Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the desk of Principal Mills
Happy Sunday Ram Families,
I hope this final newsletter of 2020 finds you all well and preparing for the last week of instruction before the Winter Break. These next five days are sure to fly by as your family prepares for the holiday season; please make sure to stay safe and healthy during this time by wearing masks, keeping physical distance and washing your hands regularly. Our next newsletter will be coming out Sunday, January 3rd - if there are any important updates or announcements during the Winter Break, we will be sure to send out a Blackboard Connect message directly to your email account.
This past Wednesday night we held a Reopening Update on Zoom to give a snapshot of where we currently are with our reopening plan. The slides form the evening with the most updated reopening plan can be found HERE. The PUSD School Board will be meeting this coming Thursday, December 17th at 6:00pm and are sure to have updated information for the school community. If you have time, I encourage you to watch the meeting; the link to the live-stream of the school board meeting can be found HERE. We will certainly communicate any changes or updates that we receive as the information becomes available. Please complete the recent PUSD survey that was emailed to you on Friday and is linked HERE - due date is Tuesday, December 15 at 5:00 pm.!
Families continue to contact us about the ability to switch between the virtual learning and in-person learning platforms; we are still able to accommodate most requests, but need this information ASAP. Families looking to switch their learning platform can make their request by completing the form linked HERE. If you still would like to provide us with your cohort preference for in-person learning, the cohort preference form can be found HERE! Families that have chosen to remain virtual do NOT need to fill this form out. Families who have already completed this form do not need to complete it again - this is for those families who would still like to provide a preference between our Monday-Tuesday (A) or Wednesday-Thursday (B) cohorts. Families who do not provide us with a cohort preference by Friday, December 18th will be placed in either cohort based on space availability. Our counseling department will be reaching out to all TPMS families in early January to confirm your student's learning platform and in-person learning cohort.
One of the highlights of my week happened this past Thursday when we had a chance to celebrate our Character Counts Award winners for the First Quarter. Eleven students were nominated by their teachers for emulating one or more of the Six Pillars of Character - Trustworthiness, Respect, Fairness, Responsibility, Caring, and Citizenship. Students were invited to attend a Zoom Awards Ceremony with their parents where they were recognized by their nominating teacher. Students also received a special certificate from Assemblyman Maienschein documenting their achievement, a Character Counts T-Shirt and a goodie bag! For a list of our First Quarter recipients, see the graphic below!
As we begin our final week before Winter Break, please remember that this Friday, December 18th we will have a 9:15am late start with all 6 periods on a special schedule. The rotation for the day is odd periods first, then even periods: 1, 3, 5, 2, lunch, 4 and 6. You can find the special bell schedule on our website linked HERE.
I wanted to thank all of you who were able to support our Adopt-a-Family campaign this holiday season. Because of your generous donations, we were able to provide 49 of our own Twin Peaks families with much needed support during these difficult times. With the beginning of Hanukkah this past Thursday, I wanted to wish all of our families peace and light this holiday season - may your holidays be restful, filled with laughter and family, and above all healthy and safe now and through 2021!
With gratitude,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
Winter Celebration of Music
Click here for 6th grade concert
Associated Student Body Activity Updates!
WEB ORIENTATION AND ASB DRIVE-IN MOVIE:
Unfortunately, we have had to postpone our WEB 6th Grade Orientations and our Winter Drive-In Movie. We are looking at dates in late January as a possible option and are eager to provide you with an opportunity to enjoy a safe and fun event on campus. If you have already purchased a ticket, please be on the lookout for an email with more information about receiving your refund. In the meantime, stay home and stay safe so that we can welcome you to campus sometime soon!
WINTER SPIRIT WEEK:
Please join us in celebrating our Winter Spirit Week next week with added fun and goodies to make up for this missed event! CLICK HERE for a list of next week’s Spirit Days! We’ll also be hosting a Winter Themed Celebration Zoom on Wednesday, December 16th during lunch where students can join in a Holiday Kahoot, Winter Crafts, and Directed Drawing activities in breakout rooms. Tell your students to check their Grade Level Google Classroom for more details!
UPCOMING EVENTS:
12/16: Jersey Mike's School Fundraiser, 3-9pm
12/17: PTSA Meeting, Zoom 6:00pm
12/17: PUSD Board Meeting, 6:00pm
12/18: 9:15am Late Start - Special 1-6 Schedule
12/21-1/1: Winter Recess - NO SCHOOL
1/4/2021: Instruction resumes
Jersey Mike's Fundraiser
Come support TPMS on Wednesday, December 16th at Jersey Mike's: 14969 Pomerado Rd between 3 and 9pm. FREE regular sub with a $4.00 donation to our school. Please click HERE for the flyer!
Climate Change Video Challenge
Climate change is happening now, all around us, and we have an opportunity to reimagine and rebuild our present and future in a fair and just way for all Californians. With this goal in mind, the California Coastal Commission invites California middle and high school students to present a video response to the question: What does climate justice look like to me?
Entry deadline is March 31, 2021.
Visit the website to find all the details on how to enter; helpful background on climate change, climate justice, and climate solutions; and additional resources for educators. https://coastal.ca.gov/climatechallenge/
Teen Positive Parenting Program
Career and Volunteer Opportunities at Twin Peaks MS #TeamPUSD
Do you or someone you know enjoy working in an educational environment and possess a passion for helping our students learn and grow? Twin Peaks Middle School is looking for great candidates who can join our Special Education Team as an Instructional Assistant! We have several openings that we need to fill immediately, so if you or someone you know might be interested, please apply using the link below! Starting Pay is $15.51 an hour and positions that are 20 hours or more per week have FULL BENEFITS. We have opportunities for sub positions as well. Click here to apply!
Morning Volunteers Needed!
Do you or someone you know have an hour to volunteer in the mornings to help us with safety screening students as they arrive at school? As we prepare to have more students back on campus each week, our need for morning screeners will certainly increase, and if you have the time - we need you! If you're interested in volunteering from 8-9am to help support our morning check-ins, please complete the form linked HERE! Thanks in advance for your consideration!
Caring Connections Counseling (CCC)
The CCC Parent Counseling Resource page is now updated. Please click HERE to view all the resources available on Crisis Counseling, Food and Diaper Assistance, Parenting Support, Mental Health Support, and Self-Care.
Coffee Talk with the TPMS Admin & Counseling Teams
January 27th: 6:00-7:00pm
We will be a hosting parent forum entitled “Reducing Anxiety & Building Resilience in our Children”. The link for this Zoom event will be made available in January.
Our last Coffee Talk was on November 18th - please click HERE for the slides and recorded Zoom session.
8th Grade Yearbook Recognition Ads Now Available!
Families of 8th Graders who want to order a space for an 8th Grade recognition ad in the yearbook—the time is here!
8th grade Yearbook recognition ads are a great way for parents, families and friends to commemorate student achievements and important milestones. In addition, revenues from recognition ads help our school to create a better yearbook.
- Ads are only $30!
- The deadline to purchase an ad is December 18, 2020
Ordering and creating your ad will be online this year. Click this link or view/download the form here. Please email questions to cellington@powayusd.com .
TPMS Library is Now Open for Curbside Pickup & Dropoff
Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation
Twin Peaks Middle School
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams