Hello Crossroads Families,

We hope your week is going well!

For families who have done the required updates of School Forms in PowerSchool, student schedules should be available today. Please note that some schedules may appear incomplete due to technical issues on PowerSchool's side. Our district is aware of the problem and is working to fix it as soon as possible.

If you have yet to update School Forms in PowerSchool, you'll find information on that below, along with other Back to School details, including information on CMS's Back to School Open House that takes place on Wednesday August 6th from 4-7 pm. We are looking forward to seeing you there!

Sincerely,

Matt Mura

Principal

• Thursday 7/31, Student schedules available in PowerSchool, Information Below
• Wednesday 8/6, 4:00pm - 7:00 pm, Back to School Open House, Information Below
• Wednesday 8/13, First day of school, Late Start Wednesday
• Wednesday 8/27, Picture Day at CMS, Information coming in August
• Wednesday 8/27, Middle School Back to School Night, 6-7 pm (tentative), information coming in August
• Full 2025-26 School Year Calendar: Click Here

As you may be aware, last year our district implemented a Cell Phone Policy to help minimize disruptions during the school day.

At the middle school level, all students are expected to place their cells phones in their lockers at the first bell of the day, where it remains until the student leaves campus.

We recognize the convenience cells phones provide families when it comes to communication. If there is a need to get a message to your child, please call our main office at 208-855-4275, or email Lajohnna Honey (secretary), Rikki Jensen (counselor), or me (our email addresses are listed below), and we’ll make sure your message is delivered promptly (if you haven’t already, we recommend adding our main office number to your phone’s contacts).

Additionally, if a student lets us know they need to contact a parent or caregiver, we’ll ensure they have access to a phone to make that connection.

If a student is found with a phone during the school day, they will be asked to turn it in. The phone will be stored in a secure location, and unless a parent or caregiver requests otherwise, the student will be able to pick it up from the main office at the end of the day.

If you have questions or concerns regarding our district’s cell phone policy, please don't hesitate to contact me via email at mura.matthew@westada.org or call 208-855-4276.

Emails

· Lajohnna Honey, Secretary, honeybale.lajohnna@westada.org

· Rikki Jensen, Counselor, jensen.rikki@westada.org

· Matt Mura, Principal, mura.matthew@westada.org

Additional Information

· WASD Cell Phone and Personal Electronic Device Policy

· Click here for a 2 minute video on some of the research related to student learning, cell phones, and distractedness.

Student safety is always a top priority at CMS. We need your help to ensure all students stay safe as they arrive on campus in the morning and leave at the end of the day.

If you plan to drop your child off in the morning, please follow the process outlined on the map on the right (click to enlarge).

Please remind your child to use the crosswalk when walking between the parking lot and school grounds, both before and after school.

Here are a few additional reminders to help keep our parking lot safe:

• Drive cautiously at all times while on school property. Stay alert and scan for students from the moment you enter our lot until you exit.
• Drop your child off as close to the crosswalk as possible.
• Buses have the right of way. If buses begin moving as you are exiting, please allow them to exit first.
• If you need extra time in the morning (e.g. helping your child gather belongings, having a longer goodbye), please park in a parking space so others can continue through the loop efficiently.
• At the end of the school day, please be patient and mindful of others as you exit. We want to be efficient in how we get off campus, but also want to provide time for students to fasten their seat belts and get settled.
• Please do not enter our school’s bus lane between the hours of 8:00 am - 9:00 am and 2:30 pm - 3:15 pm.

Thank you for your support in keeping all CMS students safe.

Students at Crossroads have the opportunity to participate in sports at their home school.

The fall sports opportunities at the start of the school year are as follows:

• Football (7th and 8th Grade)
• Cheerleading (7th and 8th Grade)
• Volleyball (7th and 8th Grade)
• Cross Country (6th, 7th, and 8th Grade)

Our district requires all athletes register for sports through Aktivate. Click here to register. Registration needs to be completed prior to a sports start date.

There are fees associated with participation in sports:

• Participation Fee
• $90 - This participation fee goes to the district. This fee helps supplement athletic bussing and coaching stipends throughout the district. This is a required fee for the first two sports of the school year. Once an athlete has participated and paid the $90 two times, all other sports during that school year are free.
• Activity Card Fee
• $23.59 ($22.25 + $1.34 in Sales Tax) - An activity card is required to participate in athletics at any West Ada Middle School. This money stays at the school and helps run the athletic department. This is a onetime fee, once purchased, it is good for the entire school year.

School fees can be paid with cash or check at your child's homeschool, or you can pay online with a credit card through MySchoolFees.

For more specific information on parent meetings, start dates, practices etc. please click on the link to your child's homeschool athletic website:

• Lake Hazel MS Athletics
• Lewis and Clark MS Athletics
• Meridian MS Athletics
• Victory MS Athletics

• Office Hours: 7:30 - 3:30, Monday-Friday
• Office Phone: 208-855-4275
• Main Office General Email: crossroadsms@westada.org
• Office Staff
• Marla Hart, Nurse
• Lajohnna Honey, Secretary
• Rikki Jensen, Counselor
• Matt Mura, Principal
• Bell Schedule
• Student Drop Off
• Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday starts at 8:15
• Late Start Wednesday starts at 8:30

• Who Should Attend
• All students in 6th-8th Grades
• Strongly recommended for all 6th graders and any student new to CMS
• What is Back to School Open House
• An informal event that provides students an opportunity to pick up a hard copy of their schedule, walk their schedule, practice their locker combination, and drop items off in their locker. This event is a great way to help students prepare for the first day of school. Because of the informal nature of this event, teachers will not be available to meet.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ALL INCOMING 6th GRADE STUDENTS AND CAREGIVERS

Please bring your school issued laptop and charger from 5th grade to Back to School Open House. At Open House we will collect these devices so we can issue each 6th grade student a new device once the school year gets underway.

Crossroads Middle School's suggested school supply list is different from the traditional middle schools in West Ada. Here are the suggested supplies 6th-8th grade students bring with them:

• Pens
• Pencils
• Composition Notebook

Student schedules will be available for view in PowerSchool for all students whose School Forms have been updated in PowerSchool.

School Forms need to be updated every school year. This process ensures that essential information is accurate and up-to-date for the upcoming school year.

1. Log in to PowerSchool Parent (click here to log in)
2. Update Email and Account Settings (click here for how to steps)
3. Update Student Information (click here for how to steps)

If you need assistance with your account, contact the West Ada Technology Support Team by clicking this link Technology | West Ada School District.

You can purchase optional student device protection for a discounted rate of $20 anytime between now and July 31st. After July 31st, device protection can be purchased for $25.

Steps for Purchasing Optional Device Protection Insurance

1. Log in to PowerSchool Parent: Click here

2. Click on the Payment Portal in the left sidebar.

3. Select the name of the child you would like to purchase protection for.

4. Add Early Enrollment Device Protection or Optional Device Protection to your cart.

5. Click the cart icon in the upper-right corner.

6. Enter payment information and click Submit to complete your purchase.

For more information (including screen shots showing the steps of how to purchase device protection) click here to access the West Ada School District's Device Protection Program Web Page.

West Ada School District families can request a hotspot to provide internet access for the 2025-26 school year.

Any parent/caregiver who wants to request a hotspot can do so by clicking on the "Request a Hotspot" icon in the West Ada Support Portal.

Middle School Pricing and Monthly Menus for the 2025-26 school year

• Breakfast - $2.35
• Lunch - $3.75
• Milk can be purchased separately for $0.75

• Monthly Middle School Breakfast and Lunch Menus can be accessed on the WASD Nutrition Services Web Page

Meal Payments

• Meal payments can be made in person, directly to our Kitchen Staff with cash or check (made payable to School Nutrition). There are no transaction fees associated with in person payment. Payments can also be made online via a LINQ Connect Account.
• Click here to set up or login to your LINQ Connect account.

Free and Reduced Meal Eligibility and Application Information

• Free and reduced meal applications must be submitted each school year. Benefits do not carry over from the previous year.
• Click here to apply.
• Who is Eligible for Free or Reduced Price Meals
• All children in households receiving benefits from Idaho Food Stamps (SNAP), the Food Distribution Program on Native American Reservations (FDPIR), or Temporary Assistance for Families in Idaho (TAFI) are eligible for free meals.
• Children in households that have been directly certified as receiving Medicaid may be eligible for free or reduced price meals.
• Children participating in a school's Head Start program.
• Children who meet the legal definition of homeless, runaway, or migrant are eligible for free meals.
• Children may receive free or reduced price meals if your household’s income is within the limits of the Federal Income Eligibility Guidelines.
• 2025-26 Free and Reduced Meal Income Guidelines (updated 7/24/25)

**A member from our school's nutrition team will be at our Open House on August 6th to answer questions and help with LINQ Connect Accounts and Free and Reduced Meal Applications**

If your child will need bussing (either to and from your neighborhood, and/or the shuttle service that transports students between their home middle school and Crossroads) you must complete a Transportation Request Form in PowerSchool.

A request form must be completed by July 30th to guarantee neighborhood bus service for your child during the first two weeks of school.

Click here for steps on how to submit an online bus registration form.

Neighborhood bus stop and shuttle bus assignment information will be available in early August.