Panther Pride Newsletter
October 15, 2023 - Weekly Updates for Ponax Nation
HOMECOMING 2023 is HERE
Are you in the mood for a Fiesta or Siesta? Get Homecoming Week started right by showing your partywear or sleepwear on Monday. The whole week's Spirit Days are listed below:
- Mon 10/16 - Fiesta or Siesta
- Tues 10/17 - Country Western vs. Country Club
- Wed 10/18 - Barbie vs. Ken
- Thur 10/19 - Teacher vs. Student
- Fri 10/20 - Let's GLOW for a cure
Senior Yearbook Portrait Make-Up's - Oct. 19 & 20 and Nov. 9 & 10
Any senior who did not get their portrait taken by school photographers over the summer but wishes to be included in the yearbook must sign up for one of the remaining dates in October or November.
Contact memarshall@spotsylvania.k12.va.us if you have any questions.
Massaponax Career Day - Monday, November 6, 2023
The Massaponax DECA club will host a Career Day and is still recruiting professionals for this event. Please see the attached flyer and consider sharing with our Panthers what your career entails. Help them understand job qualifications, required training, responsibilities, and advancement opportunities. This is a great chance to expose our students to what you will need in a future employee! Please click on the attached flyer for more information.
EF Tours trip to Italy 2025: Info Session Oct. 19th @ 6:30 in MHS Library
Plans for a trip to Italy in 2025 with EF Tours, our educational travel partner, are in the works.
Please be sure to register for this info session to be considered for this opportunity: bit.ly/3PBWQ4g
Topics Discussed at the Meeting
- Trip details
- Costs and options for payment
- How your child can earn academic credit
Craft Club Meeting - Monday, Oct 16 from 2:30 to 4:00
Panther Swim Team Interest Meeting
AP Exam Fees due October 31
Help Ponax FBLA Collect 100 bags of shoes!
Winter Track Fall Preseason Conditioning Beginning
Where: Loriella Park
Practice will be held on Monday and Wednesday at Loriella Park from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
Saturday practice will be held at Massaponax High School from 9:00-11:00 a.m.
Note: You must have a current physical for the 2023-24 school year. You must view the Sudden Cardiac Arrest Video, take the Concussion Test, and complete the XLBRAIN Test located on the Massaponax High School Athletic Website. No exceptions to the aforementioned requirements!!!!
Important Information Regarding Student Names in the Yearbook
Any student who would like for their name in the yearbook to be anything other than their full legal name must adhere to the new SCPS school board policy:
- Any student who wishes to be identified in the yearbook by a “common” nickname for their legal name (ex: William identified as Will, Bill, or Billy) must email yearbook adviser Ms. Marshall at memarshall@spotsylvania.k12.va.us no later than Nov. 1.
- Any student who wishes to be identified in the yearbook by a different name that is NOT a “common” nickname for their legal name must go through the guidance office with the new SCPS parent permission form no later than Nov. 1. Guidance will notify Ms. Marshall of any changes.
The first yearbook page deadline for the publishing company falls in November, so if you do not take these steps by Nov. 1, your legal first and last name will be “locked in” to the yearbook, and no additional changes will be able to be made.
Please let Ms. Marshall know if you have any questions or concerns.
A Week - Mon., Wed., and Fri. are A days (Tues. and Thurs. are B days)
September Student of the Month - Madelyn Paz Castillo
Madelyn Paz Castillo, daughter of Aner Paz and Denia Castillo, is a senior at Massaponax High School. She transferred to MHS before her sophomore year and since then has been awarded the English Student of the Year, Germanna Leader Award, and the 4.0 GPA & above award.
Madelyn is most proud of her acceptance into the Gladys P. Todd Academy. In this program, she is pursuing her Associate Degree at Germanna Community College and her Advanced Diploma from MHS. This summer, she was accepted as a Questbridge College Prep Scholar and invited to a conference at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia.
Madelyn has enjoyed her Human Anatomy and Chemistry classes while at Massaponax. She is involved as an MHS SCA Executive Board member and a HOSA Representative for her Certified Nursing Assistant class at SCTC. Madelyn is also involved in Phi Theta Kappa as Secretary and Student Government Senator at Germanna Community College.
In the future, Madelyn plans on majoring in Human Biology and pursuing a career as a Pediatrician.
September Staff Member of the Month - Iris Cruz
Ms. Cruz is our head custodian at Massaponax High School and is in her third year. She avoids praise, preferring to work behind the scenes, but enjoys her job and takes tremendous pride in her work. Ms. Cruz ensures that Massaponax High School has the best-looking facilities in the county and that our students and staff want to come to school every day!
She leads a tremendous team and wants to thank them for everything they do to keep MHS looking great. Thank you...Yanet, Ivette, Nancy, Tammy, Andre, Mayra!
September Teacher of the Month - Cassie Smith
She still coaches JV volleyball, loves being a Panther, and loves working with the amazing staff and students at MHS.
NAACP ACT-SO program
The NAACP ACT-SO program was developed to enhance and showcase the academic and artistic development of high school students just as we do their athletic achievements. ACT-SO is a yearlong enrichment program that culminates in a local and national competition where students compete for scholarships and prizes totaling over $300,000.
The organization is looking for students from Massaponax High School to compete for scholarships and prizes in the annual Prince William NAACP ACT-SO competition. ACT-SO has 33 competitions covering STEM, Humanities, Business, Performing Visual and Culinary Arts,
Students interested in participating in NAACP ACT-SO must:
- be a citizen of the United States or hold a permanent resident visa card.
- be of African-American descent.
- be enrolled in high school at the time of application.
- be an amateur (having not received wages for professional services) in the competition categories.
- be a student who has demonstrated a genuine interest in one of the competition categories.
There will be several virtual information sessions in November and December. If you are interested in attending a session please click the link and complete the Google Form. https://forms.gle/DC3oUtAYbvrUAmnA7Links to an external site.
Mock Interview Day by the Fredericksburg Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Mock Interview SIGN UP is on CANVAS - under the MHS Panther Community page!
Please complete this form if you are interested in attending this experience. We will need permission slips turned in prior to October 6th. Permission slips are outside Mrs. Yonts' office - in the IN BOX on my door, office # 4 in the Computer Lab. You will also return completed permission slips back to Mrs. Yonts.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools newly adopted Virginia Department of Education Policy
Below is the link to the VDOE policy in its entirety. If this policy applies to your student, please complete the attached form and return it to the School Counseling Office.
SCPS - School Board Policy JA: Policy Ensuring Privacy, Dignity, and Respect
Athletic Schedule for October 16th - 21st
Home Schedule
- Homecoming Friday, Oct. 20 vs. North Stafford
Volleyball is on the road Monday, and then we wait to see if we make the district playoffs. Check the link below to stay updated with our schedule for the rest of the week.
Field Hockey will be getting ready for the playoffs. Check the link below to stay up to date.
JV Football is on the road at North Stafford on Monday, Oct 16 @ 6:00
Click on the Massaponax HS School Sports Calendar below to stay up-to-date:
- https://www.commonwealthdistrictva.org/public/genie/366/school/4/date/2023-08-13/view/week/.
- This link provides locations and times for all MHS events. Should events be changed due to weather, this page will be updated.
School Policies
SCPS and MHS Dress Code
Please, help us ensure your students come to school dressed within policy and ready to learn daily.
- No Hats or Hoods in Common Areas (halls, cafeteria, commons, and auditorium).
- Hats and Hoods In Class - Teacher’s decision.
- Shorts and skirts must be of appropriate length.
- Cover midriffs, cleavage, and undergarments.
- No muscle shirts, halter tops, tube tops, tank tops, low-cut tops, or one-piece body suits.
- Leggings and biker shorts need to be covered by a shirt.
No Doordash, Grubhub, or Uber Eats
Class Fees and Dues - Online Payment Options
Parents, please pay for your students' class fees!
Class Dues:
- Senior $25
- Junior $15
- Sophomore $10
- Freshman $10
Art Class Fee (per art class) $20
These fees are used to offset class activities! You can pay via the portal scps.schoolcashonline.com. Add your students to your account by name.
Unpaid fees and dues will be added to the debt list on October 1st.
Attendance Matters - New Good Standing Designation
Parents and Students - we need your help to increase attendance rates at MHS.
In a normal school year that means missing 18 days of school or more for any reason. In 2022-2023, MHS had the following:
- 33.4% Chronic Absenteeism Rate, or
- 577 students missed more than 18 days of school
We must drop this amount to 15% or below to meet VDOE guidelines. For this reason, all high schools are implementing a new "Good Standing Designation" to encourage school attendance to be eligible for certain non-academic school events.
Good Standing means a student has the following:
- Attendance - 4 or fewer days absent per quarter
- Tardy - 10 or fewer total tardies (checking in late or tardy to class) each quarter
- Tardy - 4 or fewer tardies to a single class each quarter
Students must be in Good Standing to attend activities such as
- Dances (Prom and homecoming)
- Pep Rallies
- Field Days
- Some Non-Academic Field Trips.
Parents and Students, please help us get below 15% for the 2023-2024 school year by showing up every day!
Contact Us
Website: https://www.spotsylvania.k12.va.us/o/massaponax
Location: 8201 Patriot Highway, Fredericksburg, VA, USA
Phone: (540) 710-0419