Grizzly Gazette
August 20th, 2021
Dear PGMS Parents,
First and foremost, thank you all for your unwavering support to begin our school year. The partnership we share with our families makes a world of difference for our students and staff. Thank you for your patience as we have worked through transportation issues. Buses are running closer to their goal times and are getting better every day. Additionally, thank you very much for your cooperation with our car line. Many of you have been gracious enough to even thank our staff for their diligence in getting hundreds of Grizzlies safely in their cars each afternoon. We truly appreciate that!
We are genuinely excited to have our Grizzlies at school. The students have done an excellent job of getting back into the routine of school, while also adhering to the safety measures we have in place to promote the wellbeing of everyone in our school community. There is excitement in the air in our hallways and it is truly gratifying to watch our students engage in meaningful academic and social experiences.
I encourage you to participate in our Virtual Curriculum Night 2021 on Thursday, August 26. Teachers will be providing vital information regarding what and how students will be learning this school year. Our Grizzlies are engaging in high quality, purposeful learning experiences, designed to ensure that all students are academically successful. Teachers are happy to connect with you to answer any questions you may have. All Curriculum Night informational links will be posted on the PGMS website.
Please continue to follow the mitigation strategies as outlined by Forsyth County Schools. Piney Grove will continue to diligently follow system guidance to provide the safest possible learning environment. Your cooperation and support are so appreciated. More detailed FCS information, including Facts for Families, can be found at https://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/Page/54410. Should you have any questions, do not hesitate to reach out to us.
Thank you for your continued support!
Respectfully,
Pam Pajerski
Principal
Virtual Curriculum Night: August 26th
Curriculum Night will now be VIRTUAL!
Our Curriculum Night will be virtual, on Thursday, August 26th. This will not be a live event, so please feel free to watch personalized videos from your student's teachers at your convenience. Links will be posted on our website and sent out through our messenger.
Parent Permission Forms / Parent Portal
The deadline to sign these has been extended through Tuesday, August 31st
*Remember we only need ONE parent or guardian signature.* Please access the form through Parent Portal. If you do not have a parent portal account, please stop by the front office with a valid ID so we can start the process for you.
*Students will also be signing.* Students will go through Classlink and the Infinite Campus App to find their documents.
Please reach out if you have any questions or are having any issues with these forms.
A Note From Nurse Judy
Please inform school nurse of any medical condition that could effect your child while at school.
New healthcare plans are needed at the beginning of each new school year
Please contact the school nurse with any questions or concerns regarding your child.
Judith Femia RN
Piney Grove Middle School
678-965-5010 ext-381527
Fax-678-965-5011
Please do not send your child to school if they are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19. (Symptoms include any of the following: Fever/chills, cough, fatigue, body aches, headache, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea/vomiting, diarrhea or new loss of taste or smell.)
Piney Grove Daily Procedures
Arrival:
Our doors will open for drop off / car-rider line at 8:00 A.M. Any student being dropped off at that time will report to the cafeteria. Students will be released to their 1st period class at 8:30 A.M.
Any student dropped off after 8:30 A.M. will report directly to 1st period.
Students riding the bus will be dismissed directly to 1st period.
Breakfast will be served from 8:20 A.M.- 8:55 A.M.
Dismissal:
Walkers and car riders will be dismissed at 4:10 P.M. Bus riders will be dismissed at 4:15 P.M.
Like in year's past, if a bus is running extremely late, we will update the status on our social media accounts. Thank you for your continued support and patience!
Lunch Room
Students will now be eating in the lunchroom on a rotation, which will significantly lower numbers of students in our lunchroom.
Technology:
As stated in the FCS Guidelines for reopening, we are encouraging students who have BYOT to utilize it in their classes as needed. We encourage students to bring devices (laptops, phones, tablets, etc.) from home.
Masks:
Masks will be optional and encouraged for all students and staff in all areas this school year.
Clubs:
Club meetings are beginning to be scheduled. A list of clubs and activities can be found on the Piney Grove Website. Club sponsors communicate information via signs in the hall, on the overhead announcements, or on the Daily Announcements Slides (on the website, Facebook, and student page on itslearning. Some use more than one method of communication. Some use all three. Some clubs even have their own itsLearning pages.
Our Schedule
We will be following the schedule below this year:
Grizzly Days (all periods) will be Mondays, Tuesdays, and Fridays
Green Days- Wednesdays
Gold Days- Thursdays
PBIS at PGMS
August Teacher of The Month / Staff Member of The Month
Teacher of the Month & Staff Member of the Month Program!!!
Rosati's Pizza and Sports Pub will once again be honoring each monthly designee. We are extremely excited to be partnering with a business that is so dedicated to giving back to the community. Please take the opportunity to nominate one of our amazing teachers or staff members for this honor!
August Teacher of the Month Nomination Form
August Staff Member of the Month Nomination Form
If you have someone in mind to nominate and you are not sure which form to use please don't hesitate to reach out. jwiles@forsyth.k12.ga.us
Please submit all August nominations by the end of the day on August 31st
Spirit Week- August 23rd - August 27th
Picture Day
Picture Day will be September 10th. We will have times for our virtual students.
Information will be sent out through messenger at a later date.
Have You Joined PTSO?
Did you know that PTSO member dues directly impact your child's education? In previous years, PTSO funds have provided grants for various educational materials such as iPads, calculators, software, and media center materials that are utilized in the classroom. PTSO has provided items for the Art, Drama, and Music Departments. We have also supported the Outdoor Classroom and speakers for Parent Information Nights.
Volunteering to help PTSO is greatly appreciated by other members, students, teachers and staff.
We thank you for your support!
Piney Grove PTSO Membership 2021-2022:
$25 Basic Membership
$50 Basic Membership + Magnet + Raffle for free Yearbook
$100 Basic Membership + Magnet + Raffle for free Yearbook + Early VIP entry into Block Party on Curriculum Night and Meet/Greet with Admin
$250 Basic Membership + Magnet + Raffle for free Yearbook + Early VIP entry into Block Party on Curriculum Night and Meet/Greet with Admin + Sponsor a Letter and special recognition on a Plaque inside the school commemorating 15 Years of Excellence + “Vintage” Spirit Wear Item
Free Meals For All Children in Forsyth County
Wellness...Tips for Embracing Balance and Well-Being
Important Yearbook Information / 8th Grade Yearbook Ads
We had over 150 families take advantage of the discounted price of $55 and buy the yearbook during Open House! It isn't too late! If you got to Balfour.com and search Piney Grove Middle School, you can also get the 2021-22 yearbook for $55. We have already started working on it, and it is going to be the best one yet! So don't miss out! If you have any questions, you can contact Kimberly Zimmerman at kzimmerman@forsyth.k12.ga.us
2021-2022 YEARBOOK 8th grade AD ORDER FORM
(Enclose the form below in your envelope with payment)
ORDERS AND PAYMENTS ARE DUE BY Friday, September 24.
Chick-Fil-A Biscuits For Sale
Troubleshooting Steps for Logging in to ClassLink and /or Itslearning
Here is a link to let you check the status of itslearning. It will tell you if there are any issues and where they are on a fix for said issues.
https://status.itslearning.com/
This document will let you check your settings and help you clear your cache for better performance in Classlink.
Troubleshooting steps for logging in to ClassLink and /or itslearning:
Are You Receiving Emails From Piney Grove?
This is just a reminder that at Piney Grove we communicate often and in various ways. Information is put on our Piney Grove Dashboard on itsLearning, on our Piney Grove web page, and on our Facebook / Twitter accounts. Information is also sent out in emails via Campus Messenger. We have sent quite a few already and hope that you have not missed them. If you are not receiving them for some reason there are a couple things you will need to check.
From the Front Office
Our check in and check out process allows your kids to check themselves in. Feel free to just drop them at the door and we will get them all checked in! To check out, you will still need to come into the front office but everything is now touchless so it is a much more streamlined process.
We are asking to please limit dropping off items if at all possible. Thank you all for your help with this!
FCS Digital Citizenship Tools for Families
Check out our FCS Digital Citizenship Tools for Families website! It is filled with incredible tips, videos, articles and more. We invite you to check out the website at http://ow.ly/YZvn50vlQa3 and refer to it anytime you need ideas to help teach your kids how to manage their technology use. Together, we can guide our FCS students towards making safe and healthy choices online.