China Spring Middle School

CSMS Newsletter

Parent & Student

Week of March 31st through April 3rd

FROM MR. ELLIS

• david.ellis@chinaspringisd.net.

• STAAR Testing: As we approach STAAR testing, we want to emphasize the importance of your child being present on these critical days. The STAAR test provides valuable insight into your child’s academic progress and helps us tailor instruction to meet their needs. In addition, the Texas Education Agency (TEA) uses STAAR data to measure student growth, identify areas for academic improvement, and evaluate overall school performance. This information plays a key role in shaping curriculum, providing targeted support for students, and ensuring our school meets state accountability standards. Please check the testing schedule below and make every effort to avoid scheduling appointments or other absences on these days. A well-rested and prepared student is set up for success, and your support is essential!

  • April 8: Grade 7 & 8 Reading Language Arts Test

  • April 16: Grade 8 U.S. Social Studies Test

  • April 22: Grade 8 Science Test

  • April 29: Grade 7 & 8 Math and Algebra I EOC Tests

• Congratulations to our IXL challenge winners! So many students did a great job answering questions on IXL outside of school hours. Thank you to everyone who participated! Our grand prize winners were:

  • 7th Grade - Laci Martin answered 4,028 Math and Reading questions correctly.

  • 8th Grade - Timothy Lin answered 12,658 Math, Reading, Science, and Social Studies questions correctly!

• CSMS is ALL about teaching and learning. Please make sure your student is coming to school prepared with necessary materials, including their iPad. Please reach out to your child’s teacher(s) should you have any questions. 

• Attention Parents: Students who attend a MS extracurricular event must NOT be roaming the school during the event. All students wanting to attend can remain in the gym or at the stadium but must not wander through CSISD facilities or the school campus. Students not obeying this rule will be sent home. This is for the safety of all students and spectators who attend CSISD sporting and/or extracurricular events. Parents, please understand that students should not be completely without parental supervision at games in the stands and bleachers. If students violate the code of conduct during an extracurricular activity, it might necessitate you taking them home from the game. If you drop your student off, please be available to take a call from an administrator should we need to get a hold of you due to circumstances that happen in the stands or bleachers. 

• NO THIRD PARTY DELIVERIES ACCEPTED ON CAMPUS i.e. (DoorDash, UberEats).  Parents, we appreciate your cooperation because it has helped us create a much safer environment for students at school.

• CELL PHONES PROHIBITED at CSMS.  Student cell phones must be off and stored in a backpack or purse.  Should a student need to communicate with a parent/guardian via their personal cell phone, he or she should ask for permission to go to the office to call or text his/her parent. Cell phones distract from the teaching and learning that must take place each day. Thank you for keeping your cell phone put away.

• Dress Code Reminders - The full copy of the CSMS Dress Code can be found at chinaspringisd.net by going to the middle school page and looking under the Handbook link.  Some of our most common dress code violations are wearing shorts that are too short, wearing pajamas to school, changing hair color to an unnatural color (like green or blue or Ferrari red).  Parents, please remind your children that blankets and pajama pants are both against the district’s dress code.  Please ensure that your child is coming to school in school-appropriate attire each and every day to avoid being dress-coded.  If a student is in violation of the dress code, they will be given an opportunity to correct the issue.  If this is not done in a timely manner, he or she will remain in ISS until the dress code issue is resolved.  Thank you for your cooperation.

FROM MRS. BARTEE

• sbartee@chinaspringisd.net

• PLEASE NOTE:  Several CSISD campuses have different start times due to transportation needs.

  • Primary Campus Start Time – 7:50am

  • Elementary Campus Start Time – 8:00am

  • Intermediate Campus Start Time – 8:00am

  • Middle Campus Start Time – 7:55am

  • High Campus Start Time – 7:55am

• Attendance

  • Attendance is taken every day during every class period.

  • School starts at 7:55am.  If a student is more than 20 minutes late to school, he/she will be marked absent for first period.

  • When you know your child will be absent, please call the school office AND email Mrs. Palmer (spalmer@chinaspringisd.net) to notify us of his or her absence.  This will keep you off of our call list for that day when we call absent students.

  • Every absence needs to be documented in writing with the front office within  (3) school days of the student returning to school.

  • Attendance warning letters will be sent home once a student reaches three (3) unexcused absences.  Additional warning letters will be sent home after five (5) unexcused absences.  Once a student reaches seven (7) unexcused absences, Mrs. Bartee and Officer Boothe  will require parents to meet with them at the middle school in person to discuss truancy prevention measures and to make a plan for improving school attendance.  After ten (10) unexcused absences, truancy charges will be filed against the parent, and Judge Richardson will contact the parent to schedule a court hearing.

• Weekly Attendance Update – It is our goal at China Spring Middle School for our average daily attendance rate to be at or above 97%.  This past week, we MET our attendance goal with an average daily attendance rate of 97.56%!!  Let’s GO!!  Research has proven that there is a direct correlation between student attendance and student success.  Let’s keep up our student attendance rate as we approach the final days leading up to the STAAR Tests!   Thank you for all you do to ensure your children come to school every day for every class period!

  • Monday, March 24

    • 7th grade – 97.77%

    • 8th grade – 98.05%

  • Tuesday, March 25

    • 7th grade – 98.21%

    • 8th grade – 97.28%

  • Wednesday, March 26

    • 7th grade – 98.66%

    • 8th grade – 95.72%

  • Thursday, March 27

    • 7th grade – 98.21%

    • 8th grade – 96.89%

  • Weekly Average

    • 7th grade – 98.21%

    • 8th grade – 96.98%

    • Campus – 97.56%

FROM OUR PARENT VOLUNTEERS

We wanted to communicate  all the plans for the 2024-2025 school year so you can plan accordingly. Please see the dates and additional info below.

• Catered Teacher Appreciation Lunch 5/8/25

Randomly throughout the year we will ask for monetary donations to stock popcorn, sodas, and water all year for the teachers and staff.
If you want to donate $75 now you will be done for the year. You can drop cash or check (CSMS) at the front office or Venmo, Kristin-Clements-4. Otherwise, we will send emails leading up to the event and you can donate then, if you can!

Thank you all so much for helping to make these events possible for our students and teachers! 

Amanda Talbert, parent volunteer

Kristin Clements, parent volunteer

FROM MRS. MCADAMS, School Counselor

• amcadams@chinaspringisd.net

• If you have any questions about Section 504, please contact Mrs. McAdams.  

• Please contact me if your child has any counseling needs. 

• Bullying can be verbal, physical, through social exclusion, or via digital sources..  

• If you are being bullied or someone you know is getting bullied please report it to Mrs. Bartee or Mrs. McAdams.

• Please make sure your 7th grade child turned in their course selections blue form for next year.

FROM MRS. PALMER,  Registrar/Attendance Clerk

• spalmer@chinaspringisd.net

• DUES: Class Dues are $20 - we accept Cash or Check made out to CSMS or you may pay online through Myschoolbucks.com - Store, Browse All, Class Dues.

• If you have an absence excuse note for your student, you may email Mrs. Palmer or bring the note to the front office.

UPCOMING EVENTS

• 03.31.2025 – MS District Track Meet @ Connally

• 04.03.2025 – Kona Ice available for purchase during lunches

BELL SCHEDULE