Pence Press
September 25, 2022
To: The Absolutely Best Middle School Students in the County! (Yes Pence, I'm talking about you.)
I wanted to take a moment to touch base with you while I'm away. As you know, life threw me a curveball and I had open-heart surgery on August 17th to repair blockages that I had in my coronary arteries in my heart. I can let you know that I am currently doing very well in my recovery and I am getting stronger each and every day. However, I still have a little ways to go before I can return to school, which will hopefully occur in mid to late October.
In the meantime, I wanted to let you know that I am checking in with the school regularly. It makes my heart happy to hear about all of the good that is going on in the school on a daily basis. I miss being there to be able to talk and interact with you, watch you grow and learn, and watch you achieve and find your interests and passions along the way. I also recognize that there are times that you too may get thrown a curveball and things get hard. When this occurs, I encourage you to open up and let someone know, be it a parent, a teacher, a counselor, another trusted adult, or a friend. Believe me, we all need our village and you have people on your side at Pence. I have leaned on my village throughout this time. There is no shame in it. We Are All Better Together.
I want to encourage you to recognize the differences in each other and embrace the fact that we are all made unique and all have value and worth. Treat each other with dignity and respect on a daily basis. Identify those in need and lend a helping hand. You'd be amazed with how much of a difference you can make with a simple smile, hello, or how are you doing. Finally, know that you are all Knights! And being a Knight sets you apart from all others as a community of learners who strives to come together and be unified as one on a daily basis. I am so proud to be a part of Pence.
Last thing I want to do is leave you with this. I believe there can be good in every situation. You may not see it in the moment, but it is there. I have always liked the phrase, "turn a setback into a comeback." I am choosing to do this on a daily basis. I value the important things in life more than ever. I am working diligently each day through my rehab to return as healthy as possible. Life is about relationships, and I value those relationships now more than ever.
I cannot wait to return in about a month. I miss each of you tremendously.
Take care and Go Knights!
Mr. Childs
No School for Students on Monday, September 26th!
Tuesday, September 27th will be an ODD day!
Interim Reports
TA Day of Service
and the musical is... "FOOTLOOSE"!!!!
While we are aware that the original version of “Footloose” contains some adult themes, we have been pleased with the way it has been adapted for the middle school stage. We plan to maintain our standards of excellence as we join with our students to create this production. The appropriateness of materials and student safety is our focus. We hope you join us for our show, March 2-5, 2023.
Vertical Chorus Workshop UPDATE!!!
The event will now be held at WSPMS.
Students will still be pulled from class for the event,
but will NOT be traveling to Turner Ashby High School.
Please contact Mrs. Mumbauer with any questions.
Literacy Night at Pence
Come to our 4th annual Family Literacy Night, Thursday, September 29th from 5:30 - 7:30 and meet the author of Watchdog - Will McIntosh!
Will McIntosh is a Hugo award winning Science Fiction author. His Middle Grades book Watchdog was a finalist for the Virginia Reader's Choice Award, and his newest book, The Classmate, was optioned for TV by ABC/Disney. Will has published ten novels, many short stories, and lately has been collaborating with one of the creators of the Netflix series Dragons: Race to the Edge on a TV adaptation of his Young Adult book, Burning Midnight. Before becoming a full-time writer, Will was a psychology professor in Georgia. He now lives in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Come purchase Watchdog for just $10 at the Bookfair on Thursday evening and get his autograph!
Door prizes will be given all evening and you could be a winner by just walking in the door!
And, if you have been Caught Reading by Thursday, September 29th then your name is in the drawing for one of 6 Kindle Fire Tablets! Winners will be announced at Family Literacy Night and you must be present to win!
See you at Family Literacy Night September 29th, 5:30 - 7:30! Come play games and win cool prizes! Bring your family and meet your friends! Dinner will be available for you and your family at 5:15. All proceeds from dinner go to support Worldstrides! See you there!
Drop-Off and Pick-Up Reminders:
Students should be picked up at the front of the school for afternoon dismissal. Afternoon dismissal will usually start around 3:18ish. Adults will be at the front of the building to assist in the dismissal process. Please help us keep the flow of traffic moving by moving forward when asked and by treating our faculty and staff in a respectful manner.
We appreciate your help and understanding with this.
PENCE LIBRARY
CLUB INFORMATION
Club Soccer
Starting October 3rd, students will have the opportunity to participate in club soccer at Wilbur Pence! Club soccer will give students the opportunity to learn more about the game of soccer, practice their skills, and play some games! Club soccer will run for 6 weeks after school on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30 pm- 4:30 pm. Guardians should pick up their student at the front of the school promptly at 4:30 pm (same area as drop-off/pick-up).
Equipment Needed: Soccer cleats are encouraged, but sneakers are required if students do not have cleats. Students must wear shin guards to participate in practices and games. Students should also bring a water bottle with them.
Inclement Weather: If it is raining or field conditions are unplayable/unsafe, we will cancel for that day. Announcements will be made at school and guardians will be notified.
Attendance: We encourage students to attend practices as much as possible so that they can participate in games.
Groups (days to attend): Monday/Wednesday (NO BUS TRANSPORTATION-PARENT PICK UP ONLY). Tuesday/ Thursday- bus transportation provided if necessary. Rides must be here at 4:30 pm.
Tri-M Music Honor Society
The Tri-M Music Honor Society is a new group at Pence!
Any music student interested in finding out more should attend
our upcoming meeting-Tuesday, September 28, 4th Block Club time in the Band Room.
Attendance Awareness Month
Families, students, community partners, and school personnel can all work together to improve a student’s chronic absenteeism. #RCPSattendancecounts
Parents, we are asking you to partner with us to help regularly get your students to school. In short, attendance matters! That said, we realize that there are times when your student(s) may need to be out.
-If your student is absent, please call the school (879-2535) or email the school (wspmsattendance@rockingham.k12.va.us) before 9:00 AM.
Please try to schedule all vacations around the school calendar. We have seen an increased number of parents pulling their students out of school for vacations over the last year. While family time is valuable, missing an extended amount of time from school leads to student frustration and anxiety as they fall behind on missed concepts. If you plan to take a vacation, requests must be submitted to the attendance email at least ten school days in advance. Students will be responsible for making up any missed work.
While good attendance is vital to your student's success, we are reminded that we are still in a pandemic. If your child displays any signs or symptoms of an illness, please keep them at home. Please review the RCPS safety plan if you have questions.
The Central Office Art Exhibition!
Come out and enjoy some beautiful art made by students in Rockingham County. It will also featuring art by the following Pence Knights:
8th Graders: Ella Strite, Yarelis Lopez-Bautista, & Dahlia Monroe
7th Graders: Meredith Suter & Laurel Walsh
6th Graders: McKinzy Rhodes, Daniel Olah, Aubrey White & Cameron Burner
Sports Information
Cross Country
Championships are on Wednesday, Sept 28th, at John E. Painter Park, 1100 20th Street, Grottoes, VA 24441
Girls Basketball Tryouts
Girls basketball tryouts will begin Tuesday, Sept 27th, and end on Friday, Sept 30th, in the back gym. Girls will practice right after school.
Boys Basketball Tryouts
Boys basketball tryouts will have morning practice on Tuesday, Sept 27th, and Wednesday, Sept 28th, from 6:00 am until 7:30 am in the front gym. Practices on Thursday, September 29th, and Friday, September 30th will be right after school.
- Basketball is open to students in grades 7 and 8.
- You must have a completed VHSL sports physical on file to participate in tryouts.
- All student-athletes will try out at the same time and will be assigned a season by the coaching staff.
Cheer Practice
Cheer will begin practice on Tuesday, Sept 27th, from 5 pm to 6 pm, with a parent meeting to follow. Practice will take place In the cafeteria.
INterim Reports
Your student’s interim report is now available in PowerSchool by logging in at https://ps.rcps.net/public/home.html. You will find “Secondary Interim Report” by clicking on the Student Reports tab along the left side navigation bar and looking under the “Currently Published Reports” heading. Please check back here throughout the year for Interim Reports and Report Cards. Paper copies will be distributed next week to students whose families requested them during the online registration process in the fall.
Thank you,
Pence Administration
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Concert Band
Whether you currently play your instrument every day,
or you played 20 (or 30, or 40) years ago
and have decided to blow the dust off of your horn, you should join us!
Please bring your instrument and join us!
Students that are in good standing in their 8th-12th grade programs are welcome to attend.
The Harrisonburg-Rockingham Concert Band
under the Direction of Mrs. Melissa (Harmes) Harper
Rehearsals are held in the
Wilbur Pence Middle School Cafeteria
Door #5 (the loading dock entrance)
Winter season begins Sep 27, 2022
Tuesday evenings, 7:30pm-9:00pm
Please join us for a season of music, fun, and fellowship
Music difficulties averages between grade 3-5
Membership is free
http://hrcband.com/hrcband.com https://www.facebook.com/hrcband/
Fall Pictures
Mark your calendar for our fall school yearbook pictures. They will take place during the student's PE class. To pay online, go to www.strawbridge.net. Click order pictures and enter the following code: FM403944
Friday, October 7
Monday, October 10
Fall picture makeups - Thursday, December 1
22'-23' Pence Yearbooks
It's never too early to start thinking about yearbooks! Beginning in September, the ability to Pre-order will be available. Don't miss out on the fun when they arrive at the end of the year! The cost of the yearbook will be $20.
Online ordering is available again this year (beginning on September 1), but please do note that a credit card processing fee will be added to your order (and will cost you more). This cannot be refunded. The website is https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/?event=general.displayLanding&jobnumber=13754 and use code 13754. You may also scan the QR code.
You also purchase a yearbook by bringing cash or a check beginning September 6. Yearbooks orders will only be accepted on Tuesdays and Thursdays during the week. No order forms will be sent home. Students will bring their payment to Mrs. Dove in Room 201 and complete an order form at that time.
If you have questions, please contact Mrs. Dove at kdove@rockingham.k12.va.us.