CTMS Prowler - December Edition

Dear Charles Town Middle Community:

I hope this message finds you well. As we near the midpoint of the academic year, I wanted to take a moment to update you on some important developments and events taking place at CTMS.

1. Academic Achievements: Our students have been working hard and achieving commendable results in their academic pursuits. We appreciate the support you provide at home, which undoubtedly contributes to their success. The 1st Semester ends on December 21, with report cards being issued January 5, 2024. Tomorrow, CTMS will host our first school wide Science Fair since before the 2020 Pandemic. We are excited to learn all about the 51 projects that have registered to take part in the competition for a chance to move on to the county science fair.

2. Upcoming Events: We have several exciting events planned for the upcoming week, including an in-school basketball game, spirit week, and CPR training for the 8th grade. Tonight, our Chorus is performing their annual winter concert at the Wright Denny Intermediate School Auditorium at 6:30. Come out and support the vocal talents of the Panther Choir. The participation and involvement in these activities are highly encouraged, as they play a crucial role in fostering a sense of community within our school.

3. Safety Measures: The safety and well-being of our students remain our top priority. We continue to implement and reinforce safety measures to create a secure environment for all. Please ensure that you are familiar with our safety protocols, and feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.

4. Parent-Teacher Conferences: Parent-teacher conferences are scheduled for February 6 from 6:00-8:00. This will be an excellent opportunity for you to discuss your child's progress, address any concerns, and collaborate with our dedicated teaching staff. More details regarding sign-ups and scheduling will be communicated in the next edition of the Prowler. Should you feel it necessary to meet with your student's teacher(s) prior to the scheduled conferences, please reach out to the teacher directly or the main office to request a meeting.

5. Community Involvement: We have again are blessed to have partnered with True Performance Fitness (TPF) to help support our students and families who may need a little additional support during the holiday season. Thank you to everyone at TPF for volunteering to help support the CTMS students and families, we appreciate all that you have done for community at Thanksgiving and Christmas.

6. Reminders:

• December 21 - 2 hour Early Release / End of 1st Semester
• December 22-January 2- Winter Break for Students
• January 3 - Students return / Start of 2nd Semester

As always, we appreciate your partnership in creating a positive and enriching educational experience for your child. Should you have any questions or require further clarification on any matter, please do not hesitate to contact the school office.

Thank you for your ongoing support.

Warm regards and Happy Holidays,

Ms. Reed, Mr. Brock, Mrs. Burkhart

• Friday, December 15: Festive Friday - Wear something that represents your favorite Holiday Song
• Monday, December 18: Merry Morning Monday- Wake up and Come to school in your Holiday PJs
• Tuesday, December 19: Candy Cane Day - Wear Red and White
• Wednesday, December 20: (In-School Basketball Game) Workshop Wednesday- Dress like an elf, reindeer, or snowman
• Thursday, December 21: (2 Hour Early Dismissal): Holiday Character Day- Dress like your favorite holiday characters.

Students at Charles Town Middle School learned about the Philippines, the country where Mr. Madelo (8th Grade Science), Ms. Sinoy (8th Grade Math), and Ms. Narsolis (7th Grade Science) are originally from. The teachers put together the presentation that included information about their country, games, and traditional food. The teachers also wore traditional clothes from their culture.

Our Winter athletics are off to a great start and it is looking like its going to be a competitive season for all groups involved.

The CTMS Cheerleaders are working hard and preparing for their first competition of the season in January. Come check out the cheerleaders perform at halftime of the home basketball games.

Girls Basketball opened up their home season with a JV win over Hedgesville and Spring Mills. The Varsity team won a thiller in overtime against the Eagles and dropped a close one to the Spring Mills Patriots. The girls return to the road tonight to take on the Pioneers of Romney.

The Varsity Boys Basketball started their season with a win in the Tip Off Classic over Shady Springs Middle School. The varsity boys travelled to Hedgesville and came home with a win over the Eagles. The JV team has picked up a victory against the Eagles but dropped a closely contested game against Spring Mills. The boys will be back in action on Monday, December 18 as they travel to Mt. Ridge Middle School to take on the Dragons.

The Panther Wrestling Team is a unique team at CTMS that operates as a Cooperative Team with students from HFMS. This combined team has a lot of expectations for a successful season this year as individuals and as a team. This group of studnets opened the season at the Skyline Middle School Tournament. Panthers Placing at this tournament were:

• Champion Nick Kershisnik
• Champion Livi Kershisnik
• Champion Cash Curry
• Champion Brannock Barlow
• 2nd Place Hunter Eldridge
• 3rd Place Archer White
• 3rd Place Michael Lupton
• 3rd Place Sean Meisenzahl
• 3rd Place Carson Borde
• 3rd Place Anthony Perez
• 3rd Place Blaise Cantley
• 3rd Place Jacob Page
• 3rd Place Blake Galles
• 3rd Place Kam Turner
• 4th Place Izzy Fetty
• 4th Place Gavin Watson

The Panther Wrestling Team also finished 2nd as a team at the Fear The Pack Duals. Panthers with solid efforts were:

• 5-0: Blaise Cantley, Brannock Barlow
• 3-0 Aleeya Rideoutt
• 4-1 Archer White, Carson Borde, Livi Kershisnik, Blake Galles, Kam Turner, Hunter Eldridge

In preparation for the inevitable snow day, we wanted to make sure all parents were prepared for how JCS will treat snow days.

The first 5 snow days will be treated as "traditional" snow days. The next 5 snow days, teachers will be required to have work posted in Canvas for students to complete. These assignments will be released the morning of each day called off for snow and must be completed by the student. Due to the need for work to be completed virtually, please speak with your child about ensuring they bring their chromebook home with them each day.

We are working with teachers to be prepared for potential snow days well in advance. Students should begin seeing a Snow Day module within Canvas by January 5.

Any snow day after the 10th called day will be required to be made up at the end of the school year.

The holiday season can certainly bring added stressors to many families. Please see a wonderful resource available to JCS families below.

• December 12: Girls Basketball @ Romney Middle School 6:00

• December 12: Chorus Concert at Wright Denny Intermediate School 6:30

• December 13: School Science Fair

• December 14: Wrestling at Daniel Morgan Tri Meet

• December 15: Jazz Band and Chorus to Willow Tree 7:50-9:00

• December 16: Wrestling to Warren County Duals

• December 18: Basketball - Boys at Mt Ridge Middle School - Girls Home 6:00

• December 19: 8th Grade to visit WHS 9:15-11:30 (approximate times)

• December 20: 8th Grade CPR Training (AM)

• December 20: Basketball DAY Game- Boys v. Wildwood 1:00 - Girls Away

• December 21: 2-Hour Early Dismissal - Faculty Senate

• December 22-January 1: Winter Break - No School

• January 2: Professional Development/Data Day - No Students

• January 3: Students Return - Semester 2 Starts

• January 4: Basketball - Boys at North - Girls Home 6:00

• January 6: Wrestling - Home Quad - TBA

• January 8: Basketball - Boys at Wildwood - Girls Home 6:00

• January 10: Wrestling Home Dual - Warm Springs 5:30

• January 13: Wrestling at East Hardy

• January 15: Martin Luther King Jr. Day - No School

• January 16: Wrestling at Wildwood 6:00

• January 17: Basketball - Boys v. Musselman Home - Girls Away 6:00

• January 18: Basketball - Boys at Harpers Ferry - Girls Home 6:00

• January 20: Wrestling at Warm Springs Quad

• January 22: Basketball - Boys at Shepherdstown - Girls Home 6:00

• January 25: Basketball - Boys Home v. Harpers Ferry - Girls Away 6:00

• January 26-27: Wrestling at WSAZ Tournament (States) - Huntington, WV

• January 31: Basketball - Boys Home v. Shepherdstown - Girls Away 6:00

• February 3: Basketball - Boys v. Capon Bridge - Home 1:30

• February 3: Wrestling EPAC

• February 6: Parent Teacher Conferences 6:00-8:00

• February 7: Basketball - Boys v. Romney 6:00

• February 16: 2-Hour Early Release for students (Faculty Senate)

• March 8: No School for Students (Professional Development Day)

• March 29: No School (OS Day)

• April 1-5: Spring Break

• April 12: 2-Hour Early Release for Students (Faculty Senate)

• May 14: No School - Election Day

• May 24: (Tentative) Last Day for Students (2 Hour Early Release)

Wishing you a peaceful, restful holiday season.

Charles Town Middle School

193 High Street

Charles Town, WV 25414

304-725-7821