PTMS Weekly Parent Newsletter
February 16, 2024
Coming Up
January 16-March 15 - Residency Verification for ALL CURRENT STUDENTS
February 14-29 - Winter Dance Ticket Sales: $5/ea until Feb. 23; $10/ea from Feb. 24-29 - Student ID and this parent permission slip required to purchase a ticket.
February 12-March 15 - ISPE Application Window
February 12-26 - Intradistrict Transfer Application Window
February 19-20 - President's Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
February 21 - Single Period Day - Classes begin at 8:10 a.m.
February 22-23 - Regular Block Period Days
February 29 - Timeless Dance
Message from the Principal
Wolfpack families,
Happy Friday. As we get ready for the extended weekend, I want to share some of the great learning happening on campus. Our 8th grade students began their literature circles unit in which they get to select a book to read with a group. Students, in selecting books, get to choose based on interest and spent a class period looking at the various options. In reading someone's story, it broadens their perspective and as I have chatted with our 8th graders, they are very excited to get going on the unit. I really applaud our English teachers for the learning experiences they create for our students. In 7th grade science, students are learning about sustainable development while in 8th grade science, our students continued to learn about Newton's Third Law using engaging items including basketballs, skateboards and more.
Today, our ASB students led lunchtime activities celebrating Lunar New Year. I am proud that they provided the opportunities for students to see their culture reflected in school activities, and for others to learn about cultural activities they may not otherwise know. Through the process, we bring people together, and that is part of what makes Pacific Trails so special.
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, please make sure that you are only dropping your child off in the lane closest to the school. I know that traffic is busy in the morning. I encourage you to leave a little bit early to avoid the rush. But if you cannot, please wait your turn to drop your student off. Dropping students off in the middle or far lanes create potentially unsafe situations, and it is crucial that we keep students and each other safe.
If you are traveling for the long weekend, I wish you safe travels. If you are staying local, I hope that you and your family get to rest and relax.
A reminder that we do not have school Monday or Tuesday, but will return on Wednesday, February 21.
In gratitude,
Scott Wild Ed.D
Principal
From the Assistant Principal
CAASPP/CAST Testing
This year, students will be participating in the California Assessment of Student Performance and Progress (CAASPP). All students will take the Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for English Language Arts/literacy and Mathematics. In addition, eighth grade students will take the California Science Test (CAST). Additional information can be found by clicking on the link HERE.
PTMS Testing Schedule:
California Science Test (CAST) in 8th Grade Science classes (March 5-8)
Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for ELA in English classes (March 11-15)
Smarter Balanced Summative Assessments for Math in Math classes (April 9-12)
Students will NOT be able to use wireless headphones. Students should bring their own WIRED headphones or earbuds if they have them.
If you have questions please email Assistant Principal Dr. Stephanie Hake (stephanie.hake@sduhsd.net) or Lisa Graciano (lisa.graciano@sduhsd.net).
Counseling Update
D/F Notification: Grades are available for parents and students to view online via Aeries. To view grades, access your Aeries account and select the “Grades” tab, then click on “Grades”. Only students earning a D and/or F will have a 3rd Quarter D/F notification posted. To view your student’s current progress and any assignment test scores, click on “Gradebook”.
SAY San Diego is hosting free parenting classes. Please see this flyer for more information.
We hope you and your family have a relaxing long weekend!
Lisa Curry, Counselor (A-Ma) lisa.curry@sduhsd.net
Carsen Murt, Counselor (Mc-Z and ML Students) carsen.anderson@sduhsd.net
Samantha Eels-Taylor, Student Support Facilitator samantha.eelstaylor@sduhsd.net
From the Attendance Office
~ You'll never know what you missed unless you show up.
High School Selection for Current 8th Graders
The Online High School Selection window for 8th Graders CLOSES TODAY, FEBRUARY 16th.
Who should submit a high school selection during the window?
1. Students currently attending SDUHSD District schools:
Current Grade 8 - All SDUHSD 8th grade students currently residing in the district must select a high school that they wish to attend in the fall of 2024.
Current Grades 9-11 - SDUHSD students currently attending a district high school who wish to change high schools must also make a selection.
SDUHSD high school students who do not wish to change and will remain at their current high schools for fall 2024 do not need to make any selections during high school selection and will automatically be re-enrolled in their current school.
2. Students who reside within District boundaries but do not currently attend SDUHSD schools:
Current Grades 8-11 students who reside within SDUHSD boundaries but who do not currently attend SDUHSD schools, including private and Rancho Santa Fe schools, must make a selection if they plan to attend a SDUHSD high school in the fall of 2024.
Students must currently reside within SDUHSD district boundaries to participate in high school selection. Students are only eligible to attend an Academy school if their primary residence is within the district boundaries and they are actually residing in that residence prior to the close of the selection at 4:00 pm on February 15, 2024.
It is the intent of the Board of Trustees to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students of the district. In order to maintain an equitable balance in the enrollment at each campus, the Board of Trustees established attendance boundaries for each school in SDUHSD. Boundaries of school attendance areas in the district are as follows:
1. La Costa Canyon High School (LCC) shall include the boundaries of the Encinitas and Cardiff school districts and the area north of Escondido Creek in Rancho Santa Fe district.
2. Torrey Pines High School (TP) shall include the boundaries of the Del Mar, Solana Beach and Rancho Santa Fe School Districts, with the exception of the area north of Escondido Creek in the Rancho Santa Fe School District.
3. San Dieguito High School Academy (SDHSA) and Canyon Crest Academy (CCA) shall be open to all district residents in grades 9-12 on an equal basis through the high school selection administrative regulation approved by the Board of Trustees. To be eligible to attend SDHSA or CCA, a student must have selected the school during the established high school selection window process.
Lottery (If Necessary) -- Friday, February 23, 2024, 5:00 pm
For information about the various district high schools, please refer to their individual websites.
Residency Verification REQUIRED for ALL CURRENT STUDENTS!
The window to submit your Annual Residency Verification is January 16 through March 15. You might feel like you've just done this (and maybe you have), but this is for the 2024-25 school year. Not this school year.
Here are the quick specifics:
- If your student is CURRENTLY enrolled in a SDUHSD school and plans to go to a SDUHSD school for the 2024-25 school year, completing this process is REQUIRED! ** If your student will NOT be attending a SDUHSD school for the 2024-25 school year, please contact the Registrar - Marielle.BravoSaltzman@sduhsd.net. If you don't, we will bug you relentlessly for Residency Verification paperwork. **
- Complete this Residency Verification Affidavit.
- Attach a copy of your current SDGE bill (Category 1 on the form)
- Attach a copy of a cable or water bill (Category 2 on the form)
- Upload those three (3) documents in Aeries as per these instructions - OR -
- Scan/email those three (3) documents to Vetha.Pierce@sduhsd.net - OR -
- Print out and Turn-in those three (3) documents at your student's school.
If you have more than one student CURRENTLY ENROLLED in one or more of our SDUHSD schools, one packet with all current students' names can be turned in at one of the currently attending school sites (i.e. your middle school twins currently attend PTMS and older brother currently attends CCA - one packet with all 3 names can be turned in/uploaded to either PTMS or CCA) **Please do not include your incoming 6th grader on this form! A separate Enrollment packet will include a Residency Verification packet.**
For questions, please contact Vetha Pierce.
ISPE Application Window - February 12 thru March 15
If your student has ISPE this year, that doesn't mean your student automatically has it for the 2024-25 school year. ISPE participants MUST re-apply each year. Please click on this district link for complete details and for the links to virtual parent Q&A sessions.
Is Your Student Going to a Private School Next School Year?
If you and your student are thinking of applying to a Private School for next year. Please fill out the link below for each school.
Mental Health & Wellness
Mental Health & Wellness Resources for Students, Staff, and School Community.
Click on the QR code to discover your PTMS Support Staff.
Free Mental Health Webinar Series
Suicide Prevention QPR Training
ASB and Student Announcements
You can check them out on the Students tab of our website under "Student Announcements" for a running post of each week's student announcements.
8th Grade Good Citizenship 8th Grade Disneyland Trip
Parents and families of 8th grade students: Tickets for the Good Citizenship 8th Grade Disneyland Trip will go on sale from March 4th to March 15th. The trip will be Thursday, May 30. Students will receive a permission slip and additional information during homeroom on Friday, March 1st. The cost of the trip is $180 (this covers the ticket and transportation.) If your student requires financial assistance to attend the trip, please contact your student's counselor. If you are able to sponsor another student, there will be an opportunity to do so later as well.
Pi Day - March 11th - VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
PTMS will be celebrating Pi Day on Monday, March 11th, and we need your help! We are looking for parent volunteers to help us supervise different Pi Day activities for students throughout the day. Please use the link below to sign up. Thank you!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FA5AB22A6FAC16-47421172-piday
Department News
From the PE Department
Please follow us on Instagram to see what your student is up to during PE class.
Learning Commons News
Please click here to see everything that the Learning Commons has been up to so far this year.
From Yearbook
Clubs
Book Club
The PTMS Book Club is holding a book drive to benefit disadvantaged kids in San Diego County. Students may bring any like-new books they would like to donate to the Learning Commons through the end of February. Books will be distributed by the Encinitas County Library in partnership with Kids Need to Read, a non-profit organization that provides books to kids in need.
~ Club activity will be posted here throughout the year. To get a list of all Clubs currently active, please check the Activities page on our website.
From the PTSA
Valentine's Day Staff Appreciation
Roses are red, Violets are Blue,
Our students are so lucky to have a school staff like YOU!
PTSA was delighted to prepare a sweet Valentine’s Day breakfast for our beloved school staff.
- Petia Balden, Staff Appreciation Chair
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!
PTMS will be celebrating Pi Day on Monday, March 11th, and we need parent volunteers to help supervise different Pi Day activities for students throughout the day. Please use the link below to sign up. Thank you!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C084FA5AB22A6FAC16-47421172-piday
Multilingual Learner Corner
MiraCosta College in Oceanside is hosting a FREE conference for ML families and students to learn more about college, careers, and health. The conference is Saturday, March 9, from 9 am - 2pm. You must register here by March 1.
For more information contact, Miriam Kramer at miriam.kramer@sduhsd.net
Special Education Sessions and Events
For a list of Special Education Informational Sessions and Family Events, please click here.
For meetings, trainings, workshops, and more from the North Coastal Consortium for Special Education, please click here.
Other Important Items
- Boys & Girls Club - Seasonal sports information/registration.
- PTMS Live Calendar of Campus Events and 2023-24 Instructional Calendar.
- PTMS Spirit Wear/Gear - PTMS Spirit Wear and accessories for the whole family!
- PTMS Student Vehicle Permit - Register your bike/e-bike/scooter/skateboard with PTMS. Complete this form and turn in to the office.
- PTMS Webstore - PE clothes/Limited Series Clothing
- PTMS Webstore - Spirit Wear
- PTMS Yearbook. - Order today!
- San Dieguito Alliance for a Drug-Free Youth - complete the Parent Pledge here.
- San Dieguito Boys & Girls Club - click the link to the left for 2023-24 athletic schedules.
- SDUHSD - Employment Opportunities. To view a list of openings and to apply, please click https://www.edjoin.org/sandieguito or you can call Susan Gray at 760 753-6491 x5543.
This newsletter has also been posted to our website under "Parent Communications."
Deadline to submit articles for publication is Thursdays.