Panther Pride News
Jane Mears Middle School, Anchorage, AK
Friday, May 12, 2023
Panther Pride News is published weekly to keep all members of the school community informed and involved.
Mears Celebrates Student-Scholars with 4.0 GPAs
The Mears Middle School community is extremely proud of the seventy-seven students who have earned a 4.0 GPA this school year. All the teachers and staff wish to especially recognize those thirty-five 8th graders who received straight As for their entire two-year tenure at Mears. These students have all set a very high bar, which inspires everyone at Mears to try harder to achieve and be successful. Special thanks to Ms. Ava Goodman, Mears PTSA, our friends at Peppercini's, Mears teachers and staff, and all the parents, family members, and students who attending this year's 4.0 Breakfast Celebration. It was a wonderful event. Go Panthers!
Mears Enjoys Final Team Day Activities
Important Dates Ahead
5/16: Spring Orchestra & Choir Concert 7 p.m.
5/19: All School Dance 3:00 p.m.
5/23: Last Day of School, 8th Grade Bash and Field Day
Staff Calendar
5/16: All Employee Staff Meeting 3 p.m. Library
5/16: Spring Orchestra & Choir Concert 7 p.m.
5/17: Band, Orchestra & Choir Concert P2
5/19: All School Dance 3:00 p.m.
5/23: Last Day of School, 8th Grade Bash and Field Day
5/24: Teacher Work Day at Mears
Summer School Information for Grades 6-8
Important Student Health and Safety Announcement
Dear Mears Families and Community Members,
We are reaching out to you with an important message about a serious concern we are facing in our community. The safety and wellbeing of our students and families is our top priority, and we know that our young people are safest when the whole community works together.
It is with this in mind, that Mears, along with schools throughout ASD, is sharing information and resources about a surge in dangerous drug use in Anchorage. According to APD, there has been an uptick in Fentanyl overdoses in Anchorage, including schools across the district. According to the Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA), Fentanyl is a deadly synthetic opioid that is being pressed into fake pills or cut into heroin, cocaine, and other street drugs to drive addiction. Fentanyl is 50 times more potent than heroin. Fake pills are made to look like OxyContin®, Xanax®, Adderall®, and other pharmaceuticals.
On Wednesday, May 3, Mears will dedicate our weekly Homeroom period to sharing with students a lesson on Fentanyl awareness and prevention. In the meantime, here are a variety of resources that we encourage all families to review and discuss with your children.
Please feel free to send me an email at backman_eric@asdk12.org or call 907-742-6400 with any questions you may have.
Thank you all. --Eric
It's time to return all books to the library
All books and materials are due back in the library no later than May 17th. Any outstanding items will be billed as lost. Students received notices of checked out library materials last week and language arts teachers were given an updated list of students this morning.
New to Mears?: Sign Up for Panther Camp
2023 Panther Camp - Choose August 10th or 11th
What is Panther Camp?
Panther Camp is an optional day of school orientation activities designed to give all of our new students at Mears an opportunity to learn about their new school, meet teachers, counselors, and administrators, make new friends, and learn more about important strategies for success in middle school and beyond. Panther Camp is an opportunity for students new to Mears to become familiar with their new school. Activities are designed to help build confidence and a sense of community, such as opening and closing lockers, reviewing class schedules, finding classrooms, meeting other students, procedures in the PE locker rooms, signing up for sports, extra-curricular activities, lunchroom procedures, and more. There is a $15.00 fee for Panther Camp; this fee provides a small snack and a limited edition Mears t-shirt.
When is Panther Camp? Panther Camp is held in August just before school starts. It is offered on two different days and prospective students should sign up for only ONE day. The camp starts at 9:00 AM and ends at 11:30 AM. Kids can be dropped off and picked up in the east side parking lot near the rear of the building. For the 2023-2024 school year, Panther Camp will be held on August 10th and 11th.
Link for registration:
https://www.asdk12.org/domain/4284 We are on Dena’ina Homeland
Mears Middle School acknowledges that we operate and gather on the traditional land of the Dena’ina Peoples and honor, with gratitude, the land itself and the people who have stewarded it throughout the generations.
School Calendar: Upcoming Dates and Events
