Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
TWIN PEAKS MIDDLE SCHOOL
From the Desk of Principal Mills
Sunday, January 14th, 2024
Happy Sunday Ram Families!
I hope this newsletter finds you all well and enjoying the long holiday weekend. We had a very busy first week back at Twin Peaks, with iReady Reading diagnostic testing beginning in all Social Studies classes, "shocking" electricity labs in 8th grade science classes, and 6th graders began writing expository essays on topics of their choice in English Language Arts class. Students did a great job of returning back to the classroom this week after the winter break, as we reach the official midpoint of trimester 2 and the school year. As a reminder, there is NO SCHOOL on Monday, January 15th, in observance of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday.
It is a New Year and we want your students to Be Here! Thank you to our TPMS community for your commitment to having your students here at school and on time every day. Much of what your student is learning in middle school is complex and material builds upon itself incrementally each class. Each day your child is not in school is a missed opportunity to learn the steps and building blocks needed to understand more difficult material in the future. Please help your student be successful by making sure they are in school and on time every day!
Students interested in being a part of the amazing TPMS Choir can now join! Practices will be held before school on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:15-8:15am in the TPMS Theater. All students are welcome! This is a great opportunity to meet other students, perform for the community, and have a whole lot of fun! Please see the sign-up information below - first practice is Thursday, January 18th!
Twin Peaks 6th Graders will be attending Cuyamaca Outdoor School, aka 6th Grade Camp, the week of March 10th-15th, 2024! This is an amazing opportunity for your 6th grader to learn in the outdoors and bond with their peers in the beautiful surroundings of Cuyamaca State Park. For many of our parents who attended TPMS, 6th Grade Camp is a right of passage in middle school and an incredible opportunity for your middle schooler to learn how to be independent while they are away at camp for 4 nights. Information packets will be distributed on Tuesday, January 16th in Homeroom classes. Completed paperwork and payment is due by Friday, February 2nd.
The TPMS Spelling Bee is open to all students in grades 6-8 and will be held on Wednesday, January 24th starting at 4pm in the TPMS Theater. Students will need to complete the signup form LINKED HERE in order to participate. This event is limited to current Twin Peaks MS students in grades 6-8. The last day to signup for the Spelling Bee is this Friday, January 19th!
We will begin our new trash, food waste and recycling protocols on Tuesday, January 16th. Please review the graphics below to familiarize yourself with the new categories of waste on campus and the appropriate bins to put things in. Students, please make sure to separate your waste into the three different containers you will see set up on campus. There will not be food waste bins in classrooms, so please make sure to put your food waste in the green bins you will see in the lunch areas. Thank you in advance for helping to keep our campus clean!
Finally this week, please consider eating more Krispy Kreme doughnuts this New Year... and help support the Twin Peaks PTSA in the process! Starting Monday, January 15th, our PTSA will be hosting a Krispy Kreme Doughnut Fundraiser - purchase your digital coupons by following the link below. You have until January 28th to purchase your digital coupons - 50% of the purchase price comes back to our PTSA to support programs at Twin Peaks! Thanks in advance for eating more Krispy Kreme Doughnuts this New Year!
In Partnership,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
1(858)748-5131 x2806
Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks
UPCOMING EVENTS:
TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS - Click here for Calendar
January 15th: MLK Day, No School
January 16th: TPMS Foundation meeting, Library 6pm
January 17th: Late Start, 9:50am
January 17th: School Site Council, Room 905, 3:45pm
January 18th: PTSA Meeting, Library 6:15pm
January 24th: Late Start, 9:50am
January 24th: TPMS Spelling Bee, @Theater, 4:00pm
January 29th: Professional Development Day for staff, No School for Students
January 31st: Late Start, 9:50am
January 31st: Reclassification Ceremony, 8:30am
February 7th: Band Concert @ MES, 9-11am
February 9th: Band Concert @ TBES, 11am-12:15pm
February 19-23: President's Week Break
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU THROW THINGS AWAY AT SCHOOL - USE THE RIGHT BIN!
GREEN BINS - Food Scraps & Food-Soiled Paper
GREY / BLACK BINS - Landfill, Soft-Plastics & Mixed-Materials
BLUE BINS - Glass, Metal, & Plastic Recycling
TPMS Spelling Bee is January 24th!
The TPMS Spelling Bee is almost here! All students are encouraged to participate in this annual event where we crown one school-wide champion to advance on the represent us at the San Diego County Spelling Bee in March. This year's TPMS Spelling Bee is open to all students in grades 6-8 and will be held on Wednesday, January 24th starting at 4pm in the TPMS Theater. Students will need to complete the signup form LINKED HERE in order to participate. This event is limited to current Twin Peaks MS students in grades 6-8. Please email Principal Mills at stmills@powayusd.com with any questions. The deadline to signup for the Spelling Bee is this Friday, January 19th!
6th Grade Camp: March 11th - 15th, 2024
All 6th Grade students will be getting information and registration packets for Cuyamaca Outdoor School (aka 6th Grade Camp) in their Homerooms this Tuesday, January, 16. The cost for the full week of camp this year is $455. Please plan on submitting all forms and payment by Friday, February 2, 2024. We are excited to continue the 78 year tradition of 6th Graders visiting Cuyamaca Outdoor School!
Join the TPMS Choir
TPMS Choir will start singing on January 18th! Practices will be Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:15-8:15am. All students are welcome! Students need to be on time and can not miss more than 4 practices total for the choir session. We will perform a May 16th concert at Twin Peaks, and two other performances with the Poway High School Choir on May 23rd and May 24th.
Any questions, please email TPMSchoirdirector@gmail.com
For registration information: TPMS Spring 2024 Choir Registration
PTSA Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Fundraiser
What: PTSA Winter fundraiser
When: January 15th-28th
Cost: $15 per dozen, up to 50% back to PTSA.
How: Fill out the Google Form to purchase: Krispy Kreme Purchase Form
Digital gift cards will be sent out after the fundraiser ends on 1/28/2024. Thank you in advance for your support of our PTSA!
The Best Thing I Saw This Week
The Best Thing I Saw This Week... TPMS alumni giving back!
Last Sunday morning, I made arrangements to meet former TPMS Ram Daniel Sweeney and his father on campus for the delivery of 8 benches they had built for our golf driving range. Daniel is working towards earning his Eagle Scout rank in Boy Scouts and worked with our PE staff and I to identify a need (benches for students to sit on while waiting for their turn to hit golf balls) and then organizing a project to get them built. This project required Daniel to organize the fundraising, schedule the labor, communicate with all the players, and most importantly - LEAD the project to completion.
The benches received their first use this last week as classes were doing the golf unit in PE classes. I had a chance to go work with a few of the students on their golf swings on the range this past Friday, and snapped a few photos of the benches getting some use. Please enjoy them and pictures of Daniel and the bench delivery from last week. GO RAMS!
8th Grade Yearbook Ads
Calling all families of 8th graders here at Twin Peaks! 8th Grade Recognition Ads are open and ready for purchase. Go to www.jostens.com and click on Recognition Ads to start the process of celebrating your 8th grader in this year’s yearbook! Deadline is February 1st so don’t delay! Don't forget to order your yearbook, too! Want more information about Yearbooks? Go to http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/
Multilingual Program Updates!
First, we are excited to share a new tool you can access to support your student(s) that are English Learners. The EL Console is our new application where parents can see student’s progress towards reclassification. You can view their ELPAC scores along with their progress on iReady and SBAC assessments. To access the EL Console, follow these quick steps!
Second, our English Learner department has a new Instagram and Facebook account you can follow! You can see amazing learning in action, get updates from the EL Department, and learn how to continue to support your child. You can follow along at @pusdmll !
January Parent Education Courses
Our January Parent Education Courses are around the corner and we are excited for the new year! The course offerings are noted below. Just click on the class for the flyer. Make sure to check-out our new classes. You can also visit the website by clicking here. Scholarships available for families that may be in need.
January 2024 Parent Education Courses:
- Help Your Children Manage Stress and Anxiety – TK -5th Grade
- Are You Tired of Your Child Saying “No”? TK-5th Grade NEW
- Help Your Teen Manage Stress and Anxiety – 6th-12th Grade NEW
TPMS No Place for Hate Lesson #1
The counseling & support services team are excited and have been working with homeroom teachers to start presenting our first No Place for Hate school-wide lesson on Stereotypes in Careers. The lesson objectives will focus on:
1. Defining stereotypes
2. Reflecting on how stereotypes can affect future opportunities
3. Discussing strategies to challenge the impact of stereotypes
We hope you take the opportunity to dialogue with your student(s) about the video they watched, what they learned in the No Place for Hate lesson and what they can do to disrupt these stereotypes and perceived barriers to open up more future career opportunities.
Please Get to School On-Time!
Parents - please make every effort to have your student here before classes begin each day at 8:30am, or before 9:50am on Wednesdays. We are actually experiencing a larger percentage of students late to school on Wednesdays when we have late start than on our regular start days. Please try and drop your student off at school by 8:15am or regular days and by 9:30am on late-start Wednesdays so that they have time to get to their first block class on time; we open the school gates 30 minutes before classes actually start, and our Food Services provide a free breakfast for students during this time or during the morning break after first block.
Attendance Corner
Is your Student leaving early? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730 that morning. Leave a message and a note gets sent to the student that block. Bring in your ID, sign the student out, and away you go!
Is your Student running late? Absent? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730
Leave a message with the requested information and the Tardy or Absence will be excused.
Did your student go to the Doctor/Dentist/Orthodontist/Dermatologist/Optometrist?
It is beneficial to his/her attendance record to bring an official medical note to the Attendance Desk. Any absence excused by a medical note does not count toward your student’s absence total.
Main Office Drop-Offs
As a general rule, we do not accept drop-off items for students once they arrive at school. While we do make exceptions for medical and emergency situations, our TPMS Student Planner states: "In an effort to limit classroom interruptions as well as encourage students to become more independent and self-sufficient, Twin Peaks does not allow delivery of forgotten lunches, PE clothes, homework, non-emergency messages, or other items during the school day."
Delivery food and Door Dash-like companies may not deliver to students at school; additionally, cell phones will not be held for students at the front desk for them to pick up. Breakfast and lunch items are provided to all students, free of charge, so there should not be any reason to drop off a lunch for your student - they will be able to get food at school. If your student has food allergies that require special lunches, the Student Planner states you "must provide a Medical Statement (SNP-925) that explains the need. The medical statement must be signed by a physician and include recommended alternate foods."
Food & Nutrition Update
All children in PUSD are eligible to receive free breakfast and lunch meals regardless of income for the 2023-2024 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 see weekly school food menus
*PUSD Food and Nutrition Department is cashless. Please click on the following link to learn more about the cashless system Cashless System
More Than A Meal: This years Free and Reduced Lunch Application is now available! Although school meals are now free to all students, the application for free and reduced-price meals is still very important. School funding depends in part on the number of students at our school who qualify for free or reduced-price meals. With all students now eating for free, fewer families are completing the application and our school is at risk of losing much-needed educational funds. Plus, students who qualify for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify for discounts on bus transportation, before and after school care, and home internet!
Income qualifications change annually, so a new application is needed every school year. For school year 2023-2024, children from a family of four are eligible if the total gross (pre-tax) household income is less than $4,625 per month, or less than $55,500 per year. Household income information is confidential and applying online is quick and easy.
Apply online at MySchoolApps.com, or pick up a paper application in the school office. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your students counselor if you have any questions or concerns about completing the application. MORE THAN A MEAL (formerly called FREE & REDUCED LUNCH APPLICATION) can help you out in many ways. Please click on this link More Than a Meal to complete the online application. Listed below are a few ways this program can help:
- Discounts for passes on public transportation
- Discounts on home internet costs
- Discounts on fees for SAT, ACT, AP tests
- Discounts on application fees associated with colleges and universities
- Our district can receive increased funding to support students.
TPMS Yearbook Info
Yearbooks are available for $55. Reserve yours now!
Pay by card: Go to www.jostens.com or use the QR code above.
Pay by cash/check: Download the typable order form from our webpage
http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/ or pick up a form in the office. Return the form and cash or check to the school office.
PTSA Meeting Dates 23-24
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
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:
January 18th
February 15th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
March 14th
April 18th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
May 23rd
To join the PTSA for the 2023-24 school year, please CLICK HERE!
TPMS Foundation 23-24
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 2023-24 school year:
January 16th
February 13th
March 12th
April 16th
May 21st
Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE!
Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation
Twin Peaks Middle School
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.
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams