Curtis Chronicles

Parents,

It was great to see so many of you at Parent Technology night last week! If you ever need guidance or support for technology, please reach out to us!

Our girls athletics have joined Twitter! Consider following them to see the hard work the girls put in along with pictures and info from coaches! @girlscurtis

We have many parents texting their kids during the school day. We want to remind you that the expectation is that phones are off and put away during the day so students have limited distractions from their learning. If you drop off lunch, we get that info to your child to make sure they get the lunch. If your child needs to be picked up early, you can call us and we will have them ready for you. If they need a change of clothes, they will call from the office and when you get here, we will communicate to them. If you need to let them know to get home a different way, consider calling the office if it’s an emergency and if it can wait send the message at 3:28 so they will get it at the end of the day. We will collect phones from students who are using them without permission, including if they are getting messages from you. We aren’t trying to keep you from communicating with your child, we are trying to help them focus on school. Please help us with that by pausing before you send text messages to them and ask, can this wait until later? Thanks for your support!

Sincerely,

Sonya Pitcock

Oct. 1: Football v. Burnett, 7th away, 8th home

Oct. 2: Walk to School Day, see details below

Oct. 3: Volleyball v. Utley, 7th home, 8th away

Oct. 4: School Dance, 7-9 pm

Oct. 8: Football v. Utley, 7th home, 8th away

Oct. 14-15: Student Holidays

Oct. 15: Panera Bread Spirit Night & PTA Q&A Night, see details below

Please join the CMS Community as we celebrate Walk to School Day on Wednesday, Oct 2, 2019. Students are encouraged to walk, bike or take the school bus. All school buses will drop students off at Celebration Park and students will walk to school from there. CMS teachers and staff will also be present at Celebration Park and the front parking lot.

Let's make this a runaway success at CMS!!

CMS is offering parents of 7th and 8th grade students the opportunity to have their teens participate in a wellness check-up called TeenScreen. TeenScreen is a nationally-recognized program developed by Columbia University to identify risk factors associated with depression, anxiety, and alcohol and substance abuse. The program is free and completely voluntary and confidential.

There is a form for parents to sign in order to have their student participate. The form is due on October 2.

CLICK HERE for more details, an FAQ and consent form.

Parents,

Here are the summaries of our Social Emotional Learning lessons. Please ask your students about these!

7th GRADE

FAMILY LESSON SUMMARY

This week’s lesson is about how people’s personalities change as they grow up. Personalities come from the brain, and as brains change and develop, personalities can also change.

FAMILY LESSON QUESTION

Ask your child to describe his or her personality. Describe for your child how you’ve seen his or her personality change, and the good things you see in it now.

Next week...

FAMILY LESSON SUMMARY

This week, your child will learn an effective strategy for achieving goals. He or she will practice breaking big goals down into small, simple steps and creating plans for how to take each step.

FAMILY LESSON QUESTION

Think of a time you achieved a big goal, such as learning to drive or graduating from school. Tell your child about your goal and how you achieved it, and ask your child to tell you about a goal he or she has.

8th GRADE

FAMILY LESSON SUMMARY

This week, your child will learn about SMART goals. SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Action-Oriented, Realistic, and Timely.

FAMILY LESSON QUESTION

Ask your child what SMART goals are. Talk about goals you and your child have and your plans for achieving those goals.

Next week...

FAMILY LESSON SUMMARY

This week, your child will learn how to use If–Then Plans. Research shows that when people make an If–Then Plan, they’re twice as likely to follow through. Using an If–Then Plan is also a great way for students to prepare for difficult or important situations before they happen.

FAMILY LESSON QUESTION

Ask your child what an If–Then Plan is. Work together to make a plan for how your child can respond positively to a difficult situation he or she might encounter at home.

Student Council is hosting a Fall dance 7-9 pm Friday, October 4 at Curtis. Student Council needs parent volunteers to sell tickets this week during lunch and volunteers to chaperone the dance. You must have your AISD Volunteer Background completed and approved to volunteer.

Thank you for your consideration!

• Chaperones CLICK HERE to sign up
• Ticket Sales CLICK HERE to sign up

CMS PALS are collecting full-size candy bars for a community service project: to help those who often may be alone on their birthday feel celebrated.
*NJHS members: You may earn 1 hour for every 5 candy bars donated.
Please bring to K107 by Oct 2.
Thank you!

Congratulations to the CMS Chamber Orchestra, directed by Amanda Su, and CMS Symphony Orchestra, directed by Amanda Su and Linda Orrantia!

They are both NATIONAL WINNERS in the 2019 Mark of Excellence/National Orchestra Honors project sponsored by The Foundation for Music Education.

Our first major membership drive is in the books. Curtis Cougar families and friends really stepped up to the plate this year. We accomplished our first goal of the year by matching and then exceeding 476 members! Thank you to everyone who has joined our PTA. Each and every membership dollar is making an impact upon our school! If you have not already joined, it is never too late! Your $10 membership fee for yourself/significant other/student/grandparent goes a long way to contributing to teacher appreciation luncheons, purchasing concession stand snacks, funding scholarships, and planning for our spring dance (just to name a few).

Benefits for CMS Students Who Join PTA

Curtis PTA still want to encourage growth in our numbers! We have partnered with the school and are offering these benefits to each student member! This is for students who have already joined and who will join will receive coupons for:

• One late homework pass
• One tardy pass
• One “jump to the front of the lunch line” pass,
• One FREE Val-o-Gram in the Spring
• And a discount on candy at in-house sporting events

So don’t delay, join today at CurtisCougarPTA.org!

Finally, we’d like to announce the winners of our first membership gift card drawing!

• $50 iPic gift card: David & Eilaine Longshore
• $25 GameStop gift card: Gwenith Parker

Congratulations to all!

Curtis PTA has several opportunities to help! The concession stands could really use your help! Thank you to the many parents who have volunteered to take a shift.

• Football Concession Stand: October 16
• Volleyball Concession Stand: October 3, 10, 17 and 24.
• Copy Room

For complete details or to sign up, visit www.CurtisCougarPTA.org

You will need to sign in to your account, select My Account in order to see the Volunteer opportunities.

You are invited to stop by Panera anytime between 4-8 pm on Tuesday, October 15. CMS PTA is hosting a Cookie and Q&A Session. Any current or future CMS parent is invited to attend.

Topics include:

• Blended learning
• Social media
• Middle school strategies
• Ways to get involved

CMS PTA is also hosting a spirit night at Panera on October 15. We hope you will stop by!

CLICK HERE for more info.

You can still order Curtis spirit wear! All sizes of the Curtis Sweatshirt are available for purchase. The t-shirt styles have limited quantities. Sizes and quantities available are updated online.

Orders will be delivered to your student's homeroom teacher approximately 4 weeks after purchase. Please be sure you enter your student's homeroom teacher for easy delivery.

To order, visit CurtisCougarPTA.org, login or set up an account to place your order.

Questions? Please email Jennifer

PTA Reflections is a nationally acclaimed student recognition program to encourage artistic creativity in the classroom and at home. Students of all grades and abilities may participate and explore the arts based on the 2019-2020 theme: Look Within.

Entries may be taken to the CMS Library between Monday, October 28-Thursday, October 31, 2019. Be sure you have an entry form with your submission and a parent must be a PTA Member for your student to enter. For complete information including entry guidelines and submission forms, please CLICK HERE.

This year Keep Allen Beautiful has partnered with Friends of the Allen Public Library for a 2-in-1 Recycled Art Contest themed, "Recycling & Wind Energy!"

Grade 5 - 8 students are encouraged to create a sculpture of a windmill utilizing items found in the City’s Clear Stream Recycling Program. No "new" items should be bought except for the poster board to mount the structure.

• Part 1: Open to all Allen residents. Artwork, along with completed Entry Form, due at the Allen Public Library Children’s Desk by 4:45 pm on October 4, 2019.
• Part 2: Open to Allen ISD students only. Artwork along with completed Entry Form, due at the CMS Art Lab, on or before Oct 23, 2019.

Students entering Part 1 are automatically eligible for Part 2. All other details and Entry Form can be found here by clicking here.

Don't miss this opportunity to win wonderful prizes. Questions? Contact ptaprograms.curtis@gmail.com

Dodd Law Offices is partnering with Allen Police Department to enroll individuals in, and who frequent, our community with special needs in Project H.O.M.E. The enrollment event will take place on October 15, just in time before Halloween, when children will be out on the streets and may be separated from their group or family members.

CLICK HERE for more details.

CMS Students are invited to participate in the International Aviation Art Contest. The art contest involves three levels of voting. The Art work is sent in to the State of Texas, if the art work places it is then sent to the National level for voting. If the art work places at the national level it is sent to the International level. The State of Texas had a winner at the International level last year. There were 359 entries from across the State of Texas which included individual drawings and paintings by young Americans between the ages of six and seventeen.

The aim of the contest is to motivate and encourage children to study aeronautics, engineering and science.

This year’s theme is “Flying Yesterday and Tomorrow”. CLICK HERE for a brochure and more info.

Want to know what clubs and organizations are meeting? As well as other information that is shared with students? You can read about it by clicking here.

Volunteers who work with AISD student groups and organizations will need to complete a volunteer application. These groups include, but are not limited to, PTA organizations, booster clubs, cheerleading squads, dance squads (athletic and fine arts) and any other AISD student organizations where adults will be working with students other than their own children at AISD sponsored events.

This needs to be done annually and resets on July 1 of each year. Here is the link to get started:

https://www.allenisd.org/Page/214

PTA Facebook Page

PTA Website

Email: ptacommunications.curtis@gmail.com
Website: https://www.allenisd.org/curtisms
Location: 1530 Rivercrest Boulevard, Allen, TX, USA
Phone: 972-727-0340
Twitter: @CurtisCougars