Tiger Tidbits Newsletter – 01.08.2023

NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Happy New Year SPMS Community!

We hope you all enjoyed your breaks and spent plenty of time with family and friends. Can you believe we are already halfway through the school year? Here is a recap of what the PTA accomplished so far as well as what we have planned for Q3 and beyond in service towards our goals of enhancing communication and connection and contributing in positive ways to student mental & physical health. Thank you for your volunteerism and your commitment to our community!

Want to VOLUNTEER for upcoming programs? Join our volunteer list at spmspta.com/volunteer/.

Highlights from Q1 & Q2:

- Mental Health Week: Our biggest PTA program of the year so far provided opportunities for students to become educated about topics such as the adolescent brain, sleep, exercise, nutrition, and social connection, and to learn tips and techniques for reducing anxiety and increasing mindfulness. If you didn’t see the e-book we produced for students, you can find it here.
- Community Service Opportunity for Students: During MHW, students engaged with the community by staffing a booth at the South Pas Spooktacular Halloween event. We hope to make this an annual event and provide more service opportunities in the coming years.
- Wish Night Spending: We have dispersed over 12,000 towards classroom needs so far this school year.

continue reading here >>

8TH GRADE GRAD NIGHT
TICKET PURCHASE DEADLINE 1/13/2023

TICKET PURCHASE DEADLINE EXTENDED TO JANUARY 13, 2023!
On May 19, 2023, SPMS 8th graders are invited to celebrate their promotion by sharing a night of fun and excitement with all of their 8th Grade friends at Universal Studios Hollywood! Please note this event will be in place of the traditional end of the year 8th Grade Promotion Party.

Purchase a ticket and get more information here.
List of student ID’s who have purchased tickets here.
For questions, email spmspta@spusd.net

LIBRARY NEWS
Rozanna Baranets – Sharing news from SP Public Library

Introducing Brainfuse HelpNow!

The South Pasadena Public Library is now offering a new homework help resource that provides live real-time homework help, college prep resources, essay/writing assistance, and more. Beginning January 1, Brainfuse HelpNow will be replacing our current homework help resource Tutor.com. HelpNow is supported in whole or in part by funding provided by the State of California, administered by the California State Library.

Through HelpNow, live real-time homework assistance is available 24 hours a day by laptop, tablet, or phone from qualified tutors using state curriculum and standards.

read full announcement here >>

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Introducing LOTE4Kids!

LOTE4Kids is an online database of digital books in World Languages, that allows kids to enjoy the magic of books in LOTE (Languages Other Than English). Each book also comes with English translations to help kids learn languages. Some stories also have bilingual presentations as well as downloadable activity sheets. LOTE4Kids has over 2,000+ digital picture books in 50+ languages, with new books and languages released each month. A South Pasadena Public Library card is required to access this new online resource.

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
SPMS PTA Executive Board Nominees

Are You Interested in Being a Nominee for Next Year’s Executive Board?
In early March 2023, the PTA general association will be electing next year’s executive board. The PTA nominating committee is currently compiling a slate of candidates for that elections. If you have interest in being a nominee, please email the committee chair Patti Urzua at pattiurzua@gmail.com.

FAMILY FOLLIES
CALLING ALL MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENTS

Enter the Family Follies! After a brief hiatus, the Follies are back! If you have a latent or current talent you are ready to show the world, sign up to perform and you will be the next big thing, probably. We are open to whatever act you can imagine! Please sign up here.

Questions? Contact Christian Schrader

SPMS PTA AMAZON SMILE
AMAZON SMILE – Sign Up/Update Charity to South Pasadena Middle School PTA

Please note that BOTH the AmazonSmile App on your phone and smile.amazon.com via your Web Browser must both be set up individually to ensure that the donations are made to SPMS PTA. See here for detailed instructions on how to add South Pasadena Middle School PTA as your Amazon Smile Charity.