Plum Point Middle Gator News

September

1- Fall Sports Clinics Begin (see calendar under Athletics Corner)

2- Student Code of Conduct Assemblies (during school day) and PPMS' Sunshine Committee Spirit Night at 4 pm (Mexico, Huntingtown)

7- Schools and Offices Closed

8- Back to School Night: 6-7:30 pm

10- SGA Meetings Begin 7am and Spirit Night (all day with code) (MOD Pizza, Prince Frederick)

VISION THE PPMS COMMUNITY:

• PROMOTES HIGH STANDARDS

• PROVIDES POSITIVE EXPERIENCES

• MAKES A DIFFERENCE

• STRIVES FOR EXCELLENCE

Mission: At PPMS, we believe that all students can reach their potential to become well-rounded, life-long learners who are contributing community members. Our academic focus is on critical thinking, self-direction, and proficiency with technology. We strive for an inclusive climate and culture that is safe, caring, and accepting.

At PPMS We Believe in the Gator Way:

• We embrace our differences.

• We do not give up on each other.

• We respect each other.

• We all have a voice.

• We value our wellness both body and mind.

• We rise to the challenge and opportunities for excellence.

• We are in this together.

• Code of Conduct Assemblies
• Every grade level will participate in Student Code of Conduct Assemblies on Wednesday. We are asking parents to review the code of conduct with their student (s) and be sure to sign and return the Statement of Understanding to the assigned mentoring teacher. Every student must have a signed Statement of Understanding on file.

• Back to School Night
• Please mark your calendars for September 8, 6-7:30 p.m. for our Back to School Night. This will be an opportunity for families to meet our amazing teachers and explore our classrooms. We will also have community partners onsite to share resources with families.
• There will be a Destination Imagination (DI) Informational session for all PPMS students from 5:30-6 p.m. If your student is interested in DI, please be sure to attend this session.

• World Suicide Prevention Day- September 10
• World Suicide Prevention Day is September 10. Students and staff will be welcomed to wear yellow to show support for suicide prevention awareness, hope, and the importance of mental health.

• Academics Page
• Have you ever had questions about the curriculum and what students are learning? If so, we are excited to share that CCPS has created an Academics Page on its website for families to get a glimpse of curricular structures for elementary, middle, and high school. Use the link to explore>> Academics Page

• Grading Procedures
• Please use the link to access the most recent grading procedures update: Middle School Grading Procedures Guide for Families.pdf

• Gator Cafeteria

• We kindly request students who are not purchasing a lunch come to school prepared with their meals. This prevents frequent phone calls home and dropping off student lunches. Should such an occasion occur, we ask that meals be dropped off before lunch shifts begin (around 10:20am).
• More Information>> CCPS Meal Information Page
• Lunch Menus
• Cafeteria Welcome Back Letter

• Volunteering for SY26-27

• Calvert County Public Schools uses Raptor for visitors and volunteers to sign in and sign out. All volunteers will need to review the volunteer handbook and watch the volunteer training video before completing an Online Volunteer Application. Volunteers must be approved before they may begin service as a volunteer in any school buildings. Please note, the procedures for policy 8123 states that all volunteers must be at least twenty-one years of age unless he/she is the parent of a child in school.

• Only complete this application if you intend to volunteer with Calvert County Public Schools. The volunteer application is not used for visitors.

• Read the volunteer handbook.
• Complete the Online Volunteer Application. CCPS Volunteer Application
• The application may be completed on a computer or a mobile device.
• You are required to watch the CCPS Volunteer Training Video (approximately 14 minutes) before you can proceed with your application.

• CCPS Communications Update
• Stay Connected with CCPS!
• Don’t miss important school and district updates! Families are encouraged to make sure their contact information and communication preferences are current in the CCPS Notification System.
• Need help checking or updating your information? Follow the step-by-step directions.
• Guardians (non-CCPS employees): Guardians - Calvert County Public School District

• Everything You Need for Back to School – All in One Place! Visit the CCPS Welcome Back to School Hub for important information, resources, dates, and reminders to help your family get ready for the new school year. Welcome Back to School! - Calvert County Public School District

Dress Code Reminders

• Students must wear:
• Shirt or top (all shirts and tops must at least cover the student’s navel).
• Bottom (for example, pants, sweatpants, shorts, skirt, dress, and leggings).
• Shoes (curricular or activity-specific shoes may be required).
• Certain body parts must be covered for each student. Clothes must be worn in a way such that the chest, navel, pelvic/groin area and buttocks are covered with material that is not transparent.

• Students are permitted to wear:
• Hats or headwear, as long as the student’s face and ears are visible and are not obscured, and the student’s identity is not concealed.
• Tank tops (including ones with spaghetti straps), halter tops, and strapless tops.
• Ripped jeans that do not expose undergarments.
• Athletic attire.

• Students are not permitted to wear:
• Attire that depicts profanity, hate speech, obscenity, or violence, including by the use of weapons.
• Attire that promotes use of tobacco, drugs, alcohol, or other illegal or harmful products.
• Attire that promotes, implies, or contains sexually suggestive messages.
• Visible underwear or bathing suits.
• Headwear that obscures the face, except as a religious obligation, observation of a religious holiday, or for a school-related activity.
• Attire that depicts gang affiliation.
• Attire that causes or is likely to cause a material disruption, a substantial disorder to school activities or the orderly operation of the school, or an invasion of the rights of others.
• Attire that contains language or symbols that demean an identifiable person or group or otherwise infringes on the rights of others.
• Attire that may be used as a weapon (e.g., chains, dog collars, hats with spikes) or that may cause damage to school property.
• Sunglasses may not be worn inside of the school building unless prescribed by a physician. If sunglasses are prescribed, a medical form must be completed and submitted to the main office.
• Wearable technology (i.e., earbuds, headphones) when it interferes with instruction or student safety.

PPMS Families Let's Get More Zzzz's This Year!

Sleep is as important to your overall wellbeing as eating nutritious foods, drinking enough water, and daily exercise. The exact reasons are still a mystery, but experts agree there are numerous benefits to consistently getting a full night of sleep. Adults should get 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night. Children aged 6-12 should get 9-12 hours each night, and teenagers 13-18 should get 8-10 hours of sleep each night.

Sleep gives your body time to repair and maintain processes that keep your body healthy. Here are some great benefits of sleep!

1. Improved Mood - Sleep restores your body and improves your energy levels. Lack of sleep can lead to anxiety, depression and irritability.
2. Healthy Heart - Quality sleep promotes cardiac health. While you sleep all cardiac function slows down, heart rate and blood pressure decrease. Which decreases the workload on your heart. Insufficient amounts of sleep can lead to an increased risk of heart disease, heart attack, and heart failure.

3. Regulated Blood Sugar - Sleep impacts your body's use of the hormone insulin which helps blood glucose enter the cells to be used for energy. Getting less than 7 hours of sleep each night increases the risk of Type 2 Diabetes.

4. Improved Mental Function - Studies show that a good night's sleep can lead to better problem solving and decision-making skills. When you sleep, your brain can grow, reorganize, restructure, and make new neural connections. These connections can help you learn new information and aid in the formation of memories.

5. Restored Immune System - During sleep growth hormones are produced which are essential for proper development in children and adolescents. These same growth hormones repair tissues and cells in people of all ages. Cytokines are also produced while sleeping; these proteins help decrease inflammation in your body and help you fight infections. Chronic lack of sleep can make you more susceptible to common infections, such as a cold.

6. Stress Relief - Quality sleep can decrease anxiety, depression, and stress. Getting enough sleep can help you wake up refreshed.

7. Athletic Performance - Most athletes require at least 8 hours of sleep each night for athletic recovery. The body's production of growth hormone is highest at night; this hormone is necessary for the repair of tissue and contributes to muscle growth.

8. Maintaining Healthy Weight - Leptin is produced during sleep. Leptin is produced by the body as a natural appetite suppressor. Sleep also reduces the production of the appetite stimulant ghrelin. When you get too little sleep, the production of ghrelin increases and Leptin decreases. So, you may feel hungrier after a poor night's sleep.

Stay tuned next week for a summary of the 2nd half of the article - Tips for Improving Sleep!

8 Health Benefits of Sleep | Sleep Foundation

Attendance updates are handled by Mrs. Mongello, PMMS Guidance Secretary. Notes should be delivered to the Guidance Office (Gator Services) or sent to PPMSAttendance@calvertnet.k12.md.us

When your student arrives late or leaves early due to a Health-Related Appointment (Doctor/Dentist/Therapist, etc.): A note is required to code as Legal. Please send a note in with your child when they return to school or email a note to PPMSAttendance@calvertnet.k12.md.us

At PPMS, we are committed to providing all students with balanced and equitable learning experiences. To support this goal, we are unable to accommodate requests for specific teachers when creating student schedules. However, if you review your child's schedule and believe there is an error based on their course selections, please contact their school counselor for assistance.

Student government helps develop public speaking and leadership skills which will help your student throughout life. Students get to practice these leadership skills at county and statewide general assemblies and conferences. SGA also plans and executes many schoolwide events.

• End Hunger Food Drive
• School Dances and Socials
• School Beautification Days
• Teacher Appreciation Activities
• Pink Day- Breast Cancer Research
• Love All Pets Month- Calvert Animal Welfare League
• School Spirit Weeks

Past and current PPMS SGA leaders have served on the Calvert Association of Student Councils, Maryland Association of Student Councils, and Calvert County Board of Education!

PPMS SGA helps develop our future leaders!

We are very happy to announce the schedule for SGA meetings for the 2026-2027 school year. We will begin meeting on Thursday, September 10, 2026, at 7:00 am in Mrs. Kelly’s room, 316.

We hope to see many returning students and students new to SGA at this meeting. Feel free to attend and learn more about the Student Government Association at Plum Point Middle School. All needed paperwork will be distributed at this meeting. We always welcome enthusiastic student leaders! If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Kelly.

kellyd@calvertnet.k12.md.us

📣 WE NEED MORE GATOR FAMILIES ON THE TEAM!

Our school has hundreds of families, but we currently have only 30 PTO registrations. Every membership helps us support students, show appreciation to our teachers and staff, host memorable events and strengthen our school community.

You do not have to attend every meeting or volunteer at every event to make a difference. Every membership, donation, shared post and helping hand matters!

💙 Family Membership: $20

💚 Teacher Membership: $10

Register here:

https://forms.gle/FJMRFuagZXFrCGF69

📅 SAVE THESE SEPTEMBER DATES:

🍦 September 7 — sweetFrog Fundraiser

Stop by anytime throughout the day, enjoy a sweet treat and help the PPMS PTO raise funds! sweetFrog, 902 Costley Way, Ste. 13B, Prince Frederick MD

🏫 September 8 — Back-to-School Night

Are you ready? We are! We are super excited to meet our PPMS families.

🤝 September 15 at 6:30 PM — First PTO Meeting

This meeting will be held in person. Members and nonmembers are welcome and encouraged to attend, share ideas and get involved.

🐊 September 18 — Gator Pride Day

Wear your Gator gear or school colors and show your PPMS pride!

🎉 September 25 — Welcome Back School Dance

We are preparing a fun celebration for our students, and we need donations and volunteers to make it successful.

Sign up to help with the dance:

https://tinyurl.com/45uaaf68

Calvert County Public Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, ancestry or national origin, familial status, marital status, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law in its programs and activities and provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth programs.

Calvert County Public Schools does not refuse enrollment of a prospective student, expel a current student, or withhold privileges from a current student, or prospective student, or the parent or guardian of a current or prospective student because of an individual’s race, ethnicity, color, religion, sex, age, national original, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity or disability.

Calvert County Public Schools does not discipline, invoke a penalty against, or take any other retaliatory action against a student or parent or guardian of a student who files a complaint alleging that the program or school discriminated against the student, regardless of the outcome of the complaint.

The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

• Director of Student Services

• Director of Human Resources
  443-550-8000

For further information on notice of non-discrimination, visit the Office for Civil Rights Complaint Assessment System at: https://ocrcas.ed.gov or call 1-800-421-3481.