Pacetti Bay Middle School Wildcat Weekly

Issue 127

https://www-pbm.stjohns.k12.fl.us/

Good afternoon Wildcat Nation!

What a difference a week makes! Once again, an incredible week was had at PBMS. Our 7th and 8th grade students took Math FAST testing and looked to do wonderfully. This coming week we have 6th grade math FAST testing, 8th grade science and high school Algebra I and Geometry EOCs. Please see information below regarding how to see your child's scores after testing in the "Testing" section.

As you all know, Mrs. Jeanette Murphy will be joining the Wildcat Nation this summer as principal as I transition to Pedro Menendez High School. I am incredibly thankful for the time that I have had at PBMS, the faculty, staff students, parents and community are the best in the county! Please see below for a message from your new principal, Mrs. Murphy.

Our National Junior Honor Society held inductions this week for over 40 students. We are incredibly proud of our students for their accomplishments.

Fourth quarter end in nine days. Please review grades with your child. Our school counselors have reached out to each family for any child at risk for the year. Remind your child that we still have school until the end of May and that every day counts. We are committed to assisting each child to finish the year at his/her best! Please make sure to also check out the upcoming events section as we have a number of activities coming up for the students.

Remind your child about school rules and expectations. We have seen an increase in the areas of tardies, dress code and cell phone usage during school. We reviewed expectations and consequences to all students at the beginning of the second semester and through the Daily Roar. We are happy to report that the vast majority of students are meeting or exceeding these expectations. It is critical for the school to provide a safe and secure environment for students to learn and grow. We ask that you partner with us by encouraging your child to actively support the Wildcat Way! The 22-23 Expectations presentation can be seen at https://www-pbm.stjohns.k12.fl.us/deans-office/  or https://vimeo.com/740462750.

Please keep a close eye on your child's performance in all classes via HAC, and Schoology.This quarter is filled with a number of activities, state-wide assessments and the final opportunities for our kids to show what they have learned and are able to do from this school year. Our teachers have built opportunities for remediation and retest for all summative assessments. Furthermore, each grade level offers Lunch and Learn sessions where students can receive additional support and remediation if necessary. We are focused on students knowing the content and being able to apply the skills.

From the District Office:

The St. Johns County School District has begun the review process for the Social Studies Instructional Materials Adoption. Once available for review, the digital resources will be posted here (https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/media/textbooks/adoption/). The core resources that have been submitted for evaluation were selected from the state adoption consideration lists when available. Additional resources for advanced programs may be reviewed from materials listed as appropriate for the program indicated.

Some print materials may be available for review. If you would like access to the available printed materials or require assistance reviewing the online resources, please call the Instructional Resources and Media Services office at 904.547.3947. Materials are available for review from 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM when district offices are open.

We encourage families to visit our website frequently, as there will be many updates as the school year begins. This can be viewed at https://www-pbm.stjohns.k12.fl.us/ and click on the grade level link on the left side navigation. These are general supplies and additional details may be given by your child's teacher during the first weeks of school.

Here are some important pieces of information for this coming school year:

·      Doors will open for students starting at 7:10am. We are NOT able to monitor students before 7:00am. Our office hours are 7:00am- 3:00pm.

·      Students MUST have possession of their ID at all times on campus. These are used for a number of purposes on campus.

·      School begins at 7:30am, students who arrive to class after 7:30am will be marked tardy to class.

·      Parent drop-off and pick-up are the second entrance on Meadowlark lane from Pacetti Road. Please do not use the parking lot as a drop-off location as it is unsafe. When pulling up, please pull up all the way to the oak tree at the entrance of the school.

·      Please remind your children that cell phones need to be put away and off once entering the building and can be be turned back on at the end of the school day.

·      Bottle refilling stations are located throughout the school for refillable water bottles.

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM!

• May 19th - Chorus Concert @ Tocoi
• May 20th - 8th Grade Dance
• May 23rd - 8th grade Day (Awards Ceremony, Yearbook Signing, Faculty/Student VB game)
• May 24th - 6th & 7th Grade Field Day
• May 25th - Last Day for Students

Hello Wildcats!!

I am excited to join the Pacetti Bay Middle School family!! A little about me..….I’m originally from Miami, had the pleasure of teaching at both elementary and middle school levels, and served as an administrator for over 15 years. In my spare time, my family and I take the RV to the Florida Keys, Smokey Mountains, and state parks. I am the proud mom of a 7^th and 10^th grader which keep me busy with high school marching band and volleyball. I’m excited to work with the PBMS students this coming school year to continue providing them with an exceptional education, opportunities to grow socially, and an urge to serve our community. Before we start the next school year, it is important we all take time to make memories with our families whether it’s a planned vacation or cozy movie nights. Enjoy your summer and soon we will begin our journey together. 

Jeanette Murphy

Future Wildcat

Yearbooks will be distributed during all three lunches on Thursday May 18th and Friday May 19th. If you child has purchased a yearbook they will be called up by table to pick up their book. Students will be asked to write their name in their yearbooks as soon as they receive them. Opportunities for yearbook signing will be provided the following week. IF there are additional books for sale we will send out a messenger alert after all books have been picked up. Extra books will be sold on a first come first served basis, there is no waitlist.

State Assessment Results

To access your student’s assessment results,

• Log on to your Home Access Account, (HAC) account. https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/hac/
• Click on the tab that says Grades.
• Click on the tab that says Test Scores.
• Assessment results are listed in alphabetical order by date.

A resource was created to help families understand the information found on the FAST Grades 3-10 Individual Student Reports, which are posted to HAC within two weeks of the student completing the test.  

Understanding FAST Grades 3-10 ELA and Mathematics Reports: A Guide for Families

As we near the end of the school year, I would like to remind you that your child’s medication should be picked up from the clinic by 5/25/23. School policy does not allow for medication to remain in the school over the summer. It will be important for you to make arrangements to pick up your child’s medication since medications may not go home with the student. Any medication left in the clinic after 5/25/23 will be discarded according to policy.

Below you will find medication forms for next year. As you know, medication orders must be completed every school year whether your child remains in the same school or goes to another. If your child has a physical examination during the summer months, this is a good time to get the medication forms completed.

For your convenience, the clinic will be open beginning 8/3/23 (one week prior to the first day of school for students) to accept your child’s medication and completed medication forms.

2023/2024 Authorization Form

Any student who has been absent from school shall provide a note from a parent or guardian within forty‐eight (48) hours of returning to school stating the cause of the absence.  Failure to provide a note will result in an automatic unexcused absence.  However, the fact that the student provides a note does not require the school administration to excuse the absence.  The principal or designee will decide whether the absence meets the criteria for an excused absence, and that decision will be final.  The administration may request additional documentation  Student Code of Conduct Page 19), such as a doctor’s note.  The excuse must state specific dates of absence, and must be signed by the treating, licensed physician.  After fifteen (15) days of absence, whether excused or unexcused, a student must present verification from a licensed doctor for all subsequent absences due to illness.  

All library books were due by May 10^th. Students must return or pay for lost/damaged materials to clear their accounts.

As stated in our Media Center policy below, students and their parents are responsible to pay the replacement cost of any lost or damaged materials. Please check with the Media Center before attempting to purchase your own replacement copy as many of our books are special library bound editions. Therefore, a copy you get at retail is not a suitable replacement. Students may be excluded from end-of-year activities with Media Center materials outstanding. Overdue notices are emailed home every Monday and show the title and cost of overdue materials. If applicable, this record will also show books and fines owed to, and to be taken care of at, other SJCSD schools and will be indicated by that school’s initials. Your student can also log into their Destiny account at home to see this information. Your students can pay for their lost/damaged books in the Media Center with cash (exact change) or check made payable to PBMS (or the school the book belongs to). You may now also pay for lost/damaged PBMS materials via School Pay using this link: https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/Pacetti-Bay-Media-Fines/SVqbYl .   

Scholastic Book Store:

We are not planning another in-school book fair this year. However, you can continue to shop the online Scholastic Store using this link. If you select PBMS while shopping, our school will earn 2% of every purchase all year long. This is a great way to shop for books for all ages while also supporting our school. If your student had money left over in their eWallet, you should have received an email from Scholastic with your gift card information. You can use the gift card at the online store.   

Media Center Policy:

Our students are expected to check out books and read throughout the school year. Students are responsible for returning or renewing their library books and textbooks by the due dates given. Students with outstanding materials or fines need to clear their account before being allowed to continue checking out books. Students, and their parents, are responsible for the replacement costs of any lost or damaged materials. Please check before attempting to replace a book with your own copy as many of our books are library bound. Therefore, a copy you get at retail is not a suitable replacement. Students may be excluded from end-of-year activities with Media Center materials outstanding. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this policy, please contact our Media Specialist at Karin.gowens@stjohns.k12.fl.us .

Parental Choice Library Book Restriction Form:

If you would like to change your student’s level of access to library books at school, please complete the Parental Choice Library Book Restriction form found on the Media Center website (or click here) and submit it to the Media Center.    

Schoology Information:

·        Schoology is our online learning management system. Teachers will be posting announcements, calendar events, assignments, and materials in Schoology.

·        Students should check their account regularly, at least once a week. It is strongly recommended that students check Schoology daily when absent.

·        All of our students have completed Schoology training and received the “Getting Started with Schoology” guide. 

·        If your student is having trouble signing in at home, please make sure they are following the specific steps in the guide provided above. Also, clearing the Chrome browser history completely and restarting your computer often solves login issues. 

·        Parents are encouraged to set up their own Schoology accounts. Parents will need their child’s parent access code to set up a new account or add a child to an existing account. Parent access codes are available in HAC. Click on the Registration tab and look under Additional Information. If you don’t see your parent access code listed, please keep checking back, it could take up to a week to populate for new students.

·        Visit the PBMS Schoology Information webpage and the SJCSD Schoology for Parents webpage for additional information and resources. 

Student Expectations

https://vimeo.com/740462750

Please be advised that as per the Student Code of Conduct , students are not permitted to wear pajamas to school.

• In accordance with statutory requirement F.S. 1006.07 (students are prohibited from wearing clothing that exposes underwear or that exposes body parts in an indecent or vulgar manner) enforcement will focus on positive guidance without embarrassment to the student and should not disrupt the educational process.
• Clothing must cover the area from armpit to armpit, and down to mid-thigh
• Tops must have shoulder straps and be long enough not to expose your midriff
• See through clothing or rips in jeans must not expose your underwear or your body between the mid-thigh to your arm pit area

Our lost and found is located in the cafeteria. Please check there if you have any missing items. Items are donated at the end of each month.

8^th Grade Dance Information

Students will receive a meal, bottled water, and a party favor.

Students can only buy a ticket if:

• They have not had a full day of ISS or OSS in the 4^th Quarter
• No cafeteria debt
• No Media Center debt.
• Once the debts are paid/returned, students can buy their ticket (May 11^th-15^th)

IMPORTANT IMMUNIZATION INFORMATION

All rising 7^th grade students are required to have a tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis (Tdap) booster prior to entering 7^th grade. If your student needs or has already received this immunization, please bring, fax or email the updated Florida DH680 form to Pacetti Bay as soon as possible. The Health Department or your physician can update your DH680 form.

Florida Department of Health in St. Johns County

200 San Sebastian View

St. Augustine, FL 32084

(904) 506-6081

Contact Us | Florida Department of Health in St Johns (floridahealth.gov)

Call for hours of operation for immunization services.

If you have any questions, please call our Guidance Department at (904) 547-8760.

PBMS Fax: 904-547-8775

Email: kimber.ponce@stjohns.k12.fl.us

Thank you everyone who purchased 8th Grade Graduation signs and to all the volunteers who helped decorate the PBMS lawn with all the celebrations!

THANK YOU for all of your donations for Teacher Appreciation Week!! It was a huge success and we couldn't have done it without you! Special thanks to our wonderful volunteers who came out and helped make it extra special for our Teachers. 

https://pbmsptso.memberhub.com/store?limit=21&live=true

LAST CHANCE to grab this year's Spirit Wear! Prices have been slashed to make room for next year's swag!!

We appreciate our Business Partners! If you know of a business that may be interested in partnering with PBMS, please direct them to: 

https://pbmsptso.memberhub.com/w/Support

Did you know when you reserve the Pacetti Bay marquee you get an entire WEEK of your message being displayed!?

That's right, your message will be displayed Monday - Friday the week of your choosing!

The deadline for submitting your request for the week is the Wednesday prior to the week you would like your message displayed.

Head over to: https://pbmsptso.memberhub.com/w/Marquee for more information and you make your reservation!

To keep up with the latest information, please join our Pacetti Bay Middle School PTSO Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/PacettiBayMiddlePTSO

Parents can complete the online Free and Reduced lunch application by using this link https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/food/free/ We encourage you to fill out the online application-English or Spanish, but you can also print a form on the same website and return it to school. Parent should not delay applying to prevent a gap in their student’s meal eligibility.A new application must be completed every school year.

If you have any questions please contact the Café Manager, Jeanie Gray.

Jeanie.gray@stjohns.k12.fl.us

904-547-8776

Volleyball Summer Camp 2023

@ Pacetti Bay Gym June 5^th-June 8^th

Scan QR Code for camp registration (mandatory)

Schoolpay https://www.schoolpay.com/pay/for/PBMS-Volleyball-Camp-June-5thJune-8th-/Sb9pSro 

Registration form

Florida Prepaid Spanish

Florida Prepaid Haitian/Creole

Take Stock in Children (TSIC) Scholarship for 8^th Graders:

Eligible rising 9^th grade students who are awarded the Take Stock in Children scholarship program may earn a scholarship to attend post-secondary college, university, or trade/technical education after high school graduation as well as receive an academic mentorship throughout high school.

The Take Stock in Children (TSIC) program is a statewide initiative for students who meet the academic, attendance, and behavioral standards and who commit to working with a TSIC mentor through high school to earn a 2-year Florida pre-paid college scholarship. TSIC is income limited, aligned with the Federal free and reduced lunch income levels. More about the TSIC children program is included online at www.takestockinchildren.org.

Invest in Kids (INK!) oversees the program in St. Johns County. We have launched a new online application portal at https://apply.ink-stjohns.org/ to streamline the application process for students and families.

Minimum standards for middle school students to be considered for acceptance include:

·        Middle School GPA of 2.5 with no “F” semester grades

·        Attendance in last 3 semesters with a total of not more than 15 unexcused absences

·        No in-school or out-of-school suspensions for the last 3 semesters