CMS Cougar Newsletter - Week 3

FIGHT FORWARD: ANOTHER WEEK IN OUR RACE TO EXCELLENCE

Dear CMS Families,

One of the best parts of my day is seeing our students become more confident in who they are and what they can accomplish. Sometimes that growth is easy to see. Other times, it happens quietly - a student raises their hand, asks for help, works through something difficult, or makes a better choice than they did yesterday. Those moments matter. They are the steps that move our students forward, and I am proud of the effort we are seeing at CMS.

As we settle into the school year, we want our students to understand that they have an important part in their own success. Being here each day, arriving ready to learn, listening to their teachers, participating in lessons, and completing their work all make a difference. Learning takes effort, and it will not always feel easy. We want our students to know that struggling with something does not mean they cannot do it. It means there is more to learn - and they have people here to help them.

Behind each lesson is a staff member working incredibly hard to help that learning happen. Our teachers put tremendous time, thought, and care into planning and preparing meaningful instruction for your child. They consider what students need to understand, how to help them make sense of it, and how to support them when they need something explained another way. We ask our students to meet that preparation with their attention, participation, and willingness to try. When students engage in the learning in front of them, they give themselves the opportunity to grow.

September is Attendance Awareness Month, and it is a great time to remind our CMS families that every day of learning matters! Being at school helps students stay connected to their teachers and friends, build confidence, and keep moving forward. When students miss school, they miss meaningful instruction, conversations, and opportunities to practice with support. Please help your child make regular, on-time attendance a priority whenever they are well enough to attend. If something is making attendance difficult, reach out - we want to work with you to help.

We are also helping our students understand that the way they treat people matters just as much as the effort they put into their schoolwork. The words they choose, the way they respond to an adult, how they handle a disagreement, and whether they include someone who feels left out all help shape our school. We want our students to choose kindness, avoid stirring up conflict, and take responsibility when they make a mistake. Every student has a role in making CMS a place where others feel safe, welcome, and ready to learn.

Families, your encouragement helps carry these messages home. Ask your child what they learned, what required extra effort, and how they treated others this week. Remind them that asking for help is a good thing. Please let us know when something is making school difficult for your child so we can work together to support them.

Above all, we want every student to know: You are loved. You are valued. You are capable. And there are adults at CMS who believe in you. That belief comes with high expectations because we see so much possibility in our students. We will encourage them, challenge them, and help them take their next steps.

Thank you for sharing your children with us and for being our partners in this work. I am proud of our Cougars, grateful for our staff, and excited to see our students continue to learn and grow.

Every Student. Every Day. No Exceptions.

With gratitude and Cougar pride,

Lori Mattson
Principal

Covington Middle School 💙🐾

Our goal is for 100% of our students to be at or above grade level by the end of this school year, and being at school is an essential part of reaching that goal. Every day brings meaningful lessons, opportunities to practice, and support from adults who believe in your child. When students miss school, they miss learning experiences that a make-up assignment cannot fully replace.

We understand that illness, necessary appointments, and unexpected challenges happen. Please keep your child home when sick, but whenever possible, protect their time at school - including arriving on time and staying for the full day. If something is making attendance difficult, please reach out. We need your child here, and we want to work with you to make that possible. Together, we can help every Cougar move forward!

An incredible learning opportunity is coming to our Cougars! On September 3rd and 4th, students in grades 6-8 will visit the VA250 Mobile Museum during their History classes. Through “Out of Many, One,” students will explore Virginia’s role in the American Revolution through interactive exhibits and engaging storytelling - bringing history to life right here at CMS!

The excitement continues on Friday, September 4th, with our first Pit Stop: CMS America 250 Celebration! Mr. Bradley, Mr. Caldwell, Mr. Bauguess, Mr. Nicely, Mr. Shiflett, and Mr. Linsin, along with many other departments and staff members, have worked hard to create a fun, interactive, and meaningful celebration of America. These experiences will give our students additional opportunities to explore what “Out of Many, One” means - how different people, experiences, and contributions come together to shape our nation.

A HUGE thank-you to Marian Paxton for her hard work, incredible dedication, and tireless efforts to bring the VA250 Mobile Museum to CMS this week! Marian, you continue to open doors for our students and help make opportunities like this possible. We are SO grateful for your support and for everything you continue to do for all of us at CMS!

What a special week to be a Cougar - discovering our history, celebrating together, and making memories through meaningful learning! 💙🐾

Our 7th grade artists in Mrs. Harris' class are bringing fall leaves to life in their first watercolor project! Students are exploring warm and cool colors while practicing blending techniques to create beautiful transitions between shades. Their creativity is shining through, and we’re already seeing some wonderful work take shape. We can’t wait to see their finished creations!

Our 8th grade scientists in Mrs. Dobbs and Mrs. Lowe's classes, put their investigation and math skills to work with a colorful Skittles graphing activity! Students made predictions about whether each color would appear equally often, then sorted their Skittles, calculated percentages, and created bar and circle graphs to analyze their findings. It was a sweet way to practice using data to determine whether the evidence supported their predictions!

Students in 6th grade Keyboarding, 7th grade Make It Your Business, and 8th grade Digital Applications put their creativity and technology skills to work this week by designing their own board games! Using a digital imaging program, students built on the design skills they practiced while creating professional profile pictures and applied additional digital design principles.

This project challenged students to think beyond what their games would look like. They also developed gameplay, designed the necessary game components and physical player pieces, and created a clear path to winning. From the first idea to the final design, students practiced planning, problem-solving, and “big-picture” thinking to bring their games to life!

Creativity is taking shape in Mrs. Thomas’ art classes! Sixth graders are exploring oil pastels, seventh graders are working with colored pencils, and eighth graders are studying pencil values - using light and dark shades to add depth and dimension to their drawings. Each grade is building artistic skills while discovering different ways to bring ideas to life. We’re proud of our Cougars and the creativity they bring to their work!

Getting back into the rhythm of homework, studying, and managing time takes practice - especially when students are balancing school, sports, activities, and family time. Middle school brings growing responsibilities, and while that can feel challenging, our students are capable! With encouragement, clear expectations, and a plan, they can build habits that will serve them well beyond this school year.

Our teachers work hard to prepare meaningful lessons that challenge students and help them grow. Homework and practice give students opportunities to apply what they have learned, strengthen their understanding, and identify where they still need help. The goal is more than completing an assignment - it is understanding the learning behind it.

Many assignments are shared ahead of time, giving students several days to complete their work. Example: All CMS students are expected to complete 45 minutes of Zearn each week, with the weekly count resetting on Sundays. Spreading those minutes across the week can make this responsibility more manageable and provide regular math practice.

Families, please help your child look ahead and make a plan. If a game or activity means getting home late one evening, encourage them to use an earlier, less busy evening to work on assignments already available. A few minutes together at the beginning of the week can help students check due dates, plan time for studying, and avoid a last-minute rush.

Help them organize, and support them in taking ownership of their work. If your child is consistently struggling with an assignment or spending excessive time on homework, please contact their teacher so we can help.

We believe in our students’ ability to do challenging things. Together, we can help them turn “I’ll do it later” into “I have a plan!” 💙🐾

It’s time for CMS Fall Portraits with Crawford Photography! Students in grades 6-8 will have their pictures taken according to their last names:

• September 2: Last names A-L
• September 3: Last names M-Z

All students will be photographed against a blue background for a head-and-shoulders portrait for our yearbook and school records. If your child will be absent on their assigned picture day, please send a note to school so they can be photographed on the other date.

Pictures will be available to preview and order online. Parents and guardians will receive an email or text with a viewing link and access code-their student’s ID-when images are ready. Please contact Crawford Photography with any photography or ordering questions.

Bring those Cougar smiles - we can’t wait to capture them! 💙🐾

Covington Middle School

Asst. Principal: Mr. Marty Wood

Asst. Principal/Athletic Director: Mr. Zach Hamilton

Main Office: 540-965-1410

Website: https://cms.ahps.k12.va.us/

Location: 606 South Lexington Avenue, Covington, VA 24426

Phone: 540-965-1410

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CovingtonMSCougars

Instagram: cmscougars2023