In the past month CMIT Middle School has experienced two separate incidents involving student threats towards other students on social media. These threats were addressed by school administration, local law enforcement, and Homeland Security to ensure the safety of students and staff. It is important that we continue to educate our scholars on the appropriate use of social media. The incidents in question originated with posts at home, therefore, student education requires a community approach to address the issue. Thus far, CMIT has conducted assemblies to discuss the Code of Conduct, to include responsible technology use, with each grade level. Additionally, a Parent Workshop was organized in October that included a course to educate parents on the pitfalls of adolescents and their use of social media. To continue this effort, prior to Thanksgiving Break, administration will visit each classroom to discuss the issues CMIT Middle School has experienced in the past month in an effort to open a dialogue with students to discuss the responsible use of technology, social media, and specifically the content they access and post to their personal accounts. I am making a personal request to parents; please take some time over the Thanksgiving Break to have an honest conversation with your scholar about their social media and technology use. A few questions to prompt the conversation: 1. What applications do they use? Review those applications with them. 2. What devices do they use to access social media? 3. Who do they communicate with on those applications? 4. Do you and your child know those individuals (first names, last names, parents of those individuals)? 5. What time of day do they exchange posts? (Most of the incidents reported to administration are posts from late at night or early morning hours) 6. What expectations do you have of your children when they use technology and social media? It is also important to conduct research on those applications to fully understand the capabilities and features of each application. Finally, how can parents ensure their child's technology and social media use is monitored to best ensure their safety and that they don't make a mistake that will last a lifetime? Visit this link to review some tools to help. https://www.consumersadvocate.org/parental-control-apps/a/best-parental-control-apps?pd=true&keyword=%2Bmonitor%20%2Bsocial%20%2Bmedia&gca_campaignid=333739434&gca_adgroupid=1214960654426903&gca_matchtype=p&gca_network=o&gca_device=c&gca_adposition=&gca_loc_interest_ms=&gca_loc_physical_ms=51777&&pd=true&keyword=%2Bmonitor%20%2Bsocial%20%2Bmedia&gca_campaignid=333739434&gca_adgroupid=1214960654426903&gca_matchtype=p&gca_network=o&gca_device=c&gca_adposition=&gca_loc_interest_ms=&gca_loc_physical_ms=51777&msclkid=241834d6ede219e9a7fd690e67e3a11e&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=zzb%20Parental%20Control%20Apps&utm_term=%2Bmonitor%20%2Bsocial%20%2Bmedia&utm_content=Monitor%20Social%20Media

Andrew Brauer, Principal

It is difficult for anyone in a leadership role to leave their community for a prolonged period of time knowing the extra stress it puts on the team. However, due to medical necessity, I find myself in a such a position. Because of the nature of our medical system today and its multitude of insurance company requirements, my planned summer surgery has become winter surgery. I will be out, from November 25th until my return to school on January 10th. When I return I will be better, healthier and fully ready to assume my responsibilities to the school community who I consider to be my second family. If, for any reason, you find yourself needing to speak with an administrator, please call the front desk at 301-350-6051 and Ms. Spence, our school secretary, will find an available administrator to get back to you. Thanks and best wishes. James Screven, Assistant Principal

James Screven, Assistant Principal

Tuesday, November 26, 2019 You can still order on mylifetouch.com with your Picture Day: MJ019426Q1 If you want a retake, simply return your original package on Picture Retake Day.

Amy Sumor

"We may lay it down as an incontestable axiom that, in all the operations of art and nature, nothing is created; an equal amount of matter exists both before and after the experiment. Upon this principle, the whole art of performing chemical experiments depends." --Antoine Lavoisier, 1789 This week, the seventh grade students in Mrs. Nhyirani’ s classes were learning about the Law of Conservation of Mass. This law states that mass in an isolated system that is neither created nor destroyed by chemical reactions or physical transformations. Which means, the mass of the products in a chemical reaction must equal the mass of the reactants. The students tested this phenomena by performing an experiment to see if the mass was conserved after Baking Soda (sodium bicarbonate) reacted with Vinegar (acetic acid) in a close and open system. By learning this concept, students were able to calculate the mass of the products (sodium acetate, water, and carbon dioxide).

Mrs. Emmanuella Nhyirani (Science Teacher)

We had a great time at the Science Olympiad club this week. Science Olympiad members played games and spent time together, thanks to our Science Olympiad Leadership Team. Ms. Coates, Ms. Crespo, and Ms. Nhyhirani have even assisted our Science Olympiad scholars.

Esra Kocaslan- Inci

The second quarter has begun. Students are now in the unit entitled "Generations - What can one generation learn from another?" The second quarter culminating task was previewed and students are aware that by the end of the quarter, they will create presentations that include clips from an oral history interview a person from a different generation than theirs. If students begin to ask parents questions about poignant moments in their lives, the purpose of the questions may be preparation for the upcoming culminating task. They began the quarter with a news article "Tutors Teach Seniors New High-Tech Tricks" in which Jennifer Ludden reports a story of senior citizens learning lessons on how to use technology from high school students. Parents, please seek opportunities for students to give you instruction and lessons on things that they have developed a level of expertise and proficiency. The activities at home will bring the concepts they learn in the class more relevant and thus more meaningful to their own development in life.

Mr. Conde RELA 7 Teacher

FIRST LEGO League challenges kids to think like scientists and engineers. During the CITY SHAPER season, team chose and solved a real-world problem in the Innovation Project. They also built, test, and program an autonomous robot using LEGO® MINDSTORMS® technology to solve a set of missions in the Robot Game. Throughout their experience, teams operated under the FIRST signature set of Core Values, celebrating discovery, teamwork, and Gracious Professionalism®. Our First Qualifier competition will be on January 11, 2020. Good Luck Tigers!!

Mr. INCI Technology Teacher

We are proud to announce that we have a partnership with Towson University. Towson University shares with us age-appropriate lab materials for free. This week, our 6th-grade students started to conduct one of the experiments designed by Towson University. They enjoyed it a lot and look for the next experiments for the future.

Esra Kocaslan- Inci

CMIT's newest community member "Goldie" the tiger made their CMIT debut at this year's first Honor Roll Assembly. As an official member of the cheer squad, look for Goldie at future basketball games and school events.

James Screven, Assistant Principal

Parents please be mindful that dress down days are announced via email only. We had a recent issue where a number of students, based on a rumor, thought it was a dress down day. When we called to notify parents, many told us they were confused because they didn't receive an email but their child was sure they had dress down. To clarify the procedure, if the students have dress down, parents will be notified via email. If your student is telling you that he/she has dress down please verify by looking for the email in your in box. This will avoid parental inconvenience in delivering the proper items or of the need for the student to spend their day in the alternative learning center. Thank you for your help in this matter.

James Screven, Assistant Principal

Q: Is CMIT North MS a public school? 

A: Yes We are a public charter school who is staffed by PGCPS teachers and administration, and support staff who work along side of a limited CLF staff. We have access to PGCPS support but 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, science 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. Lastly, we are a uniform school which takes away the distraction, the competition and the social stratification that is brought on by non uniform dress in a school. 

Our test scores oustrip not only county averages but also state avaerages. This, along with other metrics has made us a 5 star school. 

Q: Do you offer everything the big middle and high school's 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, girl's softball, boy's baseball and club lacrosse in the middle school. Additionally, boys and girls basketball, track/field and volleyball at the high school level. With that said we recently (2017) won the girls county basketball championship and made it to the playoffs in soccer. Our high school opened a multi-million dollar, state of the art gym complex, competitive with all schools of their size. 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, split between literacy and math. Services hours are delivered by special education teachers but are limited to literacy and math courses.