Pence Press
October 26-30, 2020
Next Phase (November 16th) Update
Thank you to all of our families for communicating your preference for your student’s learning experience staring on November 16th with the blended model or all virtual via the Home Learning Academy. We are working diligently to have our scheduling plans set to provide the best instruction for all of our students with Pence teachers moving forward. As stated previously, this does mean that there will need to be some scheduling changes. Also, as the county gets transportation plans set, we may have to alter our start and end times to align properly with the elementary schools. Historically, we have had to line up our schedule with the high school, so this is a change. We will continue to keep you informed along the way.
Sincerely-
Pence Administration
Meet My Pet Day Pics
Bring my Best Me Selfie
Spirit Day:
Last week we had fun seeing students’ and teachers’ animal friends on our “Meet my Pet Day”! Next week is our final spirit day for October, “Bring my Best Me”. To participate, students should use a selfie for their Zoom profile picture or turn on their camera during class to participate! Just like last week, the names of all students who participated will be used in a virtual drawing process so that one student per grade will win a $25 “allowance” towards ordering an item from the Pence Spirit Shop. We look forward to seeing you, next week Knights!
When talking to your students about Digital Citizenship, there are four major areas that can be helpful to cover (Information Adapted from Kathleen A Morris - Internet Safety)
Integration - Technology can be wonderful, but it’s also important to remember that the role of technology is to enhance learning and life experiences, not replace them. Have discussions about how technology can be integrated into real-life experiences and the importance of going outside, engaging in hobbies, and connecting with people without technology to the extent possible.
Storytelling - Relating best practices regarding internet/social media use can be more meaningful if connected to a real-life story or experience. Provide real-life examples of saying things you don’t mean on social media, connecting with people you don’t know online, and other relevant topics.
Strategies- Talk about specific strategies to use in the instance they do experience something they don’t know how to handle online. For example, talk about how to handle it if someone they don’t know tries to friend them or request access to their private information online. Discussing and practicing strategies beforehand can make it more likely for them to respond in a smart when it matters.
Community- Make conversations and expectations around Digital Citizenship a family and community discussion. Support one another in teaching students how to use technology in a helpful and appropriate way, and in setting clear expectations for the use of technology
6th Grade Open House Days/Times
Mark your calendars
Athletics Update
This would be followed by fall sports (VB and XC), then 7th grade basketball and cheer, and finally track & field.
Reminder: All students are required to have an up-to-date physical dated after May 1, 2020 in order to be eligible to participate.
Items Needed For All Students Returning To School On Nov. 16th
Congratulations to Mrs. Kimberly Dove for being named the Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year!
Congratulations to Mrs. Kimberly Dove for being named the Lucy F. Simms Educator of the Year! Mrs. Dove teaches 8th grade Civics and Economics at Wilbur S. Pence Middle School in Dayton. She will be formally recognized during next Tuesday's Lucy F. Simms Book Release and Community Celebration!
The event will be a celebration of Ms. Simms' life and legacy. As teachers from the heart of the Valley, we can take special honor in counting ourselves as part of this enduring legacy. We hope you can join us!
Preregister at tinyurl.com/Simms2020.
Share your pictures for the yearbook.
Share your photos of you and your pet during our "bring your pet to school" day or take one after the fact. You can upload your photos directly to the yearbook site: http://www.hjeshare.com/eShare/?code=pencems ! (If it asks your for a code, it's pencems)
Also, be sure to preorder your copy today! https://www.yearbookordercenter.com/general/homepage?portal=true (if it asks you for a code- it's 13754)
Note from our Nurse
To parents of children in 6th-8th grade planning to return to school in November --
Please let Nurse Weaver know of any health conditions regarding your child. This is to include any routine daily medications to be taken during school hours, if your student has asthma, diabetes, allergies to foods, bees, latex, seizure disorders and any other health concerns. Medication taken here at school must be brought in by a parent and counted with the nurse. Please call to make an appointment. Care plans need to be updated with new signatures from parents and the doctor. The doctor can fax them to 540-879-2179 or you as the parent can drop them off at Pence before the first day of school.
Parents and Guardians of 7th grade students that have not received their Tdap vaccination must have it completed before returning to in person learning. A copy of this immunization from the doctor must be presented to the school before returning. If you are unsure if your child's Tdap is on file at Pence please contact the school nurse
Please remember to evaluate your child daily for any symptoms of sickness prior to sending them to school. Make sure they do not have a temperature close to or above 100.4 and do not have any symptoms such as cough, sore throat, headache, diarrhea or vomiting. Please keep your child home if they are sick.
Make sure all of your contacts and emergency contact information is up to date in the office so if we need to contact someone to pick up your sick child, you can be reached promptly.
Please notify the school nurse with any positive cases related to the Flu, Strep or Covid-19, so we can work together to help your child back into school as soon as possible.
If you have any questions please feel free to call the school and speak with Nurse Weaver 540-879-2535.
I’m so excited for the kids to come back and I can't wait to see them.
Nurse Miranda Weaver
Please fill out this survey!
The following survey asks parents about their student's activity levels before and during the Covid shutdown. It would be extremely helpful if you could forward this survey (English and Spanish available) to all parents.
Thank you for supporting Safe Routes!
English - https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5831518/VA-SRTS-Parent-Survey
If you're a parent or caregiver in Virginia, we want to hear from you! Click here to take our Fall 2020 Parent and Caregiver Survey. The survey takes less than 10 minutes to complete and will help us understand how the pandemic has influenced walking and bicycling.
If you fill out the survey between now and October 31 you could win a $25 cash card! To be eligible, parents and caregivers must provide an email address where they can be contacted. Ten winners will be selected in a drawing. Thank you for your participation!
Spanish - https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/5831518/VA-SRTS-Parent-Survey-Spanish
¡Si usted es un padre o cuidador(a) de niños(as) en Virginia, queremos saber de usted! Haga clic aquí para tomar nuestra Encuesta de padres y cuidadores del otoño de 2020. La encuesta tomará menos de 10 minutos para completar y nos ayudará a entender como la pandemia e afectado caminando y ciclando.
¡Si rellena esta encuesta entre hoy y el 31 de octubre puede ganar una tarjeta en efectivo de $25! Para ser elegible, padres y cuidadores tienen que proveer un correo electrónico donde le podemos contactar. Diez ganadores serán seleccionados por rifa. ¡Gracias por su participación!
Access your Childs Interim Reports Here!
Great Parent resource, How to videos for Powerschool and Schoology
Get ready for Fall with some new Pence Gear!
About Us
Wilbur Pence Instagram
https://www.instagram.com/p/B1j84fxh9NC/?igshid=1ugnqkq1hn27l
WSPMS WEBSITE including "Parent Resources" & "Student Resources"
http://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/
Email: jchilds@rockingham.k12.va.us
Website: http://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/
Location: 375 Bowman Road, Dayton, VA, USA
Phone: 540-879-2535
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/penceknights/