September 29: Early Release Day (PCMS dismissed @ 10:55am)
September 30: PCMS Open House (6:30-8:40pm)
October 6: Term 1 progress report grades close
October 8: Progress reports distributed to students
October 12: PCMS PTO meeting @7pm
October 13: PCMS Picture Day

Next Wednesday is an early release day. PCMS students will be dismissed at 10:55.

Here is a link to the schedule for that day: ERD Schedule: 9.29.21

The PTO's one and only major fundraiser has kicked off! Each student has received 10 calendars to take home. Students are asked to sell all 10 calendars (or more if you can) and return the money and/or unsold calendars by October 15th.

Calendars cost $10 each. Every 10 calendars sold, the student's name is entered to win $30! Three names will be drawn from each grade. The top seller from each grade will receive $100!

The top five Titan Time rooms will have a pizza party! Please help the PTO reach its fundraising goal of every student selling 10 calendars each.

All proceeds benefit the PCMS PTO. The money raised is used to fund field trips and other school-related activities.

(Mondays) Art Club is where students get to design and create their own artwork in a supportive, fun, and creative environment. Art club is an open studio format where students work on independent and collaborative projects enjoying a variety of art experiences.

(Mondays- October 4th start date) Best Buddies Middle Schools pairs students with intellectual and developmental disabilities in one-to-one friendships with middle school students without intellectual and developmental disabilities. In today’s middle schools, students with intellectual and developmental disabilities often enter the same building and walk the same hallways as their peers, but they are left out of social activities. Best Buddies ambitiously envisions a world where people with intellectual disabilities are so successfully integrated into our schools, our workplaces, and our general communities that our current efforts and services will be unnecessary.

(Mondays, Tuesdays & Thursdays) providing students with a quiet space to complete homework and get extra help. This Monday, students will have the option of making cards for students with cancer, in support of the Go Gold Fundraiser that is just wrapping up.

(Tuesdays) GSA is a safe place for all students to talk about gender and sexual identity. The club will have fun activities each week and will serve as a space for communication and discussion. The GSA welcomes ALL students regardless of gender, sexual identity, and sexual orientation.

(Tuesdays) Jazz Club is for instrumental music students who want to learn how to play jazz and rock music. Students will rehearse weekly to prepare music for school concerts and other events in the community.

(beginning in mid-November): Students work together to plan school-wide events (like Spirit Days) as well as organize projects to help our community.

(Thursdays) The purpose of the Spanish Club is to provide educational opportunities outside of the classroom for those interested in extending their learning about the Spanish language and culture. Topics will range from music to food, to understanding celebrations, traditions, and special holidays. We will learn about these topics in the context of the specific countries of Latin America or Spain. All students are encouraged to participate even if they are not currently enrolled in Spanish class.

Jazz Band begins on September 21 from 2:15-3:15 PM.

Auditions for the Jazz Band are ongoing. Audition via the Jazz Band Google Classroom. Join code is: psl5uyn. Any questions, please contact Thom Hovey (thom.hovey@pembrokek12.org)

Parents will be automatically notified if their child is marked absent during Titan Homeroom (7:20-7:30 am).

Parents are encouraged to call the school to make us aware if their child will be absent.

Even if a parent calls the school to report an absence, parents will still receive the automated absence call later that morning (parents can just disregard the call).

Students can check out library books during Titan Study. Students would ask their Titan Time teacher for a pass to the library. Library books can be returned anytime in the drop-off bin.

Parents who drive their 7th-grade children to school should use the circular driveway or a loop around the staff parking lot for drop off/pick up. [The front parking lot parallel to School Street is where the buses drop off/pick up]. Seventh-grade students can wait in the cafeteria or outside the main doors until the start of school.

Parents who are dropping off eighth-grade students should loop around the back of the school and drop their children off near the basketball courts. Eighth-grade students can wait out near the basketball court or in the gym until the start of school. If students do not have time to eat before leaving for school, they can get a grab & go breakfast outside the cafeteria. Families dropping off both 7th and 8th graders can drop them off at the main doors. These eighth-grade students should then proceed to the gym to wait for the start of school.

Students head to their homerooms starting at 7:15 am and will be marked tardy if they arrive at school after 7:20 am.

We will use the same traffic patterns for afternoon dismissal and pick-ups.

If you want to learn more about the courses your child will be taking, here is a link to our program of studies: PCMS Program of Studies 2021-2022.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, please self-isolate at home, call your school nurse and have a PCR COVID-19 Test. If your test is positive, follow the MDPH isolation protocol. Seek care from your healthcare provider as needed.

Symptoms of COVID-19

Major Symptoms

• Fever (100.0 or greater), chills, shaking chills
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle aches, body aches
• Cough (not due to other known cough, such as a chronic cough)

Minor Symptoms

• Sore throat *
• Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea *
• Headache *
• Fatigue *
• Nasal congestion/runny nose *

* when in combination with other symptoms

*The leniency on attendance will remain effective. Students and staff are encouraged to remain home when experiencing any symptoms.

As of August 25, 2021, per DESE, masks are required for all students, staff, and guests, while indoors in any school building, regardless of vaccination status. Masks are not necessary outdoors. Mask waivers for medical or behavioral reasons may be requested by submitting a mask waiver form signed by your child’s licensed healthcare provider (MD, NP, PA).

Mask break protocols will remain in effect.

Masks are also required on all school transportation.

*After October 1st, if a school district can prove a vaccination rate of 80% or higher for staff and eligible students, a waiver from DESE may be sought to allow vaccinated individuals to unmask.

Anyone who was within 6 feet of a person during the infectious period of COVID-19, INDOORS, for at least 15 minutes, is considered a close contact and is required to quarantine at home, with a few exceptions:

• In the classroom, when both parties are wearing a mask, only those within 3 feet of the infectious person are required to strictly quarantine.
• On the bus, if all passengers are wearing masks and the windows are open, no one is considered a close contact.
• Fully vaccinated individuals who are asymptomatic do not have to quarantine.
• In every case, individuals should monitor for symptoms for 14 days after an exposure.
• Outdoor exposure is not considered “close contact”.
• Close contacts from the classroom may attend school under the “Test and Stay” protocol.
• If you are informed by any source (outside of school) that you were a close contact, please contact your school nurse for direction.

Unvaccinated individuals identified as a close contact may consent to participate in the Test to Stay Protocol.

What this entails:

• Individuals would be tested each morning for five school days following the known exposure, using the Bianex Now rapid antigen test (lower anterior nasal swab).
• Testing would be administered by our school health personnel.
• Once the results are received (generally takes 10 minutes) students/staff would join their classroom for instruction.
• Close contacts are advised to quarantine on weekends. By testing over a 5 day school day period, close contacts would be monitored for the full 7 days outlined in the quarantining guidelines.
• Unvaccinated individuals that do not wish to consent would follow the regular quarantine/testing guidance.

*Per the CDC, vaccinated individuals do not need to test or quarantine.