Pacetti Bay Middle School Wildcat Weekly

Issue 116

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

Good evening Wildcat families,

We hope you all had a great three-day weekend.

We have a number of things coming to Pacetti Bay in the near future. Please keep an eye out for schoolmessenger emails with very specific opportunities and information for your child.

We want to congratulate Destyni Shaw for being recognize as the Beaver Toyota Student of the Week!

Our PBMS PTSO will be hosting a Spring Dance on March 3! See below for more details. Please be reminded that this is a school event so we will be adhering to all school expectations.

Student success is our focus at PBMS. Our teachers have build opportunities for remediation and retest for all summative assessments. Furthermore, each grade level does offer 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. Parents, you can help by reviewing grades with your child, checking on Schoology, and helping students organize their notes and schedules.

We have recommended a teacher for our vacant English Language Arts position and hope for a transition sometime this week.



Click on the attached link to view and provide input to the proposed calendars. https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/calendar/feedback/

We reviewed expectations and consequences to all students at the beginning of the second semester. 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.

Parents of 8th grade students, please read through the Wildcat Weekly in its entirety as there are details regarding SJCSD academy processes, Gradventure and yearbooks. Don't miss out!

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!

• February 20th - No School- Presidents Day
• March 3rd - PTSO Spring Dance
• March 9th - First Quarter Ends
• March 10th - Teacher Planning Day - Student Holiday
• March 13th - 17th - Spring Break

The Calendar Committee has been meeting to draft the 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 School Year Calendars. They are seeking community input on two given drafts for each year and would appreciate your feedback. Please take a few minutes to first read the “Frequently Asked Questions” that will provide background information /calendar guidelines used when creating each of the draft calendars and then complete the survey for each school year’s calendars. 

Click on the attached link to view and provide input to the proposed calendars. https://www.stjohns.k12.fl.us/calendar/feedback/

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

Congratulations Destyni Shaw! Destyni was given the student of the week award at Beaver Toyota this week!

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.  

We are looking for the most creative, hard-working, and tenacious students at Pacetti Bay to join the Daily Roar news team. The TV production class will teach the students to write scripts for the show, learn and develop the steps to produce and shoot video, edit using Adobe Premier Rush and learn other various production elements used to create a 6+ minute daily show for Pacetti Bay students and teachers.

Any upcoming 7^th and 8^th graders interested in the TV production course, please pick up an application from Mr. Manias in the media center or room 360. All you have to do for the application process is to explain why you would be the perfect fit to join the team. In your explanation of why you wish to be a part of the team, be sure to include what you would bring to the creative process. Are you willing to be an on-air talent or aspire to work more in the production process behind the camera? The deadline for applications is Friday Feb 24.

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.

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

High school counselor meeting dates:

Our 8^th graders will have individual meetings with their high school counselors here at PBMS to build and finalize their schedules for 9^th grade. Please have your student prepared with any questions or concerns they/you would like to address. Also, parents may participate in the meeting via speaker phone.  

Rising TCHS students will attend the meeting with their Social Studies class and rising NHS students will attend with their Math class. The date of your student’s meeting is as follows:

Tocoi

Monday, February 27 – students of Scott Miller and Mr. Snyder

Tuesday, February 28 – students of Tom Miller, Ms. Sumrall, and Mr. Kennedy

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Thursday, March 2 – all Math classes

*If your student is attending another high school, please reach out to that school’s registrar for scheduling information.

SPRING FLING DANCE IS COMING!! Tickets are now available for purchase

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

***Any student who has had a full day of ISS or OSS will not be allowed to attend. 

Tickets are non refundable and non transferable. PBMS students only. 

NEW AND LIMITED TIME SPIRIT WEAR AVAILABLE NOW!!:

(order by March 1st to guarantee your size)

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

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

Links to Purchase Home Game Tickets

What is GPAC?

The SJCSD Gifted Parent Advisory Council is a broad-based district gifted advisory committee representing educators, parents and community members who meet quarterly to review and discuss ways to support the gifted program and its students. Through collaborative learning, understanding, engagement, and advocacy, the members of GPAC provide support in navigating appropriate academic and affective learning paths for our gifted learners. All parents and/or caregivers of a SJCSD gifted student are encouraged to participate.

For more information about GPAC, please reach out to:

Sherri-Lee Heath, Gifted Program Specialist, K-12

or the Gifted Resource and Curriculum Enrichment itinerant teacher at your child’s school

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Battle of the Books Club:

If you have been reading the Sunshine State books and are interested in being a part of our Battle of the Books team, please:

1. Join the Battle of the Books Schoology group using this access code: MQR2-6W62-3R2Z7
2. Join our club meetings after school on Tuesdays 1:50-2:45 in the Media Center. You must have transportation home promptly at 2:45 to participate.  

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

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

Contest Application

Drop off Locations