Pershing Happenings E-Newsletter
Vol. 2, Issue 9
February 12, 2008

 

 

 

Website Spotlight

 

Important Announcement from our Interim Superintendent Regarding The 2008-2009 District Budget.

February 7, 2008 

 

Dear Parent/Guardian:

As we begin developing the budget for the 2008-09 school year, we face a challenging road ahead.  Budget decisions will need to involve all of us – parents, staff, board members and the community – so we continue to do what’s best for our children and our schools.

Many of you have seen the headlines about the ‘fiscal emergency’ evolving in California.  Governor Schwarzenegger’s proposed budget calls for dramatic reductions in state services and programs, including hundreds of millions of dollars of cuts in education this year, and a $4.4 billion decrease for next year. We join school districts throughout California in looking for ways to remain fiscally responsible with minimal impact on classrooms and students.

The pressures on our 2008-09 budget will be tied to several factors including: 

• Anticipated impact of the Governor’s proposed cuts, 

• Decreases in Title I funding and other federal grants,

• Reductions in the state’s funding for specific "categorical" programs,

• New “rules” for distributing "categorical" funds,

• Rising costs in many areas of school operations,

• Maintenance of employee salary schedules

• Increasing costs of health and welfare benefits

Preliminary projections indicate that we may have to reduce spending by approximately $70 million. We have already made changes at the central office to reduce or curb spending this year.  Additionally, every central office department has been asked to develop scenarios for 10-15% cuts across the board. We are also looking at ways to trim centrally-funded programs with the least amount of impact on our students.

The magnitude of the potential reductions will likely go beyond the central office. We are asking employees and you, our parents, to offer ideas for reducing costs and increasing revenues.  All ideas are welcome and all will be considered. To learn more, please visit www.sandi.net/budget .  This webpage includes information about how school district budgets are developed, the timeline involved, and a place where you can submit your ideas online.

We appreciate and need your continued support in carefully managing the resources available to support the ongoing success of our students and teachers.  I will continue to keep you informed about our budget planning efforts while adjusting to new information from the state.

Thank you again for your efforts in making a difference in the lives of children.

Sincerely,

 

William A. Kowba
Interim Superintendent of Schools

_______________________________

 

From Ms. Buchanan,  Mr. Mendibles, and Mrs. Tayco,  Pershing's 7th Grade  Science Teachers…

Seventh Grade Online Portfolios

“Our world is rapidly changing. Our students will be faced with real problems when they enter the work force in 2014, needing an entire new set of thinking and technology skills to be successful. Traditional teaching does not equip students with these necessary 21st Century Skills. What is Pershing Middle School doing to bridge this gap for their students?

Seventh grade science students at Pershing Middle School have not only been mastering science content, but are using Math and English skills along with technology tools to gather evidence, and weigh trade-offs. Students work collaboratively to determine their own answers to hot science topics, such as emerging infectious disease, stem cell research, and animal cloning.

Each science class is equipped with 20 laptop computers for students to use on a daily basis. Students utilize this learning tool to access and make sense of science content. Technology skills include: word processing (Word), spreadsheets (Excel), desktop publishing (Word), electronic presentations (PowerPoint), video and photo editing (iPhoto and iMovie), music and audio creation (GarageBand), and now web design (iWeb). You will be amazed at what seventh graders can do when provided with powerful learning tools.  

Please visit our online portfolios showcasing all of our seventh graders hard and professional voice. This site will be updated as the year progresses. Check back often and see what our seventh graders have to say!!!”

2nd Semester in 7th Grade Science

“Throughout this next semester, students will be engaged in units that deal with Micro-life (cells and disease-causing microbes), Genetics, Evolution and designing and testing their own Science Project.

In the Micro-life unit, students will be asked to create a PSA podcast on an infectious disease. In Genetics, students will be debating current Genetic topics. In Evolution, students will examine how the Earth is changing and how species adapt to our changing world.

We will be ending the year with each student creating, testing and presenting the results to their own Science Project."

Seventh Grade Teachers
Pershing Middle School

 

8th Grade Events

On February 13, 2008 from 5:00 to 8:00 pm. in the PHHS Cafetorium and Library, Patrick Henry High School will be hosting their annual Incoming 9th Grade Articulation Night and Fine Arts/Elective Fair. The Fine Arts/Elective Fair will be held from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. while the Incoming 9th Grade Articulation Meeting begins at 7:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to help your children ease the transition from middle school to high school.

Friends of the San Diego Public Library Essay Contest’s deadline is February 14th. Please see Ms. Hemric or your Humanities teacher for additional information.

The February make-up student meeting for the East Coast Trip has been changed from February 14th to February 21st. 

 

School News and Announcements

Pershing ROCKS!!!!  Congratulations to the entire Pershing Community for such an outstanding Science Fair season. We are so proud to be a part of this amazing group of administrators, faculty, staff, students, parents, volunteers, and district and community leaders who all make Pershing such an exciting place to learn and thrive!

Good luck to our students whose Science Fair projects were judged at the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair’s Regional Screening on February 11th and 12th. The GSDSEF screening judges will decide which projects will go on to compete at the GSDSEF competition in April.

Audition time is here!!!! Auditions for the Drama Club’s Spring Musical will be held on the following dates…

8th Grade
Tuesday, February 19, A-I
Wednesday, February 20, J-R
Thursday, February 21, S-Z

7th Grade
Tuesday, February 26, A-I
Wednesday, February 27, J-R
Thursday, February 28, S-Z

6th Grade
Tuesday, March 4, A-I
Wednesday, March 5, J-R
Thursday, March 6, S-Z

The Cast List will be posted in the window of Room 1001 on Monday, March 10 at 9 a.m. Rehearsals begin after school on March 11th. If you have any questions or if you need an audition form, please see Mrs. Miller.

Pasta for Pennies has begun!  Each year, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society sponsors an important fundraising program for students called Pasta for Pennies. For three weeks, students bring in any extra pennies, nickels, quarters, etc. to their first block teacher. Every donated penny is needed in the fight against leukemia and lymphoma. In 2007, by just sharing their extra coins from home, students from 135 San Diego County schools raised over $278,000 for the Pasta for Pennies program (including more than $2,000 from Pershing Middle School)!!!!!! The money earned goes to support blood cancer research and patient services. Pasta for Pennies began on February 11th and will continue until February 29th.

Voting for the California Young Reader Medal Program is on March 12th. Please see Ms. Spicer if you have any questions. 

The 5th Grade Parent Orientation Night will be held in the Pershing auditorium on February 27, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. This is a wonderful opportunity for 5th grade families to learn more about our academic and extracurricular programs. Please join Principal Sarah Sullivan, Vice Principals Scott Hillier and Tammy (Wu) Moriarty, Head Counselor Marci Blodgett, Community Assistant Maria Kelly, our teachers, and parent volunteers at this informative event. You will see why we are so proud of Pershing Middle School!

5th Grade Families

Don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Dance on February 13, 2008 from 2:10 to 3:40 p.m. Cost is $2.00. Tickets will be sold before/after school and at lunch time on February 11th and 12th and before school and at lunch time on February 13th. No tickets will be sold at the door. The Drama Department will be selling refreshments at the dance. Proceeds from the refreshment sale will benefit the Drama Program.

WOW! Thank you to everyone who made Pershing's Open House on February 7, 2008 such a huge success! Current students, future students, alumni, families, friends, faculty, administrators, and staff all celebrated the academic and creative achievements of the Pershing Community. The evening’s highlights included our annual Dramathon,  teacher/classroom visitations, award winning Science Fair displays, and tours of our elective classrooms.

Once again, the Pershing Spelling Bee finals proved to be a tough and competitive battle. Congratulations to all the Spelling Bee participants especially the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade winners. Our overall champion, Matt H., 7th grade, will be representing Pershing at the March 11th San Diego County Spelling Bee. Congrats Matt!

Band News from Mr. Anderson - The Pershing Band department will be participating in the SDUSD Lewis Band Festival on Friday and Saturday March 7th and 8th. The groups performing are as follows:

8th Grade Advanced Band
Friday  4:45 p.m. 

7th Grade Advanced Band
Friday  5:45 p.m.

6th Grade Concert Band
Saturday 10:30 a.m.

Please return your permission slips by February 20th. Students and parents will need to arrange transportation to Lewis Middle School. Students need to arrive with their instruments and music, in concert dress, Black and White, 10 minutes before the scheduled warm up time. Mr. Anderson needs parent volunteers for this event. If you can help, please contact him at manderson2@sandi.net. For more information about this event, visit our Music Department's Calendar of Events page.

Spring Picture Days  February 21-22, 2008 During PE

February 14th is a Minimum Day. School will be dismissed at 11:30 a.m. Friday, February 15th and Monday, February 18th are both school holidays. School will resume on Tuesday, February 19th, which is a “B” Day Schedule.

Congratulations to Mrs. Miller’s 7th and 8th grade drama students who have just completed two weeks of in-class performances. The 7th graders performed selected dialogues while the 8th grade classes presented scenes from Romeo and Juliet. All of these talented students performed their dialogues and scenes in front of small audiences comprised of their peers and teachers.

Ms. Wheeler’s (Math, Team 7A) homework is posted each week on ParentConnect. Please note, in order to see her latest assignments, when you log onto ParentConnect and access your child's account information for Ms. Wheeler, click on “Class News” not “Assignments.”

Report Card Update! 1st semester grades have been processed and were uploaded to the district last week. Report cards will be mailed to your homes by the district within the next one to two weeks. If you wish to view your children’s grades now, they are available on ParentConnect. If you do not have a ParentConnect PIN/Password or have lost yours, please contact Stephanie Kamp at skamp@sandi.net. 

Pershing Volunteers Thank you for your time, energy, and support!

Nearly two dozen volunteers contributed to the success of last week’s Open House. Thank you to all our parent volunteers who helped make this evening so spectacular. Special thank you’s to the Weeks’ family for creating such awesome posters and extra big thank you’s to Mrs. Groff who did a fantastic job in coordinating the volunteers for the 5th Grade Welcome area!!!!

We also send thank you’s to all our Science Fair volunteers who helped with project pick-ups last week. Thank you again to Mrs. Spence who has nurtured the parent volunteer portion of the Science Fair for six years. Pershing Middle School and thousands of students have benefited from her support and devotion to this program.

The next Pershing Boosters meeting is on March 26, 2008 at 6:30 p.m. Everyone is invited!

Mark Your Calendars!

Here is a listing of many of our upcoming events.

February 11-29, 2008
Pasta for Pennies

February 13, 2008
Valentine's Dance

February 14, 2008
Library Essay Contest Deadline
Minimum Day

February 15, 2008
Lincoln Day Observance

February 18, 2008
Washington Day Observance

February 19, 2008
School Site Council Meeting

February 21, 2008
Spring Picture Day

February 22, 2008
Spring Picture Day

February 26, 2008
Principal’s Honor Roll (4.0) Recognition

February 27, 2008
5th Grade Parent Orientation Night

March 7 & 8, 2008
SDUSD Lewis Band Festival

March 12, 2008
Voting for the California Young Reader Medal Program