Pence Press
September 12, 2021

Lessons from 9-11 AND 9-12
Pence Knights!
This week, in commemoration of the 20th anniversay of 9-11, we talked about the events of the day, those that lost their lives, those that sacrificed their lives to help save others, and the affect that it had on the history of our nation.
I would now like to turn our attention to what happened on 9-12. Our country was unified in a way like we have rarely seen in our history. We let each other know how much we loved each other! Strangers reached out to strangers! Ethnicity, socioeconomic class, preferences, religions, politics, creeds, etc. no longer mattered. We were united as a nation. We were ALL Americans. When we say "Pence Family," "All Means All," and that "We Are Better Together," this is exactly what we mean. We are all Pence Knights. Let us block out the noise, look for the good in each other, reach out to those in need, and choose kindness above all else.
Yesterday, I attended the JMU football game. They did an unbelievable job of remembering the events of the day and recognizing not only the first responders who lost their lives on that day, but also our local first responders who serve our community. (A couple of pics are included below.) When you attend a football game, thousands of fans pack the stands for a singular purpose. As we attend school, let us fill the school with a singular purpose. To be a community of learners who treat each other with dignity and respect, regardless of our backgrounds.
GO KNIGHTS!
Mr. Childs, Ms. Ray, Ms. Shank, and your Entire Pence Faculty and Staff
Pence Honors 9/11 First Responders


Hurricane Ida Relief Fundraiser
THANK YOU to all the students and staff at Pence for raising almost $500 for the American Red Cross! What a great job of raising the money for a great cause.


Student Growth Assessments
Students in Virginia public schools will take growth assessments in grades 3-8 in reading and mathematics. Students will take these assessments in both fall and spring of the 2021-2022 school year to measure growth during the school year. Individual student scores will be provided with details on how students performed on each test item, but the growth assessments do not include a passing/failing score. The focus of these assessments is on identifying what students have already learned as well as the skills they may need additional help with during the school year. For more information please visit https://www.doe.virginia.gov/testing/test_administration/growth-assessment/index.shtml
WSPMS Fall 2021 Growth Assessment Schedule
Wednesday, September 22nd @ 1:00pm - all Mathematics, grades 6, 7, 8
Thursday, September 23rd @ 1:00pm - all Reading, grades 6, 7, 8
Please make sure your students are present for these assessments.
The assessments students will take - in fall 2021 only - will be based on the previous grade level's content. The intent is to assist in the identification of unfinished learning from 2020-2021 due to the pandemic as well as enable students to show growth during the current school year.
Tobacco Cessation Program
Dear Parents,
Tobacco use is the leading cause of preventable disease, disability, and death in the United States. According to the Youth Risk Behavior Survey and the National Youth Tobacco Survey:
88% of adult daily cigarette smokers first tried cigarettes before they were 18 years old
3.6 million youth use e-cigarettes (vapes, Juuls, etc.)
22.5% of high school students use e-cigarettes (vapes, Juuls, etc.) daily
Tobacco, e-cigarettes, vapes, Juuls, etc. contain nicotine and these statistics suggest that a large percentage of high school students are dependent on nicotine.
There are many tools to help end this public health crisis like policy changes, education, and more. As a community, we can start to address this public health crisis by educating parents about addiction and giving them the tools they need to help their children end their dependence on nicotine products. It is important to show our children compassion as we guide them on their journey to quit using these products.
The Central Shenandoah Health District is excited to offer a three session Tobacco Cessation Education Program. This program will take place in the evening and will be offered virtually. This program will include:
Information about addiction
Types of tobacco products
Tobacco myth busting
How to talk to your children and create a quit plan
Quitting tools and programs
And more!
If you are interested in learning more about this program, please complete the survey linked here: https://redcap.link/6uvdfs8v
This program is open to anyone interested in learning about tobacco products and tools to quit. If you have any questions, please reach out to Katherine Smith, Health Educator, at katherine.smith@vdh.virginia.gov.
CLUB SOCCER
Athletics News

Upcoming Seasons
7th Grade Basketball
Monday, September 27th - Tryouts begin 3:18pm - TBD
Games begin Monday, October 11th
Games are on Mondays and Thursdays at 4:30pm
Cheerleading
Cheer is open to all students grades 6, 7 and 8
Monday, September 27th - Tryouts begin 3:18 - TBD
Participants should plan to cheer during both the 7th and 8th grade basketball seasons.
7th grade season: Sept 27 - Nov 15
8th grade season: Nov 17 - Jan 27
*All students must have a current VHSL physical on file at Pence on the first day of tryouts.

Extracurricular Events - Yearbook Photo Database
Pre-Order Yearbooks Now
Fall Pictures
Thursday, October 7
Pictures are taken during students' PE period.
