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.

 

Greetings, Pine Hollow MS Families!

 

On behalf of the faculty and staff at PHMS, I would like to take this moment to welcome you all to the lead-up to the beginning of the 2025-26 school year. As our first day with students (August 25) approaches, I am excited to welcome our new families to our school community and to welcome our returning families back for another remarkable year. As promised, we wanted to provide you all with a few updates as the beginning of the year gets closer. I recognize that this message is quite long; however, we wanted to make sure that we were providing regular communication with you all as we prepare to. kickoff the school year. I will likely send a couple more messages prior to the start of the year, as well.

 

As we head into the new school year—which also happens to be the 10th-year anniversary of Pine Hollow’s opening—I am excited for us all to continue building upon all the great things within our school, while working to chart our new path as a school. We look forward to partnering with you this year!

 

Sincerely,

 

Dr. Carrington

Principal

Welcome to Our New 6th Grade Assistant Principal

 

Over the summer, we welcomed our new 6th grade assistant principal, Ms. Gordon, who has officially joined PHMS as of August 1. Ms. Gordon brings a variety of experience at both the elementary and high school levels and has already hit the ground running with our admin team to make this year a special one for our students and staff. We look forward to you all being able to connect with her in the coming weeks and months ahead! 

General School Supply List Available

 

To assist families in preparing for the 2025-26 school year, we have compiled grade level supply lists available here. The supplies listed on this handout are only for classes that all students are required to take (e.g., ELA, math, science, social studies, health/PE). Teachers for elective classes (e.g., art, chorus, technology, family & consumer sciences, etc.) will share lists of needed supplies during the first week of school. In addition, there may be a few minor items that individual teachers may ask families to purchase; however, the supply list above provides a baseline of what students will need.

Infinite Campus Now Available for Parents/Guardians

 

As has been shared before, Infinite Campus replaced PowerSchool over the summer, and parents/guardians are now able to access the Campus Parent Portal.  Families with multiple students can set up their accounts to view all of their students at one time, with one login. As a reminder, families should have received an automated email from SIS-Notifications@wcpss.net if they meet the following criteria:

 

• Are listed as a Guardian in Infinite Campus 

• Have the Portal box checked on their Relationship page

• Do not have a portal account yet  

 

The email will be sent weekly on Tuesdays until the parent creates their account. Families should check their spam folder if they missed the email. If you need information about Infinite Campus Parent Portal, use this link: https://nc01911451.schoolwires.net/ncsis

Traditional Calendar Reminder

 

As has been shared since last August, Pine Hollow has been converted to the traditional calendar for the 2025-26 school year. While this information is posted on the 2025-26 School Year Information page, below are direct links to the calendar should you need it for quick access.

• 2025-26 Traditional Calendar (PDF)

• 2025-26 Traditional Calendar (Accessible)

Student Schedule Update – Please Read!

 

As a reminder, student schedules are NOT finished at this point. Given the limited number of staff we have working over the summer, we are trying to work through cleaning up schedules as quickly as we can; however, schedules will not be finalized until August 21.

 

To reiterate a point that we’ve shared before—given the magnitude of trying to schedule almost 800 students, each who has anywhere from 6-10 different courses over a school year, we are unable to accommodate specific scheduling requests. Trying to balance a schedule for this many students is a huge undertaking that involves so many moving pieces that we have to try to balance. We appreciate your understanding of this.

Mark Your Calendar: Open House & Orientation Events on August 21

 

We are excited to share that we will host two school events on Thursday, August 21, with the first being a floating Meet the Teacher event for our rising 7th and 8th grade families who were at Pine Hollow during the 2024-25 school year (from 2:00 - 4:00 pm). We will also host a New Student Orientation event geared towards our rising 6th graders and any students who are new to Pine Hollow (from 5:00 - 7:30 pm).

 

To view a more detailed outline of what these events will include, click here.

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 (Mrs. Megan Long & Mrs. Amy Conklin) at phmsptsafundraising@gmail.com.

2025-26 School Year Information Online

 

As a reminder, we have created a 2025-26 School Year page on our website to house important information about the start of the school year. We will continue to update this information in the days leading up to the new school year.

ACTION REQUIRED ASAP: Students Not Returning to WCPSS Next Year

 

If your student  will not be attending Pine Hollow Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our data manager Mrs. Thomas ASAP to let her know. She can be reached via email at bwthomas@wcpss.net. Please be sure to include information about where your child will be attending the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any additional questions regarding your child not returning to Pine Hollow, please feel free to reach Mrs. Thomas by phone at (919) 694-8880, ext. 22699.

 

 

Greetings, Pine Hollow MS Families—

 

I hope that you are all doing well and that you had a great July 4th holiday. For some of you, the school year is already in full swing with younger ones at Brier Creek ES, Sycamore Creek ES, and a few other multi-track year-round schools in the area that started back up this week. That being said, although the first day of school for us—which is Monday, August 25, 2025—is quite some time away, I wanted to go ahead and share a few important details with you all to assist with planning, especially for our new families whom we are excited to welcome to PHMS. 

 

Unless there is really time-sensitive information to relay to families, this will likely be the only message that families will receive during the month of July from the school. Given the new opportunity to have an actual extended break between school years, our staff will be taking time to really reflect upon and refine a variety of things for the upcoming 2025-26 school year. As such, please be on the lookout for future communication as we get closer to the start of school.

 

As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to connect with us.

 

Dr. Carrington
Principal

2025-26 School Year Information Online

 

As we look ahead to the upcoming 2025-26 school year, we wanted to ensure that all families had quick and easy access to key information for the new school year. As such, we have created a 2025-26 School Year page on our website to house important information to which families might want access. As more information becomes available in the lead up to the first day of school, we will continue updating this space with information that may be helpful.

Traditional Calendar

 

As has been shared since last August, Pine Hollow has been converted to the traditional calendar for the 2025-26 school year. While this information is posted on the 2025-26 School Year Information page mentioned above, below are direct links to the calendar should you need it for quick access.

• 2025-26 Traditional Calendar (PDF)

• 2025-26 Traditional Calendar (Accessible)

Modified Summer Office Hours

 

During the month of July and the weeks leading up to the start of the new school year, we will operate under modified hours. As such, the office will be open Monday - Friday from 8:30 am to 2:30 pm. If you have questions, please feel free to reach the main office at (919) 694-8880.

Information on Student Schedules

 

As shared online, school staff will be working on student schedules over the summer with the intention of finalizing schedules by/around the week before school starts on August 25. Please be advised that schedules that may be showing online are NOT final at this point and will likely change multiple times over the summer for some students. 

 

Furthermore, we want to remind families that we are unable to accommodate requests for specific teachers. Our team works carefully to create balanced class rosters across all classrooms. When it comes to building a master schedule for a school, there are a million moving pieces that we have to consider, which make it very difficult to honor these types of requests. We appreciate your understanding of this.

Mark Your Calendars for Open House, Meet the Teacher, and Orientation for New Students/Families on August 21

 

We are excited to share that we will host two school events on Thursday, August 21, with the first being a floating Meet the Teacher event for our rising 7th and 8th grade families who were at Pine Hollow during the 2024-25 school year. We will also host a New Student Orientation event geared towards our rising 6th graders and any students who are new to Pine Hollow. The table below outlines more details (click here to view the table as a Google Doc). 

 

 

**During the floating Meet the Teacher segment of both events, teachers will be available in their respective spaces for students and parents/guardians to drop by to say hello and to see the classroom space. This is intended to be a very informal “meet-and-greet” so there will not be any formal teacher presentations.

Infinite Campus Now Live and Available for Parents

 

On July 1, WCPSS shifted from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus as our Student Information System (SIS). Like PowerSchool, Infinite Campus will be used districtwide to house student data including grades, schedules, bus stop information, and more. Parents/guardians should have received an automated email from Infinite Campus on/around July 2 with instructions on how to set up their Parent Portal account. These emails should have gone to the email address we had on file for parents as of late June before PowerSchool went down. This automated email will be sent weekly until the parent/guardian creates their Infinite Campus account. 

 

If you did not receive this email, please contact our school’s data manager (Mrs. Thomas, bwthomas@wcpss.net) to double check or update contact information to ensure that you receive the email to set up your Infinite Campus account.

Bus Transportation for 2025-26

 

If you are not currently registered for transportation but would like service for the 2025-26 school year, you must request transportation to ensure service on the first day of school. Please only request service if you plan for your student to be a regular rider. Students who do not ride consistently will be removed from bus rosters. To register, go to www.wcpss.net/busrider. July 14 is the deadline for families to submit transportation requests for service on the first day of the school year.

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

 

As a reminder, North Carolina law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Students will be required to have vaccination completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Immunization records can be emailed to our data manager Mrs. Thomas (bwthomas@wcpss.net) or mailed to the school to her attention. Also, please make sure your child’s Measles vaccination is up to date. Parents of students who were missing the Meningococcal and Tdap vaccines should have received an email in mid-June.

Students Not Returning to WCPSS Next Year

 

If your rising 7th or 8th grader  will not be returning to Pine Hollow Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our data manager Mrs. Thomas to let her know as soon as possible. She can be reached via email at bwthomas@wcpss.net. Please be sure to include information about where your child will be attending the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any additional questions regarding your child not returning to Pine Hollow, please feel free to reach Mrs. Thomas by phone at (919) 694-8880, ext. 22699.

 

 

Another School Year Comes to a Close

 

As we wrap up the final days of the 2024–25 school year, I want to take a moment to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone within our school community for their continued support, partnership, and trust as we have navigated the many ebbs and flows of the year. This school year has been filled with so many wonderful moments, and I’m so excited to have had the opportunity to be a part of these memories with our students, staff, and community.

 

As a reminder, the last day of school for students is Thursday, June 26. Students and families will then have a nice, long summer break until Monday, August 25, when students return for the first day of the 2025-26 school year on the traditional calendar (click here to view the calendar for 2025-26).

EOG/EOC Score Letters Sent Home on Friday (6/20)

 

Students who finished all testing should have received letters on Friday (6/20) with their EOG and EOC scores. Teachers were asked to share these letters with all students who were in attendance on Friday. Students who were absent will be able to retrieve their letters with report cards that will be sent on Monday (6/23). Select students who did not earn a passing score will have the opportunity to retake the test later this week. Parents/guardians of students who are eligible should’ve been contacted already. If you have any questions about testing, please feel free to reach out to our Testing Coordinator (Mrs. Stern) at jstern@wcpss.net. 

Summer Break and Office Hours

 

Since this is our first time with an actual extended summer break, we wanted to share that beginning on July 1, our building and office will operate with a limited number of staff. As such, the main office will be open for business each day from 8:30 am - 2:30 pm. Should you need assistance or have a question during the summer, please don’t hesitate to contact us by phone or email so that we can connect you with the appropriate staff member. 

Infinite Campus Coming in 2025-26

 

As you may know, WCPSS will be shifting from PowerSchool to Infinite Campus in a matter of days. Infinite Campus is the new Student Information System adopted by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. Like PowerSchool, Infinite Campus will be used districtwide to house student data including grades, schedules, bus stop information, and more. Families will receive an email from Infinite Campus to the email address we have on file for their student in late June with instructions to access their portals. Please be on the lookout for this email so that you can set up your account. We will share additional information in July about this.

Bus Transportation for 2025-26

 

If you are not currently registered for transportation but would like service for the 2025-26 school year, you must request transportation to ensure service on the first day of school. Please only request service if you plan for your student to be a regular rider. Students who do not ride consistently will be removed from bus rosters. To register, go to www.wcpss.net/busrider. July 14 is the deadline for families to submit transportation requests for service on the first day of the school year.

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

 

State Law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Students will be required to have vaccination completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Immunization records can be emailed to our data manager (Ms. Thomas) at bwthomas@wcpss.net or mailed to the school to her attention. Also, please make sure your child Measles vaccination is up to date.

Students Not Returning to WCPSS Next Year

 

If your rising 7th or 8th grader  will not be returning to Pine Hollow Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our data manager (Ms. Thomas) know as soon as possible. She can be reached via email at bwthomas@wcpss.net. Please be sure to include information about where your child will be attending the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any additional questions regarding your child not returning to PHMS, please feel free to reach Ms. Thomas at 919.694.8880, ext. 22699.

Library Books Now Overdue

 

Students may check their Destiny Library account for details on which books they have checked out. All library books should be returned to the PHMS Library ASAP. If students have questions or concerns, they may see Ms. Ziller in the Library.

Yearbooks Still Available

 

This is a friendly reminder that 2024–25 yearbooks are still available for purchase for $45. To secure your yearbook before the extra copies are all gone, students can see Mrs. Wenner in Room 3606 or email her (swenner@wcpss.net) to set up a time to pay for and receive a yearbook. As a reminder, payment can be made using exact cash or a check made out to Varsity Yearbooks.

 

 

EOGs & EOCs Contine for Tracks 3 & 4 

 

As a reminder, we will start our End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) testing continues this week. These tests are required by NC law. As such, it is critical that all Track 3 and Track 4 students are present (ON TIME) to take these exams on the testing dates listed below.

 

• Monday, June 16: 6th Grade Math EOG; 7th and 8th Grade ELA EOG

• Tuesday, June 17: 6th Grade ELA EOG; 7th grade Math EOG; 8^th Grade Science EOG

• Friday, June 20 - Wednesday, June 25: Makeup EOGs as needed

Testing Reminders

To ensure that we have as smooth of a testing window as possible, we wanted to highlight a few quick reminders to everyone.

 

1. Rest and a healthy breakfast are key: Please ensure that your child gets plenty of rest each night and eats a balanced breakfast in the morning to get their brain juices flowing.
   
   

2. Arrive on time (...or early): We plan to start testing each day as close to 8:15 am as possible, so please make sure your student is at school well in advance of this time so that they can get to their designated testing area and get settled. As soon as our last bus arrives on campus, we will start testing.
   
   

3. School continues after testing: Despite what students may say, school will continue as normal after EOG/EOC testing concludes. If students are getting checked out for medical appointments or other reasons, this will have to be done after their testing window concludes at 12:00 pm as we will not interrupt secure testing sessions to dismiss students. As a reminder, unless there is a valid reason for getting picked up (in accordance with WCPSS and state attendance policies), absences will be coded as unexcused. 

 

If you have any questions about testing, please feel free to reach out to our Testing Coordinator (Mrs. Stern) at jstern@wcpss.net. 

No School on Thursday (6/19) for Juneteenth

 

In observance of Juneteenth, there will be no school for students on Thursday, June 19. School will resume for students on Friday, June 20.

Reminder: End-of-Year Celebration Details Available Online

 

With the end of the school year coming up very quickly for Tracks 3 and 4, we wanted to highlight important information about end-of-year celebrations that will take place in which families are invited to join. To view those details, click here. Individual teams may share additional details; however, we wanted to put the basic details for everyone in one spot.

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

 

State Law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Students will be required to have vaccination completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Immunization records can be emailed to our data manager (Ms. Thomas) at bwthomas@wcpss.net or mailed to the school to her attention. Also, please make sure your child Measles vaccination is up to date.

Students Not Returning to WCPSS Next Year

 

If your rising 7th or 8th grader  will not be returning to Pine Hollow Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our data manager (Ms. Thomas) know as soon as possible. She can be reached via email at bwthomas@wcpss.net. Please be sure to include information about where your child will be attending the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any additional questions regarding your child not returning to PHMS, please feel free to reach Ms. Thomas at 919.694.8880, ext. 22699.

Yearbooks Still Available

 

This is a friendly reminder that 2024–25 yearbooks are still available for purchase for $45. To secure your yearbook before the extra copies are all gone, students can see Mrs. Wenner in Room 3606 or email her (swenner@wcpss.net) to set up a time to pay for and receive a yearbook. As a reminder, payment can be made using exact cash or a check made out to Varsity Yearbooks.

 

EOGs & EOCs Start this Friday for Tracks 3 & 4

 

As a reminder, we will start our End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) testing this Friday, June 13. These tests are required by NC law. As such, it is critical that all Track 3 and Track 4 students are present (ON TIME) to take these exams on the testing dates listed below.

 

• Friday, June 13: 8th Grade Math EOG; Math 1 EOC

• Monday, June 16: 6th Grade Math EOG; 7th and 8th Grade ELA EOG

• Tuesday, June 17: 6th Grade ELA EOG; 7th grade Math EOG; 8^th Grade Science EOG

• Friday, June 20 - Wednesday, June 25: Makeup EOGs as needed

Special Schedule on Friday, June 13

 

Due to 8th grade testing on Friday, June 13, we will run a slightly modified schedule for all students. Teachers will share this information with students; however, we wanted to make sure that families were aware, as well.

6th Grade	7th Grade	8th Grade
8:15 – 8:50: Flight School 8:54 – 9:40: Elective 1 9:44 – 10:30: Elective 2 10:34 – 11:33: Core 1 11:35 – 12:00: Lunch 12:02 – 12:59: Core 2 1:01 – 2:00: Core 3 2:02 – 3:00: Core 4	8:15 – 8:50: Flight School 8:52 – 9:51: Core 1 9:53 – 10:52: Core 2 10:54 – 11:19: Lunch 11:22 – 12:07: Elective 1 12:09 – 12:58: Elective 2 1:01 – 2:00: Core 3 2:02 – 3:00: Core 4	7:35 – 8:05: Arrival & Breakfast 8:05 – 8:15: Report to Testing Locations 8:15 – 12:00: Math 8 EOG & NC Math 1 EOC Testing" 12:10 – 12:35: Lunch 12:35 – 1:24: Team Time 1:24 – 2:10: Elective 1 2:14 – 3:00: Elective 2

 

 

Testing Reminders

To ensure that we have as smooth of a testing window as possible, we wanted to highlight a few quick reminders to everyone.

 

1. Rest and a healthy breakfast are key: Please ensure that your child gets plenty of rest each night and eats a balanced breakfast in the morning to get their brain juices flowing.
   
   

2. Arrive on time (...or early): We plan to start testing each day as close to 8:15 am as possible, so please make sure your student is at school well in advance of this time so that they can get to their designated testing area and get settled. As soon as our last bus arrives on campus, we will start testing.
   
   

3. School continues after testing: Despite what students may say, school will continue as normal after EOG/EOC testing concludes. If students are getting checked out for medical appointments or other reasons, this will have to be done after their testing window concludes at 12:00 pm as we will not interrupt secure testing sessions to dismiss students. As a reminder, unless there is a valid reason for getting picked up (in accordance with WCPSS and state attendance policies), absences will be coded as unexcused. 

 

If you have any questions about testing, please feel free to reach out to our Testing Coordinator (Mrs. Stern) at jstern@wcpss.net. 

Reminder: End-of-Year Celebration Details Available Online

 

With the end of the school year coming up very quickly for Tracks 3 and 4, we wanted to highlight important information about end-of-year celebrations that will take place in which families are invited to join. To view those details, click here. Individual teams may share additional details; however, we wanted to put the basic details for everyone in one spot.

Required Vaccines for Rising 7th Graders

 

State Law requires all rising 7th graders to have a Meningococcal and Tdap vaccine. Students will be required to have vaccination completed by the start of the 2025-2026 school year. Immunization records can be emailed to our data manager (Ms. Thomas) at bwthomas@wcpss.net or mailed to the school to her attention. Also, please make sure your child Measles vaccination is up to date.

Students Not Returning to WCPSS Next Year

 

If your rising 7th or 8th grader  will not be returning to Pine Hollow Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year, please email our data manager (Ms. Thomas) know as soon as possible. She can be reached via email at bwthomas@wcpss.net. Please be sure to include information about where your child will be attending the 2025-2026 school year. If you have any additional questions regarding your child not returning to PHMS, please feel free to reach Ms. Thomas at 919.694.8880, ext. 22699.

Yearbooks Still Available

 

This is a friendly reminder that 2024–25 yearbooks are still available for purchase for $45. To secure your yearbook before the extra copies are all gone, students can see Mrs. Wenner in Room 3606 or email her (swenner@wcpss.net) to set up a time to pay for and receive a yearbook. As a reminder, payment can be made using exact cash or a check made out to Varsity Yearbooks.

 

 

Fall Sports Parent Meeting on Tuesday, June 3

 

Parents and guardians of rising 7th and 8th graders interested in playing fall sports next year are invited to the Fall Sports Kickoff Meeting on Tuesday, June 3. The meeting will take place at 6:00 pm in the auditorium. During this meeting, our athletic director Mr. Adams will review important information that families will need to know about to prepare for the registration and tryout season that will take place quickly after we begin school in August. Spanish interpreters will also be available. If your child plans to tryout for cheerleading, football, volleyball, or girls soccer, we highly encourage you to attend. Again, this meeting is primarily for parents/guardians.

Reminder: End-of-Year Celebration Details Available Online

 

With the end of the school year coming up very quickly for Tracks 3 and 4, we wanted to highlight important information about end-of-year celebrations that will take place in which families are invited to join. To view those details, click here. Individual teams may share additional details; however, we wanted to put the basic details for everyone in one spot.

Track 3 & 4 EOG/EOC Testing Information

 

With the end of the year coming up, we wanted to provide you with some important information about End-of-Grade (EOG) and End-of-Course (EOC) tests, which are required by NC law. As such, it is critical that all students are present (ON TIME) to take these exams on the testing dates listed below.

• Friday, June 13: 8th Grade Math EOG; Math 1 EOC

• Monday, June 16: 6th Grade Math EOG; 7th and 8th Grade ELA EOG

• Tuesday, June 17: 6th Grade ELA EOG; 7th grade Math EOG; 8^th Grade Science EOG

• Friday, June 20 - Wednesday, June 25: Makeup EOGs as needed

Although we have a couple of weeks before we will kick off end-of-year testing for Tracks 3 and 4, I want to draw everyone’s attention to important reminders about testing. Most importantly, I’d like to highlight that we are unable to check out students until the entire school’s testing window has closed to maintain a secure testing environment. As such, please do not schedule any appointments for EOG days.

 

If you have any questions about testing, please feel free to reach out to our Testing Coordinator (Mrs. Stern) at jstern@wcpss.net.