Rice Middle School eNews
Tuesday, March 26, 2019
ESL Informational Meeting on Tuesday, March 26th
Parents of ESL students,
Please come learn more about the ESL program in Plano ISD, as the ESL instructional specialists and Rice lead counselor will provide information and ask questions. We look forward to seeing you on March 26th in the Rice Library!
STAAR Testing: Mark Your Calendars
Please keep these dates in mind as you are making plans. If your child has an appointment on any of the testing days that affects him or her, please try to change the appointment.
STAAR Testing Dates:
- April 9th: 7th Grade Writing & 8th Grade Math
- April 10th: 8th Grade Reading
- May 7th: Algebra 1 EOC
- May 13th: 6th & 7th Grade Math & 8th Grade Science
- May 14th: 6th & 7th Grade Reading & 8th Grade Social Studies
May 15th: STAAR Math 8 Retest
May 16th: STAAR Reading 8 Retest
*The adjusted schedules for those days will be sent out when testing nears.
A few reminders about testing days:
- Students should NOT attend school on a testing day if they are sick. Please follow the district guidelines for illness and keep your child home, if needed.
- Students are expected to follow the dress code, even on testing days. Pajama bottoms, slippers, etc. are not acceptable.
- Students are not allowed to have electronic devices in the testing room. This includes e-readers, such as Kindles and Nooks. Students are encouraged to bring a hardback or paperback book with them on the day of testing.
- We will have make-up testing days after each test.
- Campus will be closed on each testing day.
Please contact the Rice Counseling if you have any questions: 469-752-6015
End of Year Planning
Please be aware of our end of year calendar when making travel arrangements. The last day of school is May 24th and finals are given May 21st-24th. STAAR and End of Course Exams will take place from May 7th-17th. Due to State testing, students will be unable to take their exams early. Students will need to be present during part or all of the week of May 20th in order to complete their school year. We appreciate your understanding and support in making your child's school year successful!
Spring Picture Day!
Tuesday, April 2 is Spring Picture Day! This is an optional day for your child to have his or her picture taken by Lifetouch Photography at school. Flyers are being sent home on Wednesday, March 27 through your student's 6th period class.
If you are interested in having your student take a picture on that day, please order your package from the website at www.mylifetouch.com and use the Picture Day ID: TX118238Q0
Pictures must be prepaid and ordered online prior to Tuesday, April 2. Students will be able to take the pictures during the day in the grade level pod.
PTA News
A. Historic Evening with Eva Schloss
The Plano ISD Council of PTAs has partnered with the Chabad of Plano on an upcoming, low-cost, educational event. The program, “Learning from the Past, Living in the Present, Looking to the Future,” features Eva Schloss, an 89-year-old Holocaust survivor, who will share her memories of her step-sister, Anne Frank. The program takes place at the EISEMANN CENTER on Wednesday, March 27. For further details about this event, click on this link.
B. Calling all Volunteers
Rice Middle School need to fill board positions for 2019-2020 school year. Please email Lisa Mendiola @ volunteers@ricepta.org and help us fill out the required positions.
C. 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.
D. 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!
E. 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.
Please like the Rice PTA Facebook page to stay informed about PTA activities!
Rice Middle School PTA Scholarship
Rice Middle School PTA offer a scholarship to graduating high school seniors in Plano ISD who will be enrolled and attending full-time in an accredited college or university or a technical institute in the summer or fall semester immediately following the applicant’s high school graduation.
During 2018-2019 school year, Rice Middle School PTA offer one scholarship of $500. To learn more about this scholarship, please click on the link below.
Gateway Summer Engineering Camp
The Gateway Summer Engineering Camp is a hands-on, project-based camp 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.
We are offering camp sessions at Jasper HS and Otto MS. Each session is four days long.
Learn more about the camp and register at https://www.pisd.edu/gatewaycamp
Click on the flyer below to learn more about this opportunity. Registration opened on March 1st!
Upcoming Events for the Next Two Weeks
Tuesday, March 26
- Concert Bands UIL
- ESL: Parent Event @ 6:00 - Rice Library --ESL students should attend with their parents
Wednesday, March 27
- Symphonic Band UIL
- Track Meet - Kimbrough Stadium - 4:30
Thursday, March 28
- Wind Ensemble UIL
- Orchestra Instrument Night - 3:30 - 600's and surrounding areas
Tuesday, April 2
- Track Meet - Kimbrough Stadium - 4:30
Friday, April 5
- PTA Spring Raven Fest - 3:30-5:30 - cafeteria, outside, both gyms
Important Information from Nurse Yang
Attention 6th Graders:
Please read this linked letter for required immunizations in order to enter 7th grade. A separate parent letter with your child's detail immunization requirements will be mailed to you in March 2019. These required immunizations are due by last day of school, 5/24/2019. You can also view your child's current immunization record on file with the school on https://parentviewer.pisd.edu/
Flu Season Is Here!
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
Helpful Links!
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