We hope everyone had a great weekend!
We have four days of school this week. There is no school tomorrow (Monday, 4-21-25)
A/B Day Calendar Link – This calendar shows A/B days for the entire school year (A-days are underlined). Whether a school day will be an A or B-day is set in stone when the calendar publishes for the school year. A day will never change from an A-day to a B-day or vice-versa.
Attendance Matters: Prior to the Covid pandemic, 16% of all students in the U.S. were chronically absent. During the first school year that all schools returned to regular, full-time, in-person instruction (2022-23), the average chronic absenteeism rate throughout the U.S. was 28%. The current chronic absenteeism rate for CMS for the 2024-25 school year is 17%. We are proud of that number, but our work isn’t done and there is still room for improvement. Thank you to the students, parents, and other family members for making school attendance a priority in your household.
“Chronic Absenteeism” means missing more than 10% of school days (whether excused or unexcused, whether due to illness, travel, etc). At this point in the school year, that means having missed 15 or more school days so far. Studies show a range of negative outcomes become more likely when a student is chronically absent: not being on grade-level with proficiency throughout the subjects, not graduating on time, lower social skills, higher incidences of mental health struggles, and more likely involvement in the juvenile justice system (for other reasons, not related to school attendance).
8th Grade Picnic Day: The annual picnic day for 8th graders will be May 22nd, at Loriella Park. Any 8th graders with ISS or OSS during April or May will not be allowed to attend.
Donations for 6th Grade Math: Math 6 teachers, Mrs. Currier and Mrs. West, are asking for donations of individual bags of chips, canned soda, full-size candy bars, or Little Debbie Snacks. Please send in any donations to Mrs. Currier or Mrs. West no later than Friday, April 25th. These treats will be used as incentives during our SOL review.
Donations for 8th Grade Dance: We are soliciting donations of food/drink items for our 8th grade dance on May 9th. Please review the available slots below and click on the LINK BELOW to sign up. Please drop off your item(s) at CMS the morning of May 9th. If you are unable to bring, please have your child bring it to school and deliver it to Ms.Mason classroom room 237.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E094EACAA2CA1FE3-8thgrade
Canned Food Drive: CMS is running a canned food (with pop-top lids) drive from April 22nd to May 2nd, supporting the SCPS Treasure House. It is important that the canned foods donated have pop-top lids, NOT lids that need to be opened with a can-opener. Drop-off for canned-foods will be in the counseling office.
CMS 6th Grade Projects Featured at John J. Wright Museum
This month select 6th Grade students’ Black History Month projects are being featured at John J. Wright Educational and Cultural Center Museum. Students researched African American achievers and created presentations and projects in their English and History classes. The projects on display are being voted on by the staff and students at John J. Wright for the top three projects. Students whose projects are being featured are:
· Jonah Angel - Ruby Bridges Home
· Mahmoud Dormoush - Virginia Randolph’s School House
· Sophia Eimers - Painted American Flag representing Shirley Chisolm
· Yadiel Gaspar - Michael Jackson’s Bling-Bling Glove
· Emily Green - Denzel Washington Park and Playground
· Elijah Guzman Ramirez - Mae Jemison’s Space Shuttle
· Josselyn Hernandez Melendez - B.B. King’s guitar
· Jon Kiser - Garrett Morgan’s invention the stoplight
· Elijah Miller - W.C. Handy’s Grammy Award
· Nolan Nguyen - Buffalo Soldiers encampment
· Jules Penel - Garrett Morgan invention the Brown Gas Mask
· Yalessa Ramirez-Rodgers - Bo Jackson’s Baseball Field and Baseball Glove
· Lucas Russo - Louis Armstrong’s Trumpet
· Anniston Threatt - Sammy Davis, Jr.
There will be a ceremony for the student’s excellent work in May and details will be forthcoming Renee Beverly, Chairperson of John J Wright Educational and Cultural Center Museum.
Congratulations to all the students for outstanding work!
Recent Dress Code Issue: Now that we are getting some warmer weather, we want to remind our parents and students: Just like in the fall, bike shorts / volleyball shorts are not appropriate to be worn during the school day
April Attendance Incentive: Every student who has perfect attendance throughout the month of April, along with no ISS/OSS, will be entered into a drawing. Two names will be pulled for two different prizes.
-11 Inch Fire Tablet
-Beats Studio Buds
End of Year SOL Testing
Once again we have come to that time of the year! Our students have been working very hard this year, and now they get to put all that hard work into action! All grade levels will be taking the Math SOL on April 24th and the Reading SOL on May 1st. 7th grade students will be taking their Civics SOL and 8th grade students their Science SOL on April 29th. Please make sure students come to school well rested those days, and with fully charged school issued devices.
EXPEDITED RETAKES
The Virginia Board of Education allows students in grades 3-8 who do not pass certain Standards of Learning (SOL) tests, on their first attempt, to retake the test before the end of the school year. Expedited retakes are available for students who score between 375-399. If you believe that your student would benefit from receiving a second opportunity to demonstrate his or her knowledge and skills on the SOL test, please complete this Google Form as soon as possible.
(ENGLISH) EXPEDITED RETAKE FORM: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScis4Bbw3h0WhTVKfJYhgxmA0_KBSFHzBrAyQA1ez85B1d9aw/viewform
(SPANISH) EXPEDITED RETAKE FORM:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfIUqUZEKBPHNSlq--2Ez9WvlyCOURn0BENIgI_Sg-hBF6YZw/viewform
If you have any questions, please contact the School Testing Coordinator, Kristen Dillow, at kdillow@spotsylvania.k12.va.us.
CMS Sings National Anthem at Fred Nats Game: Come out and see the Chancellor Middle School Chorus perform the National Anthem at 6:50pm on Friday, April 25th at the Fred Nats Stadium. We have reserved seats so we can all sit together and enjoy the ballgame afterwards. Students need a parent with them. This is not a field trip. Please use this link to purchase tickets. The profits will go to CMS. Hope to see you there!
Purchase Tickets: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Chancellormiddle5
Event Flyer: Fred Nats Flyer
8th Grade Science SOL Remediation: CMS Science Department is hosting afterschool SOL Remediation for 8th graders over the next 6 weeks. They will be reviewing materials from past years in preparation for their 8th grade Science SOL. Students will meet in room 201 from 3:00 - 4:00 on Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. They will need a ride promptly at 4:00pm. If you are interested in having your child participate please contact their Science teacher.
Chancellor High Athletics Golf Tournament: Chancellor High’s annual golf tournament to raise funds for new athletic uniforms will be Friday, May 2nd. Please see the link below for all details including time, location, cost, payment options, and registration.
CHANCELLOR HS GOLF TOURNAMENT FLYER
8th Grade Semi-Formal Dance: The annual CMS 8th Grade Semi-Formal Dance will be held on Friday, May 9th, from 6-8pm. Stay tuned to future announcements about ticket sales. Any students who receive ISS or OSS during the months of March, April, and/or May, will not be allowed to attend the dance. Also, the dance is only for CMS 8th graders. CMS 8th graders are not allowed to bring a guest/friend from any other school, or from any other grade.
The theme for the dance is “NIGHT IN ATLANTIS”
NJHS would like to invite any 8th graders who want to volunteer for our new decorating committee. Please consider joining us to share your ideas and designs for the upcoming Formal. Please stop by and see Mrs. Mason in Room 237.
Third Annual Husky Half Mile: Our neighbors across the street, Harrison Rd Elementary, are hosing their third annual Husky Half Mile on Saturday, April 26th. This is a fun, half-mile run on Chancellor Park Drive (the road that connects Harrison Rd Elementary, Chancellor Middle, and Chancellor High. Please see the link below for more details, and a link to register.
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CMS Tutoring Club for 6th Graders: CMS Tutoring Sessions for the month of April are the following:
-Thursday, April 24
This is OPEN for all 6th grade students who need support for work completion, review of academic skills in Math and Science and fun structured break activities. Permission slips are outside room 214.
CMS Talent Show:
What: CMS Talent/Variety Show '25
When: May 14 (2 shows during the school day for students & staff) and May 15 (night show for families).
NOTE: The night show is FREE but will accept donations for props, decorations and stage equipment.
CMS Athletics:
Soccer & Girls Softball: 4/23/25 NRMS will play at CMS. The 5th quarter soccer game will start at 3:45pm. The softball game will start at 4pm.
Boys & Girls Track: 4/23/25 POMS will compete at CMS. The meet will start at 3:45pm.
Tryouts/practices are Monday-Friday from 3-5pm. All participants must be picked up by a parent or guardian no later than 5:15pm. The expectation is for all participants to be present and on time for all tryout dates, practices and games. Students are required to bring appropriate attire, water bottle/container.
Fans can purchase their game tickets (ONLY FOR HOME GAMES) online at the following link: https://gofan.co/app/school/VA85315.
Tickets will also be made available for sale at the door, just like in prior years. Regular season tickets cost $3 and playoffs $5.
Parents, if your student wants to attend any of the home after school sports games, you must provide your student with a signed and dated permission note to stay after school.
Phone calls or text messages are not permitted nor sufficient means for permission to stay after school.
Requirements: Students must have the 4 page athletic physical forms completed and turned into the school's nurse, Mrs. Tucker. In addition, all students and parents must complete the Online Concussion training and the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Training. Students must also adhere to the Spotsylvania Code of Conduct and must maintain passing grades in all subjects in order to try out and maintain eligibility throughout the sports season. All information and links concerning sports, physicals, concussion training, and sudden cardiac arrest training can be found and accessed on the Chancellor Middle School Website at the following link: https://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/page/concussion-information. Please contact the Athletic Director, Mr. Threatt, with any questions: fthreatt@spotsylvania.k12.va.us
Medications and Treatments in School
Students who require medications or treatments in school, including self carry/self administered medications like inhalers or EpiPens, or over the counter medications like Tylenol or allergy tablets, must have orders/forms signed by a healthcare provider each school year. You can find the forms on the School Division website under Health Services. Nurse Tucker can provide hard copies of most forms upon request.
Ongoing Reminders:
Please call the office at (540) 786-8099 or email the homeroom teacher, or our attendance secretary at chancellormsattendance@spotsylvania.k12.va.us to let the school know that your child will not be attending school that day.
Please call the school to make any changes to your contact information (phone numbers, email address, postal address, emergency contacts). This can be done any time throughout the year.
When visiting the school, you will be asked to show a government-issued photo ID in order to enter the building.
Dismissal is at 2:45pm. If you need to pick-up your student early, please be aware that early pick-up ends at 2:30pm.
In the morning, buses unload at 7:40am and students go to breakfast if they wish, and then report to homeroom. Car-riding students can be dropped off as early as 7:20am, and we will provide them supervision in the gym. Please do not drop-off your student any earlier than 7:20am. They will not be allowed in the building and there will be no supervision of them if they get dropped-off before 7:20am.
If you pick-up your student from school during afternoon dismissal, please pull all the way around the loop and pick-up your student from the front of the school. In the interest of safety, we cannot allow students to walk to their parent’s car farther back in the pick-up line.
Cell Phones: Students are allowed to bring a cell phone to school, but it must remain off and in their backpack throughout the duration of the school day. Students who break these rules will have their cell phone confiscated and returned to them at the end of the day. Students who are repeated offenders will have their phone confiscated and kept in the office for parent to pick-up. Continued offenses after that will lead to further disciplinary consequences.