Happy Friday, RMHS Students & Families,

We hope you have a wonderful weekend! A reminder that this coming week there is a half day on Tuesday. Please note that 'Assembly' does not run on half days. Tuesday's schedule will run as follows:

7:35-8:07 - A Block

8:09-8:41 - C Block

8:43-9:15 - D Block

9:17-9:49 - E Block

9:51-10:23 - F Block

10:25 - 11:00 - G Block (B Block for Grade 6 only)

Thank you to the families who attended this past week's Senior Post-Secondary Planning Night & RMS Open House. We hope to see all of the RHS families at the RHS Open House this coming Thursday at 6pm. Please see more details below.

Here' to a great week ahead! 😎

-Ms. Rose

Amy Rose, Principal

Tuesday, September 24th - 1/2 Day for Students (Dismissal at 11am)

Thursday, September 26th - Open House (Grades 9-12) @ 6pm (Auditorium)

RHS Open House Agenda 2024

Thursday, October 3rd - Music Department Field trip

Monday, October 14 & 15th: No School for Students

Friday, November 1st: End of Q1 - Grades Close

Friday, November 8th: Report cards available in Aspen

Monday, November 11th: No School (Veteran's Day)

Wednesday, November 27th: 1/2 Day before the Thanksgiving Holiday

Tuesday, December 3rd: 1/2 Day for Students

Friday, December 20th: 1/2 Day before the Winter Vacation!

Thursday, January 2nd: Welcome Back!

School Safety Reminder:

The school campus is closed to the public when school is in session and after 10:00pm nightly. This includes the use of the tennis courts, track, playgrounds, athletic fields and all other parts of the campus. This does not include families and community members attending school events in our schools or on our school grounds. We appreciate the community's understanding and support as we continue to prioritize the safety of RPS students and staff.

Class of 26 bake sale on September 21, at the Rockport Transfer Station. Sign up sheet is located on the Junior class board.

We presented the wide variety of student extracurricular offerings at this past week's Assemblies. I've included the slideshow in case students have questions about who to talk to about each club. We encourage families to review the opportunities with their child/ren to encourage them to get involved with something!

RHS Extracurricular Offerings 2024-2025

RMS Extracurricular Offerings 2024-2025

Being in school and on time are extremely important to your child's success. When students attend school regularly and arrive on time, they stay engaged in their learning, build strong relationships, and develop solid study habits. Please help us by making sure your child gets to school on time each day. The cafeteria and library are open at 7:00 am and free breakfast is available in the cafeteria for all students. The main hallways and classrooms open at 7:25 am.

We understand that the transition to a middle/high school this coming year comes with a shift in contact information. To simplify the process for families, we have streamlined all communications to run through the RMHS Main Office. Please use the main number for routine inquiries: 978-546-1234. For a more detailed chart of counselors, and other support personnel, please use the chart below to help navigate our new team of people and systems.

October College & Career Fairs

This year’s Greater Cape Ann College & Career Fair will be held at Ipswich High School on Tuesday, October 1st, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm in the Lower Gymnasium, 134 High Street, Ipswich. All students and families are welcome, and we strongly encourage our juniors and seniors to attend. If you need transportation, contact Guidance. Please note the traditional fair hosted in Gloucester will not be held this March.

On Thursday, October 10, 2024, Peabody Veterans Memorial High School will be hosting its annual College Fair from 6:30 - 8:30 pm in the field house. You can find a list of Colleges and Universities attending the Fair on the PVMHS website: Listed under Quick Links.

https://peabody.k12.ma.us/departments/guidance/

Seniors - Class of 2025:

• College admission representatives will be visiting RHS Guidance. Seniors and juniors are welcome, please check with your teachers before attending. The college calendar is posted outside of Guidance. Sign up in Naviance to secure your participation. Coming soon: UMASS Amherst, Bentley, University of Southern Maine, URI, UVM, and many others!

Juniors - Class of 2026:

• Please check your emails to set up your Naviance Registration. A temporary password and link are in your email. Please follow the instructions.

Juniors & Sophomores, Classes of 2026 & 2027:

• The Educational Foundation for Rockport (EFR) continues to invest in our students’ futures! With EFR financial support our juniors and sophomores can take the PSAT/NMSQT for free. All tests are in a digital format and will held during the school day in late October. Testing details will be forthcoming.

• To learn more about PSAT: satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparing/practice-tests

• Get involved in the EFR: rockportedfoundation.org

A great opportunity for a student,18 years old or older:

ELECTION NIGHT POSITION:

A great way to earn $85 on Tuesday, November 6th, and be involved in the Electoral process!

Contact jmacklin@edisonresearch.com and please see attached Flyer!!!

Please see the chart below for a breakdown of counseling assignments at the high school level. The alphabet breakdown is based upon student last name:

The Rockport SEPAC is in need of a revitalization and looking for new members. The SEPAC is a self-governing public body which creates its own by-laws and operational procedures. A SEPAC is different from other parent groups in a school district such as a PTO or School Council – a SEPAC does not represent families from one school, but represents all families of children with disabilities from the entire school district. If you are interested in holding a Board position: Chair, Co-Chair, Secretary, Treasurer or a Board Member at Large position, please send me an email. Just want to be included ? Reach out to be a building representative. Contact Ann-Marie Luster, Interim Director of Student Services to sign up or find out more at aluster@rpk12.org.

A reminder to students and families to hand in your first day packets to the Main Office as soon as possible. If you have questions about the packet or need assistance with its content, please see Ms. Lucido & Ms. Quirk in the front office.

Juniors/Senior

Please fiil out the Armed Services form if you would like to opt. out .

Armed Services Form

Student and Family District Handbook

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and to cut down on the paperwork that families need to complete at the beginning of the school year, Rockport Public Schools has revised our school handbooks into one updated online Student and Family District Handbook. This new version is published on our website and allows for easy access to an organized list of procedures, practices, and important information.

Please read and review the handbook using this link: Rockport Public Schools Student and Family District Handbook.

Parents and guardians will need to acknowledge that they have read the handbook through this form: Acknowledgment of Receipt of RPS Student and Family Handbook. This form is also available on the Handbook page of our website. Please complete ONE FORM FOR EACH child you have attending Rockport Schools. For 6th through 12th grade students, you will also be prompted to have your child sign this acknowledgement form.

The Rockport PTO welcomes back all students, families & teachers and hope the year has gotten off to a great start. Please use the membership link below to sign up and pay annual dues. Funds raised by PTO are used for student field trips, teacher requests, PTO events for elementary and middle/high schools and scholarships for graduating seniors.

PTO is also running a Calendar Raffle fundraiser and we would love your support in purchasing raffle chances and selling them! Please see the links below to both the calendar which shows the prizes and instructions on how to purchase and enter the raffle. Thank you for your support!

Link to PTO Membership form:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/18cvk1Plsa20URoAttdeRwISHaxSXESxTLGF7AMRACpg/edit

Link to PTO Calendar Raffle Doc

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KpHHpKBSLTuit0-zZ0a0kiiOdRtgvnDA/view?usp=drive_link

Link to PTO Calendar Raffle instructions

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1KOwRwZGaesQ-r_g5uVqOtHcUEx8olQ_j/view?usp=drive_link

Thank you,

Alyssa Teixeira

Treasurer, Rockport PTO

Breakfast is an important way to start a productive day. We encourage all students to arrive early enough to get breakfast before school begins if possible. For those students not able to get to school early on any given day, we will provide a set time in the morning to be sure breakfast is accessible to all. Breakfast and lunch continue to be free for students this year.

• In order to strengthen the home/school partnership at RMHS, we will be providing a number of resources for families to keep you informed of important information and events. Resources will be available on the website by late August and include:

  • The Principal’s page on the RMHS website.

  • The Parent Resource Guidebook that provides answers to the most commonly asked questions.

  • The “RMHS Viking News” emailed to all students and families beginning the first week of school.

  • Your child’s Aspen account and Google Classroom pages for the most up-to-date information within individual classes.

  • Routine email communication for parents to guide and inform important upcoming events, school-related expectations, and/or happenings.

Prom - Friday, May 16th

Senior Banquet - Wednesday, May 28, 2025 @ The Elks at Bass Rocks