Stingray Scoop

Dear Stone Hill Middle School Families,

As we approach the end of the third quarter, it's hard to believe how quickly this school year is flying by! I've been incredibly proud of the hard work and dedication our students have demonstrated, both inside and outside the classroom. We've witnessed remarkable accomplishments in academics, arts, athletics, and community involvement. For example, just this past weekend, Stone Hill Guitar received straight superiors at the Guitar Assessment! In fact, every music program at Stone Hill has received superiors this year! Great job, Stingrays!!! As we enter the final weeks of the third quarter, I want to encourage all our students to finish strong with their academic growth as well.

Here are a few key reminders and resources to support your success:

• Reach Out to Teachers: If you have any questions or need extra assistance, please don't hesitate to connect with your teachers. They are dedicated to helping you achieve your best.
• Counselor Support: Our counselors are available to provide guidance and support for academic, social, and emotional well-being. Please reach out if you need assistance.
• Community Engagement: As the weather improves, take advantage of opportunities to engage in community projects and sports. We are wrappng up our intramural basketball season this week. These experiences have truly offered valuable learning and personal growth.
• Focus on Finishing Strong: Let's keep the momentum going and strive for a successful end to the third quarter.

We have many opportunities coming up where we look forward to partnering with you to celebrate and continue supporting our students. We hope that you will join us for our Culture Celebration event on April 3 from 4 - 6 PM as we come together as ONE to celebrate cultures, foods, music, customs, and special performances. Please reach out to our Equity Leads Ms. Bumgardner and Ms. Jackson with any ideas you have or volunteer opportunities to make this a great event for our school community.

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

In service to you and our Stingray community,

Rohini Tohan, Principal

Monday, March 24th

• A-day
• Activity Buses

Tuesday, March 25th

• B-day

Wednesday, March 26th

• A-day
• Activity Buses

Thursday, March 27th

• B-day
• Activity Buses

Friday, March 28th

• A-day

• March 31st ~ No School: Eid al Fitr
• April 3rd ~ Last Day of Quarter 3
• April 3rd ~ SHMS Culture Night, 6-8 pm
• April 4th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 7th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 14-18 ~ No School: Spring Break

Weeks of March 24 - April 4, 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!

For her Spectrum "Passion Project," 6th grader Anvi Koukuntla created a website that promotes healthy eating and helps middle school students improve on healthy food habits. Take a look at the amazing website that Anvi created: https://healthycrisp.my.canva.site/healthycrisp

The Stone Hill 8th Grade Guitar Ensemble received straight superiors at the District 16 VGDA Guitar Assessment this past weekend. We are very proud of their hard work and dedication. We had three students proudly represent Stone Hill at the All-District Guitar Ensemble! Congratulations to Srikrishna Kanumilli, Aryan Raj, and Advaith Reddy Chinnakalappa on their inspiring performance last Friday!

Last Friday, March 14th, our band students participated in a Band Assessment at Independence High School. Our students worked very hard and received superior ratings from all four judges! This is the highest rating we could have received and we are very proud of their work!

Stone Hill is thrilled to announce that several student teams have advanced to the second round of the Step Up Loudoun competition! These hard working students have demonstrated exceptional initiative by identifying a community problem, conducting thorough research, and ultimately problem-solving a real world solution. They've already put their plans into action, and we are incredibly proud of their dedication and hard work. We wish them the very best as they prepare for their live presentations for the judges on Wednesday, March 26th.

Congratulations to the following 8th grade teams: S.T.A.P - Senior Technology Assistance Program (Amit Josyula and Yash Kolla) and Hope for Heroes, (Tarak Kurra, Rohan Jakkampudi, Vishnu Mattapalli, Yash Sampath)

Congratulations to the following 7th grade teams: Financial Fortitude (Miraya Gupta) and SustainaWare (Aarna Katarki)

Happy birthday to all of our wonderful students born in the month of March!

While the 2025/2026 school year is still several months away, it is not too early to schedule vaccinations for rising 7th grade students. Students in going into Grade 7 next year are required to have the following immunization(s).

Required Vaccinations for All 7th-grade Students:

• One dose of Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis) given at age 7 or older
• One dose of Meningococcal Vaccine, MenACWY (MenQuadfi, Menveo), given at age 10 or older

Encouraged Vaccinations for All 7th-grade Students:

• HPV (Human Papillomavirus) vaccine

Once your student is vaccinated, please provide our school with the appropriate documentation. For more information, please see LCPS' Immunization Requirements webpage. For more general information about back-to-school immunizations for students of all ages, see the Virginia Department of Health website. Vaccinations are required by Virginia law and they help keep all of us safe. Thank you!

Candidate interest forms have been distributed to eligible students for the 2025 NJHS induction ceremony. If you are a current 7th grader who earned A Honor Roll status for the first two grading quarters this year, please see your advisory teacher to pick up your packet. If you are a 7th grader and earned all A’s this year but did not receive a packet, please contact NJHS Advisor Mr. Dylan Chapman with a copy of your report card to resolve any errors.

📅 Candidate interest packets are due by Friday, April 11, at 3:38 PM.

Missed eligibility this year? There may still be an opportunity!

Rising 8th graders who were not eligible may still qualify after final report cards are released at the end of the current school year. To be considered, students must have earned all A’s in at least two grading quarters and no lower than a B in any quarter for the 24-25 school year.

To request a candidate interest form, please submit the following items electronically to dylan.chapman@lcps.org by June 30:

✅ A copy of your final report card
✅ A brief statement of interest

Please note that while the NJHS chapter advisor is responsible for communication and overseeing the chapter, he does not make selection decisions and cannot recommend students for membership. Eligibility is determined based on the criteria outlined in our chapter’s bylaws, and final selections are made by a majority vote of the Stone Hill NJHS Faculty Council.

We look forward to welcoming the next group of NJHS scholars!

We are excited to announce our Culture Night on April 3rd from 6:00-8:00 pm! This is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the diverse cultures within our school community. If you are interested in participating in the cultural showcase, please fill out this form. We welcome performances, displays, and presentations that highlight your unique cultural heritage. Let's make this night a memorable celebration of our diversity!

Attention world travelers: Are you interested in a spring break trip to Japan in 2026? Then you’re in luck! Stone Hill Middle School is taking a journey around the world. Middle school travelers (and their parents!) will get to learn taiko drumming, explore a bamboo forest, visit ancient castles, go to a Pokemon center, enjoy time in the Harajuku shopping district, and more. ENROLLMENT IS NOW OPEN. Click here to learn more about the trip and our travel partner EF Tours. Click here to see our tour enrollment page. Spaces are limited!

After wrapping up our unit on the American Revolution, one thing is clear—Boston was the spark that ignited it all! From the Boston Tea Party to the Battle of Bunker Hill, your students have explored how this city shaped the birth of our nation. Now, they have the chance to step into history themselves!

Earlier this year, we announced that our school librarian, Mr. Geiger, is organizing an EF Tour of Historic Boston this summer, offering students the opportunity to experience history firsthand through immersive visits to key Revolutionary War sites. However, the enrollment window is closing soon, so if your family is considering this incredible experience, now is the time to act!

Last week, our History 6 team asked students which historical site in Boston they’d most want to visit—unsurprisingly, the Lexington Battle Green and the Boston Tea Party Ships were top picks! Imagine your child standing in the very places we’ve studied, seeing history come alive in a way no textbook can replicate.

Don’t miss out!
📜 Review trip details here: Trip Information
✍️ Ready to enroll? Sign up here: Enrollment Link

For questions, feel free to reach out to Mr. Geiger at david.geiger@lcps.org. We hope to see many of our young historians in Boston this summer!

The LCPS Student Maker Showcase returns to the Academies of Loudoun on Wednesday, March 26th.

Information is available on the showcase website at https://lcps.org/makershowcase and the application to exhibit is open now at https://forms.gle/wNawELbJqBjBJLji8

We even have Stone Hill students participating in this event, so don't miss out!

Families ~ Thank you for coming to our Rising 7th & 8th Grade Parent Night last week! Here are the two presentations for you to access:

Rising 7th Grade Parent Presentation

Rising 8th Grade Parent Presentation

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.

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 PTO Board seeks Parent Board Member for SY 2025-26

For Learning more about PTO Board Positions, roles and expressing interest or nominating yourself or a parent friend, please check out the following Google Form:

SHMS PTO BOARD Interest/Nomination Form for School Year: 2025-26

Flyer Attached.

Submit your interest/nomination by May 15th, 2025

For Questions, please reach out to president@shmspto.org

Stone Hill PTO Board seeks Parent Board Member for SY 2025-26

For Learning more about PTO Board Positions, roles and expressing interest or nominating yourself or a parent friend, please check out the following Google Form:

SHMS PTO BOARD Interest/Nomination Form for School Year: 2025-26

Submit your interest/nomination by May 15th, 2025

For Questions, please reach out to president@shmspto.org

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.

In order for our front office staff to help you in a timely manner, we request that you submit the ParentVue request at least two hours before the pickup time. Please also note that there is a cutoff time of 3:15 pm for all early dismissals. Thank you, in advance, for your help in following this procedure.

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

We’re excited to have Stone Hill Middle School participate in ‘Run The Greenway 2025’! LCPS students can register for only $30 using the promo code found in their PE Schoology folder. It’s very important to select “Stone Hill Middle School” when registering for the race. The top 5 schools with the most runners will receive a $1K Grant!!! Staff can email Mrs. Crissman for the staff discount promo code.

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

• March 31st ~ No School: Eid al Fitr
• April 3rd ~ Last Day of Quarter 3
• April 3rd ~ SHMS Culture Night, 6-8 pm
• April 4th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 7th ~ No School: Student Holiday
• April 14-18 ~ No School: Spring Break