China Spring Middle School

CSMS Newsletter

Parent & Student

Week of January 13 - January 16

FROM MR. ELLIS

• david.ellis@chinaspringisd.net.

• Happy School Board Appreciation Month! We are extremely fortunate to have such a great group of Trustees here at CSISD. These individuals go above and beyond with no pay to make sure our students and campuses have everything they need. Please take a moment to reach out to them and say ‘Thank You’. 

• Please check your email for a message that came yesterday containing a packet of information for  those students who are interested in being a middle school cheerleader next year. If necessary, your student can pick up a cheer information packet in the front office of the middle school. All pertinent information regarding cheer is contained in the packet. 

• NJHS Induction ceremony is Monday, January 27th at 5:30 in the PAC. 

• We currently have 159 Students who have not paid their class dues. The dues are $20 and can be paid by cash or check in the front office or through myschoolbucks.com

• CSMS is ALL about teaching and learning. Please make sure your student is coming to school prepared with necessary materials, including their iPad. Please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) should you have any questions. 

• Attention Parents: Students who attend a MS extracurricular event must not be roaming the school during the event.. All students wanting to attend can remain in the gym or at the stadium but must not wander through CSISD facilities or the school campus. Students not obeying this rule will be sent home. This is for the safety of all students and spectators who attend CSISD sporting and/or extracurricular events. Parents, please understand that students should not be completely without parental supervision at games in the stands and bleachers. If students violate the code of conduct during an extracurricular activity, it might necessitate you taking them home from the game. If you drop your student off, please be available to take a call from an administrator should we need to get a hold of you due to circumstances that happen in the stands or bleachers. 

• NO THIRD PARTY DELIVERIES ACCEPTED ON CAMPUS i.e. (DoorDash, UberEats).  Parents, we appreciate your cooperation because it has helped us create a much safer environment for students at school.

• CELL PHONES PROHIBITED at CSMS.  Student cell phones must be off and stored in a backpack or purse.  Should a student need to communicate with a parent/guardian via their personal cell phone, he or she should ask for permission to go to the office to call or text his/her parent. Cell phones distract from the teaching and learning that must take place each day. Thank you for keeping your cell phone put away.

• Please remind your student to charge their iPad every night and bring it to school fully charged and ready to go. 

• Dress Code Reminders - The full copy of the CSMS Dress Code can be found at chinaspringisd.net by going to the middle school page and looking under the Handbook link.  Some of our most common dress code violations are wearing shorts that are too short, wearing pajamas to school, changing hair color to an unnatural color (like green or blue or Ferrari red).  Please ensure that your child is coming to school in school-appropriate attire each and every day to avoid being dress-coded.  If a student is in violation of the dress code, they will be given an opportunity to correct the issue.  If this is not done in a timely manner, he or she will remain in ISS until the dress code issue is resolved.  Thank you for your cooperation.

INSTRUCTIONAL FOCUS: Benchmark Testing: A Vital Step in Supporting Your Child’s Success

Mrs. Ghazzagh, Instructional Coach, sghazzagh@chinaspringisd.net

As part of our ongoing commitment to your child’s academic growth and success, we have been conducting benchmark assessments. These assessments are a critical tool that helps us measure students' progress and identify their strengths as well as areas where additional support is needed.

Benchmark testing is not just about evaluating performance; it is a way for us to gather valuable insights into how we can better serve your child. The data from these assessments will allow our teachers to:

• Tailor instruction to meet the unique needs of each student.

• Monitor progress over time to ensure your child stays on track.

• Identify trends across the school to guide enrichment and intervention efforts.

We want to emphasize that these tests are not for grades or report cards but are designed to help us refine our teaching strategies and provide every student with the best possible learning experience.

Your support plays a vital role in this process. You can help by ensuring your child gets quality sleep, eats nutrient-rich foods, and approaches tests with a positive mindset. Together, we can create an environment that fosters growth and achievement.

If you have any questions about the benchmark assessments or how we use the data to enhance instruction, please do not hesitate to reach out. We value your partnership in your child’s education and appreciate your support.

Thank you for being an integral part of our school community.

FROM MRS. BARTEE

• sbartee@chinaspringisd.net

• Lunch/Cafeteria Expectations

  • All students are expected to enter the cafeteria and be seated.

  • Coach Earp or another cafeteria monitor will release tables to get in line or go to the microwaves.  Students must stay seated until their table is released.

  • E-hallpass must be used to request a restroom pass.  Monitoring the restrooms ensures student safety.

  • Lunch monitors bring trash cans around for students to throw trash away.  There is no need for a student to get up to throw trash away.  If a student needs to throw something away after a trash can has already been brought by, they may throw their trash away when the bell rings.

  • Students are expected to stay seated unless they have permission to get up.

  • Students not complying with cafeteria rules will be escorted to a lunch detention classroom to serve out the remainder of their lunch period with Mrs. Bartee or another lunch detention teacher.

  • Students who are repeatedly assigned to lunch detention will be eligible for in-school suspension.

  • Please encourage your child to comply with lunchroom expectations.

• PLEASE NOTE:  Several CSISD campuses have different start times due to transportation needs.

  • Primary Campus Start Time – 7:50am

  • Elementary Campus Start Time – 8:00am

  • Intermediate Campus Start Time – 8:00am

  • Middle Campus Start Time – 7:55am

  • High Campus Start Time – 7:55am

• Attendance

  • Attendance is taken every day during every class period.

  • School starts at 7:55am.  If a student is more than 20 minutes late to school, he/she will be marked absent for first period.

  • When you know your child will be absent, please call the school office or email Mrs. Palmer (spalmer@chinaspringisd.net) to notify us of his or her absence.  This will keep you off of our call list for that day when we call absent students.

  • Every absence needs to be documented in writing with the front office within three school days of the student returning to school.

  • Attendance warning letters will be sent home once a student reaches three (3) unexcused absences.  Additional warning letters will be sent home after five (5) unexcused absences.  Once a student reaches seven (7) unexcused absences, Mrs. Bartee and Chief Wachsmann will require parents to meet with them at the middle school in person to discuss truancy prevention measures and to make a plan for improving school attendance.  After ten (10) unexcused absences, truancy charges will be filed against the parent, and Judge Richardson will contact the parent to schedule a court hearing.

• Weekly Attendance Update – It is our goal at China Spring Middle School for our average daily attendance rate to be at or above 97%.  This past week, we fell short of our goal with an average daily attendance rate of 93.98%.  Please keep coming to school every day for every class period.  Please make healthy choices and get well soon if you are ill.

  • Monday, January 06

    • 7th grade – 95.20%

    • 8th grade – 97.23%

  • Tuesday, January 07

    • 7th grade – 95.63%

    • 8th grade – 97.23%

  • Wednesday, January 08

    • 7th grade – 95.18%

    • 8th grade – 96.85%

  • Thursday, January 09

    • 7th grade – 86.40%

    • 8th grade – 87.80%

  • Weekly Average

    • 7th grade – 93.11%

    • 8th grade – 94.77%

    • Campus – 93.98%

FROM OUR PARENT VOLUNTEERS

We wanted to communicate  all the plans for the 2024-2025 school year so you can plan accordingly. Please see the dates and additional info below.

• Catered Teacher Appreciation Lunch 5/8/25

Randomly throughout the year we will ask for monetary donations to stock popcorn, sodas, and water all year for the teachers and staff.
If you want to donate $75 now you will be done for the year. You can drop cash or check (CSMS) at the front office or Venmo, Kristin-Clements-4. Otherwise, we will send emails leading up to the event and you can donate then, if you can!

Thank you all so much for helping to make these events possible for our students and teachers! 

Amanda Talbert, parent volunteer

Kristin Clements, parent volunteer

FROM MRS. MCADAMS, School Counselor

• amcadams@chinaspringisd.net

• If you have any questions about Section 504, please contact Mrs. McAdams.  Section 504 of IDEA was created to provide students with disabilities equal access to the general education curriculum and to prevent discrimination in the school environment.

• Please contact me if your child has any counseling needs. 

• Bullying can be verbal, physical, through social exclusion, or via digital sources.

• If you are being bullied or someone you know is getting bullied please report it to Mrs. Bartee or Mrs. McAdams.

• NJHS News:

  • Upcoming NJHS Events:

    • Officers Meeting on Monday, Jan 13 during Lunch

    • Envelopes have been given out to the inductees of 7th grade 

    • 7th grade Induction Ceremony is Monday, January 27th at 5:30pm in the PAC. Sorry for the confusion!

FROM NURSE NIXON,  School Nurse

• lnixon@chinaspringisd.net

• If you wish for your child to take medication at school, there is a medication form located on the CSISD Health Services website.  Parent and doctor signatures are required.

As we enter the throes of winter, we want to ensure that all of our students stay healthy and ready to learn. Here are some tips to help your family maintain good health during the colder months:

1. Wash Hands Regularly: Encourage your child to wash their hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially before eating and after coughing, sneezing, or using the restroom.

2. Stay Hydrated: Drinking plenty of water is just as important in the winter as in warmer months to keep the body functioning well.

3. Dress Appropriately: Make sure your child is dressed warmly in layers, including a hat, scarf, and gloves on colder days.

4. Eat Nutritious Meals: A balanced diet with fruits, vegetables, and whole grains helps boost the immune system.

5. Get Enough Sleep: Ensure your child gets the recommended amount of sleep for their age to support overall health.

6. Keep Sick Kids Home: If your child is showing signs of illness such as fever or vomiting, please keep them home until they are symptom-free for at least 24 hours.  Please contact the school with an email to Mrs. Palmer (spalmer@chinaspringisd) if you are keeping your child home from school for any reason.  If you go to the doctor, please turn in a doctor’s note to Mrs. Palmer, as well.

7. Consider Getting the Flu Shot: The flu vaccine is a great way to reduce the risk of severe illness during flu season.

Our goal is to keep everyone healthy and minimize the spread of illness in our school community. If you have any questions or need additional resources, feel free to contact the school clinic.

Thank you for your partnership in keeping our students healthy this winter!

FROM MRS. PALMER,  Registrar/Attendance Clerk

• spalmer@chinaspringisd.net

• DUES: Class Dues are $20 - we accept Cash or Check made out to CSMS or you may pay online through Myschoolbucks.com - Store, Browse All, Class Dues.

• If you have an absence excuse note for your student, you may email Mrs. Palmer or bring the note to the front office.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• January - School Board Appreciation Month

• 01.16.2025 - MS Basketball vs. La Vega - Boys Home, Girls Away

• 01.27.2025 - NJHS Induction Ceremony (invitation only)

• 02.05.2025 - Wednesday, February 5 - 5:30pm -  High School Cafeteria - Current 8th Grader/Incoming Freshman PARENT MEETING

• 02.22.2025 - Saturday School - 8:00am-12:00pm

BELL SCHEDULE