Stingray Scoop

Dear Stone Hill Middle School Familes,

Thank you to all our Chorus 6 students and Mr. Uhlir for an outstanding performance last week. Next, we are looking forward to opening night of Mean Girls, Jr. on Friday, November 22nd. Ticket information can be found below. We hope to see you there.

As a reminder, the Federal Impact Aid survey due date is coming up. Please contact the LCPS Accounting staff at ImpactAid@lcps.org or 571-252-1220 if you have questions. The survey should be completed by Friday, November 22.

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

In service to you and our Stingray community,

Rohini Tohan, Principal

Monday, November 18th

• A-day
• Activity Buses

Tuesday, November 19th

• B-day

Wednesday, November 20th

• A-day
• Activity Buses

Thursday, November 21st

• B-day
• Activity Buses

Friday, November 22nd

• A-day
• "Mean Girls" Drama Production (Friday 7pm, Saturday 3pm & 7pm), SHMS Auditorium

• November 22-23 ~ "Mean Girls" Drama Production (Friday 7pm, Saturday 3pm & 7pm), SHMS Auditorium
• November 27-29 ~ No School, Thanksgiving Break
• December 5th ~ 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
• January 21st ~ AMC 8 Test

Stone Hill will offer the AMC-8 on Tuesday, January 21st after school. To sign up, please use the payment portal link below. The portal will close on Dec. 15th.

https://lcps.schoolcashonline.com/Fee/Details/43238/371/False/True

Weeks of November 18th to 29th

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 all of our students and teachers of the month for October! Students were chosen by their teachers for demonstrating kindness and teachers were nominated by their students. We are so proud of all of our "KIND" Stingrays!

Students had a great time hearing from award-winning author, K.A. Holt, and getting books signed last Wednesday! Thank you to our wonderful librarians, Mrs. Heron and Mr. Geiger, for coordinating this exciting event.

Thank you to all of the veterans in our school community who joined us at Stone Hill for an authentic learning experience with our students last Monday. Veterans spoke to students about how they joined the military, where and when they served, why they joined, and what they do today. Students were also able to ask questions as they learned about the veterans' service.

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 Friday, November 22nd at 7pm and Saturday, 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,

Mark your calendar for the upcoming Winter Wonderland 2024!

Date: Saturday, December 7th, 2024
Time: 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Location: Stone Hill Middle School Basketball Courts

Hep and Happening at Winter Wonderland!

• DJ
• SHMS Student Offered MarketPlace.
• Holiday Shop
• Food, Hot Cocoa
• Concessions
• Free Games, Raffles and a LOT OF FUN!!

Come spend a day of fun with your family and friends at Stone Hill Grounds.

Winter Wonderland is an outdoor event. (In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the Gym)

This is a ticketed event. Tickets are non-refundable.

Ticket Price(Online): $8/each (Child or adult). Open until Friday, Dec 6th - 2:00pm

Ticket Prices (At the Door): $10 (Child or Adult)

Supreme Families get up to 4 tickets FREE. $0 ticket purchase is required for Supreme Families..

Stone Hill Families can purchase their tickets here: <Jumbula Link>

Guests of Stone Hill Families (any friends or extended family) can purchase here: Purchase Tickets - Winter Wonderland

Flier attached. For more information on Winter Wonderland, visit: https://www.shmspto.org/winter-wonderland

Stone Hill Families can purchase their tickets here:https://shmspto.jumbula.com/WinterWonderland2024/WinterWonderland2024

Student Vendor Marketplace Opportunities @ Winter Wonderland

StoneHill Students are invited to Register for an entrepreneurial opportunity during Winter Wonderland by setting up their shop during the event. This would be a great time to bring your creativity and entrepreneurial skills to the forefront by showcasing your beautiful creations and presentation skills.

You can be a single vendor or have a business in partnership with your siblings(all ages) or friends. Booth Registration is only $20 and includes 2 free tickets to the event. You also get to keep all the proceeds from your sales during the event.

Registration as a Student Vendor for MarketPlace opens Sun, November 16th at 6:00pm and closes Saturday, November 30th at 12:00pm. Flier attached.

Register as a Student Vendor here: SHMS Winter Wonderland Marketplace Registration Form

Virtual Information Sessions for interested students and parents have been scheduled. Only one session needs to be attended.

• Wednesday, Nov 20th at 6:30pm (1 hour)
• Monday, Nov 25th at 6:30pm (1 hour) (Repeat)

Virtual Link for both sessions: http://tiny.cc/meet-anytime-zoom

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.

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 a little sweeter.

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). If your child isn’t able to pick up their spirit wear on Fridays, please shoot us a note with their size, name and Homeroom teacher and we will have it delivered to their Advisory. Please email pto-board@shmspto.org

We appreciate your Support!

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

A message from INTEGIRLS D.C., which works to encourage girls and non-binaries in STEM fields through competitions:

We’re hosting our annual day-long math competition on Saturday, December 14th, 2024, from 9 am - 4 pm at the Bioscience Education Center at Montgomery College Germantown Campus. We would be extremely grateful if you shared the following copy-pastable snippet with interested students:

The D.C. chapter of INTEGIRLS is hosting a beginner-friendly, in-person math competition Saturday, December 14th from 9 am - 4 pm at the Bioscience Education Center at Montgomery College Germantown Campus! Our mission at INTEGIRLS is to encourage girls and non-binaries in STEM fields through math competitions and events. This year, we will have math competition rounds (individual and team), an estimathon, a speaker event, awards ceremony, provided lunch, and lots of fun STEM activities. Teams of up to 4 students will be able to connect with and enjoy math with other girls and non-binaries around the DMV. There will be a lot of prizes and fun swag for all participants.

Register here directly or go to the INTEGIRLS D.C. website (dc.integirls.org) to learn more about the competition.

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