Dust Devil Weekly

Happy Mothers’ Day to all the Joan MacQueen Moms, Grandmothers, and anyone else who fills the role of mom! I know my mom has always been my hero, so I hope you are all having a celebration worthy of the heroes you all are!

It is SBAC week at JMMS. Tomorrow we begin the State mandated SBAC exams in reading and Math. All grades will be taking these important tests. Students have been preparing all year, and now is their opportunity to demonstrate everything they know and know how to do! It is important to get plenty of rest tonight, and a proper nutritious breakfast tomorrow morning. Joan MacQueen students are a whole lot more than their score on a test, but as I always say, it doesn’t hurt to have great scores!

As we continue to focus on attendance at JMMS and districtwide, here are our percentages from the past week:

Monday 5/6: 93.32%

Tuesday 5/7: 95.47%

Wednesday 5/8: 91.89%

Thursday 5/9: 94.27%

Friday 5/10: 94.99%

CONGRATULATIONS TO 6TH GRADE FOR HAVING THE HIGHEST ATTENDANCE RATE FOR THE PAST 2 WEEKS! GREAT JOB!

PERFECT ATTENDANCE WINNERS: JESSE ESCOBAR, JADYN HILAND, RHYANNON PERRIN, ISABELLA SANCHEZ, TRINITY WHEELINGTON

As we approach CAASPP testing, every day at school counts!! Please prioritize attendance and remember when your child misses a day of school they are missing valuable instruction and learning!

Attention 8th Grade Families! The end of the year is rapidly approaching and there are many events that will be happening to celebrate the end of middle school! Please see the attached letter that will have details about the upcoming events. Please also note that a more detailed letter about Promotion will be coming home soon!

8th Grade End of the Year Events Letter

It is time to prepare for the Promoting Class of 2024! We will celebrate with our Promotion Ceremony on Tuesday, June 11th at 8:30am in the JMMS Gym. Please read the letter to families linked below for all of the details about the Promotion Ceremony!

2024 Promotion Ceremony Letter

Please see the Packing List below if your child is planning on attending 6th grade Camp from May 20-24. This list is meant to help guide you as you pack and prep for the exciting week of Camp!!

We are excited to announce a new opportunity for our students! Over the next 5 weeks we will be launching a pilot of the JMMS AM/PM Tutoring Program. Tutoring will take place during the weeks of April 22, April 29, May 6, May 20 (7th and 8th only) and May 27. While we know that this is short notice for the kick off, we also know that once this program is up and running it will be a huge benefit to our students. To begin our program, some students have been invited to come to tutoring with our JMMS teachers. However, we are hoping to have some additional spots available for students to attend, Currently we have tutors working the following times:

Monday-Friday from 7-8am

Monday-Friday from 2:30-3:30pm

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30-4:30pm

We will obviously not have the same availability at every session. If you are interested in having your student attend a tutoring session, please send a request to mmcintyre@alpineschools.net. Please include the following information in your email:

Student name and grade

Days and times your child would be available for tutoring (please include more than one choice so that we can place accordingly)

As spaces become available, you will be notified. Please be aware that you will ONLY be notified once an opening is available. We hope that we will have spots for as many kids as possible but we won't know until we get the program underway. We are excited to explore this new program at JMMS!

• Tomorrow, JMMS shall kick off its 2024 SBAC exams. Students in grades 6, 7, and 8 will begin taking these important State mandated exams in Reading and Math! The school will have a special testing bell schedule this week to accommodate the time needed for students to complete their exams. I often say that no JMMS student can be judged solely on how they perform on a standardized test, but, hey, having good test scores never hurts.

  In order to ensure you are prepared for the exam make sure to follow these tried and true techniques!

  • Make sure to get plenty of sleep the night before any test. Being rested allows for clearer thinking and recall, and the test takers energy level will remain higher than if they did not get enough sleep.

  • Stay hydrated. Drink enough water before the exam. Being dehydrated can fog one’s mind.

  • Have a nutritious breakfast. While we shall be offering a snack break during testing, it is essential to fuel your brains and bodies with proper and healthy nutrition. Avoid caffeine–caffeine leads to a caffeine crash. Avoid junk food and fast food if you can, and opt for healthy whole foods on test day.

  • Get physical! Exercising or playing in the afternoons on test days can help release additional tension and energy, setting you up for another great night’s sleep.

  • Practice calming techniques such as proper breathing or even some meditation.

  These practices are known to lessen the nerves that come with taking important tests.

  Relax! You’ve been working all year in preparation for these exams. Take deep breaths and make sure to take your time. Do YOUR best, and don’t worry about what anyone else is doing. Now you are truly ready to ATTACK THE SBAC!

Did you know that Alpine Union School District has a valuable online resource available to all students — the Sora digital library? Sora provides access to a diverse collection of books, including audiobooks, and can be accessed at any time. Here's how your child can make the most of this resource:

1. Accessing Sora:

• Log into their Google account

• Navigate to Clever (lower left side of Chromebook)

• Click on the Sora app

• Once in Sora, log in using your Google credentials. This is a one-time requirement, and subsequent logins will be automatic.

Note: If you're unsure about your student’s Google login information, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

2. Exploring the San Diego County Public Library:

In addition to our library, students can also access books from the San Diego County Public Library through Sora:

• After logging into Sora, click on the down arrow next to Alpine Union School District (under EXPLORE) on the top left-hand side

• Search for San Diego County Library and click on San Diego County Library Digital Media

• Choose your desired book

• Click "borrow"

• Select Alpine Union School District

• Click on the blue bar

• Click on your student's email address again

• Click on borrow again

• Access the book by clicking on “shelf” at the bottom of the screen

We highly encourage students to make the most of this resource.

JMMS is excited to offer Spirit wear for our Dust Devils! You can find offers and options here:

https://macqueenmiddlespiritwear.com/

If you want to wish your Dust Devil a Happy Birthday either on the marquee or in our morning announcements (or both!) you can fill out this form and turn it in to Miss Lindsay in the front office. Please give us 48 hours notice before the day you would like the message to appear. You can get the form from the front office as well, or print one out from this newsletter.

The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a vital educational tool designed to engage parents and guardians in shaping the priorities, goals, and resource allocation within Alpine Union School District. Developed annually, the LCAP reflects the District's commitment to student success and equity. By fostering collaboration between educators, administrators, and families, the LCAP aims to enhance educational outcomes, promote transparency, and ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for future success. AUSD has developed three LCAP goals as described below:

Goal #1: Effective Instruction and Curriculum - Provide equitable access to high-quality classroom curriculum and instruction in an inclusive environment that promotes student success.

Goal #2: Safe and Respectful Environments - Ensure all school sites are safe and have healthy and welcoming climates for staff, students, and their families so that all students feel connected and are motivated to attend and ready to learn.

Goal #3: Equitable and Culturally Responsible Systems - Ensure systems and processes eliminate barriers to student success and are equitable and culturally responsive to the needs of our students and their families

Monday 5/13 - Friday 5/17 - State Testing Week

Wednesday 5/15 - Late Start Morning

Friday 5/17 - Coffee with the Principal

Monday 5/20-Friday 5/24- 6th Grade Camp