Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the Desk of Principal Mills
Sunday, April 28th, 2024
Happy Sunday Ram Families!
I hope this newsletter finds you all well and enjoying this last weekend of April! We have 6 weeks of school remaining before summer break and a whole lot of activities and events going on between now and then. CAASPP testing is right around the corner, followed closely by our legendary 6th Grade Olympics, then Academic Awards Night, end of year concerts for band and choir, and finally the 8th Grade Harbor Cruise, 8th Grade Breakfast and Promotion on the last day of school. Buckle up and get ready for a fast-paced and exciting end of the school year!
To add to the fun and excitement of the end of the year, our ABC's of Spirit started this past Thursday with Anything but a Backpack Day... students came up with some pretty creative options to carry their belongings from class to class. Students - you can earn 5 Star Points each day when you dress up and participate - check out the list of the spirit days days and some photos from Thursday below!
A huge shout out and THANK YOU to our TPMS Foundation for sponsoring our Breaking Down the Walls workshops this past Monday and Tuesday. The goal of BDTW is to try and have students and staff connect with each other to lay the foundation for a campus culture is that more kind, more inclusive, and more empathetic. Participants played games, met in small groups, identified the good and the bad at TPMS, and had a chance to see what things they have in common and what differences exist too. Check out some pictures from the workshops below - we plan to run similar workshops for next year's 7th Graders in the fall.
Students began their preparations for our annual CAASPP Testing this past week in their Homeroom classes. This included "cleaning" their Chromebook memory to maximize it's performance and to open up the online practice tests to get used to the online testing platform. Please make sure your student charges and brings their Chromebook with them to class all week as they will continue to interact with the online testing environment and will have a chance to review practice math and ELA questions on their Chromebook. For more information on the upcoming CAASPP Testing, please see the information section below with details about each test and how to prepare your student for success.
Our annual PTSA Academic Awards Night is coming up on Wednesday, May 29th. Students eligible for academic awards will receive notification by Mid-May and are strongly encouraged to attend the evening event with their families to be recognized! Here is the schedule for the evening:
- 6th Grade Awards: 5:00-5:45pm
- 7th Grade Awards: 6:00-6:45pm
- 8th Grade Awards: 7:00-7:45pm
End of the Year activities for our 8th Graders are quickly approaching; more information will also begin to be posted on the TPMS website later this week:
- 8th Grade Harbor Cruise: Monday, June 3rd from 5-9pm. Tickets will be going on sale in mid-May for this event.
- 8th Grade Breakfast: Wednesday, June 5th during 1st block. Information on donations and volunteers will be emailed out in the next few weeks.
- 8th Grade Final Assembly: Wednesday, June 5th during 4th block. This will be a fun-filled final send-off for the TPMS class of 2024!
- 8th Grade Promotion: Thursday, June 6th starting at 8:30am. Gates will open at 7:30am and attendance is limited to family members of promoting students.
8th Grade Students: Please CLICK THIS LINK to vote on your favorite t-shirt design. Voting closes Wednesday, May 1st. Please remember that students on the Loss of Privileges List will not be able to participate in the Harbor Cruise, Breakfast, and 8th Grade Final Assembly.
Finally this week, make sure to take a look at all of the other events and activities that are coming up in the next 6 weeks and GET INVOLVED at TPMS! If you are looking for a way to give back or get involved, please consider volunteering for the 6th Grade Olympics, or donating a silent auction item for the Band Pizza Night fundraiser, or volunteering for the Painted Rock Spring Fling coming up this Saturday. We are also looking for a few parent volunteers to help us construct a new shade structure for the science patio that was recently purchased by the TPMS Foundation. There's a lot of different ways to GET INVOLVED at TPMS, so please look below or reach out if you want more information on how to help out.
In Partnership,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
1(858)748-5131 x2806
Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks
Upcoming Events at Twin Peaks MS
TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS - Click here for Calendar
May 1st: Late Start, 9:50am
May 8th: Late Start, 9:50am
May 8th: School Site Council Meeting, 3:45-5pm
May 9th: PUSD Board Meeting, 6pm
May 9th-14th: CAASPP Testing - Minimum Days!
May 15th: Late Start, 9:50am
May 16th: PTSA Meeting, 6:15pm, Library
May 16th: Choir Concert, 7pm, Little Theater
May 21st: TPMS Foundation Meeting, 6pm
May 22nd: Late Start, 9:50am
May 22nd: ELAC Meeting. 5:30-7pm, Library
May 22nd:Choir Concert, PCPA w/ PHS, 7pm
May 23rd and 24th: 6th Grade Olympics
May 23rd: Choir Concert, PCPA w/ PHS, 7pm
May 27th: Memorial Day - NO SCHOOL
May 29th: Late Start, 9:50am
May 29th: Academic Awards Night, 5-8pm
June 3rd: 8th Grade Harbor Cruise, 5-9pm
June 5th: 8th Grade Breakfast (first block)
June 6th: 8th Grade Promotion, 8:30am - MINIMUM DAY
The ABCs of School Spirit!
Anything But a Backpack Day
Annual Band & Orchestra Music Fundraiser
Come out and support the TPMS Band at their annual Pizza Night Fundraiser and Silent Auction!
WHEN: Saturday, May 4th from 5- 8 pm
WHERE: Poway Community Center
We still are in need of volunteers for our music event! All bands and orchestras will play while you enjoy dinner and can shop our silent auction tables!
VOLUNTEER and DONATE FOOD
Fundraising allows the purchase all of the sound equipment (speakers, cables amps) used at performances, drum sets, electric pianos, 5 violas and 5 violins, all 6th grade music books, reeds for all instruments, and accessories to maintain all school/donated instruments.
Click here for ticket sales for our Annual Pizza Fundraiser!
SDCOE Computers2Kids Event
The San Diego County Office of Education and Computers2Kids are hosting an event for families to purchase affordable computers on Saturday, May 4, 2024, from 9 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at Granite Hills High School at 1719 E. Madison Avenue, El Cajon, CA 92019. (Drive Thru Event). Click here for specific details.
Since the beginning of the 2023-24 academic year, the partnership between SDCOE and Computers2Kids has provided refurbished computers to San Diego families. As of March 2024, they have provided approximately 3000 refurbished computers to over1,300 San Diego families. We hope your families are able to benefit from this event.
Volunteer Opportunity - Painted Rock Spring Fling!
TPMS Students! Painted Rock's Spring Fling is Friday, 5/17, from 4:30-7:30pm. There are many volunteer opportunities including: setup, working a booth and/or clean up!
Click HERE to sign up!
Feel free to contact Mrs. Buswell, the Painted Rock PTA President, with any questions: rebeccabuswell@hotmail.com
6th Grade Olympics!
Mark your calendars for our 48th annual 6th Grade Olympics on Thursday, May 23rd and Friday, May 24th. The Olympics are hosted by our PE department and sponsored by TPMS PTSA. Students will be out on the Twin Peaks upper field competing in: relay races, mini marathon, long jump, hurdles, high jump, shot put, discus events & much more! Don't miss the chance to cheer on your student and their Olympic team!
Help is needed to make this event a huge success. If you're interested in volunteering during the two day event please sign-up here: Volunteer Sign-Up 6th Gr Olympics.
Please contact Melissa Atkinson at PTSAPresTPMS@gmail.com. Volunteers will still be able to watch/cheer for their student(s) and have access to the infield.
Breaking Down the Walls
CAASPP Testing Is Coming - GET READY RAMS!
We will begin preparing for our school-wide testing or CAASPP (California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress) when we return from spring break. These tests are incredibly important for our school and our community, impacting a variety of factors including local property values and state education budgets.
In order to allow our students the best opportunity to be successful on the CAASPP, we are focusing our efforts around 4 testing days in their homeroom classroom. This will allow students an opportunity to focus their efforts on the tests they will be taking without having to attend their regular classes. It is critically important that your students are present and ready for our 4 school-wide testing days - May 9th, 10th, 13th, and 14th. Please make sure your students are present and ready to give their best effort by not scheduling appointments or other engagements that would take them out of school during our testing window. Students who are absent will have to make up the tests that they miss upon their return.
All students will need to have a set of wired earbuds or headphones for their Chromebook to use during testing. Please work with your student(s) to identify a set of earbuds or headphones that they can use and operate comfortably prior to our first test day on May 9th. We will have individual sets of wired earbuds available for students who do not have their own. Make sure your student continues to charge their Chromebook each night in preparation for testing the next day.
Please find this 2024 Parent CAASPP Notification Letter for more information.
Parent Education Workshops
May 2024 Parent Education Courses:
- Navigating Autism and Supporting Your Child – 6th- 8th Grade NEW
- Shaping Positive Behavior: Strengthening Emotional Intelligence in Children TK-5th Grade NEW
Scholarships available for families that may be in need. Thank you and have a great week.
- FREE English Parent Education Workshop: Coping Skills for Anxiety and Depression Among Children and Teens
Via Zoom
Tuesday, May 14th from 6:00pm-8:00pm
- FREE Spanish Parent Education Workshop: Coping Skills for Anxiety and Depression Among Children and Teens
In Person – Valley Elementary School
Tuesday, May 14th from 6:00pm – 8:00pm
*Childcare provided for school-aged children
Promotion Yard Signs NOW AVAILABLE!
Attention 8th Grade Parents: Promotion yard signs are now available to purchase! Please fill out the Google Form (https://forms.gle/ifiX1nWAmkvStXCA9) and follow the instructions. Sales will be open through Monday, May 6th.
Cost: Personalized $15 / Generic $10
Signs will be delivered to campus. Pick-up coordination will be sent out once we receive them.
Questions? Email: PTSAPresTPMS@gmail.com
The Power of Words - Working Together to a Build Positive Campus Culture
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 on The Power of Words, to ensure that students understand the impact of what we say and how to support someone when biased and hate speech is used. We invite you to view the presentation HERE and discuss it with your student.
Impacting the language students use each and every day is not something that we can accomplish without parent/guardian support. Please talk with your student about the importance of treating each other with respect and kindness, and that there is no place for biased or hate speech at Twin Peaks Middle School. If your student is the target or witnesses this biased or hate speech, please encourage them to tell an adult on campus: we will address it. Our Student Handbook LINKED HERE outlines behavior expectations for students on pp. 16-19, including specific information Hate Behavior, Insensitive or Inappropriate Remarks and Behaviors, and Harassment. Please review these pages with your students. I also encourage you to read THIS ARTICLE from Boston Children's Hospital that provides some insights for parents on how to discuss racial slurs and words that hurt with your students.
April Homeroom Door Decorating Competition
ASB is kicking off another Door Decorating Challenge the week of April 15th, with an emphasis on Earth Day and keeping our campus clean. Each homeroom class is challenged to create a door decoration illustrating the importance and significance of Earth Day. THE CHALLENGE: Decorate the door of your Homeroom classroom celebrating Earth Day! Some Ideas: reduce-reuse-recycle, new TPMS trash rules, appropriate ways to dispose items in the school trash cans, what to do with extra food, ways to protect our school environment
Judging Criteria:
- School-appropriate language & pictures/drawings
- Covers most of the door
- Please make your door as colorful and as engaging as possible
- ASB andAdmin will judge the doors on Wednesday, May 1st
If you share a room or have questions, please reach out to ask. We look forward to your participation and creativity!
Newsies Tickets Now on Sale!
Arms Wide Open’s inclusive theatre arts program, Inspire, is excited to announce its spring show - “Newsies”. This performance will take place in May 2024. The cast consists of 40 talented singers, dancers, and actors, including TPMS students! All performances will take place at the Sonrise Rise Church - Located 8805 Magnolia Ave, Santee, CA 92071 and tickets are now on sale at THIS LINK!
Newsies the Musical is based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899; this new Disney musical tells the story of Jack Kelly, a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys' expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action.
Inspire is a musical theatre group, that invites performers of all abilities and all ages to experience the richness and joy of being part of an all - inclusive musical theatre cast. The unique abilities shared by each cast member will not only create phenomenal musical productions, but will demonstrate the beauty of inclusivity in theatre as well as in all aspects of life.
PUSD New Student Enrollment
Poway Unified New Student Enrollment for the 2024-25 school year opens online, April 1 at 8:00 a.m.
We can’t wait to meet our new students, including our new Kindergarten and TK students! New Student Enrollment for Poway Unified School District is an on-line process on our website. Packets can be completed digitally using any computer, tablet or smartphone with an internet connection. Please contact your assigned school of residence to schedule an appointment if you do not have access to a device/internet or need assistance with completing the online enrollment packet. School starts on August 21st for the 2024-25 school year. Welcome to PUSD!
Please Get to School On-Time!
Parents - please make every effort to have your student here before classes begin each day at 8:30am, or before 9:50am on Wednesdays. We are actually experiencing a larger percentage of students late to school on Wednesdays when we have late start than on our regular start days. Please try and drop your student off at school by 8:15am or regular days and by 9:30am on late-start Wednesdays so that they have time to get to their first block class on time; we open the school gates 30 minutes before classes actually start, and our Food Services provide a free breakfast for students during this time or during the morning break after first block.
Multilingual Program Updates!
First, we are excited to share a new tool you can access to support your student(s) that are English Learners. The EL Console is our new application where parents can see student’s progress towards reclassification. You can view their ELPAC scores along with their progress on iReady and SBAC assessments. To access the EL Console, follow these quick steps!
Second, our English Learner department has a new Instagram and Facebook account you can follow! You can see amazing learning in action, get updates from the EL Department, and learn how to continue to support your child. You can follow along at @pusdmll !
Attendance Corner
Is your Student leaving early? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730 that morning. Leave a message and a note gets sent to the student that block. Bring in your ID, sign the student out, and away you go!
Is your Student running late? Absent? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730
Leave a message with the requested information and the Tardy or Absence will be excused.
Did your student go to the Doctor/Dentist/Orthodontist/Dermatologist/Optometrist?
It is beneficial to his/her attendance record to bring an official medical note to the Attendance Desk. Any absence excused by a medical note does not count toward your student’s absence total.
Main Office Drop-Offs
As a general rule, we do not accept drop-off items for students once they arrive at school. While we do make exceptions for medical and emergency situations, our TPMS Student Planner states: "In an effort to limit classroom interruptions as well as encourage students to become more independent and self-sufficient, Twin Peaks does not allow delivery of forgotten lunches, PE clothes, homework, non-emergency messages, or other items during the school day."
Delivery food and Door Dash-like companies may not deliver to students at school; additionally, cell phones will not be held for students at the front desk for them to pick up. Breakfast and lunch items are provided to all students, free of charge, so there should not be any reason to drop off a lunch for your student - they will be able to get food at school. If your student has food allergies that require special lunches, the Student Planner states you "must provide a Medical Statement (SNP-925) that explains the need. The medical statement must be signed by a physician and include recommended alternate foods."
TPMS Yearbook Info
Yearbooks are available for $55. Reserve yours now!
Pay by card: Go to www.jostens.com or use the QR code above.
Pay by cash/check: Download the typable 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.
PTSA Meeting Dates 23-24
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
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:
- May 16th
To join the PTSA for the 2023-24 school year, please CLICK HERE!
TPMS Foundation 23-24
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 2023-24 school year:
- May 21st
Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE!
Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation
Twin Peaks Middle School
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.
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams