Hardy Happenings

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This has been an incredibly difficult week for our Pershing community. We lost one of our own students, Mya Voight, and there are no words for a loss like this.

What has stayed with me this week is not the sorrow alone, but the way our Panther family has shown up for one another. I have watched students comfort their classmates, staff hold space for grief while still caring for every child, and families reach out to check on one another. It's been a very hard week, but it's also shown exactly what this community is made of.

Tomorrow, students and families are invited to wear teal in honor of Mya. I have learned that her closest friends plan to wear teal as a way of holding her close, and I invite all of us to join if you would like to participate.

Thank you for the care you have shown one another this week.

With Gratitude,

Principal Aragon

Yearbooks are officially on sale for just $35.00! Head to yearbookforever.com and search our school name to order with a credit card, debit card, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or PayPal. Quantities are limited, so don't wait; prices increase January 1st!

We also want YOUR photos in this year's book! Snap your favorite moments (sports, clubs, everyday school life, and more) and submit them using the Yearbook Snap app with access code: panthers27.

Have a great shot from a recent Pershing game, meet, or match? We would love to feature our student-athletes in the Panther Pulse! Please send your photos to karagon@sandi.net and include the names of any students pictured. Go Panthers!

Did you know that Pershing offers an extended window of time every Wednesday from 12:45-1:20 PM where students can seek individual help with a specific classroom teacher of their choice.Office hours is a great opportunity for students to get the extra support they need and we encourage families to have their child(ren) take advantage of this opportunity. It is a good idea to get students in the habit of going to office hours rather than immediately leaving the campus on Wednesdays. We encourage families to check it out!

We are so close: 90% of our families have already completed the LCFF form, and we need your help reaching 100%!

This quick form directly impacts our school's budget. Every completed form helps ensure Pershing receives the full state funding we're eligible for, funding that goes straight back into resources, programs, and support for our students. If you haven't completed it yet, it truly makes a difference, and it only takes a few minutes. Our school is asking all families to complete the Local Control Funding Formula, or LCFF, form for the 2026-27 school year.

To complete the form:

1. Log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account at https://powerschool.sandi.net
2. Select LCFF Data Collection in the left-hand navigation.
3. Complete and submit the short form for your student.
4. Need help? Reference this step-by-step guide in English, Spanish, Vietnamese

(Please note: The LCFF form is not available in the PowerSchool mobile app, but you can complete it by visiting https://powerschool.sandi.net in a web browser on any device, including a phone, tablet, laptop, or computer.)

If you have any issues, please contact our Site Tech, Alicia, at aleboffe@sandi.net.

Tonight marks the beginning of Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish calendar. It is a solemn day of fasting, prayer, and reflection, and many of our students, families, and staff will be observing from this evening through nightfall on Monday. To those observing, we wish you an easy fast and a meaningful day of reflection.

September 15 through October 15 marks Latinx/e Heritage Month, a time to celebrate the histories, cultures, and contributions of Latinx/e communities. SDUSD has put together a guide with ideas for how families can observe and celebrate this month together.

The Family Engagement Department and Instructional Technology are pleased to offer an overview of how to navigate the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Families will learn how to access features including how to communicate with their child's teacher, access grades, view attendance records, and check standardized test scores.

Please join us Tuesday, September 15, 2026 from 5:30pm - 6:30pm or Thursday, September 17, 2026 from 10:00am - 11:00am at the Zoom Link: https://sandiegounified.zoom.us/j/81378374938 or Zoom ID: 813 7837 4938.

Interpretation services available - begins 15 minutes before each session.

Your experience and perspective can help prepare San Diego Unified students for what comes next. Join the 2026–27 Career Technical Education Advisory Council to help strengthen career pathways, expand real-world learning opportunities and ensure programs reflect the needs of students, families and San Diego’s workforce. With just four meetings during the school year, it’s a small time commitment with the potential for a lasting impact.

Learn more and join the council

Save the date! On Tuesday, October 7, from 5:30 to 6:30 PM, families are invited to a virtual 6th Grade Camp informational meeting. Hear all about the 6th grade camp experience and get your questions answered by Dustin Burns, our coordinator from Cuyamaca Outdoor School. After Dustin presents, our Foundation and camp coordinators will share information on registering and paying for your student.

👉 6th Grade Camp meeting details

https://pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org/foundation-meetings

Panther families, thank you! As of Thursday, September 17, the Panther Pledge stands at $15,300, and every dollar goes straight back to our students.

The grade-level challenge is still on. The grade that brings in the largest number of Panther Pledges wins a whole week of early lunch release. This contest counts pledges, not dollars. Right now, 6th grade is leading, a little ahead of 7th grade and 8th grade (can 8th grade finally win one of these?). Pledges already made count toward your grade, and new pledges count through Friday, October 2. There is still time to help your grade pull ahead!

Skip cooking on Wednesday, September 23! Del Cerro Pizza and Beer is hosting a dine-out for Pershing from 12:00 to 8:00 PM. Dine in or carry out, mention Pershing Middle when you order, and Del Cerro donates 15% of sales back to the Foundation. Bring the family and know you are supporting our students. It's one of the author's favorite pizza places!

👉 Del Cerro Pizza dine-out https://pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org/del-cerro-pizza-1

Our next Foundation meeting is Wednesday, October 14 at 6 PM. Join virtually or in person in the library. Slides and the treasurer report from the September meeting are on the meetings page.

👉 Foundation Meetings

https://pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org/foundation-meetings

Own a business or work somewhere that supports local schools? Corporate sponsorship for 2026-27 is open now, and it is one of the biggest ways to support Pershing students all year long.

👉 Corporate Sponsorship

https://pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org/corporate-sponsorship

The Panther Pulse is the Foundation's primary way of reaching families, so keep watching this space for dine-outs, events, and pledge updates all year long. Want to get involved or have a question? Reach out using the contacts below. Follow along on Facebook for photos and reminders between editions!

📬 [pershingfoundation@outlook.com](mailto:pershingfoundation@outlook.com)

🌐 pershingmiddleschoolfoundation.org

📘 facebook.com/pershingpanthers

Go Panthers! 💙

If your student is home sick, please notify the front office by phone or by completing the REPORT AN ABSENCE form.

SEPTEMBER

Friday, September 18: End of Grading Period (Progress Report 1)

Monday, September 21: SGT CANCELED

Tuesday, September 22: SSC 3:00 PM • 705

Monday, September 20: Tentative Choice Priority Window Opens

Wednesday, September 23: Foundation Dine-Out: Del Cerro Pizza 12-8 PM

OCTOBER

Tuesday, October 6: Picture Retakes/Makeup

Tuesday, October 6: Foundation Dine-Out: Habit Burger & Grill 4-9 PM

Wednesday, October 7: Camp Parent Information 5:30 - 6:30 PM

Monday, October 12: Non-Instructional Day - No School

Tuesday, October 13: SGT & SSC Meeting

Wednesday, October 14: Foundation Meeting 6 PM

Thursday, October 15: Great ShakeOut Earthquake Drill 10:15 AM

Thursday, October 22: Parent-Only Cybersecurity Presentation NEW DATE

Friday, October 30: Additional Minimum Day • Dismissal at 12:44 PM

Website: https://pershing.sandiegounified.org/

Address: 8204 San Carlos Dr. San Diego, CA 92119

Office Hours: 7:30-3:00 PM

Phone: (619) 362-3550
Facebook: Pershing Foundation Page

Pershing Instagram: @Pershing.Panthers

Principal Aragon Instagram: @principal_aragon

Pershing Middle School Student and Family Handbook

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