Twin Peaks Middle School

Happy Sunday Ram Families!

I hope this newsletter finds you all well and enjoying your weekend after another event-filled week at TPMS! Our Rams were busy as we finished up our iReady diagnostic testing in math and reading, kicked off our annual Step It Up Assembly and fundraising campaign, STEM science students attended the XSTEM conference in San Diego, and our 6th graders enjoyed our annual WEB Carnival after school on Friday. It was a great week to be a RAM!

Our 6th Grade WEB Carnival on Friday after school was a huge success, largely in part to the amazing leadership of our 8th grade WEB student leaders! A huge shout out to our WEB leaders and their advisors, Mrs. Fenwick and Mrs. McKibbin, for all of their efforts in hosting this year's Carnival and running the game booths, setting up the event, and helping to clean up afterwards.

Also, a big THANK YOU to our amazing PTSA for the Caramel Apple Bar they set up for our Twin Peaks staff on Friday! A special shout out to Mrs. Spratt for all of her efforts in coordinating the yummy treats and setting up an amazing spread for our staff to enjoy. If you haven't joined the PTSA already, it's still not too late... please CLICK HERE to join online!

September is National Suicide Prevention Month, and thanks to the generous support of our TPMS Foundation and PTSA, and through the extraordinary efforts of our TPMS Counseling Team, all 7th and 8th grade students will have a chance to attend a suicide prevention presentation this week by the With Hope Foundation. To help families make an educated decision on whether this student presentation is appropriate for your student, I encourage you to review the information on the With Hope, The Amber Craig Memorial Foundation website and to attend the parent/guardian workshop hosted by With Hope this Wednesday, September 18th from 5-6pm via Zoom (see segment below for the Zoom link). The Twin Peaks staff will take part in a similar presentation during professional time the morning of Wednesday, September 18th.

If you wish to opt your student out of the suicide prevention presentation, please email Christie Hamilton, my administartive assistant, at chamilton@powayusd.com by the end of the day this Monday, September 16th - please make sure to include your student’s name.

Breaking Down the Walls is a series of workshops for TPMS 7th Graders that work to build connections and foster a school culture based on belonging and empathy. This year's workshops are scheduled for Thursday, 9/26 and Friday, 9/27 - 7th graders will be assigned to one of four workshops on Thursday or Friday so that they can participate with their peers. 7th grade teachers have already adjusted their lessons for these days so that students, and staff, can participate without taking on any additional work. If you would prefer that your 7th grader not participate in Breaking Down the Walls, please complete the opt-out list LINKED HERE by this Friday, Septmeber 20th. For an informational video about Breaking Down the Walls, please CLICK HERE!

Last Friday was the deadline to submit your name to be considered as a candidate for the TPMS School Site Council. We did have one parent submit thier name as an interested candidate for our vacant seat on the Council before the deadline - Thank you and Congratulations to Ms. Nichole Jones who will be filling the vacant seat on our School Site Council for the next 2 years.

Finally this week, please make sure to read through the rest of this weeks newsletter for information on the following opportutnities for parents and TPMS students:

• Dress Up Spirit Days for Start With Hello Week
• Japanese Power Hour & after school program starts next week
• Military Family Survey
• CJSF Applications now available
• Upcoming PUSD Parent Education Workshops

Please reach out with any questions about these and other upcoming events, or check our TPMS Website for more information!

In Partnership,

Steve Mills

Proud Principal

Twin Peaks Middle School

stmills@powayusd.com

1(858)748-5131 x2806

Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks

TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS

September 17th: PUSD e-bike Safety Course, 6pm, DNHS

September 18th: Late start - 9:30am

September 18th: Parent Zoom - With Hope: The Amber Craig Foundation, 5-6pm

September 19th & 20th: 7/8th grade Suicide Prevention Workshops

September 20th: Club Fair during both lunches

September 25th: Late start - 9:30am

September 26th-27th: Breaking Down the Walls

September 30th: Teacher Professional Learning, Non-Student Day

October 3rd: RAM Rep Meeting

October 4th: Band Night at PHS, 5:30pm

October 7th & 8th: Minimum Day Schedule - Professional Learning Days

October 21st-25th: Red Ribbon Week

Our 7th and 8th grade students will take part in an important and engaging presentation by With Hope, The Amber Craig Foundation focusing on suicide prevention this Thursday or Friday during their PE class. The purpose of the presentation is to educate, equip, and empower students regarding suicide prevention and mental health awareness. Research shows that suicide is preventable through education and awareness. Patti Ferraro from With Hope will provide students with facts about suicide, alert them to warning signs related to suicide, and provide them with information about how to seek help for themselves or others. This presentation is approximately 45 minutes in length and will take place during your student’s PE class. Our counselors, mental health therapist, student services specialist, and school psychologists will be available to assist students who need additional support during and after the presentation.

To help families make an educated decision on whether this student presentation is appropriate for your student, we encourage you to review the information on the With Hope, The Amber Craig Memorial Foundation website and to attend the parent/guardian workshop hosted by With Hope this Wednesday, September 18th from 5-6pm via Zoom. The Twin Peaks staff will take part in a presentation during professional time the morning of Wednesday, September 18th.

If you wish to opt your student out of the presentation, please email Christie Hamilton, Principal Mills' assistant, at chamilton@powayusd.com by the end of the day this Monday, September 16th and please make sure to include your student’s name.

The presentations are possible due to the generous support of Twin Peaks PTSA and Foundation.

Please contact your student's counselor if you have any questions or concerns.

Wednesday, September 17th - Parent Presentation

Zoom Link: CLICK HERE

Meeting ID: 970 224 9941

Passcode: GoRams!

If you are a member of the Armed Forces, a Reservist, or Veteran, please take a few moments to complete our TPMS Military Families Survey LINKED HERE. Thank you in advance for your time in completing this survey and thank you for your service to our country!

CJSF (California Junior Scholarship Federation) is inviting 8th grade students with a minimum GPA of 3.5 to apply this trimester. (GPA of 3.5 is not an automatic acceptance to CJSF as eligibility is point based).

CJSF is a statewide organization founded for the purpose of fostering high standards of scholarship, service, and citizenship in the middle grades.

Applications can be picked up in the counseling office outside Mrs. Baskin’s office starting Monday, September 9th. Applications and a copy of Trimester 3 grades (from 7th grade) are due Monday, September 23rd to Mrs. Baskin.

Final forms were due to the front office over a week ago and our sports programs have already started. We appreciate all our participation for the fall and are looking forward to the rest of the year. If your student is interested in a winter or spring sport those can be turned into the front office. Go RAMS!

In response to community requests and a desire to address a student safety need, PUSD has partnered with local enforcement to provide mandatory safety classes for all ebike riders. If your child rides their ebike to and from school, attending one of these one-hour classes with a parent or guardian will be a requirement to park their ebike on campus. To provide students ample time to comply, this new requirement will be enforced starting January 6, 2025.

Once you register your ebike at the meeting, you will receive a sticker to place on your ebike and TPMS will receive a notification that you attended the safety class. We appreciate your partnership in taking this important step toward keeping our students safe.

Please note - this class is only required if your student is riding an ebike! If your student is riding a regular bike to school, then our previous registration policy applies. If you registered last year and you have the same bicycle with the TPMS permit still visible, then you are good to go! If you are a new bicyclist to TPMS or have a new bike, please follow the permitting process LINKED HERE on our school webpage.

If your student who is a legal dependent between the ages of 13-18 with a parent/guardian in the armed forces, they are eligible to apply for the Military Child of the Year Award. Recipients will represent a branch of the armed forces — the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, National Guard, and Space Force — for their scholarship, volunteerism, leadership, extracurricular involvement, and other criteria while facing the challenges of military family life. All Operation Homefront Military Child of the Year Award recipients will be flown with a parent or guardian to Washington, D.C., and recognized at the April 2025 gala, during which senior leaders of each branch of service will present the awards. They also will receive $10,000 each, a laptop computer, and other donated gifts. Submissions close on December 2, 2024.

September 2024 Parent Education Courses:

• Gender Identity and Expression Part 1 - All Grades In Person
• Taming Your Child's Tantrums and Meltdowns - TK-5th Grade via Zoom
• Navigating Autism and Supporting Your Child - TK-5th Grade via Zoom

Please note, scholarships are available to parents who may be in need. Parents can contact the Caring Connections Center for more information.

All children in PUSD are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch meals regardless of income for the 2024-2025 school year. Please see the PUSD Food and Nutrition Website for more information. Breakfast is served 30 minutes before school starts daily, if your student can not make it before school, they can receive a free breakfast at morning break! Click here to view the school menus.

Parents/Guardians are still encouraged to complete a meal application online to receive other benefits such free or reduced-price after-school care, discounts on SAT and AP testing fees, reduced internet and utility bills, and food-buying assistance during summer breaks. Meal applications also help ensure that our school receives its fair share of state funding. The website to apply is www.myschoolapps.com. Paper meal applications (for parents that can’t complete one online) are available in the TPMS front office.

*PUSD Food and Nutrition Department is cashless. Parents/Guardians can add money to their students account at MySchoolBucks.com or bring a check to any window to enter in their account for any a la carte items their students would like to purchase.

The Twin Peaks Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is a membership-based, volunteer organization dedicated to making each school year a rewarding and enriching experience for all students. As a volunteer organization, PTSA is integral to the success of many campus events. We fund, organize and provide volunteers for a variety of PTSA programs and important school activities which serve to enhance your student’s middle school experience. We realize that volunteering may not be in the cards for everyone, but your membership and donation will ensure our programs continue to stay funded.

If you would like to contact PTSA please email: ptsaprestpms@gmail.com. Thanks so much!

All Executive Board meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the TPMS Library unless listed otherwise. Association Meetings will be held in September, February, and April. Board meetings are open to PTSA Board Members and Committee Chairs while Association Meetings are open for all members of the Twin Peaks Middle School PTSA:

September 19th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)

October 17th

November 21st

December 19th

January 16th

February 13th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)

March 20th

April 24th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)

May 15th

June TBD

To join the PTSA for the 2024-25 school year, please CLICK HERE!

Our 2024-2025 Executive Board:

President - Melissa Atkinson

Executive VP - Sonnie Humphreys

1st VP of Ways and Means - Rachel Czarzasty

2nd VP of Membership - Shelly Mead

3rd VP of Volunteers - Alicia Tamayo

Secretary - Mikki Trusheim

Treasurer - Steph Cole

Historian - Alicia Gormican

Financial Reviewer - Phil Trom

Twin Peaks Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing educational excellence for ALL students at Twin Peaks Middle School. Their purpose is to bridge the widening gap between the amount of money actually provided by the State of California and the Poway Unified School District and the amount necessary to fund technology upgrades, educational programs and resources necessary to support the school.

The Foundation typically meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the TPMS Library. Here are their monthly meetings dates for the 2024-25 school year:

September 17th
October 15th
December 10th

February 11th
March 18th
May 13th

Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE!

You can always shop Amazon and earn money for Twin Peaks! Just click on the Amazon link below, then start spending!

Nondiscrimination Philosophy and Policy Statement

The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, James Jimenez, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, jjimenez@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jamie Dayhoff, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2840, jdayhoff@powayusd.com.

Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams