August, 29th 2025

Posted on August 29, 2025 by Sean Keating

Principal’s Hello

Dear Pacific Crest Families,

We’re getting close — and each day we’re more excited to welcome your student to PCMS! It’s going to be an awesome year.

On Wednesday, all of our middle and high school teachers gathered at PCMS for the “Standards-Based Instruction and Grading Mini Conference.” I’m really excited about the new ways we’ll be encouraging learning and motivation this year. I also hope it becomes easier for you to understand how your student’s grades are determined.

That said, you won’t notice a huge shift from what we’ve done in the past. PCMS has already been using a 0–4 grading scale for several years. The main change is that grades will now be tied more clearly to a few key “priority standards” — the most essential skills and learning goals for each course. This means you’ll likely see a more detailed gradebook that focuses only on those core areas of learning.

Looking ahead, the entire district will officially move to a standards-based system in the 2026–27 school year. You can find more details in the letter below.

Enjoy the long weekend — and we’ll see you next week! 6th Graders start Wednesday–WOOHOO!

Sean


6th Graders Start Wednesday! 7th & 8th Graders Start Thursday!

Standards-Based Grading Early Adoption

I am writing to share that our school will have teachers participating in an early adoption of Standards-Based Grading (SBG)—a system designed to provide clearer, more meaningful feedback about student learning.  This shift will occur fully at all our sites beginning next fall.

Why Standards-Based Grading?

Traditional grading often combines academic performance with behaviors like participation, effort, or turning work in on time. While those habits are important, they can sometimes obscure what a student actually knows and can do. SBG separates academic achievement from behavior and focuses on mastery of specific learning standards.

What Will This Look Like?

  • Learning Targets: Each assignment or assessment is tied to a specific standard or learning goal.
  • Proficiency Scale: Students are scored on a 0–4 scale:
    • 4 – Advanced: Demonstrates advanced understanding or application.
    • 3 – Proficient: Demonstrates consistent understanding.
    • 2 – Developing: Partial understanding; more practice needed.
    • 1 – Beginning: Beginning to develop understanding.
    • 0 – No Evidence: Not enough information to assess.

Note: A score of 4 does not mean “perfect.” It means the student has shown a deeper or more complex understanding of the standard.

  • Final Grades & GPA: Students will still receive a traditional letter grade and GPA. These will be based on the average of their scores across all standards.

How Will You Stay Informed?

We are committed to keeping you informed and involved:

  • You’ll receive regular updates on your child’s progress toward each standard through Synergy ParentVUE
  • Teachers will share resources to help you interpret scores and understand how they reflect learning.
  • Conferences and communication will focus on growth, strengths, and next steps.

If you want to learn more about our reporting practices, please refer to our district’s policy on grades and credits.

We believe this approach will help students take ownership of their learning, reduce grade anxiety, and better prepare them for future success.

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s teacher or myself. We look forward to partnering with you in this exciting shift toward more meaningful assessment.

Note from Nurse Oliver

Families, please take a moment to review the Health & Wellness page on the district website, where you can find information for families about immunizations, medications, injuries, and when to keep students home from school. Remember: all medications at school (even Tylenol) must be provided by the student’s custodial parent or legal guardian and authorized in writing. This is also a good time to ensure your student’s emergency contacts and health information is up-to-date. For example, has your student received their latest Tdap (Tetanus, Diphtheria, and Pertussis) immunization? This is a required immunization for all 7th grade students. Please contact the school registrar, Shawna Junker, to update your address, emergency contacts, or immunizations.

If you have any concerns about your student’s health, especially if your student has a condition requiring accommodations at school, please reach out to our consulting Registered Nurse:

Oliver Tatom, RN [email protected], (541) 355-6922

Checklist for Start of the Year Payments!

Annual iPad Insurance | $30 | highly recommended | deadline Monday, Sept. 30
PE Shirt – All students | $9.00 |required | deadline Monday, Sept. 8

Transitioning Back to School

Returning to school can feel overwhelming for families. Preparing ourselves as parents is essential to supporting our children. Click here for tips for a smooth transition.

Student Schedules Go Live !

Schedule will be available Saturday, August 30 via StudentVue and ParentVue.

Our student services department is not taking schedule change requests unless there is an error with your child’s schedule. An error would look like accidentally having two identical classes, etc. Specifically, we do not change student schedules for friends or activities. Many of our students have extracurricular activities and we simply cannot accommodate changing schedules for this. Also, classes are still being balanced and all students should check their schedules on the first day of school. We will also be providing each student with a paper copy of their schedule on the 1st day of school. Thank you for your understanding.

Required PE Dress Down Policy & Shirt Purchase

Students will be expected to be dressed down and ready to go by Monday, September 8. PE shirts are required for PE per our Dress Down Policy. The cost per shirt is $9.00. Please go to TouchBase by Monday,9/8 to pay for your student’s PE shirt and select a size. Each student may order one PE shirt and we will try to accommodate the size request as our inventory allows!! Teachers will go over this in class first week of school.

Student Pick-Up & Drop-Off

You may drop your student off as early as 8:35 AM. First period starts at 8:50 AM, but we’d like all students here no later than 8:45 AM. We want everyone to have time to go to their locker to drop off their backpack and get materials for class. Backpacks are not allowed in classrooms.

Attendance Policy

There have been some changes made to the district attendance policy. Please take a few minutes to review the changes by reading through the updated policy, which can be found here: District Attendance Policy .

Tardy Policy

Backpack Policy

Backpack must remain in student lockers. Backpacks impede teachers and students from moving around the classroom, backpacks can contain distracting materials and also serve as a temptation for theft, and they could serve as a storage place for weapons (safety). Students will have plenty of time to go to their lockers between classes to get the materials they need.

Bathroom Policy

We will allow students to use the bathroom during class. Only 1 student will leave class at a time, with a hall pass. Also, students have 5 minutes to use the restroom and return to class. If a student takes more than 5 minutes, the teacher will have a private discussion with the student to remind them of the policy and to ensure that everything is okay. If a student is using the bathroom everyday, and teachers suspect work avoidance or some other issue, teachers will meet with that student privately to discuss concerns and seek more information. A counselor may also have this conversation with the student

Student Spectators and After School Events

We are excited to see students showing up to support our district teams this fall! Your school spirit and energy help make our events special. To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, please review and follow these important expectations:

🎟️ Before You Arrive

  • Adult Supervision Required: All elementary and middle school students must attend with a responsible adult. No drop-offs.
  • Tickets: Digital tickets should be purchased ahead of time at www.bit.ly/sh-athletics.
  • Bring ID: All students must present a school-issued ID to enter (a photo of the ID on a phone is acceptable).
  • Leave These at Home: Backpacks, skateboards, balls, and oversized bags are not allowed. Any bags brought in may be searched.

🏟️ While You’re at the Game

  • Stay In, No Re-Entry: Once inside the stadium (starting 30 minutes before game time), students may not leave and re-enter.
  • Stay in the Stands: Students are expected to remain in designated spectator areas and not roam or loiter.
  • Be a Positive Fan: Show great sportsmanship. Cheer for your team, and be respectful to opponents, officials, and other fans.  OSAA Sportsmanship Guidelines
  • Follow the Rules: The rules during school hours are the same rules after school.  BLS Student Code of Conduct

Host Families Needed for Japanese Exchange Students

We are excited to welcome a group of Japanese exchange students this fall! The students will arrive on Saturday, September 20th, between 7:00–8:00 p.m. and will depart on Thursday, September 25th, at 9:00 a.m.

We are looking for host families to open their homes and share this unique cultural experience. Host families will provide transportation to and from school Monday through Thursday. In addition, we will hold a welcome gathering on Sunday, September 21st to help students and families connect.

If you are interested in hosting or would like more information, please contact me at [email protected].

Thank you for helping us make this exchange a meaningful experience for our students and our visitors!

Warmly, 

Ami Zepnewski

PCMS First Tech Challenge (FTC) Robotics 

Do you have a student interested in robotics?? Are you interested in being a part of this team as a mentor? 7th and 8th grade competition FTC Robotics Club will meet from 4-5:30pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays in Room D116 Starting Sept 9th.  Interested 6th graders can join in the spring.  Please see this PCMS Robotics 25-16 Interest Form for more information and to express interest.  Email [email protected] with any questions.

Mark your Calendar

  • Sept. 2 | WEB Leader Training, Day 2: | 10:00 – 3:00 | Gym 
  • Sept. 3 | First Day of School – 6 Grade Students Only | 8:50 – 3:45
  • Sept. 3 | Incoming 7 & 8 Grade New Student Orientation | 2:00 – 3:30
  • Sept. 4 | First Day of School for all grade levels | Bell Schedule
  • Sept. 5 | Fall Athletic Registration Ends | 4:00PM
  • Sept. 25| School Portrait Day (more to come soon)
  • Sept. 25 | Back to School Night | 6:00 – 8:00PM (more to come soon)

Helpful Links

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