PIEDMONT, YOU KNOW!

​A National Demonstration Magnet School
Mission Statement:
Piedmont exists to inspire in its students a passion for learning and a commitment to personal integrity and academic excellence.
Students demonstrate self-confidence and creativity, are open-minded and inquisitive, and display a sense of social responsibility and ​global awareness.​

News of Piedmont          

HELLO, PIRATES! 

IMPORTANT UPDATE (2/9/21):  CMS middle schools will begin in person on  Monday, February 22, 2021 on an A, B, and C weekly rotation. The "A week" rotation group returns Monday, February 22. "B week" students return Monday, March 1, and "C week" students return Monday, March 8.

IN-PERSON LEARNING QUICK TIPS

Click HERE for the Piedmont CMS Web page
  • All students are required to wear a mask as they enter the Piedmont campus. Neck gaiters are not permissible masks, as they do not provide protection.
  • Students must bring their CMS ChromeBook, charger, and wired headphones (no Bluetooth) to school each day.  
  • Please bring a water bottle to use throughout the day.
  • All students must complete the daily online Symptoms Screener and show the green check to staff upon arrival (LINK).
  • If your student rides the bus, they must complete a Weekly Attestation Form for Bus Riders (LINK).
  • Students must not be dropped off prior to 8:45am. School hours are 9:15 am to 4:15 pm.
  • Parents are not permitted to drop off lunch for their student. Breakfast and lunch will be served in the cafeteria.
  • Families must report COVID-19 symptoms, positive test results, or exposure immediately to Piedmont Administration.
  • If you have questions about transportation or your rotation assignment, please call the school office at 980-345-5435

Important dates

March 1-5: Group B returns to school in person

March 9: Take-out Spirit Night at Taziki's Mediterranean Cafe, 205 S. Kings Drive, 4pm-8pm

March 8-11: Group C returns to school in person

Friday, March 12: Teacher workday

March 15-19:  Group A at school

March 19: March Dadness Virtual Event 6 pm-7:15pm

March 20: Spring Clean Up day 9:30-11:30

March 22-26: Group B at school

March 22-26: Book Fair

March 29-31: Group C at school

Thursday, April 1: Teacher workday

Friday, April 2: Good Friday Holiday

Monday, April 5- Friday, April 9: Spring Break

April 13: Take-out Spirit Night at Chipotle, 239 S. Kings Drive Ste B, 4pm-8pm
We are still selling yearbooks for this school year!

The cost is $21 and can be purchased from Josten's at this link.​ Sales will run until May 1st and the book will be available for pickup at Piedmont during a designated day in June.

All Hands On Deck

THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our
​All Hands on Deck Fundraising Campaign!

Special recognition goes to our corporate sponsors,
Charlotte Metro Credit Union and Barnhardt Manufacturing Co.
PIEDMONT ADVOCACY
As our school and community continue to experience this unprecedented learning environment, the objectives of this committee have pivoted to meeting the needs of Piedmont families who are most impacted by the pandemic and related economic fallout. We have two upcoming opportunities that all families can help out with. If you would like to be added to a list for more immediate needs that come up throughout the year, please contact Ariel McBryde-Gritter at Piedmontadvocacy@gmail.com

SUPPLY DRIVE
Help with kids coming back to school.
There is a bin in the lobby at school to gather supplies between now and the end of the semester. Below are the anticipated needs from the counseling department:
  • Unscented deodorant
  • Sanitary pads
  • Book bags
  • Earbuds for chrome book use
  • (24) 6 foot power surge cords
  • Notebooks
  • pencils
  • 3 prong folders
  • 2 pocket folders
  • Extra masks (reusable and disposable)
  • Paper towels (for teachers)
Earn Money for Piedmont While You Shop!

​We have several opportunities to shop and earn money for Piedmont. 
  • Harris Teeter - Together in Education.  Please link your HT card to 1881 PIEDMONT OPEN/IB MIDDLE SCHOOL-PTSA
  • Publix Partners: Scan the keytag during your transaction to earn money for Piedmont.  Extra keytags can be found in the main office.
  • Amazon Smile: If you select Piedmont PTSA as your designated charity, we will receive 0.5%  of your purchase.  Just follow the link https://smile.amazon.com/ch/56-1524642.  Our name is listed as PTA North Carolina Congress Piedmont Open School PTSA.
  • Boxtops for Education No more clipping Box Tops. Download the Box Tops app, shop as you normally would, add Piedmont Open Middle School, then simply scan your store receipts to find participating products. The app will automatically credit your school's Box Tops earnings online.

MEN OF PIEDMONT
March Dadness Virtual Event, March 19, 6pm-7:15pm
More details to come!
If you are interested in getting involved with Men of Piedmont, please email: Menofpiedmont@gmail.com 
​
"MAKING OUR PRESENCE RELEVANT"
CMS Meal BundlesThe “CMS Eats at Home” plan continues into November with a few changes. CMS students can still get free meal bundles with a week’s worth of meals in November. The meal bundles include fresh fruit, vegetables, milk, and a few prepared items. You no longer need to preorder the meals! 
  • Beginning January 6, meal bundle pick up with be on Wednesdays from 10:00 am until 1:00 pm at select schools all across the district. While Piedmont is not a location, there are many throughout the city (click here for locations).  You can go to any pickup location to get your child’s meals. 
  •  If you would like your child’s free meals, but can’t make it to a pickup site from 10-1 on Wednesdays, please fill out this confidential form for Ms. Thornburg. 
You can also DONATE your child’s free meal bundle to our BRIDGE for KIDS and Feeding Charlotte. 18 Piedmont students currently donate their meal bundles - can we triple that for December? Fill out this form to let us know to pick up your child’s meals. We can pick up and donate meals for your other school-age children as well — please fill out one form per child. There is NO NEED to order meals from PayPams. Simply fill out the form. Thank you!

Quick Links

Take a Break from Cooking and Support Our School PTSA! 

Mark your calendar for restaurant take-out nights to support Piedmont on the SECOND TUESDAY of every month. Feed your family and support Piedmont too.  Let the restaurant know you are with Piedmont. Please tell your friends and neighbors!​ Note: Delivery is not part of the fundraiser--please pick up your dinners to eat at home.
Spiritwear for the new year!
We need YOU to join Piedmont's PTSA!

To join Piedmont's PTSA, please follow the link here: piedmontmiddle.memberhub.com/dues

We all truly “won” the lottery when our kids got into Piedmont. It’s our job to invest in it. Be involved!  We rely on Piedmont's great Parents, Teachers, and Students to help us support our school throughout the year.  The National PTSA organization provides invaluable support and guidance as we work together.

Watch the video below to see why you should join PTSA for your child.

​PLEASE JOIN TODAY!
Piedmont Pride Rocks

​Want to celebrate a birthday, give a shout out to friend, or just show school spirit? We have a pride rock at the bus lot and at the car rider lot.   
Each reservation is for one week and you can paint the rock starting at 3 pm on the Sunday that your week starts.
 
 Once you pick your week, you then make the payment through PayPal. Payment must be completed when you sign up.  The cost is $10 per week, per rock. Please follow the link here to sign up.
 
(Note: if payment is not completed during the sign up process, your reservation will be removed from the time slot).

I.B. Matters!

Ms. Maranda Thornburg, Piedmont's IB Coordinator, would like to welcome our new and returning families. Sixth grade students are to complete 20 hours of Service in their community.  Record service hours using this form, also found on our Service as Action website.  Please join at www.remind.com and enter code @8h26gb to receive texts about Service learning opportunities.  Do not hesitate to email Ms. Thornburg with any questions or concerns at Maranda.thornburg@cms.k12.nc.us  or via her REMIND account.   Scroll down for  2020-2021 REMIND codes by math teacher. Follow Piedmont IB on Instagram: #PiedmontIB.

Requirements at a glance: 
6th grade = 20 hours
7th grade = 25 hours
8th grade must complete a Community Project

Sixth and Seventh Grade Parents

if your child completed service hours over the summer, please be sure to turn the signed documents in to his/her Math teacher. All summer hours must be submitted to the math teacher during first quarter.  All deadlines for Service As Action is located on the documentation forms. Sixth and Seventh Graders can record hours here.

REMIND Codes
 (Instructions and codes are also posted on our IB webpage)

sixth grade:

kwolfe2021
swift2021
grove2021

seventh grade:

palgut2021
chavez2021
burr2021

eighth grade:

reddig2021
hon2021
styles2021
​
Thank you for all of your support!

Maranda Thornburg and Karen Gorman
IB Coordinator
Maranda.thornburg@cms.k12.nc.us
Karenj.gorman@cms.k12.nc.us

 Counselor Corner

Below you will find highlights from our counseling departments most current newsletter. 

Important Dates and Events​


Information to Share:​

* Emotional Development
Young adolescents develop at different times and in different ways. When adolescents challenge authority or distance themselves from parents, it is a part of emotional development. This is a time that an adolescent is seeking to assert independence and create a self-identity.
Be prepared for your adolescent to spend more time with friends and less time with family. The child who once asked for help in everything may now reject help in anything. In addition, they may no longer confide in you and may want more privacy. Continue to monitor your adolescent’s activities.
  • Duke TIP Program
If your 7th grader scored at the 95th percentile or above on any of the EOG tests over the past two years then he/she is eligible to apply for the program.  For more information please contact them directly at https://tip.duke.edu/programs,  email - inquiries@tip.duke.edu, or call (919) 668-9100. Your child can also pick up an application packet from Ms. Johnson in  Student Services.

Donation Needs 
  • Hand sanitizer
  • Face masks
  • Face shields
​Counseling Department Contact Information
Classroom concerns, grades, progress reports, etc…
Contact your child’s teacher directly http://schools.cms.k12.nc.us/piedmontMS/Pages/FacultyAndStaff.aspx

Changes in your child's behavior

Marie Delaney: 6th Grade Counselor marie.delaney@cms.k12.nc.us
Glennise Clyburn-Johnson: 7th Grade Counselor glennise.clyburn@cms@cms.k12.nc.us
Lisa Case: 8th Grade Counselor lisa1.case@cms.k12.nc.us 

Schedule Team Parent-Teacher-Conferences & Power School Parent Log In Help

Susan Stone: Student Services Office Manager susan.stone@cms.k12.nc.us


Volunteer Concerns/Visiting The Classroom
Cynthia Little: Main Office Secretary cynthiar.little@cms.k12.nc.us
Please contact the main office for procedures - 980-343-5435
Please note that if you are visiting your child for lunch, you will need parental permission to invite friends to eat with you.


Bullying/Harassment - Bullying and harassment must be reported to administration in the main office
Robert Egnot: 6th Grade Dean of Students robert.egnot@cms.k12.nc.us
John Kirkland: 7th Grade Assistant Principal johnu.kirkland@cms.k12.nc.us
Brady Monismith: 8th Grade Assistant Principal bradyn.monismith@cms.k12.nc.us

EC/IEP Contact
Kerry Hogan-Hamer: EC Teacher kerry.hogan-hamer@cms.k12.nc.us
​
Health Contact
Gina Mallay: School Nurse gina.mallay@mcklenburgcountync.gov

Piedmont, You Know!

If you have content for the bi-weekly Piedmont News e-bulletin, please contact piedmontptsa@gmail.com. Items are subject to editing.
​The e-bulletin will be updated weekly; the deadline for submission is 5:00 pm Tuesday.
​
For general PTSA inquiries, please email Piedmont PTSA.