Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the desk of Principal Mills
Happy Sunday Ram Families,
I hope this newsletter finds you all healthy and enjoying this amazing San Diego weather! This past week marked the midway point of the quarter and a chance for parents to get an update on their student's progress thus far. Progress notices have been posted on Synergy - please follow the steps outlined HERE to see your student's grades on line. Monday, October 26th has been set aside for parent-teacher conferences; students who are struggling to connect during virtual learning and/or who are struggling academically will be prioritized for conferences.
This Thursday's School Board meeting confirmed that we will need to present an updated reopening plan and timeline by their next meeting on November 12th. Our reopening plans will be updated over the next few weeks to reflect the current thinking and concerns of all of our stakeholders, including students and parents. This work continues this Wednesday 10/21 when our Reopening Task Force will again gather to review schedule options and finalize a timeline for our reopening. The following Wednesday, we will present our updated plan to our parent community and seek additional feedback and input on the reopening plan for Twin Peaks. Look for details and login information in next week's newsletter for the Reopening Forum, scheduled for 10/28 from 6-7pm.
For access to our current Reopening Plan, please review the slides FOUND HERE. Please keep in mind this is a "living document" that will be updated several times over the next few weeks, so check back often to monitor any changes that are made. If you have questions or concerns you would like our Reopening Task Force to consider, please submit them HERE. Based on our current Reopening Plans, there is an opportunity for us to bring back our students on a hybrid schedule as early as November 30th. For that to happen, there are several things that must fall into place over the next month and a half... here are a few important ones:
In order to reopen Twin Peaks, there are two main things I am asking parents to do to help us collect the data we need to modify our schedule so that it is accurate and reflective of the needs of all our families:
1. If you plan on accessing ASES before and after school cares, please complete the request form below before October 23rd. We are hoping to bring back ASES students to campus on 11/9, so your prompt reply is appreciated.
2. If you would like to be considered for a change of learning platform, please complete the form that is linked HERE by Friday, October 30th. For example, if you originally chose "in-person learning" but would now like to stay 100% virtual, please complete the form. If you originally chose virtual but would now like to be considered for in-person learning, please complete the form. If your status has not changed, you DO NOT need to complete the form! Please remember that movement between learning platforms can only be granted on a space-available basis. Not sure what you chose in July? Email Mrs. Parker at kparker@powayusd.com to double-check!
Thank you in advance for your patience and support as we navigate these new waters for the first time. One of our Social Science teachers said it best the other day... "You know Steve, I've been teaching for 20 years! But this year, I'm like a first year teacher all over again because this is all so new!" I couldn't agree more! Looking forward to seeing some of you this Friday at our first ASB Movie Night of the Year!
Stay safe and be well,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
UPCOMING EVENTS:
October 23rd: ASB Movie Night, 6-9pm
October 26th: Non-Student Day / Parent-Teacher Conferences
October 26th - November 8th: Book Fair
October 28th: Community Forum on Reopening, 6pm
November 6th: End of Quarter 1
November 9th: First Day of Quarter 2
November 11th: Veteran's Day observed
ASES Program Request Form
As we continue with our reopening plans for Twin Peaks Middle School, we are pleased to begin the phased reopening of our ASES program. The After School Education and Safety (ASES) program provides FREE quality before- and after-school academic and enrichment opportunities for middle school students. If you are interested in accessing the ASES program for the 2020-2021 school year, please take a few moments to complete the questions found on the form linked below:
Request Form for ASES Program Priority Enrollment
Students who are interested in the in-person ASES program for the 2020-2021 school year MUST complete this survey. Availability of the in-person ASES program will be extremely limited due to necessary operational adjustments in response to public health guidelines. Priority for enrollment of students will be based on the following considerations:
1. Students experiencing homelessness or foster youth, as defined by the federal McKinney-Vento Homeless
Assistance Act (as required by CA Education Code)
2. Students who qualify for the Free or Reduced Meal Program
3. Students whose parents/guardians are "essential critical infrastructure workers"
4. Students who previously enrolled for the 2020-2021 ASES program and are currently participating in the ASES Virtual Program.
Please remember that this request form does NOT constitute acceptance into the ASES program. This is NOT a registration form. You will be contacted directly by your school's ASES Supervisor to receive information on specific program hours and to complete the registration process for the in-person ASES program when a date is confirmed for the program to relaunch on your student's campus. Tentatively, we are looking at opening up our ASES program on Monday, November 9th.
Thanks in advance for your immediate attention in completing this request form - please respond by Friday, October 23rd at 4:00pm.
If you have questions or concerns, please contact our ASES Supervisor Margo Selensky at MSelensky@powayusd.com
ASB Announcements!
October Movie in the Quad
Hey Ram Families! We had a quick response for this event and it has completely SOLD OUT! Families who have registered will receive an email with information about next steps. Because this was such a popular event, we are looking to calendar additional days in the coming months. Have a safe Halloween Rams!
TPMS 2020 Time Capsule
Twin Peaks Middle School will be putting together a 2020 Time Capsule to document what it’s been like to live during the year 2020 for future TPMS generations. The time capsule will be hidden on campus and sealed until the year 2030, when future TPMS students will have the chance to open it and get an idea of what life was like during these crazy times. We want your help filling this time capsule with notes, pictures, and small mementos that will give future students an idea of what life is like these days. ASB will have a box for donations to our Time Capsule located in front of the TPMS Office on Thursday and Friday from 8AM to 4PM. We’re also collecting virtual submissions of photos or notes that we will print out to include. Click here for more information!
TPMS Club Information
Hi Ram Families! Is your student looking for a sense of community and opportunity to socialize during this time of virtual learning? Our Fall clubs have been approved and are open for students to join! CLICK HERE to view a list of the clubs that are being offered this Fall at TPMS. At the bottom of the document, there is a form that students can fill out to sign up for the clubs they are interested in. Students will be added into a Canvas Course for their club where they’ll be able to access all club information and communicate with their club advisors and peers. Don’t miss out on this awesome opportunity for your student to get involved and meet students with similar interests!
Builders Club Wants You
Science Olympiad is Recruiting
Science Olympiad is looking for new members that want to learn more about science and have fun. We learn about topics and then take part in a science competition in February. Subjects to study include astronomy, fossils, and electrical circuits. For more information about our club, check out www.tpmsso.com. Find us on the ASB club rush document, or email tpmsscienceolympiad@gmail.com for more details.
TPMS Book Fair is Coming!
The fall book fair will start on October 26th, 2020. The 26th is a non-student day so that gives you plenty of time to shop and browse the book selections. This year there are two ways to shop online! Every purchase benefits Twin Peaks and helps encourage a love of reading. Free shipping on book orders over $25! Click here for more details! Click here for a list of books available this fall!
Rams 8th Grade East Coast Trip INFO MEETING!
Don't miss out on the trip of a lifetime! All parents of current 8th grade students are invited to attend the virtual information and registration meeting for the 2021 RAMS EAST COAST TRIP to Washington, D.C., Gettysburg, Philadelphia, and New York on Tuesday, October 27th at 6:30 PM on Zoom. Click on the image to the left for more information! The trip will take place from June 19 – 25, 2021. Registration will begin at the meeting and space is limited. This trip WILL sell out. Please contact Kodi Keller at kokeller@powayusd.com with questions.
TPMS Library is Now Open for Curbside Pickup & Dropoff
PTSA Reflections Art Program
"I Matter Because..." is the theme for this year! The theme was submitted by a California student 2 years ago and selected by the National PTA. All students are invited to participate and submit original artwork in one of six areas: Dance Choreography, Literature, Photography, Film Production, Music Composition, Visual Arts. The submission deadline is October 20th, so start thinking about your project. This year's program will be completely virtual due to COVID-19. Please see our website for more information. http://www.tpmsptsa.org/reflections/
TPMS Walk Against Hate
Thank you to our Ram family for participating in the Walk Against Hate on Sunday, and for your commitment to justice and equality for all. If you would like to share pictures of you, your family or friends participating in the Walk please complete the Google Form https://forms.gle/vD5AXMG9YWi68D3A7. If you were not able to participate in the Walk, we have additional opportunities for you to join in this work, starting with signing the Resolution of Respect. Your Ram teacher will share the link for the Nearpod with you in the next few weeks. In the Nearpod you have the opportunity to let the counselors know if you would like to help lead this important work.
Coffee Talk with the TPMS Admin & Counseling Teams
November 18th: 11:30am (English), 5:00pm (Spanish)
January 27th: 11:30am (English), 5:00pm (Spanish)
Information on how to attend and submit questions will be posted on the TPMS website HERE.
Tuesday Lunch with the Principal
Wellness Wednesday with the Counselors
Come hang out with the counselors to learn more about self-care, ways to de-stress, connect with other students, or just say hi! If you’re interested, please ask your RAM teacher for the Zoom Link. We look forward to seeing you there! Remember, this takes place every Wednesday!
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