Rice Middle School

💐 Thank you for helping make Teacher Appreciation Week so special! Your thoughtful notes, kind gestures, and support reminded our teachers and staff just how valued they are. We are grateful to partner with such a caring community. 💐

As we enter the final stretch of the school year, here are a few important reminders:

📊 Check Grades & Assignments
Please take time to review your student’s progress on Skyward Family Access. Now is the time to double-check grades, complete any missing work, and finish strong.

📝 Final Exam Schedule May 19th - 23rd
You can view the final exam schedule here:
Final Exam Schedule

All Lunches should be dropped off by 11AM

Just a friendly reminder: the final bell rings at 3:45 PM, and all students should be out of the building by 3:50 PM unless they are participating in a supervised after-school activity.

If your child is involved in an after-school program, they should head directly to their designated classroom right after dismissal. Most activities end by 4:15 PM, so please plan to pick up your student promptly at that time.

We’ve noticed an increase in students lingering after school. Please note that students are unsupervised after 4:00 PM and cannot return to the building once they exit.

Thank you for helping us keep all students safe and accounted for!

Please ask your child to look at the Lost and Found for the next two weeks and see if they can find any missing items. On Thursday, May 15th if you would like to come by between 3:00-3:30PM to visit the Lost and Found, please check in through the Front Office. Thank you. 😊

Everything will be packed by Thursday, May 22nd ready to be donated.

Fare Busing to the Mc Dermott Place will NO longer operate starting August 2025. Alternate arrangements by the parents will need to be made to ensure your child gets to/from school starting in the new academic year 2025-26.

For more information, please visit Plano ISD Fare Busing

Encourage your friends and family members to join us for the Spring Job Fair!

Date: Wednesday, May 28

Time: 2:00-4:30 p.m.

Place: Academy High School

We are seeking to fill positions in a variety of areas, including:

• General Ed Teachers and Campus Support
• Special Education Teachers
• Bilingual Education Teachers
• PASAR and Employee Childcare
• Transportation
• Food and Nutritional Services
• Facilities
• Plano ISD Substitutes
• And More!

Interested candidates can pre-register using this link: Register Now

As learning continues throughout the year, the last week of school is vital for all students to be in school. Please understand that absence requests for the last week of school may be recorded as unexcused, and work will need to be made up. Work may be posted in the Google Classroom and we may not be able to provide assignments prior to any absences.

Make-up work which may not be submitted prior to the last day of school; this may result in student’s grade being affected for missing last week of school and missing assignments.

Lastly, during the last week of school, we administer the MAP Tests and Semester Exams. Some tests may not be made-up or rescheduled to be taken earlier. Students may receive a “zero” or a “no score”, which may affect their final semester and year end grade point average.

Attention 6th Grade Parents

Prior to the entry of 7th grade (2025-2026 school year), your child needs immunizations required by the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Immunizations required:

1. Meningococcal Vaccine (MCV4) - one does required on or after 11th birthday.
2. Tdap vaccine - booster dose required if at least 5 years have passed since the last dose of a tetanus-containing vaccine.

Please submit the vaccination papers to Nurse Yang at serena.yang@pisd.edu or 469-752-6021 (fax).

These records need to be received by May 23, 2025 (last day of school), as they are required for 2025-2026 schedule pickup and school attendance.

The letter is also available in Spanish. Please see below.

Please be aware of the medication policy in school

1. All medication must be brought to school by the parent, and it must be in its original, properly labeled container with a written request signed by the parent or guardian.
2. Medications are to be kept in the school clinic.
3. Students are not permitted to have any medication in their possession on campus without a proper doctor's note.

Medication Policy and Procedures

To protect all students and staff from communicable illnesses, students infected with certain diseases are not allowed to come to school while they are contagious. A student with any of the following symptoms will be excluded from school:

• Temperature of 100.0F degrees or more.
• Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhea.
• Pain and/or swelling at angle of jaw.
• Undetermined rash over any part of the body.
• Undiagnosed scaly patches on the body or scalp.
• Red, draining eyes.
• Intense itching with signs and symptoms of secondary infection.
• Open, draining lesions.
• Jaundice

Note to Parents/Guardians:

• Students has been satisfactorily treated, or submits a signed physician’s statement that he/she is not contagious on skywards.
• Student must be fever and symptom free for 24 hours, without medication, before re-entry.

For more information, please click here.

Friday, May 16th

2:00 PM - 3:30 PM

We would love to have Volunteers and donations

for this great celebration!

Please Sign Up Here

We are excited to invite your student to StarPower Theatre Camp 2025! Designed for incoming 6th–8th grade students enrolled in Plano ISD, this camp provides an exciting opportunity for young performers to develop their theatrical skills through expert-led classes in acting, voice, dance, and technical theatre. The camp culminates in a festival of productions where students showcase their talents!

📅 Camp Dates: June 9 – June 14, 2025 (Performances on June 14 at 4:00 PM)
⏰ Daily Schedule: 9:00 AM – 5:30 PM (Doors open at 8:00 AM)
📍 Location: Plano East Senior High School

🔹 Registration Details:

• Regular Registration ($325): Ends April 11, 2025

• Limited Spots: 60 acting & 25 technical participants (first come, first served)

• No Refunds – Registration is only complete once payment is received.

💡 Why Join?

• Training with PISD Senior High and High School directors & guest instructors

• Master classes

• Costumes, lighting, and props provided for performances

• Pizza dinner on performance night!

🎭 Auditions:

• Virtual auditions must be submitted prior to camp. Your student's director will help them with this process!

• Auditions will assist directors in casting for an efficient rehearsal process.

💰 Financial Aid: Available upon request – contact cassidy.mcquiston@pisd.edu for details.

🔗 Register Today!
Complete the registration form: https://forms.gle/KBtMZRLoL5FQFZin7
Submit payment online: https://studentquickpay.com/pisd/

For alternate payment methods or scholarship coordination, contact Verlene Michener-Reed at verlene.michenerree@pisd.edu or (972) 905-8938.

📢 Space is limited – secure your spot today! We look forward to an incredible StarPower 2025 experience!

Leaving early

Need to pick up your student early? Please follow the steps below:

1. Send a physical hand/type written note with your student with the following:

• Full name of the student.
• Date and Time you will be picking him/her up from the Front Office.
• Reason for leaving school.

2. Student to give the note to the teacher whose class they will be leaving, so they can be released. Please do not email the teacher about the early dismissal.

3. Parent/Guardian to meet the student in the front office to sign them out.

4. Upload the official doctor or parent note to Skyward verifying the appointment after the absence. See instructions to upload a note in Skyward.

Absence

Will your student be out sick for the day?

Enter it in Skyward! No need to call or send a paper note when they return! Parents/Guardians to enter enter doctor's notes/parent notes in Skyward. You can use the web version and/or the APP.

Future Absent Request Note

If your student needs to miss pre-planned multiple school days (beyond sick days or doctor appt.) a Parent/Guardian must fill out the absence request form in Skyward. See instructions to upload a note in Skyward. This form needs to be submitted at least one week before the absence.

Tardies

Students are expected to be in their classrooms by 8:25AM each day. Students who arrive after this time will be marked tardy. Three tardies equals one unexcused absence. Please get your student here on time every day!

Report your child's absences/tardies in Skyward!

1. Log into Skyward Family Access (portal.pisd.edu)
2. Click on the child who is/will be absent
3. Select the "Attendance" tile
4. Select "Add Absence Request"
5. Select date(s) of absence and reason
6. Add a Guardian Comment
7. 📎Add attachments (doctor's notes, dentist notes, etc.)
8. Select "Save" 💾 on the top left.

Attachments such as doctor notes can be uploaded if you have them, or added at a later date.

Note: A parent note or doctor's note is required to excuse an absence.

Lunch drop off is between 10:30am -12:30pm ONLY.

• A Lunch (no later than 10:50am)
• B Lunch (no later than 11:40am)
• C Lunch (no later than 12:30pm)

• Late lunches will not be accepted without a consequence.

• Do not leave drinks on the lunch cart unless they have a screw-on lids. No fast food drink containers---to avoid spilling.
• According to PISD policy, students may not receive deliveries from third parties such as Door Dash, Uber Eats, etc.
• All 6th graders have A lunch.
• B or C lunch is determined by your students 5th period. See daily bell schedule here

Final bell rings at 3:45 PM, and all students should be out of the building by 3:50 PM unless they are participating in a supervised after-school activity.

If your child is involved in an after-school program, they should head directly to their designated classroom right after dismissal. Most activities end by 4:15 PM, so please plan to pick up your student promptly at that time.

Please note that students are unsupervised after 4:00 PM and cannot return to the building once they exit.

I wanted to remind you about the importance of being alert and safe when driving around Rice Middle School. We are going to be experiencing more pleasant days from here to the end of the school year which means more students on foot and bike. While our students may not pay attention at all times around the school, it is important for the adults to be more aware. We appreciate you being patient at all times when driving around the school. You can review the Rice Traffic Plan here

Drop Off - Front driveway is for BUSES ONLY, do not use this driveway for drop off.

• 6th grade students AND their sibling/carpool partner - Dropped off and picked up along the driveway outside the cafeteria along the band hall. Students enter in the cafeteria. Parents exit on Gifford.

• 7th and 8th grade students - Dropped off and picked up along the driveway by Russell Creek. Students enter the building through front doors or pod doors (if open). Parents exit on Russell Creek.

• Walkers, bus riders and bike riders - Front Doors

Pick Up - The front driveway is for buses only. Please do not use this area as a pick up area.

• The bell rings at 3:45pm
• 6th grade pick up - cafeteria
• 7th & 8th grade pick up - South doors off Russell Creek Drive.
• Walkers and bus bike riders will exit through the front doors.

*Please keep the front driveway clear in the morning from 7:30AM-8:45AM and afternoon 2:30PM - 4:00PM as this area is used ONLY for the buses. 🚍🚍🚍🚍*

We also ask that while in the driveway for pick up and drop off that you are considerate of others. To keep things moving smooth and quick, please make sure your child is ready to get out of the car with all of their materials when you arrive and pick them up at school. If your child needs assistance when they arrive, please use a parking space to help them unload, we ask that you do not stop and hold up traffic.

Please note the following:

• For everyone's safety, we have been asked by our neighbors to not use the streets along Gifford for drop-off/pick-up purposes---including Adavale and Banks Circles.
• Due to the traffic congestion in the back of the building, there will no longer be an entrance into the driveway by the football fields off of Gifford. This will be an exit only area.
  
• Police Enforcement Effective Immediately and tickets will be issued - No stopping and standing signs are here for your our students safety. Please adhere to all signs and do not park and wait for students on Gifford and Russell Creek Drives.
• Please note that carpool is congested, especially the first couple of weeks of school. Thank you for showing patience, kindness and respect to the parents and students around you as you pick up and drop off each day.

If you have concerns about traffic around Rice Middle School, you may contact the Plano Police Department at: https://www.plano.gov/1857/Traffic-Enforcement-Request.

Please be sure your student is following our dress code especially regarding hats and shorts that are too short, or jeans that have tears above the thighs. Review the PISD Dress Code here.

Students may not have their cell phones, earbuds, or other personal devices out during the school day. Students will put their devices away at 8:10am as they are dismissed to class until 3:45pm. If you need to contact your child during the school day, please contact the front office (469.752.6002) and we will relay the information to them. Rice Middle School Cell Phone Guidelines

PACE provides services for students who require academically gifted services and have demonstrated the need for advanced, differentiated instruction. In grades six through ten, PACE becomes a daily academic course in the student's schedule also frequently referred to as the Humanities. In middle school (grades 6-8), the Humanities is embedded in the required Social Studies course taught by teachers trained in gifted education. For more detailed information about the PACE program, please refer to the following link: https://www.pisd.edu/giftededucation

Students can find information about new after-school clubs by using the announcement tile on their web-desk. Please encourage your child to check the announcements daily!

Information about current clubs can be found at this link.

Tickets are available PRIOR to the day of the event, BEFORE 3:00 p.m.

• All ticket sales will be online through Hometown Tickets at https://www.pisd.edu/Page/2304
• Ticket sales to the General Public will begin on Sunday at 8:00 a.m. for all games for the current week.
• More information at this link

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