PDCMS Panther Tales
Good afternoon, Great people,
Halloween is such a fun tradition. We love the excitement of the costumes, the community events, and, of course, the candy… well, maybe not the candy corn, but everything else! A mask is often the best part of an outfit. It’s fun to wear because it’s just pretend, and at the end of the night, you can simply take it off.
In reality, however, many individuals, including our own students, come to school every day wearing a very different kind of mask. These are the unseen social and emotional masks of anxiety, grief, loneliness, stress, and anger. Unlike a Halloween mask, these aren't worn for fun; they are worn to hide how heavy things feel on the inside.
As a community, we have the power to help each other feel safe enough to take those masks off. It starts with genuine human connection and empathy. When we take the time to truly listen and check in on one another, we can notice when someone is hurting beneath the surface.
This season, as always, we will continue to foster a school environment built on acceptance and support. We will ensure our conversations and actions are rooted in safety and compassion so that no one feels they have to carry their struggles alone.
PDCMS is a place for trust and friendship. By leaning in with open hearts, we can ensure that every student feels truly seen, valued, and safe to be exactly who they are… no masks required. Thank you for being such a caring and supportive community.
Be Present, Be Purposeful, Be a Panther...Today is a great day to be a Panther. Don’t forget to be Awesome!
Have a great week,
Principal Austad
Mrs. Fraser visits our Student Ambassadors
🐾 Better Together: Panther Pride on Parade!
Our PDCMS Bridges Program proudly participated in the 62nd Annual City of Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade on Sunday, October 25th, with a golf cart titled “Better Together”! Ms. Rachel Barela and our students teamed up to decorate the cart, while Mr. Walton and Ms. Huddleston drove it along the parade route. Mr. Lopez-Carrillo brought extra Panther spirit as our mascot, Pepe, and even received an on-air shout-out from Jeff Stahl—who playfully referred to him as the guy in the “bear suit.” We’ll forgive the mix-up—Pepe is all Panther! A special thank-you to Zoe Karroll-Gonzalez, a student in Ms. Jeanne Jarden’s yearbook class, for capturing photos during the parade. Thank you to everyone who helped show that we truly are better together!
PDCMS Marching Band
PDCMS Cadet Corps
PDCMS Colorguard
Black Bear Suit Man
Color Guard Shines!
Congratulations to our Varsity Color Guard for earning the Sweepstakes Award, the top overall honor, at the Loara Band Review on Saturday, October 24! The entire Color Guard also enjoyed performing for our community at the Palm Desert Golf Cart Parade. Next up is their November 14 parade competition, where a win would mark their 12th consecutive undefeated year!
Thank you to Mr. Pena and our talented students for representing PDCMS with pride.
👏 Mr. Walton: “Thank you for being at the ELOP gate every morning at 7 a.m. and the last to lock the MPR gate after 5 p.m. Your dedication supports our students from the start of the day to the very end!” —Mr. Austad
🌱 Mr. McCarthy: “Thank you for taking the time to repair the irrigation in our school garden! Your efforts are helping prepare a space where our students can learn, grow, and enjoy hands-on experiences.” —Mr. Austad
🎃 Paige De Feo: “Happy Halloween!” —From Olivia Nelson
🎨 A special shout-out to Claire Callens! Image submitted by Claire Barden.
Mark you calendars!
- November 1st - Daylight Savings (clocks fall back)
- November 7th - E Bike Safety Course (see below)
- November 18th - Ruta Sepetys, Author Visit
A Place to Remember
Our Union for Students of Color club members spent a busy lunch meeting creating a school ofrenda in the counselors’ hallway for Día de los Muertos. They invite our Panther community to help make it even more meaningful by adding photos or items honoring loved ones and beloved pets who have passed away. The ofrenda will remain on display through Wednesday. We look forward to sharing how it comes together. Thank you to our students for creating this special space for remembrance, connection, and cultural appreciation.
💙💛 Please consider donating or sharing to help our future engineers and computer scientists soar!
Our middle schoolers are ready to move from block coding to Python—and see their code come to life! Mr. Munksgard is seeking support for a classroom set of 12 CoDrone EDU programmable drones. Students will write Python scripts to navigate obstacle courses, explore flight physics, and work in teams to choreograph music-synced LED light shows. Your support will help hundreds of students build confidence as they bridge the gap between basic coding and advanced, real-world programming.
DSUSD is offering upcoming parenting workshops designed to support and empower parents and caregivers with practical tools they can use at home. These programs focus on strengthening family connections, improving communication and healthy conflict resolution, building parenting confidence, and developing effective strategies for navigating the challenges of raising children and teens. The Parent Project also emphasizes practical parenting strategies and building confidence. We encourage our Panther families to take advantage of these valuable opportunities to learn, connect, and grow together! 💙🐾
Shout Outs
The Desert Sands Educational Foundation proudly sponsors the DSUSD Shout-Out employee recognition program (formerly Recognize IT), honoring the extraordinary efforts of our team members who make a difference every day for students, their colleagues, and the community!