What's New at CMS West

Students will be dismissed early, at 1:45 pm, on Friday, January 20.

There will be bus transportation to bring students home. Parents who normally pick up their student(s) should plan accordingly.

CMS-West Librarian Rose Brock coordinated an author visit this Friday, January 20. We were pleased to welcome Lauren Myracle to our school. Be sure to ask your student about her visit.

Regional Choir auditions will take place on Friday, January 20 and January 21 in Glenn Heights.

6th grade auditions are Friday, January 20 at 4:00 pm. Students will depart from CMS-West midday and return at approximately 9:00 pm.

7th and 8th grade auditions are Saturday, January 21. Students will depart from CMS-West at 6:30 am and return at approximately 7:00 pm.

If you need more information, please contact Choir Director, Allison Hartzell.

Is your student a problem solver? competitive? very interested in mathematics? The regional MATHCOUNTS competition will be held on Saturday, February 11, at the University of Texas at Dallas in Richardson.

Students interested in competing on the CMS-West team will need to attend the upcoming Math Club meeting on January 25 in Room 131 (Mrs. Hermanski’s classroom) during advisory. Eight students will be selected for this rigorous and prestigious competition.

For more information regarding MATHCOUNTS and/or the AMC10 contest on Tuesday, February 7, please attend the Math Club meeting on January 25 or contact Mrs. Rhonda Hermanski or Mrs. Carol Wilcox.

Semester report cards will be distributed on Friday, January 27. Parents will need to review, sign and return to school on Monday, January 30.

8th Grade Spinal Screening has been set for the following dates:

Boys: Friday, January 27
Girls: Friday, February 3

Spinal screening is part of the Texas School’s mandatory health screening program. The purpose of this program is to detect the signs of abnormal curves of the spine at their earliest stages so that the need for treatment can be determined.

The procedure for this screening is to have the school nurse look at the child’s shoulders and back as he/she stands in an upright position and bends forward. For optimum results, the student will be asked to remove his/her shirt. Girls may wear a bathing suit top or sports bra under their clothing on the day of screening if desired. District nurses will be helping in the screening process. All students will be screened one at a time ensuring privacy for the student.

If you have questions, please contact Joyce Alcorn, RN, BSN" or visit the school clinic.

This month, our counseling staff will begin orienting 8th graders and their parents with important information concerning “the transition process” from middle school to high school. Listed below are important dates for your family’s activities calendar.

Please note: All students will register as if they are attending CHS. If a student chooses to attend New Tech, their requested schedule will be adjusted once their acceptance is complete.

COPPELL HIGH SCHOOL

• January 24 Course planning guides will be distributed through Science classes
• January 31 CHS Expo Night, 6:00 to 8:30 pm, CHS. Learn about special electives and the Academies, GT/ AP / IB Programs
• February 8 Student Shadow Day
• February 8 Parent Information Meeting, 6:00 pm at West Auditorium
• February 10 Registration forms due back to Science teacher

NEW TECH HIGH @ COPPELL
Interested students and parents must attend at least 2 of the 4 informational sessions if you are interested in applying to NTH@C.

• January 24 Informational Meeting/The Story of NTH@C, 6:00 pm, NTH@C Cafeteria
• February 8 Student Shadow Day
• February 9 Informational Meeting/Instruction Model and Curriculum Overview, 6:00 pm at NTH@C Cafeteria
• February 10 Deadline for “Legacy Learners” to commit to NTH@C for the 2012-2013 school year
• February 13 Informational Meeting/A Day in the Life of a Learner, 6:00 pm at NTH@C Cafeteria
• February 15 Informational Meeting/ Make-up, 6:00 pm at NTH@C Cafeteria
• February 21 Informational Meeting/Q & A Panel Discussion with Learners and Facilitators, 6:00 pm, NTH@C Cafeteria
• February 25 First Come/First Served for 50% of Freshmen spots, 8:00 am NTH@C
• March 8 Application deadline for Lottery, 4:00 pm NTH@C office
• March 9 Lottery for remaining 50% of learner spots, 8:00 am

If your 8th grader is considering attending New Tech High @ Coppell next year, you MUST must attend at least TWO of the FOUR informational meetings offered in order to be considered for admission to New Tech.

These informational meetings will be held on the following dates:

All meetings will be held at 6:00 pm in the NTH@C Cafeteria.

The prestigious 25th Annual CMS-West Science Fair will be held the weekend of January 27-29.

7th grade students will bring their science fair projects to school on Thursday, January 26. 8th graders will bring their science fair projects to school on Friday, January 27.

There will be a public viewing of all science fair projects on Sunday, January 29 in the South Campus Gym from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.

If you need more information concerning fair, please contact fair coordinator Cathy Douglas.

There will be a “make up” information meeting next Tuesday morning, January 24 at 7:10 a.m. in the West Library for students interested in joining the tennis team. This meeting is designed to share general information and expectations about after school tennis practices and games.

The first girls’ practice is next Thursday, January 26, from 3:30 to 4:45 pm at the West Tennis Courts. The first boys’ practice will be Saturday, January 28 at 2-4 pm at the Coppell H.S. Tennis Courts.

Most practices are after school during the week. Students will receive a calendar with practice and match dates and times.

Students who have played on the tennis team during the fall season, should already have a physical exam on file and submitted the necessary paper work to participate. New students to the tennis program (who are not presently in the West Athletic Program) will need a physical exam and complete the necessary paper work by the first practice in order to participate.

The athletic program’s forms may be accessed at the CMS-West website at Athletic Forms. Please print and completed these forms if you are new to the West Athletic Program and bring them to the first scheduled practice.

If you need additional information, please contact Coach Jordan Mason.

Many of our West families are already aware of the automobile accident involving the husband of West 6th grade science teacher and 7th grade girls coach, Milissa Vo. Milissa’s husband, Quang Vo, was seriously injured and has been in a Fort Worth hospital ICU since January 9. Quang’s critical condition has improved, but he still remains in guarded condition and will need much medical and rehab attention in the months to come.

Along with keeping Milissa and her husband Quang in your thoughts and prayers, many families have asked how they might be able to help at this time. An online site/account for Quang and Milissa has been set up. Please feel free to visit Give Forward.

Our teaching staff and Milissa’s substitute have been working together to continue providing quality lessons for our students. We appreciate your patience and understanding during this difficult time. As more information becomes available, we will keep you updated.

7th grade students will participate in a very special health-related program, Tobacco Know, on Monday, January 30 and Tuesday, January 31.

Medical practitioners from Baylor Medical center will visit 7th grade science classrooms to present and demonstrate the negative affects that tobacco products (cigars, cigarettes and chewing tobacco) have on the human body’s organs.

On Friday, January 27, the 8th grade band students will take their first annual trip to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. Renowned conductor Jaap van Sweden is back on the podium at the Meyerson Symphony Center and the students will get a close up view of him and the Dallas Symphony Orchestra. The program will include Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto and the wonderful Symphony No. 9 by Shubert.

For more information, contact band director, David Cote.

More than ever before, it is important that all students have the necessary skills needed to be successful in college and the workplace. Becoming “college-ready” does not happen overnight; students develop these skills by taking rigorous courses in middle and high school.

All 8th grade students in Coppell ISD will be taking the EXPLORE Assessment at on Tuesday morning, January 31. The EXPLORE Assessment is a diagnostic assessment providing early indicators of whether students are on track for college. The EXPLORE Assessment helps 8th graders build high school course plans that will better prepare them for college and work and introduces students to career options that are relevant to them.

This diagnostic assessment will show your student:

• Areas needing extra help or addition courses
• Suggestions for improving skills
• Careers that match the student’s interests.

EXPLORE scores provide early indicators of whether students are on progressing for college. With an ample amount of time before students graduate, teachers and counselors can use this information to focus on areas of need.

Please see the EXPLORE attachment for additional information concerning this assessment. Students can learn more about EXPLORE and check out some sample test questions at www.explorestudent.org.

Are you still looking for a New Year’s resolution? Do you want to help people going through difficult times? Join the Pony Tail Club. The Pony Tail Club is open to all girls willing to grow their hair to at least 10 inches then have that hair (pony tail) cut and donated to Locks of Love.

Candy Sheehan, former Coppell Mayor, will speak about Locks of Love, on February 15 during Wrangler Round Up time. She will tell how the organization helped her get through cancer treatment. Locks of Love makes wigs for patients suffering from hair loss during chemo and radiation treatments.

On Monday April 30, stylists from the Scott Lemaster Hair Salon will visit West to cut hair for this cause. If your daughter would like to participate contact sponsors Diana Raines OR Stacey Helmbrecht

This semester our discussions will revolve around helping our daughters maneuver through these adolescent years as we read “Queen Bees and Wannabes: Helping Your Daughter Survive Cliques, Gossip, Boyfriends, and the New Realities of Girl World”.

The Parent Book Study meets at 9:00 a.m. in the CMS West Library the first Wednesday of each month. We will begin our new book on Wednesday, February 1st. We look forward to great discussion as we take a look at the inner lives of our girls and how we can help them through these challenging years.

Join us as we explore:

• How girls’ experiences before adolescence impact their teen years, future relationships, and overall success
• The different roles girls play in and outside of cliques as Queen Bees, Targets, and Bystanders, and how this defines how they and others are treated
• Girls’ power plays-from fake apologies to fights over IM and text messages
• Where boys fit into the equation of girl conflicts and how you can help your daughter better hold her own with the opposite sex
• Checking your baggage-recognizing how your experiences impact the way you parent, and how to be sanely involved in your daughter’s difficult, yet common social conflicts

Congratulations to 8th grader Pratheek Sharyala who won the 2012 CMS-West National Geographic Bee. This is his second year in a row to win!

Pratheek competed with other West finalists and has earned the opportunity to compete in the State National Geographic Bee later this spring.

This academic competition was conducted by the Social Studies Department. A special thanks to the Department Head, Diane de Waal for coordinating this year’s event.

Pratheek Sharyala accepts the Championship Trophy from Diane de Waal.

Education in Action hosts leadership camps for students in 4th through 8th grades during Spring Break and throughout the summer months. This is a great opportunity for your child to develop leadership skills and have a great time doing it with other creative and fantastic students .

If you are interested and would like for your student’s counselor to nominate your child, please let your counselor know of your interest by February 1st.

Stacey Helmbrecht, Coppell West Counselor, Students last names: A-K
Gretchen Pace, Coppell West Counselor, Students last names: L-Z

In order to participate in the camps, students must be nominated by a teacher or counselor and must have an 85 GPA or higher. If you are interested in learning more, go to www.educationinaction.org. This website will answer many of your questions including dates, costs, etc.

Clubs will be meeting during advisory time on most Wednesday afternoons each week. Take a few minutes to review the January and February Clubs and Activities and encourage your students to participate in such activities.

Three new clubs will be introduced during our next Advisory period on Wednesday, January 25:

Safe Sitters
Our school nurse, Joyce Alcorn, will sponsor a club for 6th, 7th and 8th grade students who wish to learn first aid and safety techniques for babysitting. An application is required and may be be picked up in the West Clinic. This club will have a limited number of spaces, so interested students should contact Mrs. Alcorn as soon as possible. For additional information email Mrs. Alcorn.

Origami Club
Mrs. Tonya Sides will sponsor a fun, Japanese art-type class for 6th graders during advisory on January 25. Please contact Ms. Sides for more information.

Soccer Club
Mr. Edin will sponsor a new Soccer Club for 7th and 8th grade students on selected advisory period days. For additional information, please contact Mr. Edin.

The CMS-West PTO has a new community partner: Biggby Coffee!

Biggby Coffee will contribute $1 to the West PTO with every full-priced super/grande specialty beverage purchase. To qualify, simply present a Biggby Coffee Coupon when making your purchase. Offer is valid through March 31, 2012. Print extra copies to share with your friends!

In addition to coffee, Biggby’s menu also features a great selection for kids: MAGIC MILK in chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla, juice, hot chocolate, and drinks for mom or dad, too! Biggby’s also offers delicious meals and light snacks.

Biggby’s is located at 230 N. Denton Tap Road, Suite 104, next to 7 Salsas Restaurant.

Does your 7th OR 8th grade student have an interest in playing tennis for the Coppell West Tennis Team this spring? If so, there will be an important student information meeting on Wednesday morning at 7:05 a.m. in the West Library for all 7th and 8th grade boys and girls interested in playing this spring.

Students in 7th and 8th grade will be taking semester exams Thursday, January 12 through Friday, January 20th. See exam week schedule below:

SEMESTER EXAMS SCHEDULE

Early dismissal on Friday, January 20

Monday, January 16, 2012 is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. Coppell ISD will not hold classes in recognition of this National Holiday.

Our first semester of classes will end on Friday, January 20th. Report cards will be distributed to students on Friday, January 27. The first semester consists of three 6 weeks marking periods.

Each month our middle school counselors (Stacey Helmbrecht and Gretchen Pace) co-host a special program for middle school parents.

This month’s event, Transition and Readiness for High School, is specifically designed for our 8th grade parents. The program will be held on Thursday, January 19 in the West Library at 9:00 am and again at 6:00 pm.

Both session are identical and will include information regarding:

• 9th Grade registration information/dates for both NTH@C and CHS
• Todd Kettler, Coppell ISD Director of Advanced Academics, will discuss opportunities for advanced academics such as IB, Pre-AP and GT courses, as well as how GPA and Class Rank work at the high school level
• The EXPLORE College and Career Readiness system in which all 8th graders will participate.

Please mark your calendars and make plans to attend this important event.

A HUGE THANK YOU goes out to our PTO and its members.

Through the combined efforts of the PTO “Write-a-Check” campaign, our annual QSP Magazine/Cookie Dough Fundraiser and matching funds from the district, we were able to purchase the following items:

• 2 Sharp Digital Projectors to replace some of the aging ones on campus
• 5 SmartBoards to finish out the classrooms that did not have one
• 5 Network drops, extender cables and projector realignment that goes with the installation of the SmartBoards
• 15 MacBook Pros that will finish out a mobile cart of 30 to be used by all classes
• 5 Additional Dell Laptops for check out by teachers to use in their classrooms
• 2 Nuance Revolabs xTag portable microphones to be used for Podcasts in classrooms
• 6 Webcams to be used in classrooms for Skyping with other classrooms inside and outside of the district

PTO Write-a-Check funds were also used to supplement items needed in classrooms:

• Current study materials for the UIL Academic Competition
• Amazon Gift Cards to be used by the library to get the best price for new releases
• BERP Buzz Extension and Resist to be used by our band students
• Solid color neckties to compliment the band uniform during performances
• Itunes gift cards to purchase audio books for Language Arts class
• Headphones to be used with Netbooks/Ipads in Math Investigations class
• Gift cards as rewards for a PBL (Problem Based Learning) project for 6th grade Science classes
• Itunes gift cards to purchase apps for Ipads used in special education classrooms
• Gift certificate to Half Price Books to add additional novels to 8th grade Language Arts classroom

The Academic UIL Competition is like an “Academic Olympics” for middle school students to compete in various academic events against students from other participating middle schools: other Coppell Middle schools as well as middle schools from Carroll, Highland Park, Grapevine, Lewisville, Northwest, Lovejoy, Keller and several other districts. The 2011-2012 Academic UIL meet will be held on Friday, March 30, and Saturday, March 31, at Cross Timbers Middle School in Grapevine.

Parents, please visit with your student about signing up for at least one of the competing teams listed below. “Event try-outs” will be held on Tuesday, January 10 and Wednesday, January 11 during lunch periods. Students will need to listen to announcements to find out when their event will hold informational meetings and try-outs later in the month. Students may sign up for multiple events.

• Art (this is about artists and painting titles, not drawing)
• Calculator Applications
• Chess
• Dictionary Skills
• Impromptu Speaking (7th and 8th graders only)
• Listening Skills
• Maps, Graphs, and Charts
• Mathematics
• Modern Oratory (7th and 8th graders only)
• Music Memory
• Number Sense
• Oral Reading
• Ready Writing
• Science (7th and 8th graders only)
• Social Studies
• Spelling

Please refer to the Academic UIL Contest Descriptions for details regarding each event.

If you have questions, please contact UIL Campus Coordinator Julie Carpenter or 214.496.8722.

Please note: On Wednesday, January 11, the Student Store will be CLOSED on and the After School Snacks Sale is cancelled.

We apologize for any inconvenience. The store will resume on January 18.

The Coppell ISD District Spelling Bee will be held, Wednesday, January 11, at 9:00 am in the CMS-West Auditorium.

Spelling Bee winners from each of the 9 Coppell ISD elementary schools will compete with the top three spellers from each of the 3 middle schools to determine the Coppell “top speller” in Grades 5-8.

This year, West’s top three spellers Daniel Koh (grade 8) and Aditi Mukund (grade 8) Vignesh Soundararajan (grade 7). We wish these students the very best at the District Spelling Bee.

Have you already ordered your copy of the 2011-2012 CMS-West yearbook?

Don’t let your student miss out on the hundreds of photos and memories contained in this special keepsake. If you have not already done so, you may purchase a copy at Jostens. Yearbooks will be distributed in May.