PTMS Weekly Parent Newsletter
October 14, 2022
Coming Up
October 11-20 - Fall Festival Dance Ticket Sales during lunch with ASB and in the office until 3:15 p.m. daily - Students must present this parent-signed Activities Contract, their Student ID card, and $10 to purchase a ticket.
October 17-21 - Digital Citizenship Week
October 17 - Single Period Day
October 20 - Fall Festival Dance - Quad - 5:00-7:00 p.m. - no ticket sales at the door
Principal's Message
Their reply is often "I really wasn't," and then we, the adults, figure out ways to teach, love and coach up the child. This is our work, and PTMS, just like you the parents, love this work.
Our staff have noticed some "what were you thinking?" moments this week, and I think it's important to share this out. These include:
~Cleaning up a mess during our nutrition break and lunch. Oftentimes students are so quick to eat their lunch and play, that they leave trash or a mess and expect someone else to clean up. We need them to stop, think about the mess they made, and take the extra step to clean up. The truth is that we only have one custodian during the day for over 900 students. As I tell my own children, "Many hands make light work." I ask you to remind your student to do their part in keeping our campus clean.
~One-chip challenge: Kids are often influenced by what they see on social media, and not always in a good way. Right now we are seeing students across the country engage in "the one-chip challenge" (more information below from our Food & Nutrition Department) in which they eat a portion of a chip that has incredibly high levels of spice on it. We've had a handful of students engage in this "just to see what happens." What happens is they feel rather uncomfortable rather quickly, and while we haven't had any serious instances, this is definitely behavior we want to avoid. Please take a moment to chat with your student about thinking before they do something.
The interesting point about all of this behavior is that it's totally age-normative. We know that pre-teen and teenagers are impulsive. But if we can get them to pause, reflect, and think, we can usually bring out the best in each and every child. And that's our ultimate goal. It's not perfect grades, it's not always winning, it's the goal of raising good kids who care for themselves, those around them, and their community.
Have a great weekend, and we look forward to seeing your children on Monday.
Go Padres!
Scott Wild
Principal
Counseling Update
October 17-21 is Digital Citizenship Week at PTMS and students will learn a different digital citizenship lesson in each of their classes. To keep the digital citizenship conversation going, we recommend checking out Common Sense Media, where you can find some great parent resources including tips on media recommendations, advice for parents to help their child use social media wisely, guidance on parental controls and screen time to name a few.
Looking for resources related to video games and screen time?
Some experts recommend a mindful approach to media. Simply banning screens may backfire, says Jon Lasser, PhD, a psychologist at Texas State University and co-author, with Mike Brooks, PhD, of the 2018 book “Tech Generation: Raising Balanced Kids in a Hyper-Connected World.”
Lasser and Brooks include a tool in their book called the Family Assessment of Screen Time, or FAST, which family members can use to gauge their feelings about screen time—their own and each other’s. The tool is similar to AAP’s Family Media Use Plan, in which parents and children, 5 years and older, negotiate limits and boundaries around screen usage.
Finally, it is recommended that parents continue to co-view media with their kids. Keeping an open line of communication around media helps protect kids when they inevitably run into content they aren’t ready to see, Strasburger says. A healthy relationship around media also makes it easier to enforce boundaries when required. For more information, check out the resources below:
If you are the parent of an English Learner student, we would love for you to attend our first district ELAC (English Learner Advisory Committee) welcome night. The meeting will take place at Earl Warren Middle School on Thursday, October 27th from 6:00-7:30pm (doors open at 5:30). This is a great opportunity to meet other families in the district, learn about what ELAC is, and get site specific updates. For more information, please see this flyer. We hope to see you there!
Lisa Curry, Counselor (A-Ne) lisa.curry@sduhsd.net
Carsen Murt, Counselor (Ng-Z and EL Students) carsen.murt@sduhsd.net
Samantha Eels-Taylor, Student Support Facilitator samantha.eelstaylor@sduhsd.net
Safety First
1. Children are being dropped-off/picked-up in the staff parking lot.
Why is this unsafe? By dropping-off/picking-up your student in the staff parking lot, it forces them to cross through an already challenging traffic situation which further challenges the traffic by making it come to a complete stop thereby causing an elevation in both frustration and aggression which results in vehicles getting dangerously close to collisions with both other vehicles and with children.
2. Children are being dropped-off/picked-up in a lane that is NOT the curbside lane.
Why is this unsafe? The left two lanes are designated as "moving" or "arriving/departing" lanes. The two left lanes are to NEVER stop moving in normal situations. Vehicles that stop in either of the two left lanes not only stop the "moving" lanes, but they are also putting their child in danger of being hit by a vehicle who has just dropped-off/picked-up a child at the curb and is now on the move. The ONLY SAFE LANE to drop-off/pick-up your child is the lane closest to the curb. Your child will never have to cross in front of a moving vehicle because they step right down onto the curb... not into a lane with moving vehicles in it.
ASB and Student Announcements
Click here to see the latest version.
You can also check out the Students tab on our website and click the link entitled "Student Announcements" for a running post of each week's announcements.
Fall Festival Dance - October 20 - 5:00-7:00 p.m. in the Quad
Tickets are $10/each. Students (NOT parents) can purchase tickets during lunch or in the office with Vetha at any time. Your student will need the following items to purchase a ticket:
1) this parent-signed Activities Contract,
2) their Student ID card,
3) $10.
If your student has lost/misplaced their ID card, a replacement can be purchased from Vetha for $5.00.
Volunteers Needed: We will need some parent volunteers to man a few food/drink/activity stations that night. If you are interested in volunteering at the dance, please sign-up here.
PE Department
The PE department is collecting used tennis balls. Thank you for your support!
Lost and Found
Don't delay! All unclaimed items will be donated to charity on Friday, October 14th.
From Nutrition Services
You may already be aware of the One-Chip Challenge by Paqui.
Please be aware that this challenge and the product is potentially hazardous to children in particular. The brand's challenge page contains a warning:
"Do not eat if you are sensitive to spicy foods, allergic to peppers, nightshades, or capsaicin,....or have any medical conditions. Keep out of reach of children." "After touching the chip, wash your hands with soap and do not touch your eyes or other sensitive areas. Seek medical assistance should you experience difficulty breathing, fainting, or extended nausea."
Chromebook Insurance
The deadline for purchasing insurance for your Chromebook is October 15, 2022.
Here is a link for insurance information and how to purchase it online.
Smart Tools for School with C2K - Computer Savings Event
The True Effects of Vaping, Drinking, and Drug Abuse - a Virtual Event
This virtual event is happening on October 18th from 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. Please click here to register and receive a Zoom link.
National School Lunch Week - October 10-14, 2022
San Dieguito Union High School District Schools Celebrate National School Lunch Week
“Peace, Love & School Lunch” Campaign highlights #NSLW22
(ENCINITAS, CA) – October 10, 2022 – To recognize the National School Lunch Program, serving nearly 30 million children each day, San Dieguito Union High School District schools will celebrate National School Lunch Week from October 10-14, 2022. The fun and creative campaign theme, “Peace, Love & School Lunch,” highlights the importance of a healthy school lunch to a student’s success both in and out of the classroom.
Research shows children are getting their healthiest meals at school. National School Lunch Week highlights the nutritious foods available daily at SDUHSD schools. The October lunch menu includes several meatless options including hummus or SunButter Bistro Packs, Fresh Garden Salad with Garbanzo Beans & Cheese, Yogurt Parfait with Fruit & Granola, Cheese Pizza, Yogurt Smoothie & Oat Bar.
“School lunches offer students fruits and vegetables, whole grains and milk, and meet federal nutrition standards limiting fat, calories and sodium,” said Marley Nelms, a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) and the Director of Nutrition Services. “National School Lunch Week helps us educate parents and students about all the wonderful benefits of our lunch program.”
The federally funded National School Lunch Program (NSLP) has been fueling students for success for 75 years. Beginning in the 2022-23 school year, California introduced Universal Meals, which offers all students a free breakfast and a free lunch each school day regardless of free or reduced price meal eligibility. Households may still apply for free or reduced price meal benefits to support maximum educational funding to the district. Contact Nutrition Services at 760-753-6241, ext. 3426 to learn more.
For more information on National School Lunch Week, visit www.SDUHSDnutrition.com or https://schoolnutrition.org/nslw/.
PTSA Membership
The PTMS Parent, Teacher & Student Association (PTSA) welcomes you to the 2022-2023 school year! As PTMS enters its seventh year, the PTSA continues to grow, supporting the families and staff by sponsoring a multitude of enriching activities and programs. We kindly ask for your support to continue this work.
The PTSA Membership fee is just $60 for two adults and one student. Please sign up here.
Order your Yearbook Now!
Student Vehicle Safety and Permit
Other
- PTMS Webstore - the PTMS store for PE clothes and Spirit Wear.
- COVID-19 Testing Sites for CURRENT students/staff (does not include extended family)
- San Dieguito Boys & Girls Club - click the link to the left for 2022-23 athletic schedules.
- SDUHSD - The SDUHSD is currently recruiting to staff permanent and substitute classified positions (e.g. Instructional Assistant, Nutrition Services, Custodian, Secretarial/Clerical). Part-time and full-time positions are available. Substitutes can set their own availability. To view a list of openings and to apply, please click https://www.edjoin.org/sandieguito or you can call Susan Dixon at 760 753-6491 x5543.
From the PE Department
Please follow us on Instagram to see what your student is up to during PE class.