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.)

Week of November 25-29 - Fall Break

December 10-17 - Scholastic Book Fair - Learning Commons

December 10 - Holiday Howl - 5:00-7:00 p.m. - All are welcome!

December 13 - Trailblazer Awards during lunch

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.

December 20 through January 8 - Winter Break - No School - Campus Closed

Wolfpack families,

Happy Friday! As we head into a week off, I want to share what's happening on campus this week, and some things to look forward to when we return. We wrapped up a number of events this week. Today was the last session of our Career Speakers series. These lunchtime events were very well attended, with between 80-100 students attending each session. We hope that this opportunity furthered their interests as they explore possible future careers. Additionally, our ASB concluded our annual Food Drive today. Our homeroom classes worked really hard this year, and in total we collected 985 pounds of food, and all proceeds will go to 92130 Cares. Thank you to our students and community for stepping up and being so generous!

We know that the teachers at Pacific Trails are outstanding at their craft. To be recognized for their work is always nice. In this light, I am elated to share that Mr. Tyler Kuehl who teaches physical education has been selected as the California Teacher of the Year for middle school physical education by CAHPERD. This is a tremendous honor, and Coach Kuehl will be recognized at the state conference in January, 2025. Please help me in celebrating this outstanding achievement!

Over the next week when we are on break, I encourage our students to completely unplug from school. Put down the Chromebook, pick up a book, go play outside, and just be a kid. This will help them with school-life balance. In the same way, our teachers and staff heard the same message from me. They won't be checking email, and this break gives all of us a chance to unwind and spend time with our family and friends, ensuring that we are energized when we return in December.

When we return on Monday, December 2, I want to put a few items on your radar. If your student is interested in trying out for winter sports, you can click here for the link to the Boys & Girls Club for more information on tryouts. Remember that both running club and pickleball are no-cut sports which means anyone can participate.

Finally, our annual Holiday Howl will be on Tuesday, December 10, from 5-7 pm. This is a community event that is free to the public. We will showcase student artists with their work displayed in our art room, and many performances by our various music groups. Additionally, there will be food trucks and raffle prizes, so I hope that you put the event on your calendar and plan on attending.

Have a restful Thanksgiving break, and we look forward to seeing your student when we return.

In gratitude,

Scott Wild, Ed.D.

Principal

Dr. Wild as Waldo greets students and... umm.... fellow K9's during student drop-off time this morning.

Attention Parents/Guardians: CA Healthy Kids Survey is coming up!

On December 4th, your student will be asked to take the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) sponsored by the California Department of Education. The survey will be administered through students' homeroom classes.

This is a very important survey that will help promote better health and well-being among our youth, improve the school learning environment and combat problems such as drug abuse and violence. For more information about what will be on the survey, please read the Consent for California Healthy Kids Survey letter (Spanish version) which has links to survey content.

Your student does not have to take the survey. If you do not want your student to complete the survey or if you have questions, please email Lisa Graciano, Administrative Assistant, at lisa.graciano@sduhsd.net by December 2nd.

STAR Testing

This year all students will participate in the Renaissance Star Reading academic universal screening tests to measure student’s learning and growth over the school year. The Star tests help our schools and teachers evaluate student performance and progress over time in order to provide the necessary student support.

Star Reading is a short (30 minute), low stakes, computer adaptive, academic assessments. Star assessments help teachers better understand what students know and can do in the areas of reading and math. As a student takes the test, the software selects items based on the student’s responses. If the student answers correctly, the next item will be more difficult. If the student answers incorrectly, the next item will be less difficult. By adjusting the difficulty of the items based on a student's responses, the assessment is an accurate way to help teachers identify what skills students are ready to learn. Teachers use this information to guide their instruction.

Scores will be posted by the district in Aeries once they are available.

Winter STAR Testing Dates

• STAR Reading: Monday, December 2nd, Tuesday, December 3rd, or Wednesday, December 4th in English classes (check with English teacher for which day)

If you have any questions please email Administrative Assistant, Lisa Graciano, at lisa.graciano@sduhsd.net, or Assistant Principal Dr. Stephanie Hake, at stephanie.hake@sduhsd.net.

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.

There are several items in the Lost & Found. We have been setting them out on the raised squares of the front of the school, and when not on display out there, they are located in a plastic tub at the Attendance desk. Please look through and claim these items before they are donated to charity on Tuesday, December 3rd.

Establish habits and strategies supporting our well-being

North County San Diego Food Bank

Feeding San Diego

2-1-1 San Diego

Care Solace flyer

Care Solace website

Managing Loss & Grief during Holidays

We had a busy final week of students attending our Career Speaker series. Students got the opportunity to hear a range of interesting talks including an ER Doctor, a Toxicologist, a Neuro-radiologist, Scientists and Business People. All of our speakers were parent volunteers who gave up their time to present in an informative and fun way, and we are very grateful to them. Our students listened attentively and asked really thoughtful questions. Anyone interested in being a Speaker next year should contact our Student Support Facilitator - Samantha Eels-Taylor.

We wish everyone a wonderful and safe Fall Break and holiday and look forward to seeing you when we return on December 2, 2024!

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

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 Community,

As we approach the holiday season, just one more week remains before our Fall Break. Looking ahead, please mark your calendars for our much-anticipated Holiday Howl on December 10th, starting at 5:00 p.m. This is a free event open to the entire community and promises to be a spectacular evening filled with fun and festivities. Join us for a delightful evening featuring:

- Delicious food trucks
- Live performances from our talented band and orchestra
- A showcase of student artwork
- Free popcorn and hot chocolate
- Fun arts and crafts activities
- A raffle with exciting prizes

It’s a wonderful opportunity to come together, enjoy each other's company, and kick off the holiday season in style! Let’s make this event a night to remember and celebrate the joy of community.

Thank you all for your continued support of PTMS, and we look forward to seeing everyone at the Holiday Howl!

The PTSA Team

~ PTSA Website

On December 10th, from 5:00-7:00 p.m., PTMS will host its annual Holiday Howl. This event is open to all community families, including PTMS students and families. We are looking for 16 parent volunteers to help make the event a success. To see the job descriptions and to sign up, please click this link.

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.

Spelling Bee

Is your student interested in participating in the 2025 Pacific Trails Spelling Bee? If so, please have them complete this Google Form no later than Sunday (Dec. 1st). We are currently looking for participants!

The Google Form is also posted on Mr. Copeland's website.

Any questions? Please email Mr. Copeland at: jeffrey.copeland@sduhsd.net

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

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

Order your PE clothes here.

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

Ms Twyman working with students on our first No Place For Hate activity

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.

Wishing Everyone a Safe and Happy Holiday!

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.”

CCA is thrilled to share an exciting opportunity for middle schoolers to explore their passion for dance during their very first CCA Dance Conservatory Workshop/Clinic over Thanksgiving break on November 25-26!

This workshop is designed specifically for young dancers and offers a fantastic chance to enhance their skills, meet fellow dancers, and immerse themselves in a creative environment.

Workshop Details:

For Younger Kids (ages 7-12):

• Time: 9 AM - 12 PM
• Dates: November 25-26
• Activities Include:
  • Two dynamic dance classes
  • Snack break
  • Campus tour
  • Mini performance

For Dancers 13 and Older:

• Time: 1 PM - 2:30 PM
• Dates: November 25-26
• Activities Include:
• Exciting masterclasses with professional instructors Odessa Mae Uno and Miguel Galvan
• Q&A session with current conservatory students

This workshop promises to be a fun and enriching experience while supporting the CCA Envision Dance program, helping to nurture the next generation of dancers.

They would love for middle schoolers to participate! Here’s the link to register.

If you have any questions or need more information, please feel free to reach out at ccaenvisiondance111@gmail.com. We can’t wait to welcome your dancers!

INTEGIRLS

We are the San Diego chapter of inteGIRLS, an award-winning global nonprofit founded to empower girls in STEM through inclusive and fun math contests. On December 8th, 2024, we’ll be hosting our annual winter math competition (location TBD). We are providing free lunch for all attendees. It is free to sign up (though a $10 donation is recommended), and the deadline is December 3rd for registrations. The link to sign up is bit.ly/integirlsspring2024.

Registration is free and open to all female and non-binary students who are comfortable being grouped with women. Students may compete in teams of up to 4, in either the Middle School or High School division. Those without a full team can sign up individually and will be given the option to be grouped with other competitors.

The contest will consist of collaborative and individual rounds (Team, Relay, Individual). It is designed to be accessible to beginners and engaging for more practiced competitors, so we encourage individuals of all experience levels to compete. We will also be inviting Po Shen Loh, famous mathematician and the coach of the USA International Math Olympiad team, to speak with us. Competitors will all receive free merchandise, raffle tickets, and the chance to win exclusive gift prizes!

Registration and further details on contest format are available on our website: sandiego.integirls.org/events/contests.

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