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
  
• Annual Residency Verification
• High School Selection

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.)

January 13 - March 17 - Annual Residency Verification Window for CURRENT 7th-11th grade SDUHSD Students.

January 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday - NO SCHOOL

January 21 - Block 1, 3, 5 Day - as usual

January 24-February 14 - High School Selection Window

January 31

• Lunar New Year - Wear Red and Yellow
• PTSA General Meeting and Coffee with High School Principals - Learning Commons - 8:30a
• Bring your ID to sign-in at the front desk.

Wolfpack families,

Happy Friday to you. We made it through a week that was very eventful. Let me first speak about safety, a topic I raised in last week's newsletter. The fire on Wednesday in 4S Ranch was a reminder that we always need to be prepared. My own children were in school very close to the fire, and as a father, I too place my trust in the teachers and principal at their school. While my instinct may have been to go get them, I knew that the school and district take every measure to ensure their safety. Similarly, should we have a fire that was near Pacific Trails, we would communicate with you immediately. We also have procedures for reunification and loss of power, and while I hope we never experience these events, please know that we are prepared. Again, our primary goal is student safety.

On a lighter note, our English team conducted the spelling bee on Thursday. Over 30 students made it to the finals today, and one winner emerged. Congratulations to 8th grader Vivian Lei for winning! The competition lasted 16 rounds, and Vivian correctly spelled the words "oviparous" and "parallax" to secure the victory. She will now go on to the San Diego county spelling bee representing Pacific Trails.

In 8th grade English classes, many students delivered their justice speeches. This process helped them learn about an influential person, practice public speaking, active listening, and for some, overcoming a fear. I am so proud of each of the students for their hard work. Elsewhere on campus, students are finishing their water color paintings in art, and our 7th grade science students are conducting labs on atoms, molecules and compounds.

Next Monday, I will present to our 7th grade students in their PE classes about "the power of words", which is the same presentation our 8th graders experienced two weeks ago. The goal is to foster greater understanding and responsibility in how they use words with other people and themselves. If your student has ISPE, they are welcome to join either period 1 or period 6, whenever they have ISPE.

Next Tuesday, Dr. Hake will push into homerooms to review behavior expectations, discuss upcoming events such as dances, and even our 8th grade class trip and promotion. These privileges are just that, and unfortunately in the past we have had to remove these opportunities from students based on behavior and choices. Helping students consistently reach those positive behavior expectations is a community effort, and we greatly appreciate your partnership in this process.

Finally, next Friday, January 31, at 8:30 am, I will host Coffee with the Principal in the Learning Commons. Principals from Torrey Pines High School, Sunset and Canyon Crest Academy will attend so you can hear from them directly. I invite you to join us, and if you need support with translation, we will have staff fluent in both Spanish and Mandarin on site to assist you. We will also be celebrating Lunar New Year with a variety of activities sponsored by ASB, so it should be a very fun Friday!

Enjoy the weekend, and I look forward to the much needed rain that should arrive on Sunday. Leave a little extra time on Monday to get here, because traffic is usually slower in the rain. Until then, hug your kids tightly, and we will see you Monday.

In gratitude,

Scott Wild, Ed.D.

As a reminder, student riders (e-bikes, scooters, bicycles, etc.) are required to have a PTMS permit affixed to their vehicle if they are using it as their transportation to/from school. Failure to follow school policies and/or traffic regulations on the way to/from school may result in progressive discipline including loss of the permit and student ability to use their vehicle to get to/from school. When a student receives a new bike, scooter, etc. and plans on using it to travel to/from school, a PTMS permit must be obtained for the new one, too. To get a PTMS permit, please pick-up a permit application (parent signature required) and safety packet from Mrs. Graciano in the front office.

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!

Watch for a new update next week.

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

Annual Residency Verification is for CURRENT 7th thru 11th grade SDUHSD students ONLY - not for new incoming students. Click here for information and instructions on how to submit. It is encouraged that parents upload this information via the Aeries Parent Portal. If you are UNABLE to upload through Aeries, we will accept hard copies in the office.

If you have more than one 7th thru 11th grader in the district, you only need to submit ONE form with each of their names on that form to ONE school.

• Annual Residency Verification

• Aeries Parent Portal Uploading Tutorial - This tutorial is designed to walk parents through the process of uploading residency documentation using their parent portal.

If you have a current student AND an incoming student who will be in 7th grade next year - you must submit a separate Residency Verification for the incoming student with the other online enrollment forms you complete for the incoming student.

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,

We are excited to share some upcoming events that you won't want to miss!

1. Principal Coffee & PTSA General Meeting

Join us for a wonderful opportunity to engage and connect! Our Principal Coffee and PTSA General Meeting will take place on Friday, January 31st at 8:30 am, at PTMS with high school Principals. This is a fantastic chance to ask questions, and get more information about the high schools during High School Selection for current 8th graders. Don’t forget to check in at the front office when you arrive. Bring your ID.

2. PTMS Parents and Guardians Free Social Meeting

We’re thrilled to announce our second PTMS Free Social Meeting for parents and guardians! Join us on February 13th from 5 PM to 7 PM in the PTMS Multi-Purpose Room (MPR). We’ll provide delicious food and drinks, creating a relaxed environment for you to connect with other parents and guardians. Feel free to stay as long as you want and you can arrive anytime at your convenience. Please RSVP here to help us with planning.

3. Winter Dance for Students

At the same time as the Free Social Meeting, our students will be attending the Winter Dance on February 13th from 5 PM to 7 PM! Tickets will soon be on sale by ASB—stay tuned for details! We would also love to have some parent volunteers to help make this event a success. If you're interested in volunteering, please sign up here.

Thank you for your continued support! We look forward to seeing you at these events.

Warm regards,

The PTMS PTSA Team

~ PTSA Website

The ASB Student Store is open and is currently offering felt tip pens, roller pens, erasers, and mechanical pencils for sale. Students can purchase these items directly with Vetha in the front office, or they can be ordered from our online webstore. Additional items may be added later.

Shout Outs (marquee tiles) can now be purchased for 1-, 2-, 3-, 4-, or 5-day runs. At $5 per day, you choose the start and stop dates along with your personalized message.

Valentine's Day is coming! A perfect time to Shout Out your love for your little darlin'!

Click here to order your Shout Out and remember that proceeds for the purchase of Shout Outs help ASB pay scholarships for various student needs.

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.

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

The kids did incredible at the USC tournament on Saturday!!! PTMS placed third overall schoolwise and earned a nice shiny trophy. This is a big improvement from last year when PTMS came in 9th among all schools at USC. However, Oak Valley also improved and came in ahead of us at number 2. We will continue pushing and hopefully overtake them at Regionals.

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.

UC San Diego's FREE annual Comienza con un Sueño 2025 conference brings together 6th-11th grade students, families & educators for a day of culture, community and knowledge. Offering bilingual workshops on college systems, admissions & financial aid, bringing together college & community resources & providing a one of a kind STEM fair!

To register, click here.

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.

Our Club is an all girls team that provides an environment for students to explore STEM. This year, our team invested a lot of effort in putting together a lecture series for students to attend.

We would love for students from PTMS to join us! We hope to reach and inspire more middle school and high school girls to pursue computer science and engineering.

The Girls in STEM program is entirely student-run. Our group of student mentors have created a lecture series on web development in HTML/CSS. We will cover the basics of web development through four sessions, each being an hour long.

This course will start on January 27th (01/27/25) and end on February 17th (02/17/25), and meetings will be held through Google Meet on Mondays from 5:00-6:00 PST. Our course will operate similar to that of a webinar series, and each session will cover a different topic. If a student is unable to attend a lecture, a recorded version of the lecture will be sent.

All genders are welcomed! Girls are highly encouraged! We would love everyone to join our lecture series program, but we market the program as “Girls in STEM” as per our club mission.

Google Form for sign-ups: https://bit.ly/webdev25signup

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.”

~ 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