Click HERE to see the December PTA Newsletter

Volunteer form - Click here.

Parent Smart: 4 big, easy boosts for your student

by Ann Pleshette Murphy, USA Weekend (August 29-31, 2008)

We asked the best and the brightest for easy, powerful ways to get this school year off to a good start. Their tips:

1. Start the day right. Nutritious breakfasts can get lost in the morning rush. Untraditional fare (say, a whole-wheat tortilla with cheese, refried beans and leftover veggies) can be a satisfying, portable breakfast, says Marilyn Swanson of the USDA's Children's Nutrition Research Center in Houston. In a pinch, grab 100% fruit juice and leftovers from the fridge. "Something is better than nothing," she says.

2. Bookmark the school website. Keep up with school news online and with your kids' teachers via e-mail. "Students with engaged parents tend to succeed," says Jan Harp Domene, national PTA president.

3. Work out during homework. Research shows that physical activity helps a child academically. So toss a tennis ball during vocabulary drills or kick a soccer ball while reciting times tables, says Michelle May of the American Academy of Family Physicians.

4. Put "zzz's" on the A-list. Insufficient sleep can hurt children academically the next day.

Ann Pleshette Murphy is the parenting expert for ABC's Good Morning America.

Reach Out!
Help the Outreach Committee! 2009-2010

The Outreach Committee provides students at CMS with necessary school supplies and needy families in our community with food baskets. The committee is comprised of both faculty members and parents.

Click HERE to see the list of school supplies needed for this year.

Our committee also distributes food baskets to CMS families in the community at the end of the November, December and in the spring. If your family, organization, or office is interested in donating a basket for the November or December collection, please let us know so we can make collection and distribution arrangements. The spring baskets are done through student donations in homerooms.

THANKSGIVING BASKETS
We have so much to be thankful for, but there are so many families in the Cockeysville area who do not. This year the Cockeysville Middle School Outreach Committee is hoping we can provide Thanksgiving and Winter Holiday Baskets to needy families in our area. Consider having your family, your workplace, your church group, etc. sponsor a basket for a needy family. Contact JoLee Sproul at jssproul@verizon.net if you are interested in providing a basket. She will provide you with specific dates and times to drop off your completed basket.

For each basket, please supply the items on this list, and $25 in cash. The money will go towards the purchase of a gift certificate which will go toward the turkey, bread, butter, and eggs.

Rubbermaid basket (30gal)
4 cans of vegetables
2 cans of cranberry sauce
2 boxes of stuffing
1 box of potatoes and can of gravy
1 cake mix and tub of frosting
1 bag sugar and flour
2 cans of fruit
2 (lb) cans of sweet potatoes
1-2 large juice
1-2 jars peanut butter and jelly
1-2 cans tuna
1 dinner mix (ex. Dinty Moore or La Choy)
pancake mix/syrup
cereal

Other items such as the following are definitely appreciated: cookies, mac and cheese, oatmeal, jello, Tuna Helper, coffee, Thanksgiving candy and decorations, and anything else you wish to donate while cleaning out your pantry!!! Thank You!!!

If you are interested in serving on our committee, email Denise Webster at dwebster@bcps.org. We will contact you. Thank you for your generous support which helps all our students be successful!

Denise M. Webster- Faculty Chair- dwebster@bcps.org

Bus Loop Rules & Regulations

The following rules are currently in place at CMS but will be strictly enforced after the Thanksgiving Holiday. The rules will be implemented in order to ensure that school buses may enter and exit the bus loop without a back up, as well as to alleviate backups on Greenside Drive. New signs have been posted displaying the following information. Please contact me if you have any questions or concerns.

· Cars are prohibited from entering the bus loop from 7:00-9:30 am and 2:00-4:00 pm Monday through Friday.

· Cars may only turn right onto Greenside Drive between 7:15 and 8:15 am Monday through Friday.

Brian T. Wagner
Assistant Principal

Membership

Become a PTA Member for only $7.00 per person.

JOIN THE PTA
Thank you parents, teachers,and families for joining the PTA!!
If you haven’t already joined the PTA, please send in your money ASAP.
Dues are $7.00 per member. We really need your support!
(Membership cards will be sent home with your child's first interim report)

THE COUGAR COMMITMENT
A NEW ANNUAL PTA FUND-RAISING DRIVE

The CMS PTA is trying a new approach to fundraising. We have heard from many families that they would rather write one check than participate in wrapping paper drives and other door-todoor campaigns. The Cougar Commitment Campaign will give each family the opportunity to make a contribution that will have an immediate impact on Cockeysville Middle School.

With those funds we hope to:
- Publish and e-mail a new CMS monthly newsletter that will keep you better
informed of school activities,
- Publish the Student Directory,
- Support student awards programs, individual departments, social and cultural events, and grounds beautification.

We are requesting a donation of $40.00 per student. If you would like to give more, your generosity would be especially helpful. Donations of any amount are acceptable and all contributions are greatly appreciated!

Click HERE to download a Cougar Commitment Form.

Designate Cockeysville Middle School with Local Merchants!

GIANT Food A+BONUSBUCKS - Go to http://www.giantfood.com/aplus/ to designate a school
To register:
On line at www.giantfood.com/aplus
Call: 1-877-366-2668
By stopping by your nearby Giant Store and filling out a Designation Card

SAFEWAY - Save your 10% Back to Schools coupons and send to your child's homeroom

BOX TOPS for EDUCATION
Send your coupons to your child's homeroom
Register online with our school at www.boxtops4education.com
Shop online and a % of your purchase goes to our school. Visit the site to see more ways that you can help our school. There are also coupons, recipes, and additional information. Mr. Segal is looking for a parent volunteer to help with the mailing of the boxtops. If you are interested, please contact him at gsegal@bcps.org

OFFICE DEPOT 5% BACK TO SCHOOLS - I.D. #70046387

TARGET VISA & TARGET GUEST CARD
To register:
On-line at www.target.com/tcoe
Call: 1-800-316-6142
Stop by the kiosk in your favorite Target Store

Cockeysville Youth Center - CYC

CYC is still schedule to take place this year.  However, due to the on-going door renovation project a specific date has not been scheduled.

If you can chaperone or volunteer,
please call Kimberly Meekins at 443-280-3176.
Registrations is available online CLICK HERE
or you can stop in the recreation office at CMS for registration forms.

Parents are needed to chaparone each event.
CYC will be cancelled if we do not have enough chaparones.

Click HERE for registration form and flyer for November 13 CYC.

Market Day

Market Day is a fundraising activity that Cockeysville Middle School participates in each month. All of the profits go to the school for a variety of purposes.

- Once a month, students receive a Market Day flyer to take home to their parents
- You may also receive one by mail if requested
- On the back of the forms you will find the cut-off date for ordering and the pick up date
- Most items are frozen for freshness
- After choosing items that you would like to order that month you may either send the form back to school or you may go online and order yourself. Online ordering is very simple
- You will pick up your food at CMS on the pick-up/delivery date
- You may pay by cash or check when you come to pick up your order
- You may prepay with a credit card if you process your own order using the internet (you do not have to prepay if you use the internet to put in your order)

Visit Market Day's website to place an order www.marketday.com
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Drought
at 410-887-7626 or mdrought@bcps.org

Central Area Education Advisory Council

Baltimore County is divided into five councils, one of which is the Central Area. It is comprised of thirty-one elementary/ middle/high schools, including Cockeysville Middle. The Council was established in 1972 to serve as a community liaison to the Board of Education. One function is the provision of monthly lectures/discussions on topics of interest to school parents and teachers. Another function is to provide information to the school community about new policies, curriculum and legislation that affects the schools. Finally, the Council also holds meetings to obtain public comments and suggestions, that we can bring to the Board or Education for answers. The Council generally meets at a different school within the Central Area each month.

September 24, 2009 - Please join us at 7:00 pm in the Dulaney High School library. Jason Slanga, educator, programmer, and web designer speaks on social networking.

The Central Area Education Advisory Council (CAEAC) invites you to join us for a discussion on social networking issues that impact our children. Mr. Slanga will touch upon cyber-bullying, texting, Facebook, MySpace and sexting!

Come with your questions!!
Please RSVP to Laura Mullen at tlmullen4@verizon.ne

Spirit Wear

Contact Carol Messier (410-628-0058) cmessier@bcps.org
or Kathy Mitzel (410-628-6335) mitzelk@wjz.com for orders.