Rice Middle School eNews
May 9, 2016
Progress Reports Issued on Monday, May 16th!
Due to STAAR testing we are postponing progress reports until Monday May 16th.
You can still check your child's grades using parent portal before that date at https://parentviewer.pisd.edu/. We are sorry for any inconvenience but we are working towards student success on STAAR this week. Thank you for your patience.
STAAR Testing This Week
STAAR Testing continues tomorrow through Thursday of this week. The school will operate on an adjusted schedule on testing days. See links below to view copies of the schedules.
IMPORTANT REMINDERS:
- Students are not allowed to have electronic devices in the testing rooms. Cell phones should be turned off and placed in lockers on testing days - or left at home. If there is a family emergency, please contact the front office at 469-752-6000.
- Because of strict testing security measures, we may not allow visitors in the school on testing days.
- Parents, please remind your child to bring his or her lunch to school. Parents will only be allowed to drop off lunches to the carts in the school's entry way. Be sure your child's name and grade level is clearly marked on his or her lunch before leaving it on the appropriate cart.
- Students cannot leave the building and return later to complete their tests. If your child has an appointment on any of the testing days, please try to change the appointment.
- Students should bring a hardback or paperback book with them on the day of testing. E-readers, such as Kindles and Nooks are not allowed on testing days.
Table of Contents
2. Congratulations to the Winners of the Bookmark Contest!
3. Upcoming Spring Semester Exams
4. Attention Rice Parents--School Engagement Survey
5. 8TH GRADE CELEBRATION
6. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! DADS WELCOME
7. Raven Fest, May 13th!
8. NJHS Inductions
9. School Supplies and PE Uniforms for the 2016-2017 School Year!
10. Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017
11. Yearbook News
12. Device Recycling
13. MSA Toy Drive!
14. Donations Needed for Local Homeless Shelter
15. Attention Parents of Current 8th Graders: Jasper eNews
16. News from the Nurse
17. Gateway to Technology Summer Camp
18. Interested in a Summer Golf Clinic?
19. Plano West Tennis Camps!
20. Plano West Tennis Team: Informational Meeting Tonight!
21. Plano Senior Summer Speech and Debate Camp
22. Moving or Might be Moving?
1. National School Nurse Day, May 11th!
2. Congratulations to the Winners of the Bookmark Contest!
Earlier this spring, entries were submitted to the Plano Public Library System’s annual bookmark contest, and the winners were chosen from hundreds of entries. Funding from Friends of the Plano Public Library has allowed PISD to provide bookmarks for each student at the winner’s school. Copies of the winning bookmarks are also available at all five Plano libraries.
Congratulations to...
Michelle Ma (age 11-13 category) – 1st place
James You (age 11-13 category) – 2nd place
Alyssa Nie (age 11-13 category) – 3rd place
In addition to having their bookmarks printed, on display banners in the libraries, and featured on our website, winners will be honored at the May 23rd Plano City Council meeting. We are so proud of you all!
3. Upcoming Spring Semester Exams
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 5/31 through 6/3.
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.
*6th Grade Counselor
Sarena Edwards
sarena.edwards.pisd.edu
469-752-6017
*7th Grade Counselor
Margaret Garza-Jimenez469-752-6016
*8th Grade Counselor
Susan Barshop
469-752-6018
4. Attention Rice Parents--School Engagement Survey
We would like to know more about your engagement at school! Please take a moment to fill out the survey in the link below. Thank you for your feedback!
http://formscreator.pisd.edu/formhandler/parentalengagementpisd.aspx
5. 8TH GRADE CELEBRATION
Who: Rice 8th Graders
What: 8th Grade Celebration
When: Friday, May 20th from 7-9 PM
Where: Heritage Farmstead
Parents of 8th Grade Students -
PTA volunteers have planned a night of fun for our 8th grade students, and we need your help to make it a success. S'mores, pizza, baked goods, a DJ, and the venue will all be provided by the PTA, but we need other items, too.
If you would like to make a drink donation or volunteer at the party, please sign up using the appropriate link below. Volunteers must have a current background check in order to attend, and only parents signed up to volunteer will be admitted into the venue.
If you would like to donate gift cards for the student drawing, please drop them off in the front office or Mrs. Dyer's classroom (804). Gift cards in increments of $10 from the following locations are preferred - Sonic, iTunes, Rusty Taco, Subway, RaceTrack, Rita's, Mooyah, Chick-fil-a, McDonald's, Bahama Buck's, Cane's, Chipotle, AMC, Cinemark, Starbucks, Academy Sports, Baskin Robins, Palio's, and Target.
Sign-up for food/drink donations
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094eaaa72fa64-fooddrink/
Sign-up for volunteers
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e094eaaa72fa64-volunteers3
Either of us can be contacted regarding the celebration. This event won't be successful without your help, so we thank you in advance for your support.
Bethany Ulteig (gulteig@sbcglobal.net)
Cristi Dyer (cristi.dyer@pisd.edu)
6. VOLUNTEERS NEEDED!!! DADS WELCOME
JOIN THE PARTY at RAVENFEST
Please consider volunteering on May 13 from 3-6 at Rice Ravenfest is Rice’s end of year party for all students. It is free of charge. Please, please sign up to help! Volunteers will be needed to help during the event from 3:00-6:00 with overseeing the inflatables, giving out pizza, selling candy, helping with cotton candy or Kona Ice.! Next week, a list will go out to volunteers with work times and reminders.
You will need to have a background check through PISD complete before volunteering. You may complete the application at:
http://www.pisd.edu/about.us/partners.volunteers/volunteer.application.shtml
Follow this link to sign up using the Online Volunteer Application . This link will open in a new window. Please make sure "pop-up blockers" are turned off before clicking the link.
If you are able to volunteer for this event, please email Suzanne Judkins at suzannejudkins@gmail.com.
If you would like to check the status of your background application or to see if one has already been completed, please email Kendyl at Kendyl.zimmerman@Pisd.edu.
7. Raven Fest, May 13th!
Attention Ravens,
Our PTA is sponsoring Raven Fest on Friday, May 13th from 3:30-5:30 pm, and it is open to all Rice students free of charge. We will have a DJ, 65-foot inflatable obstacle course, inflatable sports games and student vs. teacher competitions. Pizza, drinks, cotton candy, snow cones and candy will be available for purchase.
Tickets for food and drinks will be sold during A, B, and C lunches for $1 each on Friday, May 13th and during the event that afternoon.
Snow cones will be purchased with cash directly from Kona Ice.
Students can avoid ticket lines at the event by purchasing tickets ahead during their lunch hour.
8. NJHS Inductions
Mr. Mullins and Mr. Weger have posted the names of those 7th grade students who have been accepted into the Rice chapter of the NJHS. The names of the students are on the NJHS bulletin board in the 8th grade hallway. They have created a Remind update forum as well as a Google Classroom for these students.
To sign up for the NJHS Remind Updates' text the message "@ricenjhs" to 81010.
We will also have a special induction ceremony next Wednesday, May 11 at 6:30 in the Rice gymnasium and all are welcome to attend. For those who are unable to attend or who have family that would like to watch, we will be broadcasting the ceremony live on our Facebook page. Hopefully technology will be cooperating with us that evening!
If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Mullins (jordan.mullins@pisd.edu) or Mr. Weger (gregg.weger@pisd.edu) directly.
9. School Supplies and PE Uniforms for the 2016-2017 School Year!
Rice PTA has opened membership toolkit for 2016/17! Please register your family (for the online directory); join the PTA, make a donation, volunteer for events next year, purchase school supplies and/or PE uniforms. Go to www.ricepta.org and click on Membership Toolkit drop down under the Membership tab! We do have new PE uniforms available this year - dri-fit type shirts. Shirts and shorts will be available for students to try on in the Rice office from May 24 to June 2. For more information, please contact peuniforms@ricepta.org (PE Uniforms only ) or schoolsupplies@ricepta.org (school supplies only)
10. Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017
Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017:
If interested, please contact Shannon DeWolf at president@ricepta.org
Board
- VP Membership- Recruit PTA members and maintain an accurate record of membership for the school year.
- VP of Volunteers- Puts together lists of volunteers for the school year and contacts the volunteers to place them at events.
**Board Positions require monthly 1-hour board meetings & bi-monthly general 1 hour meetings**
Committee
- Social Coordinator-Plan a fall and spring social for all grade levels (can be done with 2 coordinators)
- Band Coordinator-Work with Band Director to help band with what they need
- Multicultural Chairman-Organize event before spring open house
**No monthly meetings just complete job position requirements**
11. Yearbook News
Yearbooks are here! Yearbooks will be handed out in homeroom on Friday, May 20, 2016. IF there are any extra yearbooks, they will available for sale will be sold starting Monday, May 23, 2016 before AND after school only. They will be $40 CASH only. The office will not be able to deliver cash to your student, so your student will need to bring it with them to school. Mrs. Graves will send out a tweet (@ricemsyearbook), a Remind text, AND announce it in the eNews, so pay attention! Thank you all for the support of the yearbook!
12. Device Recycling
Do you have a tablet or a smart phone that is not working anymore? Do you want to get rid of it but don't know how? Did you know that electronic devices contain toxic chemicals such as lead and mercury that can cause environmental and health issues if not disposed of properly? If you want to get rid of a device that is no longer working properly, please bring it to Mrs. Martinez's room in 817 and we will recycle it properly for you.
13. MSA Toy Drive!
MSA is having a TOY DRIVE for the patients in the hospital from April 25th until May 11th.
Boxes are located in the rotunda and in Room 817. Please donate new or kindly used toys.
Thank you.
14. Donations Needed for Local Homeless Shelter
Do you have clothes that no longer fit you? Are the clothes gently used? Do you have extra wrapped snacks that are not expired?
If you have answered yes to all of these questions then please leave those items in the donation boxes at Rice Middle School. Four, 6th grade students are composing a drive for City House, a homeless shelter. The items appropriate for this drive are: individually wrapped snacks, canned foods, and gently or new clothes. The boxes are located at your grade’s pod, the rotunda, the front office, and the counselor's’ office. This drive will be held from May 2-May 13. Please donate for the children in need!
15. Attention Parents of Current 8th Graders: 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!!
16. News from the Nurse
A. Picking Up Your Unused Medication at End of School.
Please take a moment to read through the parent letter below from the nurse, the pick-up date for unused medication. which
B. Attention Parents of 6th Graders
Please click on the link below to view important information from Nurse Yang, regarding immunization requirements students who will be 7th graders in 2016-2017.
17. Gateway to Technology Summer Camp
Registration for The Gateway Summer Engineering Camp is now open! This camp is hands-on, project-based, and is designed to introduce middle school students to the fundamentals of STEM and recruit them into PLTW courses. Certified PLTW instructors provide expert instruction in small group settings. Students work together in a fun, exciting environment using leading-edge technologies to sample engineering related activities and projects and get a taste of how fun it can be to be an engineer.
Sessions are offered at Robinson, Wilson, and Otto Middle Schools and each session is four days long.
Students and parents can learn more about the camp and can register at...
- For Plano ISD students entering grades seven or eight only (No current 8th graders)
- Each session is 4 days long (Mon. – Thurs.) Students can only attend one session.
- Camp program time is from 7:45 am–11:45 am.
- Tuition is $95.
- Registration begins April 1st and each session is limited to 25 students (hurry because spots will fill up fast).
- We will plan for new curriculum/projects from last year since we anticipate having returning students that attended last summer.
- T-Shirts will be provided for all participants.
- Each camper will be given a Certificate of Completion on the last day.
- Campers will take home the projects they complete during the camp (if applicable).
- The last hour of each session will be a student showcase for parents to come in and see what the campers did during the week.
Session #1 – Monday, June 13 – Thursday, June 16
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Session #2 Monday, June 20 – Thursday, June 23
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Session #3 Monday, June 27 – Thursday, June 30
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Camp locations are Robinson, Otto and Wilson Middle Schools
For more information contact Linda Haltom (linda.haltom@pisd.edu
18. Interested in a Summer Golf Clinic?
All boys and girls entering 7th – 9th grades in the Fall of 2016 that are interested in attending a golf camp/clinic that will help your game and also prepare you for high school golf tryouts, please contact Coach Hardison at rick.hardison@pisd.edu for information and an application.
Where: Pecan Hollow Golf Course
4901 East 14th St.
Led By: Daniel Olheiser, Teaching Professional
Jon Engelking, Head Coach, Plano East Golf
Rick Hardison, Head Coach, Plano West Golf
Who: Boys and Girls entering 7th – 9th grades in the Fall of 2016
Dates: Week 1: July 25th – 28th
Week 2: August 1st -4th
What to Bring: Golf attire, shoes, and golf clubs
Details: Introductory to high school golf. Clinic will prepare students for High School Golf Tryouts, Practice, Tournaments, Learn Rules, and meet future teammates. Minor instruction will be provided or will be available through private lessons with Daniel Olheiser.
How to Register: Please email Coach Hardison at rick.hardison@pisd.edu for information and an application
19. Plano West Tennis Camps!
There will be 2 tennis camps held at Plano West this summer for kids 8-14years old. The dates are June 6-10, and August 1-5.
To sign up go to Highpointtennis.com , click on the “Classes” tab at the top, then select “Junior Camps”, then scroll down to find your best option for registration.
For more information contact Morgen Walker at Morgen.walker@pisd.edu.
20. Plano West Tennis Team: Informational Meeting Tonight!
There will be an informational meeting on May 9th at 6pm in the Plano West Presentation Room for all kids (and their parents) who are interested in trying out for the Plano West Tennis Team. Packets with required paperwork will be distributed and all questions concerning tryouts and the Plano West Tennis Team will be answered. For more information, please contact Morgen Walker at Morgen.walker@pisd.edu .
21. Plano Senior Summer Speech and Debate Camp
Don't miss this outstanding opportunity to get training this summer in various tournament events, come back to Rice in the fall ready for competition!
Go to this link for more information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-R1lGaDReDvNHdYb0Q1SE1ieTA/view?usp=sharing
22. Moving or Might Be Moving?
If you know you will be moving or withdrawing your student from Rice or Jasper (current 8th grader) at the end of school during the summer, please fill out an, "Intent to Withdraw" form as soon as possible. Contact Ms. Pinkston in the Counselor's office for a copy of this form. Please remember , that if you later decide to stay in the Rice zone, you always have a spot!