1. JUST BREATHE……We want you and your child to enjoy your time at CMS!

2.  Attending today’s orientation is a great way to begin getting familiar with life at CMS! Thanks for joining us!  Familiarize yourself with the CMS website.  Subscribe to the CMS Remind 101 as well as the Remind 101s for your student’s teachers.  Obtain your password for Parent Portal and visit it regularly. How your student is doing in his/her classes should never be a surprise.  Do not hesitate to call/email CMS staff members with any questions/concerns.

3.  Help your child with time management skills.  Work together on a schedule for studying and completing homework.  Encourage your student to work independently while offering enough support to foster confidence.  Help your child become his/her own advocate. Encourage him/her to discuss concerns and solutions on his/her own.  Avoid overacting to grades. Helping your child adjust to the demands of a new school year early on is key to his/her success.

4.  We need your help with encouraging your child to be more responsible and independent as he/she enters middle school.  Our common goal: Self-sufficient – which means making good decisions on their own and taking care of their own business.  EX: Coming to school each day prepared with all they need for the day  No More Excuses: “My mom didn’t do…..” or “My teacher forgot to…..”

5.  Friend groups may begin to change.  Encourage your child to choose friends carefully.  Talk to your child about what qualities that make a good friend.  Encourage your child to develop friendships with people who have similar interests and refrain from gossip and drama.  Point out that a “frenemy” can be harmful and make life miserable.

6.  Build your child’s self-esteem. Tell him you love him and are proud of him. When he doesn’t succeed, help him feel better and urge him to keep trying!  Talk with your child everyday and listen to his concerns.  Discuss with your child the qualities in a friend that matter most such as being trustworthy and kind and making good choices when it comes to steering clear of alcohol, drugs, and tobacco.  Get to know your child’s friends.  Get to know the parents of your child’s friends.

7.  Choose friends carefully.  Don’t gossip. (3 things to remember)  Minimize your online presence.  Shrug it off. (Avoid making a big deal over trivial things. Help your child see the difference between an incident that requires follow-up and one that should be forgotten or ignored.)  Keep it to yourself. If you don’t want everyone to know something, it’s best not to tell it!  Be honest. Drama often starts with a lie.

8.  Conflict among middle school students (even the best of friends) is common.  Definition of Bullying: RIP  Repetitive, Intentional, and Power-based

9.  Ignore the person. Walk away.  Stand up to the person and say “Leave me alone.”  With another student present say “Leave me alone.”  Tell an adult.  If someone puts a mean or inappropriate comment about another person on social media, it only takes one person to post “I disagree” to discourage others from joining in.

10.  Think before you post or text!  Protect your privacy….Respect the privacy of others.  Spread heart, not hurt.  Make this a world you want to live in. Spread the good stuff!  If you ever receive an inappropriate message/picture, tell your parent immediately!

11.  Parents: Please contact your child’s teacher or the counselor any time you have a concern/question. We are all here to help!  Students: Please also talk to your teacher or the counselor if you have any concerns.  We can’t help if we are not aware of an issue.

12. Heidi Allen allenh@calhounschools.org 706-602-6794