Rice Middle School eNews
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Accessing STAAR Results over the Summer
Please be aware that STAAR results have NOT been released yet. However, here is information about how to access your child's results once the state releases them this summer:
To access their child’s STAAR results on the TEA Texas Assessment Data Portal (https://www.texasassessment.com).
To facilitate this process, the District has produced a parent letter in which contains directions on how to access results (attached).
Parents may locate their child's access code in two different ways:
OPTION 1 - Go to the Texas Assessment Data Portal http://texasassessment.com
1. Select Find My Unique Student Access Code.
2. Parents will then be prompted to enter in:
-Student’s First Name
-Social Security Number or S-Number (State issued ID Number), and
-Date of Birth.
OPTION 2 - Go to the PISD Parent Portal https://parentportal.pisd.edu/Login.aspx
1. Login to the PISD Parent Portal.
2. Scroll down to Performance Management.
3. Locate the STAAR PORTAL CODE.
Exam Week & Absences
It is important for students to be present during exam week. Please consider exam dates as you are scheduling appointments and are making travel arrangements from 5/29 through 6/1.
Students must get prior approval from administration in order to be absent from an exam. A Student Absence Request form may be obtained from the main office. Parents also need to contact their child's guidance counselor as soon as possible.
**Please be aware that teachers are unable to finalize a student's grade for the year until all exams are taken.**
Friday, June 6th, will be an early dismissal day, 12:40 PM.
LIfe without Lockers
This week students will no longer have access to a locker and will be allowed to carry a bookbag with them to class.
On Friday, June 1st, students will only need to bring--
- writing utensils (pencils for exams),
- their exam review packets,
- a book to read/a yearbook,
- a lunch,
- a small purse,
- and/or small, string book bag.
Students will not be allowed to enter the building carrying book bags/backpacks the last day of school.
Unused Medicine & End of School Year
Parents, please read the letter below, regarding the pick-up of your child's unused medication from the nurse's office. June 1, 2018 is deadline for pick-up.
Lunch Accounts
Parents, as we come to the end of another school year, please be mindful of your child’s lunch account. No student can be left with a negative account at the end of the year.
Please feel free to contact Kathy Moore at 469-752-6008 if you have questions.
PTA News
A. Purchase PE Uniforms, School Supplies by June 1
PE/Athletic Uniforms and School Supply orders for the 2018-19 school year must be placed by June 1 to guarantee delivery at Schedule Pickup in August. PTA memberships for the 2018-19 school year also are being accepted.
- PE/Athletic Uniforms: Rice coaches ask that students wear uniforms during their PE class and Athletic. The PE shirts will be a silver dri-fit type (Augusta brand) with the logo shown above on the front and the Athletic shirts will be navy with the same logo. These uniforms can be used all three years at Rice, so you might want to order at least the T-shirt a little larger than normal.
- School Supplies: Buying the school supply pack, makes it easy to get all of the supplies at one time. Packs are put together with the help of Rice teachers from each grade level.
- Rice PTA Membership: When you join the Rice PTA, you join a community that encourages student achievement and believes in building partnerships between families and school. Membership has many benefits, including supporting educational programs and assemblies, education and training for Rice teachers and staff, wish list items for classrooms, security guards the first few days of the school year, two social events for students, 8th grade celebration for outgoing 8th graders, Reflections, Teacher Appreciation Week and support for clubs and student programs like band, choir, orchestra and more.
Visit https://ricemspta.membershiptoolkit.com/home, log into your account, click the Order Here tab and select the category you’d like to purchase.
B. Gift Cards Being collected for Recovering Rice Teacher Jennifer Penny
We wanted you to know that grocery and gas gift cards are being collected for Rice teacher Jennifer Penny, who is home recovering from a kidney transplant.
Several staff member and parents have asked about setting up meals for Jennifer and her husband, Mike. Due to dietary restrictions and her compromised immune system, meals are not the best option right now. If you would like to do something in lieu of meals, gift cards to Market Street or Kroger for grocery pick-up would be best. Gas cards to Kroger Fuel, RaceTrac or QT would also be helpful with the weekly trips to UT Southwestern.
Please send the gift cards to school to the attention of Counselor Serena Edwards or Band Director Jason Tucker.
Please visit Rice PTA’s website at https://ricemspta.membershiptoolkit.com/ for more PTA news and like the Rice PTA Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/RiceMSPTA/ page to stay informed about PTA activities
Important Dates for 2018-2019 School Year
Many of you like to make summer travel arrangements. So you may better prepare, the following dates have been determined by the district:
- Middle School (Grades 6, 7 and 8) Registration is July 26, 27 & 30
- New students should contact their schools beginning July 16 to schedule registration appointments. Appointments will be scheduled July 26, 27 & 30 during the hours of 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. Middle school counselors will return July 23.
- Middle School Schedule Pick-up is Wednesday, August 1, 2018
- 6th Grade is 8am – 10am
- 7th grade is 11 am – 1pm
- 8th grade is 2pm – 4pm
- First day of school is Monday, August 13, 2018
Guidance News
High School Summer School
Packets are available in the counseling office. Parents can also register their students on-line. All online registration needs to be pre-approved by Ms. Edwards. Students can stop by to see her or parents can email her requesting classes to be pre=approved. Remember that 8th grade students can only take PE, Health and Communications during summer school. https://www.pisd.edu/summerschool
eSchool
Students cannot register until the last week of 8th grade. All registration goes through the eSchool website. You will list Ms. Edwards as your counselor and she will receive an email to approve your course. https://www.pisd.edu/eschool
CBE
- The deadline for the June CBE dates is 4:00pm on May 14th. This is a HARD DEADLINE. No forms will be accepted after 4:00pm on this date.
- The deadline for the July CBE dates is 4:00pm on May 25th. This is a HARD DEADLINE. No forms will be accepted after 4:00pn on this date.
- Student can pick-up CBE forms in the counseling office before or after school or any time during the day.
Jasper News: Attention Current 8th Graders & Their Parents!
A. 9th grade Course Request/ Schedule Changes 2018-2019
8th grade students may turn in course request changes for the 2018-2019 school year. Course requests can be found on Parent Portal in the Student Registration Section. If a student wants to make a change in his/her course requests, follow the steps below:
You should...
- print the course selection page,
- cross out the course(s) to be changed,
- write in the new course(s),
- include a parent or guardian signature,
- and return the course selection page to your current counselor.
* The deadline for turning in all course request changes is June 1, 2018.
After Friday, June 1st, the Jasper counselors will be accepting schedule change requests from July 30 until August 9 on a seat-availability basis.
B. Jasper eNews
8th grade families going to Jasper next year, we strongly encourage you to go ahead and sign up for the Jasper E-news. You will automatically be put on the Jasper e-news August 1, but we do not want you to miss any important information we share through e-news throughout the summer.
This can be completed by going to parent portal: https://parentviewer.pisd.edu/ We look forward to everyone joining the Jasper family next year!!
English Language Arts Summer Reading Suggestions
*Please disregard the date at the top of the file for the reading lists. All list are up-to-date for 2017-2018 school year.
Moving or Might Be Moving?
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