Dear CSAMS Families,
I hope you had a wonderful Spring Break and that you are rested, rejuvenated and looking forward to our last few months of the school year.
CSAMS standardized testing begins next week. These are the exams that Middle School students will take in the next two months:
As we prepare for the upcoming testing, I am reflecting on the importance of the education of the Whole Child. It is critical during these important years of your students' development.
CSA District schools have been using the Smart Character Choices program for over 20 years. I was actively involved in the program’s design and implementation at the Middle School level, and I continue to be amazed by the power of these six simple, yet powerful Smart Character Choices traits:
Three components of Smart Character Choices make it unique from all other character education programs. Smart Character Choices purposefully:
Striving to support families to develop students with strong character through the integration of Smart Character Choices is not just something else we do, it is one of the most important parts of our shared commitment to our students, their families and our District’s mission.
In partnership with you,
Dina Barnaby
From May 12th to May 16th, teams of students will battle it out to see who can raise the most money for our district! Inspired by competition shows, Sentinel Survivor brings together a diverse mix of students, each working toward a common goal. Each team will be led by a senior and include a junior, sophomore, freshman, CSAMS third-year student and a CSA Explorer to represent our entire district.
Every dollar raised will go toward building a brand-new weight room facility for CSPA High School, benefiting current and future CSPA student-athletes. Our goal is to raise a minimum of $25,000. We invite you to support your favorite team and help us reach our goal! For further information on sponsorship and how to support specific teams, click here or click here for specific Sponsorship levels and benefits.
All sponsors will be recognized through social media, team t-shirts, promotional banners, and in the new weight room facility. Become a sponsor by April 4th, 2025 to have your business logo or family name featured on our promotional t-shirts.
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College Board exams are state-mandated for all public-school students. These are important exams for our students. The SAT/PSAT and M-STEP are conducted digitally. The testing schedule below outlines the dates we will be administering these exams. Each exam will begin promptly at 9:00 AM, so students need to arrive no later than 8:45 AM.
Wednesday, April 9 - CSAMS 3rd year students will take the PSAT 8
Monday, May 5 - CSAMS 1st & 2nd year students will take the M-Step Reading Part 1
Tuesday, May 6 - CSAMS 1st & 2nd year students will take the M-Step Reading Part 2
Thursday, May 8 - CSAMS 1st & 2nd year students will take the M-Step Math
Thursday, May 8 - CSAMS 3rd year students will take the M-Step Science & Social Studies
Monday, May 19 - All CSAMS students will take the NWEA Reading
Wednesday, May 21 - All CSAMS students will take the NWEA Math
It is critical that students arrive on time. The rules for administering these exams are precise and inflexible. There is no leeway. The moment verbal directions for the exam begin, any student not seated will not be permitted entry into the examination room. There are no exceptions. Students are not permitted to eat or drink anything during the exam. Students will have breaks during the exam. During break time, they may leave the testing room and will be permitted to have snacks. Although snacks will be provided, we also encourage students to bring a snack with them to eat during the break so they will be properly “fueled” for the duration of each exam.
Students are not permitted to have ANY type of electronic communication devices (ECDs) with them during the exams, which means no cell phones, iPods, smart watches or any other ECDs. Students will be asked to turn in their ECDs prior to testing. These devices will be stored in a safe place and returned to students after testing is completed for the day. Students who have alarms on their watches must turn off those alarms during testing. A phone that rings or buzzes during testing will result in the student’s test being voided, and the student will be dismissed from the testing session.
Students will be permitted to use College Board approved calculators during the exam. Consider taking a moment to replace the batteries in your child’s TI-84 calculator before test day. The digital test platform has a built-in graphing calculator that you can use if you wish. Please support your students so they come to all tests well rested and ready to do their personal best. Be sure they get enough sleep on both the night and weekend prior to the test.
