Rice Middle School eNews
Tuesday, May 23, 2017
Congratulations to Rice's Sax Quartet!
On Saturday, a group of Rice Band students participated in the Houston Underground Saxophone Competition at the University of Houston. With some coaching and guidance from Josh Reyna, Associate band Director at Rice, these young men have been learning this very challenging ensemble on their own before and after school, practicing several hours each week. This competition is very exclusive and features some of the best saxophonists in the country and even from overseas. These young men, with their parents, drove to Houston Friday evening and got a hotel at their own expense to be able to participate on Saturday.
We are very pleased to report that the saxophone quartet placed first in the middle school division of the competition. Members are:
· Chris Ghaffar, soprano saxophone
· Eddie Cao, alto saxophone
· Hubert Yang, tenor saxophone
· Shivam Srivastava, baritone saxophone
Attached a video of the first movement of the performance taken by one of the students’ parents. The selection is Adagio et Allegro by Eugene Bozza, and is typical repertoire for collegiate-level ensembles.
Congratulations to these talented young men!
Table of Contents
1. Spring Exams 2017
2. Attention Rice Parents!
3. PTA News
4. Jasper HS: Course Requests 2017-2018 School Year
5. News from the Nurse
6. PISD & Impact Testing for Athletes
7. All Rice Library Books Are Overdue!
8. English/Language Arts Summer Reading Suggestions
9. Summer Speech & Debate Camps
10. PWHS Summer Soccer Camp
11. Collin College Summer Camp
12. Plano West Summer Basketball Clinics--Updated!
13. Lady Wolves Summer Basketball Camp
14. Interested in Joining Track in High School?
15. Summer Tennis Camps
16. Moving or Might be Moving?
1. Spring Exams 2017
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 5/30 through 6/2.
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.
2. Attention Rice Parents!
There are many ways in which parents may be involved in the education of their child. Extensive research has shown that activities such as reading and communicating with the child and setting expectations have the largest effect on student achievement. Other forms of parental involvement, such as attendance and participation in school functions, also contribute positively to achievement in school.
This Parental Engagement Survey will help us understand some of the ways in which parents are engaged in the education of their child. This information will guide us in providing support to the parents in our community.
With the 2016-2017 school year in mind, please take a moment to answer the brief survey: https://tinyurl.com/Engagement-MS
3. PTA News
A. School Supplies, PE Uniforms Now on Sale for 2017-2018
The PTA is now selling school supplies and PE uniforms online. It’s easy to place an order. Just visit ricepta.org and look for the Membership Toolkit under the “Membership” tab. School supplies and PE Uniforms will be available for pickup at the Rice Walk About before school starts. Orders for school supplies are due June 9, while PE uniforms are due June 16. PE uniforms will be in the office for sizing purposes. See attached fliers for more details.
B. Last Call for Box Tops for this School Year
Thanks to everyone who participated this year with the Box Top fundraiser. We are still collecting Box Tops through May 30, so if you have any more labels at home please have your child bring them to the front office.
C. New PTA Board Officers for 2017-18
Rice PTA voted to approve its new officers for the 2017-18 school year.
They are...
· President – Pernille Nordstrom
· 1st VP Membership – Yan Cao
· 2nd VP Programs – Sarah Quan
· 3rd VP of Ways & Means – Patricia Busch Kennedy
· 4th VP of Volunteers – Lisa Mendiola
· Secretary – Alice Weaver
· Treasurer – Grace Gong
· Parliamentarian – Shannon DeWolf
· Communications/Webmaster – Karen Nielsen
We still have coordinator positions open for PE Uniforms and Copies. If you are interested or need more information on what these roles entail, please email PTA President Pernille Nordstrom at president@ricepta.org.
4. Jasper HS: Course Requests 2017-2018 School Year
Course requests for the 2017-2018 school year 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:
- Print the course selection page, cross out the course(s) to be changed and write in the new course(s).
- Include a parent or guardian signature and return the course selection page to your current counselor.
All course requests are based on seat availability in the class.
The deadline for turning in all course request changes is June 2, 2017.
Students may make changes to schedules, on a seat availability basis, from August 1st through the Thursday, August 17th at 4 p.m.
Once school begins, schedule change requests will be considered for the following instances:
- A student is enrolled in a class for which he/she has already received credit.
- Student has not met a course pre-requisite.
- Student does not have seven periods.
- Student has an obvious error, such as the same class scheduled twice or two classes scheduled in the same period.
- Student no longer wants to participate in a performance-based course requiring an outside of the school day time commitment (athletics, band, orchestra, choir, cheer, drill team, debate or ROTC).
- Student passes a credit-by-exam or an eSchool course and should be moved into a different class.
- Student would like to move up to a honor or AP level, on a seat availability basis.
- Students will be able to move down a level of a class, on a seat availability basis, during week 4 through 6 of the first nine weeks.
5. 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. All medications and medical supplies will need to be picked up by parents no later than 1:00 PM on Friday, June 2nd 2017. Medication that is not picked up will be destroyed without notification.
B. 6th Grade Parents--Immunizations for 7th Grade
6th grade parents –Please take a moment to review the new immunization requirements for rising 7th grade students (2017-2018) via the link below:
6. PISD & Impact Testing for Athletes
Dear Parent/Guardian,
On May 27, we will be performing ImPACT testing on participating athletes at Plano Senior High School. The ImPACT (Immediate Post-Concussion Assessment and Cognitive Testing) test was created as a screening tool to assist sports medicine professionals in evaluating athletes after a suspected concussion. It is a valuable tool for helping doctors and athletic trainers safely return athletes to the playing field. The Ben Hogan Concussion Clinic will be assisting us in facilitating these tests.
Testing time will begin at 10:00 am. Please sign up for a testing time with your sports head coach. The test usually takes 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
This is not a mandatory test and each test is $2 per athlete. The testing results are good for two years.
Attached is the ImPACT Baseline Parent Release Form. Please fill it out and return to your head coach or bring it the day of the testing.
7. All Rice Library Books Are Overdue!
Hey, Rice Ravens! Library books were due last Wednesday, May 17th. Please turn in all library items as soon as possible. If a book has been lost or damaged, readers need to reimburse the library for the cost of the book, either paying in exact change or in check made payable to “Rice Middle School.”
As a reminder, students will not be allowed to pick up schedules for the 2017-2018 school year until all outstanding fines from this year, including library fines, are cleared.
Thanks for supporting our library!
8. English/Language Arts Summer Reading Suggestions
Are you concerned about summer learning loss? To help keep your child’s reading comprehension skills honed, Plano ISD encourages students to continue reading self-selected books over the summer. Attached below are recommended reading lists based on your child’s upcoming grade level. We encourage students to select books they are interested in reading and maintain a daily habit of regular reading. Your child can read independently, in a group of friends, or even with you! Book talks and discussions about reading help to strengthen comprehension, and it’s a great way to stay connected over the summer months. Happy reading!
9. Summer Speech & Debate Camps
Click on the links below to more about the Speech & Debate camps offered this summer!
10. PWHS Summer Soccer Camp
Hello Blue Nation!
We are hosting our annual Plano West (aka Blue Nation) Summer Soccer Camp June 5-9 from 9am – 12pm. This camp is for both boys and girls entering grades Kindergarten through 9th. We would love it if you all could help us spread the word. Our camp is an absolute blast for the kiddos. They learn skills; play fun soccer games; participate in themed dress up days; they can earn prizes and each camper receives a camp t-shirt. Spots are usually limited to 150 kids so sign up quickly! ;)
See the link below for information that can be passed out to the students.
If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to email or call Tara Balogh at 469-752-9889 or tara.balogh@pisd.edu
11. Collin College Summer Camp
Collin College Offers Summer Camps for Middle, High and Senior High School Students
There is a little something for everyone this summer at Collin College. Middle, high and senior high school students interested in nursing, robotics, music, dance, SAT/ACT preparation and so much more have a lot of options on camps. Click on the link below to get details on these camps and many others!
12. Plano West Summer Basketball Clinics--Updated!
If interested, please take a moment to look at the flyer which has been updated!
13. Lady Wolves Summer Basketball Camp
What: Develop individual and team basketball skills in a practice-style atmosphere
Where: Plano West Senior High School
5601 West Parker Road
Led By: Kristen Perry, Plano West Head Coach
Who: Girls entering 7th - 9th grades in the Fall 2017
When: June 5th - 8th, Monday through Thursday, 8:30 to 10:30 AM
For more details about the camp, please click on the link below:
14. Interested in Joining Track in High School?
Incoming Shepton and Jasper students! Want to learn more about the Plano West Track team? Then take a minute to visit our website, using the link below:
Plano West XC/Track Booster - Plano ISD, TX - Home Page
This website has helpful information about the group, including schedules for this track season. If you have any questions, please email Titia Sivils at titiasivils@gmail.com.
Go Wolves!
15. Summer Tennis Camps
There will be 2 tennis camps held at Plano West this summer for kids 7-16 years old. The dates are June 5-9, and July 31-August 5. Email Coach Walker for details at morgen.walker@pisd.edu
Choose one of the following options to register:
1. Call High Point at (972) 941-7170, Option 5
2. Register in person at Highpoint Tennis Center, 421 W Spring Creek Pkwy
3. Register On-line:
· Click on the Leisure Online Catalog button
· Click on “Programs” > “Tennis” > “Junior Camps”
· Choose the week, click on the “ADD” button to add it to your cart, and proceed to checkout.
Moving or Might Be Moving?
If you know you will be moving or withdrawing from Rice at the end of school or during the summer, please fill out an “ NEXT SCHOOL YEAR NOTIFICATION FORM” as soon as possible. The form is available in the counseling office and front office. Please remember, that if you later decide to stay in the Rice zone you always have a spot! Return to Mrs. Pinkston in the counseling office. Thank you.
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