Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the desk of Principal Mills
Happy New Year Ram Families!
I hope this first newsletter of 2021 finds you and your loved ones healthy and safe, and that the last two weeks have provided you all a chance to rest, recharge and celebrate the holidays. Please make sure to read through the announcements that follow as there are important reminders about virtual-only school through January 15th and adjustments to our Friday schedule that begin this week.
Instruction for all PUSD students begins this Monday, January 4th; click HERE for the updated school calendar on the TPMS website. Per the School Board decision on 12/17/20, all PUSD campuses will be closed to on-campus learning through Friday, January 15th. This means that we will not have any students on campus during this two-week period. This also means that our main office will have limited staff and will be available by appointment only. As of the writing of this newsletter, staff and students are still scheduled to return for on-campus instruction on Tuesday, January 19th. We will be sure to update you with any new information as soon as it becomes available.
Starting this week, we will also be transitioning to our virtual Friday schedule; please refer to the bell schedule posted HERE on the TPMS website. This means that teachers will be posting 40 minutes of independent work for students; completion of the posted independent work will be counted as attendance for the virtual school day. Teachers will be communicating directly with students about the work to be completed and when and how to submit it for attendance credit.
Our counseling team will be finalizing our A and B cohorts this week and will be communicating with families to verify your cohort preference before January 15th. If you are remaining as a virtual-only student, we will also be verifying your platform preference between now and January 15th. If you have questions or concerns about your platform or cohort preference, please email your student's counselor or Mrs. Myers, our Counseling Assistant at dmyers@powayusd.com .
Two requests and encouragements for our Ram families in the New Year...
Please continue to practice the qualities of patience, grace and empathy that we exercised repeatedly last year - we are still going to need these in 2021! The changing landscape of infection rates and state and county mandates will no doubt continue to impact how and when we teach our students, and we are by no means out of this pandemic yet. We have a long way to go to get back to having all of our students and staff back on campus like we were a year ago, so please remain patient as we try to make sure all of our Rams stay healthy and safe.
And finally, when you have a concern or question about your child's education or something that they are doing in class, please contact your student's teachers directly, or if needed, your administrative and counseling teams rather than posting your concerns on social media. Please give us the opportunity to partner with you to find solutions to your concerns rather than posting discouraging comments that blame or single someone out. Let's model for our students how to communicate positively to find solutions together that work in the best interests of our students.
My email and phone number are below and also posted on the TPMS webpage; please feel free to contact me if you have questions or concerns about your child's education. Please also take a look at the upcoming events below and plan to attend one of our PTSA or Foundation meetings, or one of our Community Conversations on racial equity or reducing anxiety in your students. And most importantly, students please consider signing up for this year's Spelling Bee - information is below and the deadline to signup is January 15th.
With gratitude,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
1(858)748-5131 x2806
UPCOMING EVENTS:
1/4/2021: Instruction resumes virtually for all PUSD students (thru 1/15)
1/5: TPMS Foundation Meeting, @Zoom 7:30pm
1/14: PUSD School Board meeting, @Livestream 6pm
1/19: Racial Equity Community Conversation, @ Zoom 6-7:30pm
1/21: PTSA Meeting @Zoom 6pm
1/27: TPMS Parent Forum - “Reducing Anxiety & Building Resilience in our Children”, @Zoom 6-7pm
1/28: TPMS Spelling Bee, @Zoom 5pm
1/28: End of 2nd Quarter / First Semester
1/29: Professional Development Day - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
TPMS Spelling Bee
GOOD MENS PROJECT RETURNING IN SEMESTER 2
Adult volunteers interested in helping to start our inaugural Good Women's Project, please email Principal Mills at stmills@powayusd.com.
Preparing Positively for Puberty Workshop 1/25/21
Teen Positive Parenting Program
TPMS Library is Now Open for Curbside Pickup & Dropoff
Suicide Prevention 101 for Parents
Por favor, haga clic aquí para español
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/
Coffee Talk with the TPMS Admin & Counseling Teams
Our last Coffee Talk was on November 18th - please click HERE for the slides and recorded Zoom session.
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.
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!
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