Rice Middle School eNews
Monday, April 4, 2016
Congratulations to Rice's Texas State Science Fair Winners!
The Texas State Science Fair was held this past weekend in San Antonio. Rice had 11 students, more than any other middle school, at the fair. Qualifying for State is a HUGE accomplishment in our region, not to mention earning recognition.
CONGRATULATIONS!…..
3rd place Physics & Astronomy = Anthony Mellone
3rd place Comp. Biology & Bioinformatics = Eric Zhang
2nd place Embedded Systems = Pranav Nathan (7th grade)
1st place Cellular & Molecular Biology = Manasi Gummaraju
1st place Environmental Engineering = Khushi Thakkar
1st place Mathematics = Yash Garg & Nabil Sikora (7th graders)
2nd GRAND PRIZE Physical Sciences = Yingjie Wang
1st GRAND PRIZE Life Sciences = Andrei Spiride
Khushi Thakkar also earned a special award from NOAA.
Yingjie Wang also earned special awards from the Naval Academy & Texas A & M Energy.
BEST IN SHOW, the top project at the fair, was earned by Kevin Meng, Robinson Middle School student. He also earned 1st GRAND PRIZE Physical Sciences.
You can search #PISDScienceFair or even #RiceRavens to see pictures of these great kids with their projects.
Congratulations the Rice Quartet!
Please take a moment to read Barbara Fox, Rice's orchestra teachers's, comments about her students' recent win:
"The Dallas Voices of Change sponsored their first Chamber Music competition, and I am proud to announce that a Rice Quartet is the first winner! Kaeon Cho, Vivian Zhang, Jaqueline Liu, and Eddie Xu were selected the winners on Saturday. I am so proud of them!"
We are so proud of you all for your talent, dedication, and achievement!
Table of Contents
1. "Say Cheese!" Spring Picture Day
2. PISD Bond Proposal
3. Upcoming STAAR Testing Dates--Mark Your Calendars!
4. Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017
5. To Parents of All Current and Incoming Athletes:
6. Attention Parents of Current 6th Grade Boys
7. Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents: 8th Grade Celebration!
8. Gateway to Technology Summer Camp
9. Plano Senior Summer Speech and Debate Camp
10. Interested in attending PISD's Summer Theatre Camp?
11. News from the Nurse--Attention Parents of 6th Graders
12. Jasper Jazz News
13. PWHS Royale's Spring Show!
14. Plano West Hockey Club Summer Season
15. Plano West Swim & Dive Team Tryouts
16. Moving or Might Be Moving?
17. Forman Elementary Garage Sale--Saturday!
1. "Say Cheese!" Spring Picture Day
We have Spring Picture Day coming up Friday, April 8. Only students that pre-order pictures or bring picture packets the day of photos will only be allowed to take a picture. You may order online at Mylifetouch.com using picture ID: LD935758Q0. You may also print this attached flyer and have your child bring it to the photographer. Pictures will be taken through science classes.
2. PISD Bond Proposal
2016 Bond Information Meetings to be Hosted by Superintendent at Six High Schools this Spring
- March 28 (Monday) - Williams High School (auditorium), 1717 17th Street, Plano, TX 75074
- April 4 (Monday) - Clark High School (library), 523 Spring Creek Parkway, Plano, TX 75023
- April 6 (Wednesday) - McMillen High School (cafeteria), 750 N. Murphy Road, Murphy, TX 75094
- April 13 (Wednesday) - Jasper High School (presentation room), 6800 Archgate Drive, Plano, TX 75024
- April 25 (Monday) - Vines High School (presentation room), 1401 Highedge Drive, Plano, TX 75075
- April 28 (Thursday) - Shepton High School (library), 5505 Plano Parkway, Plano, TX 75093
About the May 7 Bond Election
On May 7, Collin County voters residing within the Plano ISD attendance zone will be asked to consider a single proposition to provide $481 million toward eight major project areas with no increase to the tax rate. If approved, all Plano ISD campuses will be impacted by district-wide security updates, renovations and facility upgrades, as well as technology improvements. Visit www.pisd.edu/2016bond for more information.
Bond Proposal Resources
Website: www.pisd.edu/2016bond
FAQ: http://www.pisd.edu/news/bond.programs/2016bond/FAQ.shtml
Video: https://youtu.be/kwMOd0qX8-s?list=PLVcNW-DvhSHXldsZ4Ky972k98pN7D3nfI
Presentation: http://www.pisd.edu/news/bond.programs/2016bond/documents/Bond_2016_Presentation.pdf
3. STAAR Testing--Important Information
Upcoming STAAR TESTING Dates Below:
May 5:
STAAR Algebra I EOC
May 9:
STAAR Grades 6-7 Math
STAAR Grade 8 Math Retest
May 10:
STAAR Grades 6-7 Reading
STAAR Grade 8 Reading Retest
May 11:
STAAR Grade 8 Science
May 12:
STAAR Grade 8 Social Studies
Parents,
Please be aware that students cannot leave the building and return later to complete their test. If your child has an appointment on any of the testing days that affects him or her, please try to change the appointment.
If you have questions about EOC or STAAR Testing, please contact Rice's guidance department.
4. Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017
Parents, please consider volunteering with Rice PTA next year. We have had some wonderful people volunteer for PE Uniforms, School Supplies, and Spirit Wear..but we NEED some more volunteers for our Executive Board and Committee Positions. Please consider President or other positions on this board. We must have a President to have a PTA Board and we need a PTA Board in order to have programs for students/socials & Ravenfest/reflections contest/multicultural night/ and buying items requested by teachers for students. Feel free to contact me with any questions at president@ricepta.org about any of these positions.
Open Positions Rice PTA for 2016-2017:
**If interested please contact Shannon DeWolf at president@ricepta.org
Board:
President- Attend and preside over board meetings, general meetings, vote on tied issues, meet with staff at school as needed, and attend Plano PTA meetings.
VP Membership- Recruit PTA members and maintain an accurate record of membership for the school year.
VP Ways & Means- Sets up and runs any fundraising for the school year.
VP of Volunteers- Puts together lists of volunteers for the school year and contacts the volunteers to place them at events.
Parliamentarian- Assists in making the meetings run smoothly. They apply the rules of Parliamentary procedure Robert's rules of order, the by laws and the standing rules.
Communications- Collect from others and e-mail the school contact all information weekly to be included in e-news
**Board Positions require monthly 1-hour board meetings & bi-monthly general 1 hour meetings**
5. To Parents of All Current and Incoming Athletes:
Attached below you will find a link to information about ImPACT testing that PISD is offering to all athletes at a VERY discounted rates. Information about testing will be sent home with each athlete, but the Coach Green needs to know by April 8th if your child will be attending testing.
Please email Coach Green at chad.green@pisd.edu with your child’s name if he or she will be attending. If you have any questions, you contact Coach Green at 469-752-6096 or email at the address listed above.
6. Attention Parents of Current 6th Grade Boys
All 6th Grade Boys Who Are Interested in Athletics Next Year:
There will be a brief informational meeting in the gym this Friday, 4/8, at 3:45. Parents don't need to attend as all information will be sent home with the athletes. If your son is interested in participating in Athletics next year but isn't able to attend the meeting, please contact Coach Green at chad.green@pisd.edu.
7. Attention 8th Grade Students and Parents: 8th Grade Celebration!
Celebrate your final year at Rice with an end-of-year 8th grade party at the Heritage Farmstead Museum on Friday, May 20th, from 7-9 PM. Plans are already underway, and we are currently looking for someone to create a video to highlight the past three years at Rice. If video creation is your thing and you would like to help out, please contact either Bethany Ulteig (gulteig@sbcglobal.net) or Cristi Dyer (cristi.dyer@pisd.edu). We will need lots of additional volunteers to make this event fun for our students. Please be on the lookout for announcements in the coming weeks with more information regarding 8th Grade Celebration.
8. Gateway to Technology Summer Camp
Registration for The Gateway Summer Engineering Camp is now open! This camp is hands-on, project-based, and is 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.
Sessions are offered at Robinson, Wilson, and Otto Middle Schools and each session is four days long.
Students and parents can learn more about the camp and can register at...
- For Plano ISD students entering grades seven or eight only (No current 8th graders)
- Each session is 4 days long (Mon. – Thurs.) Students can only attend one session.
- Camp program time is from 7:45 am–11:45 am.
- Tuition is $95.
- Registration begins April 1st and each session is limited to 25 students (hurry because spots will fill up fast).
- We will plan for new curriculum/projects from last year since we anticipate having returning students that attended last summer.
- T-Shirts will be provided for all participants.
- Each camper will be given a Certificate of Completion on the last day.
- Campers will take home the projects they complete during the camp (if applicable).
- The last hour of each session will be a student showcase for parents to come in and see what the campers did during the week.
Session #1 – Monday, June 13 – Thursday, June 16
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Session #2 Monday, June 20 – Thursday, June 23
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Session #3 Monday, June 27 – Thursday, June 30
Otto MS
Wilson MS
Robinson MS
Camp locations are Robinson, Otto and Wilson Middle Schools
For more information contact Linda Haltom (linda.haltom@pisd.edu
9. Plano Senior Summer Speech and Debate Camp
Don't miss this outstanding opportunity to get training this summer in various tournament events, come back to Rice in the fall ready for competition!
Go to this link for more information:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-R1lGaDReDvNHdYb0Q1SE1ieTA/view?usp=sharing
10. Interested in attending PISD's Summer Theatre Camp?
Please click on the links below to learn more information about both camps:
Center Stage Camp (9-12th grade): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-R1lGaDReDvc1JvT29BS0pQclU/view?usp=sharing
Star Power (6-8th grade): https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-R1lGaDReDvWkxKdHEyUktLS1U/view?usp=sharing
11. News from the Nurse--Attention Parents of 6th Graders
Please click on the link below to view important information from Nurse Yang, regarding immunization requirements students who will be 7th graders in 2016-2017.
12. Jasper Jazz News
A. Come Watch the Jasper Jazz's Award Winning Show, The Heist!
Come watch their award-winning, spring show performance, titled The Heist, at 7:30 p.m. on Friday, April 29 or Saturday, April 30 at Jasper High School. Tickets are $10 pre-order or $12 at the door. We anticipate a full house, so purchase your tickets today at http://jasperjazz.dance/forms.html . Pre-order by April 15 to ensure your seat.
B. Calling all Jasper Jazz alumni and fans: Pre-order your commemorative t-shirt today!
The Jasper Jazz national champions are celebrating 20 years of dance and performance excellence since the drill team’s founding in 1996. In honor of the Jazz’s 20th anniversary, the members are calling all Jasper Jazz drill team alumni and fans to show their Jazz pride and pre-order the commemorative Alumni Spirit Tee featuring a black short-sleeve t-shirt with silver alloy lettering for $20. Pre-order by April 10 at http://jasperjazz.dance/forms.html . Email Dana Tocci with questions at dablue2560@yahoo.com . Sponsored by the Jasper Jazz Booster Club.
13. PWHS Royale's Spring Show!
Celebrate with the Royales - Plano West Royales invites the Plano West Community to our Royales Spring Show April 7, 8, and 9 (7PM) in the Plano West Auditorium. Tickets $10, more information on where and when to pick up your tickets coming soon!
14. Plano West Hockey Club Summer Season
Come join the Plano West Hockey Club this summer!! Summer season starts May 1st and runs through July 17th. Playoffs start July 24th. CURRENT 7th - 11th GRADERS ARE ELIGIBLE. See the attached flyer for more details. Go to www.planowesthockeyclub.com to register.
15. Plano West Swim & Dive Team Tryouts
There will be a mandatory Parent Meeting for all parents of students interested in trying out for the Plano West Swim team: Wednesday, May 4th, at 6:30 pm in the Presentation Room at Plano West. (The team is open to students attending Jasper, Shepton and West for the 2016-2017 school year.) Swimmers are encouraged to attend this meeting.
New Swimmer Tryouts will be held Saturday, May 7, 7:00-9:00 am at Tom Muehlenbeck Center. This is for any swimmer who is not currently on the Plano West Swim Team. Tryouts will start promptly at 7am. Please RSVP to Coach Bobo at peyton.bobo@pisd.edu . Swimmers will need competition suits, goggles, and caps. The try-out will be a swim practice designed to assess the swimmers' competitive swimming skills (including all strokes), ability to work as a part of a team, and competitive drive. A flier with this information is available in the school office if needed.
The Diving Team works out at Oak Point Recreation Center at 7:00 AM Monday thru Friday. Come by and meet Coach Solow. For tryout information contact the coach at bob.solow@pisd.edu .
16. Moving or Might Be Moving?
If you know you will be moving or withdrawing your student from Rice or Jasper (current 8th grader) at the end of school during the summer, please fill out an, "Intent to Withdraw" form as soon as possible. Contact Ms. Pinkston in the Counselor's office for a copy of this form. Please remember , that if you later decide to stay in the Rice zone, you always have a spot!