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.)

October 28-November 1 - Red Ribbon Week

• Monday Theme - Too Smart for Drugs - Wear College Merch
• Tuesday Theme - Pair Up Against Drugs - Twin Dress-Up Day
• Wednesday Theme - Show How Bright You Are - Neon Dress-Up Day
• Thursday Theme - Halloween Costume Dress Up Spirit Day (see costume guidelines below in the ASB section)/Lunchtime Costume Contest
• Friday Theme - Reddy to Live Without Drugs - Wear Red Day
• Fundraiser Celebration and RRW party w/DJ Eric during both lunches

Friday, November 1 - Trailblazer Awards during lunches

Wolfpack families,

Happy Friday. As we end this week and look ahead to next week, I want to remind you of a few things. Next week, we will hold "Red Ribbon Week" and each day will have various activities. Please see below for more details. Additionally, Thursday our students are encouraged to dress up in their Halloween costumes if they wish. However, it is imperative that you review the Halloween Costume expectations, and again, more information is below. The office staff and I will be dressing as the emotions from "Inside Out" and "Inside Out 2", which we are really excited about!

Have a wonderful weekend and we look forward to seeing your student on Monday.

In gratitude,

Scott Wild, Ed.D.

Principal

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!

Our students got to relax with the Therapy Dogs once again during lunch break on Wednesday. Having a large Wellness Center here at PTMS means that we can have frequent visits in a controlled setting whatever the weather. As always, we are grateful to our friends from Love on a Leash who volunteer to help put smiles on our own wolves faces!

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.

Mark your calendars for our exciting events this month!

**Red Ribbon Week** is scheduled from **October 28th to November 1st**. This initiative is crucial for promoting healthy, drug-free lifestyles among our students. Each day during lunchtime, engaging activities will be offered that all students can participate in.

**Fundraiser Celebration**: On **Friday, November 1st**, we will culminate our Red Ribbon Week with a special dance featuring DJ Eric! Our students can look forward to a lunchtime full of music, games, and plenty of fun. It’s going to be an electrifying atmosphere, and we encourage all students to join in!

**Get Involved!**

There are many ways for you to be a part of our PTSA this year. Whether you have a little time or a lot, any contribution is valued and appreciated. Our association is committed to enriching the educational experience for our children, and we encourage you to reach out if you’re interested in volunteering. Let’s make great things happen together!

**Become a PTSA Member**
Joining the PTSA is a fantastic way to stay connected and influential in our school. Membership not only gives you a voice and enables you to vote during our upcoming general meetings (dates can be found below), but it also comes with some great perks! [Click here for membership details].

Thank you for your continued support and dedication to our school community. Together, we can achieve wonderful things for PTMS. If you have any questions or would like to get involved, please feel free to reach out - president@pacifictrailsmsptsa.org

**Important Dates:**

- General PTSA Meeting: January 31th and March 28th

- Red Ribbon Week: October 28 - November 1

- Fundraiser Celebration (Student Dance during lunch): November 1

- Winter Howl and Arts Night: December 10th

- General PTSA Meeting: January 31th and March 28th

Looking forward to an incredible season ahead! Let’s make a positive impact together!

~ PTSA Website

The annual PTMS Halloween Costume Contest will be held during both lunches on Thu, October, 31! Please review the following "Dos" (things you can/should do) and "Boos" (things that are not allowed) with your student.

Dos: follow PTMS dress code, can include props (holding things), be creative!

Boos: anything simulating a weapon, full face masks, full face paint, anything covering the face, anything violent or suggestive in nature, anything that suggests racial attitudes that reinforce stereotypes about, mock or mischaracterize a culture, group of persons, an individual person or a religion, fictionalized stereotypes that marginalize any one culture, or anything else that would not normally be allowed at school

If you are unsure, please speak to the administration. When in doubt, err on the side of caution.

It's that time again! ASB is hosting the annual Fall Food Drive for 92130 Cares. They are an awesome group that runs free farmers markets for the income-restricted housing communities in our zip code. There are students on our campus that benefit from their work.

The drive will be November 4-22 and ASB will be collecting donations during 4th period on Wednesdays and Fridays during that window.

If you are interested in donating, please be sure there are no glass containers and items are all air-tight, non-perishable items please.

Thank you for all you can do.

ASB presents the Weekly Wolfpack Howl Student Announcements.

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 will help ASB with scholarships for students for getting 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.

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!

The yearbook staff wants to provide an opportunity for parents to submit photos that you've taken of your student or the PTMS team throughout the season. If you are interested in submitting photos, please attach them through this google form. Any photos you are willing to share are much appreciated, and the yearbook students will do their best to potentially include them in the 2024-2025 yearbook!

Two of our PTMS students were named as Honorable Mentions in NPR's Student Podcast Challenge in the Middle School category. Celeste Dufayet (now in 8th grade), and her sister Constance Dufayet (now in 9th grade) submitted and recorded their entry last year in the spring for the national competition. Their podcast, "Middle Schoolers Around the World" focused on the difference in student life, culture, school atmosphere, and more, for students in France, Japan, and here in America. There were over 2000 entries from students all around the country, of which there was one grand prize winner and 56 honorable mentions. Congratulations to both of them!!

You can find the list of all the Honorable Mentions here.

Science Bowl (https://science.osti.gov/wdts/nsb) is a buzzer-based national competition where teams of students from different schools compete in head-to-head science competitions with questions in math, biology, the physical sciences, Earth/Space, Energy, and general science. Students will compete in a regional competition in late February, and will compete in the national round if they win.

PTMS Science Bowl Club that is sponsored by Mrs. Griffen and will be coached by CCA students. Weekly meeting will be held on Tuesdays 3:45-4:45pm in the PTMS Multi-Purpose Room (MPR) Starting September 24th, 2024. Please register using this link: https://forms.gle/GSpar7iUqkxcEmXU9

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.

Each student is entitled to ONE BREAKFAST and ONE LUNCH per day.

You can either receive Breakfast before School OR during Nutritional Break.

If you or someone you know is interested in joining our team, PTMS is hiring for food service workers . Click on the links for more information.

If you need to check our menu in advance, please click here.

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.

Community Engagement Meeting Dates:

11/7 - 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm @ Earl Warren Middle School

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

Frank Kenny, Driver Instructor, reminds us what the flashing lights on a school bus mean. It’s important for all drivers, as well as parents and students, to understand their meaning. Remember:

Amber/yellow lights = Prepare to stop
Red = Stop. Treat this like a regular stop sign.

#NationalSchoolBusSafetyWeek

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.

SDUHSD will be holding an onsite hiring event on Wednesday, November 6, 2024 from 8:30 am - 12:00 pm. We are seeking Instructional Assistants for Special Education and Nutrition Assistants. Application assistance will be available and qualified candidates will be able to interview with a hiring manager. Successful candidates will receive a job offer on the spot!

The hiring event will be held at SDHUSD's District Office, located at 710 Encinitas Blvd, Encinitas, CA. For more information, click here.

Taste of the Village

Holiday Fundraiser

EVA Conservatory

CCA's EVA Conservatory would like to invite the students of PTMS/CVMS to participate in an afterschool Art Camp. We are offering FREE camps of Gelli Printmaking (November 12,13,14) and Soft Sculpture Creatures (November 19,20,21) from 3:50-5:30. Each camp is 3 consecutive days long to complete the designated project and will be held in M206/M207 at CCA. EVA Conservatory students will be paired up as Art Mentors with the middle school students and this collaboration is overseen by art teachers Jessi Mortensen, Holly Vermilea, Cecily Wheeler, and Mary Hynes. Students can sign up for one or both camps and participation is limited to 40 students each week. We are looking forward to sharing some of the art and atmosphere the CCA Art Dept has to offer! Please reach out if you have any questions.

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.

High school students from Canyon Crest Academy and others across the US are hosting free online coding camps for middle school students. They offer Introductory Python, Intermediate Python, Introductory Machine Learning, and Project-Based Machine Learning with more programs planned, and their past programs have achieved 800+ enrollments throughout the country with dozens of positive reviews. These programs usually meet bi/tri-weekly 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.

See below for information about TEAMS.

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