Middle Academy
Leadership Team: Nicole Cooley, Principal
AT A GLANCE
Grades: 6-8
Student hours: M-F 7:20 AM – 2:20 PM
Office hours: M-F 7:10 AM – 3:40 PM
Enrollment: 205
Uniforms: The Columbia Heights Middle Academy uniform includes a navy polo and navy, black, or khaki bottoms.
A Welcome Letter from Your Principal-
Dear CHMA Families -
Believe it or not, we're just weeks away from the start of the 25-26 school year! My name is Nicole Cooley, and I'm thrilled to be stepping into the role of Principal at CHMA. I've been a teacher and leader at the middle and high school levels for the last two decades, and alongside the whole CHMA team, know that I could not be more happy to have your child(ren) in our school community.
As you get ready to kick this year off, I want to share some key dates and details about the year ahead and also a bit of advice I've received (and regularly re-read, as my own son begins to enter this oh-so-important stage of life) from middle school students, teachers, principals, and parents over the past few years.
25-26 Key Dates and Details
At Columbia Heights Middle Academy, our purpose is to provide an excellent education to our scholars. By creating a community in which scholars can belong, achieve, and grow into their authentic selves, we make it possible for our mission to be felt and realized:
Prodeo Academy is a college preparatory school that is developing critical thinkers and reflective leaders, strengthening their character, and expanding their opportunities to contribute positively and productively to society.
This year, we have two named priorities that will, no doubt, accelerate us toward this vision. We will:
- Build a sense of belonging and agency for staff and students, and
- Grow a culture of learning and achievement within our school community.
In order to make these goals come alive, we need your support and partnership.
- Consistent school attendance is paramount in creating belonging and building achievement. We want our average daily attendance to be at or above 94%, meaning no student will miss more than a day of school each month. If this could be a challenge for you or your child(ren), let us know; we’re here to problem solve and offer support however we can.
- Equally important is building our students’ love of reading! This year, we’re building a school library, and we could not be more excited to be doing so! When students find books they love, it opens the door to so much more learning. Please talk to your child regularly about what they’re reading, read with them, let us know if they feel stuck, or make a date to visit the library together.
Thank you in advance for helping us to achieve these goals together!
The Wild, Wonderful World of Middle School: Reminders or Tips to Savor this Special Time
Whether you're new to the CHMA family community or you've been around for a while, I want to welcome you to the wild, wonderful world of middle school parenting! Your child is on a journey of self-discovery, and you’re along for the ride—whether you’re ready or not.
As you read through the tips below, I hope you do so knowing that your child is so incredibly lucky to have YOU as their parent or guardian. These tips or reminders may ‘fit’ the moment you’re in with your child or they may not, and that’s ok. As a parent myself, I find that it’s always helpful to build my perspective and toolbox, and I imagine many of you may enjoy doing the same.
- Don’t Let your Kid Peak in Middle School.
Middle school is the last, ultimate low-stakes playground. Grades don’t count toward high school GPA, so encourage your child to ‘go for it.’ They’re developmentally prone to take risks, so give them positive outlets for that urge. Try that new club, audition for the play, or join the soccer team—even if they’ve never kicked a ball. The goal is exploration, not perfection. And as such, don’t let moments of failure get you down. Middle school is where kids’ academic and social lives get exponentially tougher—often with them struggling in both categories for the first time. Your child will juggle multiple teachers, each with their own energies and expectations. It’s a crash course in time management and resilience. Let them navigate that late assignment or friend-group drama, and know they will have support at school as they do.
- Step Back, but Stay in the Game
Give yourself permission to let go a bit. This is your child’s time to unearth their gifts. Nudge them (gently or not-so-gently) to try new things, even if they roll their eyes; they’ll thank you later. Let them take the lead but be on the journey with them. CHMA will provide a variety of ways for you to stay engaged and we WANT you to be a part of our community! It helps us better serve our students, and be more responsive to family needs. So please, don't hesitate to reach out! Call your child's advisor, shoot a teacher an email, and/or set aside time to read the grade-level newsletters in Parent Square. We want to be on this journey together!
- Every Day is Different. Keep Talking, Even When It’s Tough
Middle schoolers crave independence but still need to know you’re their biggest fan. Keep communication lines open, even when they offer one word responses to your questions. When they do open up, take the time and dive into their world. Ask about their favorite game, music, or TikTok trend. Show genuine interest in the things most important to them. Remember that your kids like having you nearby, even if you’re not directly engaging.
And remember that NO, that doesn’t mean you need to be their friend. You are the parent. It’s OK (and often wise) to say no. It’s OK to put limits, or even restrictions, on technology. It’s OK to read the friend group chat (if you can even keep up with it!). To support your child’s health and mental health, limits–though sometimes hard to set–are necessary.
- Expect a Daily Rollercoaster.
Teachers joke that middle schoolers are like human kaleidoscopes—shifting from grumpy to giddy to lovestruck in a single day. Some days your kid will be a self-sufficient superstar; others, they’ll need you to take the lead on tasks they’ve been able to do independently for years! Roll with it. Take a deep breath, say a prayer, and know that the rollercoaster is normal.
- Embrace the Weird—It’s a Feature, Not a Bug
Middle schoolers are gloriously kooky, and teachers, with their front-row seat to the adolescent circus, can confirm: weird is normal. Your child is trying on new identities constantly! Know that this is the age when abstract thinking kicks in, sparking both brilliance and blunders. They might gain sudden interest in social causes while at the same time telling fibs to dodge homework. Though lying is NOT okay, it’s something middle schoolers do, and when they do–-because they will—we have a chance to teach empathy and accountability. Ask: “Who did that lie hurt? How can we make it right?” This is prime time to establish moral compasses while keeping the lines of communication open.
If you have tips that would help middle school parents navigate this special time, please share them! Adolescence is a time of AMAZING development, and given our constantly changing world, our approach to supporting adolescents must also constantly evolve.
Thank you for reading, for choosing CHMA, and for the partnership I’m sure we will build in the coming years. I'm sincerely eager to be back working in middle school; kids at this age are so much fun, and educators who choose middle school do so with such earnest dedication to supporting every kid who walks through their door. Please know that we’re here to partner with you, embrace the weird, cheer the tries, and let your kid stumble a bit—they’ll learn to soar.
Sincerely,
Nicole Cooley, Principal
