Twin Peaks Middle School
Home of the Rams
A Message from the Principal...
Dear friends,
It's Friday evening. As this week comes to a close and a new one begins, I am sitting in my office exhausted, but grateful for all that I experienced this week. I was happy to see our new benches installed and the kids appear to be enjoying them. The surveillance cameras are working and helped us to bust our first food thrower at lunch. (I pray that is the worst thing they capture.) The 6th graders did a great job with their ASB speeches, and some of our WEBsters are hard at work planning for Start With Hello Week which launches on September 24th. Existing ASB students are ready for our first spirit week of the school year which begins Monday. Our school-wide fundraiser is off to an incredible start, enabling us to bring more fun activities and events to our campus. Students and staff alike are sporting their Ram pride gear.
At the Foundation meeting this past Tuesday night, I heard nothing but praise for our staff from our new 6th grade parents. One mom shared that her son had set a goal to be more empathetic this year! Can you believe that? She didn't think he had a clue about the meaning of the word empathy, so she questioned him. Sure enough, he provided several examples. When she asked where he learned the word, he said, "It's part of the Ram Way, Mom. It's the "E" in Ram PRIDE." It doesn't get much better than that! Every child, every day.
Have a great week!
Upcoming Events & Activities - September 17th - 28th
Monday, September 17th
- Spirit Week Focus - Career Day
Tuesday, September 18th
- Spirit Week Focus - Western Day
- Minimum Day, 12:40 dismissal
- Professional Time, 1:15pm - 3:30pm, LRC
- Golden Spoon Fundraiser, open to close, 14033 Midland Rd, Poway
Wednesday, September 19th
- Spirit Week Focus - Backwards Day
- Minimum Day, 12:40 dismissal
- Professional Time, 1:15pm - 3:30pm, LRC
- Golden Spoon Fundraiser, open to close, 14033 Midland Rd, Poway
- Triple P Seminar, 6-8pm, LRC
Thursday, September 20th
- Spirit Week - Twin Day
- Professional Time, 8-9am, Teacher Discretion
- Window Open for 1st Quarter PN grades
Friday, September 21st
- Spirit Week Focus - TPMS Pride Day
Monday, September 24th
- Window Closes for 1st Quarter PN grades
Tuesday, September 25th
- Joint Team Meeting, 7:30-8:15am, PCR
- CJSF Meeting, 3:15-4pm, Room 713
Wednesday, September 26th
- Triple P Seminar, 6-8pm, LRC
- Progress notices distributed to teachers
Thursday, September 27th
- Professional Time, 8-9am, LRC, RAM Way
- Teachers distribute progress notices to students in Ram
Friday, September 28th
- Non-Student Day
Team Ram Kudos & News!
There are still several employees that haven't accepted the Acceptable Use Agreement.
Please go to aup.powayusd.com and accept the agreement or you will lose access to all technology resources such as email, MyPlan (where you view your paystub) MyConnect, etc.
- Please be sure to check your mailbox for P-9's when you are absent. Payroll is requesting that we submit them immediately or even ahead of time if it is a planned vacation or absence.
- Help Needed! Teachers, please report your assigned duty station quickly to help with supervision. Ideally, you can have your class walk out with you a minute early. If for some reason you have a conflict, please secure coverage to act in your absence. If something comes up last minute, please notify Lynda Carter. Your diligence makes a difference.
Our Social Contract
Professional Development and Flex Time Interests
Game Room for Students
Quarter One Professional Time
Counseling Update
As you know, this 2018-2019 school year, TPMS's counseling department has an additional part-time school counselor. Nicole Pablo is a passionate advocate with extensive experience in supporting students in academic, social/emotional, and college/career readiness domains at all grade levels. She is excited to work with the RAM staff & families to help all students reach their college and career goals and potential.
With the new addition, there has been a new caseload assignment. Here is the new break down by last name:
A-I: Ms. Melissa Sanchez.
J-Mc: Ms. Nicole Pablo
Me-Z: Mrs. Jami Jennings
The TPMS Counseling department looks forward to working with you this year!
School Site Council: Two Positions Still Needed
18-19 Progress Notice & Report Card Timeline
Click Here for the 18-19 Timeline
Annual Mandated Reporter Training
Using your web browser, go to the Keenan SafeSchools website for Poway Unified School District: https://powayusd-keenan.safeschools.com/
Use your employee number as your user name
Please complete by October 20th.
Joint Team Minutes- September 11th
Lunch Splits Trimester One
News from Library
What a great opening of the TPMS Library: In just 8 days we have circulated 1,369 books! That is more than we average a month typically.
Be sure to see Heidi, our teacher librarian, if you are needed help with lessons or would like a research, digital citizenship, or book genre talk.
We are pleased to announce a special guest author visit on 9/27 from Brian Wells. His adventure tale, The League and the Lantern, is our One Book, One Twin Peaks Title for September!
Summary:
“AFTER A DISASTROUS SIXTH GRADE, Jake Herndon is anxiously awaiting his Big Do-Over, starting with his new school's notorious seventh grade sleepover. Awkward team-building games and forced fun quickly become the least of his problems, however, when a dangerous organization invades and the night takes a shocking turn. Jake and two new classmates, Lucy and TJ, barely escape, only to find themselves in a fight for survival on the streets of Chicago. Over the next 48 hours they unravel a mystery dating back to the Civil War and an incredible secret about Jake s family.
Full of unforgettable characters and unexpected twists, The League and the Lantern is a jaw-dropping ride of mind-bending revelations and laugh-out-loud humor. If Jake and his new friends can make it through this weekend, they just might have a shot at seventh grade.
In this debut novel, family television executive producer and dad Brian Wells has created an epic, rip-roaring comedy adventure that is also about courage, family and friendship. The result is an engaging mix of great characters, crackling wit and unexpected twists that 9- to 14-year-olds, entertainment executives and family groups are applauding.
Wells works from the belief that great entertainment is driven by memorable characters and imaginative writing, and it shows. The League and The Lantern delivers all of this and more without objectionable language or inappropriate themes. Throw in a plot that traces back to real historical figures and you ve got what some are calling Percy Jackson meets National Treasure” (Amazon).
Daily Tweets to Build Community
Got Ideas, Resources or Shout Outs?
It's GREAT to be a RAM!
Twin Peaks Middle School
Email: chamilton@powayusd.com
Website: http://tpms.powayusd.com/index.html
Phone: 858.748.5131
Twitter: @TwinPeaksRams