Eagle's Eye News

Challenger Middle School Families,

Our #EagleUp Challenge is off and running. All money raised will go toward school improvements. We would like another set of bleachers in the gym, so much of what is earned during our challenge will go towards the purchase of more bleachers. Use the link below to access our fundraising page. Any contribution is greatly appreciated.

The 3rd 9 Weeks Progress Reports went home on Friday, February 10th. Please check in with your child about their grades. We recommend checking PowerSchool weekly to see your child's grades. If you need assistance logging into PowerSchool reach out to us.

Hard to believe, but we have started course registration for next year. See below for more information from Ms. Hall about dates and deadlines.

Friday, February 24 is our Black History Month Program. It is at 1:00 in the Cafeteria. All are invited. It will be a great event.

Our PTSA has done an outstanding job this year and we are looking forward to adding new members. Please see the information in the PTSA section below.

The parking lot in the morning has become a significant safety issue. If you drop off your student, you must go through the carline. Thank you for helping us keep our campus safe.

I hope you all have a great week!

Sincerely,
Bo Coln

Principal

Challenger Middle School

#EagleUp

February

14 - Chick-Fil-A Spirit Night

17 - Kona Ice for sale during PE. Cash only.

20 - No School

23 - GHS Curriculum Showcase. 8th grade only, Grissom cafeteria from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m

24 - Black History Month Program @ 1:00 in the Cafeteria

Teachers select each grade level's students 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.

Tegan McDermott

6th Grade Reading

Soccer Coach

Our inaugural soccer season kicked off last Wednesday. Our girls and boys both won against Whitesburg Middle. Go Eagles!

National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) has currently raised $355.00 for the American Heart Association. We have 20+ lollipops we will sell at lunches on Monday, February 13. The cost is $1.50. We're hoping to sell out!

Any monetary donations can be turned into Mrs. Megan Dudley.

#HeartMonth

Heart Disease in the United States

• Heart disease is the leading cause of death for men, women, and people of most racial and ethnic groups in the United States.
• One person dies every 34 seconds in the United States from cardiovascular disease.
• About 697,000 people in the United States died from heart disease in 2020—that’s 1 in every 5 deaths.
• Heart disease cost the United States about $229 billion each year from 2017 to 2018. This includes the cost of health care services, medicines, and lost productivity due to death.

On Thursday, February 23, 2023, we will have a Grissom Curriculum Showcase for current and incoming students. Grissom Teachers will be present to answer any questions regarding core classes or elective classes. The showcase will take place in the Grissom cafeteria from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m.

Jeanne Baird Greer, Principal

Virgil I. Grissom High School

http://grissomhighschool.org

CMS Families, if you have attendance questions, please send this information to Ms. Smith, our Student Data Generalist. Examples: doctor excuses and parent notes, or any questions you may have.

Submit Excuses:

E-Mail: melanie.smith1@hsv-k12.org (Preference)

FAX : 256-428-7621

Contact for Attendance Questions/Concerns:

E-Mail: melanie.smith1@hsv-k12.org

Phone: 256-428-7620, Option 3

If your student is absence due to Covid or a confirmed diagnosis of influenza, please notify our school nurse, Julie Poe, by email at julie.poe@hsv-k12.org or by calling the school at 256-428-7620.

This is your last chance to join us in Washington D.C. – Extended payments plans are available!

Exciting news! We still have room on our Washington D.C. trip! Check out our trip website here: https://worldstrides.com/custom/challenger-ms-dc-201774/

Our Trip ID is 201774. Use this to sign up at worldstrides.com/signup or by phone at 800-468-5899.

Please don’t hesitate to email me if you have any questions. I’m excited about this trip. I hope your child can join us.

Character Word of the Month – Creativity – “Creativity is seeing what others see and thinking what no one else ever thought.” Albert Einstein

Registration/Course Selection for 2023 – 2024 is here!

Registration for the next school year will take place in February. Mrs. Hall will be visiting classrooms on the following dates:

6th Grade Registration/Course Selection

• Wednesday, Feb. 14 – Mr. Sivak’s classroom

7th Grade Registration/Course Selection

• Thursday, February 9 – Mrs. Dudley’s classroom
• Monday, February 13 – Ms. Roberson’s classroom

8th Grade Registration/Course Selection with Mr. Vasquez from Grissom High School

• Wednesday, Feb. 15 – Mr. Rosenberger’s classroom
• Thursday, Feb. 16. – Dr. Muhammad’s classroom

Students will bring home their course selection forms to review with their parents. Please discuss course options with your students. Both student and parent should sign the registration form and return it to their teacher (ELA teacher for 6th and 7th graders and World History for 8th graders).

Deadline to return forms:

• 6th grade – March 1
• 7th grade – February 24
• 8th grade – March 3
• Deadline to make changes to course requests: April 14

The state legislature passed House Bill 123 which requires parents of students under the age of 14 to opt-in their students into mental health and guidance services. This also includes large group guidance. On Thursday (8/4) we sent home an Opt-In Form that must be signed and returned before our guidance counselor, Ms. Hall, can speak with any students about any social/emotional concerns. She can talk to them about anything academic/career, but until we have the attached form, she is unable to speak to students about social-emotional learning (SEL) type issues unless it is a crisis (cutting/suicidal behaviors, abuse).

Ms. Hall does guidance lessons with our students throughout the year and they are SEL related. In order for students to participate in guidance lessons, we must have the Opt-In Form signed and returned.

Below is the Opt-In form that went home with students. Please read over it and decide what is best for your family. If you have any questions contact Lorie Hall.

lorie.hall@hsv-k12.org

Once you are in MySchoolFees follow these steps:

1) Sign-In as guest

2) Select Challenger Middle School from the dropdown menu

3) Select the item you wish to purchase from the dropdown menu

**you don’t have to choose public items

• 2022-2023 Planner
• Yearbooks
• T-Shirts
• P.E. Uniforms
• Lockers

Please review the dress code with your student(s). We have been out of school for a while 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; must be able to see their hair​
• No bandanas of any color​

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

• No holes above mid-thigh

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 class our teachers will follow these steps.

• 1st Offense – Warning ​

• 2nd Offense – Take the phone for the remainder of the period ​

• 3rd Offense – Take the phone up and turn into the office. Record in the red cell phone log in the office. Student can get phone at the end of the day. ​

• 4th Offense - Take the phone up and turn into the office. Record in the red cell phone log in the office. Parent must pick up from the front office​

• 5th Offense – Student will turn in phone to the front office at the beginning of each day and get it back at the end of the day​

Nurse: 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 and/or COVID Symptoms. 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.

Greetings CMS Families,

If your son or daughter is in 7th or 8th grade this year and is interested in playing a sport for one of our school teams, please go ahead and get your child registered and in Dragonfly. This site is the place where the AHSAA houses all of its paperwork for athletics. There is a document linked below with directions on how to set up an account for your child and yourself.

Additionally, go ahead and get a physical form for your child completed and signed by a doctor. If you recently had a physical done, you can just send in the form for them to complete and return to you. However, please make sure you use the form that is linked below. The state requires a particular form that is updated regularly. As mentioned, a link to the form can be found below. For those that completed one last school year, they are good for 1 year through the end of the month they were signed and dated. For example- if it was signed on August 5th, 2020, it will be good through August 31st, 2021.

Go Eagles!!!!

Coach Neeley

The following protocols will be in place for winter sports:

• Spectators may be subject to metal detectors upon entering venues.
• Clear bag policy will be in effect.
• Spectators are asked to purchase tickets through GoFan.

View bag restrictions and other protocols at huntsvillecityschools.org/athletics.

Please fill out this form if you are interested in helping the Challenger Middle School PTSA for the 2023-2024 school year.

HOME OF THE EAGLES

Location: 13555 Chaney Thompson Road, Huntsville, AL 35803, USA
Phone: 256-428-7620