Twin Peaks Middle School

Weekly RAM Newsletter

From the desk of Principal Mills - Sunday, Dec. 4th, 2022

Happy Sunday Ram Families!


I hope this newsletter finds you all well and enjoying our first December weekend! While the temperatures have dropped a little bit, the level of activity for our Rams has not! Over the next two weeks we have band and orchestra concerts, the ASB winter dance, PTSA and Foundation meetings, and of course a few holiday celebrations!


We had a busy first week back on campus, highlighted on Thursday with our Day of Awesome! Our Step-It Up fundraising efforts were rewarded and our students had an AWESOME day on the back field picking up their fundraising prizes, playing human foosball, throwing (velcro) axes, racing in hamster balls, playing dodge ball, shooting hoops, and racing their friends on the giant obstacle course. A big THANK YOU to our parent volunteers who helped to supervise the event, and our ASB students for their leadership in organizing the event! Check out some pictures from the day below!


The ASB Winter Dance - The Enchanted Forest - is this Friday, December 9th from 5:30-8:30pm in the TPMS quad. Dance tickets will be on sale for $10 each this Monday through Thursday, 12/8 at lunch in the quad. THE FINAL DAY TO PURCHASE A DANCE TICKET IS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 8th! Please make sure to purchase your ticket early - purchase price includes entry to the dance, games, tacos and dessert! We could still use a few more adult chaperones for this event - please email Mrs. Crow, our ASB advisor, if you are able to help out!


6th graders - start getting excited... it's time to get ready for Cuyamaca Outdoor School, otherwise known as 6th GRADE CAMP! This past Friday your 6th graders should have received their enrollment packet for 6th Grade Camp from their Ram teacher. Please make sure to complete and return your enrollment packet with your $430 camp fee to your Ram teacher no later than January 6th. Updates and information about 6th Grade Camp will also be available on the TPMS website later this week.


Finally this week, PUSD is hosting its 2nd Community Safety Summit this Thursday night, December 8 from 6:30 – 8:00 pm in the Community Room located at the District Office. The event will also be live streamed via this link. The topic for this summit is Student Wellness and Mental Health. Audience members in the Community Room will have the opportunity to interact with our panelists and to participate in a Q&A following the panel discussion. Please consider attending or logging in to listen to the expert panel that has been assembled for this event - you can see a list of the panel members below.


In Partnership,


Steve Mills

Proud Principal

Twin Peaks Middle School

stmills@powayusd.com

1(858)748-5131 x2806

Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks

UPCOMING EVENTS:

TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS - bit.ly/tpmsevents

December 12th: Jazz Band w/ PHS Jazz, PCPA @7:00 pm

December 13th: TPMS Foundation Mtg, @Zoom 6pm

December 13th: 7/8 Orchestra Concert w/ MBMS and PHS, PCPA @7pm

December 14th: Late Start - 9:50am

December 14th: 6th grade Band & Orchestra Concert, TPMS MPR @7pm

December 15th: 7/8th grade Band Concert w/PHS, PHS Gym @7pm

December 16th: Minimum Day

December 19th - January 2nd: Winter Break

January 3rd: First Day back at School!

January 4th: Late Start - 9:50am

January 13th: End of Quarter 2 / Semester 1

January 16th: MLK Day - No School

January 17th: Quarter 3 / Semester 2 Begins

January 30th: Professional Learning Day - No students

Big picture
Big picture

TPMS DAY OF AWESOMENESS - 12/1/22

Big picture
Big picture
Big picture

Giving Tree (Formerly Adopt A Family)

The deadline has been extended until Monday, December 5th! Please help support Twin Peaks families in need this holiday season by donating to the TPMS Giving Tree Program. Please remember that all items need to be dropped off tomorrow. CLICK HERE for all the details or see the flyer below. Thank you for supporting our Ram families this holiday season!
Big picture

Go Safely California Needs Your Help

We’re on the search for a name for our new cone mascot. If your students have a creative name idea, now is their chance to win a laptop, a $500 gift card, plus a $500 class gift card and prizes for their classroom! Winners will be announced on January 31, 2023. To enter, visit the QR code on the flyer below or visit www.gosafelyca.org. If you have any questions, please email us at moveovercontest@gmail.com or reply directly to this email.

Big picture

6th Grade Camp is Coming - Items Needed!

Our 6th grade Rams will be attending Cuyamaca Outdoor School the week of February 13th-17th. Your students were given an enrollment packet this week in their Ram class that will need to be completed and returned to their Ram teacher no later than January 6th. Please check the TPMS website for updates on 6th grade camp later this week.


Some of our students may not have all of the items they need to attend camp comfortably. Please let our Counseling Team know if you have a sleeping bag, jacket, sweatshirt, gloves, scarf, or hat that you or your kids no longer use and would like to donate. These are the most common items needed, but you can view the complete list below. Thanks so much for supporting 6th Grade Camp!

Big picture

OUR LOST & FOUND IS FULL!

Students! Please check the Lost & Found table outside of the library for any items that you may have left at school. We have jackets, sweatshirts, hats, lunch bags and A LOT of water bottles that are unclaimed and want to come home! Please stop by the table and claim your items TODAY! All items left after December 16th will be donated to Goodwill!

ASB Winter Dance & Clothing Drive

TPMS ASB is excited to announce our Annual Winter Semi-Formal Dance – “Enchanted Forest", which will be taking place in the TPMS Quad on Friday, December 9th, from 5:30-8:30pm. Tickets are on sale for $10 each starting on Monday, November 28th at lunch in the main quad. The last day to purchase a dance ticket is Thursday, December 8th!


We are also excited to announce our first Dance Clothes Drive, where families can donate new or gently used formal wear that students have grown out of and/or would like to donate to students in need. We are hopeful this will allow more students the opportunity to celebrate this event in style. If you are interested in donating items, please bring them by the TPMS Front Office, where you will find a donation bin.


If you are interested in donating to, or volunteering at, the dance, please visit our online Sign Up Form by clicking HERE. Thank you for all that you do to help make events special for our students! Please email Mrs. Crow at kokeller@powayusd.com if you have questions!

Free & Reduced Lunch Applications!

Although school meals are now free to all students under California’s new Universal Meals Program, the application for free and reduced-price meals is still very important. School funding depends in part on the number of students that qualify for free or reduced-price meals. With all students now eating for free, fewer families are completing the application and schools are at risk of losing funds. Household income information is confidential and applying online is quick and easy. Plus, students that qualify for free or reduced-price meals may also qualify for discounts on transportation, SAT and AP tests, home internet, and college application fees. You can apply online at MySchoolApps.com, or pick up a paper application in the school office.

Preliminary 2022 CAASPP Results Now Available

This was the first statewide test given to California students since 2019. Following the pandemic, the 2022 test was significantly revised by the California Department of Education (CDE), providing a new baseline for school districts and sites to measure progress moving forward. Due to the significant changes in the test, districts and sites are unable to make direct comparisons with previous years’ results. However, consistent strong results are indicative of system-wide collaboration by parents, teachers, and school staff to facilitate student success. We are proud of our students and know their accomplishments are reflected in a variety of ways. CAASPP results are one measure of progress and should be reviewed alongside other learning information as well.


CAASPP test scores are recorded as Standards Exceeded, Standards Met, Standards Nearly Met, and Standards Not Met.

  • In English language arts, 68.36% of our Twin Peaks MS students met or exceeded standards on the 2022 CAASPP.
  • In mathematics, 48.99% of our Twin Peaks MS students met or exceeded standards on the 2022 CAASPP.


CAASPP was administered to students in grades 3-8 and grade 11 during the Spring of 2022. If your child took the CAASPP, you can access their individual results through ParentVUE. Directions for using ParentVUE are linked HERE. Please keep in mind that these scores are only one measure of an individual student’s learning. Data from these assessments is used as part of a broader picture of student achievement. Teachers use these results in conjunction with site and classroom assessments and observations to help tailor instruction throughout the school year.

Poetry Contest & Video Challenge

Coastal Art & Poetry Contest for K-12 students

California students in kindergarten through 12th grade are invited to submit artwork or poetry with a California coastal or marine theme. Application deadline is January 31, 2023. For rules, contest flyer, entry form, and helpful links for teachers and students, visit https://www.coastal.ca.gov/art-poetry/. The instructions, flyer, and entry form are also available in Spanish at https://www.coastal.ca.gov/art-poetry/espanol.html.


Up to ten winners will be selected to win $100 to an art store (art winners) or $100 to a bookstore (poetry winners). Each winner will also receive four tickets to the Aquarium of the Pacific in Long Beach. Each winner's sponsoring teacher will receive a $50 gift certificate for educational supplies, courtesy of Acorn Naturalists.

Climate Video Challenge for middle and high school students

Enter any time this school year, through May 31, 2023. Students are invited to submit a 3-minute video responding to the question, “What is your vision for a thriving future?” Contest instructions and rules, brainstorming prompts, and lots of information on climate change and climate solutions can be found at https://www.coastal.ca.gov/climatechallenge. Students can enter as individuals or in teams of up to five. Prizes are offered for first ($300), second ($200), and third ($100) place videos.

Flu Season is Here

Cold and flu season is upon us. Health officials are warning there may be high levels of influenza compared to the past two years, when COVID-19 precautions helped keep flu infections low. As a reminder, please do not send your child to school if they are feeling sick or experiencing symptoms of a virus. Keeping your sick child home will be a great benefit for the health and wellness of our students and staff.


The flu is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses. It can cause mild to severe illness. Some people, such as older people, young children, and people with certain health conditions, are at high risk of serious flu complications. Symptoms of influenza can vary, but generally include a high fever, headache, chills, body aches, sore throat, and cough. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers these tips to prevent influenza:

● Get vaccinated every year

● Avoid close contact with sick people

● Frequently wash hands with soap

● Stay at home if you are experiencing flu-like symptoms

● Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

● Individuals with chronic health issues and/or individuals experiencing severe symptoms should be evaluated by a medical professional.

● See more prevention tips from the CDC by clicking here.

ASES is Hiring!!

If you are interested or know of someone who is interested in working in our before and after school ASES program, please scan or click the QR code below to apply and become an ASES Program Aide! Shifts are flexible and there's a wide variety of activities and programs to run for students in our before and after school programs. Questions? Please reach out to our ASES Supervisor Jennifer Willette at jewillette@powayusd.com.

TPMS Yearbook Info

Yearbooks are available for $50. We sold out last year so get yours now!

Pay by card: Go to www.jostens.com or use the QR code

Pay by cash/check: Download the 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.


Calling all proud 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 January 27th so don’t delay!


Want more information about Yearbooks? Go to http://tpmsyearbook.weebly.com/

TPMS Yearbook Needs Your Photos

The yearbook staff invites students, staff, and parents to submit photos for the yearbook. If you have great photos of school, sport or class events, we’d like to see them.


Our photographers can’t be everywhere. Help us get as many photos as possible to create a terrific yearbook everyone will want to have.


The last day to submit your photos is: March 1, 2023

SUBMIT YOUR PHOTOS ONLINE

https://bit.ly/TPMSupload

● Click on “Select My Images.”

● Browse to select the photo(s) you wish to upload.

● Enter information about the photo and provide contact information in case the staff needs additional information.

● Click “Upload Chosen Images.”

PTSA Meeting Dates for 2022-23

To join the PTSA for the 2022-23 school year, please CLICK HERE! All Executive Board meetings will be held on the 3rd Thursday of each month at 6:15pm in the TPMS Library unless listed otherwise.

  • December 8th
  • January 19th
  • February 16th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
  • March 16th
  • April 20th (Association Meeting @6:15pm; Board Meeting to follow)
  • May 18th
  • June 1st

TPMS Foundation Meeting Dates

The TPMS Foundation typically meets on the 3rd Tuesday of each month at 6pm in the TPMS Library. Please visit the TPMS Foundation Web Page by CLICKING HERE! Here are the upcoming monthly meetings for the 2022-23 school year.

  • December 13th (Zoom)
  • January 10th
  • February 13th
  • March 21st
  • April 18th
  • May 23rd
Big picture
Big picture

Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation

You can always shop Amazon and earn money for Twin Peaks! Just click on the Amazon link below, then start spending!

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.