Pacific Grove Middle School
October 2020 Newsletter
An Update From Your PGMS Counselors
Happy First Day of Fall PGMS Families,
It has been a challenging start to the year, but we are impressed with our staff, students, and families and the connections they have made. However, something that continues to weigh on us all is the question, “How long can we sustain this, and will my child lose interest and begin to fall behind?” One thing we have learned from the numerous articles sent to us daily is that we need to stay focused on the things we can control. Below is a list of things we can do to keep our children interested and invested in school and hopefully also keep us parents mentally sound. We are here for you when you need us. Please reach out with questions and concerns.
Janie Lawrence, School Counselor jlawrence@pgusd.org
Zoe Roach, School Counselor zroach@pgusd.org
Sonda Frudden, School Counselor sfrudden@pgusd.org
Below is a summary from an article featured on Common Sense Media of what parents and caregivers can do to keep children focused, interested, and balanced while learning at home.
Dedicate a space for learning in your home.
Set up a routine.
Review both academic and family expectations for your child.
Help your student stay focused, when possible, by staying close, so they don’t get stuck or distracted.
Encourage self-regulation while providing healthy snacks, water, movement breaks, etc.
Encourage ownership and effort by displaying work and giving detailed praise.
Highlight your child's strengths.
Incorporate movement and exercise into your day.
Encourage your child to self-advocate by asking for help when they need it.
Check out the full article with more detailed suggestions below:
https://www.commonsense.org/education/articles/parent-tips-and-tricks-for-distance-learning
Picking up something?
Please note: Not every student will have something to pick up from the school.
October Parent Teacher Conferences October 19-23
Parent -Teacher conferences are scheduled for struggling students. Ms. Apple has contacted the parents to schedule a conference. The conferences are the week of Monday, October 19 - Friday, October 23. The conference times are Monday and Wednesday- Friday, 12:45 - 2:45 p.m., 15-minute conferences. The ONLY evening conference available is on Tuesday, October 20, 5:00 p.m. - 6:15 p.m.
School Pictures
Do students need to show an order confirmation or receipt at picture day if they pre-ordered?
No. They just take their photo.
Please see the schedule below for your student's scheduled time.
Pre- Orders
Please click on the link https://my.lifetouch.com/ to order your student(s) pictures online or you can click on the Lifetouch images or the blue snail image.
The Picture Day ID # for your school is EVTB2JZ7P. The code is only good for pre-orders and valid until your last picture day event, scheduled for Nov. 2, 2020.
For families that pre-ordered, their packages will be shipped to the school approximately 4 weeks after the last picture day ( Nov. 2, 2020), along with student ID's. Please stay tuned for details about the distribution of the school pictures and ID's.
Ordering After November 2, 2020
At this point, orders placed online with these unique codes will be mailed directly to the homes with shipping fees.
Library Spotlight for October Distance Learning!
Ebooks!!
Our PGMS Library catalog has 115 ebook titles accessible at any time with unrestricted check-out. Simply access our catalog from the library webpage:
To access our catalog, go to https://pgmiddle.pgusd.org/
1. Click on the Library Page link in either "Our School" or "Student."
2. Click "Library Catalog"
3. Select “Pacific Grove Middle School”
4. On the “Find” line, search: ebook choose a book & select “Open”
Username = GUEST
Password = GUEST
Make sure to check the options in the upper right hand corner, some ebooks include talk-to-text functionality and associated video content online!!
Printed Copy of the book?
Remember to look for books on our Library webpage. You can click on the link "PGMS Library Book Check-out Request" or book icon and it will take you to the Library Book Check-out Request along with access to the catalog of books available. Please make sure you read the directions.
Hey all of you Diary of a Wimpy Kid fans!
Book #15, yes #15, is coming out in October!
Order through Scholastic Book Club and receive guaranteed delivery of DOWK: The Deep End by the international release date of October 27! Only $9.50, but you must order and pay for it by October 12.
Get a free gift (a Deep End window cling) while you wait!
Need to order? Go online to scholastic.com/bookclubs or click on the DOAWK image and use activation code: MJ77N.
Going out of town? Going on vacation?
Per the 2020-2021 Parent-Student Handbook, please fill out the Justifiable Absence Request Form at least two weeks in advance. Even if you plan to have your student sign on for the classes, this will help with attendance. You can take a picture of the form and upload it in an email to Mrs. Cochran, rcochran@pgusd.org.