Dust Devil Weekly

It was another shortened week at JMMS. Funny how short weeks never really feel shorter, when there is so much going on. Rain again had a little impact on the week, but in the end the sun returned and we were able to enjoy another Lunch on the Lawn this past Friday.

We are still looking for STEAM-minded students to participate in the AEF Steam fair, so the deadline for STEAM projects has been extended. It would be awesome to see JMMS well represented at the fair, which will be held on our campus!

This Wednesday will be our next Leadership assembly and a Gameboard Spirit day! We cannot wait to see our creative students dressed to represent their grade level board games!

Next week is a full five day week!

Enjoy this latest edition of the Dust Devil Weekly.

As we continue to focus on attendance at JMMS and districtwide, here are our percentages from the past week:

Monday 2/19: No School

Tuesday 2/20: 93.75%

Wednesday 2/21: 92.13%

Thursday 2/22: 92.13%

Friday 2/23: 88.43%

-Mrs. White’s science classes are building paper roller coasters to investigate how much gravitational potential energy of a marble at the starting point is converted to kinetic energy of the marble at various points of the track.

-Families enjoying the sunny day at Lunch on the Lawn!

It is that time of year again when we start to plan for the next school year. It is very important that the school district has accurate numbers of how many of our current students will be returning to JMMS next year. Please fill out the Google Form linked below for EACH of your current JMMS 6th and 7th graders with your plans for next year. We thank you in advance!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSf282L8BWxu5BFUd-6E-LnqWw6geu8e6oNe4NRI6lhJIWtxfg/viewform?usp=sf_link

It is that time of year when we get ready to welcome our incoming 6th graders for the coming school year! On Thursday, March 7 we will hold a short Parent Orientation Night in the JMMS Gym at 6pm. We will discuss some of the exciting programs offered at JMMS and cover what a day at JMMS looks like for a 6th grader! Students are welcome to attend as well. All 5th graders will also be visiting JMMS on a field trip later in March.

Attention all 6th Grade Families!! We are excited to announce that it is time to get ready for 6th Grade Camp 2024! The paperwork for camp will be coming home with your child soon. The required paperwork will be DUE no later than Monday, March 18th. The payment of $340 will be DUE no later than May 1.This year 6th Grade Camp will be the week of May 20 through May 24. It is an amazing time that our 6th graders look forward to every year! So, keep an eye out for the "pink" packet that will be coming home in the next couple of weeks!

The Alpine Education Foundation FREE STEAM Fair will be open to the public March 9th from 10am-1pm. Come check out the science experiments on display, vendor booths, silent auction items, food, games and more! Interested participants can still register to participate in the event at AEF4KIDS.ORG

We are asking that all AUSD families fill out this short Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) survey by March 1, 2024. This survey is a tool used by AUSD to gather feedback from parents about their perceptions of our schools’ climate, safety, and effectiveness of behavior management strategies. Filling out the PBIS survey is crucial for our schools as it provides valuable feedback that can help identify areas of improvement to create a positive and inclusive learning environment for all students.

This week the United States landed a craft on the surface of the moon. When the Odysseus spacecraft touched down, it was the first time in over 50 years that the U.S. successfully landed on the lunar surface. This achievement got me thinking about the dreamers and doers who made this achievement possible. At one time in their lives they were exposed to a subject, such as Engineering, or Astronomy, which set their lives on a course that would literally take them “to the moon.”

The electives offered at Joan MacQueen are intended to be little tastes of subjects or information that many middle school students would most likely not pursue on their own. This is why each year students are offered (with minimal exceptions) a taste of 3 electives, each lasting one trimester. We want to provide exposure to a breadth of experience, one of which could change the course of a child’s life.

Sometimes the students will dislike the elective. That’s okay. Maybe art is not for everyone. But maybe the next Picasso or Basquiat is sitting in our 6th grade and we don’t yet know.

As we approach trimester 3 electives will be switching once again. We encourage all students to enter their next elective with an open mind. Who knows? Perhaps in a few years a middle school newsletter will be focusing on an achievement of one of our students!

Did you know that Alpine Union School District has a valuable online resource available to all students — the Sora digital library? Sora provides access to a diverse collection of books, including audiobooks, and can be accessed at any time. Here's how your child can make the most of this resource:

1. Accessing Sora:

• Log into their Google account

• Navigate to Clever (lower left side of Chromebook)

• Click on the Sora app

• Once in Sora, log in using your Google credentials. This is a one-time requirement, and subsequent logins will be automatic.

Note: If you're unsure about your student’s Google login information, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

2. Exploring the San Diego County Public Library:

In addition to our library, students can also access books from the San Diego County Public Library through Sora:

• After logging into Sora, click on the down arrow next to Alpine Union School District (under EXPLORE) on the top left-hand side

• Search for San Diego County Library and click on San Diego County Library Digital Media

• Choose your desired book

• Click "borrow"

• Select Alpine Union School District

• Click on the blue bar

• Click on your student's email address again

• Click on borrow again

• Access the book by clicking on “shelf” at the bottom of the screen

We highly encourage students to make the most of this resource.

JMMS is excited to offer Spirit wear for our Dust Devils! You can find offers and options here:

https://macqueenmiddlespiritwear.com/

If you want to wish your Dust Devil a Happy Birthday either on the marquee or in our morning announcements (or both!) you can fill out this form and turn it in to Miss Lindsay in the front office. Please give us 48 hours notice before the day you would like the message to appear. You can get the form from the front office as well, or print one out from this newsletter.

The JMMS Yearbook is available for purchase online for a pre-order price online. Soft cover books will be $35 and hard cover books will be $45. You can purchase books online at http://www.yearbookordercenter.com. You will use the code 8280 to access the JMMS page to place your order. This price is only good while yearbooks are sold online so be sure to order to guarantee that your child has a yearbook in June!

The Local Control and Accountability Plan (LCAP) is a vital educational tool designed to engage parents and guardians in shaping the priorities, goals, and resource allocation within Alpine Union School District. Developed annually, the LCAP reflects the District's commitment to student success and equity. By fostering collaboration between educators, administrators, and families, the LCAP aims to enhance educational outcomes, promote transparency, and ensure that all students have access to a high-quality education that prepares them for future success. AUSD has developed three LCAP goals as described below:

Goal #1: Effective Instruction and Curriculum - Provide equitable access to high-quality classroom curriculum and instruction in an inclusive environment that promotes student success.

Goal #2: Safe and Respectful Environments - Ensure all school sites are safe and have healthy and welcoming climates for staff, students, and their families so that all students feel connected and are motivated to attend and ready to learn.

Goal #3: Equitable and Culturally Responsible Systems - Ensure systems and processes eliminate barriers to student success and are equitable and culturally responsive to the needs of our students and their families

Friday 3/1- Trimester 2 Ends

Monday 3/4 - Trimester 3 Begins

Wednesday 3/6 - Late Start Morning

Thursday 3/7 - Incoming 6th Grade Parent/Student Orientation

Saturday 3/9 - AEF STEAM Fair at JMMS