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Charlottesville Middle School

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Middle School Curriculum

Charlottesville provides a middle school experience catered to the needs of students in this transitional time in their lives. CMS employs differentiated instruction, flexible groupings, and targeted interventions. In addition to our academic programs, we offer after-school programming including clubs, academic tutoring, enrichment, and athletics.

 

Overview of Curriculum Offerings

See Program of Study for the most up-to-date listings of available courses.

Grade 7

  • Language Arts
  • Life Science
  • U.S. History 1865 to the Present
  • Pre-Algebra 7 or Algebra I
  • Health & PE

Grade 8

  • Language Arts
  • Physical Science
  • Civics and Economics
  • Pre-Algebra 8, Algebra I*, or Geometry*
  • Health & PE

Elective Options

  • Spanish (I & II)  
  • French (I & II)
  • Latin (I & II)
  • Engineering 
  • Urban Farming
  • Orchestra
  • Band
  • Chorus
  • Intro to Guitar
  • Intro to Piano
  • AVID
  • Theatre Arts/Drama

The CMS counseling team wants to help you!

How to contact your school counselor:

Ms. Tessie King

Class of 2029

(434) 245-2444

Email

Mr. William “Bill” Ullrich

Class of 2028

(434) 245-2445

Email

 

Also “Counselor’s Corner” located in Canvas (Click on Modules and scroll down to the bottom of the page).

 

    1. Check Canvas often to stay on top of grades and upcoming assignments, and tests.

    2. Communicate with your teachers if you think you will need additional support in your classes. Remember, your teachers want to help you succeed!

    3. Get organized and prepared: have a separate folder for each class, utilize a planner, write out a to-do list every day... whatever works for you! (Your school counselor can help you get organized if you don't know where to start).

    4. Take advantage of WIN to receive extra help with classes you're struggling in and keep from falling behind.

    5. Figure out what study strategy works for you. Do you like flashcards? Writing notes? Watching videos/listening to audio? Reading about a topic? Everyone is different and everyone's study strategy will look different.

    6. Pair up with a friend or a group of friends to work on assignments and study together. You can keep each other accountable and have more fun.

    7. Check in with yourself: how are you doing academically? Physically? Emotionally?

    8. Make time for self-care: spend time with your family and/or friends, do the things you love just for fun, get good sleep, or get exercising!

    9. If you need help, reach out to a trusted adult right away! This could be a family member, a teacher or staff member you trust, your counselor, etc. We want to help you be happy and healthy.

    10. If you want more support academically, socially, emotionally, or just need someone to talk to, visit your school counselor or fill out the counseling referral form. Our doors are always open

    1. Reassure your child that it is okay to feel nervous

    2. Highlight the positives: more independence, new opportunities, and the opportunity to learn new subjects and develop additional hobbies and interests.

    3. Attend orientations and meetings for parents.

    4. Be a good listener—oftentimes, they just want to be heard, not fixed.

    5. Reassure your child that middle school is a safe space.

    6. Hormones are real. Mood swings, eye rolls, and drama come with the territory.

    7. Don’t take things personally. Middle schoolers push boundaries to figure out who they are.

    8. Talk about social skills.

    9. Openly communicate with your child.

    10. Help your child develop organizational strategies.

    11. Encourage your child to become their own advocate.

Career Investigations

The Career Investigation curriculum will assist students in bridging their academic and career development in the elementary grades with information on rigorous courses, career pathways, postsecondary options, and workplace trends in the middle grades to help them meet their goals for successful transition to high school graduation and beyond.

The Career Investigation curriculum supports the preparation of the “life-ready” student and engages students in:

  • Demonstrating workplace readiness skills

  • Exploring career clusters and pathways

  • Completing a career interest assessment;

  • Participating in a work-based learning experience;

  • Applying the decision-making process to courses

  • Selection and postsecondary options;

  • Creating the Academic and Career Plan; and

  • Connecting the world of work to responsibilities as a citizen, including personal, physical, and mental wellness.

Attachment A, Supts. Memo No. 053-18

March 16, 2018

  • The revisions to the Regulations Establishing Standards for Accrediting Public Schools or Standards of Accreditation (SOA), 8VAC20-131-90. Instructional program in middle schools, states:

    “Each middle school shall provide a course in career investigation in accordance with the provisions of 8VAC20-131-140. School divisions may seek alternate means of delivering the career investigation course content provided it is equivalent in content and rigor and provides the foundation for students to develop their academic and career plans as described in 8VAC20-131-140 C 2. Possible alternative means to deliver the career investigation course content could include online methods, middle school exploratory course options, and delivering the course content through other courses.”

    Attachment A, Supts. Memo No. 053-18

    March 16, 2018

  • Career Investigations will be taught in small lessons and activities throughout the year, weekly during students’ 30-minute WIN (What I Need) period.