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. Chromebook Distribution

VI. The First Day/Week of School

• Bell Schedule
• Calendar
• Supplies List, etc.

VII. From the PTSA

VII. ASB and Student Announcements

IX. Department News

• Learning Commons
• PE
• Science
• Yearbook
  

X. Clubs (periodic information on extracurricular school activities)

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

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

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

XIV. Tell Us What You Think (new section!)

Friday, August 9 - Teacher Prep Day - teachers not available, but the office is open

Monday, August 12

• Final Chromebook Distribution - 10:30-1:30 p.m. - Learning Commons
• Mosey Monday - 11:30-1:30 p.m. - If you couldn't make it to Orientation, here's your chance to have your own self-guided tour of the campus. Classrooms will not be open, but you can take a look around

Tuesday, August 13 - First Day of School - Single Period Day (see this bell schedule for times)

Wednesday, August 14 - Single Period Day

Thurs/Fri, August 15 and 16 - Block Period Days (see this bell schedule for times)

Thursday, August 22 - Back to School Night - 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Wolfpack families,

Happy Friday! Thank you to the many who were able to attend our new student & parent orientation on Tuesday. It was wonderful meeting so many incoming families, and I hope that you found the time to be helpful as both you and your student get acquainted with Pacific Trails Middle School. If you missed it, here are the presentations from the counselors and administration.

There were some questions about technology use, particularly cell phones, air pods and smart watches. I've included our district wide expectations for all middle school students below so that you and your student are familiar with them. You can also refer to the comprehensive policy available on the "Parents" section of our website.

Cell Phones

• Cell phones will be TURNED OFF from the first bell to the last bell of the day.

• Cell phones and AirPods will be kept in the student’s backpack/bag (not in clothing pockets).

• Cell phone use is not permitted at any time during break, lunch or passing periods.

• Cell phones are not allowed to be used in locker rooms or restrooms at any time. Taking photos or videos in these locations will result in an acceleration of consequences below.

Air Pods/Ear Buds

• Air pods/Ear buds are not permitted unless it is a documented accommodation for academic purposes.

Smart Watches

• Students who chose to wear smart watches must have them in “School mode” through the entirety of the school day.

• Students who have smart watches without “School mode” will be asked to put them away.

If you have not yet checked out your school issued Chromebook, stylus and charger, you can do so in our Learning Commons on Monday from 10:30 - 1:30 pm. Additionally, we have "Mosey Monday" on campus in which students and families can walk around campus to see where their classrooms are located. Please know that teachers will not be available to meet during this time.

Tuesday will be the first day of what promises to be a wonderful, dynamic, and enriching school year. I strongly encourage you to use the weekend to get back into the rhythm of waking up on time and going through the morning routine to practice for the school year. I also encourage you to have a conversation with your student about their thinking of starting a new school year. For many, including my own children, it brings mixed emotions of excitement, curiosity, and a bit of nerves. Often children need a bit of reassurance that any nerves about starting a new school year will be met with teachers and staff who welcome them with smiles, open arms, and joy.

Finally, I want to say "thank you". To be an educator comes with both responsibility and privilege as we serve children and families. This year will include a lot of positive moments, likely some moments in which students struggle, and perhaps even a bit of upset. That is part of the middle school process as students learn about themselves, their world, and their peers. It happens as they develop their friendships, values, and discover their interests. At PTMS, we place great focus on developing habits, both academic and social-emotional, that move your child's life forward. So thank you for trusting us, for working with us, and for partnering with us as we help children realize their best version of themselves.

Enjoy the last week of summer, and we look forward to seeing your students next week.

In gratitude,

Scott Wild, Ed.D.

~ The Assistant Principal will use this section to keep the PTMS Parents and Community informed about the many formulas and opportunities for student success provided here at PTMS.

How to excuse your student's absence from school

• Contact Attendance at PTAttendance@sduhsd.net or 858.509.1000, x4609 as soon as you know your student will be away from school, for whatever reason (illness, medical appt, etc.)
• Provide student first/last name, ID# (if you know it), grade, your name/relationship to student, and reason for absence.

It is nice that parents inform the student's teachers when the kids will be away from class, but the most important person to inform is the Attendance office.

How to unexpectedly release your student from school early (off campus pass)

• Do not contact your student or your student's teacher.
• Contact the Attendance office.
• Provide the Attendance office all the same information as above AND the time you need your student in the office for pick-up.
• Attendance will send a pass to your student to release them from class and to be in the office waiting for you by the time you get here.
• Try to avoid showing up during the lunch times. Trying to find a student among the other 500 students out there is not easy and causes delays for you. PA announcements can not be made due to Homeroom classes in session during lunch times.
• Anyone picking up a student is required to show their ID.

How to clear your student's tardy

• Contact the Attendance office to let them know why your student didn't get to class on time.

Your student is at school but doesn't feel well

• Students who do not feel well or get injured during the school day and want to go home MUST go to the Health Office in Administration.
  
• The Health Tech will assess the student and if it is deemed that the student needs to go home, the Health Tech will contact the parent. Parents then go to the Health Office to release the student from school.
• Anyone picking up a student is required to show their ID.

For complete information on Attendance Procedures, please click here.

Happy Friday, Wolves! We enjoyed meeting our new families at Monday’s Orientation session. If you were unable to attend you can view our presentation here. For tips on how to further support the transition back to school, check out The Child Mind Institute’s Back to School Do’s and Don’ts.

Accessing Class Schedules: Schedules will be available to view in Aeries on Monday, August 12 at 8am. Please click here for instructions to log into your Aeries account to access student class schedules.

SDUHSD Middle School Class Schedule Guidelines:

• We have done our best to honor students’ first, second, or third elective choice and are unable to accommodate teacher requests, period requests, or changes to schedules for extracurricular/athletic activities.

• Level changes in English and mathematics can be addressed through September 10, 2024.

The Counseling Office will address scheduling errors only leading up to and during the first two days of school (ex: students missing a class period on their schedule). Please email your student’s assigned counselor if you see an error on your student’s schedule.

Counselors will be outside the counseling office during break and lunch to help with any questions or any errors on student’s schedules the first week of school. If students need a printed copy of their schedule, they can come to the counseling office to get one.

We are excited to introduce our new School Social Worker, Anna Riley. To learn more about Anna, please see her message below.

Hi! My name is Anna Riley, and I am the new School Social Worker at Pacific Trails! I love working with students and families to support the social and emotional needs of all students. If you are interested in hearing more about mental health support available at Pacific Trails, please reach out to your child's Counselor, Ms. Curry or Ms. Anderson. I look forward to meeting our PTMS families!

We can't wait to see our students next week and wanted to wish everyone a great first day of school!

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

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

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

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

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

All 7th graders and new 8th graders to PTMS need to check-out a Chromebook. Please plan to visit our Learning Commons on a date and time of your choosing as shown below:

Monday, August 12: 10:30 a.m.–1:30 p.m. (Mosey Monday)

Students may pick up their Chromebooks with or without a parent present, or parents can pick up the Chromebook without their student present.

Students will set up their logins in their science classes during the first week of school.

Chromebook Insurance

From time-to-time, your student's Chromebook may get damaged. To help offset the cost of repairs, the district is offering Chromebook Insurance. To get Chromebook Insurance, please click here.

The first day of school is Tuesday, August 13th, and will be a Single Period Day. See more about the Bell Schedule below. School hours are 8:10 a.m. through 2:40 p.m.

The second day, August 14th, is also a Single Period Day. Thursday and Friday will be Block Period Days with Thursday seeing Periods 1, 3, and 5, and Friday seeing Periods 2, 4, and 6.

The second week of school will be the normal Late Start Day on Monday followed by Block Period days for the rest of the week.

A regular school week's schedule is:

- Monday - Late Start

- Tuesday - Block Periods 1, 3, 5

- Wednesday - Block Periods 2, 4, 6

- Thursday - Block Periods 1, 3, 5

- Friday - Block Periods 2, 4, 6

Occasionally, due to holidays, etc. there are deviations to the normal Late Start/Block/Block/Block/Block schedule. To see those deviations, please click here for the PTMS 2024-25 Calendar - Year-at-a-glance.

Please click here to see when the bells will ring during Single Period Days, Block Period Days, and Minimum Days throughout the year.

To keep you informed of events and/or any changes to the main calendar, please keep an eye on the "Live" Calendar of Campus Events on our website. As events are added, rescheduled, or cancelled, this calendar will reflect it in real time.

Start the year off with the tools for success:

- Something to write with (pens/pencils)

- Something to write on (paper in folder or binder)

- Something to carry it all in (backpack)

Students will find out during the first week of school if any of their classes will have further supply recommendations. For Science class, please see recommendations under "Department News" below.

**Note: Student Agendas will no longer be distributed.

All students, both 7th and 8th, are now required to wear PTMS PE clothes during PE class. The shirts and shorts cost $10/per item and are only available for purchase on our online webstore. Parents whose orders are filled before school starts will receive an email notification when they are ready to pick-up from Vetha in the office. Orders filled after school starts will have a message delivered to your student during their PE class to report to the office to pick-up their order. Students will not be required to dress out in PE class during the first couple of weeks, so you have some time. Orders are currently taking approximately a week to fill.

PE clothes size exchanges are easily done in the front office.

PE shirts - the PE shirts only come in Adult sizes. The company says that this type of shirt is simply not made in Youth sizes. If the Adult Small size is still just too large for your student, your student may wear a plain gray t-shirt. This substitution has been approved.

**If your family is dealing with a financial hardship, please talk to your student's Counselor.

Class schedules for your child will be available to view in Aeries after 8:00 a.m. on Monday, August 12th.

Although Summer break isn't officially over, our incredible school staff is already busy preparing for the new school year! The PTSA treated them to a delightful lunch featuring Board & Brew sandwiches and salads.

All staff appreciation events, including this one, are made possible by our PTSA funding. Stay tuned for more information on our fundraising initiatives coming soon!

Volunteers needed!

Your involvement makes a significant difference in the lives of our students, teachers, and the entire school community. By volunteering with the PTSA, you can:

• Make New Connections: Meet other parents and build lasting friendships while working together for a common cause.
• Impact Student Experience: Help enrich our children’s educational experience.
• Support Our Teachers: Play an essential role in initiatives that recognize and support our dedicated educators.
• Share Your Skills: Whether you have a passion for organization, event planning, fundraising, or simply want to lend a helping hand, there’s a place for you to contribute!

No matter your availability or skill set, every bit of help counts! We understand that everyone leads busy lives, so even a few hours can make a big impact.

Come and meet us during Back to School night on August 22nd!

~ PTSA Activity will be posted here throughout the year. You can visit their webpage by clicking here.

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.

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

The PE Department is currently taking donations of your empty Almond Milk/Oat Milk hard plastic containers with handles. We fill these containers with gravel to use as weights.

Order your PE clothes here.

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

Here in the kitchen we are busy getting ready to meet you. In order to get free breakfast and lunch, you need to know your student ID number. Please write it down on a piece of paper or memorize it. We are looking forward to seeing you on the first day of school!

Science Notebooks

Are you going Back-to-School shopping? Don't forget to pick up a science notebook!

All 7th and 8th grade science students will need a notebook that they will bring to their science class daily. These can be a composition style or a spiral bound notebook. We recommend the 8.5x11” spiral bound, 100 page, college-ruled notebooks, but the 7.5x10" size will work as well. We DO NOT recommend the 3 or 5 subject notebooks, as this science notebook must be used EXCLUSIVELY FOR SCIENCE; no other subjects should be in this notebook. (If a student needs a notebook for another class, please get a separate notebook for that class.)

Students should bring their science notebook to class by Monday, August 19th. If a student is unable to get a notebook, please contact your student’s science teacher.

Check out this Guide for Science Notebooks

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

~ 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.

PTMS will host its first English Language Advisory Committee meeting, called "ELAC," on Thursday, August 22, from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Learning Commons. This event is open to the public! Parents of students identified as English Language Learners (sometimes referred to as Multilingual Learners) are encouraged to attend as this meeting which includes important topics about the Multilingual Program at our school, the process for recruiting ELAC board members for the 2024-25 school year to represent this student group, and topics on the importance of school attendance. We look forward to seeing you soon! Coffee will be provided courtesy of Starbucks.

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

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

Parents and community members have a lot to say about the schools our children attend: "My son/daughter is learning so much in that teacher's class." "I really loved that special event." "Who do I talk to about homework or helping out at school?" Well, here's your chance to officially speak to Pacific Trails Middle School. Please take a moment to express your concerns, comments, suggestions, kudos, and questions by clicking the link below or the QR code to the right. We'd love to hear what you have to say and what you think about Pacific Trails Middle School. Every comment will be read and we'll try to respond to all of them. Thank you for taking the time.

Click here to make your comments.

- 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 Student Vehicle Permit - Register your bike/e-bike/scooter/skateboard with PTMS. Complete this form and turn in to the office.

- PTMS Webstore - PE clothes and Limited Series Clothing (While Supplies Last)

- 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