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December 2016 Newsletter

Potomac Middle

School "Staff, Students, and Parents Working Together as One"

3130 Panther Pride Drive, Dumfries, VA 22026

703.221.4996 Fax: 703.221.4998

Dear Potomac Parents and Guardians:

Potomac Middle School Students have really shown their Potomac Pride in the area of Academic

Excellence! Kudos as almost half of the Potomac Middle School Student Body has made the A/B

Honor Roll. I am looking forward to seeing what the second quarter brings. Parents, just a

reminder that 2nd quarter interims will be coming home with your child on Wednesday, December

21, 2016.

Our music students have also had a very successful first quarter. Several of our band, orchestra,

and chorus students auditioned for and are looking to receive prominent positions in the Junior

Regional Orchestra and All-County Chorus events held this fall. I look forward to the

opportunities coming in December to hear our young musicians in action at their winter concerts

and I encourage everyone to come out to hear them perform. Please check the school website and

your child’s agenda for their upcoming concert dates.

Potomac has also just concluded an extremely successful fall sports season. I would like to

congratulate all of our student athletes and their coaches for their excellent performance

throughout the fall athletic season.

I would like to thank the many students and parents who participated in Operation Turkey this

year. Special thanks goes to the school staff and SCA members who were instrumental in getting

the word out about Operation Turkey and helping to coordinate the collecting and pick-up of

donated items. I continue to be impressed with the willingness and generosity of our students and

school community to help those in need.

As we move into the holiday season and the latter half of the first semester of school, I would like

to thank our parents for the support they provide to students and staff. Parent involvement makes a

big difference in the success of individual students and the school as a whole. The contributions of

parents continue to be a significant help to the efforts of the Potomac Middle School staff to meet

the social, emotional, and academic needs of our students. It is my hope that every family has time

to enjoy the upcoming holiday season. The Winter Break starts on Thursday, December 22, 2016

and students return to school on Tuesday, January 3, 2017.

Mr. Kevin J. Smith

Principal

Upcoming Events

December 5

Choral Concert 7:00 p.m.

December 7

Orchestra Concert 7:00 p.m.

December 14

Band Concert 7:00 p.m.

December 21

2nd Quarter Interims go home

Important

Announcement

December 22 - 30

Winter Break – No School

January 2, 2017

Winter Break – No School,

Students return on January 3,

2017

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PTMS “Jewel of the East “Administrative Team

Kevin J. Smith, Principal

Brian Coleman, Assistant Principal

Latanya Haskins, Assitant Principal

Counselors’ Corner

Sixth grade is currently participating in classroom guidance lessons on Technology: Choices and Consequences. Things discussed

include cyberbullying and how to appropriately deal with it, online responsibility, online safety, and where students can go to for

help with cyberbullying or other internet related problems. Students were reminded that cyberbullying outside of school can still

have school related consequences. Please talk with your child regularly about safely and responsibly using all electronic devices.

Seventh graders are ready to begin their guidance lesson on distinguishing Sexual Harassment from Flirting. Student will learn to

identify boundaries; have an understanding of what sexual harassment is and who to report it to; and what is healthy flirting. In

addition, quarter 2 students will begin developing their Academic and Career Plans.

The eighth grade students are ready to begin applying to high school specialty programs. Several have competed and submitted

their application for Colgan High School’s Fine Arts Program. Remember to check the high school’s specialty programs webpage

for additional information, or attend their High School Information Night. Eighth graders have also received their second

classroom guidance lesson: Healthy Relationships. Students should be able to identify characteristics of a healthy relationship, as

well as identify characteristics of an unhealthy relationship. They understand that respect and communication are essential to

healthy relationships. Students recognize personal boundaries and the need for privacy. They understand that parents, teachers,

and counselors remain resources in which they can seek help.

From the Counseling Department to your home, we wish you a Merry Christmas !

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PTMS SCA

SPIRIT WEEK

DECEMBER 12-16

Monday - SQUAD DAY

Get your entire squad to dress the same

Tuesday - CHARACTER DAY

Dress up like your favorite fictional character

Wednesday – COLOR WARS

Guys wear white and Girls wear black

Thursday - THROWBACK THURSDAY

6th grade 60's; 7th grade 70's; 8th grade 80's; Staff 90's

Friday - PANTHER PRIDE

We are going to fill the halls with Black and Burgundy

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Strengthening Our Communities by Educating and Empowering Women”

Are you looking for a way to empower, Inspire, Motivate and

Educate your Daughter?

Then Real Women Moving Forward is here for you!

PTMS Meeting:

January 18, 6:00 p.m.

Real Women Moving Forward is a nonprofit organization that has served our communities since 2009. We

provide state of the art classes, seminars, and workshops all designed with the women in mind! We will be

providing workshops in your local community beginning Spring 2017.

For more details, please email me:

sheltonjabrita@yahoo.com

Or call 240.351.2015 for location, dates and times.

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“What the World Needs Now……”

Potomac students, staff, and community are cordially invited to

the

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Oratorical Competition

at the Hylton Memorial Chapel, on January 21, 2017, at 11:00 A.M.

This event is free!!!

Please feel free to donate a coat and canned food items for families in need.

You do not want to miss this awesome event.

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Panther of the Month

Potomac Middle School’s Panthers of the Month! This award honors children who deserve special

recognition for outstanding abilities, achievements and efforts.

Panther of the Month/Year Criteria

1. Student must have the cumulative, non-rounded GPA of 3.0 or higher for the month receiving

award. * For a student to be eligible for Panther of the Year Award they must have earned the

Panther of the Month Award.

2. Leadership:

A. Student exemplifies positive attitude.

B. Demonstrates reliability and dependability.

C. Is a leader in the classroom and in school activities.

3. Service:

A. Works well with others and is willing to take on various responsibilities.

B. Volunteers and provides dependable and well-organized assistance and is gladly

available to offer assistance to others.

C. Shows courtesy in and out of classroom by assisting visitors, teachers, and students.

4. Character:

A. Consistently exemplifies desirable qualities of behavior (cheerfulness, friendliness, poise,

composure).

B. Cooperates by complying with school regulations concerning property, programs, office,

and hallways.

C. Demonstrates the highest standards of honesty and reliability.

D. Regularly shows courtesy, concern, and respect for others.

E. Engaged during instruction, observes rules, and is punctual.

F. Actively helps promote Potomac Middle School in a positive manner!

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Congratulations to November Panthers of the Month!

Mariam Ibrahim Daniel McLean

Jasmine Hall Felix Hammond-Donkoh

Yadhira Berrios-Caballero Miah Justiniano

Kadiatou Traore Alicia Koukoui

Trevor Hughes Valerie Figueroa

Rachel Luna Mariama Diallo

Mesgana Nuradis Aiden Rinonos

Darryl Thomas Casey DeJesus-Webb

Evelyn Ordonez Reyes Marilyn Lontchi

Kendrick Bosco

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This year we are excited to be partnering with a fun, free, and truly easy fundraiser called

Shoparoo! Schools nationwide are already earning hundreds and even thousands every year

through Shoparoo and it’s a great opportunity for us to really make a difference this year!

Shoparoo is school fundraising made easy: the free app turns pictures of your everyday shopping

receipts into cash donations and sweepstakes entries for our school! Yep, it’s that simple. No more

cutting labels, selling door to door, or time-consuming coordinating. All you have to do is shop as

you normally do, snap pictures of your receipts with the app, and voila Just shop, snap, earn!

Get started today:

1. Download the free Shoparoo app from the Apple App Store or Google Play Store

2. Select our school from the list and start taking pictures of your receipts - shop anywhere, buy

anything!

There’s no limit to how much money we can raise with Shoparoo - the more supporters, the more

we will raise for our school. Schools with just 40 supporters are earning an average of $1,000 every

year. That’s free, easy money that we could be fundraising too. Check out shoparoo.com to learn

more about this awesome app!

Thank you for your support!

This is our second year using Shoparro. Last year we earned over $85, let’s see if we can earn even

more this year!

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** Please send in your completed form and dues with your student. **

Dear Parents,

We invite you to help make a difference in your child’s Middle School

Experience by joining the PTSO. The PTSO has partnered with Potomac

Middle School to help expand several great programs that include:

1. Make PTMS a place where parents want to help out and be involved.

2. Create opportunities for parents to be involved and have a place where

they can share their concerns and ideas.

3. Help raise money to help teachers with additional learning tools for our

children. Our goal this year is to donate new laptops for teachers and

students.

4. Have more fun family events throughout the school year.

We have a page on the Potomac Middle School website. We will update

with all our latest information of upcoming events, program updates and

ways you can help our students, school, and community.

You can also “Join” our Facebook Page “Potomac Middle School PTSO”. If

you have any questions or would like more information on the PTSO, and

volunteer opportunities please contact us at

potomacmiddlePTSO@gmail.com

Please fill out this form and return along with payment with your student.

Checks can be made out payable to Potomac Middle School PTSO.

Returned checks will be subject to a $36 service charge.

Sincerely,

Potomac PTSO

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** Please send in your completed form and dues with your student**

Student Name (s) _______________________________________

Grade 6th 7th 8th Homeroom Teacher ____________________

Parent/Guardian ______________________________________

Address ______________________________________________

City __________________ State_______________ Zip ___________________

Email (Please print clearly) __________________________________

Telephone _________________________ Cell Phone _____________________

I prefer to be contacted by ____Email ____Phone _____Text

PTSO FEES

______ $ 15 per family

______ $ 5 per facility member (Must be part of PTSO to request funding and

supply donations)

______ $ 150 Business donation and membership. This will insure your

advertising of business on the bulletin board at school throughout the school

year. As well as advertising on the PTSO web page and the PTSO newsletter.

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Right to Special Programs/Services The Prince William County Public Schools Division is required to inform the community of a

student’s right to a free, appropriate public education and the availability of programs and

services, including a special education. The Individuals with Disabilities Education

Improvement Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) are federal

laws that give the School Division certain responsibilities with respect to providing such

educational programs to students with disabilities. Under the IDEA and Section 504, the School

Division has the responsibility to actively and continuously identify, locate, and evaluate those

children, infant to age 21, living in Prince William County who may be in need of special

education and/or related services, or adaptations or accommodations to regular education

services.

These laws also require the School Division to:

• Refer for possible evaluation any student of school age living in the School Division who a

school staff member suspects may be disabled.

• Provide appropriate educational and school‐related opportunities to students with disabilities

in an inclusive setting to the maximum extent appropriate.

• Provide notice of the availability of services and types and location of services to nearby

private schools, pediatricians, and the Health Department.

• Provide parents/guardians of students with disabilities with notice of their rights annually,

and prior to their student’s evaluation and placement, or any significant change in their

student’s placement.

• Develop and implement procedural safeguards with respect to actions regarding the

identification, evaluation, and placement of students with disabilities.

• Provide written notice of the School Division’s procedural safeguards to parents or guardians.

If you suspect that your student may have a disability affecting your student’s development or

academic performance, or may have a mental or physical impairment that substantially limits a

major life activity, please contact the Director of Special Education at 703.791.7287 for further

information.