The 2026-2027 school year has arrived, and with it comes the season of change. 8th Grade students transition to become the leaders of the upstairs, while 6th Grade students find themselves in a new part of the building, facing the previously uncharted sights and smells of middle school. 7th Grade students begin to find their rhythm, making the move down the hall a bit less daunting, and teachers begin to set up their classrooms with many experienced faces in new places. Beginning-of-the-year changes bring buzz and excitement, but they also bring the fear of the unknown. “What will my new teachers be like? Who will I have class with? Will I fit in?”
The season of change is what drives and fuels the middle school concept and creates resilience in students. Students should strive to be able to learn alongside their new teachers, make new friends forged through kindness, and begin to figure out who they are and will become, not who they think they need to be. Our staff is truly remarkable at helping to mold students’ character into that of future leaders by instilling the tenets of our North Star, the Portrait of a Graduate. Students at CMS are challenged every day to be Innovative Thinkers, Invested Workers, Integrity-Driven Decision-Makers, Interpersonal Communicators, and Informed Citizens; our goal is not simply to demonstrate these tenets through our actions, but also as part of our core values. Below are just some of the examples of how our students develop their character at CMS:
- Innovative Thinkers - Each year, one of our highlights is the 7th Grade Renaissance Faire, where students craft historically accurate pieces and tools from everyday school supplies, challenging their ability to problem-solve and think through creative solutions.
- Invested Workers - Students work diligently to hone new skills in the classroom as well as in their special classes, which allow them to think outside the box and discover areas in which they truly hold an interest. Students also become involved in community volunteerism through our yearly Christmas Caring service projects.
- Integrity-Driven Decision-Makers - Students in middle school are given newfound freedoms, like the ability to move through the halls during passing periods or the responsibility of keeping track of homework and extracurricular schedules, and with these freedoms comes the need for a certain level of integrity. We pride ourselves on expecting students to make the right, integrity-driven choices when faced with the temptations of expanded freedom.
- Interpersonal Communicators - Students will disagree with each other or even teachers from time to time. When those disagreements occur, we expect students to communicate their points of view with respect and understanding, even when it’s a tough subject to discuss.
- Informed Citizens - Students spend a great deal of time learning about local, state, and federal government, while getting to experience the wheels of government in action on their 6th Grade field trip to the USAF Museum, their 7th Grade field trip to Columbus, and their 8th Grade field trip to Washington DC.
As we continue to be confronted with change throughout this school year, I encourage each student to embrace that change using the five tenets of the Portrait, never abandoning what should not change: what it means to be a Knight. “Be respectful”- showing others kindness and courtesy; “Be responsible”- taking ownership of learning and your actions; “Be honorable”- being at your best when no one is looking; “Be a Knight”- positively contributing to our school community. “Be respectful. Be responsible. Be honorable. Be a Knight!”
Please feel free to email me at [email protected] or call me at 419.749.9100, option 3, if you have any questions or concerns. Let’s make this the best school year yet!
Sincerely,
Brett Latman
Crestview Middle School Principal
#WeAreCrestview