Pence Press

Pence Families ~

Happy First Days of Fall! We have completed 22 successful days of school, and everyone seems to be settling in.

Here are a couple of reminders for the week:

1. Tuesday is our PINK OUT game. This game helps raise awareness for and fund cancer research. Make sure you have your forms signed so you can stay after school for our first tailgate and fundraiser event. DON'T FORGET TO WEAR YOUR PINK THAT DAY!

2. Please take a few minutes to check PowerSchool for your students REP points and grades. We are currently in the middle of our 1st nine weeks and this is the best time to make sure that all missing assignments are turned in. If you have questions, please feel free to contact your student's teachers or counselor.

3. Thursday and Friday are our first Club Days. Club Days take place during the school days five times throughout the school year and occasionally after school at the club sponsors discretion. Student may pick three clubs to participate in.

4. Competitive Soccer will have their first soccer match against J. Frank Hillyard Middle at 4:30 pm at Rockingham Park on Wednesday, September 25th. Students attending to watch the game must be accompanied by an adult the entire time. 5

5. There is no school for students on Monday, October 14th and Friday, October 25th.

6. Please remember to contact the school if your student is going to be out. The contact information is posted below. A reminder that vacation request must be submitted 10 days ahead of time for approval by Mrs. Shank.

7. Students must be in attendance 1/2 day to participate or attend after school activities.

We appreciate your help and support of Pence Middle.

Have a great week.

Teresa Shank

Our School wide fundraiser is off to a great start! If you haven't registered your students yet, please click on the link . The more students we have registered the more money our school receives. Our goal is to raise $15,000.00 for essential programs at Pence Middle School that are not currently funded through traditional means. Our Fundraiser runs through September 23rd. All order forms should be turned into the school office by Tuesday September 24th. https://www.shopfund.com/

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.

72-Hour Flash | 20% Off No Min. Code: RUSH20

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

9/24 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

9/26 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

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

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

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 throughout the year since they do so much for our kids!

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0845A5AA2CA0F58-50575995-stock

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

Ideas: Kcup coffee, Kcup hot cholocate, individual bags of chips, individual bags of trail mix/peanuts, small individually wrapped beef sticks, granola bars, protein bars, individually packaged cookies, small individually wrapped candies/chocolates - basically anything that is a GRAB and GO item!

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