THE WEEKLY WILDCAT UPDATES 2015-2016
Below are important reminders to help you stay involved and engaged with your student’s
upcoming events at Rocky Hill Middle School.
Follow us on –https://twitter.com/RockyHillPRIN
NEW bell times
Please note the new school times: school begins at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Students may
enter the school building each day at 7:50 am. The first bell rings at 8:10 and school starts at 8:15
am. PLEASE do not drop your child off any earlier than 7:50 am since there is no adult
supervision before 7:50 am. Please also pick up your child in the afternoon no later than 3:10 pm.
Rocky Hill Events/ Information:
Monday, Sept. 21, -34567
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Afternoon Show-TV Studio-1:45pm
Tuesday, Sept. 22, -12345
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Drama -Shrek (the musical) –Rehearsal- 3:10pm
Fantasy Football (rm 149)- 3:10pm
Field Hockey-3:10pm
Wednesday, Sept. 23,- (No School)
Thursday, Sept. 24, -67123
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Drama - Shrek Jr.-Rehearsal – Room 105-3:10pm
Fantasy Football (rm 149) and STEM (rm 164)-3:10pm
Field Hockey-3:10pm
Family Life Meeting -6:30pm
Friday, Sept. 25, -45671
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NO afterschool activities
PTA International Night- 6:00pm-Rocky Hill
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Million Father March: THANK YOU to the fathers who joined us for the Million Father
March 2015 at Rocky Hill Middle School! The Black Star Project was honored to have all fathers
and father figures help us greet students last. We hope to schedule another opportunity in
the future!
International Night-September 25th-6:30-8:30pm Hello Rocky Hill Family!!
Save the date! Friday, September 25, 2015 is our annual International Night event!!! The event
starts promptly at 6:30 PM and ends at 8:30 PM. Amazing displays and tasty treats from
Cameroon, China, Columbia, Egypt, El Salvador, Guatemala, India, Italy, Jamaica, Korea,
Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Senegal, Trinidad & Tobago, USA, Sri Lanka, Togo, Congo
Brazzaville & Iran. Awesome performances from the Washington Samulnori
group (Korea), El Tayrona (Latin), CHS Latin Dancers and from two of our amazing
students! Don’t forget to visit our Membership & Spirit Wear table!!! Kona Ice will be there
and 20% of the proceeds will be going towards the #FundtheBus Project for the Spring
Activity Bus. It is going to be a fantastic event! You don’t want to miss it!!! For additional
information please contact Sherene Maitland at [email protected]
CALLING ALL DISTINGUISHED YOUNG GENTLEMEN WILDCATS
"A Mentor empowers a person to see a possible future, and believe it can be obtained" ~ S. Hitchcock
Join Mr. Sullivan Phillips and Mr. Raymond James, of the Men Organized to Raise Engagement
Group (M.O.R.E. Chairs) for an afternoon full of excitement, hope and wonder. Parents and
sons are encouraged to come to the next meeting on September 30. For additional information
please contact Mr. Phillips at [email protected].
Attention 8th Grade Parents
8th Grade Team Building Field Trip ~ September 25, 2015
Our 8th graders have a team building field trip at Adventure Park on September 25th.
Following the field trip the 8th graders will be treated to a Pizza lunch. Please consider
donating a few items to go along with the Pizza! The donation list can be found on the sign up
genius below. All items should be dropped off in the main office no later than Tuesday,
September 22nd. Mark all items 8th Grade Lunch. For additional questions, please contact
Dana Walker, 8th Grade Promotion & Celebration Chair @ [email protected].
Sign up genius @ http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080a4aaba92da64-rocky
SAFETY UPDATES:
We appreciate everyone's cooperation with the morning and afternoon car rider lines. Our lines
are moving with more efficiency as we have more cooperation from parents about the car rider
line guidelines. Please follow all directions from staff about the car rider line, as we are working
with you to keep all of our student’s safe at school. In an attempt to provide maximum safety for
our students, we have established specific guidelines for parents to follow when dropping off or
picking up their children in the morning and afternoon. We are asking that parents to show
kindness in the drop off circle and a commitment to safety by following these guidelines:
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All car riders need to be picked up from the car rider line—not the parking lot or on
Brick Haven Way or Little Seneca Pkwy.
Please do not drive down the parking lanes, and for safety, do not allow your child to exit
the car and walk through the parking lot.
When entering the parking lot, immediately turn right and then follow the outer lane
ALL THE WAY around the top of the car rider circle down to the drop-off area at the
“student drop off” sign.
Please do not park in the parking lot and have your student walk to your car or you get
out and the parent walk them over. There have been a few times where cars have almost
hit students and staff in our parking lot.
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Please do not drive around other vehicles in the car rider line – students should be
dropped off immediately upon entering the circle which will allow for a continuous flow
of traffic out of the parking lot.
Last but not least: please do not drive over the cones we have placed in the parking lot.
Family Life Meeting
Thursday, September 24th in the Media Center, from 6-7pm for all 7th and 8th grade parents.
Good evening parents and guardians, this is a reminder that our annual Family Life and Human
Sexuality Community meeting will be held Thursday, September 24 th in the Media Center,
from 6-7pm for all 7th and 8th grade parents. Please plan to arrive at 6pm so you receive all the
information. We will also have several county approved movies we will have running for your
viewing pleasure from 6:30-7.
RH website Information for Parents:
Thank you so much to everyone who made it to our Back to School Night this past week. We
had an exceptional turn out both nights! On our RH website, in the About Us section, we have
added a section with all of the Edline codes, our grading policy, and the flipchart about
Communication & Edline that was presented during homeroom for your convenience. Lorie
Quinn, 6th Grade Team Leader, Outdoor Education Coordinator, Math Teacher, 301-353-8282 x
170.
MCPS PARENT ACADEMY
The MCPS Parent Academy offers parents and community members the opportunity to attend
FREE workshops that provide information, resources, tools and tips to support their children’s
success in school. Don’t miss the fall season of workshops, which will be offered on a range of
topics, including cybersafety and social media, advocating for your special education child,
religious diversity and teen substance abuse. Childcare and interpretation services are provided
at all sessions. A full list of courses is available on the Parent Academy website. (See link)
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/parentacademy/workshops.aspx
PASSWORD UPDATE
The first week of school each student received a plastic protected password sheet that includes
all of their passwords for the year (computer log in, Edline, Google Apps for Education,
Noodletools, Destiny Library Catalog and Discovery Education). These password sheets should
be kept in their 3-ring binders, not at home, so they can access them during the school day as
needed. NOTE: Edline passwords for grade 6 students will not be activated until they
attend Media Center Orientation in September.
HOMEWORK HOTLINE LIVE!
Homework Hotline Live! (HHL) is kicking off a new fall season on Tuesday, Sept. 15, to help
students in kindergarten through 12th grade by offering free homework help. Students can
contact HHL teachers from 4:30–6 p.m. on the phone or 4:30–9:30 p.m. online on Tuesdays,
Wednesdays and Thursdays, and 6-9:30 p.m. online on Mondays. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays
and Thursdays, from 4:30–6 p.m., questions will be answered “live” on TV. Questions submitted
at other times will receive a text or email response. Homework Hotline Live! can be viewed on
MCPS-TV (Comcast 34, Verizon 36, RCN 89) and on the web at
www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/departments/itv/hhl.
IMPORTANT BEGINNING OF SCHOOL FORMS:
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PARENT CHILD REUNIFICATION FORMS (PCR): Please be sure to return your
(PCR) form to the main office. This information is used to contact families in case of an
emergency. (PCR Form -See Link below)
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rockyhillms/about/paren
t_reunification0910.pdf
MAIN OFFICE UPDATES:
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The main office hours are 7:30am until 4:00pm. A reminder that the main office for our
school closes at 4:00 pm each day. The phones are not answered after this time and all
messages left will be picked up the following morning.
6th grade, and new 7th/8th grade parent Edline activation codes were mailed by MCPS
last week. If you have questions about Edline, please contact Ms. Laurie AbitaGramatges at [email protected]
RHMS has a new attendance procedure this year. To report an absence for the day,
please leave a voice message on the new attendance phone line at 301-601-3195 OR email
the Attendance Secretary at [email protected]. Please include the full
name and grade of your child. For questions about absence calls you may have received,
please also call the attendance line (301-601-3195) and leave a message with your name,
your student’s name and your phone number. In the event that you have an unexpected
early dismissal, please call 301-353-8282. (See Link Below)
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rockyhillms/news/homer
oom/ATTENDANCENOTE_revSept2015doc.pdf
EARLY DISMISSAL/ABSENCE SAMPLE FORM: Parents wishing to pick up their
children at any time, prior to the 3:00pm dismissal, must send in a note with their child
to be processed in the main office at the beginning of the day. Rocky Hill has prepared a
form for your convenience. (See Link)
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rockyhillms/news/Early
DismissalAbsenceForm.pdf
PARENT/STUDENT SCHOOL CHECKLIST: A checklist has been created to
minimize forgotten items. We encourage the use of this checklist, as it will help cut
down on class interruptions. As Staff, Teachers, and Parents we are committed to
assuring that instruction is not repeatedly disturbed due to classroom interruptions.
(See link below)
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rockyhillms/news/homer
oom/ParentStudentChecklist(1).pdf
ROCKY HILL PTA UPDATES:
Volunteering on the Hill.....Please check out our PTA volunteer needs and help to ensure that
the various programs and events here at RHMS are successful. For additional information
please visit http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e49aea729a5fb6-20152016/28151730
FUND THE BUS! Please support the PE department and help (Fund The Bus). During PE class the PE
department is selling water to support the Activity Bus during the month of May. Our support is key.
With our help the students will be able to play intramural sports in the spring. Help us Fund the Bus!!
Wounded Warriors: Don’t forget to bring in your gently used and up to date or
new magazines for our Wounded Warriors. We are collecting them on each grade level floor!
Look for your decorated box at the top of Pride Parkway! Help us help our wounded soldiers feel
a little better by having something to read. All magazines will be going to the Walter Reed Army
Medical Center.
RHMS DADS SHOWING ROCKY HILL PRIDE AT THE "MILLION FATHER MARCH"
Bright and early on a crisp Tuesday morning, RHMS dads took positions along the car rider
drop off circle and bus drop off lot and greeted students as they arrived for school. The message:
Dads are involved and dads care too.
RHMS, in partnership with the Black Star Project, participated in a nationwide movement
Tuesday with the sole purpose to demonstrate to our students that although work or life
schedules may interfere with the day-to-day ability to volunteer at the school level, their
dedication to students and the Rocky Hill community stands firm and strong.
This was a powerful demonstration of solidarity and commitment from our dads to their
children, their families, their communities, and their country with their dynamic presence at
school on Tuesday.
A very special Rocky Hill Pride shout out goes to the following men who participated:
Steve Wilson
Satyant Naik
Mark Burke
Terry Briscoe
Chris Forrest
Tony Crawford
George Johnson
Scott Jones
Andre Thornton
Brent Wise
In fact, the morning greeters were so well received that RHMS is now seeking regular
morning greeters! Go Dads!
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THE CARPOOL LINE NEEDS YOU!!
Please consider volunteering to help move cars along in the carpool line!
Volunteers are needed in the morning from 7:30 – 8:10am and in the afternoon from 2:45 –
3:25pm. Your assistance is greatly appreciated!! When MCPS Schools are closed – SO IS CAR
POOL! When MCPS schools are delayed, please check the school web site for specific start
times. Upon your arrival at school, please check in with the Main Office. For additional
information and to sign up, please go to http://www.signupgenius.com/go/20f054ca9ae2ca1fd0thecar
JOIN THE RHMS FAMILY FOR OUR FIRST EVER COLOR RUN!
What is the color run?
Otherwise known as, “The Happiest 5k on the Planet”, the Color Run is a five-kilometer, untimed race in which the participants, or “Color Runners”, are doused from head to toe in
different colors at each kilometer. With only two rules, the idea is easy to follow:
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Wear white at the starting line
Finish plastered in color!
The first Color run was founded in March 2011 to promote community spirit and healthy living.
Our Color Run is a fun walk/ run through a course planned by staff members around Rocky Hill
Middle School. This event is themed as a 5k “run”, however, participants can walk, run, ride
scooters or be pushed or pulled around the course. This is meant to be a fun event celebrating
the community, diversity and fellowship of Rocky Hill families against a background of wildly
splashing color!
How do I sign up?
Go to RHMS website and click on Color Run link on home page, then click on link to RHMS
Color Fun Run Registration Flyer.
Sign up by September 25th to be guaranteed a T-shirt for participating. The T-shirt will feature a
logo on the front commemorating our first RHMS Color Run, with various sponsors listed on
the back.
If you sign up after September 25th, a T-shirt will have to be provided by the participant.
Registrations will also be accepted during the morning of the event with participants providing
their own T-Shirts.
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/schools/rockyhillms/pta/RHMSColorFu
nRunRegistrationFlyer.pdf
Event Date/Time:
The Color Run will be held on October 24th at RHMS starting at 9:00 am
Registration starts at 7:30am. Warm-up starts at 8:30 with help from two of the sponsors
The Grand Finale:
As participants cross the finish line they will be greeted with cheers and music and a final
dousing of Color. For additional information please contact Robin Turner Gray, Color Run
Chair at [email protected]
Media Center Volunteers Needed: Mrs. Gramatges and Mrs., Heidary in the Media Center are
in need of parent volunteers for the entire school year in the mornings from 7:45 to 8:10 AM to
help out with checking out books, handing out passes, checking contest answers and just being
an adult presence in the Media Center. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!
(See Link) http://www.signupgenius.com/go/10c0e49aea729a5fb6-parent
*Chess and STEM clubs begin September 16th & 17th. Don't forget to turn in your registration
forms on or before these days as not to miss the first sessions. Registration forms can be
downloaded from the PTA website. For additional information, please contact, Craig Harris,
Chess and STEM Chair, @ [email protected]
*Membership Matters ~ Greetings from Diana Encinas, Membership Chair. Thanks to all of our
parents, staff and community members who have joined our PTA. We TRULY APPRECIATE
ALL OF THE SUPPORT!! However, we still aren't quite near our goal for this year, this year we
would love to have at least 500 staff and parent members join the PTA. The PTA is doing a lot of
new things this year and we need your help, so please consider joining if you haven’t already. If
you have any questions please don’t hesitate to email Diana Encinas at [email protected] or
at 301-370-2116. Thank you so much and keep sending those membership forms in!
Junior Achievements: This October, the 6th grade students at Rocky Hill will be participating
in the Junior Achievement program during their Social Studies classes. Volunteers will visit their
classrooms to teach them about financial literacy; topics range from career planning, budgeting,
credit cards versus debit cards, credit score and insurance. We’re looking to get parents involved
to volunteer in the classroom. Volunteers are provided with pre-developed curriculum to guide
students through games and activities that will illustrate the concepts. Volunteers are given a
kit and training is provided by JA staff to orient volunteers on how to work with students in the
classroom. On-going support is given in the classroom by a professional educator at all times.
Volunteers visit the classroom once a week for 5 weeks to deliver the material. This is a prime
opportunity to give back to your community by sharing your economic life lessons. You do not
need to have a background in finance or teaching to be a successful volunteer. All you need is
enthusiasm for working with students and a willingness to share your story. Please consider
supporting our students and building your community by volunteering to teach! To learn more
about opportunities or ask a question, email Amanda Parsley, JA Education Manager,
at [email protected] or call301-838-0471. If you’re ready to sign up, check out the SignUp
Genius Form to reserve the class that works best for you. You can also check out this
short video to learn what JA is all about!”
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