In this PAMS Gifted Program Blog post, please find information on Gifted Club; Course Verification sheets; articles on talking with your teen about technology; Arts in Education; St. Baldrick’s Bash; and 4th quarter interscholastic activity tryouts.

Please see the Gifted Club pictures from our Pi Day Celebration on Monday.  Thank you so much to the moms who volunteered for all of your help–and to the parents who sent in pies and the craft materials needed to make Pi boxes and Circle art!  The kids enjoyed the afternoon–as well as the sugar high that followed!

Our next Gifted Club will be on March 25–which is an extended time due to spring sports try-outs.  We will go from 4:15-6:15 PM.  The activity will be 2 STEAM activities– creating marbelized cards and making nature photo prints using light-sensitive photo papers.  Students should bring some natural items–such as flowers, seed pods, leaves, etc.–for the nature prints.  To RSVP for the March 25 Gifted Club, please click the RSVP LINK for 3/25/24 Gifted Club.

Have you seen what your child’s gifted cluster classes are doing?  Check out the Prowling Around the Cluster Classrooms–I’ve added more pictures to the February entries!

Don’t forget!  Course Verifications for SY24-25 are due on Friday, March 15!  What does this mean?  All families may now see student course requests in Student/ParentVUE under “Course Requests” and “Documents”. An alert was sent on Friday, March 1, at 5:00 PM informing rising 7th- and 8th-grade families. Please refer to that message for instructions and complete the verification form by March 15, 2024, at 11:59 PM. Course requests are the foundation of staffing and master schedule decisions. Your role in reviewing the accuracy of the course requests is crucial to the process. School counselors will contact you after processing your requests.

• For those with rising 6th graders, the same process applies, and you hopefully have already received a similar alert from your elementary schools (our technology doesn’t allow us to send alerts to you directly). We ask that you DO complete the verification form.

If your child is identified for gifted services, please know that your child will be slated to be in gifted cluster classes for math, English, science, and social studies.  Sometimes cluster teacher changes are made over the summer, so do not be alarmed if you expect a certain teacher for a certain subject or grade level and a different teacher appears on your child’s schedule in the fall. With changing enrollments, staffing changes need to be fluid!  If you have any questions or concerns about the teachers’ recommendations for placement in certain level classes, please contact your child’s teachers or school counselor before Friday.

For those with rising 9th graders, do not complete the PAMS verification form. Please refer to the Panther Press from this past weekend for what to do for those zoned for Kellam or Ocean Lakes.

Tech Talk:  I have found the blog posts from the developer of the Screenagers movies to be very helpful over the years I was raising my children, especially when my adolescents’ knowledge grew faster than mine (and yes, they could program the DVR and VHS when they were four…).  Here are two interesting recent posts you may be interested in.

Is social media an addiction?:  When does the social media spider web become more than just excessive time spent on devices? When is it an addiction?… This topic is particularly timely as we know that many state attorney generals are in the midst of suing Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, over the harm done to young people, particularly concerning the addictive features built into Meta’s platforms…”

Must-knows about incognito browsing:  “In Incognito mode, you can browse without being seen. This means that none of what you look up will get saved in your browser history, on-site cookies, or device. Kids and teens may have many reasons for using incognito mode, such as searching for edgy, sexy, or violent content. They may have questions they are embarrassed about or want information on how to get illicit substances, like vapes and weed, without anyone knowing…Even though it’s more than 15 years old, the technology allows youth avenues to get involved with things that could get them in trouble. Privacy is important, especially if we want kids to learn to be independent and make good choices. That is why having ongoing conversations about it with youth is important…”

Did You Know?
During the month of March, fine arts education programs are highlighted across the nation. Celebrations include Youth Art Month, Music in Our Schools Month, and Theatre in Our Schools Month. Visit the Virginia Department of Education’s Fine Arts webpage for resources and information on dance arts, music, theater arts, and visual arts in Virginia schools.

PAMS PTSA and students from the NJHS & SCA are getting ready for the PAMS St. Baldrick’s Carnival!  This will be PAMS’s 5th year hosting this fun event after school THIS Friday, March 15, to raise money for kids’ cancer research in honor of several PAMS students, past and present, who are fighting or have fought cancer. Student admission can be purchased for a $5 donation through schoolcashonline. The link was sent out on Sunday, March 3. Bracelets will be given to paid students during lunches during event week, and $1 raffle tickets will be available then as well.  Please watch the Principal’s Weekly Newsletter, PAMS PTSA Facebook page, and the event website https://www.stbaldricks.org/events/PAMS24 or contact PAMS parent Patty Furco– pattylynn1@aol.com–for more info.

Fourth Quarter Interscholastic Activity tryouts:

• Baseball: Any students interested in trying out for baseball, see the  link below. Tryouts will begin on March 25th after school from 4:15 pm – 6:15 pm. Students must have an up-to-date sports physical on file with Mr. Clark or in hand at tryouts. If you are unsure about your sport’s physical status, please stop by Mr. Clark’s office and double-check before March 25th. Tryout information – Google Docs
• Girls Track: Attention, any girls interested in trying out for the PAMS girls track team! 😃 There will be a mandatory meeting after school in the cafeteria on Thursday, March 21st. Please make sure you either bring your completed school physical form with you or, have your physical form on file already. Email any questions to Mr. Prater aaprater@vbschools.com.
• Softball: Any girls interested in trying out for softball should pick up an informational sheet from Mrs. Tori Smith (8th-grade teacher) in Room B213 which is upstairs at the end of the 8th-grade hall.  Girls need to fill out and return the information form by March 20th.
• Forensics: Forensics tryouts will be on March 25th in room A210. Forensics is an acting/speech competition. Please pick up a monologue to memorize from Mrs. Chapa starting March 18th. Email donna.chapa@vbschools.com with any questions.

Enjoy the spring weather!  Hopefully the March lion is giving way to the spring lamb!

🙂 Mrs. Cathy Smith, PAMS Gifted Resource Teacher