Academic calendar
Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 6, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Fall Semester 2026Relevant now
- School Year 2026-2027
- Spring Semester 2027
Campus language
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Showing 41 of 41 terms
A
- A-la-carte
- Individual food items, snacks, or drinks available for purchase separately from the standard meal.
- A, B, or C Lunch
- The three specific time blocks assigned to students for their midday meal period based on their 5th or 6th-period teacher.
- A/B/C Lunch
- The specific lunch period assigned to a student based on their midday class schedule.
- ARETE
- The school's core values motto, standing for Excellence, Respect, Responsibility, and more, often cited in school culture.
B
- Blue Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 8th-grade students.
- Builders Club
- A student-led service organization affiliated with the local Kiwanis club.
C
- C-NET
- The local government and education access cable channel that often broadcasts school board meetings and events.
- Cardinal
- One of the two 8th-grade academic teams at PFMS.
F
- Falcons
- One of the two 8th-grade academic teams at PFMS.
G
- Gray Ghosts
- One of the two 7th-grade academic teams at PFMS.
- Gray Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 7th-grade students.
I
- IM
- Intramurals, after-school sports and recreational activities open to all students.
- IMs
- Intramurals, the after-school non-competitive sports program available to all students.
L
- Little Lion
- The district-wide mascot used for sports and school spirit.
- Little Lions
- The district-wide mascot and identity for all students in State College.
- LMC
- Library Media Center, the school's library and primary hub for research and technology support.
M
- Main Line
- The primary cafeteria serving area for standard hot school lunches.
- MNMS
- Mount Nittany Middle School, the district's other middle school and Park Forest's primary rival.
- Mountain Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 6th-grade students, serving as their primary peer group.
- MySchoolBucks
- The online payment system and account used by students to purchase lunch using their student ID.
N
- Nittany Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 6th-grade students.
- NJHS
- National Junior Honor Society, an academic and service-based organization for eligible 8th graders.
P
- PFE
- Park Forest Elementary, the neighboring school often referenced in campus-wide events.
- PFMS
- The common abbreviation used by students and staff for Park Forest Middle School.
- PTO
- Parent Teacher Organization, which supports school activities and staff.
R
- ROAR
- The core school values: Respect, Ownership, Attitude, and Responsibility.
- ROAR Cards
- Incentive tickets given to students by staff for exhibiting positive behavior, often redeemable for prizes.
S
- SCASD
- State College Area School District, the district to which Park Forest Middle belongs.
- SGA
- Student Government Association, the student-led organization that plans school events and dances.
- Silver Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 8th-grade students.
- State
- Local shorthand for the State College Area School District or the town itself.
- State High
- State College Area High School, the destination for all students after completing 8th grade.
T
- The Caf
- The school cafeteria where students eat lunch.
- The Commons
- The central multi-purpose area used primarily as the cafeteria and for large student gatherings.
- The Den
- A term sometimes used to refer to specific student-centric spaces or the school store area.
- The District
- The State College Area School District (SCASD) administration.
- The Middle
- A common shorthand way students refer to Park Forest Middle School to distinguish it from the high school.
- The State
- Local shorthand for State College, the town where the school is located.
- Timberwolves
- One of the two 6th-grade academic teams at PFMS.
- TSA
- Technology Student Association, a prominent competitive club focused on STEM and leadership.
W
- White Lions
- One of the two academic teams for 7th-grade students.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- A/B Days
- The alternating block schedule system that determines which classes meet on a specific day.
- Activity Bus
- The late-afternoon bus service provided for students who stay after school for clubs or sports.
- Activity Period
- A designated block of time during the school day for clubs, meetings, and extra help from teachers.
- Advisory
- A daily period dedicated to school news, social-emotional learning, and administrative tasks.
- ARE
- Academic Recovery and Enrichment, a designated time for students to get extra help or work on projects.
- ARETE
- A dedicated advisory period and school philosophy focused on character, respect, and effort.
- Aux Gym
- The auxiliary gymnasium, used for smaller physical education classes and wrestling.
- Canvas
- The learning management system used for accessing assignments and course materials.
- CATA
- The Centre Area Transportation Authority, the local bus system that some students use to get to and from school-related activities.
- Chromebook
- The district-provided laptop that every student is required to bring to class daily.
- IMC
- Instructional Media Center, the school's library and digital resource hub.
- Infinite Campus
- The digital portal where students and parents track grades, attendance, and schedules.
- Late Start
- Scheduled days where the school day begins later than normal to allow for staff meetings.
- LMC
- The Library Media Center, the hub for research, book checkout, and the school's IT help desk.
- Main Office
- The administrative center located near the front entrance for attendance and visitor check-in.
- MNMS
- Mount Nittany Middle School, the other middle school in the district and the primary athletic rival.
- mount_nittany_middle_school_summer_distribution_site
- Mount Nittany Middle School (Summer Distribution Site)
- park_forest_middle_school_cafeteria
- Park Forest Middle School Cafeteria
- PFMS
- The standard abbreviation for Park Forest Middle School.
- ROAR
- The school's positive behavior program standing for Respect, Organization, Attitude, and Responsibility.
- Safe2Say
- The anonymous reporting system used by students to flag safety concerns or threats.
- StudentVUE
- The mobile app and web portal used by students to track grades, assignments, and schedules.
- Teams
- The organizational units (e.g., Mountain Lions, Timberwolf, Cardinal) that group students with a specific set of core teachers.
- The Auditorium
- The performance space used for school plays, concerts, and large assemblies.
- The Aux
- The auxiliary gymnasium used for PE classes and wrestling practice.
- The Aux Gym
- The auxiliary gymnasium used for smaller physical education classes and wrestling.
- The Bus Loop
- The designated area at the front of the school for bus loading and unloading.
- The Commons
- The large central multi-purpose area used for lunch and school-wide presentations.
- The Delta Program
- The district's alternative school program which some middle school students attend instead of the traditional PFMS track.
- The Gym
- The physical education and indoor athletic facility.
- The LMC
- The Library Media Center, used for research, book borrowing, and tech support.
- The Main Office
- The central administrative hub where students go for attendance issues or to see the principal.
- The Park
- Local shorthand used by students and families to refer to the school and its surrounding neighborhood.
- The Pit
- The sunken seating area located within the Library Media Center (LMC).
- The Pods
- Grade-level specific wings (6th, 7th, and 8th) where core subject classrooms are clustered.
- The Portal
- The Infinite Campus online system used by students to track grades, schedules, and assignments.
- Zero Period
- The early morning time slot before the first bell, primarily used for band, chorus, and orchestra rehearsals.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Fall Semester 2026 runs Aug 6, 2026 – Dec 17, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 41 approved campus terms and 37 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.