CMCSI Warrior Word Parent Newsletter

April 2021

Click to translate newsletter into Spanish.

Haga clic en el enlace de arriba para leer el boletín en español.

News from the Front Office

We hope Spring Break was a relaxing and fun week that allowed our Warriors to get rested and rejuvenated as we move through the rest of April and into May. It's hard to believe that we are into the final stretch of the school year. What a great year it has been! The next six weeks will be busy as third through fifth grade students participate in Georgia Milestones testing, Kindergarten Registration opens, Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week, Field Days, Awards Days, and so much more take place. We look forward to finishing the school year strong.

We appreciate our family support at Spirit Nights this year. We have just a few remaining... next week join us for Spirit Night at Dairy Queen in Oakwood on April 20th, as they are a NEW Partner in Education for CMCSI! On May 7th, our partner The Dojo is hosting their first CMCSI Parents Night Out... more information is coming. Our final Spirit Night is May 13th at Sliced in Oakwood, another new Partner to CMCSI. We look forward to seeing you at our final events!

We hope you have a wonderful week! Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @CMCSIWarriors to keep up with all of the amazing happenings at CMCSI and see pictures of our students and staff too. Feel free to contact us if you ever need anything.

Dr. Betsy Ainsworth, Principal

Mrs. Dana Walker, Assistant Principal

Upcoming Dates

End of Year Information

As the End of the School Year quickly approaches, we are making plans to celebrate our students and a successful school year. Although our End of Year celebrations will look different, our goal is always to provide our students and families with meaningful elementary school experiences. Please see our tentative plans below and we will send details as they are finalized:

  • 5th Grade Students will have Awards Days outside during the last week of school by one homeroom at a time, to keep numbers low. Parents will be allowed outside to observe. If it rains, we will reschedule, if possible, but the ceremony cannot be moved inside due to social distancing requirements. More details, dates and times will be coming!

  • Kindergarten through 4th Grade Students will have Awards Days during the last week of school, but visitors will not be allowed to attend, per COVID guidelines. We are working on ideas to let parents see their students during Awards Days in some manner (photo, etc). More details will be coming!

  • All in-person classes will have End of Year parties in their classrooms (separate from Awards ceremonies). Parents will be asked to send party supplies in advance. No visitors will be allowed for parties.

  • Collection schedules for virtual student s to return their Chromebooks/ devices will be coming soon.

Kindergarten Registration

Welcome New Warriors! We are thrilled to welcome students who will be entering Kindergarten during the 21-22 school year. Kindergarten Registration will take place April 19th-22nd for students who will be 5 years old by September 1st. Registration will ONLY be held online. Beginning Monday, please visit the Hall County Schools registration website to register your child for Kindergarten. We encourage you to share this information with your neighbors who have children entering Kindergarten, as well. If you need help with registration, you may come by the school April 19th-22nd from 9AM-2PM. Also, staff will be available to help with registration/ use school devices and wi-fi the evening of April 22nd from 4 PM-7 PM, if you are unable to register online without assistance. Once students are completely registered, we will send information regarding our Kindergarten Camp to be held at CMCSI July 20-23. Contact the office with questions!

Virtual School Program of Choice

Please remember, if you would like for your child to be enrolled in virtual school next year, students MUST apply for the district Program of Choice (this is the ONLY option for virtual enrollment next year). The deadline to apply to the Virtual Program of Choice is THIS FRIDAY, April 19, 2021. Go to https://www.hallco.org/web/hcsd-virtual-program/ for application information.



Georgia Milestones Testing

Students in 3rd, 4th, and 5th grades will be taking the End of Grade Georgia Milestones assessment beginning April 27th. Please see the schedule below regarding testing. Also, the informational parent letter in both English and Spanish regarding testing can be found here. Please be sure ALL students have breakfast, leave personal devices (cell phones, tablets, smart watches, etc.) at home on testing days and arrive on time during testing weeks.

Field Day 2021

Hip Hip Hooray! Field Days are just around the corner and we are looking forward to having our students participate in various outside activities that adhere to our COVID guidelines.

  • Students will participate in stations and Field Day activities with their homerooms only.

  • Visitors will NOT be allowed on Field Days.

  • Virtual students are invited to participate with their classes (teachers will send details).

  • Field Days will be spread over 3 days to give classes/ students additional space.

  • Field Days will be May 11th (Kindergarten and First Grade), May 12th (Second and Third Grade), and May 13th (Fourth and Fifth Grade).

  • If weather interferes with one of the Field Days, that Field Day will be rescheduled. There will not be the option to have Field Day indoors.

  • Students should wear sunscreen and a hat, bring a towel & water bottle, and wear comfortable shoes & clothes.

Field Day T-Shirt order forms were sent home in Monday folders and the order form is also linked here . Check out the graphic below to see this year's t-shirt design. Please be sure and send in a check or cash (exact change) with your child's t-shirt order. Due to COVID restrictions, we will be unable to make change. Shirt colors will be assigned by homeroom. Each homeroom has a different colored shirt this year. ALL ORDERS MUST BE RECEIVED BY APRIL 23rd... late orders cannot be accepted.

International Travel Statement

As a follow-up to those who traveled over Spring Break, please remember the new State Department of Public Health requirements with regard to international travel. These requirements are based on guidance from the CDC. If you traveled (or will travel) outside the U.S., please contact Nurse Shaunda, as we are required to report travel to Contact Tracers.


Parent Surveys-We need your input!

As we continuously seek to improve the Hall County School District, we want to know how you, as a parent or guardian, feel the schools and the district are doing to meet the needs of students and all stakeholders. Please help us by completing the survey online.

The information that you provide will help us evaluate and improve how our schools, district, families, and parents work together to help all students achieve academic success.

Please click the link below to complete the survey online. Your opinions and suggestions are valuable, and we thank you for your input.


English Link: FY21 Chestnut Mountain Creative School of Inquiry - Parent and Family Engagement Survey

Spanish Link: FY21 Chestnut Mountain Creative School of Inquiry-Encuesta de Participación de Padres y Familias

Information from the School Nurse

Medications at School

Please remember that medication in any form may NOT be brought to school by the student. Parents must bring medication that is needed at school to the Front Office. If a student has any medical conditions which require medicine at school, please call or email the school nurse (Shaunda.Harper@hallco.org) to make her aware. Before any medication can be given at school (over the counter or prescription), a parent permission form and/or doctor’s orders may be needed. Medication will not be given if the proper forms are not filled out and the school nurse has not be notified. Please click on the links below to see guidelines for medication and permission forms (available in both English and Spanish). Feel free to call our school nurse, Shaunda Harper, with questions.


Guidelines for Assisting With Medication in the School Setting


Parent Permission Form-English


Parent Permission Form-Spanish

Character Education & Community Topic

Character Word

  • Our CMCSI Character Education Word of the month is Peace. Students are learning that peace is proving you care more about each other than winning an argument. Please see more resources for parents to use to discuss Peace here.

Community Topic

  • Empathy is this month's Community Topic at CMCSI. Students will be learning about community influencers from history like Mother Teresa and Mahatma Gandi and how they showed hope, empathy, and compassion.

Transportation Reminders

  • Parents, please make every effort to have your child here at school before 7:45 AM each day. If you are dropping your child off after the school day has started, please be sure to pull up to the breezeway, stop your car, walk your child to the front door, ring the "buzzer" and wait for a front office staff member to meet you there. We want to be sure and keep our Warriors safe, so please do not drop students off unattended, as the front doors of the school are locked this year, and staff may not see your child outside once drop-off has ended.

  • Be sure to have your car rider tag hanging up each day when picking up your child in the car rider line. If you need a new car rider tag, please send an email to cmcsi@hallco.org and we will be happy to print you a new one.

Cafeteria Information

  • If you have not completed the Free or Reduced Meal application (even though meals are free for all students this year), PLEASE DO SO! You may complete your application at www.schoolmeals.hallco.org and find more information here.

Ways to Support CMCSI

Spirit Nights

  • CMCSI Spirit Nights take place each month! If your family visits the restaurant or drive-thru on our CMCSI Spirit Night, a portion of the sales will be donated to the school! Mark your calendar for these:

        • April 20 @ Dairy Queen in Oakwood

        • May 7 @ Dojo- CMCSI Parents Night Out

        • May 13 @ Sliced in Oakwood

Masks & Face Coverings

  • Be sure to send your child to school with a mask or face covering each day AND send an extra in his/her backpack, as we know masks sometimes can be lost, broken, soiled, etc.

Kroger Plus Card Community Rewards

  • Be sure to link your Kroger Plus Card to CMCSI here. We earn when you shop!

Publix Partners

  • Sign up for Publix Partners here. Enter your phone number at check-out & we earn money!

Box Tops for Education

  • Sign up & collect digital Box Tops when you shop. More information here.

Bottled Water for Classrooms

  • Since our water fountains cannot be used this year, we provide bottled water for students who forget their water bottles. If you would like to donate a case of water (regular sized OR small bottles are great too!) to your child's classroom or the front office, we would appreciate it!

Wipes & Hand Sanitizer

  • Please continue to send hand sanitizer and disinfecting wipes (like Clorox wipes) for our classrooms. Please consider donating to your child's classroom, our Media Center, gym, Computer Lab, etc. We appreciate your help!

THANK YOU to our CMCSI 2020-21 PARTNERS IN EDUCATION