PRIDE, TEAMWORK, AND A TRADITION OF EXCELLENCE IN ALL WE DO.

MISSION STATEMENT

Twin Peaks Middle School: A community working together to build success and inspire every child, every day.

 

ABOUT OUR SCHOOL

Twin Peaks Middle School is located in the City of Poway, California, a diverse suburban community of approximately 53,000. We serve over 1,100 adolescent learners with an ethnic distribution of approximately 22% Hispanic, 5% Asian, 2% African American, 2% Filipino, 60% Caucasian, and 9% Other. We take pride in working together to build success and inspire every child, every day. This mission statement is the foundation for our staff's commitment towards continual growth and improvement in instructional design and practices, school safety policies and procedures, and is evident in our overall school culture.

 

During the 2023-2024 school year, we will be piloting a new eight period rotating block schedule to  increase elective opportunities for all students.  Each student will have a total of eight (8) classes per trimester, but students attend only four classes per day. Each day, classes rotate in their order resulting in “even” days and “odd” days. For example, on one day, a student may attend classes 1, 3, 5, 7; the next day, 2, 4, 6 and 8. The 77 minute periods  allow teachers and students to delve deeply into topics by allowing more time for collaborative discussions, labs, guided practice and independent work. Each Wednesday is a late start morning, which allows our staff approximately sixty minutes for professional time during which we come together as a school community to improve our collective practice.

 

To align our school focus with the District's initiatives, our site has developed a theory of action focused on increasing student engagement through personalized learning and differentiated instruction. We believe that much of this engagement will be dependent upon the assignment of rigorous learning tasks that are clearly articulated via explicit learning intentions and success criteria. Twin Peaks is a proud Inclusive Practices model school in which all students are treated as general education students first. Students of all ability levels are supported with appropriate scaffolding and opportunities for extended learning.

 

As an AVID Site of Distinction, we value and implement research-based strategies school-wide. These strategies help to ensure that each and every student has equitable access to a rich core curriculum that promotes academic discourse, critical thinking, and inquiry. Our teachers participate in the PUSD Voyager and ElevatED programs which provide professional development designed to enhance teachers’ ability to integrate technology and collaboration into their classrooms in meaningful ways. These initiatives support the District’s vision to create world class learners who are college, career, and life ready.

 

Twin Peaks believes the development of the whole child is important during the middle school years. The counseling team along with the Student Service Specialist design interactive programs tailored for each grade level and as needs arise. We are a proud No Place for Hate school and encourage student leaders to take ownership for building a more inclusive school culture.

 

At Twin Peaks, the student experience is not limited to academics. Students can choose to participate in a variety of clubs and intramural sports, including basketball, golf, wrestling, cross country, lacrosse, flag football and volleyball. Students also have access to leadership opportunities such as Where Everyone Belongs (WEB) and ASB.    

The After School Educational Services (ASES) Program at Twin Peaks is a model for the District and enrolls an average of about 150 students per day. This is a program funded exclusively through grants from the State Department of Education. Our program provides a safe, supervised environment for Twin Peaks' students to receive academic support and participate in a variety of enriching activities. This program affords the opportunity for our teachers to continue to build rigor, relevance, and relationship into an extended day. This then comes back to support the classroom in a dynamic way.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR PARENTAL INVOLVEMENT

 

Twin Peaks Middle School is fortunate to have a strong partnership with our parent community. Parents are consistently included on school and district committees in advisory and decision making roles. Some of the areas where parents are involved include School/Library Site Council, PTSA, Foundation, and Band Boosters. Volunteer opportunities include library support, ASB activities, the Book Fair, the Spelling Bee, 6th Grade Olympics, Science Olympiad, field trip chaperons, and other school sponsored events. Parents also serve as Twin Peaks Middle School representatives on District Advisory Committees that includes SLIP, ELL, and GATE.