ASFMS Parent Newsletter

Hello Falcon Families,

We had an amazing start to this school year and our students are settled in and ready to learn. I hope this letter finds you and your children eager to continue to have another year of positive growth and learning. As we move to the future, I'd like to highlight some key goals that we will be focusing in on for our upcoming year:

1. Safety: I received a few emails concerned over safety so I wanted to touch base on this topic. The well-being of our students and staff remains our top priority. We've refined our safety protocols to ensure a secure learning environment which includes the state required drills that we practice. We also have our SRO refresh the 6th graders of our ALICE procedures that we use.

2. Academic Excellence: We're introducing exciting new initiatives to enhance our curriculum and support student achievement. MTSS processes have been refined this year to find new ways to help our struggling students. We initiated what we call “Kickstarters” at the beginning of every class that focus on recalling past learned items. We also are revising the homework expectations to help aid the curriculum being taught in the classroom. Our goal is that all these items will continue to help raise our state test scores so that you all can see how smart our students are!

3. Positive Behavior Incentives (PBIS): This year, we're launching our "Rise Above and SOAR " PBIS program that we started last year to continue to recognize and reward positive student behavior. These points can be redeemed for various rewards, including small items, special privileges and school reward events as well as team rewards. Students can earn points in many ways including:

- Being Safe with items, body and words

- Owning one's actions

- Academic effort and improvement

- Being Respectful and Reflective

4. Community Engagement: Your involvement is crucial to our success. Please join us for our Principal Walk and Talks, Parent Nights for Information, Open House, PTO meetings and chaperoning dances.

5. Communication: We're committed to keeping you informed through regular team emails, our website, the monthly parent newsletter and social media (Facebook has gotten the best responses!).

6. Attendance: Increasing attendance is the top priority for RIDE. They initiated new policies around schools responding to students who are absent. We have an attendance committee that monitors absences to promote keeping our students at school every day so that they can learn.

We believe that by focusing on positive reinforcement and creating a supportive environment, we can inspire our students to reach their full potential. I'm looking forward to a year filled with achievement, growth, and collaboration. Together, we can continue to make this an exceptional year for our students.

Warm regards,

Joseph Lucian

ASFMS Principal

ATTENDANCE

(Student Attendance Policy from the ASFMS Handbook)

Regular and punctual attendance is essential to the overall academic, social and emotional development of

each student. The daily exchange between and among every student and teacher is essential to student

learning. Parents/guardians, students, and school personnel must work together to help students take

advantage of their educational opportunities.

The Coventry Public Schools are required, by law, to monitor student daily attendance. Detailed student

attendance reports are provided to the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE) and are used for

individual student review, as well as district and state comparisons across organizations and jurisdictions. The

Coventry Public Schools administration shall monitor student compliance with the attendance policy. Parental

influence is critical to supporting regular school attendance. It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to

convey the importance of regular and punctual school attendance.

Attendance/Absences 2024-2025

A student is expected to attend school regularly in order to receive credit for the courses taken. Attendance is

mandated by RI General Laws 16-19-1 which can be found in Appendix A of the ASFMS handbook. RIDE sees a student as either present (if they are in the building) or absent (if they are not in the building) for any reason. RIDE feels that if a student is absent for any reason then they can not learn. Thus, why RIDE has given us new guidelines that all schools in the state have to follow. Below is a deeper explanation of absent terminology and the new RIDE attendance policy.

Absent

A student is considered absent if the student has missed more than fifty percent (50%) of the school

day based upon the number of periods at the secondary level.

Attendance

The behavioral act of being present at school and attending classes. A student is considered absent

regardless of whether it is for an excused reason or designated as unexcused. Attendance is marked

in the student information system daily.

Chronically Absent

A student who is absent ten percent (10%) or more of their days during the full school year. Students

that miss two or more days per month are on track to be chronically absent.

Early Dismissal

A student will be considered to have departed early from school when the student leaves the building

or class prior to the designated dismissal time.

Excessively Absent

A student who is missing twenty percent (20%) or more of classes or school days for any reason.

Excused Absence

Excused absences do not count toward truancy but are still considered an absence. The following

reasons for an absence are considered excused with appropriate written documentation, unless

waived by the building administrator. Note that these excuses are needed to not get into truancy, however, RIDE still sees the following as missed school time. For example:

● Note from a medical or healthcare provider

● Student’s participation in a school-sponsored activity

● Court appearance, summons or other dated court documentation

● Confirmation in writing from a college/university regarding a college visit

● Out-of-school suspension

● Death in the family

● Family emergency (Building administrator discretion)

● Religious holidays

● Housing hardship

School Attendance Plans:

Whole School Prevention (Tier 1) - Universal prevention strategies shall be developed for all students in Tier 1.

These strategies shall include communication of the policy and procedures relative to attendance,

acknowledgments for those that have strong attendance or improvement and other whole school initiatives that

promote regular school attendance as deemed appropriate by the school attendance team.

Individual Prevention (Tier 2) - Targeted prevention strategies shall be developed for individual students who missing five percent (5%) or more but less than ten percent (10%) of classes or school days for any reason. This tier shall include an individual communication in writing, to the parent(s)/guardian(s), explaining the importance of attendance and offering a supportive conference or assistance to help improve the situation.This communication shall include a description of the referral process to the school attendance team, if the

student’s attendance issues continue.

Early Intervention (Tier 3) - A CPS attendance plan shall be developed by the school attendance team for chronically absent students who are missing ten percent (10%) or more but less than twenty percent (20%) of classes or school days for any reason. Weekly check-ins with the student shall be scheduled and a phone call or in-person meeting with the parent by an administrator, guidance counselor or an attendance team member.

Intensive Support (Tier 4) - Students that continue to struggle with attendance despite an intervention plan and who are missing twenty percent (20%) or more of classes or school days for any reason will be deemed excessively absent. The current intervention plan will be modified to include additional supports and daily check-ins. It will be determined by the school attendance team if the student’s information and plan should be sent to Superintendent or designee for referral to Truant Officer. A truancy petition may be submitted. The attendance team will notify the building administrator when a student’s school privileges are limited based on adherence to the intervention plan.

Absences are defined in the following categories:

1.Absences 5%-10%

Parent/Guardian Contact in writing

Refer student to Attendance Committee

2. 10%-20%-Chronically Absent

Parent/Guardian Contact in writing

Weekly contact with Parents/Guardians

Attendance Committee tracks data for student and relays information to team teachers

3. 20%+ Absences-Excessively Absent

Parent/Guardian Contact in writing

Weekly contact with Parents/Guardians

Attendance Committee tracks data for student and relays information to team teachers

Possible referral to Truancy Court

We have a new Sodexo General Manager this year and her information is below. We wanted to get this information out to everyone if they have any questions about breakfast or lunch. It is important to our district to have anyone that is eligible for free and reduced lunch to sign up on the free/reduced lunch application below. The state uses this information to aid in funding formula to help out Coventry's budget. Below are also ways to add money to your student's account, look at monthly menus and rates for lunch and breakfast.

MySchoolBucks Account Information

MySchoolBucks Instructions

Free/Reduced Lunch Application

Prices for the 2024-2025 School Year

Price

Breakfast Program

Secondary Full Price$1.65

Reduced$0.00

Lunch Program

Secondary Full Price$3.35

Reduced Price$0.00

Any questions, please feel free to contact:

Alanna Conca-Sodexo General Manager

Email: alanna.conca@sodexo.com

Phone: 401-368-9563

Please look at the bus stops as some bus stops changed this year. We also had questions about if a student can take another bus if they are going over another family members house for the day. A student can take another bus for that day but it requires a parent note that has to be signed by an administrator before that student can take another bus. The complete ASFMS bus run lists are as follows: Alan Shawn Feinstein Middle School

Late Bus-starts on 10/3/24 and runs on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The pick-up location is at the ASFMS flagpole. The late bus students will need a pass from their teacher or coach and will drop the students off at the nearest elementary school.

ASFMS picture day is on 10/15/24 with Lifetouch. Please contact Lifetouch at: www.lifetouch.com and use the code: EVTFFVKB9 to order any picture packages that you may want.

CLUBS:

Student Council:

Meeting days-Tuesdays in the Media Center from 2:40-3:40PM starting 10/1/24

Contact Danielle Helwig (co-advisor) with any questions at: helwigdanielle@coventryschools.net

Yearbook:

Meeting days:-Thursdays in room from 2:35-3:35 starting 10/10/24

Contact Erin Matheu (co-advisor) with any questions at: matheuerin@coventryschools.net

SPORTS:

Cross Country:

9/18/24

4:30 PM

Birchwood, Deering, Ricci-Home

9/24/24

4:30 PM

Deering, Scituate, Winman-WW High

10/2/24

4:30 PM

Vets, Scituate-Rocky Point

10/8/24

4:30 PM

Winman, Bain, Birchwood, Deering, Ferri, Hope Highlands, Park View, Ricci, Scituate, Vets, Western Hills-Rocky Point

10/19/24

TBD

STATES-Location TBD

Girl's Soccer:

9/17

5:00 PM

Davisville-Home

9/19/24

5:00 PM

Deering-Home

9/24/24

5:00 PM

EWG-Home

9/26/24

4:30 PM

Scituate

10/1/24

5:00 PM

Cole-Home

10/3/24

5:00 PM

Davisville-Home

10/8/24

5:00 PM

Deering-Home

10/10/24

3:30 PM

EWG

10/15

5:00 PM

Scituate-Home

Boy's Soccer:

9/17/24

5:00 PM

Davisville- Wilson Park

9/19/24

5:00 PM

Deering-Home

9/23/24

3:30 PM

EWG

9/25/24

4:45 PM

Vets-Home

9/26/24

5:00 PM

Scituate-Home

10/1/24

5:00 PM

Cole

10/3/24

5:00 PM

Davisville-Home

10/8/24

TBD

Deering-Home

10/10/24

5:00 PM

EWG-Home

10/15/24

4:30 PM

Scituate

9/19/24-9-10AM Principal Walk and Talk-ASFMS Main Office

9/24/24-6-8PM -6th Grade Open House in the auditorium

9/25/24-6-8PM -7th & 8th Grade Open House in the auditorium

9/27/24-6-9PM-6th Grade PTO Dance

10/9/24-Early dismissal at 11AM

10/14/24-No School- Columbus Day

10/15/24-Lifetouch picture day

10/21/24-7PM-PTO Meeting-(ASFMS Media Center)

10/25/24-5:30-8:30PM-7th and 8th Grade Student Council Halloween Dance

10/29/24-2:45-4:30PM-Cheerleading tryouts-in the auditorium