Hello Pine Hollow Middle School community. This is your principal, Dr. Carrington, with the weekly family message for the week of August 20, 2023!

All 3 Tracks In Together for First Time This Year!

This is a reminder that beginning on August 21 through September 8, all three tracks will be tracked in together. For the past six weeks, we have only had two out of the three tracks in at one time, so please be prepared for things to look, feel, and sound a little different with all of our students and staff in the building instead of only two-thirds of them. If you plan to drop off or pick up students in carpool, for example, please be prepared for longer lines and wait times.

Bus Transportation Updates

If you have been following the news, you are likely aware of the challenges the district (along with other school districts across the state and nation) is facing due to our bus driver shortage. For the past several weeks, we have not been as impacted by this due to the fact that traditional schools were not yet in session. With traditional schools starting on 8/28, however, and only 560 CDL drivers to transport 90,000 bus riders, please be aware that there will likely be some delays beginning on 8/28.

On Friday, 8/18, we were made aware of some route configurations that may cause some routes to arrive after the start of the school day and may cause some students to have to remain on campus at the end of the school day to wait for a school bus. If your child is impacted by these changes, you should have received an email from WCPSS Transportation this past Friday (August 18). Updated route information is also available on the Transportation tab of our school site under “Families” and is also reflected in students’ PowerSchool accounts.

 

Fall Picture Day on August 29

Strawbridge will be on campus to take fall pictures on Tuesday, August 29. These pictures will be featured in the yearbook, so all students should plan to take their picture at this time. Click here to access picture package pricing information. Parents/guardians may also wish to sign up for the online Strawbridge subscriber account to receive emails letting them know when pictures are ready to order as well as promotional deals and discounts on their child's pictures. Strawbridge Portrait Package envelopes will also be sent home with students this week.

Parent Flight Crew Nights Coming in September

As a heads up, we are in the process of planning a series of evening information sessions for parents/guardians oriented around different topics to support your students. The first session is tentatively slated to take place the first week of September and will focus on strategies for parents/guardians to assist their middle schooler establish a foundation for success. Within this session, we will explore ways to connect with school staff, different features of Canvas Parent Observer accounts, as well as how to get the most out of the PowerSchool Parent Portal. Additional information will be shared soon.

If you have ideas or suggestions for future topics/areas of interest, please feel free to reach out to Dr. Carrington (jcarrington@wcpss.net). 

 

Track 3 Library Books due This Week!

Track 3 student library books are due the week of August 21st. Please remind your student to bring their library books to school to return or renew. Students can check their library account in their WakeID portal by clicking on Follett Destiny Discover > My Stuff > Checkouts. Questions? Feel free to reach out to our school library, Ms. Ziller.

 

Athletic Updates

Important Dates:

• August 25: Paperwork must be in Dragonfly and approved by the Athletic Director. If there are issues, please contact Mr. Adams well in advance.  PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST DAY TO REGISTER IN DRAGONFLY. YOU NEED TO BE AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE IN CASE SOMETHING IS NOT CORRECT.

• September 5: Tryouts Begin for Football, Girls Soccer, Girls Volleyball and Cheer

 

Link to Athletic Website: https://wakecountyathleticzone.com/pine-hollow/  - To get to Dragonfly, please visit this site and click on registration.

 

​*****DragonFly Note - Parents, some of you have submitted incorrect forms, or forms in the wrong places. Please check your status to make sure you did not miss a form or have a form get rejected. DragonFly will close on Aug 22 for fall sports, so please get that in order well before the due date.  Waiting until the last minute may cause your child to miss tryouts.

 

Upcoming Conditioning/Skills Workouts will begin soon for football and cheer. Students must be academically eligible and approved by the AD in DragonFly to participate.

• Football (Aug 21-24 and Aug 28-31 from 3:15 - 5:15 pm):  Workouts will be in the gym so dress appropriately and bring a water bottle.  Rides can pick up students in the carpool loop behind the school at 5:00 pm. Coach Newby’s email is bnewby@wcpss.net.

 

• Cheer (Aug 21, 23, 28, 30 - from 3:30 - 5:00 pm): Workouts will be in the auditorium. Please dress accordingly and bring a water bottle.  Rides can pick up students in the carpool loop behind the school. Coach Sellers’ email is carliesellers15@gmail.com.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

As a reminder, to be eligible for fall sports, students must be in the 7th or 8th grade and…

• Have been promoted to this grade;

• Have passed 3 out of 4 core classes from the 2nd semester of the previous school year;

• Have attended 85% of their classes from the 2nd semester of the previous school year; and

• Not be 15 years old before August 31, 2023.