Popcorn Fundraiser Comes to a Close—$31,026 in Popcorn Sold!

 

Thanks so much to everyone who participated in our Double Good popcorn fundraiser that took place last week. We had more than 130 students/families create pop-up stores, which raised $31,026, half of which comes back to our school PTSA to support our students, staff, and school! Because we hit the $30,000 mark, I (Dr. Carrington—proud principal of PHMS who keeps his word) will be dying my hair blond in the coming weeks.

 

If you didn’t have a chance to participate in the popcorn fundraiser—or maybe you have had your share of popcorn—and want to contribute in a different way, feel free to make a direct donation to our PTSA at our Givebacks site.

Fall Picture Day on Monday, September 29

 

Fall Picture day is scheduled for Monday, September 29. Students will take pictures during the period in which they typically have health/PE. Click here to view the digital poster and to learn more about how to purchase pictures online. These are the pictures that will go in the yearbook and Infinite Campus, so we need to make sure to have everyone take their picture.

 

Students will receive prepay school picture envelopes on Monday during their homeroom/advisory class. Parents who wish to pay via cash or check will be able to send in their cash or check with their student in the payment envelope on the day of pictures. You can also purchase picture packages online here. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.

Yearbook Pictures Wanted

 

Help us capture all the amazing moments at Pine Hollow this year! We are collecting photos from families, students, and staff to feature in the 2025–2026 yearbook. Please see the attached flyer for details on how to submit your pictures. If you have questions, please contact our yearbook advisor Mrs. Wenner (swenner@wcpss.net). 

Rent the Spirit Rock through PTSA

 

Looking for a fun way to wish your special Pilot a happy birthday, to offer congratulations, or to promote a school event? If so, you may want to consider renting one (or both) of our PHMS Spirit Rocks as a part of our PTSA fundraising initiatives. To learn more about renting the rock, click here.

Become a Member of Our PTSA!

 

With the start of the new school year, we would like to invite everyone to consider joining and supporting our PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association), which plays a vital role in building and sustaining a strong, vibrant school community.  By purchasing a PTSA membership, you help fund important programs, celebrate our students and staff, and so much more. To purchase a membership for the 2025-26 school year, click here to go to our online MemberHub store where you can purchase memberships—whether for students, parents/guardians, or the entire family—and other things!

Volunteers Needed to Assist with Concessions

 

WE NEED YOUR HELP!  Please consider volunteering your time and signing up for a shift to help with concessions during Football and Volleyball Season.  There are two shifts for each game.  We really appreciate your help and so do the hungry middle schoolers!  Don't forget, students can help too to earn volunteer hours.  Click here to sign up.

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) Window Coming Up

 

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is the process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of course content, without course enrollment or seat time. The CDM process requires students to complete a two-phase assessment and meet the expected targets in order to demonstrate mastery of the course content. To learn more about this process, click here. Applications can be submitted between October 6th - December 12th. The application link is on the CDM site above. Please submit applications and/or questions to our Testing Coordinator, Mrs. Stern (jstern@wcpss.net). 

Future Leesville Road HS 9th Graders 

 

Did you know that LRHS offers an exciting Career Academy? Career Academies are small, personalized learning communities that focus on career themes, seamlessly blending with your core subjects. The academy classes are scheduled back-to-back, allowing you to learn alongside your classmates as a group (cohort). You can complete most academy requirements during the regular school day, except for your internship.

 

The Game Design Career Academy is available for rising freshmen who will be attending Leesville Road High School and wish to apply for membership. Applications will open at the start of December. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to Marianne Farina, the Director of the Game Design Career Academy, at mfarina@wcpss.net.

Thank You to Our 2025-26 PTSA School Sponsors

 

A special thank you to the generous local businesses who have signed on to be a sponsor for the 2025-26 school year. If your company—or one that you know—is interested in serving as a sponsor, please connect with our PTSA Fundraising Co-Chairs at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

 

 

Popcorn Fundraiser Starts Monday, September 8

 

The time has come!!! Our Double Good popcorn fundraiser through the PTSA launches on Monday, September 8. This is an easy and tasty way to support our school with 50% of every sale going directly to our PTSA to fund school dances, special events, awards assemblies, athletics, arts, clubs, and so much more at our school. This past year, our PTSA funded nearly $60,000 worth of projects that directly benefitted and impacted our students and staff. Click here to see a snippet of what they did.

 

To get started, here’s all you have to do:

1. Download the Double Good fundraising app for iOS or Android phones.

2. Create your student’s pop-up storefront using our school code (BWQ UNV).

3. Share your pop-up store link with friends and family to order delicious popcorn (it’s 100% online and will ship directly to them). Be sure to share that 50% of all funds raised come back to PHMS!

 

Please help us get at least 150 students to register to sell popcorn to help us reach our fundraising goals. Rumor has it—if we meet different fundraising goals, Dr. Carrington's hair will be dyed...and students who sell at least one item in their pop-up shop will be entered into a drawing along with top fundraisers to be able to toss pies at Dr. Carrington (and other staff members) during the fall pep rally!

Yearbook Pictures Wanted

 

Help us capture all the amazing moments at Pine Hollow this year! We are collecting photos from families, students, and staff to feature in the 2025–2026 yearbook. Please see the attached flyer for details on how to submit your pictures. If you have questions, please contact our yearbook advisor Mrs. Wenner (swenner@wcpss.net). 

Rent the Spirit Rock through PTSA

 

Looking for a fun way to wish your special Pilot a happy birthday, to offer congratulations, or to promote a school event? If so, you may want to consider renting one (or both) of our PHMS Spirit Rocks as a part of our PTSA fundraising initiatives. To learn more about renting the rock, click here.

A Few Random Reminders

 

• Carpool Drop Off: We have noticed a slight uptick in the number of cars that are entering the front of the school to drop off students in the morning. This is our designated bus loop and area for staff parking, meaning that students should not be dropped off in this area until after 8:15 am. 

 

• Off-Campus Food: This is a friendly reminder that students are not permitted to have food from fast food restaurants in the cafeteria (e.g., Chick-fil-a, McDonalds, Bojangles, etc) that has been dropped off for them during the school day—either from food delivery services like UberEats or from parent/guardian drop off. If parents/guardians wish to bring fast food to their child, a space will be provided for the student to eat in the front office, away from the cafeteria.

 

• Cell Phones: As a part of the new WCPSS cellphone policy, all students will be expected to silence AND put away all personal communication devices between 7:45 am - 3:00 pm. Students who do not adhere to this policy may have their phone confiscated, which may require adult pickup if the problem persists. Smartwatches can be worn; however, they should be set to airplane mode so that they only serve as timepieces and do not have any other functions available from 7:45 am - 3:00 pm.

Notes from the Library Learning Commons (LLC)

 

• By the Numbers: So far this school year, 1,301 books have been checked out from the PHMS Library, 480 students have visited the library on their own using a library pass, and Ms. Ziller has worked with 30 classes. Ask your student what they're reading and encourage a habit of reading something they've selected for themselves. What are you reading?

 

• Volunteer Opportunity: Ms. Ziller is looking to fill her slate of parent library volunteers and is interested in a Monday and a Thursday volunteer. If you're interested in shelving books in the library once a week or once every other week, please reach out to Ms. Ziller (kziller@wcpss.net).

Become a Member of Our PTSA!

 

With the start of the new school year, we would like to invite everyone to consider joining and supporting our PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association), which plays a vital role in building and sustaining a strong, vibrant school community.  By purchasing a PTSA membership, you help fund important programs, celebrate our students and staff, and so much more. To purchase a membership for the 2025-26 school year, click here to go to our online MemberHub store where you can purchase memberships—whether for students, parents/guardians, or the entire family—and other things!

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) Window Coming Up

 

Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) is the process by which a student may earn credit for a high school course by demonstrating a deep understanding of course content, without course enrollment or seat time. The CDM process requires students to complete a two-phase assessment and meet the expected targets in order to demonstrate mastery of the course content. To learn more about this process, click here. Applications can be submitted between October 6th - December 12th. The application link is on the CDM site above. Please submit applications and/or questions to our Testing Coordinator, Mrs. Stern (jstern@wcpss.net). 

Thank You to Our 2025-26 PTSA School Sponsors

 

A special thank you to the generous local businesses who have signed on to be a sponsor for the 2025-26 school year. If your company—or one that you know—is interested in serving as a sponsor, please connect with our PTSA Fundraising Co-Chairs at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

 

 

 

First Week Off to a Great Start

 

The first week of the 2025-26 school year is in the books, and it was by far the absolute best first week of school! Over the course of the week, staff had the opportunity to connect with students in many different ways and were able to set the tone for what I know will be a phenomenal year. Thank you to all the parents and guardians who extended grace as we have all worked through our transitions to the traditional calendar, our implementation of new policies/practices, and so much more!

 

To mark the successful start of the school year, we will all get the chance to enjoy a Monday off as we observe Labor Day on Monday, September 1. We look forward to seeing everyone again bright and early on Tuesday morning!

Decades Day on Friday (9/5) to Celebrate Pine Hollow’s 10-Year Anniversary

 

As you may know, this year marks the 10th year of Pine Hollow’s existence! To celebrate us hitting the decade mark, we will be having a Decades Spirit Day on Friday, September 5. All students and staff are invited to participate by dressing up as one of their favorite decades. You know what that means! It means it’s time for tie-dye and peace signs from the ’60s, some funky patterns from Disco ’70s, lots of neon from the ’80s, or maybe some retro ’90s outfits!

Yearbook Pictures Wanted

 

Help us capture all the amazing moments at Pine Hollow this year! We are collecting photos from families, students, and staff to feature in the 2025–2026 yearbook. Please see the attached flyer for details on how to submit your pictures. If you have questions, please contact our yearbook advisor Mrs. Wenner (swenner@wcpss.net). 

Thank You to Peck’s Taekwondo America

 

Thank you so much to Peck's Taekwondo America for sponsoring our first staff lunch during our teacher workdays to kick off the 2025-26 school year as a part of our new PTSA Community Partners and Sponsorship program. Our staff enjoyed a wonderful lunch thanks to this wonderful community business partner. If your business might be interested in sponsoring a future staff luncheon, please feel free to connect with our PTSA Fundraising Co-Chairs (Megan Long and Amy Conklin) at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

Reminder about Food from Off Campus

 

This is a friendly reminder that students are not permitted to have food from fast food restaurants in the cafeteria (e.g., Chick-fil-a, McDonalds, Bojangles, etc) that has been dropped off for them during the school day—either from food delivery services like UberEats or from parent/guardian drop off. If parents/guardians wish to bring fast food to their child, a space will be provided for the student to eat in the front office, away from the cafeteria.

Mark Your Calendar for Our Popcorn Fundraiser September 8-12

 

We’re kicking off our PTSA Double Good Popcorn Fundraiser on September 8, and it will run until September 12 (that’s right…just a few short days!). This is an easy and tasty way to support our school with 50% of every sale going directly to our PTSA to fund school dances, special events, awards assemblies, athletics, arts, clubs, and so much more at our school.

 

To get started, here’s all you have to do:

1. Download the Double Good fundraising app for iOS or Android phones.

2. Create your student’s pop-up storefront using our school code (BWQ UNV).

3. Share your pop-up store link with friends and family to order delicious popcorn (it’s 100% online and will ship directly to them). Be sure to share that 50% of all funds raised come back to PHMS!

 

(You can share the link at any point; however, the actual sales will start on September 8 and run through September 12.)

Rumor has it—if we meet different fundraising goals, Dr. Carrington's hair will be dyed the color of white cheddar popcorn...and students who sell at least one item in their pop-up shop will be entered into a drawing along with top fundraisers to be able to toss pies at Dr. Carrington (and other staff members) during the fall pep rally!

8th Grade Field Trip Details

 

The 8th grade team is working to finalize details for the first 8th grade field trip to Greensboro to visit the Civil Rights Museum and the Greensboro Science Museum in October. In the next week, we will communicate additional details with 8th grade families directly; however, we wanted to go ahead and share the tentative cost of the field trip ($142). 

 

Families will have the option to either pay in two installments or pay in full. Additional details, again, will be shared later. If you do not already, please be sure to make sure that you have a SchoolCash Online account to pay online.

Become a Member of Our PTSA!

 

With the start of the new school year, we would like to invite everyone to consider joining and supporting our PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association), which plays a vital role in building and sustaining a strong, vibrant school community.  By purchasing a PTSA membership, you help fund important programs, celebrate our students and staff, and so much more. To purchase a membership for the 2025-26 school year, click here to go to our online MemberHub store where you can purchase memberships—whether for students, parents/guardians, or the entire family—and other things!

Visit Spain in Summer 2026 with Mrs. Carlson, Anyone?

 

Next summer 2026, before school starts back up, one of our 8th grade math teachers (Mrs. Carlson) will be leading an unforgettable opportunity for students and families to travel to Spain! From exploring royal palaces, taking Flamenco lessons, ziplining in Toledo, and visiting a soccer stadium in Madrid, this educational adventure has elements for everyone and is the perfect way to create lasting memories together while experiencing Spanish culture firsthand. While coordinated by a PHMS teacher, this trip is not a WCPSS or PHMS-sanctioned trip.

 

Visit EF’s website to get answers to common parent questions. EF Tours is our trusted travel partner, and they have 60 years of experience helping students explore the world safely and affordably. 

Ms. Carlson will be offering a virtual info meeting on September 8th at 7:00 pm. Please RSVP for the meeting link here: https://bit.ly/3JoOTA5. If you can’t attend, select “No but send info!” Spots are limited, and enrollment opens at the meeting.

Cell Phone Policy Reminder

 

As a part of the new WCPSS cellphone policy, all students will be expected to silence AND put away all personal communication devices between 7:45 am - 3:00 pm. Students who do not adhere to this policy may have their phone confiscated, which may require adult pickup if the problem persists. That being said, we need your assistance in two big ways:

 

1. Reiterate this expectation and policy to your child; AND
   
   

2. Avoid sending your child messages during the school day by phone, which may lead to them violating the policy, at which point they would receive an assigned consequence. If there is something that you need to communicate with your child, please call the main office and we can handle communication with them.

 

Smartwatches can be worn; however, they should be set to airplane mode so that they only serve as timepieces and do not have any other functions available from 7:45 am - 3:00 pm.

Thank You to Our 2025-26 PTSA School Sponsors

 

A special thank you to the generous local businesses who have signed on to be a sponsor for the 2025-26 school year. If your company—or one that you know—is interested in serving as a sponsor, please connect with our PTSA Fundraising Co-Chairs at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

 

 

 

Feedback from Open House & Orientation Events

 

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent Open House/Orientation on Thursday, August 21! We had a GREAT turnout. We appreciate you taking the time to connect with our school community. To help us continue improving these events, we’d love to hear your feedback. As such, please take a few minutes to complete this short survey and let us know what worked well and how we can make future events even better.

First Day Arrival Information

 

During the first week of school, we will have various staff members all around (e.g., at carpool, at the bus loop, in hallways, etc.) to make sure all students know exactly where to go upon arrival. Parents will not be able to escort students into the building; however, I assure you, we will take great care of your children. When students arrive at school, they will go to one of two places: 1) to the cafeteria if they want to get breakfast; or 2) to their grade-level areas.

 

Upon getting to their grade-level classroom areas, all students will receive a printed copy of their schedule that they will follow. As such, there is no need for students to worry about accessing their schedule in Infinite Campus or needing to print it beforehand.

Carpool Reminders

 

This is a reminder that all carpool vehicles will need to go to the very end of Leesville Church Road and make a U-turn in front of the softball field parking lot and then take a right into the loop between the school and the football field. Click here to view a visual of the traffic flow. Upon entering the carpool loop, please be sure to pull all the way up in the unloading lane so that we can unload as many students as possible.

Afternoon Dismissal

 

Our school day ends at 3:00 pm, which is the point at which all carpool riders and walkers will be released. Students who ride buses will stay in an assigned classroom location with teachers (6th graders will return to their team locations) and wait until their buses are called over the intercom.

 

• Carpool: Unlike elementary school, we do not have carpool numbers. Instead, students are expected to look for their cars as they wait outside to be picked up. As is the case in the morning, when picking up students via carpool in the afternoon, please pull forward as far as you can so that we can load as many students as possible.

 

• Walkers: Only students who live in our walk zone and who have been issued a “walker’s pass” are allowed to walk off campus. Students are not allowed to leave campus to catch their ride in the neighborhood beside the school.

 

Early Dismissals/Check-Outs: If there is a need to check out your child for a medical appointment or another reason during the school day, it must be done by 2:30 pm.

Cell Phone Policy Reminder

 

As a part of the new WCPSS cellphone policy, all students will be expected to silence AND put away all personal communication devices between 7:45 am - 3:00 pm. Students who do not adhere to this policy may have their phone confiscated, which may require adult pickup if the problem persists. That being said, we need your assistance in two big ways:

 

1. Reiterate this expectation and policy to your child; AND
   
   

2. Avoid sending your child messages during the school day by phone, which may lead to them violating the policy, at which point they would receive an assigned consequence. If there is something that you need to communicate with your child, please call the main office and we can handle communication with them.

 

Smartwatches can be worn; however, they should be set to airplane mode so that they only serve as timepieces and do not have any other functions available from 7:45 am - 3:00 pm.

Mark Your Calendar for Our Popcorn Fundraiser September 8-12

 

We’re excited to kick off our Double Good Popcorn fundraiser to support our school! From September 8–12, families can purchase delicious gourmet popcorn and half of every sale will go directly to benefit our students and programs. Ordering is quick, easy, and completely online—perfect for sharing with friends and family near and far. Click here to see the flyer for more details on how to set up your store.

Join Us for a Goodberry’s Spirit Night on Monday (8/25)

 

Join us for a sweet treat and school spirit at Goodberry’s on Monday, 8/25. Simply mention Pine Hollow, and a portion of sales will be donated back to our school, so bring your family, enjoy some frozen custard, and support our students at the same time. 

Join & Support Our PTSA!

 

With the start of the new school year, we would like to invite everyone to consider joining and supporting our PTSA (Parent Teacher Student Association), which plays a vital role in building and sustaining a strong, vibrant school community. Below are two ways that you can support our school:

 

PTSA Memberships

 

By purchasing a PTSA membership, you help fund important programs, celebrate our students and staff, and so much more. To purchase a membership for the 2025-26 school year, click here to go to our online MemberHub store where you can purchase memberships—whether for students, parents/guardians, or the entire family—and other things!

 

School Sponsorship Opportunities for Businesses

We are also excited to share a new opportunity for business sponsorships. Participating in this sponsorship program would offer the opportunity to gain prime exposure via different school communication channels and at different schoolwide events including sporting events, arts productions, open houses, and more. To provide some context, as right now, we have approximately 50 events scheduled for the year, with most of them bringing in hundreds of guests. If you know of any business that may be interested in participating in this opportunity, please connect with our PTSA Fundraising Chairs (Megan Long and Amy Conklin) at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

 

 

This is a friendly reminder that we will be hosting our 2025-26 Open House and Orientation events tomorrow, Thursday August 21. As a reminder, there will be two separate events for different groups of students and families. To assist with parking, we ask that visitors carpool to the extent that it is possible. Parking will be available at the front of the school AND in the back carpool loop area. Whatever you do, please do NOT park in the adjoining neighborhood. Below are additional details about each event.

For Rising 7^th/8^th Grade Families & Students

Rising 7th/8th Grade Families and Students who attended Pine Hollow MS this past school year are invited to join us from 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm for a floating style Open House, in which students and families can stop by the cafeteria to visit several stations to…

• Pick up student schedules (if needed)
• Walk their schedule and meet teachers informally**
• Purchase school spirit wear
• Join our PTSA
• Register as a school volunteer
• Drop off medication paperwork (Form 1702) and student medications with the school nurse
• Confirm information about bus transportation
• Obtain information about fall athletics

As a reminder, there are no formal presentations or anything for this particular floating Open House. As such, please feel free to stop by whenever you would like for as long as you would like between 2:00 - 4:00 pm.

 

For Rising 6th Graders & Families AND Rising 7th/8th Graders & Families Who are NEW to Pine Hollow

New students and their families are invited to join us between 5:00 - 7:30 pm for their own tailored Open House and Orientation event. From 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm, students and families will check in and partake in a floating style Open House, where they will be able to visit several stations to…

• Pick up student schedules (if needed)
• Walk their schedule and meet teachers informally**
• Purchase school spirit wear
• Join our PTSA
• Register as a school volunteer
• Drop off medication paperwork (Form 1702) and student medications with the school nurse
• Confirm information about bus transportation
• Obtain information about fall athletics

At 6:00 pm, students will transition to their advisory/homeroom teachers (1^st period class) for a series of structured orientation activities. 

When students transition to their locations at 6:00 pm, parents/guardians will be directed to one of two places for presentations from our school administration and counseling teams.

• Parents of 6^th grade students on the Red Team (Elliott, Garcia, Schwartz, or Osterstrom as 1^st Period teacher) will have their first session in the Gym.
• Parents of 6^th grade students on the Gray Team (Davis, Hutchinson, McKee, or Sparks as 1^st Period Teacher) will have their first session in the Auditorium.