Pacetti Bay Middle School Wildcat Weekly
Volume 25
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Good evening Wildcat Nation! |
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We are now officially in the third quarter of the year. For some students, some courses have changed. For students taking high school courses, it marks the second semester as well. All of this being said, we are still running the marathon and we all must keep the pace and stay the course to finish the race set out for us.
Last week was a wonderful celebration of Literacy. Kudos to Ms. Gowens and Ms. Houston for planning an incredible week. This week is National School Counselor Week. We are so incredibly blessed to have Ms. White, Ms. Cushman and Mr. Seifert. If you get a chance, take a moment to email them and celebrate the work they do for all of the Pacetti Bay students.
To continue on with the celebrations, check out the section below. Ms. Arline is now a published author! We are incredibly proud of this accomplishment.
This week also marks the start of our new Dean, Ms. Ashcroft. She comes to us with a wealth of experiences from around the district and is excited to start with us this Tuesday, February 2d.
I want to think all of you regarding our later release for Wednesday. It seemed to go very smoothly with all of the children being picked up on time. If you still need a copy of our revised bell schedule, please click here.
We are finding to issues that we ask you to reiterate with your child. We have a number of students who do not have their IDs with them at school. IDs, although not required to be worn, are necessary for students in the cafeteria and in our Media Center.
Secodly, we have had an increase in students having their phones out during the school day and utilizing their cell phones for leisure. Please remind them that during the school day, cell phones are to be put away unless under the direction of his/her teacher.
The faculty and administration wants to make sure that you have all of the information you need for your children to have great success and we believe this format will aid in the process. Please take a moment and register to receive the Wildcat Weekly at https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/IWZG0wo
Have a great week, Go Wildcats!
Respectfully,
Ted Banton, Principal
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Events for this Week and Beyond
- January 8th - February 5th - High School Academy Application Window
- February 1st-February 12th - iReady Testing
- February 1st- Settlers of Catan: Cofield
- February 2nd: Battle of the Books: Gowens
- February 5th- Second Quarter Report Card available in HAC at 10:00am
- February 5th- Academy application closes for 8th grade students.
- February 5th- Minecraft Club: Tavill
- February 9th - Basketball Home Game vs. Murray Middle School
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PPE Expectations
Students are to have their face masks or face shields on when arriving to campus and leaving campus. Please remind students to be diligent in keeping masks on and over both the mouth and nose. We have seen an increase in students placing the mask below the nose.
COVID Safety Procedures
Parents, please remember to check your child’s temperature before they depart for school. Remember that a student with a temperature of 100.4 will need to be picked up at school. In addition, please remember to ensure you go over the checklist below with your child each day.
Students are to have their face masks or face shields on when arriving to campus and will be directed by their teacher after their temperature is checked at homeroom.
SJCSD Microsoft Office 365 Offer
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iReady testing continues this week for all students in standard ELA 8 and standard 7th grade math. If your child was absent during previous weeks’ iReady testing and needs to finish the diagnostic, they will be called from PE or another elective to complete make-ups.
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High School and Academy Information |
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Links to the High Schools
Below are the links to the high schools that Pacetti Bay students typically attend. Please visit each of these school websites for more information.
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Academy Information
It is getting to the time of the year that our current 8th grade families need to start discussions regarding high school options. The academy information and scheduling will be coming right after the winter break. Click on each image below to learn more.
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February 5th at 5pm is the deadline to apply to High School Academies and Programs of Choice.
Application is completed by logging on to the student’s HAC account, clicking on “classes”, then clicking “Requests”, then clicking on the Edit button to the right of “Academies/Programs of Choice”
Students may select up to 3 separate choices in preference order
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Congratulations to Emma Loyd, 6th grade, and Ellie Lale, 7th grade, for being chosen to represent Pacetti Bay in the SJEA writing competition for MLK Day. Both girls study under Ms. Starner, and submitted writing pieces that beautifully reflected this year’s theme, based on a quote by Dr. King- “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” The girls’ essays will be judged against those from middle schools all over the District, and regardless of that result, we are so very proud of their effort and the message that each one passionately supported in her writing.
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The new link for attendance notes is now up and running! Visit the PBMS webpage under attendance link or click on the button. You can complete and submit all in one easy form! Any questions, please contact our attendance office at 904-547-8780
Please remember a photo ID is required for student check-out. This is for the safety and security of all children and Pacetti Bay Middle School.
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Celebrate Literacy Week Wrap-up:
Our Wildcat nation had a lot of fun celebrating literacy this past week with contests, spirit days, news segments, book talks, and even a book signing event by our resident author, Mrs. Arline!
Door Decorating contest winners:
6th grade – Ms. Pelletier’s homeroom
7th grade – Ms. Jones’s homeroom
8th grade – Ms. Tavill’s homeroom
Legos & Literature contest winners:
1st place – Charles & James Emilio for their Serpent’s Shadow entry
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Mrs. Arline’s first novel Shift Agents: Bee Confident is available on Amazon at
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Overdue Books:
We are experiencing a high number of overdue books. There are many books are still owed from last school year, either to PBMS or your student’s previous school. Please return, or pay for those books if lost/damaged, to the Media Center as soon as possible. Our policy, as stated below, is that students need to take care of overdue books/fines before they can continue checking out new books.
If your student has overdue materials, please help them locate those items and put them in their backpack so they are prepared to return them. Thank you!
Zoom Conferences:
Having trouble conferencing with Zoom? We have added two Zoom troubleshooting guides to the PBMS Schoology Information webpage. Please check here first for Schoology related information and support. Also see Schoology sections below for previously posted information.
Welcome Wildcats!
We are so excited to be welcoming many of our Distance Learners to campus. Please bring the following items to school with you:
- Textbooks- You will need to return your black, hardcover Language Arts “Collections” textbook. You will hold onto your other textbooks to use in class or as directed by your teachers.
- Library books- Any outstanding library books need to be turned in to the Media Center. If you have lost or damaged books, please bring payment for those items. Checks must have two phone numbers written on them. If you owe books or payments to another SJCSD school, you may turn them in to us and we will forward them to the appropriate school for you. Please be sure to make checks out to the school owed.
- Technology- Borrowed laptops (including power cord) and hot spots are to be turned in when coming on campus.
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 will only be permitted to check out books if they do not already have an overdue book. Students, and their parents, are responsible for the replacement costs of any lost or damaged materials. If ordered, a yearbook will not be delivered to the student and the cost of the yearbook will be put towards the replacement cost of any lost or damaged materials. 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 .
eBooks:
Did you know we have eBooks? We have 1000’s of eBooks, including all of this year’s Sunshine State titles. You can access our eBooks by going to the Media Center website and clicking on the eBooks section or using this link: https://www-pbm.stjohns.k12.fl.us/media/ebooks/ . On the eBook’s webpage, you will find all the information you need to access and navigate our eBook platforms as well as information about eBooks/eResources available on the St Johns County Public Library website. This information has also been posted in each grade’s Schoology Media group under Resources. There is so much there to discover. Enjoy exploring and reading these digital resources!
Book Holds:
We encourage our students to place a hold in Destiny (our online library management system) on a book they want to check out when it is not immediately available for them to check out while they are in the Media Center. Students place a hold by logging into Destiny using their student number and district password. Directions on how to do this have been placed in each grade’s Schoology Media group under Resources. When the book becomes available, we send the student a message on Schoology. They have 3 school days to come pick it up in the Media Center, before we check it back in from them and make it available to the next student.
Distance Learners are welcome to utilize this hold system to check out books from our school library as well. Once they get the Schoology message that their book is available for them to pick up, they will have 3 school days to come pick it up in the front office between the hours of 8:00 am – 12:00 pm. Books are due 3 weeks from their checkout date. The due date is stamped in the back of the book. Distance Learners are still responsible for returning their books on time to the return bin outside the front office Monday-Friday 7:30-2:30 pm.
Schoology for Students:
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Click here for the “2020-21 Student Getting Started with Schoology Guide”. This shows students how to login, join their grade Media and Counselor groups, navigate the platform, and access the Schoology app if desired.
- Students can find a pink “Student Schoology Help Videos” folder in each of their Schoology courses under Materials to reference for additional support.
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Go to the PBMS Schoology Information webpage for more Schoology information and support resources, including Zoom troubleshooting guides.
Schoology for Parents:
- Parents may set up their own Schoology account if they choose. Parent letters, including your parent access code needed to set up and link your account to your student, went home the second week of school. Students who register mid-year will receive their Schoology parent letter when they come to pick up their textbooks in the Media Center. If you already have a Schoology parent account for another student, you can use this access code to add this student to your existing account.
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Visit the PBMS Schoology Information webpage for additional information and resources.
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Visit the SJCSD Schoology for Parents webpage for additional information and resources.
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Athletics and Physical Education |
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2020-2021 Pacetti Bay Basketball
The 2020- 2021 season is about to be underway.
Go Wildcat Nation!
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PE Department Update
As we start into the 3rd 9 weeks, we have an updated expectation for PE.
Although we will still not be dressing out for class, we are asking that your child wear appropriate footwear in order to participate. Shoes should be athletic with laces. Inappropriate shoes for PE include but are not limited to: Crocs, sandals, and boots. Over the past semester, we have had a number of students injured trying to participate in this footwear. Please help us in supporting the safety of all students by making sure that your child brings/wears appropriate shoes to participate in class.
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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:
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Join the Battle of the Books Schoology group using this access code: KFNW-CGG5-GNVHH
- Plan to attend our Battle of the Books club meetings after school Tuesdays 1:50-2:45 in the Media Center. You must have transportation home at 2:45 to attend in person. I will also have a live Zoom conference for those who wish to attend virtually.
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Catan Club
When: Monday afternoons 2:00-3:30
Where: Room 495/6th grade pod
Sponsor: Mr. Cofield (Room 495)
All students are invited to come check out Catan Club. Settlers of Catan is a popular board that involves strategy, persuasion, skill, and quite a bit of luck. Don’t worry if you’ve never played, we will be happy to teach you! Come learn a new game while having fun with your classmates. Students can contact Mr. Cofield using Schoology; parents can reach him at brent.cofield@stjohns.k12.fl.us
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Applications to join National Junior Honor Society will be available after break. Current 7 th and 8 th graders are eligible to apply. Pick up applications from Mrs. Jones in room 260 or Mrs. Hicks in room 235. They will be due by January 29 th. Distance learners can access digital applications on the Pacetti Bay website or by emailing Ms. Jones at Emily.k.jones@stjohns.k12.fl.us starting on January 4 th. |
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Needle Craft Club
All Wildcats are welcome to join our Craft Club!
We will meet on Tuesdays in the Cafe Bump Out room from 2:00 to 3:00.
The cost of $20 includes all materials. https://qrgo.page.link/ZYnDP
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Minecraft Club
Minecraft club is a drop-in after-school club that meets every Friday from 1:50-2:30 in computer lab 311 in the 8th grade house. Students play Minecraft education cooperatively or on creative mode.
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CANDYGRAMS: The PBMS PTSO will be selling candygrams during lunch periods on February 9 and 10. Candygrams are $1 each, payable in cash or check made out to PBMS PTSO. Sales benefits the PBMS PTSO.
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SOUPER BOWL LUNCHEON: On Friday, February 5, the PTSO will treat our teachers and staff to a yummy SOUPer Bowl lunch! If you would like to contribute, please visit the Sign Up Genius below. All food donations may be delivered to the front office by 8:30AM on the 5th. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090f48aeac2dabfe3-souper
Monthly Donations: The PTSO has begun monthly donation drives that will coincide with event specific expenses. Over the course of the school year we receive requests from the school to provide snacks, prizes, or other goods. We also want to make sure our teachers and staff feel appreciated and want to do an extra little something each month for them. By opening up these donation opportunities, it will enable you and your family to play a part in helping to meet these needs. You can donate anytime throughout the year!
We have set up a Venmo account to make things simple. You can find us at
PBMSPTSO (also listed as Pacetti Bay Middle School PTSO.)
Any help that you can provide would be greatly appreciated. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions or if you would like additional information. As always, we are grateful for your support.
PTSO Business Partners: More than ever, we are relying on the support and assistance of our local business partners and community to navigate the uncharted waters of the year ahead and help make it amazing for our school. Please visit our website for information regarding our 2020-21 Business Partners Program , and please feel free to reach out with any questions. We hope to have you join our Wildcats Family and help support our teachers, staff, and students through this school year and the challenges ahead. https://www.pacettibayptso.org/become-a-business-partner.html
Wildcats Announcement Marquee: This year, we are thrilled to share that the Wildcats Announcement Marquee is open for reservations! We hope you will join in the fun!
Your $25 donation provides a personal message on the Wildcats Announcement
Marquee outside The Bay. This is perfect for Happy Birthdays, Congratulations, or other
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Pacetti Bay Middle School
245 Meadowlark Lane
St. Augustine, FL 32092
Main: (904) 547-8760
Fax: (904) 547-8775
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