Can you believe we’re already in December? With just three weeks left in our first semester, this is our time to shine. We’ve seen amazing growth, hard work, and school spirit so far—and now we get to finish the semester on a high note!

These next few weeks will be full of learning, celebrations, and opportunities for students to show what they know. Staying focused, showing up each day, and giving our best effort will help us head into winter break feeling proud and confident.

Parents, your support—big or small—means so much. A quick check-in about assignments, a reminder to stay positive, or simply encouraging good rest and attendance can help students finish strong.

Let’s make these last three weeks our best ones yet! We’re excited, we’re ready, and we’re proud of every student walking our halls.

Let’s finish strong and finish proud!

— Ms. Reed, Principal

Get in the holiday spirit with our 12 Days of Christmas Holiday Countdown!

See the latest Athletics News from Athletic Director, Mr. Daly:

CTMS is gearing up for an exciting Boys and Girls Basketball season!

For students attending home games:

Check Out the Media Center News from Mrs. Reilly:

Get into the holiday spirit by donating!

The Media Center is collecting canned or boxed food, new packaged toys, or coats for the Jefferson County Ministries and the Children's Home Society of Martinsburg. Please bring donations into the library! Students will receive one raffle ticket for donations/contributions for a chance to win a pass for Snow Riders Tubing at River Riders Adventure Park, located in Harpers Ferry.

Also, please come and fill out a Christmas/Holiday card for our local Nursing homes and military members who are deployed overseas! The cards will be delivered December 19th!

Here are upcoming dates for Kona Ice Fridays!

Friday, December 5th

Friday, January 9th

Friday, March 6th

Friday, April 3rd

Friday, May 1st

Yearbooks are available for purchase for $30. The deadline to order is March 31st! Go to Yearbookordercenter.com and use our order number 14008.

For questions, contact Ms. Hall: brhall@k12.wv.us

See the latest Band News from Mrs. Allen:

Come enjoy the Charles Town Christmas Parade on Saturday, December 6th! The CTMS 7th and 8th Grade Marching Bands will be performing! 

The CTMS Bands performed a fantastic concert on Thursday, November 20th 2025. Bravo to every student who performed! 

Read about the CTMS 7th Grade Fall Field Trip to the Jefferson County Courthouse!

CTMS 7th Grade Takes a Trip to Court

Read the latest news from our amazing team in the Guidance Office:

CTMS Students: please don't leave class to check if a counselor is available in guidance. If you would like to speak to a counselor, fill out the counseling request form on your Chromebook and you will be called down as soon as possible. A link to the form can be found HERE.

All students in West Virginia schools entering 7th grade must have one dose of the Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis) and one dose of the Meningococcal vaccine (MCV4).

All students, including JVA and homebound students are required to be in compliance with immunization requirements. Please be advised that West Virginia does recognize religious exemptions, however, the parent must apply for the exemption through the state and comply with necessary documentation for state religious exemptions prior to the start of 7th grade.

Noncompliance with immunizations will require your student to be removed from school with unexcused absences. Please submit completed shot records to the nurse, emailing the record is suggested.

Immunization records can be dropped off in the main office or emailed directly to Principal Reed - Nreed@k12.wv.us

Attendance is key: Let's STRIVE FOR LESS THAN FIVE ABSENCES per semester. Click HERE to submit an absence for your child. CTMS attendance guidelines are as follows:

We are so happy to get another great year started here at CTMS.  With that being said there are a few key things that we want all families to know about concerning your students’ attendance.  The attendance campaign for JCS is “Strive for Less Than 5 Absences a Semester.”  I want to encourage all families to track your student’s missed days this year.  An attendance tracker was already sent home with your child during the first week of school.  When thinking about absences the graphic below will help to put into perspective the loss of academic instruction for your student.   

When your student is absent from school, please complete the online absence form that can be found on the JCS website.  If submitting online you can attach an uploaded note from your camera roll for convenience.  You also have the option to send in a written note.  Please submit those to the basket at the attendance window located next to our front office.  

If your student is absent for any reason the automated attendance line will make contact starting around 10:30 AM, even if a note was submitted that day.  Contact home will be made when your child has 3 unexcused absences and again at 5 unexcused absences until someone is reached.  This is a good time to discuss the accuracies of your students’ absences and anything that we can do to assist in getting your child to school.  The JCS Attendance Office will also send a formal notice through the mail at 5 unexcused absences.  If your student passes 10 unexcused absences your child is considered to be truant per WV state law.  At JCS we know life gets hectic and emergencies happen, therefore we try to work with families to put in supports to assist in getting your students to school.  At this point we will reach out to set up an attendance intervention meeting with both you and your student along with some support staff at CTMS.  Please have absent notes submitted as soon as possible to prevent the above contacts.  

When your student is absent, please send a note.  If you are sending in a parent verified illness note, there is a limit of 10.  After your 10th parent note they will be unexcused.  Any notes that are provided by a doctor are considered excused. If there is an excess amount of doctor’s notes a chronic medical condition form is something that we may need to consider.  Please reach out to the administration to discuss this further.   

This year we will also be taking a close look at students who are consistently tardy and/or leave school early.  Mr. Sarina, our Truancy Diversion Specialist and I will have conversations with students to help support and curb these issues.   

Just a reminder that there is no longer the Leave of Educational value for vacations.   

As always, we welcome the support and open communication with our CTMS parents and care givers.  Please do not hesitate to contact me concerning attendance questions and concerns. 

When coming in late and/or picking your student up early please reference the times below to minimize the time that your child is out of the learning environment. 

Doors open at 7:35 and the tardy bell for 1st period rings at 7:50. School ends at 2:47.

Late Arrival Times

If you arrive by 9:38 am and stay the entire day you are considered present for the whole day.

If you arrive by 11:19 am and stay the entire day you are considered half day present. 

Early Dismissal Times

If you arrive on time at school (by 7:50) and stay until 11:19, you will be considered present for half of the day.

If you arrive on time at school (by 7:50) and stay until 12:59, you will be considered present for a full day, and it will be coded as an early release.

December 2 - CTMS Spirit Night at Dairy Queen 5:00pm-10:00pm (Mention CTMS before ordering)

December 4 - Boys Basketball vs. South 6pm (Girls Away) 

December 3 - Science Fair

December 6 - Christmas Parade

December 8 - Girls Basketball vs. Musselman 6pm (Boys Away)

December 9 – Chorus Holiday Concert at Wright Denny

December 10 - 6th Grade Field Trip to iFly

December 10 - Boys Basketball vs. Shepherdstown 6pm (Girls Away)

December 11 - Girls Basketball vs. Spring Mills 6pm (Boys Away)

December 15-18 - 8th Grade CPR Certification Window

December 16 - Boys Basketball vs. North 6pm (Girls Away)

December 19 - Early Dismissal - Faculty Senate

December 19 - End of 2nd Quarter/Semester 1

December 22 - January 5- Winter Break - No School

January 6 - Students Return to School

January 6 - Girls Basketball vs. Mountain Ridge 6pm (Boys Away)

January 8 - Boys Basketball vs. Harpers Ferry 6pm (Girls Away)

January 13 - Girls Basketball vs. Hedgesville 6pm (Boys Away)

January 14 - CTMS Spirit Night at IHOP 2:00pm-8:00pm (Mention CTMS before ordering)

January 15- Girls Basketball vs. Wildwood 6pm (Boys Away)

January 19 - No School - MLK Jr. Day

January 21 - CTMS Spirit Night at Panera 8:00am-8:00pm (Mention CTMS before ordering)

January 21 - Girls Basketball vs. South 6pm (Boys Away)

January 26 - Boys Basketball vs. Musselman 6pm (Girls Away)

January 27 - Middle School Math Field Day

January 28 - Girls Basketball vs. Shepherdstown 6pm (Boys Away)

January 29 - Boys Basketball vs. Spring Mills 6pm (Girls Away)

February 2 - Girls Basketball vs. North 6pm (Boys Away)

February 3 - Middle School Math Field Day Snow Date

February 4 - Boys Basketball vs. Mountain Ridge 6pm (Girls Away)

February 5 – 7 – WVACDA

February 9 - Girls Basketball vs. Harpers Ferry 6pm (Boys Away)

February 10 - Boys Basketball vs. Hedgesville 6pm (Girls Away)

February 12 - Boys Basketball vs. Wildwood 6pm (Girls Away)

February 13 – All-County Chorus at Washington High School

February 13 - Early Dismissal - Faculty Senate

February 16 - No School for Students - Professional Learning Day

February 23 - Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00 -7:00 PM

February 28 - Eastern Regional Jazz Festival at JHS (morning)

March 6 - Spring Pictures (Buyers Only)

March 4-8 - All State Band/Choir WVMEA Conference - Charleston, WV

March 13 - No School for Students - Professional Learning Day

March 13 - End of 3rd Quarter

March 26 - Concert Band Festival at Musselman High School

March 30 - 31 - 8th Grade Get A Life Program

April 2 - Early Dismissal - Faculty Senate

April 3 - 10 - Spring Break - No School

April 17 - Spring Jazz Concert, Wright Denny 7:00 PM

April 28 – Spring Chorus Concert at Wright Denny

April 29 – Spring Band Concert at Wright Denny 7:00 PM

May 12 - Election Day - No School

May 13 - 22 - CTMS WV GSA Testing Window

May 20 - Kiwanis JCS Top 8th Grade Ceremony

May 25 - Memorial Day - No School

May 27 - 8th Grade Awards Ceremony 9:00 AM

May 27 - Senior Parade Walk 1:30 PM

May 28 - 6th Grade Awards Ceremony 9:00 AM

May 28 - 7th Grade Awards Ceremony 10:30 AM

May 29 - (tentative) Last Day of School - Early Dismissal

May 29 - End of 4th Quarter / Semester 2

Charles Town Middle School Website

Jefferson County Schools Website

Contact the CTMS School Communicator: vanessa.walters@k12.wv.us