PTMS Weekly Parent Newsletter

I. Coming Up (calendar items in the coming week or so)

II. Message from the Principal

III. Message from the Assistant Principal

• From the Attendance Office

IV. Counseling Corner

• Information on Wellness and Suicide Prevention
  

V. From the PTSA

VI. ASB and Student Announcements

VII. Shout Out Marquee Tiles Now Available!

VIII. Department News

• Learning Commons
• PE
• Science
• Yearbook
  

IX. Clubs (periodic information on extracurricular school activities)

X. Nutrition Services

XI. Multilingual Corner (includes information on ELAC other community resources)

XII. Ethic Studies Engagement Plan - 2024-25

XIII. Special Education Sessions and Events (parenting classes, family events, informational sessions)

XIV. San Dieguito Union High School District Job Opportunities

XV. Community Events (opportunities/events involving the district and its schools)

XVI. Other Important Items (links to the PTMS Family Handbook, Boys & Girls Club, Webstore, etc.)

December 10-17 - Scholastic Book Fair - Learning Commons

December 16-19 - Winter Spirit Week

• December 16-19 - Schedule
• December 16 - Late Start Day
• December 17 - Block 1, 3, 5
• December 18 - Block 2, 4, 6
• December 19 - Minimum Day - School out at 12:25 p.m. - see bell schedule for this day

December 20 through January 7 - Winter Break - No School - Campus Closed

January 8 - First Day of Second Semester

Happy Friday Wolfpack families,

This week was our last full week of the 2024 calendar year. As we approach the Winter Break, it is a great time to reflect on all of the progress our students are making. I've met with numerous families this week, and in doing so, we continue to acknowledge how their student is growing, maturing, connecting with others, and learning. I am really proud of our students in so many ways, and I invite you to take a moment to celebrate how your child has improved since August.

This week was very busy! Tuesday was our Holiday Howl that showcased our amazing student artists and music performers. I am so grateful to our incredibly Arts Department led by Ms. Wheeler, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Hynes who work so hard to foster a love of visual and performing arts, and then create opportunities to showcase their skills. Also, I want to thank our ASB Director, Ms. Main, her students, our PTSA President Ms. Claire Dufayet, and all of the parents who worked to support the event. We had over 500 people attend, and it was a fabulous evening from tip to tail. Most importantly, thank you to our students who performed and shared their art.

This week we have our Scholastic Book Fair in the Learning Commons, and students have been visiting during their English classes. Throughout the week, we have had numerous ways for students to connect and build community. This includes craft activities in the Wellness Center, beach volleyball lunch league at the sand courts at CCA, and a student social today led by our counselors where students eat lunch and decorate cookies together. Finally, we celebrated over thirty students who received Trailblazer Awards for demonstrating good character.

If you are a parent of a 7th grader, I encourage you to ask your student about the song they created in science class this week. Using concepts they learned in their geology unit, students took a popular song and rewrote the lyrics with academic content, and then performed them in class. I was treated to many of them during lunch and break throughout the week and they were amazing!

As we think about next week, we have a minimum day schedule on Thursday, and no school on Friday. Also, we have a spirit week and I have listed the spirit days below.

Monday - candy cane day (wear red and white)

Tuesday - cozy socks day

Wednesday - holiday sweater

Thursday - Grinch day (wear green and red)

Have a wonderful weekend and we will see your student on Monday.

In gratitude,

Scott Wild, Ed.D.

Be sure you contact Attendance (858.509.1000, x4909 or PTAttendance@sduhsd.net) if your student misses or is going to miss any class time.

For more attendance information, please see the PTMS Family Handbook posted on the homepage of our website, or you can refer directly to the Attendance Page. If you have questions or concerns, please contact our Attendance Secretary, Elizabeth Williams, at (858) 500-1000 ext. 4609. Thank you!

Be reminded that for the safety of all students at Pacific Trails Middle School, this campus is closed to the public.

Parents/visitors/former PTMS students/etc. are required to:

• Have an appointment with whomever they are seeing, and
• Check-in at the front office to have your ID scanned and receive a visitor's badge.

Individuals who do not have an appointment will be asked to come back another time when an appointment has been secured. Individuals must have an appointment and must receive a visitor's badge to come on to campus.

Students who get a thirst during the school day often have their own water bottle and are able to quench their thirst right away. They can even refill those water bottles at our water bottle refilling station in the quad by the C building. Students who do not have a water bottle have access to water at our site drinking fountains.

Unfortunately, students have begun to swarm into the Health Office just to get a drink of water. This results in the depletion of that source of water and cups in the Health Office that are reserved for students who are ill or are suffering from a health malady requiring water. There are plenty of ways around campus to quench a student's thirst.

Beginning next week, students wanting a drink of water who are not having a health issue that requires the services of the Health Tech will be turned away from the Health Office and reminded of the filling station and water fountains found around campus.

Thank you for your support.

The SDCOE is hosting an upcoming 2025 Mental Health Webinar Series for Parents/Caregivers in partnership with Rady's Children's Hospital starting in January. This webinar series will provide information on common mental health challenges faced by youth today and will offer information, tips, and tools for parents and guardians. Please see this flyer for more information and to register.

This is often the time when some students apply to private schools for the next school year. If your child is applying to a private school, please know that San Dieguito Union High School District school staff do not write letters of recommendation or fill out any type of rating scales for local private schools. All of our local schools are aware of this policy and it will not inhibit admission in any way. All requests for academic records should be sent to Darrian Geiger, our counseling secretary, using this form.

This week, we wrapped up our student socials. We have loved seeing our students form connections with each other while participating in various activities. We are looking forward to hosting our new student socials for our newly enrolled wolves in January!

On Wednesday, some of our Wolves got creative and decorated mini lanterns in the Wellness Center. Our regular craft activities also help to encourage connection and community and all students are invited to sign-up throughout the semester.

Lisa Curry, Counselor (A-Ll) lisa.curry@sduhsd.net

Carsen Anderson, Counselor (Lo-Z and MLL Students) carsen.anderson@sduhsd.net

Samantha Eels-Taylor, Student Support Facilitator samantha.eelstaylor@sduhsd.net

The window for 8th graders to select - online - the high school they would like to attend for the 2025-26 school year opens on January 24, 2025 and closes on February 13, 2025. Students who do NOT choose to select a high school will automatically go to Torrey Pines High School - the natural feeder high school from PTMS. To keep an eye on High School Selection, please refer to this district webpage.

Please click here for complete SDUHSD Grading Information which includes a Parent Tutorial on accessing grades in Aeries.

Mental Health & Wellness Resources for Students, Staff, and School Community.

Click on the QR code to discover your PTMS Support Staff.

Dear PTMS Families,

Thank you for joining us on Tuesday, December 10, for the Holiday Howl! This free event was open to our entire community, and we had a blast seeing so many of you there. The music performances were fantastic, and the art show was absolutely amazing!

We still have some raffle prizes that haven’t been claimed yet. If you see your name or number listed below, please visit the front office with your ticket and/or ID to claim your prize:

• Lunch with Principal: Winner is Ev Nguyen
• Pickleball Set: Winner is Dylan Bayus
• Candy Jar Contest: Winners are Nick Morad and Allison Z.

Congratulations to all the winners! So many prizes were won, including an Echo Show, Airpods, a Blitzee, a woodburning kit, a Bluetooth speaker, and more! It was a real success!

Thank you to everyone who participated; it is always wonderful to meet you all at these school events. We wish you a joyful winter break and can’t wait to see you at the next Principal Coffee and PTSA General Meeting on January 31st.

Best wishes,

The PTSA Team

Parents and guardians, we need your feedback! The California School Parent Survey (CSPS) is open for your input from Monday, Dec. 2 through Friday, Dec. 13.

Each year, SDUHSD, in partnership with the California Department of Education, collects input from students, staff, and parents/guardians through three separate surveys. Together, these surveys provide schools and districts with critical information that helps assess the needs, concerns, and successes of the entire school community.

The surveys are anonymous and voluntary. Take the CSPS for PTMS using this link or the QR code below.

~ PTSA Website

You can check them out on the Students tab of our website under "Student Announcements" for a running post of each week's student announcements.

Is your student having a birthday? Or just accomplished a great sporting feat? Maybe your student aced a recent test. Well, here's your chance to send a "Shout Out!"! Your $25 purchase of a Shout Out Marquee Tile will have your Shout Out projected on the marquee that is mounted on the gym wall facing the parking lot for five business days beginning the day after you place your order.

Proceeds go to ASB scholarships to help students in need purchase dance tickets, PE clothes, Disney tickets, and more. You can order your Shout Out marquee tile on our webstore. Type in what you want to say when you order. Careful, your note is limited to 100 characters.

Mr. Johnson took his Guitar Class on a Field Trip to Taylor Guitar Factory.

Below, Caroline and Serena strum guitars...

Students touring the factory...

Oscar and Thomas try the various Taylor guitars on display.

Please click here to see everything that the Learning Commons has been up to so far this year.

During lunch, students participated in beach volleyball at CCA as part of our Lunch League games.

Please follow us on Instagram to see what your student is up to during PE class.

Order your PE clothes here.

The best way to spread holiday cheer is to buy a yearbook for your student to enjoy all the memories from this year! CLICK HERE to pre-order your yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year.

Pre-order your Yearbook here. Don't delay! Order your 2024-25 Yearbook TODAY!

Posted on the Activities Page of our website, you can see all the various Clubs now being offered to all students who would like to join (and it continues to grow!) If your student would like to join one of the listed clubs, all they need to do is talk to the Advisor named with the club.

~ Club activity will be posted here throughout the year. To get a list of all Clubs currently active, please check the Activities page on our website.

Each student is entitled to ONE BREAKFAST and ONE LUNCH per day.

You can either receive Breakfast before School OR during Nutritional Break.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining our team, PTMS is hiring for food service workers . Click on the links for more information.

If you need to check our menu in advance, please click here.

SDUHSD invites you to get involved in the Ethnic Studies Engagement Plan 2024-25. The district has developed an Ethnic Studies Engagement plan which will become a graduation requirement for high schoolers in a few years. For more information, including opportunities for involvement in the engagement process, please visit the Ethnic Studies Graduation Requirements webpage.

For a list of Special Education Informational Sessions and Family Events, please click here.

SDUHSD middle school students enrolled in an Essentials Level math class may participate in an SDUHSD Math Bridge opportunity to determine course enrollment in math for the following school year. There are two ways for students to participate in a math bridge opportunity to move from Essentials to grade-level math: 1) enrollment in an in-person summer school course or 2) participation in the Concurrent School Year Bridge Opportunity. For more information on the Summer School Math Bridge Opportunity, please click here. Students interested in participating in the Concurrent School Year Bridge Opportunity can learn more, and register, by accessing the attached information. If you have questions about this opportunity, please contact your child's school site team.

Campus tours meet at 3:45 p.m. near the flagpole outside the CCA Administration Building. School staff and students will lead the tours and give you an insider's view about being a Raven. Parents and prospective students are welcome.

High school students from CCA and across the US are hosting free online coding camps for middle school students. They offer Introductory Python, Intermediate Python, a Java Bootcamp, and Introductory Web Development with more programs planned. Their past programs have achieved 1500+ enrollments throughout the country with hundreds of positive reviews. These programs meet twice or thrice a week for two to three weeks for one-hour classes. More information on dates can be found on their flyer and their website, and the enrollment form is linked here.”

CAMPUS TOURS

~ Activities at our sister schools or district-sponsored events will be posted here.

- Boys & Girls Club - Seasonal sports information/registration.

- PTMS Family Handbook. - PTMS Cell Phone Policy

- PTMS Live Calendar of Campus Events and 2024-25 Instructional Calendar.

- PTMS Webstore

- PTMS Yearbook. - Order today!

- San Dieguito Alliance for a Drug-Free Youth - complete the Parent Pledge here.

- San Dieguito Boys & Girls Club - click the link to the left for 2023-24 athletic schedules.

This newsletter has also been posted to our website under "Parent Communications."

Deadlines to submit articles for publication are Thursdays.

Email: vetha.pierce@sduhsd.net
Website: pt.sduhsd.net
Location: 5975 Village Center Loop Road, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858.509.1000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pacifictrailsmiddleschool