Stingray Scoop

Dear Stone Hill Middle School Familes,

I hope all our families are enjoying the extra time together as we wrapped up the first quarter of the school year. A reminder that school is closed on Monday, November 4 and Tuesday, November 5 for professional development days for our teachers. We look forward to seeing our students back in the building on Wednesday, November 6.

As we turn the calendar to November, we are excited to celebrate National School Pyschology Week with a special shoutout to our school pysychologist Anne Kayser. National School Pyschology Week is a time to recognize the important contributions of school psychologists and the role they play in schools and communities. We are so grateful to Ms. Kayser who works tirelessly with teachers, families, and other professionals to create supportive learning environments for our students. She is instrumental in our collective effortst to help students succeed academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you, Ms. Kayser!

It’s that time of year again when LCPS asks families to fill out the Impact Aid Survey. The Federal Impact Aid Program is designed to assist school divisions that enroll federally-connected students. Beginning on Monday, November 4, please be on the lookout for communication from the division asking all families to fill out the Impact Aid survey in ParentVUE. The Impact Aid Survey must be completed for all active LCPS students. Note: If both parents reside at the same address, then only one parent will need to complete the Impact Aid Survey. That parent will complete it for both parents. Details on how to fill out the survey will be included in the division communication. If you have questions or need more information regarding this Federal Impact Aid survey, please contact the LCPS Accounting staff at ImpactAid@lcps.org or 571-252-1220. The survey should be completed by Friday, November 22.

Lastly, families please know that we have extended our deadline to accept applications for Sources of Strength. As previously shared, Sources of Strength is a student-driven, strength-based, comprehensive wellness and prevention program. This program promotes student mental health by helping students identify and develop protective factors that build their resiliency. It provides messages of hope, help, and strength. These messages are spread through student-led campaigns designed to address the eight pillars of strength: family support, positive friends, mentors, healthy activities, generosity, spirituality, physical health, and mental health. A dedicated group of staff, called adult advisors, support this program at each school. Adult advisors include teachers and school-based mental health staff - such as school counselors, school social workers, and school psychologists. Student members, called peer leaders, are identified through staff, student, parent, and community recommendations and represent a diverse sample of leaders within each school. Please refer to the sign up information below.

We are One. We are Strong. We are Stone Hill.

In service to you and our Stingray community,

Rohini Tohan, Principal

Monday, November 4th

• No School ~ Staff Development Day

Tuesday, November 5th

• No School ~ Staff Development Day
• Election Day

Wednesday, November 6th

• A-day
• First Day of Quarter 2
• Activity Buses

Thursday, November 7th

• B-day
• Activity Buses

Friday, November 8th

• A-day

• November 11-12 ~ School Picture Day During PE Blocks
• November 12th ~ PTO General Meeting, 6:30 pm, SHMS Cafeteria
• November 14th ~ 6th Grade Chorus Concert, 6:00 pm, SHMS Auditorium
• November 22-23 ~ "Mean Girls" Drama Production (Friday 7pm, Saturday 3pm & 7pm), SHMS Auditorium
• December 4th ~ 8th Grade Band Concert, 6:00 pm, Rock Ridge High School
• December 6th ~ Math Counts Tryout Test, 3:45-4:45 pm, SHMS Cafeteria
• December 7th ~ PTO Winter Wonderland Event, 11am to 4pm @ Stone Hill
• December 10th to 17th ~ Scholastic Book Fair in the SHMS Library
• December 11th ~ Strings Concert, 7:00 pm, Rock Ridge High School
• December 12th ~ 7th Grade & Jazz Band Concerts, 6:30 pm, SHMS Auditorium
• December 12th ~ Guitar Concert, 7:00 pm, Rock Ridge High School
• December 18th ~ 7th Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 pm, SHMS Auditorium
• December 19th ~ 8th Grade Chorus Concert, 6:30 pm, SHMS Auditorium
• January 16th ~ 6th Grade Band Concert, 6:00 pm, SHMS Auditorium

Weeks of November 4th to 15th

Stingray Reports are a snapshot for families of what students will be learning in class during these weeks. Don’t forget to check out the “Show & Tell” sections, which include great conversation starters to ask your student at home!

We are so proud of all the hard work of our Stingray athletes who participated in Flag Football in the dvision wide intrumurals. Stone Hill advanced to the quarterfinals and were one of the top 8 middle schools in the county to compete this past Saturday at Heritage High School. Congratulations, Stingrays! Keep up the great work.

After two rounds of voting on more than 60 fantastic works of art, the students have selected the cover of the 2024-2025 yearbook. Congratulations to Tanvi Davu! Her work will be featured on the front cover, and she will win a free yearbook as her prize. Other students’ fabulous work will be featured throughout the yearbook. Great job, Stingrays!

The end of the first quarter is a great time for students to reflect on their current progress, both academically and behaviorally, in preparation for an even stronger second quarter. The SHM PBIS Team encourages all families to review the following highlighted items in addition to the entire Student Handbook.

At SHMS, Stingrays are always:

Respectful - towards all others, ourselves, and our space. Use appropriate language and communication, be aware of your device usage, and if in doubt, don't say or write the words you might have thought.

Responsible - for our words, actions, and belongings. Clean up after yourselves, and ask for help when you need it.

Ready - for school and interactions you may have during the day. Arrive on time with the materials you need.

We have an exciting NEW opportunity for your students to be involved in the Stone Hill Community with new Intramural Sports! After a successful flag football season, our second sport for the 2024-2025 school year is 6v6 Volleyball. This will occur on Mondays OR Thursdays, after school from 3:45 to 4:45, and after-school buses will be provided. Students can register either as an individual and be placed on a team or a student can be a designated team captain and can register the entire team. Participating in the sport is 100% free for all Stone Hill Students and is a great way to represent the school and the community.

Our first day after school will be November 11th and our playoffs/championship will be the week of January 13th. Our championship-winning team will go on to play in an LCPS tournament on January 25th at Heritage High School for a chance to be the best team in the county. If your student is not interested in Volleyball, other sports will be offered throughout the year. This information and the information to register is below and if you have any questions, please email jonathan.kasman@lcps.org.

Who: Free for ALL SHMS Students
What: 6v6 Volleyball (Up to 9 players per team)
When: Mondays OR Thursdays after school from 3:45-4:45
Where: Main Gym at SHMS
Why: Have fun with your friends and get involved in the SHMS Community
How: There are two links below that must be filled out for students to play. The Student sign-up is for individuals and teams. The Parent sign-up is required through LCPS. Sign-up on BOTH links must be completed before November 6th to play.

STUDENT SIGN UP- bit.ly/SHMSVolleyball
PARENT SIGN UP- https://lcps-ar.rschooltoday.com/home

Offered Sports:
Quarter 1: 7v7 Flag Football
Quarter 2: 6v6 Volleyball
Quarter 3: 3v3 Basketball
Quarter 4: 7v7 Soccer

We are excited to share that we launched our annual fundraising event with World’s Finest Chocolate last week. This fundraiser will allow us to engage in additional school initiatives to support student learning experiences as well as a variety of school beautification projects.

For students who are participating: Once the entire box of chocolate that was distributed last Friday is sold, students can turn in the $60.00 payment. You can write a check made out to Stone Hill Middle School or preferably pay online by creating an account at https://lcps.schoolcashonline.com. Please provide a copy of the online receipt with your child to bring to school.

You may give your child permission to sell additional boxes of chocolates; however, students will only be provided one box of chocolates at a time. The last day to check out a box of chocolates will be Friday November 8th. All payments will be made by Friday November 15, but collections will be ongoing throughout the fundraiser.

• CAN ONLY APPLY IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY IN 8th GRADE

• The portal for the TJ application opened on October 21st

• Students must be taking Algebra I or higher for Math

• Students must be taking Honors Science and one additional Honors class in 8th grade

• Student grade average at the end of 7th grade should be a 3.5 or higher

We are excited to host award-winning author KA Holt to speak to our students on Wednesday, November 13th. She is coming to us all that way from Texas to talk about her writing process, how poetry can be cool (yes, really!), and how she takes parts of her own life and puts them into her novels. 7th and 8th grade students in English during block 1-2B will visit as a class, and 6th grade students in English classes during 3-4B will visit as a class. Other students had the opportunity to sign up to visit on hall passes.

We are excited to give students the chance to purchase books by the author and get them signed! Purchase her books through the link below to support a local small bookstore in Leesburg, VA. Books will not be available for purchase at the event. More information on book signing to come via English teachers.

It is highly recommended that students order their books by November 6th to ensure they arrive on time.

Book order link: https://bookshop.org/wishlists/0449c5325656e7500c71c03e5740a380b0ca05eb

Tickets are currently on sale for Mean Girls Jr. presented by Stone Hill Dramatic Arts! Seventh and Eighth Grade Drama club members have been preparing this show to make it SO FETCH! Join us as we present the story of Cady Heron, a homeschooled teenager as she navigates the social hierarchy of her new suburban public school. She may have grown up on the African savanna, but nothing has prepared her for the wild and vicious ways of school. The show is November 22nd at 7pm and November 23rd at 3pm and 7pm. Tickets are on sale at http://shda.booktix.com

Yearbooks are on sale! Buy one before we run out.

We already have a full academic quarter’s worth of memories to put in the 2024-2025 yearbook, and we’re excited to make more! Buy a yearbook so you can look back on our fantastic journey at the end of the year. There is a limited number of yearbooks available to purchase, so buy yours today before we run out!

Purchase at YearbookOrderCenter.com with the code 13630.

The Math Counts Tryout Test will be held on Friday, December 6th right after school in the cafeteria. To indicate your interest in taking the tryout test, please use this Sign-Up Genius link to register for a place at the tryouts. Stone Hill's math department will choose 14 students to represent Stone Hill MS at the regional Math Counts Competition on February 1st. The test will be given in the cafeteria immediately after school ends and parent pick-up will begin at 4:40 pm.

Dear Stingray Families,

Many thanks to Stingray families who came out to support StoneHill during our Spirit Night at Scotto’s Rigatoni Grill last week. Splash came out to support and was a hit with StoneHill students as well as all children and many adults passing by smiling and waving to Splash.

We are hoping to have more of such Spirit nights.

Save the Date for Winter Carnival: Winter Wonderland!

Mark your calendar for our upcoming Winter Wonderland!

Date: Saturday, December 7th, 2024

Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM

Location: Stone Hill Middle School

Help and Happening at Winter Wonderland!

• DJ
• Student Offered Carnival Shops. Registration Opens Mon, Oct 28th - Fri, Nov 15th. Register at: https://docs.google.com/forms/u/1/d/e/1FAIpQLSfBvOKnuMooZae0h1GFWzNJUyBp5zUXA_gMUWFFGZXf_k0j1A/viewform?pli=1
• PTO Offered Holiday Shop
• Holiday Themed Photo Booth
• Food, Hot Cocoa
• Concessions
• Henna Tattoos, Free Games, Raffles and what not!!

For more information on Winter Wonderland, visit: www.shmspto.org

Message from PTO President

SHMS PTO encourages all Stone Hill families to connect with the PTO by participating in PTO organized events, initiatives and volunteering activities. SHMS PTO also encourages Stone Hill families to join the PTO Board and help not only serve but enrich Stone Hill student and parent community with your vision and thought leadership. Please connect with us at pto-board@shmspto.org. Learn more about SHMS PTO and the activities they currently run at www.shmspto.org.

Upcoming PTO Meeting

Join us for the PTO General Body Meeting on Tuesday, November 12th, 2024, at 6:30 PM in the cafeteria. Learn about what the Admin team and PTO are working on this school year. All Stingray Families are welcome to join and share their ideas and feedback.

Volunteer Opportunities

"Build Our Makerspace – Dads, We Need You!"

Hey Stone Hill Dads! We’re creating an awesome new makerspace for our students, and we need your help to bring it to life! If you’re handy with tools (or just want to join in on some hands-on fun), come along and lend a hand. Grab a Stone Hill parent friend and make it a team effort! Together, we’ll assemble furniture, set up cool gadgets, and turn this space into a hub of creativity. Let’s make it happen! Sign up below to join the fun!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050848AEAE2DA2F49-52516595-calling

PTO Members

Thank you for your support! PTO-paid members can pick up their complimentary spirit wear and magnet at the school store on Fridays (ONLY).

We appreciate your Support!

Stone Hill PTO Website

Click Here to Become a PTO Member!

Join the Stone Hill Middle School (SHMS) PTO and become a member of an active volunteer organization committed to enriching the academic and social experience for all SHMS students and families. The SHMS PTO provides financial and volunteer support for a wide variety of school based activities aimed at building a strong school community, supporting academic and extracurricular activities, and providing opportunities for social and service related events and projects.

Bus riders should ride their assigned bus and always arrive at their bus stop five minutes early. Please help your student(s) get out of the door on time. Parents are also requested to periodically check transportation information throughout the school year for any changes. Parents will be emailed by LCPS Transportation when changes are made to their student’s transportation.

Carline parents: We thank you for your patience and cooperation in helping to make our car line a safe and efficient area during the morning drop off and afternoon pick up.

Please follow directions displayed on signage and from all car line staff. Please pull as far forward as possible towards the stop sign in order to keep the flow of traffic moving.

Designated walking zone: Only students who live within our designated walking zone are permitted to walk home. If LCPS Transportation has assigned your student a bus, they must either take the bus to and from school or be transported by car.

Exiting the building at dismissal: All student walkers should leave the building through the [B2 door/front of the building], located on the side of the building by the cafeteria. Students should walk either directly to their community behind the school or down the sidewalks in front of the school, as applicable. No student should ever cross Evergreen Ridge Dr. as there are no crosswalks, making it a safety hazard for both students and drivers.

All parents/guardians should report attendance, including absences and early dismissals, in ParentVue. Instructions with how-to videos are available on our website or by clicking here.

As a reminder for the 2024-2025 school year, there have been some changes to the counseling assignments. Please note who your child’s counselor will be this year based on your child’s last names across ALL grades.

LCPS is proud to provide free access to a suite of online learning resources available on the Varsity Tutors platform. To learn more about Varsity Tutors, a free, on-demand online tutoring service available to ALL LCPS students in Grades K-12, click here.

The SNAP in Schools initiative from the Virginia Department of Social Service, which is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), helps develop partnerships to bridge the gap of food insecurity among school-aged children. The objectives of SNAP in Schools are to reduce food insecurity in school-aged children, to increase the number of students directly certified for free school meals through SNAP, and to increase the number of students eligible without application for the summer EBT program.

Please advise families who could benefit from this program to access the CommonHelp portal link to submit online SNAP applications.

Please also share the flyer below with your families:

• English
• Spanish

It Takes a Village, a student-led nonprofit organization, is dedicated to empowering young girls and fostering future leaders. It is run by three sophomores at Stone Bridge High School.

We’re excited to invite students to our upcoming TechShop focused on Cryptology, which will take place on November 10th from 1:30 to 3:30 PM at the Ashburn Library. This free workshop is designed to introduce middle school girls to the fascinating world of cryptography in a fun, hands-on environment.

We previously hosted a TechShop in partnership with TechGirlz on A.I., which was very successful, with great participation from students in the area, and we’re hoping to build on that success with this upcoming event.

We look forward to having Stone Hill students join us for this exciting workshop!

Email: rohini.tohan@lcps.org
Website: www.lcps.org/SHMS
Phone: 703-957-4420
X (formerly Twitter): @StoneHillMiddle