Twin Peaks Middle School
Weekly RAM Newsletter
From the desk of Principal Mills - Sunday, March 13th, 2022
Happy Sunday, Ram Families!
I hope this newsletter finds you all well and ready to celebrate St. Patrick's Day later this week! We had another amazing week of learning at Twin Peaks MS, but in two different locations... 240+ of our 6th graders attended Camp Cuyamaca Outdoor School for the first time since 2020! I was able to head up to camp this past Thursday and see our Rams in action - it was an awesome sight to see our students climbing rocks, geocaching, refining their archery skills, and working together to cross the toxic river!
Please check out the 6th grade camp photos below! Any personal items not collected on Friday from camp will be held in the main office until this Friday, March 18th. Items not collected by Friday will be donated to the refugee efforts supporting Ukrainian refugees.
A few BIG THINGS to be aware of this week:
- We will have a Minimum Day Schedule on Tuesday 3/15 and Wednesday 3/16
- See Something, Say Something Spirit Week is this week and we want ALL of our students to participate! Please take a look at the flyer below to know what to wear each day!
- Poway High School's Open House for students and families will be live on campus this Tuesday, 3/15 starting at 5pm. CLICK HERE for a schedule of events!
- Please have your student check the lost and found for any missing items - especially jackets, sweatshirts and water bottles! Items not collected by Friday 3/18 will be donated to the refugee efforts supporting Ukrainian refugees.
- TPMS Night at the SD Seals Lacrosse Game is this Saturday, 3/19 at 7pm - scan the QR code below to get your tickets!
Masking Updates
On February 28th the Governor announced that starting on Monday, March 14, students and staff in TK-12 schools would no longer be required to wear masks while indoors on school campuses, although it is still strongly recommended. At Twin Peaks MS, we value and respect individual choices on our campus. Some of our staff and students will continue to wear their masks, and some will choose not to. As a community, we need to respect the choices that each individual makes. I am requesting that over the next couple days, you speak with your child(ren) on your family’s expectations regarding masking, as well as, how to respect the decisions made by others. Our teachers will have similar conversations in their classrooms. Our counseling team is also available to support any students experiencing anxiety or difficulty with this transition in masking requirements.
Please Note: Staff and Students who have tested positive for COVID 19 will continue to isolate per the CDPH and SDCOE Decision Tree. If an individual tests negative on Day 5, they may return to school on Day 6 as long asymptomatic or symptoms are resolving and a mask must be worn that fits snugly over the mouth and nose while indoors and when around others outside. If one chooses not to wear a mask, they are required to return on Day 11.
We are excited to hold our Spring Dance - "A Night at the Carnival" - at the end of this month on Friday, March 25th. Tickets will be on sale starting Monday, March 14th for just $5 in the TPMS Quad every day during lunch. Make sure to bring your Student ID card with you to purchase your tickets, and get your tickets soon! The price of tickets will go up to $10 starting on March 21st. We can’t wait to dance the night away and enjoy some fun carnival games!
With the record turn-out we had for the last dance, we are trying to plan ahead and could use some additional parent volunteers to help us supervise this massive event - please consider helping out! There are also some slots still available for drinks, food items, and supplies - if you are able to help out, HERE IS THE LINK to sign up! Thank you in advance for all of your wonderful support!
Finally this week, our second and final Community Forum on Technology will be held this coming Wednesday, March 16th on Zoom from 6-7pm. Our focus for this next forum will shift to technology and it's impact on student's social and emotional well being. Please submit your questions in advance for our panelists to consider by CLICKING HERE! The link to Screenagers: The Next Chapter is good through Monday, March 14th at midnight. See the flyer below if you still want to see the documentary or would like to attend the forum - the link for the forum will be sent to the email you provided when you registered on Wednesday morning.
In Partnership,
Steve Mills
Proud Principal
Twin Peaks Middle School
1(858)748-5131 x2806
Instagram: @principalmills_twinpeaks
6th Grade Camp Cuyamaca Photos
UPCOMING EVENTS:
TPMS NEWS AND EVENTS - bit.ly/tpmsevents
March 14th-18th: See Something Say Something Week
March 14th: Ocean/Beach Day (No Swimsuits)
March 15th: Minimum Day 12:40pm dismissal
March 15th: Wear Green Day
March 15th: PHS 8th Grade Parent Night, Zoom @5:30pm
March 16th: Minimum Day 12:40pm dismissal
March 16th: Wear Clothes Backwards Day
March 16th: Screenagers, the Next Chapter Forum #2, 6-7pm via Zoom
March 17th: Group/Twin Day
March 17th: Step It Up - Day of Awesome! 2nd block and lunch
March 17th: PTSA Meeting, Library @6:15pm
March 18th: Crazy Cap Day
March 22nd: TPMS Foundation Meeting, Library @6:00pm
March 23rd: 5th Grade Parent Night, Zoom @5:30pm
March 28th-April 1st Scholastic Book Fair
2022 Lip Sync Battle
It’s time for one of our best events of the year. ASB is hosting the 4th annual Lip Sync Battle!!! Don’t know what it is? No Worries! Lip Sync Battle is a fun event where you can dance and lip sing to your favorite song or a mashup of your favorite songs! Find a team of friends and record a music video of your own. Teams can have 2-12 members, and your Music Video must be submitted by March 14th. Visit bit.ly/tpmslipsyncbattle for more info!
Volleyball Championship
Our Twin Peaks Rams volleyball team has earned a place in the district championship game! We will be playing our final match for the district title here in the Twin Peaks MPR on Thursday, March 17th at 4pm.
Please encourage your kids to stay after school to cheer on their Rams to victory and to ensure we have a loud and proud home court advantage. The event is free and is full of excitement. Games generally run until 5- 5:30pm so you can plan to pick up your kids then. Thanks for your support of our student-athletes. Let's GO RAMS!!
Step it Up Kids Day of Awesome – 3/17
Hey Ram Families! Thanks again for all of your support with our annual Step it Up Kids Fundraiser in the fall. It’s finally time for our celebration Day of Awesome! The Day of Awesome will take place on Thursday, March 17th to celebrate our TPMS students for their support. Students who fundraised $60 or more will receive an invitation with more information delivered to their RAM class next week, which will allow them to miss 2nd block (1st period) for the Day of Awesome event. Don’t worry if you didn’t fundraise though – we want to make sure all of our Rams get in on the fun, so the Day of Awesome will be open to all students during lunch!
Wrestling Season Signups Extended
IT'S TIME FOR WRESTLING SEASON AT TPMS! Wrestling registration forms will be available in the front office and PE locker room from 2/28-3/11. Registration forms need to be returned to the front office or Room 201 by Friday, March 18th. All info about wrestling season will be on the registration packet! We hope to see your student come out for the team!
TPMS Golf Team Sign-Ups
Signups for the TPMS Golf Team will be March 14-18. Paperwork can be picked up at the front office.
Tryouts will be held on March 21. Any questions, contact Coach Spy or Coach Holm.
Salty the Seal @ Twin Peaks!
Come out and meet Salty the Seal, the SD Seals' official mascot! Salty will be outside the MPR on Monday, March 14 after school taking photos with kids and handing out stickers and flyers for Saturday's TPMS fundraiser. You can grab a flyer from Salty or buy your tickets by using the QR code on the flyer below OR go straight to the website at: fevo.me/twinpeaks.
The Seals are donating 50% ($10) of each ticket sold back to Twin Peaks. PLUS, there will be one lucky winner of an SD Seals swag pack announced at the game! Contact Coach Spy at jspychalski@powayusd.com with any questions. See you there!!
TPMS Lacrosse Fundraiser
If you're looking for an action-packed event on a Saturday night, look no further....
TPMS has partnered with the San Diego Seals Box Lacrosse Team to offer not only a night out, but a 50/50 split of ticket sales!
We've secured group tickets in the lower end (closer to the glass) for $20 (plus fees = $24.50) each. For every ticket sold, $10 goes to the Seals, and $10 goes to Twin Peaks! We are going to have a random student winner of a Seals prize pack drawn at the game, and a shout out/video congrats on the big screen, as well as a whole TPMS group shoutout!
If you're not familiar with box lacrosse, think hockey, except instead of ice, there's grass, and instead of a puck there's a hard rubber ball. It's non-stop action with a lot of scoring. Super fun!
You can buy tickets though the QR code on the flyer below. If you have any questions, contact Coach Spy at jspychalski@powayusd.com.
Reflections Art Winners
Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age
Our Twin Peaks PTSA and Foundation have partnered together to provide our school community with an opportunity to watch two documentaries together to learn more about screen time and how it is impacting our lives. Coming in February and March, TPMS students and families will have a chance to watch one or both of the award-winning films and then attend a community forums to discuss the topics raised by the films with our panel of local experts.
- Screenagers: Growing Up in the Digital Age probes into the vulnerable corners of family life and depicts messy struggles over social media, video games and academics. The film offers solutions on how we can help our kids navigate the digital world.
- Screenagers: The Next Chapter follows physician and filmmaker, Delaney Ruston, as she discovers solutions for improved adolescent well-being in the digital age.
Please click on the Screenagers flyer below to signup! Students will have an opportunity to watch a shortened version of the movies in their Ram classes during February and March.
Scholastic Book Fair
We’re so excited to invite you to our upcoming Scholastic Book Fair! Hosted by our TPMS Library, this event is an opportunity for students to build their home libraries and further their love of reading. As always, all purchases benefit our school.
After missing out on many beloved traditions, our spring Book Fair will be a familiar, welcome, and safe event for our students. The fair will take place from March 28-April 1, and will be open before school, lunch, and after school. Students will also visit the fair with their Language Arts teachers. Click here for a list of books!
We are also in need of parent volunteers! Shifts are short and always fun! Click Link to Volunteer at our Book Fair
March 2022 Parent Education Courses
- Discover Your Personal Core Values – All Grades In Person
- Help Your Children Manage Stress and Anxiety – TK -5th Grade In Person
- Effective Strategies to Advocate for Your Child in Special Education - All Grades NEW Course Online via ZOOM
- Parenting Well Through Life Changes - All Grades NEW Course Online via ZOOM
- Nurturing Sexual Intelligence in Our Children – All Grades In Person
- Managing Parental Stress – All Grades In Person
The TPMS Choir is Back!
Any questions, please email TPMSchoirdirector@gmail.com
Sign up using this google form! https://forms.gle/NgqTSA8DeMXEmQxW7
PHS 8th Grade Family Night
Poway High's 8th Grade Family Night is an opportunity for prospective Titans and their families to get a glimpse of what the Titan Experience is all about.
This event will be held in-person at Poway High School on Tuesday, March 15 from 5:00 - 7:00 pm.
Click here for the Schedule of Events / Spanish
Click here for the 8th Grade Family Night Website
- Please click HERE for additional information for transition information to PHS and the other HIgh Schools in PUSD *Infromation may change, so please check back for updates
- Please click HERE to access Academic Planning Information for 8th grade students on the PHS website
- Please click HERE to view PHS Virtual Elective Fair Video
Madame Dugo will host additional informational sessions about the French program at PHS on 3/16 from 6-6:30pm & 3/17 from 6:30-7pm. Her Zoom Meeting ID is 934 957 6564 & her passcode is 345075
PHS Engineering Academy Makeup Open House
Students interested in the field of Engineering are encouraged to attend the Poway High School Engineering Academy/Pathway Info Night, Wednesday, MARCH 16, 2022 from 7-8:00 pm via PHS Zoom. This is an opportunity to hear from students that are currently in the program speak about how the Poway High School Engineering Academy has and is making a difference for them to attend college as well as being accepted into an engineering major. There will also be a presentation about updates in the Academy and an overview. There will be a question-and-answer period, with a tour of the high school engineering facilities and equipment.
COVID-19 Updates
Please click HERE to access the updated Covid Guidelines and Protocols on the PUSD website.
TESTING
For students who have tested positive for Covid-19, per the California Department of Public Health updated guidance on isolation and quarantine as of December 30, 2021, PUSD staff may return to work when:
- 5 days from symptom onset (or if no symptoms then 5 days from positive PCR COVID-19 test date) AND
- Symptoms are not present or are resolving AND a negative COVID test (antigen test is preferred) taken on day 5 or later. (If unable to test or choosing not to test, and symptoms are not present or are resolving, isolation can end after day 10)
- Fever free for 24 hours (without fever reducing medication) AND
- Wear a well-fitting mask around others for a total of 10 days, especially in indoor settings
If you need to schedule a Covid test, you can do so for you and your family members at Pharmatech LINKED HERE.
STUDENT CLOSE CONTACT
The updated CDPH K-12 guidance gives school districts the option of using the three quarantine model or the Group-Tracing Approach to Students Exposed to COVID-19 in a K-12 Setting. PUSD will be using the Group Tracing approach. Per the K-12 Guidance 2021-2022 Questions and Answers, tracking results from all exposed students is not required.
Parents should notify schools of positive results.
- Schools will notify group of students who spent more than a cumulative total of 15 minutes (within a 24-hour time period) in a shared indoor airspace (e.g., classroom) with someone with COVID-19 during their period of infectiousness.
- Notification will occur to "groups" of exposed students (e.g., classmates, teammates, cohorts, etc.) rather than contact tracing to identify individual "close contacts" (e.g., those within 6 feet).
- Notifications should be provided to all individuals, including those who are vaccinated and/or recently infected.
MASKING GUIDELINES: The wearing of face masks remains a primary method for us to mitigate the spread of Covid-19 on campus for our students and staff; please make sure your student continues to come to school with an approved comfortable mask that they can wear whenever they are indoors on campus. Masking guidelines are LINKED HERE.
Please make sure your students are coming to school with a comfortable facemask that they can wear when they are indoors on campus, preferably a cloth mask that can be washed and reused. We are having to handout an increased number of facemasks each day to students who forget theirs and our supply is dwindling quickly. Please review with your students the expectation that masks are to be worn whenever they are indoors on campus (classroom, offices, library, gym, locker room, etc.) and must cover their mouth and nose.
- Indoors with Students: Face masks are MANDATORY for all adults and students, except those with a documented medical excuse on file with our Heath Technician.
- Indoors with Adults ONLY: Masks are currently MANDATORY for fully vaccinated adults and unvaccinated adults through January 15th.
- Outdoors: Masks are optional for everyone, regardless of vaccination status.
The PUSD School Board met on 10/18 and provided new protocols to allow a limited number of visitors and volunteers back on campus. PUSD is slowly expanding volunteers on campus – effective October 18, 2021, we may now have a limited number of volunteers present in learning spaces with students during the school day. All volunteers must be vaccinated or provide a negative PCR COVID test. Outdoor celebrations will have designated visitor areas (i.e. Friday Flag, Jog-a-thons). Thank you for your continued patience and understanding as we calibrate with the district and CDPH to make the necessary adjustments.
Shop Amazon through TPMS Foundation
Twin Peaks Middle School
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams