CMS Cougar Communication

Hello CMS Students and Families,

As we continue into the school year, our focus shifts to academics and supporting students in completing their school work as assignments and rigor ramp up. The first month has been filled with energy and enthusiasm, and now it’s time to ensure that our students stay on track with their learning.

To stay connected with your student’s academic progress, I encourage all families to register and to regularly check Schoology, our online learning platform. It’s an essential tool for keeping up with assignments, grades, and important announcements. Please check your email for a message from Ms. Mains with login information. If you need assistance, feel free to call our front office at 925-606-4702—we’re here to help!

The next Cougar Communication will be delivered to your inbox on Sunday 9/22. I hope you find the following information to be helpful.

Here's to a great week,

Brian Scharmann (he/him)
Principal
Christensen Middle School

Last call for the CMS PTA Fall Membership Drive, more info below...

Hi Parents! We're getting to that time of the year - a few weeks into the school year - where kids start feeling tired - increased homework, social situations popping up, etc. While excessive screen time continues to be an issue, another emerging problem, especially for the younger members of our society, is the use of digital devices before bedtime. In a recent study in the Journal of Adolescent Health, researchers highlighted the correlation between bedtime screen usage and poor sleep habits of tweens. While 54.9% reported turning their phones off when they went to sleep, 16.2% reported waking up upon receipt of a text, call, or email, and 19.3% said they used their device during the night if they woke up. The findings were clear: The use of any type of screen was associated with lower self-reported sleep duration and an increase in disorders of initiating and maintaining sleep. "Adequate sleep supports their physical and mental growth and development," researcher Dr.Jason Nagata states. "Our research found that leaving notifications on, even in silent mode, leads to less sleep compared to turning the phone off completely or keeping it outside the bedroom." On another note, one of the biggest predictors of adolescents' screen use is their parents' screen use. Nagata continues, "It's especially important that parents follow their own rules and practice what they preach because even if they think their kids aren't watching them, they really are." Food for thought.

Dawn Allen, Counselor

Registration is now open for anyone interested in participating in our athletics programs this year! Here are the requirements for being cleared to participate in Christensen Middle School athletics:

1. Register for all sports that the athlete is planning on playing this year at athleticclearance.com.
2. All athletes planning on participating will need to have an updated physical. We require a signed physical by a doctor within the last 12 months. Here is a link to a physical form that can be used: LVJUSD Physical Form. Phsyical forms will only be accepted throughathleticclearance.com.
3. CMS athletes must have received a 2.0 GPA on the previous trimester's final report card. Incoming 6th graders are not held to this requirement until an official grading period has been completed.

The tentative start dates for the athletic programs we offer are listed below. More specific information for each sport will be communicated through the morning announcements and this newsletter as each season approaches.

• Cross Country (Co-ed) - August
• Boys Basketball - August
• Girls Basketball - October
• Boys Volleyball - January
• Girls Volleyball - February
• Wrestling (Co-ed) - March
• Golf (Co-ed) - April/May
• Track and Field (Co-ed) - April/May

Please reach out to our Athletic Director, David Moore, at dmoore@lvjusd.org if you have any questions.

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Supporting Your Student With Social Problem Solving (Sept 11, 7 - 8pm in English, facilitated by Mallory Rachel) This webinar is geared towards parents of all grade levels.

Design, build, and test your own engineering creations at Science@Stockmen's Park.
Click HERE to let Quest know you are coming!

Hosted by Quest Science Center, Science@Stockmen’s Park is a free monthly outdoor event for children ages 3 and up, teens, and adults. Each event featured a different theme and 10-25 hands-on activities. There will be something for everyone, from basic to advanced science concepts. Spanish-speaking volunteers will be present to answer questions.

Tuesday, September 17, through Friday, September 20, are early dismissal days for CMS students. Zero period classes will meet at their regular time at 7:30 a.m. The 1:31p.m. dismissal time is for all students.

On these early release days, afterschool groups will not meet and the Library will be closed afterschool. Please plan for your student to exit the CMS campus at 1:31.

Teachers will attend middle school planning meetings after the 1:31 dismissal time.

The Livermore Vine and Livermore Indivisible will be hosting a school board candidate forum on Thursday, 9/19 from 6-8 p.m. in the LVJUSD Board Room. This is a chance for all Livermore voters to hear from the candidates running for school board in the November election. The public can attend in person or watch via Zoom, and a recording will be posted to the Livermore Vine’s YouTube after the event. Flier is in the attachments folder. Please note: LVJUSD is providing the location and tech support for this event but is not involved in its structure, questions, or moderation.

2400 First St. Downtown at the Bankhead Plaza, Livermore Ca 94551

Celebrating Indigenous cultures from both North and South America! E Free family event. For more information: thenson@lvjusd.org

Youth Suicide Prevention (Sept 24, 7 - 8pm in English AND offered IN-PERSON at Junction Ave on Sept 24, from 8:45am-9:45am in Spanish, facilitated by Crisis Support Services of Alameda County) This presentation is geared towards parents of secondary students.

Our second ELAC meeting this year will be held virtually on October 1st at 5:30 p.m. Agenda and more details to follow.

Professional Development Day/Non-Student Day, No School

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2451 Portola Ave. Classroom 25 Livermore Ca 94551
Stop by the Native American Center on Indigenous People’s day. This event will be filled with cultural enrichment along with information about the resources that the Native American Center provides to the community. For more information: thenson@lvjusd.org

Our first School Site Council meeting of the year will be held virtually on Tuesday, October 15th, at 3:00 PM. A link and agenda will be provided soon.

Congratulations to our PBIS students of the week! These students were selected for being SAFE!

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Jase Weisbrod

• 7th grader - Leila Bauman

• 8th grader - Malakai Gonzales

Congratulations to our PBIS students of the week! These students were selected for being KIND!

Congratulations to:

• 6th grader - Nataliya Barnes
  

• 7th grader - Dominic Regacho

• 8th grader - Jesse Frazzitta

Saturday, 9/7, was the City of Livermore's Community Service Day, and we had a tremendous turnout at CMS! Approximately 40 volunteers from various organizations, including the local Hindu temple, the CMS AVID program, and the CMS Leadership Class, came together to complete a variety of projects:

• Pocket forest shrub removal and mulch spreading
• Garden cleanup and topsoil spreading
• Bench painting
• Library cleanup
• Tree planting
• Outdoor trash pickup and weed pulling
• Outdoor window cleaning
• Waste receptacle cleaning

We are incredibly grateful for our community partners who help make CMS the wonderful place it is!

Local real estate agent (and former LVJUSD teacher) Deborah Byrnes has partnered with us to recognize a CMS staff member a month for their contributions and service to our school community.

This month, we celebrate the exceptional contributions of Amanda Bonetti, one of our Extensive Support Needs teachers at CMS. From the start of the school year, Ms. Bonetti has gone above and beyond to support our students and her colleagues. Whether she is collaborating with other staff members or providing individualized care to her students, Ms. Bonetti consistently demonstrates her commitment to the growth of her students. Congratulations on this well-deserved recognition—we are truly fortunate to have her as part of our CMS family!

Please take a moment to give a Shout Out to a deserving CMS staff member. Please complete this 3 question Google Form to give a Shout Out. Gratitudes will be shared with staff in our weekly internal newsletter.

Homework Club will be offered on Wednesdays from 1:30PM to 2:30PM. Homework club meets in the MPR and is a quiet place to get work done with support offered by CMS staff members.

The only way to guarantee your CMS 2024-2025 yearbook order is to purchase one from the Herff Jones Yearbook Order Center.

The price is $35 until February 1st. The prices include shipping to CMS in June. There will only be a limited number of copies available for purchase after this date.

Books will be sold directly through the publisher. Use a credit card to order your yearbook. Go to www.YearbookOrderCenter.com or call 1-866-287-3096 and use School Code16490. Yearbook sales will end on April 14, 2025.

If you want to verify your yearbook order, please visit the Herff Jones yearbook website at www.yearbookordercenter.com. Click Find Your Order. You will enter the email address used when you placed your order. The school number is 16490.

Do you love spending time outdoors? Would you like to join a team of students, parents, and staff to help create a habitat for local native plants and wildlife? We're forming a team to plan the planting of the first Miyawaki Forest in the Tri-Valley right here at CMS!

To learn more, check out this short video. If you are interested, please fill out this Google Form so we can plan our work for the year.

If you are interested in participating in MATHCOUNTS this year, plese take a moment to complete this short Google form so that we can communicate to all that are interested.

MathCounts is a middle school mathematics competition that builds problem-solving skills and fosters achievement through an in-person "bee" style contest held in January. The CMS Math Team will meet and practice in preparation to compete against other schools in our district.

Neon Clear is an after-school program that presents students with unique and thought-provoking, interactive lessons on Fridays after school for one hour in room 204. Examples of some of the topics to be covered are Artificial Intelligence, The Genetics of Human Longevity, and Applied Hacking, where students will learn to code in python, create electronics projects, and extract DNA from plants. This opportunity will be limited to the first 25 participants, so be sure to sign up right away if you are interested. Neon Clear will meet on Fridays after school, beginning Friday, September 6.

Students interested in joining should complete this short Google form using their school account: Register Now

Neon Clear Sizzle Reel
This year in Neon Clear 2024

A P.E. uniform is required. All students are expected to have a gray t-shirt and royal blue shorts or purchase the Christensen P.E. attire at a very reasonable cost. (A gray t-shirt, royal blue shorts, gray sweatshirt, and gray sweatpants without logos are also acceptable.) Athletic shoes with white/light soles are also required.

T-shirts - $10.00 (Youth Large, Adult S-XXL) Shorts - $10.00 (Youth XL, Adult S-XXL)

To purchase any or all of the above items online, please visit the Christensen Middle School Web Store by clicking on the shopping cart icon. To pick up your prepaid merchandise, please bring a copy of your receipt to the CMS office.

Please write your child’s last name across the back of their P.E. shirt and on the nametag on the front of their shorts. No other writing is permitted on the clothes students wear in P.E.

CMS is starting the CMS Miyawaki Forest Team with the help of Ann Brown, from the Tri-Valley Air Quality Climate Alliance and the CMS PTA. With the help of a team of students, parents, and staff, they will plan and provide a habitat for local native plants and wildlife right on CMS campus!

You can help plant a legacy for your student and family by sponsoring a tree or shrub in the new CMS Miyawaki Forest! Your contribution will help students create a thriving mini-forest of California native flora right in the Quad!

Preparation began this summer, tuned for volunteer dates. CMS will be the first site in the Tri-Valley to create this solution to biodiversity loss, poor air quality, water conservation, heat islands, and climate disruption. Every tree or shrub planted by students will give them hope and agency to be a solutionary!

The Team is seeking donations to help fund the planting of the first “Miyawaki Forest” in the Tri-Valley right here at CMS. Donations to help supply the team with the tools and plant life they need to make this amazing educational experience happen at several sponsorship levels can be made at our Cheddar Up CMS Miyawaki Forest Fundraiser site.

• Sponsor an Eco-System for $100
• Sponsor a Mini Forest for $50
• Sponsor a Grove for $25
• Sponsor a Tree for $15
• Sponsor a Shrub for $10

Thank you for your support!

Order your Livermore Unity Day t-shirt by September 30 to wear for Unity Day on October 16 in recognition of National Bullying Awareness and Prevention Month! TSG has partnered with LVJUSD, City of Livermore, Livermore Police Department and LARPD to offer youth and adult tees (and even infant onesies!) with our community’s Unity Day logo emphasizing kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. Share this opportunity with your families and staff. Orders will be shipped directly to the shipping address so no coordination at school sites is necessary. Combine orders with friends/family/colleagues and ship to one address to save on shipping. Questions? Contact skenison@lvjusd.org.

All students in grades 1-12 are issued a LVJUSD Chromebook as an essential learning tool. We recognize that accidental damage can occur as devices travel with students between home and school, and remain in their possession during school breaks and over the summer. We are pleased to offer parents the ability to protect your student’s Chromebook with optional insurance coverage from School Device Coverage. Replacement costs without insurance can be as costly as $315 per device. A $22 annual policy provides coverage for your student’s LVJUSD-issued Chromebook and covers the following:

• Accidental damage
• Cracked Screen
• Liquid Submersion
• Fire
• Flood
• Loss and Theft
• Power Adapter Replacement (one-time)

Not covered:

• Standard Wear and Tear

• Cosmetic Damage

• Abuse

Policies can be purchased online at https://schooldevicecoverage.com/signup. Policies purchased for the 2024-25 school year will provide coverage from the date of purchase through August 12, 2025. More information can be found on our district website or on your school’s homepage

The Student Transit Pass Program provides FREE Youth Clipper Cards to eligible middle and high school students. The Youth Clipper card provides unlimited free rides on LAVTA/Wheels. Students can add cash value to the Clipper card for 50% off BART fares and youth discounts on other transit systems that use Clipper. The pass makes it easier for students to travel to and from school.

All students attending middle and high schools in the Livermore Valley Joint Unified School District are eligible to receive a free Clipper card good for unlimited rides on Wheels and Rapid buses during the 2024/25 school year.

The Student Transit Pass Clipper Card CMS students received this year or in past years is valid through the student’s high school graduation date if the student remains enrolled in a participating Alameda County school and is under the age of 19.

New Christensen students should complete the online application for a Youth Clipper Card at https://stpp.formstack.com/forms/lvjusd_christensen. All fields marked with an asterisk (*) are required including Parent or Guardian Signature. The office will verify the information submitted online and on the printed applications received in the office.

When CMS receives the youth clipper cards, the office will contact the students regarding the distribution of the cards.

Since the onset of COVID-19, our district has always followed the K-12 COVID-19 school protocols guidance put forth by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH), and as such, we wanted to inform you of this most recent change.

Starting this 2024-25 school year, the CDPH has discontinued its school-specific COVID-19 guidance. COVID-19 is now categorized amongst other respiratory viruses, such as influenza (flu) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), with common illness management and prevention strategies. The CDPH website provides additional information on respiratory viruses and links to resources from the Center for Disease Control (CDC) on prevention strategies. Note: Those who have health conditions that put them at higher risk should take extra precautions to stay healthy.

Our district’s Illness Exclusion Protocols are available on our website and outline more severe and contagious symptoms that should keep a student home from school. While we know the importance of school attendance on student learning and achievement, students who are sick should stay home and return when symptoms are improving or have subsided. You know your child best; as an educational partner, we just ask that you inform your school site if and when your child will not be at school.

Our Health Services team is a great resource for questions about illnesses and other health related concerns. Contact your school site to get connected to one of our school nurses or health technicians.

We encourage parents, guardians, school staff and community members to join the CMS PTA. Please go to the Join Andrew Christensen PTA website (https://jointotem.com/ca/livermore/andrew-christensen-pta/join/register).

Show your support for our students by joining the CMS PTA. Our mission is to provide a positive middle school experience for every student and we are committed to putting students first. Members are not required to attend any meetings, but are encouraged to. Only PTA members can vote at the general meetings.

We appreciate your support.

Show your school spirit with new CMS spirit wear while helping raise money for the CMS PTA. Order at www.1stplacespiritwear.com

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Artists, dancers, photographers, musicians, and writers! Next year's PTA Reflections theme is, "Accepting Imperfection." If you will be a student at CMS next year, you can already start creating a piece to submit in November of 2024. You can find more information on the CMS Reflections program here or click entry form. Entries that receive an Excellence and move onto Peralta judging will receive a $25 gift certificate from the CMS PTA.

Email: bscharmann@lvjusd.org
Website: https://www.livermoreschools.org/Domain/101
Location: 5757 Haggin Oaks Avenue, Livermore, CA, USA
Phone: 925-606-4702