The Panther Pulse
Pershing Middle School Community Newsletter: Vol. 2, Issue 3
UPDATE FROM SDUSD 8/20/2023 @1:00 PM - FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL POSTPONED
Out of an abundance of caution, San Diego Unified is delaying the first day of school. Our first day of school will now be on Tuesday, August 22. We are making this decision based on the latest storm-related information from local officials. This storm is expected to impact our region most severely today, between 4 and 8 p.m., with strong winds and flooding expected in some areas, along with potential power outages and road closures. This may very well result in facility damage that may not become evident until Monday morning.
Postponing the first day will allow us to assess any impacts to schools and district offices, and ensure that we are prepared to welcome our students and families to the new school year.
As we continue to monitor the weather and the impact in our community, I remain hopeful that the storm will continue to decrease in its intensity as it moves through our region. However, given the uncertainty of the weather and our need to thoroughly assess any impacts to our facilities, all schools will be closed to students on Monday, August 21.
We know the first day of school brings joy and excitement for students, families and staff. Thank you for your understanding, and for our collective desire to have the best first day of school possible for you, our students, and our staff. Please take care of one another and follow emergency guidelines.
Please take care of one another and follow emergency guidelines.
It is important that you stay connected and informed about public safety conditions in our district and community. Consider signing up for Alert San Diego and visit the County of San Diego website to boost your family’s preparedness for this storm or any other emergencies.
Thank you for your partnership, and stay safe.
With much love,
Dr. Lamont A. Jackson
Superintendent of Public Education
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Principal's Message
We had a packed house at our new student orientation on Thursday and as you can see from the pictures above we had a great time introducing our future Panthers and their families to the campus! For your convenience, the slide deck that was shared with families at orientation has been linked to this newsletter (click on the maroon bar above).
As many of you may already know the Henry Cluster has been experiencing significant growth over the last few years and that growth is impacting Pershing. We have seen a substantial surge in new enrollees for the upcoming school year, far above what was projected, and as a result we will likely need to hire new teachers for the upcoming school year. Believe it or not this is a good problem to have, as it indicates that our school is doing a good job meeting the needs of our community and parents are excited about sending their students to Pershing.
We have plans in place to ensure we are ready to support all students regardless of the enrollment increase but we wanted to make sure families were aware that this increase in enrollment will likely mean some students' schedules will be changing during the first two weeks of school as we work to hire new staff, adjust students' schedules to lower & balance class sizes, and ensure we are honoring all contractual obligations for our teaching staff.
Also, I am sure you have been watching the news and are aware intense weather is expected this weekend and into Monday as a result of Hurricane Hilary. As our superintendent, Dr. Jackson, shared in his Welcome Back Message to Families, the District is monitoring this situation closely but based on current information and weather projections schools will be open on Monday, August 21 to welcome students for the first day of school.
We do, however, understand that this weather situation is fluid. Please know the health and safety of students is our top priority and we will continue to monitor the weather situation. If there is any indication of a significant change in weather conditions that causes impact on school facilities or operations, we will communicate those updates to families. I sent an email to families Friday afternoon with an updated plan for the first day of school arrival procedures in the event there is rain. For your convenience, those plans are also included in this newsletter and the end of this message.
Sincerely,
Melanie Kray
Important Announcements for the Week of August 21
THE FIRST 3 DAYS OF SCHOOL ARE MINIMUM DAY SCHEDULE
A friendly reminder that Monday, August 21 - Wednesday, August 23 we will be on a minimum day schedule. Student will be released at 12:44 PM. A copy of the daily bell schedule is available on our school website.
STUDENT CLASS SCHEDULES FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR
Students' schedules will be visible on PowerSchool Sunday evening. All students will receive a hard copy of their schedule on the first day of school. For a more detailed explanation of how students will receive their schedules please review the "morning arrival procedure" that was emailed to you on Friday. For your convenience that document is also included in this newsletter just after the principal's message.
PLEASE BRING YOUR FULLY CHARGED CHROMEBOOK TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY
Please make sure your child brings their fully charged chromebook with them to school on Monday. If they are new to the district and have not yet had an opportunity to check out a chromebook our librarian will issuing them to new students during the first week of school.
ARE YOU INTERESTED IN JOINING OUR ROBOTICS PROGRAM?
Applications are now available for the Fall Season of the FIRST Lego League Robotics Program at Pershing. Learn more about the FIRST program at https://www.firstinspires.org/robotics/fll. Pershing participates in the "First Lego League Challenge" Division. If your student is interested, check out additional details specific to Pershing in the application, located HERE. Paper copies of the application are also available in the main office office. The deadline to submit your application is Monday August 28th.
SCHOOL SUPPLIES
As a public school, Pershing will provide any school supplies that are required for a student's academic program (i.e. paper, pencil, etc.). Teachers will also typically provide a suggested supply list for their specific course in the class syllabus they distribute during the first week of school.
That being said, many families prefer to purchase their own personalized supplies. Below is a list of SUGGESTED school supplies that will work for all grade levels and aligns with our AVID program:
- Backpack
- 1 1/2" 3-ring binder with subject dividers
- pencil pouch
- pencils
- pens (blue & black ink preferred)
- highlighter
- scissors
- calculator
- glue stick
- colored pencils
- lined paper
- college-rule single subject spiral notebooks (one for each core subject)
FREE SCHOOL MEAL PROGRAM CONTINUES FOR 2023-24
The State of California has continued its commitment to its Universal Meals program that allows CA public school students to receive one breakfast and one lunch each school day at no cost. However, this school year meal eligibility applications will be necessary. A copy of the meal eligibility application will be sent home in the welcome packet all students will receive from their first period teachers during the second week of school.
Our Foundation uses all money raised to support funding for enriching academic experiences for our students that go beyond what is found in a typical classroom. These donations support 6th grade camp scholarships, 8th grade promotion activities, a 7th grade experience, field trips, guest speakers, teacher stipends to cover expenses for enrichment activities in the classroom, and more. Please consider donating today.
Every little bit helps, so even if you are not able to donate $75, any support is appreciated and if you are able to give more or know of family members or friends that would be willing to donate please share the pledge link with them. Anyone who donates will receive a thank you note from one of our Pershing students.
DONATION LINK: https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=CXCJYPUVVQ4D2
Did you know that poor attendance is the most common cause for low achievement and failing grades in middle school?
Each day your child is not in school is a missed opportunity to learn something they will need in order to understand more difficult material later in the year and in future years. You cannot make up for too many absences with homework and make-up work. Making sure your child(ren) are in school every day helps ensure they will succeed in middle school and sets them up for success in high school.
Chances are your child(ren) will need to miss a few days of school in any given school year and while some absences may seem more excusable than others, the impact is actually the same regardless whether your child is sick, ditching, or taking a family trip. Any absence makes it harder for your child to keep up with the everyday classroom learning that is needed to grow and succeed, even when they try to complete what was missed.
Research shows missing just 2 days of school per month is too many. Students who miss too many days fall behind in reading, writing, and math. Long-term, this makes them less likely to be on track to graduate high school. We know some absences are unavoidable; but too many will make your child fall behind and they might not be able to catch up. Keep track of and limit your child’s absences in order to keep them on track to succeed in their future. Save absences for when it is absolutely necessary and make sure they are in school every day.
When your child is absent it is important that you report the reason to the school so the absence can be cleared. There are several ways you can report your child's abence:
- Complete the this google form to report an absence
- Email our attendance clerk Ms. Caputo at dcaputo@sandi.net. In your email please include your child's first and last name, grade level, date of the absence, and reason for the absence
- Call the school at 619-362-3550 option 1 and leave a message.
Please consider joining and supporting the Pershing Foundation. Their first meeting is Wednesday, September 13 @6:30 PM in the library. For your convenience the meeting will also be accessible on zoom so families who cannot attend in person will be able to participate (zoom link will be shared in later newsletters).
Email: pershingfoundation@outlook.com
Website: https://pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org/
Facebook: https://facebook.com/pershingpanthers
Dates for Your Calendar
Aug 17: 6th Grade and New Student Orientation @8:30 AM 👩👦
Aug 21: First Day of School for students! 📆
Aug 21-23: Minimum Day Schedule, school ends at 12:44 PM ⚽️
Sept 4: LABOR DAY - NO SCHOOL
Sept 5: Picture Day for Pershing Students
Sept 11-15: Scholastic Book Fair in the Library
Sept 12: Back to School Night @5:30 PM
Sept 13: Pershing Foundation Meeting @6:30 in the library & on zoom
Sept 20: Coffee with the Principal via zoom
Sept 29: P1 Grading Period Ends
Stay Connected
Follow Pershing Middle on Instagram & Threads
@Pershing_sdusd
Interested in volunteering on campus?
Contact our Community Assistant Ms. Johana Moreno at jmorenoperez@sandi.net
Email: mkray@sandi.net
Website: https://pershing.sandiegounified.org/
Location: 8204 San Carlos Drive, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: (619) 352-3550
Twitter: @melanie_kray