Monday, September 9th

Fundraiser Kick-off Assemblies

Club Soccer

8th grade DC Google Meet

Tuesday, September 10th

Home Volleyball vs. JFHMS at 4:30

Wednesday, September 11th

Growth Assessment - Reading (Two Hour Delay Schedule)

Patriot's Day - Wear Red, White, and Blue

Thursday, September 12th

Growth Assessment - Math (Two Hour Delay Schedule)

Cross Country Away at MMS at 4:30

Volleyball Away at SKMS at 4:30

Friday, September 13th

Make-up Growth Assessments

Attention 8th-Grade Parents! Have questions about our Washington, D.C. trip? There will be a virtual information session on Monday, September 9 via Google Meet at 7:30 pm. This will provide more information about the field trip for those considering whether to chaperone or not or just the expectations and plan for the day! There will also be time for questions as well. You can join the meeting here: meet.google.com/uin-ijuw-joc.

Attention! You can preorder your copy of the yearbook beginning on September 1! This year, you will have the option to preorder online ONLY, except for a short timeframe in March. Please keep your email receipt as refunds will not be given this year for accidentally purchased extra copies. The cost is $20. Visit www.yearbookordercenter.com and enter the code 13754.

"How to Log In to Student Destiny Catalog Account" - 4 minute video

Fall Growth Assessments will be on Wednesday, Sept 11th and Thursday, Sept 12th in the morning.

Our big fundraiser starts in a few days! Our goal is to raise $15,000.00 for essential programs not currently funded through traditional means.

We are asking ALL parents to pre-register their student(s) here:
https://www.shopfund.com/parentregister

Please get at least one person to support our fundraiser before our official kick-off day. Any student that is registered and gets 10 shares clicked will be entered into a drawing for over $100,000 worth of prizes. How cool would it be if we took a chunk out of our goal BEFORE the fundraiser even starts?

Thank you so much for your help!

Our 1st Club Days will be September 26 and 27. Certain clubs require applications that are available in the office or from the club advisor. Morning announcements are being made when applications are due. Click here for more information: Club Days

Limited Time Only! 20% OFF $75 Code: TEAM20

It's as simple as this: Good school attendance correlates to student success!

Parents, we are asking you to partner with us to help regularly get your students to school. In short, attendance matters! That said, we realize that there are times when your student(s) may need to be out.

-If your student is absent or late to school, please call the school (879-2535) or email the school (wspmsattendance@rockingham.k12.va.us) before 9:00 AM.

-If your student will be picked up early, please send a note or email the school (wspmsattendance@rockingham.k12.va.us) that morning AND then call us (879-2535) when you are 5-10 minutes away so we can have your student in the office ready to go. Your student will sign themselves out and head out when they see your vehicle.

Please try to schedule all vacations around the school calendar. We have seen an increased number of parents pulling their students out of school for vacations over the last couple of years. While family time is valuable, missing an extended amount of time from school leads to student frustration and anxiety as they fall behind on missed concepts. If you plan to take a vacation, requests must be submitted at least ten school days in advance. There will be circumstances where we may not be able to "excuse" each and every request. Students will be responsible for making up any missed work.

Prearranged Absences

A written request for a pre-arranged absence must be given to the principal at least fourteen days prior to the planned absence. The school administrator has the discretion to excuse or unexcused the prearranged absence request, based on the student’s prior school absences, whether or not the student has a current attendance improvement plan and the academic standing of the student. The student is responsible for securing any and all make-up work from their teachers prior to the pre-arranged absence(s).

Due to varied demands on the teachers with respect to preparing and assigning make-up work for pre- approved absences, teachers shall have the discretion to decide the type and amount of such work and schedule for its completion. Teachers shall not be required to provide assignments in advance of the absences, but may do so at their discretion. Parents/guardians and students are encouraged to work with the teaches prior to the absence to develop a plan for doing the assignments virtually, project-based, packet work or other “means” agreed upon by the teacher, including expected deadlines. Parents/guardians and students are expected to access

assignments and class materials through the Learning Management System to the extent possible.

Parents are encouraged to consider scheduling vacations around school holidays and breaks.

Make-Up Work Needed Due to Absences

Any student absent from class is required to make up all work missed whether the absence is excused or unexcused. Students may choose to obtain all homework assignments prior to leaving the building on the day before a known or preplanned absence will occur. It is the responsibility of the student and the parent to request assignments for the day the student is out. A student and parent’s failure to request make up work and to schedule make up work timeframes with his or her teacher for excused and unexcused absences can result in the student receiving a zero grade for the assignments not completed.

Extracurricular Activities on the Day of the Absence

Students must be in attendance, at a minimum, half of the school day in order to participate in any extra-curricular activity that day. For over the weekend school activities, students must be in attendance for the last four hours of the school day on Friday. However, exceptions may be made if the specific absence has been discussed with and approved by the school principal or designee prior to the student missing any time in school.

https://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/o/wspms/page/student-activities

• Tickets to athletic events are $4 for students and adults.

• Concessions will be available for sale at most athletic events.

Current physicals run from May 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025. A current physical is required by RCPS for all athletes to tryout and participate.

Volleyball matches begin at 4:30pm. Questions? Contact Coach Anderson @ tanderson@rockingham.k12.va.us

9/10 HOME vs J. Frank Hillyard

9/12 HOME vs Skyline

9/17 AWAY @ Elkton

9/19 AWAY @ Montevideo

9/24 HOME vs Thomas Harrison

9/26 AWAY @ J. Frank Hillyard

10/1 AWAY @ Skyline

10/3 HOME vs Elkton

10/5 Tournament

Meets begin at 4:30pm. Questions? Contact Coach Beck @ rbeck@rockingham.k12.va.us

9/12 AWAY @ Montevideo

9/19 AWAY @ Thomas Harrison

9/26 HOME vs Elkton and J. Frank Hillyard

10/3 AWAY @ Thomas Harrison

10/10 District Meet

Questions? Contact Coach A at maswani@rockingham.k12.va.us

The athletic season has begun. We have sports teams that we can be proud of. It is equally important that we can be proud of the behavior of our fans at these events, even the youngest ones.

1) Middle school students must be accompanied by an adult to attend TAHS home games. If an administrator or school employee talks to a middle schooler who is not accompanied by an adult, a parent will be contacted to come pick that student up.

2. Students are expected to sit in the stands during all Pence and TAHS athletic contests and watch the game. They are not to " hang out” behind the stands, in the hallways, or on the adjacent grassy areas.

3. Students are advised not to bring footballs, projectiles, or other distracting “toys” to school facilities.

4. Games like tag or touch football are not allowed on adjacent fields or play areas. This is a safety concern for our students and could become a liability if someone gets hurt.

5. Students should not be on the playing court or field at any time. These areas are only for competitors, coaches, and officials.

6. Students are expected to show good sportsmanship to everyone involved in the competition: players, fans, and officials. Taunting and booing will not be tolerated.

Thanks for all your help and your support of Knights athletics!

Change of Schedule Request Forms and Check-In or Appointment Request Forms can be found online on our School Counseling page: https://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/o/wspms/page/school-counseling

Which counselor works with you?

Lisa Holsinger-Thomas, Counselor / Kevin Forry (Assistant Principal)

Works with all students with last names A-K

Matt Nyce, Counselor / Jody Randolph (Assistant Principal)

Works with all students with last names L-Z

As a reminder, students are not to consume commercial restaurant fast food while in the

cafeteria area prior to, or during lunch periods. This is part of the food and nutrition handbook.

Hello RCPS families,

On behalf of RCPS Food and Nutrition Services staff, welcome to the 2024-2025 school year. We look forward to seeing you and your child(ren) in the cafeteria this year! Please see below for important information related to the start of the school year:

- Free and Reduced Price Meal Applications for the 24-25 school year are now available. You may submit an application online now at www.myschoolapps.com or by returning a paper application to your child(ren)'s school. Paper applications will be distributed to all households, as well as be available at your child(ren)'s school main office. A new application must be submitted each school year.

- Student Meal Prices: Breakfast $1.50 and Lunch $2.50

- Our online payment system is now active for the 24-25 school year. Parents and guardians may deposit money into their child(ren)'s meal account online at www.myschoolbucks.com. Check and cash is also accepted at each school.

Please reach out to the Food and Nutrition Services Office at 540-434-7783 with any questions.

Thank you,

Jennifer Williams, MPH, RD

Director of Food and Nutrition Services

Rockingham County Public Schools

Wilbur Pence is a community school located in the town of Dayton. We are appreciative of our partnership with the town. With our building and grounds located in the town and over 700 students arriving and leaving school in a short window, we ask for your cooperation regarding morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up procedures.

Remember, please do not block entrances or streets along Ashby Street while waiting in the pickup line.

-Morning drop-off may not occur prior to 8:00 AM. If you arrive sooner, please have your student wait in the car until prompted by a school staff member.

-Students may exit the car along the sidewalk area in front of the school, allowing us to have as many as 6-7 students exits at once.

-We ask that all families dropping off their student(s) approach the school from the south along Ashby Street. In working with the Dayton Police Department, we have identified that this is the safest way to practice and prevents traffic backups along Bowman Rd.

-Please move forward with traffic to keep our traffic flowing.

-Please see the map below.

-In the afternoon, the procedures will be the reverse of the morning, with students loading into their cars anywhere along the sidewalk. We again ask that you approach the school from the south along Ashby Street.

-All cars will need to turn right out of the school onto Bowman road as they exit the school.

-While our dismissal bell is scheduled to ring at 3:18 PM each day, we may hold the bell if buses are late to arrive at Pence to ensure the safety of our students.

Do you want to know more about the polices and procedures at Pence? Check out the school website: http://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/

The "Parent Resources" & "Student Resources" tabs are especially useful. I recommend that all Pence families take some time to review the Student Handbook.

Bookmark this page to access a wealth of information: //www.rcps.net/page/families-students

The VDOE and the Virginia Department of Health worked collaboratively to develop information and resources for fentanyl education and awareness (HB 1473). The Fentanyl Awareness informational one-sheet was created through that partnership. Additionally, the webpage includes resources for educators on substance use prevention. Read more from VDOE.

Calling all Pence Families!

Please help us stock the teachers lounge with coffee, snacks, and treats! We want to make the teachers feel loved and supported since they do so much for our kids! They'll be excited to start the school year off with a lounge full of treats!

Sign-up Genius Link

Two options for easy drop off:

• Leave your items at the front office of Pence Middle.

• If items are to be delivered or shipped to the school (375 Bowman Road), please have them delivered to Door #1 and call the school to let the office staff know the items are on their way.

Thank you so much! We couldn't do it without you!

Pence Middle PTO Hospitality Committee

More information at https://www.rcps.net/o/rcps/page/calendars

Email: tshank@rockingham.k12.va.us

Website: http://wspms.rockingham.k12.va.us/
Location: 375 Bowman Road, Dayton, VA, USA
Phone: 540-879-2535