app or even submit via the webform to report concerns.

Please take a moment to view this video from the Ohio Department of Public Safety on School Safety. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uYgI5mfl0E