Sexual Harassment Workshop for 7th Grade Students This year, Prince William County’s Student Services office has directed the Middle Schools’ Counseling Departments to conduct a Sexual Harassment workshop for all students in grade 7. The approved curriculum was shared in December, with the understanding that the program would be integrated by the end of the current school year.
We understand a family may prefer to have instruction pertaining to Sexual Harassment be provided in another venue. Every effort will be made to ensure that students understand and respect family choices in this matter in order to avoid undue peer pressure for or against the program.
Complete and return this letter, by Monday, January 23, only if you choose to opt your child out of the Sexual Harassment instructional program.
Hylton HS TV Production Specialty Program 8th Grade Students,
The application for Hylton High School's Television Production specialty program is now available. This is the only CTE specialty program that is available to rising 9th grade students. You need to complete the application and recommendations and return your completed application to Mr. Davison or Ms. Hernandez.
You can download the application here or in the documents section below. Overview of High School Specialty Programs We have prepared a PowerPoint Presentation that highlights the major features of the different high school programs in the county. We encourage you to explor each school's specialty program website for more detailed information.
Upcoming High School Specialty Program Information Nights
Upcoming High School Specialty Program
Information Nights
Potomac High School – November 3rd
Gar-Field High School – November 3rd
Hylton High School – November 9th
Osbourn Park High School – November 16th
Freedom High School – November 17th
Woodbridge High School – November 17th
Forest Park High School – November 17th
** All meetings start promptly at 7 p.m. at the respective school. **
HS Specialty Programs High School Specialty Program Application Now Available Online
November 1, 2011
New this year for students applying to Prince William County Public Schools (PWCS) high school specialty programs is an easy-to-use online application. Specialty programs offer a wide variety of additional course options and rigor embedded within the programs. Students residing in Prince William County on January 1 must submit the required application form by February 15 to be considered for admission to a specialty program.
The applicant can identify more than one specialty program for which to be considered, but the choices need to be indicated in order of preference.
If applicants change their minds on the order of preference for their program choices before the registration deadline of February 15, the application will need to be resubmitted and the most recent application submitted will be considered. Each application receives a time/date stamp.
High School Specialty Program Information Night Parents and eighth-grade students are invited to attend one of two general information meetings on high school program opportunities.
Both meetings are scheduled from 7–9 p.m. at the Kelly Leadership Center, 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas, VA 20112. Representatives from specialty programs, career and technical education programs, and JROTC programs will be present at each meeting. An information presentation will be offered in both English and Spanish.
On Monday, October 17, programs from Forest Park, Freedom, Gar-Field, Hylton, Potomac, and Woodbridge High Schools will be represented.
On Tuesday, October 18, programs from Battlefield, Brentsville, Osbourn Park, Patriot, and Stonewall Jackson High Schools will be represented.
Freedom High School’s Center for Environmental and Natural Sciences (CENS); Hylton High School’s Center for International Studies and Languages (CISL); Osbourn Park High School’s Biotechnology Center; and Woodbridge High School’s Center for the Fine and Performing Arts (CFPA) will be represented both evenings.
2011-2012 Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology Admissions Process Info
In order to apply for Thomas Jefferson High School, 8th grade students must currently be in Algebra I or higher. Some early dates you may wish to put on your calendar are:
-
- September 26, 2011 - Applications available through Mr. Davison
- October 1, 2011 - TJ Open House
- October 21, 2011 - Application Deadline (receipt date)
- December 3, 2011 - Test Day
Open House for Incoming 6th Grade Students Parents of Incoming 6th graders,
Rippon will be hosting an Open House for our future 6th grade students and their parents on May 12th. The event will begin at 6:00 p.m. and will last until 7:00 p.m. You will be able to take a brief tour of the 6th grade wing of the school, as well as hear from select members of our faculty. We will be discussing how students' schedules will work next year, as well as the expectations we have for them. For more questions, please call the school at 703-491-2171.
Student Schedules for Next School Year Dear Parents,
We are currently in the process of coming around to each of the 6th and 7th grade classrooms to have the students complete their course requests for next school year. We have asked students to take home their scheduling request forms and get them signed by a parent or guardian, and to please return them to their homeroom teacher as soon as possible.
If there are changes that need to be made to the scheduling form, please write directly on the form and return it to school.
**Please keep in mind that requests for extended/advanced core classes (Math, Science, LA, Spanish, Algebra) will be dependent upon SOL scores and recommendations of teachers. **
If you have questions regarding the schedules for 7th and 8th grade, please call us at 703-491-2171.
Freedom High School Visit Students attending Freedom High School next year (as either their base school or for the CENS program) will be going over to tour the school this morning to hear from the faculty and staff. Students will be given a general overview about the Freedom experience, including academics, sports, clubs, and student life. Our hope is that they will leave Freedom feeling more comfortable about their high school transition.
Summer School Registration Forms Parents,
If your student is eligible for free summer school, you should have already received a notification letter in the mail. Those qualifying students will be receiving the registration form through their homeroom teachers this week. If you did not receive a letter in the mail, but still wish for your child to be enrolled in summer school, there is a tuition fee of $250 for in-county students. Please refer to the registration forms below for more information. The registration form should be completed by Friday, May 27, 2011.
Registration Form (English)
Registration Form (Spanish)2011 Summer Enrichment Program in Mathematics and Technology for Talented Youth (MTTY) at George Mason University
George Mason University is offering non-credit summer enrichment courses in Mathmatics and Technology for 7th and 8th graders. To participate students must have at least a B average in their most recent math class. Tuition costs are $400 per course per term.
Subjects: Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-calculus, Calculus, SAT Math Prep, B2C2, and Introduction to JavaScript with Webpage Design
Term 1: June 27th - July 8, 2011 (except July 4th) - Monday through Friday
Term 2: July 11 - July 22 - Monday through Friday
Term 3: July 25th - August 5 - Monday through Friday
For more detailed information please see: http://www.mtty.org or call 703-973-6889
Applications are available with Mr. Davison in the counseling office.
Retention Letter Information for Parents and Students FAQ's about Retention Letters
1. How many times do we send out Retention Letters?
Twice: At the end of Semester 1 and Quarter 3
2. What kinds of grades constitute a possible retention letter:
For Semester 1 ONLY
8th grade: These students have received a D or F for the 1st Semester
6th/7th grade: These students have received 2 Fs, 2 Ds, or an F and a C, D+, D for the 1st and 2nd Marking Periods in 1 or more courses.
For Marking Period 3 ONLY
8th grade: These students have received 2 Fs, 2Ds, or an F and a C, D+, or D for the 1st Semester and the 3rd marking Period in 1 or more courses.
6th and 7th grade: These students have received 2 Ds and an F, 2 Fs and a C or D, 3 Fs, or a D+ and F for the 1st and 2nd Marking Period and a D or F for the 3rd.
Peer Mediation The peer mediation program will be starting next Wednesday, January 12th. Peer mediation utilizes students to help their classmates problem solve and effectively communicate. The peer mediation process focuses on solving minor disputes between classmates and friends, and is not meant to be used for serious issues (bullying, harassment) or matters that involve an administrator.
Students who would like to participate in a peer mediation session need to sign up for a Wednesday time slot on Mr. Davison's door. Passes are provided that need to be signed by the encore teacher's whose class will be missed as well.
Peer mediation is availabe every wednesday during each grade level's encore time.
Interim Mark 2 and Trimester Classes Hello Parents,
The End of Interim Mark 2 is today December 13, 2010. Interims will be coming home to you early next week. Please keep an eye out for them. Please be sure to also look for any Attendance Letters that may be added to the Interims. Some other changes in scheduling are the Trimester classes. We are now officially in T2 on your students' schedule. Students who are in Reading Remediation classes will be with Mr. Smith for 12 weeks, then will continue w/ their regularly scheduled P.E. classes. If you have any questions related to your son/daughter's schedule, please feel free to contact the Counseling Department.
Best,
Ms. Hernandez and Mr. Davison
Fusion Email Hello Students and Parents,
We wanted to send a quick note apologizing for those of you who have emailed us and have not received a response back. We were having some issues logging in and were unaware of the emails on Fusion. However, we are online now and have hopefully answered your many questions. Please feel free to email us with any inquiries. Hope everyone is prepared for the nice Christmas Holiday coming up.
Take care everyone, Ms. H and Mr. Davison
High School Specialty Program Applications 8th Grade Students,
We have received all of the applications for the Prince William High School Specialty Programs. Click HERE to go to the folder containing the applications. Please remember that Gar-Field High School has an online-only application that must be accessed through Gar-Field's own website.
You can also view the HS Specialty Program Brochure for more detailed information here.
Gar-Field High School Specialty Program
Gar-Field High School will be having an information night for its IB Specialty Program on Tuesday, November 16th at 7 p.m. in their auditorium. The applications for Gar-Field’s IB program will be online-only this year. Please see Mr. Davison for more information.
Middle School Specialty Program Information Meetings Middle School Specialty Program Information Meetings Nov. 16 & 30
Parents and students interested in learning more about middle school specialty programs in Prince William County Public Schools should attend one of the following two scheduled information nights:
Tuesday, November 16 from 7–9 p.m. at Stonewall Middle School, 10100 Lomond Drive, Manasssas.
Tuesday, November 30 from 7–9 p.m. at the Edward L. Kelly Leadership Center, 14715 Bristow Road, Manassas.
These meetings will provide information on all middle school specialty programs. Presentations will be offered in both English and Spanish.
For more information about specialty programs, visit their Web site or contact the Office of Special Programs at 703.791.7400.
Quarter 1 Grades Parents,
Please be on the lookout for your child's Quarter One Report Cards coming home early next week.
Counseling Staff
6th Internet Safety Lessons Dear Parents,
Mr. Davison and Ms. Hernandez have been going to all the 6th grade language arts classes to teach our students how to be safe on the internet. We have been educating our students about the realities of cyberbulling, inappropriate texting and commuication, and the consequences that can result here at Rippon, and also according to VA state law. In addition, we spent a significant amount of time talking to the students about the dangers of online predators, and how sharing too much information online can leave them vulnerable.
We have encouraged our students to talk to their parents or guardians about their internet use. Please discuss safety measures, and what you deem to be acceptable use while on the internet.
Thanks,
Counseling Staff
Attendance Issues Information Dear Parents,
Per Prince William County Regulations, a school counselor is required to meet with your student(s) if they currently have 5 or more unexcused absences. At the meeting a counselor will explain the number of unexcused absences, stress the importance of bringing in notes when returning to school, and also inform the student that continued unexcused absences have to be referred to Debbie Culp, the county Attendance Officer. We then have students sign an attendance contract and give them a copy to take home to you. This effort is done as a preventative method to prevent excessive unexcused absences, and is in no way intended to intimidate or threaten students. We have attached a generic copy of the attendance contract for you to see below in the "Group Files" section of our Fusion page.
Additionally, if your student has 5 or more unexcused absences they will also receive an attendance letter with their interim and report cards. This letter again explains the current total of unexcused absences that Rippon has on file, and explains county policy on student absences. A sample copy of this document has also been posted under "Group Files".
Rippon allows parents 3 days after an absence to bring in a note in order for it to be considered an excused absence. In addition, medical notes from a doctor may be brought in at any time.
If there are any questions or concerns regarding attendance issues, please feel free to call the school or email one of the school counselors at hernanal@pwcs.edu or davisojj@pwcs.edu. Thank you.
School Counseling Department Information We have uploaded our yearly calendar of events, mission statement , and vision for Counseling related activities within Rippon Middle School. Please see the bottom of this page under "Files" to view these documents.
Thomas Jefferson High School Applications
Attention 8th Grade students and parents,
Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology will be having its open house this Saturday, October 2, 2010 from 8:30am until 11:30am.
Applications for Thomas Jefferson High School are now available. 8th grade students must currently be taking Algebra 1 to apply. Please see Mr. Davison for more information.
Save the Date! Back to School Night will be held on September 16th, 2010. Look for more details in the coming weeks on SchoolFusion.
Open House - September 2nd 
Dear Parents,
Rippon Middle School will be hosting an Open House on Thursday, September 2nd. Sixth Grade is scheduled from 12:30 - 2 p.m. and Seventh and Eighth Grade is scheduled from 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. Student schedules will be mailed out earlier in the week on the 30th of August. Parents and students will be able to tour the school, meet the teachers, buy agendas and P.E. uniforms, as well as sign up for lunch and EduLink accounts. Brochure for incoming 6th grade students 5th grade parents,
If you were unable to attend our Open House on Wednesday, May 26th, we have uploaded the information packet to this website. You can find the document link below in Microsoft Word Format, and also at the bottom of our page, in the group files.
6th Grade Information Brochure
Open House for Incoming 6th graders
Parents,
Rippon Middle School will be hosting its Open House for incoming 6th grade students on Wednesday, May 26th starting at 6:00pm to 7:00 pm. Parents and their students are welcome to attend the Open House and tour the school. 5th grade students received flyers for the Open House at their respective elementary schools.
IMPORTANT REPORT CARD INFORMATION Dear Parents/Guardians:
There was an additional column accidentally added to the report cards called Conduct and Citizenship. The Rippon Middle School staff was not responsible for adding this column or filling it w/ S's or U's. We are communicating with a representative from the Central Office about this issue, and they will be getting back to us regarding how it will be handled. As soon as we get further information we will post updates on School Fusion. Thank you for your patience in this matter. Summer School Program Parents,
A summer school program is being provided, free of charge, for students who qualify for remediation in the areas of reading and mathematics. If your child qualifies for this free service, you will be receiving a letter in the mail after spring break. The middle school summer program offers students enrolled in Grades 6-8 opportunities to improve basic skills through remediation through activities using individual and small group instruction. The program is further designed to address skills needed to pass the statewide Standards of Learning (SOL) assessments.
Looking for Career Fair Participants Dear Parents,
Rippon Middle Schools’ Career Fair will be held for 8th grade students on Thursday, March 25, at 8:30 a.m. and we are still looking for additional presenters. We are hoping to provide the students with as wide a variety of career options as possible.
If you wish to participate in this event, you would simply need to prepare a twenty minute presentation about your career. The presentation will be given throughout the morning till about 10:00 a.m. to small groups of students.
Our goal is to orient our students toward various occupations, including an explanation of the entry-level requirements. This would also include the pluses and minuses of particular jobs, and, most importantly, your own personal insights into your occupation. Our hope is that this career fair will lead our students to make more informed career choices in their future.
If you would like to participate, please e-mail Mr. Davison directly at : davisojj@pwcs.edu
We look forward to hearing from you!
High School Graduation Requirements 8th Grade Parents,
At the bottom of this page, we have added a letter from Prince William County that explains in detail the new high school graduation requirements.
In addition, we have provided a link to an online version of the High School Course catalog. On pages 7 and 8, you will find a detailed breakdown of the graduation requirements by subject area for 2010-2011 and beyond:
High School Course Catalog
Catálogo de Cursos de Escuela Secundari
Race and Ethnicity Forms for 6th and 7th Grade Students Dear Parents,
In order to facilitate the collection of the new racial and ethnic data, a new form is being sent home with 6th and 7th grade students beginning March 8, which needs to be completed (both parts A and B), signed, dated at the bottom by parents/guardians, and returned to students’ homeroom teachers by Friday, March 19.
The change in collecting and reporting racial and ethnic data allows individuals to self-identify their ethnicity and race, and permits individuals to select more than one race. This change allows individuals to more accurately reflect their racial and ethnic background by not limiting them to only one racial or ethnic category. As called for in the new federal requirements, if the forms are not completed (both parts A and B) by parents/guardians, then a staff member will observe and select racial and ethnic categories on the student’s behalf.
We thank you in advance for your help in completing this federal requirement. High School Registration Forms 8th Grade Parents,
Your child should be bringing home their base high school registration form so that you can discuss their choices and have the form signed. Any changes that you make to this form will be updated on the form that we are sending to the high schools. We simply ask that you bring back the signed form as soon as possible to the guidance office so that we can get it to the high schools in a timely manner. If you have any questions regarding the high school classes, Pre-AP courses, credits, or otherwise, feel free to call either Mr. Davison or Ms. Hernandez at the school.
Thanks you so much for your cooperation in getting our 8th graders ready for the transition next year!
HS Specialty Program Applications Prince William County Public Schools Specialty program applications were originally due on Tuesday, February 16. Because of the closing of schools for weather, specialty program applications will now be due on Friday, February 26.
Osbourn Park Specialty Program Info Night 8th Grade students,
Osbourn Park High School is holding an information night on Wednesday, January 20th at 7 p.m. for the following programs:
The Biotechnology Center
Auto Technology
Medical and Health Science
High School Specialty Program Applications 8th Grade Students,
We have the applications for the following specialty programs at Hylton Senior High School available in the counseling office:
-Center for International Studies and Languages (CISL)
-TV Production Program
-Air Force Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps
In addition, we have recieved the Marine (MJROTC) application at Gar-Field High School.
Race, Ethnicity Codes Letter A letter has been sent to the Rippon community concerning race and ethinicity. For more information, please click here. Career Interest Inventory For students who are interested in exploring career opportunities, please visit the Virgina View Career Page. This assessment test will process your interests and hobbies, and then help you figure out what career areas would best match.
On this site you can find lots of great information about hundreds of careers, including the amount of education needed, job availability, and how much money you would be making. So take a few minutes and explore!
http://www.vaview.vt.edu/68/check-it/who-r-u/Last Large Group Meeting for Peer Mediation Students Students who are in the peer mediation program,
We will be having our last large group peer mediation meeting this Friday, December the 4th at 8:30 a.m.
Center for Environmental and Natural Sciences Information Night 8th Graders,
The Center for Environmental and Natural Sciences is having an Information Night at Freedom High School this Thursday, November 19th at 7:00 pm Peer Mediation Meeting Nov. 18 Students,
Peer Mediators will be meeting in the counseling office area at 2:00pm on Wednesday, November 18th. Please bring you backpack with you, as we will dismiss you after the meeting. Also remember to bring any peer mediation materials with you!
Fine & Performing Arts Program Information Night Is this coming Tuesday, November 17th, at 7:00pm.
It will take place at Woodbridge Senior High School in the Auditorium.
8th grade students, if you are interested in writing, directing, singing, photography, painting/sculpture, or dance, please attend the information night to find out about the opportunities of this program!
Specialty Program Applications Available We have received the following speciality program applications:
- The Center for the Fine and Performing Arts program at Woodbridge High School
- IB Program at Gar-Field High School
- The Biotechnology Center at Osborn Park High School
Each of the applications has information on the programs, in addition to the deadlines.
 6th Annual Peer Mediation Conference Hello Rippon Family,
Today Mr. Davison and I had the opportunity to go to George Mason University to participate in the 6th Annual Peer Mediation Conference "Continuing to Build Social Competencies". We were fortunate enough to take nine students with us. The conference was all day and the students had an opportunity to be trained under Mr. Bob Garrity, who has worked with Prince William County schools for many years. We would like to thank our wonderful participants and we look forward to working with you this year.
See you soon, Ms. Hernandez and Mr. Davison
School Counseling Advisory Committee: Looking for "A Few Good Parents!" School Year 2009-2010 Agenda
- Rippon Master Calendar
- Mission Statement
- Philosophy Statement
- Closing the Gap Action Plan: Feedback on doing a new one
- Parent Survey
- Classroom Counseling Lessons: What kinds of lessons are needed for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders?
- Ideas for using the Student Leadership Group and the Peer Mediators
Counselor Assignments 6th Grade students will have Mr. Davison as their school counselor.
7th grade students will have Ms. Hernandez as their counselor.
8th grade students with last name A-L will see Mr. Davison, and M-Z will see Ms. Hernandez
Hello from Mr. Davison! Dear Parents, Students, and Community Members,
It is a pleasure to introduce myself as the newest addition to the school counseling department here at Rippon Middle School. I will be serving as the 6th grade counselor, and will also be the designated counselor for half of the 8th grade (last names A-L). Along with Ms. Hernandez, I am here to help the students find solutions to their personal, social or academic concerns, so that they can have the utmost success in school. If you ever have concerns about your child, please call to arrange an appointment, and I would be more than happy to meet with you. I'm very excited to be joining an excellent, caring staff, and I look forward to a great school year!
We are inviting all parents to please complete this survey. It will help us adapt our counseling program so that we can best respond to the needs of our students and community. We greatly value your input and opinions. Thank you!
You can have your child return the completed survey to the counseling office, or may e-mail the completed survey to Ms. Hernandez (hernanal@pwcs.edu) or Mr. Davison (davisojj@pwcs.edu).
High School Graduation Requirements for the county High School Graduation Requirements - Spanish Brochure for incoming 6th Grade students. Includes information on immunizations, schedules, lockers, athletics and more.
Summer School Registration Form for 2010-2011 Summer School Registration in Spanish Hylton TV Production Specialty Program Application Opt-Out Letter for Sexual Harassment Workshop |
RECORD DISTRIBUTION POLICY
There has been a change in the county policy regarding records distribution. A fee of $2 per page is now to be charged for any copies of records for anything other than school use. Transferring schools, eligibility for school sports or clubs, etc. are not included in this. Activities not directly related to PWC Schools are. Click on the link below to review this regulation from the PWCS website.
REGULATION 790-2
We regret any inconvenience that this may cause.
|
Recent Activity
Discuss
Parent Survey.doc
New Graduation Requirements for parents.pdf
