Middle School Newsletter

March 22, 2019

MS. WRIGHT'S WRITINGS…

I think it is safe to FINALLY say that spring is here! I know that we are all ready for some sunshine and warmer weather. As we head into spring break next week, I know that kids and staff are welcoming this much deserved break. However, I know as a mom that a full week can quickly become filled with “I’m bored” or a ton of screen time.

I know as a native St. Louisan, I often overlook so many of the fabulous attractions we have right here in our backyard. If you are planning on staying in town next week here is a list of 25 different activities to do with your family. Many of these attractions are free and open to all ages!

When we return back to school in April we will have two months packed full of learning and fun. We will also begin state testing the second week of April...more information will be coming next week. Please make sure to pay attention to upcoming event dates (included at the bottom of the newsletter) so that you don’t miss out!

However you and your family spend next week together, I hope you enjoy the time off to relax before we embrace the last quarter of the year together.

Kindly,

Kim

314.645.9600 (607)~kwright@premiercharterschool.org

UPDATES:

Message regarding BAC for 2019-20…
Dear PCS Families,

Our primary goal with our Before and After Care program is to provide a safe, engaging and enriching experience for all participating students. In order to do so, each year we limit enrollment to 225 students. 2019-2020 will be no different, we will again be limiting enrollment to 225 students, evenly distributed among all 9 grade levels.

After speaking to parents over the course of the last few years and analyzing BAC enrollment, we believe that the most equitable way to distribute spots in BAC to all our families, old and new, is through an enrollment lottery. This is the same way that we fill open spots at the school.

We will begin accepting applications for BAC on April 1st and hold our BAC enrollment lottery on May 1st. This schedule will allow us to notify all families who applied for BAC if they were accepted or not before the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

We have also decided to offer a special, early bird enrollment lottery for all families who have submitted applications by April 15th. We will fill as many spots as we can on April 15th and fill any remaining spots on May 1st.

As a school of character, we believe strongly in the importance of equity and believe that this enrollment system is in line with our core ethical values. I am happy to answer any questions about this policy change and look forward to hearing from you.

Dr. Mike Schrimpf

Assistant Head of School

Message from TLC…

Dear Parents,

The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education values the opinions of all parents in Missouri’s schools. We would appreciate you taking the time to respond to this brief survey about the special education services your child receives. This survey is confidential; your individual responses are not shared with the school district or anyone else. Only a summary of all responses is provided to school districts in order to help all schools improve education for our children. You may complete this survey by using the link below. Please complete this survey by April 30. Thank you very much for providing your input.

Go to http://spec.education/ and enter the access code to the right. Access Code: GBPKLL

A note from the registrar....

Dear Families,

It is that time of year again, we are starting our re-enrollment process. If you are new to this process, this is how we determine if students will be returning to PCS next school year. Turning the completed form in, lets us know how many openings we will have per grade level for our school wide lottery in April. Teachers were all given Re-Enrollment Forms to pass out to students this week. Families can also submit a form online instead, to make the process easier https://goo.gl/forms/6HH3h38jF2oDRaNm2 .

Families are required to submit one form per student. All forms (either "Yes coming back" or "No not returning") are due back no later than March 21st. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to Katie Lydon klydon@premiercharterschool.org or Erin O'Brien eobrien@premiercharterschool.org

This is how we PCS: Around the world in 1 day.

2019 Multicultural Fair! May 3rd!

Peace Rally 9-10 in the courtyard

Walk for Hope 10-11

Lunch & Class Meetings 11-12

Performances/Multicultural Fair 12-3

We're excited to announce a new format for our annual Spring Peace Rally and Multicultural Fair. While some things have stayed the same (Peace Rally, Walk for Hope, and awesome cultural experiences), we've changed how students will experience the day.

This year performances will be scheduled for classes and each grade level will be learning about the cultures of a particular continent within their classroom!

More information and detailed schedules will be coming soon, but we wanted to give you the date and times so you can add them to your calendar now.

Also, if you're interested in donating your time or expertise, please contact me at cwohlgemuth@premiercharterschool.org. Some things parents are doing: demonstrating a dance, organizing contacts with community partners, teaching how to prepare a traditional food, serving a traditional food, and more!

Vending Machine

Thanks to the hard work of three 8th grade boys we have our new vending machine! We have made sure that the machine is filled with healthy snack options. Students may make purchases from 8:10-8:25, during lunch and from 3:25-3:35 daily.

6th Grade…

Dear 6th Grade Parents/Guardians,

As we enter the second semester of the year, we want to be able to help students stay healthy and find success! One easy way to help this is by having plenty of pencils, hand sanitizer, and Clorox Wipes! If you and your family are able to send in any of these items, we would greatly appreciate it. Thank you for your support of our students!

6th-grade team,

Emily O'Brien, Stacia Berwick, Erin Deason, Stan Graczyk, and Don Orelup

7th Grade..

7th grade is in need of Kleenex, paper towels and Clorox wipes. Any donations would be greatly appreciated!

Lottery…

Does your current student have a sibling who wants to come to PCS? Do you have a family member, friend, or neighbor who has a child ready for school?

It is that time of year again…Pre-Kindergarten thru 8th Grade applications for new students in the 2019-2020 lottery are now open!

Families can apply today through Schoolmint. If you do not already have a Schoolmint account, begin by going to premiercharterschool.schoolmint.net and create a secure account with a username and password. From there, you can fill out an application for your student for the grade they will be going in to next year.

Our first-round new student lotteries will be held on the following dates:

Kindergarten: February 1, 2019
Pre-Kindergarten: February 25, 2019
1st – 8th Grade: April 1, 2019

Should you have any questions regarding your student’s application, your Schoolmint account, or the lottery, please feel free to contact PCS admissions at admissions@premiercharterschool.org.

Safety Awareness…

As it starts getting dark earlier and we are reminded of situations as we watch the news, please have a conversation with your child about being aware of what is going on around them as they walk home from school. If your child has permission to walk to the park, YMCA or QT etc. please remind them not to accept a ride or engage with any strangers. While we are sure you have already had these conversations with your child we want to reiterate the importance so that your child can continue to make smart decision for themselves.

We want to remind you that PCS has safety structures in place if we were ever to be in a lockdown situation because of an outside threat. Please rest assured that we understand communication in these situations are of utmost importance. Parents will be notified through the automated school system; calls texts and emails. We have a very good relationship with the police department down the street and if we hear of or are made aware of a situation where lockdown might be a possibility, we will be in contact with district 2. They will be able to provide accurate details of the situation and from there we can receive their recommendation on our course of action. At all times, student safety is on our minds and we will always communicate with what you need to know. As always please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns.

Dress Down…

On the last Monday of the month any student who has earned 80% or higher on their homework completion grade may dress down. Students can check their grade on Infinite Campus to ensure that they have indeed earned this privilege. Please remember that all clothing must be school appropriate.

Message from the Nurse…

Recently, PCS has been experiencing absences due to Influenza A infections.

Flu symptoms can include: fever, chills, headache, sore throat, runny nose or nasal congestion, muscle aches, fatigue, and vomiting & diarrhea. Not every one who is diagnosed with the flu will experience all of these symptoms.

Flu viruses are the cause of various types of flu. These viruses can enter your body through your mouth, nose, or eyes. Every time you touch your hand to one of these areas, you potentially infect yourself with flu virus.

Influenza A virus constantly changes which is why flu vaccines are given yearly. The flu spreads by people who are already infected, so it is important to avoid contact with sick people and while sick, limit contact with others. If your child is sick, they should stay home for at least 24 hours after the fever is gone without the use of fever reducing medicine. Teach your child to cover their nose & mouth with a tissue when they cough or sneeze, throw the tissue away, and wash hands properly with soap and water. Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth. Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with influenza virus.

For more complete information regarding the flu see the following: https://www.cdc.gov/flu/consumer/symptoms.htm

Please see the attached flyer for 7th grade families regarding required vaccinations prior to starting 8th grade.

DEPARTMENT UPDATES:

6th Grade…

7th Grade…

8th Grade...

SPECIALISTS UPDATE:

Makerspace…

PCS has been busy inventing and creating this year and we are looking for more supplies. Please consider donating the following items:

Glue (all kinds)

Tape (all kinds)

Pencils

Cardboard rolls

Popsicle sticks

Pipe cleaners

Foil

Playdough

Donation boxes are located outside both cafeterias. Thank you!

STUDENT CLUBS:

Girls on Fire:

Girls on Fire is seeking professional women to participate in our 5th Annual Networking Event on Tuesday, April 16th from 5:30 - 6:30. This event provides an opportunity for the girls to practice networking skills while receiving advice and learning more about various career paths. See the attached flyer for details. Email Mrs. Daugherty at ndaugherty@premiercharterschool.org for more information.

ATHLETICS

REMINDERS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

Middle School Trip…

Middle School Trip Update:

The Middle School Trip to Colorado is right around the corner! Our final numbers are in and we have the final trip cost set at $975.00. Please remember as discussed at the beginning of the year the trip cost could fluctuate as students are added and dropped. This is $26 less than the expected $1,001.00 cost that was presented at our first parent meeting. Be sure to check your account with AST to ensure that you have all payments in and have the full $975.00 paid.

A parents ONLY meeting is scheduled for the first Wednesday after spring break, April 3rd from 6:00-7:00 pm. At this meeting we will discuss the itinerary and go over any questions you may have regarding the trip. We will also discuss what our Middle School Trip 101 meetings look like for your students at school. Come with any questions or concerns you have.

One of the activities that we are really looking forward to is the Cave of the Winds Lantern Tour. Students will get to tour Williams Canyon and even participate in a ropes course!

MS Trip IMPORTANT DATES:

Parents ONLY meeting: Wednesday, April 3, 6:00-7:00pm

Trip Dates: Sunday, April 28 - Friday, May 3

*Students are not permitted to attend school Friday, May 3. Please plan accordingly for pick-up Friday morning.

PCG Update…

It is time to start thinking about getting your group ready for our Annual Trivia Night. This is night you don’t want to miss out on. We are looking for donations for our silent auction as well as volunteers to help run the event.

You don’t want to miss the PCS choir performance at Busch Stadium. PCS music teacher, Mr. Plank and some elementary students will perform before the game at Ford Plaza at 5:45. Please come out and support PCS. Invite your family, friends, Gather friends and family and join us on May 7th. Tickets are 20.00 (face value 58.00).

Please see the attached flyers for more information or email Terry Brogan at tbrogan@lashlybaer.com or Lisa Simon at lrsieve@yahoo.com.

SFE Update…

Please see the attached updates from SFE on activities from the last month, as well as upcoming events and menu changes.

Fun Around Town…

Learn to Create an Animated Film--free for ages 10-15

https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgxwBWKbBPxqDFHvsNjpGgmJmfxvf

Get paid to Learn about a career in Library Science--Paid Internship for 16-18 year olds
https://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgxwBWKVZKQwrmLHRNgWfFtcLKTtB?compose=CllgCJqVNkPzxGGrJXvNCPrRrLtsMwPDhZsdBCPznWqH

Free Environmental Entertainment for ages 12 & uphttps://mail.google.com/mail/u/1/#inbox/FMfcgxwBWKXqtrswqQvhhzpQrWBsCGbc

Learn What It's Like to be a Pharmacist and get a Free Dinner grades 6-12https://www.academyofsciencestl.org/event/teen-science-cafe-not-just-pill-counters-a-day-in-the-life-of-a-pharmacist/

Important Upcoming Dates

3.22-29.19-Spring Break

3.23.19-PCS Trivia Night

4.3.19-Parent ONLY MS Trip Meeting

4.8-12.19-8th Grade MAP Testing