Twin Peaks Middle School

Happy Sunday Ram Families!

I hope this week's newsletter finds you all well and excited for our final week of instruction before the Winter Recess. PUSD schools will be closed for the Winter Recess from December 23rd thru January 3rd. Students will return to school on Monday, January 6th, 2025. The Friday before Winter Break has traditionally been a minimum day - this Friday, December 20th is NOT a minimum day this year! The calendar on the back of the student planner is incorrect and this Friday, December 20th has a regular Friday release time of 3:05pm. Also, our ASES after school program will NOT be open this Friday, December 20th.

It will be a busy and spirited five days with events planned before and after school everyday this week! December 16th-20th is Winter Spirit Week, so come ready to show your spirit and Ram Pride! We have holiday-themed dress-up days each week, so have some fun and dust off that favorite stuffed animal for Monday, find your white-out gear for Tuesday, get your ugly sweater or tacky holiday gear ready for Wednesday, channel your inner-grinch on Thursday, and stay in your PJs this Friday! Don't forget to swing by the main stage in the quad each day at lunch to pariticpate in the ASB activities and to get your 5 Star Points!

Dr. Ben Churchill, our new PUSD Superintendent, will be visitng the Twin Peaks campus for the first time this Thursday from 11am-12pm. Our time with Dr. Churchill will be limited, so we hope to have him meet as many of our staff and students as possible. To this end, his time on campus will be pretty structured, from a meet and greet with our office staff & counseling team, a tour of the campus during student lunch, a meet and greet with our Leadership team, and some time in Pride Park visiting with students during the Cocoa and Craft event. We look forward to welcoming Dr. Churchill to our campus this Thursday!

Our amazing PTSA is setting up a Santa Sweets & Reindeer Treats holiday spread for our staff this Friday, December 20th. Your donations are needed to help make this happen - please CLICK HERE to access the sign-up genius and help out. Thank you in advance for supporting our amazing TPMS Staff and PTSA!

There is an PUSD E-Bike Safety Class scheduled for students and their parents on Wednesday, January 8th at 6:00pm in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Mt. Carmel High School. The class is aimed at promoting safe and responsible e-bike usage and is required for students who will be riding an ebike to school. Attendees are highly encouraged to arrive at 5:30pm so you have enough time to find parking and the PAC. We hope to offer additional classes in the new year as dates and locations are scheduled.

Poway Unified School District welcomes you to participate in the Secondary Economics Textbook Adoption. PUSD secondary schools have recommended a new History Social Studies (HSS) curriculum for the high school Economics course. Please visit our Secondary Curriculum Adoptions page for more information and directions on how to provide feedback. Community members can provide feedback through this Friday, 12/20/24.

We are starting to plan for our TPMS College & Career Fair on Wednesday, March 19th and we need parents/guardians to share their careers with our students! If you are interested in showcasing your career for our students and are available during our lunch time on March 19th (11:45am -12:52pm), please consider volunteering! Check out the information below with a Google form link to sign-up and contact information if you have any questions.

Finally this week, I hope all of our Twin Peaks students and families have a relaxing Winter Recess and from my family to yours, I wish you all a very Happy Holidays and all the best for a prosperous and peaceful 2025! Our next TPMS Newsletter will come out on Sunday, January 5th.

In Partnership,

Steve Mills

Proud Principal

Twin Peaks Middle School

stmills@powayusd.com

1(858)748-5131 x2806

Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks

TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS

December 16th: Jazz Band Concert, 5pm, PCPA

December 17th: Orchestra Concert, 6pm, PHS

December 18th: 6th Grade Winter Concert, 6pm, MPR

December 19th: Dirty Dough Fundraiser, All Day, 14751 Pomerado Rd, Poway, 92064

December 19th: 7th/8th Grade Band Concert, 6pm, PHS

December 20th: Band/Orchestra Concert before school, Quad

December 20th: After school ASES Program is closed.

December 23rd - January 3rd: Winter Break

January 6th: First Day of School in 2025!

January 6-10th: iReady Reading testing in Social Studies classes

January 13-17th: iReady Math testing in math classes

January 20th: MLK Day - NO SCHOOL

We have 4 student teams competing at Poway High this Sunday in the First Lego League Regional Competition. Our Rams have put in a ton of work in preparation for their sessions, and our students will be compeitng against 40 other San Diego area middle schools in competition sessions they have been preparing for all school year!

Below is a picture of one of the teams that organized their own field trip a few nights ago so they could learn more about buoys - this is a concept they are using in their innovation project today when they present to the judges! These outstanding students took the initiative to find out more about their topic beyond the school day and tapped into some experts from our community - way to go Rams! The other photos are members of our Robo Rams during Sunday's competition - results fromt he competiton were not ready at presstime, so look for an update in the first issue in January! Kudos to our Robo Rams advisor and STEM Teacher, Mrs. Faulkner, for her time and leadership in providing this opportunity to our students!

Attention volleyball players! The first week of VB skill evals is in the books and we had a huge turn out with a lot of students excited to represent TPMS!!!! Next week will be our last week of skill evals before teams are selected. Please keep in mind that the teams are not set in stone for the season and players can be moved up and down. We had an unexpected conflict come up in the gym for next week so we will need to make an adjustment for skill evals. Monday 12/16 will be our 7th and 8th graders down in the gym and Wednesday 12/18 6th graders will meet at the lunch tables by the PE building from 3:15-4:30! We are sorry for the last-minute change and appreciate your flexibility! Please reach out with any questions!!!!

Students will be made aware of the changes in the morning announcements.

Monday 12/16- 7th and 8th grade in gym 3:15-4:30

Wednesday 12/18- 6th grade lunch tables by PE locker room 3:15-4:30

Friday 12/20- Teams posted

Please complete, sign, and return the following required forms to your student’s teacher as soon as possible but no later than Friday, January 10, 2025:

• Pink Student Registration Form
• Blue Medication Authorization Form (If taking meds to camp)
• Payment (Checks should be made payable to: Twin Peaks Middle School.)

***The cost of camp is $455. If you have questions about the cost of camp as set by the Poway Unified School Board, please reach out to Ms. Ana Moreno at (858)748-5131 ext. 2808***

The counseling/student services team will present our second No Place for Hate school-wide lesson to all Homeroom classes this month. This focus of this lesson is Online Hate and Harassment, to ensure that our students understand the impact of what we post online. We invite you to view the presentation HERE and discuss it with your student.

TPMS will be starting an e-sports (electronic sports, aka video games) team that will complete against other schools in online matches including Rocket League, League of Legends, and Super Smash Brothers. We are looking for interested TPMS students and plan to launch in the New Year with help from Poway High School and their e-sports program. To sign-up, please CLICK HERE!

Come join us for an evening at The Cork & Craft to enjoy drinks, food, opportunity drawings, a silent auction and best of all, to hang out with other Ram families! This social event for parents/guardians will be Friday, January 31 from 6-8pm. Lite bites and one beverage are included with your ticket. There will be opportunities to win cash, bid on teacher experiences and socialize with TPMS staff and fellow parents! We hope you will invite a friend and come celebrate the New Year! Please CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets!

We are starting to plan for our TPMS College & Career Fair on Wednesday, March 19th and we need parents/guardians to share their careers with our students! If you are interested in showcasing your career for our students and are available during our lunch time on March 19th (11:45am -12:52pm), please consider volunteering!

College & Career Fair Details

Date: Wednesday, March 19th

Time: 11:45am-12:52pm

Location: TPMS Quad

If you would like to participate by sharing fun facts and other information about your work and career with our students, please complete our Google Form: bit.ly/tpccf2425. We look forward to partnering with you for this exciting event. Please contact Melissa Baskin, mbaskin@powayusd.com, if you have any questions.

• FREE Teen Positive Parenting Program (English) via ZOOM

Wednesdays, January 8th, January 15th, and January 22nd, 2025 from 6:00pm – 8:00pm

Click here for the flyer and more information!

With fire season upon us we want to assure parents and guardians that we have appropriate response systems in place when emergencies arise. Our first priority will always be the safety of our students and staff on campus.

When Twin Peaks becomes aware of any incidents in the geographic area of the school site, we will focus first on the safety of our campus while working with law enforcement, emergency responders, and the District for guidance and support for communication. Communication with parents is part of the response plan, but will be secondary to immediate safety. As soon as we can, we will message families with details of school-wide incidents such as lockdowns or evacuations. Please ensure your contact information is up to date in ParentVue in the “My Account” section.

Finally, we have been asked by first responders to remind our families NOT to come to campus in times of emergency – there have been several instances when officers, firefighters, and their ability to respond to the emergency have been hindered by parents rushing to the scene. Should an emergency occur, we will send out messages about dismissal or reunification procedures for families when first responders indicate it is safe to do so.

Yearbooks are available for $55. Reserve yours now!

Pay by card: Go to www.jostens.com or use the QR code

Pay by cash/check: Download the order form from our webpage

http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/ or pick up a form in the office. Return the form and cash or check to the school office.

Want more information about Yearbooks? Go to http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/

Calling all proud families of 8th graders here at Twin Peaks! 8th Grade Recognition Ads are open and ready for purchase. Go to www.jostens.com and click on Recognition Ads to start the process of celebrating your 8th grader in this year’s yearbook! Deadline is February 1st so don’t delay!

Want more information about Yearbooks? Go to http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/

Please complete the free/reduced-price meal application! Although school meals are free for all students, the application for free and reduced-price meal eligibility is still very important. School funding depends in part on the number of students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. If income-eligible families do not apply, we risk losing important educational funds for our school.

Students who are eligible for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify for discounts on testing fees, before and after school care, and home internet! Income qualifications change annually, so a new application is needed every school year. For school year 2024-2025, children from a family of four are eligible if the total gross (pre-tax) household income is less than $4,810 per month, or less than $57,720 per year. Household income information is confidential and applying online is quick and easy. Apply online at MySchoolApps.com, or pick up a paper application in the school office.

In response to community requests and a desire to address a student safety need, PUSD has partnered with local enforcement to provide mandatory safety classes for all ebike riders. If your child rides their ebike to and from school, attending one of these one-hour classes with a parent or guardian will be a requirement to park their ebike on campus. To provide students ample time to comply, this new requirement will be enforced starting January 6, 2025.

We are excited to announce an upcoming E-Bike Class for students and their parents, aimed at promoting safe and responsible e-bike usage. The class will take place in the Performing Arts Center (PAC) at Mt. Carmel High School on Wednesday, January 8th at 6:00pm. Attendees are highly encouraged to arrive at 5:30 so they have enough time to find parking and the PAC.

Once you register your ebike at the meeting, you will receive a sticker to place on your ebike and TPMS will receive a notification that you attended the safety class. We appreciate your partnership in taking this important step toward keeping our students safe.

Please note - this class is only required if your student is riding an ebike! If your student is riding a regular bike to school, then our previous registration policy applies. If you registered last year and you have the same bicycle with the TPMS permit still visible, then you are good to go! If you are a new bicyclist to TPMS or have a new bike, please follow the permitting process LINKED HERE on our school webpage.

The Twin Peaks Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is a membership-based, volunteer organization dedicated to making each school year a rewarding and enriching experience for all students. As a volunteer organization, PTSA is integral to the success of many campus events. We fund, organize and provide volunteers for a variety of PTSA programs and important school activities which serve to enhance your student’s middle school experience. We realize that volunteering may not be in the cards for everyone, but your membership and donation will ensure our programs continue to stay funded.

If you would like to contact PTSA please email: ptsaprestpms@gmail.com. Thanks so much!

All Executive Board meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the TPMS Library unless listed otherwise. Association Meetings will be held in September, February, and April. Board meetings are open to PTSA Board Members and Committee Chairs while Association Meetings are open for all members of the Twin Peaks Middle School PTSA:

January 16th

February 13th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)

March 20th

April 24th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)

May 15th

June TBD

To join the PTSA for the 2024-25 school year, please CLICK HERE!

Our 2024-2025 Executive Board:

President - Melissa Atkinson

Executive VP - Sonnie Humphreys

1st VP of Ways and Means - Rachel Czarzasty

2nd VP of Membership - Shelly Mead

3rd VP of Volunteers - Alicia Tamayo

Secretary - Mikki Trusheim

Treasurer - Steph Cole

Historian - Alicia Gormican

Financial Reviewer - Phil Trom

Twin Peaks Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing educational excellence for ALL students at Twin Peaks Middle School. Their purpose is to bridge the widening gap between the amount of money actually provided by the State of California and the Poway Unified School District and the amount necessary to fund technology upgrades, educational programs and resources necessary to support the school.

The Foundation typically meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the TPMS Library. Here are their monthly meetings dates for the 2024-25 school year:

January 14th

February 11th
March 18th
May 13th

Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE!

You can always shop Amazon and earn money for Twin Peaks! Just click on the Amazon link below, then start spending!

Nondiscrimination Philosophy and Policy Statement

The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, James Jimenez, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, jjimenez@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jamie Dayhoff, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2840, jdayhoff@powayusd.com.

Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams