Rice Middle School eNews
Monday, January 29, 2018
Rice News
A. Rice Middle School Tenor Bass Choir (Pictured Above)
Congratulations to Rice's Tenor Bass Choir who will be performing at the Allen Performing Arts Center in Allen, Texas, and TMEA Convention in San Antonio, Texas, later in February. See the picture below for more information about these performances.
We are so proud of all these talented, young men and Mrs. Farmer for their achievements!
B. Congratulations to our Rice Reflections winners!
Students received their awards on Wednesday, January 24, 2018. The award ceremony for the PISD placements will be at a later date and we will keep you posted.
Rice middle school entries received placements in the order of Award of Excellence, Award of Merit and Honorable Mention at the school level. Rice Award of Excellence winners were advanced to the district level judging (all PISD middle schools followed the same process). PISD level placements were in the same order, i.e, Award of Excellence, Award of Merit and Honorable Mention. A single entry in each category was selected for the Overall Award of Excellence and will be moved forward for the State level placements. Congratulations to all Rice winners!
Rice Placements (Award of Excellence - AE, Award of Merit - AM, Honorable Mention - HM)
Category: Literature
- AE: Anika Damle - Grade 7 (The Beauty of a Dream)
- AE: Anika Pandit - Grade 7 (Here Right Now)
- AM: Kelly Hu - Grade 8 (Failure)
- HM: Madhalasa Iyer - Grade 7 (Finding Your Way)
- AE: Christine Yan - Grade 8 (Beyond The Obstacles)
- AE: Emily Hu - Grade 6 (Catching Dreams)
- AM: Kelly Hu - Grade 8 (Flying Dreams)
- HM: Ayushi Sinha - Grade 8 (The God is Within Reach)
- HM: Clara Yao - Grade 8 (Timeless Dedication)
PISD Placements (Award of Excellence - AE, Award of Merit - AM, Honorable Mention - HM)
Category: Literature
- AM: Anika Damle - Grade 7 (The Beauty of a Dream)
- HM: Anika Pandit - Grade 7 (Here Right Now)
Category: Visual Arts
- AE: Christine Yan - Grade 8 (Beyond The Obstacles)
- AE: Emily Hu - Grade 6 (Catching Dreams)
- HM: Kelly Hu - Grade 8 (Flying Dreams)
C. Cold and Flu Prevention
Parents and students can help reduce the impact of the cold and flu season by following these simple tips:
- Get a flu shot!
- Keep your children at home for fever of 100˚F or more for 24 hours without fever reducing medication.
- Wash your hands often with warm water and soap for 20 seconds or more. Use hand sanitizer when soap and water are not available.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs can easily enter the body this way.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
- Cough and/or sneeze into a tissue or your upper sleeve, not into your hand.
- Clean and disinfect surfaces at home, work, and school, especially if someone is ill.
- Practice other good health habits such as being physically active, drinking plenty of fluids, getting plenty of rest, and eating nutritious foods.
If you want more information on influenza please visit these helpful sites:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: http://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm
Texas Department of State Health Services: https://www.dshs.state.tx.us/idcu/disease/influenza/
PTA News
A. Send in Your Box Tops -- Clipping Box Tops is an easy way to raise money for our PTA and school. Your Box Tops earn hundreds of dollars annually for our school. Have your child bring them to the front desk and put them in a container marked Box Tops.
B. PTA Nominating Committee Needed -- It’s that time of year when Rice PTA needs three members to serve on a committee to nominate a new slate of board members for the 2018-19 school year. Nominations are due March 5. Signup info below.
C. Open PTA Board Positions for 2018-’19 -- The Rice PTA Executive Board is seeking parents to fill volunteer positions and the following chair positions for the 2018-19 school year. Open positions include:
o President
o 1st VP Membership
o 3rd VP of Ways & Means
o Secretary
o Treasurer
o Parliamentarian
o Communications/Webmaster
o Legislative
Taking a board position is a good way to keep up with what’s going on with the PTA and Rice. Get involved, meet great people and make a difference.
D. Mixed Bag Sales Under Way -- We’re asking our Rice families to support our Mixed Bag fundraiser. Purchase any item from the new spring catalog and Rice PTA receives 40% of the proceeds, which directly benefit school programs and our students. All items will be shipped directly to you. Check out the amazing items online and order today: http://www.mixedbagdesigns.com/Rice-Middle-School
Please email PTA President Pernille Nordstrom at president@ricepta.org with questions or to inquire about serving.
Please like the Rice PTA Facebook page to stay informed about PTA activities!
Club News
A. MSA Toy Drive!
Did you know that there are 13,000 orphan kids in Texas?, as well as 16 orphanages in the DFW area. There are many kids that will be very happy to receive a toy from you. MSA is donating toys to Livada Orphan Care in Texas. It is a loving home with specialized services to children who have been victims of abuse, abandonment or neglect. Please donate new or kindly used toys TODAY. Drive ends on February 5th. The box is placed in the Rotunda. Thank you.
B. ECO Club News
Why you should join the Eco-Club at Rice? It gives students the platform they need to take action on the environmental issues. Students take a leadership role in identifying and achieving your school’s environmental goals. Environment club’s eco-initiatives can be big or small and may take the form of awareness activities, school events, or programs.
Projects for the Spring Semester:
Continue recycling efforts at school
Drop off poster show
Great American Clean Up Day
Earth Day
Recycling week
School-yard clean up
Field Trip
Recycling workshop
This is what we currently recycle at Rice:
Paper, plastic, glass, carton (Throughout the school)
Coffee pods in teacher’s lounge
Markers (a box in each pod)
Electronics (CFK program)
Lithium Batteries
Plastic Bags (Room 817)
Bottle caps (Room 817)
Join the Eco Club!!!
We meet the 1st and 3rd Wednesday of each month.
Miscellaneous Information
A. Plano NJS Color Run
The three Plano National Honor Society Chapters would like to invite you to the Plano NHS 5K Color Run!!
When: Saturday, March 3rd 2018 at 10 AM
Where: Plano Senior High School
What: A fun morning of color benefiting the PISD Education Foundation CORE Store!!
Register by February 14 to receive a shirt!!
All forms must be dropped off or mailed to Plano West Senior High School.
Registration Form: https://drive.google.com/open?id=1XwAoOjQhkOGYFhwQ_GZg-SLVT8Jhakzr
Student Liability Form: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ZIQWaKQzg_TmhaQWRDd21admt6M2NJZ0haekxERzF4ZGkw
Non Student Liability Form: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B-ZIQWaKQzg_WExjcTVPblBvOFdFOVQ1VjRiV01TanlSbVU0
See the flyer posted above for more information.
Thanks,
Plano West NHS Officers
B. Jasper Band Booster: Princeton Review Practice Test
Thinking about taking the SAT or ACT? Don't practice on the real thing! The Jasper Band Boosters and Princeton Review are sponsoring practice SAT, ACT, and PSAT tests at Jasper High School on Saturday,February 3rd.
The tests are open to all students. Testing will begin at 9:00 am (we encourage students to get to Jasper High School 10-15 mins in advance). The SAT and ACT generally test the same types of content. Both ACT and SAT scores are used for college admissions and merit-based scholarships.
The biggest differences between the tests are that the ACT has a Science Test, and there’s one SAT Math Section for which you cannot use a calculator.
The costs for the practice tests are as follows:
Practice SAT $15 (9:00am-1:15pm)
Practice ACT $15 (9:00am-1:00pm)
Practice PSAT $10 (9:00-11:30am)
* Grade-appropriate for 8th and 9th graders and establishes a baseline measurement for students as they enter high school.
Online registration is now open at https://jasperband.membershiptoolkit.com/home. Registration deadline is Wednesday, January 31st.
This is a fantastic opportunity for students that want that extra edge before the test.
Save the date: Tuesday, February 20th 6:30-8:30pm is the Test Review Session, students are encouraged to attend for feedback on the test.
C. Plano West Band Mattress Fundraiser
Do you need to replace a bed in your home? The Plano West Band is hosting a one-day Mattress Sale at Plano West HS on Sunday, February 11th from 11AM-6PM. There will be over 30 name brand models on display for you to try. All beds are brand new, made to order, available in all sizes, and come with factory warranties. Delivery is included and haul away is available. Best of all, prices are less than retail stores! Financing programs are available. We would appreciate your support! See the picture below for further information.
D. Williams HS offering Practive PSAT Test & Strategy Session
See the picture below for more information.
E. Dooley Dragons Senior Class of 2018
You're invited to a Senior Reception honoring you! See the picture below for more information.
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