PGMS Weekly News 11.9.26

Hello Eagle Families,

Thank you for another great week! We especially would like to thank you for your support and understanding on Tuesday for our Professional Learning Day. While our students were taking a day to hopefully recharge, our staff was able to take some much needed time to collaborate and learn as we continue to build a strong “A” culture for our students. 

Remember that this Wednesday, November 11th is Veterans Day as well as an Early Release Day for students. Thank you to all of our Eagle family members that have served or are actively serving. We appreciate you!

We are excited to share that this month we will continue strengthening literacy skills and fostering a love of reading across our campus!

Throughout November, our teachers will intentionally incorporate vocabulary-building strategies in subject areas. Through visual aids, word walls, classroom discussions, and engaging activities, students will have opportunities to expand their vocabulary, strengthen comprehension, and make meaningful connections to their learning.

We are also excited to introduce DEAR Time (Drop Everything and Read)! Students will dedicate 10 minutes to independent reading during their ELA and/or Reading classes. Our goal is to encourage students to read more, build reading stamina, and develop a lifelong love of reading!

How Can You Help at Home? We encourage families to spend a few minutes each day reading with their students, talking about what they're reading, or helping them discover books that interest them. Small, consistent efforts can make a BIG difference! Together, we can continue building a strong culture of reading at PGMS.

If you have not done so already, we would love your assistance with our Climate Survey. The survey was sent to all families via email through ThoughtExchange. Please take a moment to help our school. The feedback is valuable in our continuous efforts to build a stronger community at PGM. 

Reminder that we have started sending D/F grade notifications through FOCUS. Please check FOCUS regularly to review your child’s current grades and any missing assignments. The progress report window for quarter 2 opens next week, so now is a great time to help your student catch up. If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out directly to your student’s teacher. If your student is struggling we also offer after-school tutoring. 

Thank you for your continued partnership in helping our Eagles SOAR!

As previously shared StudentSquare is now available for all students in grades 6–8, age 13 or older OR with Level 2 Digital Resource Access. Level 2 Digital Resource Access can be requested by parents for middle school students under the age of 13 if desired. 

To request access:

StudentSquare is the district's approved method for school-to-student communication. It is an important tool for supporting appropriate communication between students and staff, providing transparency and helping families stay informed and engaged throughout the school year. 

It is equally important to emphasize that students are not able to message other students through StudentSquare; communication is restricted to school staff. 

If you have any questions or need assistance, please reach out to Jacqueline Riddell via direct message or reply to this post.

After-school tutoring is available Monday through Thursday from 4:20–5:20 p.m. 

Tutoring provides students with additional support in ELA / Reading, Math, Social Studies, Algebra, and credit recovery.

Students must be signed up using the tutoring link below before attending. Please remind your child to report directly to their assigned tutoring classroom after school.

Sign up: Tutoring

Students should be picked up promptly following tutoring no later than 5:20. A late bus is available for eligible students with a completed permission slip and uses designated hub stops. All completed late-bus permission slips should be turned in to Dean Powell.

We encourage families to take advantage of this opportunity to help students strengthen their skills, complete coursework, and improve academically. 

Thank you for partnering with us to support your child’s success!

As part of our ongoing commitment to foster a lifelong love of reading and support your child’s literacy development, our school will be utilizing Epic!, a digital reading platform designed specifically for young learners. Epic! gives students access to tens of thousands of high-quality digital books, audiobooks, read-to-me books, and educational videos right from their classroom devices. 

To help you make an informed decision, here are the key details regarding how Epic! will be implemented in our classroom:

● 100% Free of Cost: Access through your student’s school account is completely free during school hours. There are no fees or subscriptions required for classroom use.

● Age-Matched Reading Levels: Parent and teacher profile settings are used to direct kids toward age-matched reading levels.

● Student Free Choice: Students are granted freedom of choice to browse and select books that match their personal interests, hobbies, and reading goals. Empowering students to choose their own reading material significantly boosts motivation and engagement.

If you are happy for your student to participate, no further action is needed. However, if you prefer that your child does not use the platform, please complete and return the Opt-Out form below (or complete the form digitally on ParentSquare), and we will ensure they are not assigned access. 

FortifyFL is a suspicious activity reporting tool that allows you to instantly relay information to appropriate law enforcement agencies and school officials.