August 30, 2019

Pilgrim Park is thrilled to welcome students back on Tuesday! It was great to see so many families for our Adventures in Middle School and Picture/Locker Day. Thank you to all who helped to make these events successful. We can’t wait to see students here again next week! Please follow us on Twitter, @ppms_sde, to see all of the greats things happening at PPMS this year. Below is important information that you will need for the start of the school year.  It is going to be a great year of learning and connecting!

STUDENT/PARENT HANDBOOK

Please read the 2019-20 student/parent handbook. This document provides you with pertinent information about school processes and expectations. Reading this prior to the first day of school will help answer many of the questions that you may have. Please contact the Pilgrim Park office if you have questions. 

TEACHERS, HOUSES AND STUDENT SCHEDULES

There have been several inquiries into the color of each house, and which teachers comprise each house. This house configuration link provides you with information about the color and teachers for each house. As you were made aware, PPMS added a core teacher last week because of an increase in enrollment. The addition was a 7th grade section, and Mr. Kust moved into that position. We are excited to welcome our newest teacher to the PPMS staff, Mrs. Stacy Klein. Mrs. Klein will be teaching ELA and social studies, completing the teaching staff on the 8th grade Indigo team.

DISMISSAL DURING THE FIRST WEEK

September 3rd-5th all students will be dismissed from school at 2:26 pm (5 minutes earlier than the normal 2:31 dismissal time). Since the middle schools are the first bus routes of the afternoon, this helps to avoid buses running behind on their new routes for all levels. The regular dismissal time of 2:31 pm will begin on Friday, September 6th.

STUDENT SAFETY PRESENTATION

Students will receive our School Safety presentation (fire, inclement weather, active intruder, etc) on Thursday, September 5th during resource period. Please contact your counselor if there is concern regarding how your child has reacted to receiving this information in the past.

GRADE LEVEL MEETINGS

Mr. Jolliff and Mrs. Szesterniak will be hosting grade level meetings on Wednesday, September 4th to introduce ourselves and to go over policies and expectations. Below are a few reminders to reinforce with your children:

• Before school, students are to remain in the cafeteria until 7:00 am.

• Cell phones should remain off and in lockers from 7:18 am until 2:31 pm.

• Chromebooks will not be allowed in the cafeteria during lunch.

 

TECHNOLOGY USE

At the start of the school year, teachers will share with students and families how technology will be utilized in the classroom. Additional information regarding technology:

• The District has formed a Family Technology Advisory Group.

• The District’s Digital Citizenship Curriculum is based on lessons from Common Sense Media.

• The District supports media use guidelines put forth by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

 

ENGLISH LANGUAGE ARTS GRADING AND READING SELECTION

The English Language Arts department utilizes grades to convey valuable feedback learning. Common assessment tools are used to measure proficiency, and grades reflect student performance on ELA standards. Please click here to better understand how grades will be reported in your child’s ELA class this school year.

As independent readers and writers, students will often select their own texts for reading and writing practice. As always, teachers coach students in the selection of texts that match their reading levels, interests, and maturity. In the same right, please know that we are inviting parents and families to join our teachers in helping to match students with appropriate reading materials and that we realize that “appropriate” is a subjective concept in relation to the values of your family.

Please check in with your student reader(s) regularly regarding their text selections. If you object to your student reading a particular book, please contact your student’s teacher who can then assist in matching your reader with well-suited reading materials. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your student’s teacher directly so that we can work together to meet your student’s needs.

 

DROP OFF/PICK UP PROCEDURES

Our goal is to create a safe, smooth flow of traffic.  In order to accomplish this, there are some specific rules that we need all parents to follow.  Failure to follow these typically create back ups and unsafe situations in our parking lot. Our PPMS traffic patterns, signage, and safety expectations have been established in collaboration with the Elm Grove Police Department.

 Below is a map that shows directions of how to enter our parking lot. During our drop off/pick up hours, you are not able to enter the south entrance to Pilgrim Park if you are coming from the north on Pilgrim Parkway.  There is a sign posted noting this as well. Elm Grove PD has issued tickets in the past for failure to follow this sign.

Please be PATIENT.  Do not pull out from behind others and attempt to pass them in the turn around because they aren't moving fast enough.  This is when accidents have happened.

 

MORNING ARRIVAL

School buses drop off students at the West and East ends of the building.  Students may enter through either set of doors and report directly to the cafeteria if it is before 7:00am.  Parents should plan to drop off students using our turn around. It may not put your child by the entrance that is the closest to his/her locker, but this is the safest place to drop them off.  The West and East doors are reserved for bus drop offs. Parents are asked to pull as far forward as far as possible before stopping to drop off their students in the turn around. Please do not drop students off without pulling to the sidewalk. It is unsafe to have students cross between other cars pulled against the sidewalk who may not see your son/daughter crossing in front/back of them.  Please allow additional time for drop‑off on days when it is raining or snowing.

 

AFTERNOON DISMISSAL

Buses depart PPMS at approximately 2:40pm.  Buses leaving out the South driveway have the right of way. Cars will be directed to wait once these buses have begun moving until all have departed. FOR SAFETY & SECURITY, we ask parents to use the turn around to pick up students and to wait in their cars. Students being picked up will not be permitted to enter the West parking lot unless escorted by a parent.  Students will not be permitted to walk between the buses to get to waiting vehicles, as this presents a significant safety concern for students. During pick up, please pull forward and have your child come to your car. Do not stop the flow of traffic and pick them up where they are standing. Stopping prevents everyone behind you from keeping the flow moving. To reduce traffic and wait times, we strongly encourage students to ride the bus whenever possible.

 

RIDING HOME WITH A FRIEND

Permission to ride a bus other than one's own must be gained by presenting a signed note from both sets of parents to the school office. Signed notes must be brought to the school office as soon as the student arrives to school in the morning. A bus pass will be issued to the student as long as space permits on the bus.   Students must give this approved bus pass to the driver. Drivers will not accept non‑route students on their bus without an approved bus pass. Each student is allowed to bring a maximum of two other students onto their bus, space permitting.

 

UPCOMING STUDENT HEALTH AND WELLNESS EVENTS

SAFER CHOICES: PARENT NETWORK & ELMBROOK SCHOOLS

When: October 21, 2019 at Sharon Lynn Wilson Center

Audience: Middle & High School Students & Families

6:45 pm Doors Open

7:00 - 8:15 Program

8:15 - 9:00 Resource Fair

This is an age-appropriate, entertaining and interactive approach as well as a lifelong message on consent, respect, and bystander intervention. Click here for more information about this event. 

Click here to register.

 

JOURNEY TO RESILIENCY: YOUR CHOICE & ELMBROOK SCHOOLS

When: September 24, 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm, Brookfield East Cafeteria

Audience: Parents/Guardians of Adolescents

Journey to Resiliency: Bypassing and Navigating Anxiety & Depression in Adolescence is the final installment of community education programs brought to Elmbrook Schools by Your Choice to Live. Previous programs included Wake Up Call (new interactive website for adults 21/older), Stairway to Heroin, Youth Presentations for our 6-12 schools, and teacher professional development. Click here to register.