Sixth grade students began Character Education this week. Character Education is a component of our charter in which every 6th grade student participates. Every other Monday students will receive instruction from Dr. BB, in place of Art Class, in the following areas: Self-Esteem/Self-Image Decision Making Goal Setting Respect Negotiating and Compromising Communication - Verbal/Non-Verbal Coping with Stress Problem Solving Responding to Bullying and Harassment Conflict Resolution At the end of the school year students that successfully complete the course will earn a certificate. Monday A Days Bowie State James Madison Harvard NYU Tuskegee Monday B Days Carnegie Mellon Stanford

Mr. Brauer, Principal

Thank you to all of our parents and drivers that have been so patient with us as we open the new school year! You help make CMIT North Middle School a safer place for our scholars. Please continue to adhere to the traffic patterns on the attached Traffic Flow Map. We are continuously working with those unaware of the procedures to ensure they are informed and comply. Some key points: 1. Only students of commercial bus and van riders are permitted to exit to the bus lot. 2. Student Walkers must have a signed permission slip on file and be picked up off property. 2. All other students are required to be picked up in the rear of the school building. 3. Do not pick up your student on the side of the road, round-a-bouts, or other parking lots. 4. Respect and obey the requests of school personnel directing traffic. Dismissal time is at 2:55pm each afternoon. On Thursday and Friday, student pick up was complete by 3:15. That's 20 minutes for 550 students to get to their lockers, exit the building, and for vehicles to exit the school grounds. Additionally, after school programs will begin October 1st allowing traffic congestion to be reduced. We appreciate your patience. As these procedures become routine the process will become even more efficient.

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Andrew Brauer, Principal

Many parents are electing to have their children walk from CMIT. If you choose to do so, please follow these protocol: 1. Complete a Walker's Permission Slip and turn into Front Office. (See link) 2. Students must dismiss when Walker's are called over the announcements. 3. Walker's must have transportation arrangements off CMIT property. (Students cannot be picked up anywhere along Front Place).

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Mr. Andrew Brauer, Principal

Dear Parents and Students, Together, your Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation Home Office and the prestigious Princeton Review announce a strategic educational partnership to deliver joint solutions designed to improve students' test solving strategies, boost test-taking confidence scores, and ultimately increase scholarship dollars and acceptances rate to college and universities of choice! What we offer; Instruction: 18 hours of live expert instruction at CMIT Academy North building plus 140+ additional lessons 3 hours of on-demand online help from an instructor Practice Tests: 3 proctored practice tests with detailed online explanations 6 additional practice tests to help sharpen your skills Additional Resources: Maximize your score with a custom online lesson plan 240 drills, 2,000 online practice questions, and 140+ video lessons Including: The Princeton Review Guarantee In-class review of all SAT content The extensive guided practice of all test-taking strategies Admissions and Financial Aid advice to help you research schools, organize your applications and maximize financial aid awards Access to our new adaptive student portal. You can spend your time studying on your unique areas of focus to help you maximize your score Chat with a Teacher: Just click a button and you’re immediately connected to an expert instructor – day or night. Get up to three hours of additional instruction focused on your questions with a teacher in an online classroom. Connect to a teacher up until test day. Schedule: Sat, Oct 6, 2018 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM EDT Test 1 Mon, Oct 8, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT Wed, Oct 10, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT Mon, Oct 15, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT Sat, Oct 20, 2018 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM EDT Test 2 Mon, Oct 22, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT Wed, Oct 24, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT Sat, Oct 27, 2018 10:00 AM – 2:30 PM EDT Test 3 Wed, Oct 31, 2018 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT *Classes will be held at CMIT Academy North High School Building Registration: https://www.princetonreview.com/product/offerings/417977 Use Promo Code CLF20 for %20 OFF (There may be a better promotion being offered nationwide right now, though, that you can use instead.) Follow us at www.clfadvancedstudies.org and on Twitter to see recent updates and more courses that we offer: twitter.com/CLFAdvanced

Cihan Bicer CLF Student Activities Director

Mrs. Champagne will be receiving the PGPCS/MAEA District Level award for Middle School Career Art Educator! Mrs. Champagne has been selected amongst all middle school art teachers in PGCPS. Mrs. Champagne will be recognized at a reception and ceremony at Towson State University next month. Congratulations Mrs. Champagne! The CMIT community is proud to have you on our team!

CMIT Adminstration

CLF Enrichment Program is bringing back BBA Basketball Camp beginning in October. Please see the attached flyer for information.

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CMIT Administration

The Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation (CLF) invites you to participate in their annual Culture Fest on November 3rd. This year a celebration of culture, cider, cocoa, music, games, local vendors, silent auctions, raffles, and student performances will be included. CLF needs your help in getting the word out to family, friends, and your individual networks. Please share the attached letter with any and all interested parties. If you know of licensed vendors interested in reserving a space, donating Silent Auction item/s, or have any questions please contact: Mark J. Sutherland Community Partnerships Director Chesapeake Lighthouse Foundation T. (301) 776.2300 x.104 E. msutherland@clfmd.org

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CMIT Administration

The Practice SAT (PSAT 8/9) for 8th grade students will be given the morning of December 5, 2018. This test comes from College Board and provides indicators in many areas. PSAT 8/9 is used for: 1. Acceptance into PGCPS Specialty High School Programs (Science and Tech, Aerospace Engineering, etc.) 2. Provides areas of strengths and growths for which to improve in an effort to be prepared for the SATs. 3. PSAT 8/9 is also a predictor of success in High School Honors Courses and AP courses at CMIT High School, and is one piece of data used for placement (amongst others). CMIT North Middle School prepares students for the PSAT 8/9 through the standard curriculum and does not stop to prepare solely for the test. Parents are encouraged to utilize the following resources in their spare time to practice and prepare. Khan Academy https://www.flipsnack.com/ehall/khan-academy-student-accounts-set-up.html PARCC/PSAT standards in Khan Academy: Use the links in the document to go directly to Khan Academy that focus on these topics. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1zTi4_T3WZuEgaycxZzE50c-EOzhJMXTOPid07j7vd6w/edit?usp=sharing

CMIT Adminstration

Matter is anything that has mass and takes up space. All the "stuff" around us is matter, including us. Matter is usually described by its properties, or characteristics. Students learned how to describe matter. They did simple activities and observed, described, and classified the properties of several different materials. They also observed some physical properties of water. In addition, they learned more the physical and chemical properties of water by doing the online activity on "Water's Special Properties". Students will learn more about matter: classifying, measuring, and changes in the succeeding lessons.

Natalie Crespo-Montano MS Science

"Micro" refers to tiny, "scope" refers to view or look at. Microscopes are tools used to enlarge images of small objects so as they can be studied. The compound light microscope is an instrument containing two lenses, which magnifies, and a variety of knobs to focus the pictures. Because it uses more than one lens, it is also called the compound microscope in addition to being referred to as a light microscope. Life Science students from Mrs. Crespo's class did the "Microscope Lab Activity". They learned the parts and functions of a microscope. They also learned to manipulate and demonstrate the proper procedures used in correctly using the compound light microscope. Starting on the basic step, they prepared the wet mount of the letter "e" and observed it under the different objectives: scanner, low power objective (LPO), and high power objective (HPO). In addition, they learned to determine the total magnification of the microscope. As an enrichment of the actual lab work, they also explored the virtual microscope. This week, students will learn more about the component parts of a cell.

Natalie Crespo-Montano MS Science

6th Grade Book List Students will be responsible for acquiring the following books for the year. Both hard copies or eBooks or PDFs are acceptable. Local libraries tend to run out of these since they are popular with middle schoolers, so be sure to secure your copies well in advance. Book Club Books The reading for these books will be done both at home and during Sustained Silent Reading (SSR) in class. Homework for the readings is assigned bi-week and due the day of the literature circle discussion. Books will be assigned and completed in the following order: Hoot, by Carl Hiaseen Where the Red Fern Grows, by Wilson Rawls Number the Stars, by Lois Lowery The Phantom Tollbooth, by Norman Juster Hatchet, by Gary Paulson The Hobbit, by J.R.R. Tolkien Holes, by Louis Sachar In Class Novels Two novels will be taught in class in addition to the regular curriculum. These novels will be read in class, with additional reading assigned as necessary. 2nd Quarter: The Giver by Lois Lowrey 3th Quarter: The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton Please email me if you have any questions.

Mr. McSparron RELA 6

Another challenging week is in the books! We took our first vocabulary quiz (which students will have each Monday until they demonstrate mastery); we've read, discussed, and extended Poe's "The Cask of Amontillado;" finished MAP-R testing; and we discussed our second Article of the Week about varying views of social media's role in bringing awareness to issues such as police brutality. It was a personal issue for most of us, and I appreciate your taking the time to discuss it at home to prepare the students for mature discussion and reflection. We won't shy away from "touchy" or controversial issues in our AoWs; the most meaningful ones will be the ones with which the students feel personal and relevant connections...so it helps when they can chat about the topics before they are brought up formally in class. Here's a link to our next AoW (including a link to the podcast recording) -- please read or listen and discuss the pros/cons at home! Why shouldn't we pay student athletes? https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2018/03/23/596132113/why-shouldnt-we-pay-student-athletes The vocabulary in this article may be a challenge for many of our students, so your help / explanations and Google Dictionary may be required to understand this complex argument. Coming up... We'll read our last Poe story, "The Pit and the Pendulum." We find out why he wrote the way he did when we watch and discuss a video biography. And we'll start preparing for our first formal essay in which students will discuss the how Poe uses first person Point of View to create suspense. Students will begin the week with the second attempt at the Latin and Greek Root Words quiz, so they should be reviewing the roots this weekend! All three texts were written in first person point of view. Select two of the texts and write an essay in which you compare the way the authors use first person point of view to create suspense for the reader. Be sure to cite specific examples from both passages in your response. Please remember that students can earn extra credit by attending the Baltimore Book Festival this weekend! The only thing necessary to receive the extra credit is a selfie at the event, and the entire event is free! The Maryland Book Mobile will be on site to give away FREE BOOKS!

Danica Justsen, NBCT

Congratulations to the 8th grade Students of the Month! Your teachers got together, talked it out...and you two were the ones we'd like to honor this month! Atoryia "Q" McAllister: You have shown such a depth of prior artistic knowledge already; your art teacher is impressed! Your other teachers are appreciative of your sense of humor, ability to take things in stride, commitment to your studies, and the effort you put into your work every day. Your positive attitude and focus on your work are a combination that make you an all-around awesome student and teenager! Lennert Bourne: You always have an upbeat attitude and are consistently polite. You are kind to all of your peers and teachers, and this impacts the overall feel of the classes you're in. Your work habits are to be admired, and your dedication and effort are notable. Thank you for being such a role model student! You will be tangibly rewarded in December with all other 8th grade Students of the Month, but know that you have been noticed and are being honored NOW for your contributions to the success of Class of 2023!

8th grade Team

Good Evening Parents and Guardians, Although it’s the start of a brand new school year, some challenges are familiar. I’ve noticed some of my new sixth graders are struggling with their vocabulary quizzes, and wanted to reach out to all of you and share some tips and tricks that have helped students find success in the past. This has been a common problem as students adjust to the different demands of Middle School, but it is a solvable problem, with the right support. First, let me explain the format of the quiz. Students are given quizzes on a weekly (Tuesdays) basis. They have a full week to study, prepare, and complete the homework. During the quiz students are given a word bank. Questions are in the form of incomplete sentences. Students must complete the sentence with the correct vocabulary word, adjusting for proper grammar as needed. This format tests if a student knows how to use the word, which is of course, the goal of this whole exercise. The best way to help your student find success with vocabulary is to be involved. If you are able, quiz them on their words ahead of time, or look over their homework. Encourage them to advocate for themselves. If your student is confused about a word, encourage them to reach out and email me or talk to me during class. Students should select the homework that helps them learn the words, not the homework that they can complete quickly. Personally, I recommend option 5 (sentences) or option 6 (pictures), but students should select the option that provides them with the most benefit. Some students have taken it upon themselves to do more than one homework option. Those students have seen better results on their quiz. When it comes to studying, creating flash cards is an effective technique for some students. Try to space out study time over the course of the week. Cramming at the last minute is not effective. Students may remember some words for the quiz, but forget them later. The last quiz of the quarter will be a Vocabulary Quarter Final. I will select two words from each list that we have studied during the quarter and ask students to write an original sentence using the word. This helps ensure that students learned the words to keep and use for the rest of their lives. I hope these simple tips prove helpful to you. If you have questions, please do not hesitate to email me. Thank you for all that you do to help your student find success.

Mr. McSparron RELA 6

PGCPS has an App you can download on your phone and get daily updates on Grades, Attendance, Alerts and more. Go to https://www1.pgcps.org/bbapp/ to see how to get the Blackboard App.

CMIT Administration

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  developed tradition in sports. 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 playoofs in soccer. Our High school recently opened a multi-million dollar, state of the art gym complex. Additionally, we 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 and in only literacy and math courses.