Stingray Scoop

Dear Stone Hill Middle School Families,

As we turn our calendars to February, I want to honor and acknowledge Black History Month this February as we celebrate the many political, economic, cultural achievements and contributions made by Black Americans. Here at Stone Hill, our students will engage in lessons in Advisory as we commit to celebrating the identities of our students and welcome their experiences as assets in the classroom community throughout the year. Black History Month is an opportunity to learn about our students, families and the assets they bring to our classrooms. Please be sure to check out the division's DEIA Newsletter for January and February here!

This week we are so excited to celebrate our School Counselors during National School Counseling Week! This year’s theme is “School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive." Please join me in appreciating our incredible couneslors Ms. Alberth, Ms. Andrews, Ms. Inman, & Ms. Jackson for their expertise and unique contributions they provide on a daily basis! Our students and entire school community lean on them so much!

Our school counselors follow the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model as a framework to build and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program. I am so pleased to share that recently our school counseling program met the criteria to become a Recognized ASCA Model Program by the American School Counselor Association. So, it is fitting to give them an extra loud shoutout for this accomplishment during their special week this week!

Every winter, bad weather — snow, slush, freezing temperatures or even heavy rains — can present challenges to getting children to school. So do the illnesses such as colds, flu, fevers and earaches that often come with the winter months. Help your student stay healthy and engaged in school. If your student is sick, please have them stay home. If you have questions about when a student should go to school, we invite you to see our guide on when to keep students home or consult your healthcare provider for additional guidance. But also remember that regular school attendance is an important routine for students. Students who attend school regularly achieve better on assessments and establish habits that will help them throughout their lives. Check out our Attendance Resources webpage for tips.

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

In service to you and our Stingray community,

Rohini Tohan, Principal

Monday, February 3rd

• A-day
• Activity Buses

Tuesday, February 4th

• B-day
• Reading MAP Test (students report directly to Block 1-B)

Wednesday, February 5th

• A-day
• Math MAP Test (students report directly to Block 1-A)
• World Languages Round Robin Event, after school @ SHMS
• Activity Buses
• Registration Deadline for Intramural Basketball

Thursday, February 6th

• B-day
• World Languages Round Robin Event, after school @ SHMS
• Activity Buses

Friday, February 7th

• A-day

• February 17th ~ No School: Presidents Day
• February 25th ~ Quarter 3 Interim Date
• February 25th ~ VML Math Test, after school @ SHMS
• March 31st ~ No School: Eid al Fitr
• April 3rd ~ Last Day of Quarter 3
• April 4th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 7th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 14-18 ~ No School: Spring Break

Weeks of January 27-February 7, 2025

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!

Congratulations to the following students for participating in the All-District Band Event this Saturday at Riverside HS! Over the past three days, they worked tirelessly and delivered a stellar performance on Saturday afternoon. Bravo to: Niharika A, Maysum J, Shikha K, Lio L, Samyuktha N, Reyan P, Nishka T, Mason W, and Camdyn W.

Thank you to Mr. Morton and Mr. Fye for guiding and supporting our young musiciansl.

Congratulations to the Stone Hill students who auditioned and were selected to perform at the All-County Orchestra at the end of Quarter 2! These students represented Stone Hill with other orchestra students from around the county. Great work, Holden Buswell, Ryan Kim, Samheetha Vasan, Rachit Wasalwar, and William Zhang!

Thank you to Mr. Maeshiro for all he does!

Congratulations to Stone Hill Math Counts winners: Anik D, Will Z, Ackshat T, & Shriya Y for securing second place in the team round. Shriya Y. was the top scorer from our school.

Thank you to Mr. Wurst & the entire math team for supporting Math Counts!

Stone Hill's 8th graders in FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) team (Team 16605 - Yogic Transformers) did an awesome job last weekend and won the Motivate Award at Bassett High School FTC Qualifier and are advancing to FTC Chesapeake Regional Championships.

Way to go, Shriya Yellamagari, Prisha Hasija, and Yash Kolla!

Happy birthday to all of our incredible Stingrays born in the month of February! We hope you enjoy your special month. We hope this is the best year yet!

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 and volleyball season, our third sport for the 2024-2025 school year is 3 v 3 Basketball. 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 is set for February 10th, with playoffs and the championship occurring during the week of March 17th. The championship-winning team will represent us in the LCPS tournament on March 29th at Heritage High School, competing for the title of the best team in the county. If your student is not interested in participating in 3 v 3 Basketball, there will be other sports available throughout the year. The registration details are provided below, and if you have any questions, please reach out via email at jonathan.kasman@lcps.org.

Who: Free for ALL SHMS Students
What: 3 v 3 Basketball (Up to 5 players per team)
When: Mondays OR Thursdays after school from 3:45-4:45. February 10th-March 20th
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 February 5th to play.

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

Is your child still deciding on which language they will take next year? Our World Languages team will be offering 30-minute sample lessons for all languages offered at Stone Hill on February 5th and February 6th. See the attached flyer for more information and use this link to sign your child up.

Stone Hill will offer the VML Math League Test on Tuesday, February 25th after school. Please register for this test using the link below. The test will be given in Grade Level Houses and parent pick-up will be at 4:30. There is no cost and registration closes on February 20th.

VML Registration Link

All 7th and 8th grade students will be engaging with course planner through SchooLinks starting this week in School Counseling Lessons. During this time, school counselors will be providing lessons on the course offerings for the following school year. Seventh and eighth grade students will also begin planning through high school graduation. At this time, students will be able to select courses they want to take next year (four content area classes and electives). Once a student has met with their counselor and planned their options, communication will be shared for you as the parent/guardian to go in and review the choices. Students will have the option to go in and change their courses until February 28th. It is encouraged that parents/guardians collaborate with classroom teachers and school counselors to ensure that their student is planning course to have a successful school year.

Parents/guardians can access SchooLinks through ParentVUE. There is a tab labeled “Schoology and SchooLinks”. This will link parents/guardians directly to the SchooLinks platform. Parents/guardians do not need a claim code to access the platform. Please view the Onboarding Directions in either English or Spanish. Please view the guide to Review Student Course Plan in English or Spanish.

If you missed the Curriculum Night last week at Rock Ridge High School, we encourage you to review this Rising 9th Grade presentation.

If you have questions about your student's course options for 9th grade, please reach out to your student's school counselor.

Registrations for SHMS PTO OFFERED SPRING ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS are underway. General Registrations for all Stone Hill families opened yesterday, Saturday, Feb 1st at 9:00pm. Last Day to Register- Friday, Feb 7th 2025. Sessions begin the week of Feb 10th 2025. Spots are limited. Enroll Today!!

REGISTRATIONS FOR SHMS PTO OFFERED SPRING ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS OPENS TODAY at 9:00PM.

More details about these programs are available on the PTO website https://www.shmspto.org/initiatives.

Join Us for the NOVA Math Tournament!

Dear StoneHill Community,

SHMS PTO is excited to announce that we are organizing NOVA Math Tournament, and we invite all math enthusiasts to participate!

This tournament is a fantastic opportunity for students to challenge themselves, showcase their problem-solving skills, and have fun while exploring the world of mathematics. Whether your child is a math whiz or simply loves numbers, this event promises to be an engaging and rewarding experience.

Event Details:
📅 Date: Sunday, May 4th
🕒 Time: 9:00am - 3:00pm
📍 Location: Stone Hill Middle School

Who Can Participate?
The tournament is open to students of Grades 6-8.

Why Join?

• Boost critical thinking and problem-solving skills
• Compete in a friendly, supportive environment
• Receive recognition for achievement
• Have fun with peers who share a love for math!

How to Register:
To secure your spot, visit https://forms.gle/pUgRNBqU6fbX5k9h9 and complete the registration by April 15th, 2025. Space is limited, so don’t wait!

Let’s make this tournament a memorable and enriching experience for our students. We look forward to seeing our young mathematicians shine!

If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to initiatives-team@shmspto.org.

For more information visit: https://www.shmspto.org/math

Flyer attached.

Stone Hill Middle School PTO Fundraiser is STILL ON!!

🎬 Enjoy movies with a purpose! 🎬SHMSPTO is giving you the best reason to head to the cinema. Until February 23, 25% of each Regal Movie Ticket Bundle (2 tickets. No expiration) you purchase will be donated back to SHMSPTO, when you buy via our fundraising sales page.

Treat yourself, your friends, and family to an unforgettable movie night in support of a great cause!

Grab your tickets here: grouprai.se/regalcinemas52469s

School Store

🍬 Sweet News for All Students! 🍬

We’ve got something new and exciting just for YOU! 🎉 Our school store has just dropped some brand-new candies that’s sure to make your day.! ✨

Upcoming at StoneHill PTO

Spring Enrichment Programs - To be announced soon!

General Body PTO Meeting - February 11th, 2025

The Division of EL FACE Office, in collaboration with the EL Specialists, is pleased to share the WIDA ACCESS Family Information Resource in the top 3 languages: Spanish, Arabic, and Farsi/Dari.

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.

Is your child a first-generation college-bound student? If both parents/guardians did not earn a Bachelor’s degree in America, encourage your child to apply to CAMPUS! CAMPUS is a high school program that helps first-generation college-bound students prepare for college! Students learn about goal setting, time management, applying to college, financial aid, scholarships, take college field trips, listen to guest speakers and more! While CAMPUS replaces the student's Study Hall, students still have time during CAMPUS to work on their schoolwork!

To learn more about the CAMPUS program, you and your child are invited to attend any of the following information sessions: February 5th - Independence High School and February 8th - Dominion High School. All sessions are 6:30-7:30 PM. The application is open January 8th until March 1st and can be found in Student Opportunities through LCPSGO!

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

William & Mary School of Education is excited to announce their 2025 Saturday/Summer Enrichment (SEP) classes! They have a lot of new classes, lower prices, and more summer class options.

Please use this link to check out the SEP page for more information!

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