Dear Clarksville Middle Families and Community,
Thank you so much to all the families who came out to Back to School Night on Wednesday. The sense of community was palpable in the school building. A special thank you to all the staff members who shared their care with our community, and to the community partners like PTA, and other groups who came to connect with each of us.
If you are interested in seeing the opening presentation you can view it here. You can also find the presentation shared by Ms. Mairs about the CMS Advanced Academics (formerly Gifted and Talented Program), including Seminars, Course Offerings and Course Placement here.
Note the slides on Family File, and please take time to complete this emergency information at https://hcpss.org/connect if you have not done so already.
You can also find the feedback form here. We’d love to get lots of responses, especially as we tried a slightly different format this year: Back to School Night Feedback Form!
This week Ms. Ritchie and I have been visiting classes conducting our beginning of year town halls. It has been great to meet with students, and build community. I have been encouraged by their engagement and the excellent questions that students have asked us. The topic of the town halls is “Safety and Belonging at School: Hate/Bias and Bullying/Harassment Reporting and Prevention.” If you are interested in seeing the slides we used for the presentation you can view them here. Please take time to ask your child what they heard and learned. Do not hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions.
Thank you to our amazing PTA for their support of our staff, and especially for the donations of coffee and treats today in the Library to help us finish out our week. We are so grateful!
Check out the information below for items we’ve been sending out this week, and a number of new items. Let us know if you have any questions or if there is something you’d like to see in the newsletter. All of this information is also posted on our website at http://cms.hcpss.org/ .
There is nothing too big or too small for us to work on together, so don’t hesitate to reach out.
Regards,
Richard Smart, Principal (richard_smart@hcpss.org)
Upcoming Dates:
9/7: Labor Day, Schools and offices closed
9/9: PTA Meeting, CMS Library, 7pm
9/16: Music Boosters Meeting, CMS Library, 7pm
9/21: Schools and Offices Closed
9/30: 3 Hour Early Dismissal (12:15pm dismissal time)
9/30: Last Day to Withdraw from High School Credited Courses
10/2: Grade 6 Mash Up
Action Items:
Update Your Student/Family Emergency Information Today!
Parents/guardians must verify and/or update emergency information for each child every school year. This is completed online in Family File, which has several new updates including how and where to access.
Update Your Free and Reduced Meals Application Today
See below for more information.
PTA News / Important Dates
- JOIN THE PTA
- https://cmsptacomets.givebacks.com/
Locker Information for 7th and 8th Graders - Closes this Afternoon!
Now that we've gotten through the first week of school, we will open requests for 7th & 8th grade students to have a locker assigned beginning Monday, August 31, 2026, and close 3pm, Friday September 4, 2026. Obtaining a locker is completely voluntary. If your student would like to have a locker assigned, please have your child complete and submit the locker request form using their HCPSS login) CMS Locker Request Form 2026-27 Distribution of locker assignments will begin the week of September 14, 2026. If your student encounters any problems accessing their assigned locker, please instruct them to visit the front office.
Mash Up for Grade 6:
We are excited to have our 6th graders participate in a "Mash-Up" on October 2. The purpose of this event is to allow incoming 6th grade students from different elementary schools an opportunity to participate in a variety of team building activities. The ultimate goal is to create a learning environment where students get to know each other in a safe, engaging and nurturing community. It is our hope that through these activities students will find common ground, friendships or even discover something about themselves in the process.
Any teacher that teaches 6th grade will be present during this day to lead groups, supervise students, and facilitate learning and teamwork with the 6th graders. But, we can't do this alone! In order to make this day a success we need parent/guardian volunteers to help with set up & pick up and running activities for students. Your presence on this day will truly make a difference as it will allow us to make student groups smaller, and give you an opportunity to connect with the teachers, students, and other parents/guardians in our community.
Thank you for your consideration and we hope to see you at the Mash-Up!
Career Cafe Information!
CMS is excited to continue hosting monthly Career Cafes during grade level lunch shifts to expose our 6th-8th graders to a variety of careers!
We are looking for enthusiastic parents/guardians and community members to share their career experiences. Our students benefit from learning about the responsibilities, rewards/challenges, required skills, and pathways to access your career. Please fill out this volunteer form if you are interested in being a guest career speaker.
New Information Items:
High School Credited Course Withdrawal Notification:
Last day to withdraw: September 30, 2026
The last day to withdraw from High School credited courses is Wednesday, September 30th. If a student is withdrawn after this date, then they will be issued a "W" as their final grade for the course. The W will be carried onto their high school transcript. Affected courses include the following:
- ELD - English Language Development 1 & 2
- Mathematics - Algebra I, Algebra I G/T, Geometry G/T, Algebra I/Geometry G/T, Geometry/Algebra II G/T, Algebra II G/T, and Statistics - AP
- Computer Science, Engineering, and Technology Education - Exploring Computer Science & Foundations of Technology
- World Language - Spanish I & II, and French I & II
For more information, click here for the full letter regarding high school credited courses taken in middle school.
National History Day:
"As our students begin working on their National History Day (NHD) projects, we would love to tap into the many valuable resources within our CMS community! If you are willing to possibly share your expertise, please complete the survey below.
https://forms.gle/SfMsspeECWSCWCKS6
We will keep your information on hand and reach out as needed based on individual student needs and research topics.
Thank you,
Ms. Mairs, Mrs. Wilkerson, Mr. Deane, Mr. Wright and Mrs. Ceglia"
Media Center Minute!
CMS Families, thank you for your patience and attention as we worked through Chromebook distribution for our sixth graders and students new to HCPSS. We successfully distributed 267 Chromebooks—whew! 🎉
Below, you’ll find a link with more information about Chromebook care and the HCPSS Acceptable Use of Technology Policy. We encourage families to review this information with their students so everyone understands the expectations for responsible device use.
DID YOU KNOW???: DId you know that you can monitor your students Chromebook using Lightspeed? Lightspeed gives families more insight and control over their middle schooler’s online activity at home. With this tool, parents can:
- Receive weekly activity summaries — automated Sunday emails show your child’s Chromebook internet usage.
- Access the Parent Portal — view near real‑time browsing activity on their HCPSS Chromebook.
- Pause web access at home — temporarily stop internet use when your child is off the HCPSS network.
- Block websites after school — set limits on specific sites and even create an online “bedtime.”
- Monitor YouTube access — restrict YouTube when needed to support focus and healthy screen habits.
Lightspeed helps families stay informed, set boundaries, and support safe, balanced technology use. Please check out this resource to learn more information and take advantage of this useful learning tool!
This link will direct you to the Parent Portal to access your account or sign up for one. **Be sure to use the same email address that you used on your Family File.
Thank you again for your patience, support, and partnership as we get our students up and running with their new devices!
Quarterly Bullying Communication:
The Howard County Public School System (HCPSS) is committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal. HCPSS Policy 9460 prohibits bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, including hate/bias incidents, and intimidation.
HCPSS recently launched a new Bullying, Cyberbullying, Harassment, or Intimidation (BCHI) Reporting Form that allows students, staff, and families to easily and confidentially report concerns. The BCHI Reporting Form should be used to report known or suspected incidents of bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, intimidation, and hate/bias incidents. These may include physical aggression, threats, retaliation, teasing or name-calling, rumors, exclusion, threatening gestures, online/social media behavior, or conduct related to a student's identity or characteristics.
What happens after you report?
The school will address any immediate safety concerns. The targeted student's parent/guardian will be notified as soon as possible and an administrator will begin the investigation within two school days. Both families will receive written notice of the outcome within 15 calendar days, excluding extenuating circumstances.
A Note About Cyberbullying
In today's digital world, bullying can extend beyond the school day. Cyberbullying can occur through social media, text messages, group chats, gaming platforms, apps, and other digital spaces. Online behavior that occurs outside of school may still require school intervention when it has a connection to the school setting and impacts a student's safety or educational environment. Families are encouraged to talk regularly with their children about responsible online behavior and to save screenshots, messages, posts, or other evidence when concerns arise.
Not sure if it's bullying? Please still tell us. Peer conflict or other concerning behavior may not meet the definition of bullying but may still require school support and follow-up. Students and families do not need to decide whether something “counts” as bullying before asking for help.
For additional information or to submit a report, visit the HCPSS Stop Bullying website or review HCPSS Policy 9460.
Repeat Information Items:
Free and Reduced Meals Information:
Many HCPSS families may be eligible to receive benefits through the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program
Qualifying families can take advantage of a wide range of additional resources and discounts, including free college applications, free or reduced JumpStart dual enrollment tuition, discounted internet through the Comcast Internet Essentials program, and more.
Families must submit a new application every school year. During the first 30 school days, students with FARMs eligibility from the prior school year will continue to receive benefits. Any student whose family has not filled out an application by the 30th school day will have their status changed to full pay until a new application is received.
Parents/guardians are highly encouraged to fill out the applications as soon as possible. It is very important that applications are filled out accurately and completely.
- Apply online
- Apply by mail: Paper applications will be available at all school front offices. Applications can be returned to the school or mailed to HCPSS Food & Nutrition Services, 10910 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042
Additionally, I want you to know that there are school staff available to support you and your child.We have numerous supports in place, and I encourage you and your child to take advantage of them whenever they are needed.
Here are a number of administrators and support staff available at our school who can provide supports along with your child’s teachers:
Richard Smart, Principal: richard_smart@hcpss.org
Kristy Ritchie, Assistant Principal: Kristy_Ritchie@hcpss.org
Julie Prince, School Counselor: Julie_Prince@hcpss.org
Kat Hajduk, School Counselor: Kat_Hajduk@hcpss.org
Katie Houston, Student Services Secretary: Katie_Houston@hcpss.org
Answers to frequently asked questions on HCPSS meals and additional meals/nutrition assistance programs can be found on the HCPSS Help site. If you have questions regarding the program, please visit www.hcpss.org/FARMs or contact Food and Nutrition Services at 410-313-6743 or foodsvc@hcpss.org.
CometFest 2026: A Clarksville Community Event
Clarksville Middle School is hosting our CometFest 2026 on Thursday, October 15 from 6:00pm-8:00pm in the school cafeteria. We are looking for parent and student volunteers to celebrate their cultures through performances, hosting a table, holding a demonstration, or assisting throughout the night. Please visit the link here (https://forms.gle/wfBhsUAc8bgvMAcT8) and fill out our participation sign-up. We will provide more details and information in the coming weeks. If you have any questions about this event, please email Mrs. Gilligan at amber_gilligan@hcpss.org. We look forward to celebrating this night with you!
HCPSS Seeks Advisory Committee Members by Sept. 11:
HCPSS is seeking community members to serve on curriculum advisory committees, which provide a forum to share ideas and support continuous academic excellence. Interested stakeholders should submit an online interest form by September 11. Please click here for more information and to submit your application.
COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS
Please visit the Community News and Programs page on the HCPSS website for announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations.