School Dance This Friday (February 16)

 

Our next school dance will take place this week on Friday, February 16 right after school from 3:30 pm until 5:00 pm. This dance is only for Pine Hollow students, and the cost of admission is $5 (to be paid at the door—exact cash please). 

 

All students should be picked up immediately after the dance ends at 5:00. Any students who have not been picked up by 5:30 pm will be subject to having their future after-school privileges suspended. To assist with traffic congestion, each track will be assigned a pickup location:

 

• Tracks 1 & 3 pickup will be in the front of the school (Bus Loop)

• Track 4 pickup will be in the back of the school (Carpool)

ASSISTANCE NEEDED: In addition, our fabulous PTSA Dance Committee has been working overtime to get some extra assistance with this special event for students. A big shout out to them and parents/guardians who have already signed up to assist in some capacity. If you are able to help with chaperoning and/or contributing, please sign up here. The theme for this dance will be “A Night in Paris.” The dress code is casual, but students should feel free to wear their favorite outfits with hints of white, black, and gold. 

Celebrate Bus Drivers During “Love the Bus” Week

This week (2/12 - 2/16), we will be sharing our appreciation for our wonderful bus drivers during “Love the Bus” week. As we attempt to celebrate the outstanding drivers who get our students to and from school each day, students and families are invited to join Student Council in their efforts to recognize our school bus drivers.

Spring Pictures on March 1

 

Strawbridge will be on campus on March 1 for spring pictures. Families do not need to pay in advance for these photos. Instead, portrait proofs will be sent home from the school in about 3-4 weeks with additional details about how to order actual photos. Click here to see package prices.

Track Change Request Window Opens February 15

 

As we begin to prepare for the 2024-25 school year, families who will have students attending Pine Hollow MS next year will be able to request a track change beginning on Thursday, February 15. Families will have until midnight on March 8 to submit these requests.

 

PTSA Chili Lunch for Staff on March 1

 

The PTSA is planning a chili cook-off lunch for PHMS Staff on Friday, March 1 and are seeking volunteers to make this lunch a success by providing 8 or so crockpot chili dishes as well as some store-bought items. Please sign up here to assist.

 

2nd Semester PHMS Community Reads

 

We are cultivating a culture of reading at PHMS by sharing reading within our community. Our PHMS Community Reads selection this semester is Escape from Mr. Lemoncello's Library by Chris Grabenstein. Readers may choose the novel or graphic novel format! PHMS library copies are available for student checkout, visit your local library to check out a copy, or purchase your copy from your favorite place to buy books. Although this is an optional opportunity, we encourage students, school staff, parents, relatives, and neighbors to read the same book and engage in discussion with each other. Interested students will participate in enrichment activities during the school day later this spring. If you have any questions, please contact Kristen Ziller (library media specialist, kziller@wcpss.net). Happy reading! 

Donate to Our School Drives to Promote Literacy & Learning

 

School Supply Drive: National Junior Honor Society students are teaming up with the school counselors to host a school supply drive through the month of February. Please consider donating new items (list here) for our supply closet and help us provide essential school supplies to our students and make a positive impact on their education. 

 

Book Drive: The Wake Up and Read Book Drive is currently going on through February 14. Please help us spread the love of reading with others by donating new or gently used children's books. Books can be dropped off in the LLC. We're hoping to beat our record of donating 1303 books and we'd love your support.

 

Reminders from Previous Weeks

 

Don't Forget to Order a Yearbook!

 

Don’t forget to order your yearbook! Quantities are limited, so we encourage everyone to order them ASAP. To order online, visit yearbookordercenter.com (school code 21759). Click here to view the flier.

High School Registration for 8th Grade Families

 

Over the course of the next few weeks, we will begin the process of working with our 8th grade students to begin the high school course registration process. A number of high schools that we feed into will be hosting Open Houses, so please be sure to keep an eye out for communication from us about these opportunities. 

 

In fact, on February 20, our Student Services team will be hosting two virtual sessions for parents to learn more about the high school registration process. All 8th grade parents/guardians are highly encouraged to attend. We will host these virtual sessions in the morning and evening to accommodate different schedules. Click here for more information. The Pine Hollow MS Student Services page is also a great resource for you to find information about high school registration and upcoming open houses.

Athletics Updates from Mr. Adams

 

To stay up to date please follow our Athletic Director (Mr. Adams) on Instagram (PineHollow16) or Twitter (@PineHollowAD).

 

Important Dates Coming Up:

• February 20: Dragonfly Deadline for Spring Sports

• February 26: Tryouts for softball and boys soccer begin

• February 27: Tryouts for track begin

 

Tryout information is being updated daily on the PHMS Athletics Tryout Information page. 

 

Eligibility Reminder: Don’t forget that eligibility for SPRING SPORTS is based on this school year's 1^st semester grades and attendance.  You must pass at least 3 out of 4 core classes and attend 85% of your classes.  (Typically, that means no more than 14 absences in the first semester, excused or unexcused). Also, be sure to check your physical date to make sure it is still current.

 

Reminders:

• Spring Tryouts are almost here.  Students can check bulletin board to see if they are cleared for tryouts

• Some physicals in Dragonfly have expired, so please check to see if your child's physical is still current.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

1. If I filled out everything for fall and winter sports, do I have to resubmit everything again for spring tryouts? No

2. If I did not select any spring sports when I originally signed up, can I go back in and select one?  Yes, however you will need to email me (Mr. Adams, pjadams@wcpss.net) to let me know. Dragonfly will not give me a heads-up, and when I sort by sport, your child will not show up.