Twin Peaks Middle School

Happy Sunday Ram Families!

I hope this week's newsletter finds you all well and enjoying your weekend - HOORAY for some much needed RAIN!! It was a bit of a crazy week with the Santa Ana winds howling and the threat of local fires popping up, but our students and staff did an amazing job of working through the adversity and challenges and continued to focus on their learning and what was going on in the classroom. We have another four-day week with NO SCHOOL this Monday, January 27th - TPMS staff have a professional learning day so there is no school for students and our main office will be closed. We look forward to seeing students back at school on Tuesday, January 28th with a 5-7-1-3 schedule.

Despite the challenges, we had another amazing week at Twin Peaks with a lot happening outside of the classroom including A Night in Candyland dance tickets going on sale, our annual PTSA Spelling Bee on Wednesday afternoon, the AMC8 Math Competition was held for the first time on Thursday after school, we sent our student leaders to Disneyland for training on Friday, and we proudly awarded our Teacher of the Year and Classified Employee of the Year awards to our well-deserving Ram staff members. Congratulations to our TPMS Teacher of the Year - Special Education Teacher Tanner Mizel, and our TPMS Classified Employee of the Year - Noon Duty Camelia Weed! Enjoy their pictures and stories below.

I'm happy to report that as of Friday, 96% of students have completed their iReady Reading diagnostic, and 91% have completed their iReady Math diagnostic - GREAT JOB RAMS! We have 2 more weeks to get as many students through the winter diagnostic test before the window closes on February 7th. Students - don't forget to bring a charged Chromebook with you to school each day!

You're invited to the first PUSD Safety Summit of 2025 this Tuesday, January 28th from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in the Community Room at the PUSD District Office - the focus for the Summit will be Student Wellness & Mental Health. This event will also be live streamed on the PUSD Board of Education YouTube channel if you are not able to attend in-person. Panelists will include mental wellness experts Heather Nemour, SDCOE Coordinator, Student Wellness & School Culture and a representative from Lifeline Community Services with a parent presentation on suicide prevention and intervention.

I hope you will join the TPMS Foundation and I at our Foundation Winter Social being held at The Cork & Craft this Friday, January 31 from 6-8pm. Lite bites and one beverage are included with your ticket. There will be opportunities to win cash, bottles of wine, and bid on silent auction items including teacher-donated student experiences! It's also a great chance to come out and socialize with TPMS staff and fellow parents... please CLICK HERE to purchase your tickets TODAY! I hope to see you there!

Tickets are now on sale to the A Night in Candyland Dance, happening on Friday, February 7th from 5:30-8pm. Tickets will be sold in the main quad during both lunches through this Friday, January 31st for $10 each, and then the price will increase to $15 each from February 3rd-6th. NO TICKETS WILL BE SOLD AFTER THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 6th! As always, we need parent volunteers to make this dance a reality, so please consider donating an item or come and help supervise the fun! Please CLICK HERE to sign-up!

The PTSA is planning on hosting an Our Staff is SOUP-er Bar on Friday, February 7th and could use your help in providing soups, salads, sides and desserts for the event. Please CLICK HERE to access the Sign-up Genius page and see how you can help celebrate the best Middle School staff in PUSD! Thank you in advance for your consideration!

Finally this week, 8th Grade Yearbook 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! The deadline for submission is February 1st so don’t delay!

In Partnership,

Steve Mills

Proud Principal

Twin Peaks Middle School

stmills@powayusd.com

1(858)748-5131 x2806

Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks

Tanner was nominated for the outstanding work he has done with our ESN program and the incredible inclusion support he provides his students to access general education settings. His leadership on the Aspire Team over the past two years has been an incredible support to the team and its work, and his willingness to share his knowledge of technology strategies, especially around the use of AI and its aplication for education, has been a huge support to many on our staff. Congratulations Tanner, and THANK YOU for all that you do to make Twin Peaks more inclusive!

Camelia was nominated for the incredible support she provides our students and staff as a noon duty, but also for her willingness and adaptability in assuming other roles when needed. Camelia can often be found in the health office, subbing as our health technician, but has also stepped in as our receptionist when needed too. Her gentle and patient, but also direct approach plays perfectly for our middle school clientele! She has watched generations of our Rams grow-up in this community, and provides us with a great perspective as a PUSD parent. Congratulations Camelia, and THANK YOU for all you do to make Twin Peaks safe and welcoming!

We had 21 students participate in the Spelling Bee on Wednesday afternoon, and even had a little bit of a crowd with parents, teachers, and students in attendance to watch our spellers battle! It took almost 90 minutes to whittle the field down to our final two spellers - 7th grader Bentley Nooris and 8th grader Savitha Murphy. Both students battled back and forth with each have multiple chances to spell the championship word! It was a nail-biter finish with Bentley correctly spelling "Cherokee" to take this year's title! 3rd place honors went to 8th grader YuBing Sui, last year's runner-up! A big SHOUT-OUT to our Librarian, Mrs. Uyloan, and our PTSA President, Mrs. Atkinson, for their work as judges for the event, and to the PTSA for sposoring the event and providing prizes and certificates for our participants.

On Thursday, we had 18 students participate in the AMC8 Math Competition after school in the Library. The feel of the competition was a little different, but there was still a nervous air in the room as our Ram-athletes sat down to take on the national math quiz. Students were challenged by the 25 problems they had to complete in the 40 minute time period, but most felt good about their effort when all was said and done! A big SHOUT-OUT to Mrs. Jimenez-Bautista, one of our amazing math teachers, for her work in organizing this year's inaugural event for Twin Peaks! We hope to have results back in the next week to share with the students.

TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS

January 27th: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - Staff Workday

January 28th: PUSD Safety Summit, Community Room 6:30–8pm

January 29th: Late Start, 9:30am

January 31st: All Star Basketball Game, 4pm, BMMS

January 31st: TPMS Foundation Winter Social, 6pm

February 1st: PUSD Transfer Window Opens

February 5th: Late Start, 9:30am

February 7th: Welcome to Candyland Dance, 5:30-8pm

February 10th-14th: 6th Grade Camp

February 17th-21st: President's Break - No School

February 28th: PUSD Continuing Student Registration Opens

We've secured a block of tickets RIGHT BEHIND THE GOAL for the SD Gulls March 1st game vs. the Bakersfield Condors. This game will have a Pregame Tailgate Mardi Gras celebration as well as a Gulliver (he's the mascot) jester bobblehead giveaway for the first 8,000 fans!

In addition to this, if we sell 50 tickets, all kids will be able to go down and make a "high-5 tunnel" for the players when they take the ice at the beginning of the game! If we sell at least 75 tickets, everyone will go down on the ice after the game for photos! If we sell 100, we can possibly have some players come to school for demonstrations with our students and they will open up the rink for a free-skate for us after the game! Tickets are only going to be $35, and a percentage of each ticket sold comes back to the school as a donation.

The game is Saturday, March 1 at 6:00pm at Pechanga Arena. If you've never been to a hockey game before, now is the time! It's a super fun, fast-paced game that everyone will enjoy!

Here is the link to purchase your tickets: https://fevo-enterprise.com/event/Twinpeaks030125

Questions?! email Coach Spy at jspychalski@powayusd.com

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!

Black Mountain Middle School will be hosting an All Star Basketball Charity Game on January 31st at 4:00pm. The Eastside Basketball team (Twin Peaks, Meadowbrook, and Bernardo Heights) will be competing against the teams representing the Westside of PUSD (Oak Valley, Mesa Verde, Black Mountain). All proceeds from this event will be donated to Love on a Leash. You can purchase tickets at the door, at Black Mountain, or via Venmo. Click here for more information.

Twin Peaks Choir is a before school program. We rehearse every Tuesday and Thursday before school in the TPMS little theatre from 7:15-8:15am.

We will have 3 performances during the second half of the year - one community performance at a retirement home, one concert at Twin Peaks and one concert combined with Poway High School. The Poway High school concert will be on Wednesday and Thursday, May 21-22 with rehearsal on Monday and Tuesday, May 19-20th.

Please click here to sign-up: Twin Peaks Choir Spring 2025

Calling all 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/

ASB is thrilled to announce that our TPMS Students have been committed to keeping our campus clean these last few weeks and have earned the right to after school events back! We would like to formally invite your student to attend our Valentines Semi-Formal - A Night in Candyland, which will be held in the TPMS Quad from 5:30-8:00 PM on Friday, February 7th. Students will receive more information in their homeroom classes next week, but we wanted to make sure that you had time to mark your calendars and plan accordingly! If you are interested in donating items or volunteering to help out with the dance, please CLICK HERE to view our sign-up page. Questions about the dance can be directed to our ASB Advisor, Mrs. Crow at kcrow@powayusd.com.

It’s hard to believe it, but it’s already time to begin to think about the 2025-2026 school year! If you didn't catch them last week, here are some important dates to mark on your calendars for next school year:

• Transfer Requests - beginning on February 1st at 8:00 am, we will accept transfer requests for students who live in the Poway Unified boundaries and would like to attend a different Poway school. This includes incoming siblings of current students, as well as students who have not yet enrolled. Transfer requests can be made on the Poway Unified website by clicking THIS link. The transfer window closes on March 31st at 5:00 pm.

• Continuing Student Registration - from February 28 - March 31st, all parents whose current students will continue in Poway Unified for the 2025-26 school year need to complete online continuing registration. Look for more information coming soon.

• New Student Enrollment - beginning on April 1st at 8:00 am, new student enrollment opens on the Poway Unified website. We are excited to welcome our new students!

**More details can be found on the Poway Unified website at www.powayusd.com.

Join Life Planning Specialist Wendy Smith for an insightful presentation on why creating a plan matters, how to take the first steps, and where to find support along the way. You’ll also have the opportunity to ask questions and connect with fellow parents, gaining valuable insights and support. Start building a strong foundation for your child's future today! Flier found here.

On February 27, 2025, at 6:00 p.m., Valley Elementary School will host PUSD's first-ever IEP Basics training exclusively in Spanish. In collaboration with the Exceptional Family Resource Center, this event is designed to support PUSD Spanish-speaking families of students with IEPs. More details are available in the event flier.

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.

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/

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:

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:

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