PDCMS Panther Update

Hello Panther Families,

This week has been filled with exciting learning experiences and opportunities for our students! First, I want to congratulate our students on successfully completing ELPAC testing. Their hard work and dedication are truly commendable, and I appreciate the support from our staff in making this process smooth and successful.

Additionally, our Broadcasting class had a fantastic visit to the PDHS Broadcasting class, where they gained valuable insights and inspiration from their CTE high school counterparts. It’s wonderful to see our students exploring future opportunities and expanding their skills in media and communication.

Our p.4-5 8th grade Humanities students were honored to welcome Tim and Peanut Harper from Coach Wooden’s Pyramid of Success program. As a special treat, former world #2 tennis player and President of the Little Star Foundation, Andrea Jaeger, spoke to our students about perseverance, character, and success. It was an incredible experience for our Panthers to hear from such an accomplished athlete and leader.

Thank you to our students, staff, and community for making PDCMS such a great place to learn and grow. Have a fantastic week ahead!

Go Panthers!
Principal Dolan

• March 4th - 8th-Grader visit to PDHS
• March 5th - Panther Chat with Principal Dolan 6-6:30 pm via Zoom
• March 6th - Lincoln Elementary Future Panther Rally
• March 7th - WCS, Carter & Reagan Future Panther Rally
• March 10th - National Charity League Blood Drive
• March 12th - PDCMS Governing Council Board Meeting at 3:30 pm in Rm 126
• March 14th - Student of the Month Assemblies
• March 21st - Wisdom Writer's award Ceremony at 10:00 am in the Library

Attention Panther Parents! The PDHS Foundation invites you to a special event featuring guest speaker Paul Kanarek, presenting "What I Wish Someone Had Told Me When I Was a Middle School Parent." Don’t miss this insightful opportunity to gain valuable advice on supporting your child’s academic journey. We hope to see you there! Details below:

PDCMS Middle School Sports Director, Megan Panko, has begun distributing applications for the upcoming softball and soccer season. Please note that applications are due by March 3rd, with tryouts taking place that same week.

Students can pick up applications at the front office, Room 106, or ask their PE teachers for one.

We encourage boys to join the softball team—let’s get more players involved!

If you have any questions, please contact Megan Panko at megan.panko@desertsands.us.

• March 26th - PDCMS @ LQMS
• April 1st - IMS @ PDCMS
• April 3rd - PDCMS @ CMPMS
• April 8th - PDCMS @TJMS
• April 14th - DRA @ PDCMS
• April 17th JGMS @ PDCMS

2:30 pm bus departure

3:15 pm game starts

4:45 pm return to school

The results for the 2025 Wisdom Writers essay contest are in! Congratulations to every single student who wrote an essay, as well as to those awarded Honorable Mention, and those who were awarded 3rd, 2nd, or 1st-place for each grade level.

The Award Ceremony will be held on March 21, 2025 at 10:00 am, in the Library.

8th Grade

1st Place: Tucker Silveira

2nd Place: Kristie Huang

3rd Place: Emrey Wilkinson

Honorable Mentions: Giselle Ovanesian, Jonah Adelman, Andrew McCauley

7th Grade

1st Place: Kaiden Richter

2nd Place: Oliva Peng and Katelyn Ly (tied for 2nd-place)

3rd Place: Lily Uhlin

Honorable Mentions: Ariel Lopez, Mia Sacks, Elijah Garcia, Marguerite Munoz Long, Fernanda Martin Del Campo Garcia

6th Grade

1st Place: Ilana Nelle Aquino

2nd Place: Stella Wealand

3rd Place: Abigail Ruiz

Honorable Mentions: Peyton Kaimer, Karson Kemp, Harper Draper, Delaney Firestine, Liam Lopez, Kendall Halterlein

Congratulations Scribes!

Coach Johnny Perez wants to give a well-deserved shoutout to our PDCMS track team! Last Thursday, they competed in a challenging track meet at Shadow Hills High School. Despite the long and exhausting day, our athletes delivered outstanding performances against the other schools. Coach Perez is incredibly proud to have led a team that showed unwavering support, encouragement, and Panther spirit throughout the event. Special recognition goes to Emma Hays, Gavin Stjerne, and Stella Wealand for demonstrating exceptional leadership during the meet. Great job, Panthers!

PDCMS Middle School Sports Director, Megan Panko sends her congratulations to the entire PDCMS track team! Though small in numbers, our team was mighty in performance. A special shoutout to Emma Hays for earning 2nd place in the Girls’ 100-meter dash and 2nd place in the Girls’ Softball Throw.

Our PDCMS Girls' 4x400 relay team—Katerina Bengtson, Aleksandra Fedunin, Natalia Botello, and Kennedy Ritter—secured an impressive 3rd place finish. Meanwhile, our Boys’ 4x400 relay team—Alfonso Lopez, Oliver Franco, Jack Allen, and Gavin Stjerne—raced their way to 2nd place.

Way to represent PDCMS with pride and determination!

A Bridges Update:

To join the Bridges waitlist, please email our coordinator at caitlin.huddleston@desertsands.us. As space becomes available, we will provide updates and more information to those on the waitlist. Thank you!

Support our PDCMS Color Guard Team as they make history! Our team is the only middle school in the world competing against high schools and colleges at the WGI Competition in Dayton, Ohio this April. Help us get there by making a donation—every contribution brings us closer to this incredible opportunity. Thank you for supporting our talented students!