In the past few weeks we have seen an increase of uniform violations at CMIT North Middle School. I'd like to provide some reminders to parents regarding our policy in an effort to assist us in enforcing our uniform policies. Students are being reminded daily at school as well. Uniform: Orange/Blue polo with CMIT Logo, Navy/Khaki pants, All Black Shoes Permitted Accessaries: Black/White/Orange/Blue headband, CMIT Blue Fleece, CMIT Blue Windbreaker PE Uniform on PE Days only: Blue CMIT PE T-shirt, CMIT Shorts or CMIT Sweatpants, Sneakers These are the only uniform combinations permitted unless direct communication has been made from CMIT Faculty or Administration. Some of the prohibited items we have been seeing include: bandannas, sweatbands, scarfs (non religious), leggings/stretch pants, athletic style pants with brand names, unauthorized shoes, PE uniforms on non-PE days. Please ensure you scholar is in compliance with the CMIT Uniform Policy. Students will be required to change into the correct uniform before being permitted into class. If uniform items were not brought to school, cannot be brought from home, and the school does not have additional items needed the student will complete the daily assignments in an alternative learning environment.

Mr. Andrew Brauer, Principal

Eighth Grade Promotion planning is underway. Ms. Lesley Brinton, lbrinton@cmitnorthpto.org, is the PTO Committee Chairmen for this event. Ms. Brinton is looking for parent volunteers to be members of this committee to support our 8th grade students. Please contact her if you have availability and would like to help. The date for 8th grade promotion will be set once PGCPS updates our school calendar with any make-up days due to in-climate weather. In an effort to promote attendance at the end of the school year, the promotion is traditionally the last full day of school. We expect the updated calendar to be released later this month (March). The PTO Committee is also working to plan an additional social event for 8th grade students. Details will be available as plans are confirmed with vendors.

Mr. Andrew Brauer, Principal

Seventh grade students Yashari Gouda and Marana Nwozo both from UCONN won second place in Potions and Poisons category in the recent Regional Science Olympiad, which was held at Montgomery College Germantown Campus. These are the statements of the students in their own words: "A lot of people think that Science Olympiad isn’t worth their time or it’s just for nerds. And I couldn’t disagree with them anymore than I do now. Science Olympiad isn’t just about competing at regional Levels and winning medals, it’s also about learning new things and discipline. This year I’ve learned so much with Science Olympiad, things like how to balance chemical equations or take PH levels. But I also learned things like patience and how procrastination is NOT good for you. Yes, it was hard for me before competition nights; I stayed up late studying last minute. It was difficult for me to grasp new skills, and I won’t lie when I say that the stress was overwhelming. But it was good to know that it wasn’t just me who was feeling that stress. Dr. Clarke and Mrs. Crespo were there to help me all this times with my events and was patient with me when I had questions. With Science Olympiad, I can for sure I say that I gained extra experience, knowledge and above all new friends."-----Y. Gouda "Being a part of Science Olympiad is a great experience that I felt students learned so much from. Science Olympiad not only taught me about chemistry, but it also taught about life lessons that I might need some day. Like how bad procrastination is and also what it feels like for hard work to pay off. The feeling of getting my second place medal for my event Potions and Poisons was a priceless feeling that I’ll never forget. My hard work paying off made it worth all the work and now I’m glad that CMIT Science Olympiad is going to State."----M. Nwozo

Mrs. Crespo-Montano (Science Teacher)

Parents please be aware that an update to the PGCPS calendar has been made. On Monday, March 11th there will be a 2 hour early dismissal from school. This change is due to a negotiated agreement between PGCPS and PGCEA. Please be prepared to make adjustments to your schedule or inform your bus company of the change.

James Screven, Assistant Principal

That's right folks were heading back to the exotic Far East, for summer 2020. This years trip is to Japan. See the sights, hear the sounds, taste the foods of one of the worlds oldest cultures and biggest markets. We will hold a general interest meeting Wednesday 3/27/2019 at CMIT North Middle School @ 6 pm room 108. During this meeting we will discuss the itinerary, whats included and how you can spread out payments over time. We will also discuss the edge travel gives your child over others in the job market place and when it comes time to apply for college.

James Screven, Assistant Principal

Where: Skate Zone When: March 21, 2019 Cost: $32 (includes activities, lunch, and transportation) Payment Due: March 11, 2019 on My School Bucks Important Information: - Students can wear casual clothes - Lunch is included - Permission slips can be turned into Mrs. Linnenkamp

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CMIT Administration

Eight grade students learned how hemophilia and red-green colorblindness are inherited by performing an activity using coins. The coins were marked, and that represent the alleles of the parents. Families 1 and 2 model the inheritance of hemophilia, and families 3 and 4 model the inheritance of colorblindness. Family 1 is where the parents do not have hemophilia; the mother is a carrier of hemophilia. Family 2 is where the father has hemophilia; the mother is the carrier of hemophilia. Family 3 is where the father is colorblind; the mother has two dominant alleles. Lastly, family 4 is where the parents are not colorblind; the mother is heterozygous. Students tossed the coins and recorded the combination of letters that appears in the coins. This combination represents the result that might appear in a child of these families. What is colorblindness? It is a deficiency in the way you see color. It is caused by abnormal photopigments. These color-detecting molecules are located in cone-shaped cells within the retina, called cone cells. In humans, several genes are needed for the body to make photopigments, and defects in these genes can lead to colorblindness. There are three main kinds of colorblindness, based on photopigment defects in the three different kinds of cones that respond to blue, green, and red light. Red-green colorblindness is the most common, followed by blue-yellow colorblindness. A complete absence of color vision —total colorblindness – is rare. (ei.nih.gov/health/color_blindness/facts_about) What is Hemophilia? It is a rare bleeding disorder in which the blood doesn't clot normally. People born with hemophilia have little or no clotting factor. Clotting factor is a protein needed for normal blood clotting. Hemophilia A is also called Classic hemophilia or Factor VIII deficiency, while Hemophilia B is also called Christmas disease or Factor IX deficiency. (https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health-topics/hemophilia) Who gets colorblindness/hemophilia? Men are much more likely to be colorblind or hemophiliac than women because the genes responsible for the most common, inherited colorblindness/hemophilia are on the X chromosome. Males only have one X chromosome, while females have two X chromosomes.

Mrs. Crespo-Montano (Science Teacher)

Students in seventh grade performed two experiments on chemical changes, "What Happens When Chemicals React?" and "Observing Change". During a chemical change, substances will change into a different substance. Students had a chance to observe some of the changes that take place when two substances chemically react. They observed the reaction after mixing two solutions, students then had to determine whether a chemical change occurred. Students learned how to identify the reactants and products from a given chemical change, and also how to write and balance a chemical equation.

Mrs. Crespo-Montano (Science Teacher)

The entire 6th grade classes have been empowered with the knowledge of Smoking: Myths & Realities as well as Smoking Biofeedback. A brief summary of Smoking: Myths & Realities is as follows: Teenagers tend to overestimate the number of people who smoke. Non-smokers are the real majority. Cigarettes are not magical and cannot do all the things that people think they can do. There are many immediate and long-term effects of cigarette smoking on the human body. Smokers go through a number of stages i learning the habit Smoking is becoming less socially acceptable now as more and more adults are giving up smoking cigarettes. Sidestream smoke is potentially hazardous to the non-smoker. Non-smokers are rightfully becoming more vocal in their objections to smoking. Smoking and Biofeedback Summary: Smoking raises the carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level in the body. This serves to lower a person's endurance for physical activity and puts extra stress on the heart. Smoking elevates a person's heart rate. Regular smoking puts an extra strain on the heart and reduces endurance for physical activity. Smoking tends to make a person more nervous rather than relax him/her as most people believe. Vocabulary List: (Smoking: Myths & Realities) Vocabulary List: (Smoking Biofeedback minority biofeedback estimates carbon monoxide long-range pulse risk factor nicotine addiction anxiety socially acceptable sidestream smoke

Sincerely, Dr. Sullivan-Williams, PH.D. (a.k.a. Dr.. BB) Senior Certified Life Skills/Character Education Instructor

The 6th grade classes have been empowered with the knowledge of how alcohol harms the human body, as well as what alcohol can and cannot do. Brief Summary: Alcohol is a drug and, like other drugs which fall into the category of depressants, it slows down the functioning of the brain and nervous system. Although about 70% of all adults drink, most do so only occasionally and in moderation. One-third of all adults do not drink at all. Only a small minority of adults are problem drinkers. Alcohol cannot make a person strong, smart, cute, sexy, powerful, tough, rich, etc. Drinking alcohol is not an effective way of coping with one's problems; in fact, it just adds to them. Being able to 'hold one's liquor' has nothing to do with being tough or cool. Drinking alcohol does not help a person to sleep. Getting drunk or being a heavy drinker isn't cool or grown-up. It is illegal for junior and high school students. Most schools have some kind of alcohol and drug education program. Vocabulary: misconception abstinence tolerance Sincerely, Dr. Sullivan-Williams (aka Dr. BB) Senior Certified Life-Skills/Character Education Instructor

Sincerely, Dr. Sullivan-Williams, PH.D. (a.k.a. Dr.. BB) Senior Certified Life Skills/Character Education Instructor

Q: Is CMIT North MS a public school? 

A: Yes We are a public charter school who is staffed by PGCPS teachers and administration, along with CLF staff. We also benefit from additional guidance, management and financial support from Chesapeake Light House Foundation, whose educational concept this school is based on. 

Q: Do siblings get preference in applying to CMIT?

A: The process of gaining entry to any charter school in Prince George's County is through a lottery. However, siblings of already attending CMIT students are weighted differently during the lottery process. This different weighting gives preference to siblings. 

Q: What makes CMIT different then any other school in the district? 

A: Although we are a PGCPS public charter, we are given some autonomy over curriculum. This autonomy allows us to fast track students, who are academically ready, through selected high school courses in math, foreign language and technology. It is that fast tracking that opens up opportunity to more advanced  coursework on the college level while still in high school.  Additionally, we offer students supports and enrichments to every student, not available at most schools.

Q: Do you offer everything the big middle and high schools offer? 

A: Unlike many school in Maryland, we do not have a  full spectrum offerings in sports.  Instead, our focus is on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics). Therefore, our sports offerings are more limited.  We offer, boys and girls soccer, basketball, boy's softball, boy's baseball,  boys and girls track/field at the high school. With that said we recently (2017) won the girls county basketball championship and made it to the playoffs in soccer. Our High school recently opened a multi-million dollar, state of the art gym complex. The middle school has also added an indoor gym space.  Lastly, we do offer special educational services, but becuase we are a school of choice, the amount of service hours we can provide is limited to 7.5 hours a week. Services hours are delivered by special education teachers but are limited to literacy and math courses.