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. Department News

• Learning Commons
• PE
• Science
• Yearbook
  

VIII. Clubs (periodic information on extracurricular school activities)

IX. Nutrition Services

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

XI. Ethic Studies Engagement Plan - 2024-25

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

XIII. San Dieguito Union High School District Job Opportunities

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

XV. Other Important Items (links to the PTMS Family Handbook, Boys & Girls Club, Webstore, etc.)

December 20 through January 7 - Winter Break - No School - Campus Closed

January 8 - First Day of Second Semester

• January 8 - Single Period Day (NOT a Late Start) - school starts at 8:10 a.m.
• January 9 - Block 1, 3, 5 - as usual
• January 10 - Block 2, 4, 6 - as usual

January 15 - Therapy Dogs in the Wellness Center - during both lunches

Wolfpack families,

Happy Thursday. As we wrap up December, we have so much to be grateful for. Our school and our community work so well together as we work to raise young people. On behalf of our entire staff, let me say "thank you." We appreciate the opportunity to care for your student, to challenge them to grow academically and socially, and to further build habits and skills that will help them now and in the future. They have worked hard during this first semester, and I know you have as well. We don't always see parents sitting with their children to help with homework, or racing out to the store to get that one item for the school project that is due tomorrow. But we know how much you do to help your student. So thank you for being amazing parents!

This week was fun and filled with spirit. From fuzzy socks to holiday sweaters, kids and staff alike were dressed in a lot of fun ways. We also had the first round of our spelling bee, and a huge shoutout to Mr. Copeland and our English department for leading this annual event.

As we get ready for Winter Break, a reminder that our staff will be on vacation and the school will be closed. Students will return on Wednesday, January 8th, and it is a single period day that begins at 8:10 a.m.

Finally, for those who celebrate, I want to wish you and your family a Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas, and Happy Kwanza. I wish each of you a safe and festive New Year, and we look forward to seeing your student in 2025!

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!

Items in our Lost & Found will be donated on Wednesday, January 8th. Please be sure you and/or your student checks the Lost & Found for missing items.

As we end the first term and head into Winter Recess, we celebrate the incredible diversity in our district and honor that many families will celebrate special holidays like Christmas, Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa.

No matter your plans, we encourage you to take some time to reflect and recharge. This time of year can be busy with events and expectations and may bring seasonal stress or grief. It is important to acknowledge feelings and prioritize caring for yourself and others. By taking care of ourselves and others, we can create a community of kindness

to experience the season.

Support is available in our community during the break. Please use the following links:

Food Resources: San Diego Food Bank | Feeding San Diego (closest food distribution/pantries)

Community Resources: Call 2-1-1 https://211sandiego.org| holiday, utility, housing & financial assistance)

Counseling Supports:

• Care Solace can help you quickly find options to match your needs, regardless of the circumstance. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365—call 888-515-0595, visit caresolace.com/sduhsdfamilies, or click “Book Appointment” for assistance by video chat, email, or phone.

• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 for help

• Call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 9-8-8

• Call CA Youth Crisis Line 24/7 1-800-843-5200

• Emergency Assistance: Call 9-1-1 or and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) responder or go to the closest hospital ER for support

Thank you for a great fall term. We hope you enjoy your time off and we look forward to welcoming you back in the new year!

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

The window for 8th graders to select - online - the high school they would like to attend for the 2025-26 school year opens on January 24, 2025 and closes on February 13, 2025. Students who do NOT choose to select a high school will automatically go to Torrey Pines High School - the natural feeder high school from PTMS. To keep an eye on High School Selection, please refer to this district webpage.

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 Families,

Thank you for joining us on Tuesday, December 10, for the Holiday Howl! This free event was open to our entire community, and we had a blast seeing so many of you there. The music performances were fantastic, and the art show was absolutely amazing!

We still have some raffle prizes that haven’t been claimed yet. If you see your name or number listed below, please visit the front office with your ticket and/or ID to claim your prize:

• Lunch with Principal: Winner is Ev Nguyen
• Pickleball Set: Winner is Dylan Bayus
• Candy Jar Contest: Winners are Nick Morad and Allison Z.

Congratulations to all the winners! So many prizes were won, including an Echo Show, Airpods, a Blitzee, a woodburning kit, a Bluetooth speaker, and more! It was a real success!

Thank you to everyone who participated; it is always wonderful to meet you all at these school events. We wish you a joyful winter break and can’t wait to see you at the next Principal Coffee and PTSA General Meeting on January 31st.

Best wishes,

The PTSA Team

~ PTSA Website

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.

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

Order your PE clothes here.

The best way to spread holiday cheer is to buy a yearbook for your student to enjoy all the memories from this year! CLICK HERE to pre-order your yearbook for the 2024-2025 school year.

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

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.

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.”

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.

- "Shout Out" Marquee Tile - 5-day stretch for $25 - Say something special about your child!

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