
Dust Devil Weekly
Sunday, March 23, 2025
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
This was a week of class trips and camp visits. For a few days this week we only had 50% of our students on campus, as the 6th graders were off enjoying Camp Cuyamaca, and our 7th graders took their turns visiting the San Diego County Innovation Center. Sorry 8th graders, but there is plenty of fun coming your way.
Now we turn our attention back to the important work of school–teaching and learning, and preparing to do our best on the SBAC. As we approach the SBAC for our 6th - 8th grade students, we want to ensure that every child is set up for success. These assessments provide valuable insight into your child’s academic progress and help guide future instruction.
To help your child perform their best, please prioritize the following:
✅ Attendance – Make sure your child is present and on time each testing day.
✅ Rest – A good night’s sleep is essential for focus and stamina.
✅ Breakfast – A nutritious meal fuels the brain and helps with concentration.
SBAC testing begins May 5, 2025, and we appreciate your support in making sure your child is ready to shine! If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
Thank you for partnering with us in your child’s education!
Enjoy this edition of the Dust Devil Weekly.
JMMS ATTENDANCE MATTERS!
Once again this school year we will be focused on improving school wide attendance at JMMS! Each week we will report out our daily attendance rates. Our goal is to be above 96% each day...we can do it!
Monday 3/17: 90.02%
Tuesday 3/18: 85.79%
Wednesday 3/19: 96.01%
Thursday 3/20: 91.02%
Friday 3/21: 95.26%
Did you know that an Excused absence is the same as an Unexcused absence for a student? If your child is going to be out for an extended amount of time, you can request and Independent Study Contract. This contract acts as attendance for the time they are not in school, as well as, allowing students to stay on top of their studies!
Campus Highlights!!
- Engineering classes have been hard at work making incredible projects in Trimester 3!
- Our 7th graders visited the Innovation Center on a Field Trip this week and had a great time learning about Science and Technology in a hands on experience!
- The 6th graders who did not attend camp this week had an awesome week in Camp 504! Ms. Rincon planned a fantastic week of activities including hands-on science, arts & crafts and cooking! How fun!
6th Grade Camp!
Our campers had an eventful week and returned exhausted but happy! They hiked, learned about the animals and plants of our region, and even had an amazing talent show! Camp is an experience that they will remember forever. Thank you to Ms. Zarick, Ms. Domenick, Ms. Maize, and Ms. Boggs for taking care of our kids at camp. Our Dust Devils represented JMMS with respect and we are so proud of them!!
SORA LIBRARY
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.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: 8TH GRADE PROMOTION DATE
This year we are excited to announce that our 8th Grade Promotion will take place on Wednesday, June 4th at 4 pm. As many families know, we usually have our Promotion on the last day of school early in the morning. However, this year that would fall at the same time as Granite Hills' Graduation ceremony. We know that many of our families will be celebrating their graduating Seniors that morning so we have decided to celebrate our promoting 8th Graders the afternoon before. We are excited to have our ceremony at a special after school event. We look forward to seeing you all there!
TK & Kindergarten Enrollment
It is time for Open Enrollment at Creekside for the Dual Language TK and Kindergarten programs. Space is limited so if you are interested, contact Creekside to sign up now!
HERE'S THE SCOOP...PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE CONTINUES!!!
We appreciate your patience as we put all of the pieces in place to get our JOAN MACQUEEN PTA MEMBERSHIP DRIVE underway! And....it is time! Our Membership Drive has begun! You can join online beginning NOW for just $15 a membership. We have set a goal of 200 members and we are well on our way with already 50 members! Please consider joining our newly formed PTA. PTA is a vital part of any school community and JMMS is excited to have a PTA back on campus to support our students, staff and greater school community! We will be hyping up the students by hosting a little membership competition. The grade level with the most memberships will receive a MEGA ICE CREAM SUNDAE SOCIAL! The second place grade level will receive ice cream cone party and the third place will receive a popsicle party. We want to reward all grade levels as this is an exciting time for JMMS and our newly formed PTA! You can join by using the link here:
Chromebook Reminder!
As we begin the year, it is important to remind your student that they need to have their Chromebook each day charged and in their backpack. While we know that we want our middle schoolers to work on becoming more independent, we also know that it takes time. So, as they work to develop these skills, please help them by giving them reminders nightly to charge their Chromebooks and then to put it in their backpack in the morning. Thanks for your continued support!
JMMS Spirit Wear
JMMS is excited to offer Spirit wear for our Dust Devils! You can find offers and options here:
UPCOMING DATES
Monday 3/24: Incoming 6th Grade Parent Orientation
Wednesday 3/26: Baseball Spirit Day
Friday 3/28: Coffee with the Principal