Pence Press
August 21, 2023
Welcome Back, Pence Knights!
The 2023-2024 school year is just around the corner as school will begin this Wednesday. For those of you new to Pence, our weekly newsletter is our primary means of communication between school and home. It will usually go out to families each Sunday. The “smore” newsletter has the option to have it translated into a variety of languages. Please take some time each and every week to review the newsletter.
Additionally, I want to bring a few things to your attention this week that will help us get off to a good start:
Bus routes: Please be patient as drivers are learning their routes. Have your student(s) at his or her bus stop 10-15 minutes early and know that the bus could also be running a little bit late (both in the morning and afternoon).
Morning drop-off and pick-up: Please see the map in the newsletter. Please approach the school from the south on Ashby Street and turn right into the parking lot. Students may load and unload any time the vehicle is stopped along the sidewalk in-front of the school. Students may not enter the school in the morning until just before 8:00 AM. Students must wait in their vehicle until a staff member directs them to get out and enter the school.
Cell phones: If a student brings a cell phone to school, it must be silenced (powered off) and kept in his/her backpack throughout the school day. Earbuds and headphones will also be kept in backpacks throughout the day.
Attendance: This is simple. Students are most successful when they arrive on-time and attend school regularly. This is especially important in middle school and this time of their social and emotional development, along with their academic growth. Additionally, the state has made it part of each school’s accreditation process. We want to work with you through this process. However, please know that state code and RCPS policy both require us to address attendance concerns.
Chromebooks: Please have your student(s) charge his/her chromebook each and every night so it’s ready for the next day. Chargers should remain at home. Also, we appreciate your help in encouraging appropriate care and use of the chromebook.
In regards to student behavior expectations, we encourage students to “Be in the right place, at the right time, doing the right thing.” Additionally, we want students to be kind, be respectful, and be responsible. We believe each and every student has value and deserves to be treated as such. Regardless of our differences, at Pence, We ALL Belong. Middle school is not a perfect place, nor are any of us perfect people in an imperfect world. However, these are the values that we hold important. Middle school students are full of energy, life, questions, anxieties, struggles, changes, excitement, kindness, and caring. We embrace them all and are here to walk with them side-by-side during their years “in the middle.” Students will be most successful when there is a partnership between school and home. If you have any questions, comments, or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out.
Sincerely-
John Childs, Teresa Shank, and Jody Randolph
WSPMS Administrative Team
Pence Pride... GO KNIGHTS!
We are better together
Wednesday, August 23rd, is an ODD day!
Questions about Lockers
Why aren’t students assigned lockers? I am glad you asked. There are multiple reasons:
We do not have enough lockers for each student in the main academic halls for each grade level. Moving students to other parts of the building to try and get them a locker results in supervision problems. Additionally, students tend to have problems with their lockers (in which there are many) and it is very difficult for staff to try and help troubleshoot locker issues.
The hallways are crowded and the lockers are stacked one on top of the other or are very narrow with no spacing between them. Students struggle to access their lockers and get them open as they are overcrowded and students are trying to get to move to their classes. Historically, this has led to a tremendous amount of frustration, tardiness to class, and loss of instructional time.
Since we have started having students carrying their items with them from class to class, the amount of student conflict has gone down significantly as they are not crowded on top of each other and as they now move quickly from class to class.
Removing an aspect of conflict and “drama” in middle school (at this stage in their lives) allows for more content students, which also allows them to be in a better space to focus and learn.
Class changes are very brief and students have their backpacks on for a very short time. If a student simply takes his/her chromebook out of the backpack and carries it by hand, it does alleviate a good portion of the weight.
We have worked with our teachers to require the minimum number of supplies to cut down on both the weight and the cost to parents.
With all of that being stated, we are always willing to work with parents if there is a health concern to help determine a plan to lighten the load. Thank you!
Morning Drop-Off and Afternoon Pick-Up
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.
Dress Code
Please keep the school dress code in mind as you are shopping. The full policy can be found on the RCPS website under Policy JFCJ.
TAHS Activities
Dressing Out For Physical Education
School Attendance Information!
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.
Music Department Fundraiser
Sport Information
Check out our Student Activities Page on our website!
- 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, 2023, through June 30, 2024. A current physical is required by RCPS for all athletes to tryout and participate.
Volleyball
Try-Outs are 8/21/23-8/25/23 from 3:30pm to 5:30pm. Volleyball is open to 7th and 8th grade girls. Volleyball matches on Tuesdays and Thursday begin at 4:30pm.
9/5 AWAY @ Skyline
9/7 HOME vs Thomas Harrison
9/12 HOME vs Montevideo
9/14 AWAY @ Thomas Harrison
9/19 AWAY @ Elkton
9/21 AWAY @ Hillyard
9/26 HOME vs Skyline (Pink Out Game - Breast Cancer Awareness Fundraiser)
9/28 AWAY @ Montevideo
10/3 HOME vs Hillyard
10/5 HOME vs Elkton
Cross Country
Practice begins 8/21/23 and open to all grades. Thursday meets begin at 4:30pm unless otherwise noted.
9/7 HOME vs Elkton & Thomas Harrison
9/14 AWAY @ Hillyard
9/21 AWAY @ Montevideo
9/28 HOME vs Montevideo & Hillyard
10/5 AWAY @ Elkton
Information, Information, Information
The "Parent Resources" & "Student Resources" tabs are especially useful. I recommend that all Pence families take some time to review the Student Handbook.
Counseling & Administrative Support
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 / Teresa Shank (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
Sandy Hackbarth, Part-time Counselor - available on even days
KNIGHT’S CAFÉ
Students will give lunch money (cash or checks made payable to WSPMS with student's names in the memo line) directly to the cafeteria workers in the lunch line.
If your family chooses to apply for free/reduced price school meals, applications are available on the RCPS website (www.rcps.net). Please consider filling out the online application, as this is faster and easier than the paper application (www.myschoolapps.com). You will be notified by mail of your child's status once the application is processed. Please contact the Food and Nutrition Services Office at 540-434-7783 with any questions.