Pride With Purpose Preparing For The Future

Welcome to
Pershing Middle School!

The Pershing family of faculty, staff, and administrators 
show their serious and silly sides.

Proudly Educating San Diego Children For 45 Years

 

From the Desk of Principal 
Sarah Sullivan

 

Seeing the world through the eyes of Pershing's
 Digital Literacy students.  

Dear Pershing Families,

A major goal of educators is to prepare children to enter the world of work ready to thrive.  This means we must prepare students for the unknown world of tomorrow, rather than the world of today. One of our greatest challenges is to provide a solid core of fundamental learning while simultaneously adapting offerings so our students benefit from learning experiences that will lead into a knowledge base fit for the 21st century.

Using technology as a tool for communicating and learning is critical for our students. Technology speeds up the rate of learning by decreasing wait time and by increasing ownership of the learning. When I was a child, getting information meant a trip to the library, using the card catalogue, finding the right area in the library, and then selecting books by using the table of contents and the index. Now, Google searches are so natural to our students that “google” is used as a verb. Recently, I was in a seventh grade science class where teams of students were researching diseases and I overheard one student say to her partner, “We better google that again, I don't think this can be true.”  I left the science lab with a feeling of amazement and pride at the high level of critical thinking this teacher and her technological resources created for her students.

For educators, the catch here is that our core responsibility is to teach critical thinking in a changing context. No matter the era in which we are/were educated, we need to evaluate and use information in order to add value to our world. When critical thinking is not a major goal of a lesson, our technological tools become nothing more than glitzy ornamentation in our classrooms.  

This year, in addition to using a variety of technological tools to enhance learning, Pershing is offering a new elective course called “Digital Literacy”. This course, which is taught by Ms. Buchanan, is aimed directly at enhancing student use of the new literacy - image, connectivity, and words that evoke - in a responsible way for critical thinking. Other goals include web safety, ethics, and modifying messages for a variety of venues.

Ms. Buchanan¹s students have already published their first assignment, “Think Different,” online at http://pershing2.sandi.net/studentvoice. I encourage you to visit this website frequently. You will see the world through the eyes of our students as they communicate their views, concerns, and aspirations. These projects say as much about the hearts and minds of our students as it does about their topics. It gives me an even greater hope for this generation of youngsters.

Our Digital Literacy course uses many of the latest technologies to keep families connected with their students’ classroom experience. Please note that the following three options are not password protected.

Daily Class Status Updates
via Twitter at http://twitter.com/DLwithBuchanan

Weekly Class Updates
via Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/DLwithBuchanan

Publishing Student Voices
via DL Website at http://pershing2.sandi.net/studentvoice

As Pershing’s principal, it is rewarding to see the many ways our students have taken ownership of these technologies. I look forward to visiting the Digital Literacy sites often. I hope that you will join me!

All the best,

 

Sarah Sullivan
Principal
Pershing Middle

Winter Music
Concert Series

When:
December 2, 2009

String Orchestra

December 3, 2009
Band Concert

Time:
  6:00 p.m. 

Where:
Pershing Auditorium

Bake sales will follow both performances!

8th Grade
East Coast Trip

May 30 - June 5, 2010

Meeting Schedule for 2009-10

Meetings start promptly at 2:30 p.m. Do not be late! The first meeting is in the auditorium. All other meetings will be in Room 1003.  

November 19, 2009 
December 10, 2009 
January 14, 2010 
February 18, 2010 
March 11, 2010
April 15, 2010 
May 6, 2010 
 May 13, 2010 
May 27, 2010  

Congratulations
to the 
Pershing
 Community!!!!

The Academic Performance Index (API) scores for 2008-09 have been released and Pershing is very excited to announce that our score increased from 2007-08 to 2008-09 by 29 points!!!!!! Pershing's new API is 825. 

This huge increase is due to the hard work and dedication of our amazing students, faculty, staff, administrators, and families! We thank everyone for their part in making Pershing such a wonderful place to learn, grow, and excel.

We look forward to working together in 2009-10 to ensure the continued success of all our students!

School District News 

Quick Links

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Pershing
News 

Thank you to everyone who supported the Band's November 19th Souplantation Fundraiser!! The Pershing Community is the BEST!!

 Welcome 5th Grade Families!

5th Grade Family 
Welcome Page

5th Grade Parent 
Orientation Nights

Campus Tours

Frequently Asked Questions

 School Reminders

Read Pershing's November, 2009 School Newsletter!

Counseling Department
News

Lunch Menu

Messages From...

School Office

11/10/09 Update from 
Principal Sullivan about the
 H1N1 Flu Virus

Complete H1N1 Flu Virus Information

____________

Please note that participation in any school fundraiser listed on this website is optional and not mandatory.

Attendance Office

To report an absence, please call our Attendance Office at (619) 465-3234 ext. 2222.

Pershing Band Boosters

Do not forget! The next Friday at Crave Yogurt fundraiser is on December 4th.  Please note that you must present this coupon when ordering.

Pershing Science Department
Great Gift Idea!

The Science Department is  selling copies of the Countertop Cooking Cookbook. (This cookbook has different recipes than the ones we have sold in past years.) Money earned will pay for science materials and technology for your child’s classroom. Each cookbook costs $10. The Science Department earns $4.00 per cookbook sold. The fundraiser ends on December 13th.  

Mrs. Miller
Drama Department

Volunteers are needed to help with costumes, props, supervision during rehearsals, etc. If you are a parent or former student/current high school student who needs volunteer hours and are interested in volunteering, contact Mrs. Miller.

Mrs. Boeger and Mr. Fedder
Pershing's Library

Thank you to all the parents, students, and staff for visiting the Book Fair. Because of your support, Mr. Fedder has been very busy processing the 100 new titles we have been able to add to our collection. Come by the library and check out our new selection of books!

7th Grade Math Teachers

The 7th Grade Pre-Algebra teachers have launched DimensionM! Click here to link to DimensionM's website. 

The Parent Foundation

Please participate in our e-Scrip program! Help our school by signing up your grocery cards. Remember, families and friends may sign up too. If you need assistance, please email Lesley Stillwater, Foundation President.  

  • To enroll in Vons/e-Scrip, go to www.escrip.com. Our group ID number is 6551823. If you don't know your Vons number, call 1-877-723-3929.

  • For Albertsons, go to www.albertsons.com and click on "In the Community." Our number is 49000115018. If you need your Albertsons' number, please call 1-877-932-7948.

  • For Ralphs, it's www.ralphs.com. Our NPO # is 90839. 

 This Week 

ROALD DAHL'S 
WILLY WONKA*
Rehearsals Continue

ASB Toy Drive Ends

Science Department Cookbook Fundraiser

Band Souplantation Fundraiser

East Coast Trip Meeting

 Thursday Lunch Run

Next Week

Thanksgiving Vacation
No School!

Down the Road...

ROALD DAHL'S 
WILLY WONKA*
Rehearsals Continue

Governance Meeting

Winter Concert Series

East Coast Trip Meeting

ROALD DAHL'S 
WILLY WONKA*
Performances

Pershing Parent Power 

Subscribe to our e-Newsletters

 Boosters & Foundation

Mark Your Calendars

11/2-16 - ASB Toy Drive
11/16-12/13 - Science Department Cookbook Fundraiser
11/17 -
ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA* Rehearsals
11/18 -
ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA* Rehearsals
11/19 - ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA* Rehearsals, Thursday's Lunchtime Run, East Coast Trip Meeting, & Souplantation  Band Fundraiser
11/23-27 - Thanksgiving Vacation

*Produced by special arrangement with Musical Theatre International.

 

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