Rice Middle School eNews
Monday, December 17, 2018
Reminder: December 21st is an Early Release Day for All Students (12:40 PM).
Students Leaving School Early On Friday
Attention Parents:
On Friday, December 21st, the students will be participating in another Block Lunch from 10:45 am to 12:40 pm. Each student has chosen two sessions/activities to attend along with lunch.
If you plan to pick your child up during Block Lunch, please be sure to let your child know what time he or she needs to meet you in the front office to leave early.
It also might be a good idea to write down which teachers' sessions your child is attending--just in case he or she is having too much fun and loses track of time.
Absences & Exam Week
Starting tomorrow, the 7th & 8th graders will be taking semester exams, and 6th graders will take a Math test. If you know that your child will be absent on an exam day or your child becomes ill, please contact his or her guidance counselor as soon as possible (469-752-6015). Please be aware that teachers are unable to finalize semester grades until the students have completed their exams.
Here are the periods that will be tested each day:
Tuesday, December 18
7rd Period Exam
5th Period Exam
Wednesday, December 19
1st Period Exam
6th Period Exam
Thursday, December 20
4th Period Exam
2nd Period Exam
Friday, December 21
3rd Period Exam
Congratulations to Rice's Speech Team!!
Congratulations to Rice Middle School’s First Lego League Robotics Competition Team!
Ravenclaw Robotics competed against over 20 other teams in a regional qualifier event on Saturday, Dec. 8th, and won the coveted Core Values Award, which celebrates a team that is empowered by their FIRST LEGO League experience and displays extraordinary enthusiasm, spirit, and teamwork.
Ravenclaw Robotics will also advance to the 2nd tier Qualifying Tournament in January. Our team this year is a mix of 6th through 8th graders. They are...
- Thanushri Bathey,
- Arnav Fotedar,
- Shreya Gajakosh,
- Hardhik Jampula,
- Akhil Kasamsetty,
- Vedanth Venkatesh,
- Pierce VanderLight,
- and Saketh Nadella.
We wish they luck as they continue on in the competition! Go Ravenclaw Robotics!
Gifted and Talented: Spring Assessment Referral Information
For those who wish to apply to enter the PACE program: 2018-2019
PACE provides services for academically gifted and/or talented students in grades K-12 who have demonstrated the need for advanced, differentiated instruction.
The Plano I.S.D. conducts open, rolling referral, meaning that any student may be referred at any time during the school year. However, we have specific assessment windows. Kindergarten through 8th grade students are assessed in the second semester for services that begin the following semester. Students may be referred for the gifted program by teachers, parents, principals, counselors, or by the students themselves. Students are assessed at their home campus during the regular school day.
Referral applications for spring PACE testing must be submitted by January 16th, 2019.
Referral applications received after the posted deadline will be held for the next assessment cycle. Specific information regarding spring testing dates and times will be sent out in February.
PTA News
A. Rice Middle School Spirit Night @ Chipotle
brrrrr...iotos - shake off the cold with some hot burritos!
When: Tuesday 12/18/2018 from 4pm-8pm
Where: Chipotle @ 4901 W Park Ste 539. Plano TX 75093
We need your help to make it a success!
B. Time to Sign up for a PTA Membership
While you’re in Membership Toolkit, sign up for your 2018-19 Rice PTA membership. Families need to renew each July 1 for the coming school year. Signing up for PTA doesn’t mean you have to volunteer, although we appreciate those who do.
Why join PTA? Since we don’t hold traditional fund raisers at Rice, our membership dollars are key to supporting all the wonderful activities and services offered each year. Membership dollars help fund classroom wish list items, student programs, teacher conference registrations, parent education programs, teacher appreciation luncheons and special amenities throughout the building.
This year, we would like to see 100% parent participation in membership. This may be a lofty goal, but everyone can benefit from being a PTA member. Sign up at http://ricepta.org.
C. Complete your Volunteer Application Now
Rice Middle School PTA new and returning volunteers for the upcoming 2018-2019 school year must complete an online volunteer application through PISD to be eligible to volunteer. Get a head-start and submit your application today at https://www.pisd.edu/volunteer.
You can also select the Rice opportunities that you are interested in volunteering for through our Rice PTA Membership Toolkit athttps://ricemspta.membershiptoolkit.com/home - just log in and click on the "Volunteering At Rice 2018-19" form to submit your preferences.
Contact volunteers@ricepta.org with questions. Thank you in advance for your service to the students and staff at Rice!
D. Please Continue to Send in Your Box Tops
Hello, Parents, We would like to thank the families who have contributed to the Box Tops fundraiser. With your help, we are expecting to raise money just like previous school years. Thank you!
For this year our target is $500. Please continue to support our school by sending in your Box Tops! It's easy: just tear or cut off the Box Tops logo from your grocery item boxes and have your child bring them to the front desk of the school where a container is there to collect them.
E. Ms Martinez's flexible classroom seating
Join us in helping MS Martinez organizing her flexible seating classroom. Please sign up to donate her wishlist @ https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30E0945ACA62CA46-flexible
F. Long Sleeved T-shirts sale
PTA will be selling long sleeved t-shirts all week during lunch for $25 each - its our latest design!
G. Block Luch Volunteers
We need volunteers for block lunch on Friday 12/21/2018 from 10:45am to 12:40pm.
Sign up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/30e0e4cabab2aa64-block1.
Please like the Rice PTA Facebook page to stay informed about PTA activities!
Save the Date for Journey to Jag Country!
Calling the PWSH Class of 2023!
We would like everyone to mark your calendars for the evening of January 16, 2019, as the date for Journey to Jag Country. This event is for 2019-2020 9th graders who will be attending Jasper High School. Look for more information in the future issues of the E-news. We look forward to welcoming you to Jasper High School!
Check Your Student Portrait Picture!
Attention Students!
Yearbook needs your help to check your portrait picture. Please stop by the Rotunda and make sure your grade, picture and spelling of your name is correct. If there are any problems please fill out the Yearbook Fix Form located next to the portrait pictures and return it to Ms. Marcus in room 728.
Spelling Bee News
Remember that to participate in this year's Spelling Bee, you MUST attend ONE of the following meetings:
- Wednesday, January 9 - 8:00 am - 8:15 pm in the Learning Lab
- Thursday, January 10 - 8:00 am - 8:15 am in the Learning Lab
- Thursday, January 10 - 3:40 pm - 4:00 pm in the Learning Lab
The Spelling Bee will be held after school on Tuesday, January 15, 2019,
from 3:40 pm - 5 pm in the cafeteria. Parents are welcome to attend.
Plano Senior High Speech and Debate Winter Workshop
Rice's Lost and Found
Students,
Have you lost a coat, hat, water bottle, lunchbox or agenda?
We have lots of each in the Lost & Found. Please check the Lost & Found in each grade level and especially the cafeteria! Anything left in the cafeteria by Friday, December 21st will be donated.
Important Information from Nurse Yang
Flu Season Is Fast Approaching!
To learn more about seasonal influeza, please click on the link below:
https://www.pisd.edu/cms/lib/TX02215173/Centricity/Domain/233/Influenza2014-2018A.pdf
Guidelines for Exclusion due to Communicable Disease
Communicable Diseases – Exclusion from school for health reasons
Message from Mrs. Martinez:
- 6 High stools
- 6 foot stools
- 6 plastic storage crates
- 4 stadium seats
- 2 fitness balls
- 2 soft plush folding chairs
- 8 seat cushions
- decorative pillows of all sizes - 12 bed raisers
The Eco Club Needs Your...
Cartridges and Electronic Devices
The Eco-Club at Rice is participating in a program called Cartridges for kids. They are a Product Recover Service that collects ink cartridges, cellphones, laptops, Ipods, tablets, ereaders, to provide help to children in need. Please consider donating any of these items instead of disposing them once they are no longer being used. For more information visit: http://www.cartridgesforkids.com/
Bring the items to the front office to collect them in room 817 (Mrs. Martinez room).
Bottle Caps and Tin Cans!
Helpful Links!
Thank you for reading the eNews!
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