RMHS Students & Families,

We hope you had a wonderful holiday vacation and a very Happy New Year! It was a great first, short week of 2025 at RMHS this past week. Just a reminder to students in grades 9-12 that mid-term exam week is just around the corner. Please be working with your teachers to close out any grades by Friday, January 17th before the exam week begins. If you have any questions about your current progress, please reach out to your teachers in person or via email.

The new year is a time for new beginnings. In middle school Assembly, we talked about the importance of being kind, and maintaining the focus on creating a school culture we can all be proud of. We look forward to continuing this work together as we forge ahead into 2025! 🎊

Here's to a great week ahead!

-Ms. Rose

Amy Rose, Principal

Tuesday, January 7th: RHS DECA District Competition

Tuesday, January 7th: RHS Assembly

Monday, January 20th: No School (Holiday)

Week of the January 21st: RHS Mid-Term Exams

Thursday, January 23rd: RMS Musical Performance of "Mean Girls' @ 7:00pm

Friday, January 24th:RMS Musical Performance of "Mean Girls' @ 7:00pm

Saturday, January 25th:RMS Musical Performance of "Mean Girls' @ 7:00pm

Sunday, January 26th:RMS Musical Performance of "Mean Girls' @ 2:00pm

Friday, January 24th: Q2 Ends

Monday, January 27th: Q3 Starts

Tuesday, January 28th: RHS Class of 2026 Post Secondary Planning Night @ 6:00 pm

Wednesday, January 30th: Principal/Family Partnership Zoom @ 6:00pm

Friday, January 31st: Reports Cards are available

Friday, January 31st: MS Spelling Bee @ AUD

For your long-term planning, please note that RHS holds mid-year exams the week of January 21st. It is important for students and families to plan accordingly for the shortened exam days. Students are only expected to come in for their scheduled exams and are free to leave after they complete their obligations. Buses run per usual to accommodate the middle school schedule. If your high school student wishes to take the normally scheduled bus, they may use the library to read or to prepare for upcoming exams. Please click on the link below for a copy of the 2025 Mid-Year Exam Schedule:

RHS 2025 Mid-Term Exam Schedule

*In the event of an official district snow day, the exam schedule will be pushed forward; meaning, the exams scheduled for that day/s will take place the day we return to school and any remaining exams will take place on subsequent days.

Take a Day to Meet and Observe a Professional in a Field of Interest!

• Job Shadow Day will be Monday, January 27th, 2025

• All Students in 11th and 12th grade will explore career or community service

interests

• Students are encouraged to find their own placements; Assistance is available

• Job Shadow Day Proposal is due December 13th, 2024

Questions? See RMHS Capstone Program Coordinator Mr. Vendt evendt@rpk12.org

There will be a SEPAC (Special Education Parent Advisory Council) meeting on January 9 at 5:30pm via zoom. For more information please see the Agenda.

We are pleased to inform you of Rockport’s participation in the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy for the 2024-2025 School Year. The Seal of Biliteracy is offered to any student who demonstrates proficiency in English and any other language, whether they speak or sign the language other than English at home or learned it at school or in the community.

The State Seal of Biliteracy aims to:

Encourage students to study and master languages;

Certify attainment of biliteracy skills;

Recognize the value of language diversity;

Provide employers with a method of identifying people with language and biliteracy skills;

Provide universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for attainment of high-level skills in languages;

Prepare students with skills that will benefit them in the labor market and the global society;

Strengthen intergroup communication and honor the multiple cultures and languages in a community.

In order to earn the Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy, students must:

Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in English by earning a score of 472 or higher on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS,

Demonstrate a high level of proficiency in a world language by attaining a minimum score equivalent to Intermediate-High on an assessment approved by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education,

Satisfy all other graduation requirements.

The Seal of Biliteracy with Distinction is available to students who:

Earn a score of 501 or higher on the Grade 10 ELA MCAS

Demonstrate a proficiency level of Advanced Low or higher on a Department-approved assessment

Satisfy all other graduation requirements.

We will be administering the ELA MCAS on March 25-26, 2025. A Google form gauging interest in earning the Seal of Biliteracy will be sent out to eligible students in early/mid December. We will be administering the AAPPL (The ACTFL Assessment of Performance toward Proficiency in Languages) in late February/early March to interested students. The cost for the assessment is $20. Financial assistance is available for those that qualify.

We look forward to honoring the language expertise and diversity in our district through this initiative. If you have any further questions, please contact Lilliam Duffy at lduffy@rpk12.org or Martha Cox-Stavros at mcoxstavros@rpk12.org.

Massachusetts State Seal of Biliteracy Participating Colleges & Universities

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.

Gap Year Fair on 1/13/25 at Newburyport HS from 6 - 8:30 PM. Stop by Guidance for QR Registration Code. Learn more at www.usagapyearfairs.org

Save the Date! NACAC Boston National College Fair March 27 and 28, 2025

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) invites students, parents, and counselors to explore the college search process at the NACAC National College Fair in Boston held on Thursday, March 27, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Friday, March 28, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The fair will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

Complete information about the fair, including free student registration, can be found at https://www.nacacattend.org/25Boston.

PSAT Scores Juniors and Sophomores:

Student score reports are available and be accessed through BigFuture School app or their CollegeBoard accounts https://satsuite.collegeboard.org. Need help with your account, call Student Line/College Board at 866.433.7728. Understanding Scores can be found at https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/psat-nmsqt-understanding-scores.pdf. Guidance can access score reports and provide hard copies to students upon in-person request.

Community Service is a graduation requirement!

Thank you to the Class of 2028 for designing holiday-themed placements for ALL the residents at Oceanside RNC. Keep the momentum going during the season of giving! Community service hours are updated weekly in Aspen. All students need to earn 50 hours. Please visit the new Community Service page on the website for suggested opportunities and community service forms. Check out the bulletin board outside of Guidance for opportunities or stop by Guidance to speak with Ms. Vavruska or Ms. Price with any questions.

Freshmen - Class of 2028

• A group of Seniors will be attending the Freshmen Flex Block next week to talk about mid-term exams and to answer any questions you may have.

Seniors - Class of 2025:

• Seniors who have applied to colleges: Please continue to check your personal emails for guidance about the next steps, creating a portal, and/or missing documents.

• The FAFSA is open for 2025-26! Ahead of completing the FAFSA, families should create their FSA IDs. The student and one parent/contributor must have an FSA ID and password to fill out the FAFSA-FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid. Processing a FSA ID can take 3-5 business days, so we recommend planning ahead.

• Guidance has received a few scholarships that fall outside of our local scholarship program. Seniors are welcome to check out the binder in Guidance.

• Seniors -- GET YOUR COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS COMPLETED before April 4, 2025!

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:

RHS Jr/Sr. Prom - Friday, May 16th, 2025 @ Spinellis

Senior Showcase: Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 @ Rockport Music Shalin Liu

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

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.

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.

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.