Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the Desk of Principal Mills
Sunday, January 21st, 2024
Happy Sunday Ram Families!
I hope this newsletter finds you all well and staying dry as we have some much needed rain coming through the county over the next few days. Monday is forecasted to be a very rainy day, so please make sure to provide additional travel time for traffic and make sure your students dress appropriately for the weather! The good news is we should see the San Diego sun return as temperatures will bounce back to the 70s by the weekend!
Please help your student be successful by making sure they are in school and on time every day! Wednesday late starts have been especially challenging for our TPMS families; please remember that school is open 30 minutes before the first class of the day begins and there is a free breakfast available to all students in our cafeteria. That means students can de dropped off starting at 9:20am on Wednesday mornings. Parents - thank you in advance for helping us to reduce our student absenteeism rates by making sure your students are on campus before their first class begins each day!
Our campus began our new trash, food waste and recycling protocols this past week with limited success... most notably, we had a lot of food being disposed of in our landfill bins and all sorts of things being placed in the recycling bins. Please review the graphics below with your students to help familiarize them with the new categories of waste on campus and the appropriate bins to put things in. A big THANK YOU to our Custodial Supervisor, Kurt, and our Ag Science students for labeling all of the bins on campus with posters to help folks identify what goes in which bin. Students, please make sure to separate your waste into the three different containers you will see set up on campus. There will not be food waste bins in classrooms, so please make sure to put your food waste in the green bins you will see in the lunch areas. Thank you in advance for helping to keep our campus clean!
The TPMS Spelling Bee is this Wednesday, January 24th after school in the TPMS Theater starting at 4pm. We have 30+ students signed up to complete this year for the one spot to represent Twin Peaks in the County competition. The event is free and open for all to attend - come on by and support our Rams as they take on the Scripps Spelling Bee word list for 2024. Best of luck to all of our spellers!
Twin Peaks 6th Graders will be attending Cuyamaca Outdoor School, aka 6th Grade Camp, the week of March 10th-15th, 2024! This is an amazing opportunity for your 6th grader to learn in the outdoors and bond with their peers in the beautiful surroundings of Cuyamaca State Park. Information packets were distributed to students in Homeroom classes this past Tuesday. Please have your student turn in their completed paperwork and payment to their Homeroom teacher NO LATER THAN Friday, February 2nd.
Please support the Twin Peaks PTSA and the programs they run by ordering Krispy Kreme Doughnuts! Our PTSA is currently hosting a Krispy Kreme Doughnut Fundraiser - purchase your digital coupons by following the link below. You have until January 28th to purchase your digital coupons - 50% of the purchase price comes back to our PTSA to support programs at Twin Peaks! Thanks in advance for eating more Krispy Kreme Doughnuts this New Year!
January 22-26 is the Great Kindness Challenge! Please see our ASB's Spirit Week days in the flyer below and consider joining in the fun! Come out to the quad at lunch time to participate in the kindness events ASB has planned to celebrate each day, and then look for ways you can practice kindness on campus towards your fellow students and teachers. Please CLICK HERE for more information on the Great Kindness Challenge and to see what kinds of things YOU can do to be more kind.
Finally this week, we are starting to plan for our TPMS College & Career Fair on Friday, March 8th and we need parents to share their careers with our students! If you are interested in showcasing your career for our students and are available during our lunch time on March 8th, please consider volunteering! Check out the information below with a Google form link to sign-up and contact information if you have any questions.
In Partnership,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
1(858)748-5131 x2806
Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks
UPCOMING EVENTS:
TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS - Click here for Calendar
January 24th: Late Start, 9:50am
January 24th: TPMS Spelling Bee, @Theater, 4:00pm
January 29th: Prof. Development Day, No School for Students
January 31st: Late Start, 9:50am
January 31st: Reclassification Ceremony, 8:30am
February 7th: Late Start, 9:50am
February 7th: Band Concert @ MES, 9-11am
February 9th: Band Concert @ TBES, 11am-12:15pm
February 14th: Late Start, 9:50am
February 16th: Minimum Day, 12:35pm release
February 19-23: President's Week Break - NO SCHOOL
KNOW THE DIFFERENCE WHEN YOU THROW THINGS AWAY AT SCHOOL - USE THE RIGHT BIN!
Join the TPMS Choir
TPMS Choir will start singing on January 18th! Practices will be Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 7:15-8:15am. All students are welcome! Students need to be on time and can not miss more than 4 practices total for the choir session. We will perform a May 16th concert at Twin Peaks, and two other performances with the Poway High School Choir on May 23rd and May 24th.
Any questions, please email TPMSchoirdirector@gmail.com
For registration information: TPMS Spring 2024 Choir Registration
PHS Engineering Academy/Pathway Info Night
WED, Feb. 7, 2024, from 7 pm to 8 pm in Room N3107 at Poway High: This is an opportunity to hear how the program is helping current students and how the Poway High School Engineering Academy/Pathway is making a difference toward their college and career goals. You will learn about what courses to enroll in to start the Academy or Pathway. There will also be a presentation about updates in the Academy and an overview of the program and pathway. There will be a question-and-answer period. Please click here for the flyer.
TPMS College & Career Fair 2024 - We Need Your Help!
College & Career Fair Details
Date: Friday, March 8th
Time: 11am-12:35pm
Location: TPMS Quad
We are thrilled to share that Twin Peaks Middle School will host its annual College and Career Fair and we need you to make this a meaningful and informative experience for our students. If you would like to participate by sharing fun facts and other information about your work and career with our students, please complete our Google Form LINKED HERE. We look forward to partnering with you for this exciting event. Please contact Melissa Baskin, mbaskin@powayusd.com, if you have any questions.
8th Grade Yearbook Ads
Calling all families of 8th graders here at Twin Peaks! 8th Grade Recognition Ads are open and ready for purchase. Go to www.jostens.com and click on Recognition Ads to start the process of celebrating your 8th grader in this year’s yearbook! Deadline is February 1st so don’t delay! Don't forget to order your yearbook, too! Want more information about Yearbooks? Go to http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/
6th Grade Camp: March 11th - 15th, 2024
All 6th Grade students will be getting information and registration packets for Cuyamaca Outdoor School (aka 6th Grade Camp) in their Homerooms this Tuesday, January, 16. The cost for the full week of camp this year is $455. Please plan on submitting all forms and payment by Friday, February 2, 2024. We are excited to continue the 78 year tradition of 6th Graders visiting Cuyamaca Outdoor School!
PTSA Krispy Kreme Doughnuts Fundraiser
What: PTSA Winter fundraiser
When: January 15th-28th
Cost: $15 per dozen, up to 50% back to PTSA.
How: Fill out the Google Form to purchase: Krispy Kreme Purchase Form
Digital gift cards will be sent out after the fundraiser ends on 1/28/2024. Thank you in advance for your support of our PTSA!
Multilingual Program Updates!
First, we are excited to share a new tool you can access to support your student(s) that are English Learners. The EL Console is our new application where parents can see student’s progress towards reclassification. You can view their ELPAC scores along with their progress on iReady and SBAC assessments. To access the EL Console, follow these quick steps!
Second, our English Learner department has a new Instagram and Facebook account you can follow! You can see amazing learning in action, get updates from the EL Department, and learn how to continue to support your child. You can follow along at @pusdmll !
January Parent Education Courses
Our January Parent Education Courses are around the corner and we are excited for the new year! The course offerings are noted below. Just click on the class for the flyer. Make sure to check-out our new classes. You can also visit the website by clicking here. Scholarships available for families that may be in need.
January 2024 Parent Education Courses:
- Help Your Children Manage Stress and Anxiety – TK -5th Grade
- Are You Tired of Your Child Saying “No”? TK-5th Grade NEW
- Help Your Teen Manage Stress and Anxiety – 6th-12th Grade NEW
Please Get to School On-Time!
Parents - please make every effort to have your student here before classes begin each day at 8:30am, or before 9:50am on Wednesdays. We are actually experiencing a larger percentage of students late to school on Wednesdays when we have late start than on our regular start days. Please try and drop your student off at school by 8:15am or regular days and by 9:30am on late-start Wednesdays so that they have time to get to their first block class on time; we open the school gates 30 minutes before classes actually start, and our Food Services provide a free breakfast for students during this time or during the morning break after first block.
Attendance Corner
Is your Student leaving early? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730 that morning. Leave a message and a note gets sent to the student that block. Bring in your ID, sign the student out, and away you go!
Is your Student running late? Absent? Call the Attendance Hotline (858) 668-2730
Leave a message with the requested information and the Tardy or Absence will be excused.
Did your student go to the Doctor/Dentist/Orthodontist/Dermatologist/Optometrist?
It is beneficial to his/her attendance record to bring an official medical note to the Attendance Desk. Any absence excused by a medical note does not count toward your student’s absence total.
Main Office Drop-Offs
As a general rule, we do not accept drop-off items for students once they arrive at school. While we do make exceptions for medical and emergency situations, our TPMS Student Planner states: "In an effort to limit classroom interruptions as well as encourage students to become more independent and self-sufficient, Twin Peaks does not allow delivery of forgotten lunches, PE clothes, homework, non-emergency messages, or other items during the school day."
Delivery food and Door Dash-like companies may not deliver to students at school; additionally, cell phones will not be held for students at the front desk for them to pick up. Breakfast and lunch items are provided to all students, free of charge, so there should not be any reason to drop off a lunch for your student - they will be able to get food at school. If your student has food allergies that require special lunches, the Student Planner states you "must provide a Medical Statement (SNP-925) that explains the need. The medical statement must be signed by a physician and include recommended alternate foods."
TPMS Yearbook Info
Yearbooks are available for $55. Reserve yours now!
Pay by card: Go to www.jostens.com or use the QR code above.
Pay by cash/check: Download the typable order form from our webpage
http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/ or pick up a form in the office. Return the form and cash or check to the school office.
PTSA Meeting Dates 23-24
The Twin Peaks Middle School Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) is a membership-based, volunteer organization dedicated to making each school year a rewarding and enriching experience for all students. As a volunteer organization, PTSA is integral to the success of many campus events. We fund, organize and provide volunteers for a variety of PTSA programs and important school activities which serve to enhance your student’s middle school experience
All Executive Board meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the TPMS Library unless listed otherwise. Association Meetings will be held in September, February, and April. Board meetings are open to PTSA Board Members and Committee Chairs while Association Meetings are open for all members of the Twin Peaks Middle School PTSA:
February 15th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
March 14th
April 18th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
May 23rd
To join the PTSA for the 2023-24 school year, please CLICK HERE!
TPMS Foundation 23-24
Twin Peaks Foundation is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing educational excellence for ALL students at Twin Peaks Middle School. Their purpose is to bridge the widening gap between the amount of money actually provided by the State of California and the Poway Unified School District and the amount necessary to fund technology upgrades, educational programs and resources necessary to support the school. The Foundation typically meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the TPMS Library. Here are their monthly meetings dates for the 2023-24 school year:
February 13th
March 12th
April 16th
May 21st
Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE!
Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation
Twin Peaks Middle School
Nondiscrimination Philosophy and Policy Statement
The Poway Unified School District (PUSD) is an equal opportunity employer/program and is committed to an active Nondiscrimination Program. PUSD prohibits discrimination, harassment, intimidation, and bullying based on actual or perceived race, color, ancestry, national origin, nationality, immigration status, ethnicity, ethnic group identification, age, religion, marital or parental status, physical or mental disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or gender expression or association with a person or a group with one or more of these actual or perceived characteristics. For more information, please contact: Title IX/Equity Compliance Officer, James Jimenez, Associate Superintendent of Personnel support Services, Poway Unified School District, 15250 Avenue of Science, San Diego, CA 92128, 1-858-521-2800, extension 2121, jjimenez@powayusd.com. For students, you may contact Title IX Coordinator/504 Coordinator Jamie Dayhoff, Director of Attendance and Discipline, Poway Unified School District, 1-858-521-2840, jdayhoff@powayusd.com.
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams