Panther Post

Dear RNMS Families,

I hope this letter finds you well as we settle back into our routines after Thanksgiving break. This week brought a frosty welcome back, but despite the chilly weather, the days flew by with plenty of activity and excitement in our school community.

Our eighth graders took an important step in their journey toward high school as they participated in their ninth-grade orientation this week. It's hard to believe we’re already thinking about their transition to Rye Neck High School!

Modified winter sports are underway for our seventh and eighth graders, and we encourage you to come out and support our Panthers this season. You can find the schedule of games here.

Meanwhile, our sixth graders had the opportunity to engage in some hands-on learning through the The STEM Alliance presentations, which took place in their science classrooms thanks to the generosity and efforts of our PTSA. Be sure to check out more about this fantastic program below.

Looking ahead to next week, we will have our second Principal's Advisory Committee Meeting on Wednesday, 12/11. Also, our 7th graders will have their STEM Alliance presentations on Friday, 12/13. Lastly, stay tuned next week for when we announce our November students of the month!

Stay warm this weekend, and thank you, as always, for your continued support of our school community.

Best,

Jason Doerr
Principal

Next Week:

• December 11:
• MS Principal's Advisory Committee Meeting, 1:15 PM
• December 13:
• 7th Grade STEM Alliance presentations - Lava Lamps

On the Horizon:

• December 17
• RNMS Winter Concert, 6:00 PM, PAC
• December 18
• Board of Ed Meeting, 7:00 PM, MS/HS Community Room
• PD Early Release Day, 1:15 PM
• December 20
• MS Olympics
• Early Dismissal, 10:45 AM
• MP2 Progress Reports Posted

STEM Alliance Presentation on DNA Extraction: Today we had the pleasure of welcoming the STEM Alliance for an exciting hands-on presentation about DNA extraction from fruits and vegetables. Students enthusiastically participated in lab tasks, exploring the fascinating world of DNA through interactive and engaging activities. It was a fantastic day of learning and discovery! Thank you to the PTSA for sponsoring this awesome event.

Looking ahead, our 7th graders will continue the fun next week by working with the STEM Alliance to create their own lava lamps—an activity sure to ignite creativity and curiosity. Stay tuned for more updates!

Science and Technology Fair: Speaking of science, it’s time for the Middle School Science and Technology Fair! The 6th-8th grade Science and Technology Fair is an opportunity for your child to explore a question they have always wanted to answer, use critical thinking skills, and develop research and organizational skills. For more details and how to participate, click here.

Student Advisory Committee: This week, we held our first Student Advisory Group meeting, kicking off an exciting year of collaboration and student-driven initiatives. During the meeting, we outlined the goals and processes that will guide our work throughout the year. Our first task was to begin designing a schoolwide student survey, which will be distributed to all middle school students in the coming weeks. Once the survey data is collected, we will convene grade-specific advisory teams to analyze the results. Together, these teams will identify key areas for improvement and work on implementing changes based on student feedback, ensuring their voices help shape our school community.

Principal's Advisory Committee Meeting: Here is the agenda for our next PAC meeting on Wednesday, December 11th. Please reach out to one of the middle school PAC members (Stacie Brenkovich, Erin Colagiovanni, Jocelyn Langus, Stephen Palgon, Lindsay Reitzes, Jaime Santa, and Jen Soussa) if there are specific questions you have regarding agenda topics.

Middle School Olympics: The Middle School Olympics will take place on Friday, December 20th, in the high school gym. Students will be assigned to teams and will compete in exciting events like Awesome Ball, the 4-Legged Race, Balloon-Up, a Hula Hoop Contest, and more! This event is all about teamwork, good sportsmanship, and fostering a strong sense of camaraderie among our students.

Safety Drill: This week's planned sheltering drill was cancelled due to unforeseen circumstances and will be rescheduled in the near future. We will announce that date as it approaches.

English: Eighth-grade English classes are reading The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, exploring themes of belonging, acceptance, and family. Students are also enhancing their reading comprehension and writing skills. In Ms. Lee’s class, students completed their first argumentative essay on smartphone use and are now reading Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan, focusing on themes of grit and resilience.

Math: Algebra students have been mastering linear functions and graphing using various forms. They will soon begin a unit on inequalities, including compound and absolute value inequalities, and explore Set Builder, Interval, and Roster Notation for expressing solutions. Math 8 students have been studying geometry, focusing on calculating the volume of 3D shapes. They will soon move on to angle relationships, including complementary, supplementary, and triangle angles, as well as angles formed by parallel lines and transversals.

Social Studies: Students are studying American Industrialization and Imperialism, with a focus on events like the purchase of Alaska and the Spanish-American War. In December, the class will shift to the causes of World War I, examining trench warfare, technological advancements, and the war’s impact.

Science: Living Environment students are learning about biomolecules, enzymes, and antibodies. They will create stop-motion videos to illustrate biochemical processes and practice lab techniques to identify biomolecules.

World Language: Students in Mr. Bianco’s class are learning food-related verbs and will discuss leisure activities and weekend plans. Other Spanish classes are exploring house-related vocabulary, adjectives, and irregular verbs preparing for their “Dream House Project.” In Italian, students are working on food-related vocabulary and conjugating verbs like piacere and volere. They will soon begin the “Cooking Show” project, creating videos and sharing Italian dishes.

RULER at Rye Neck Middle School: We’ve been focusing on RULER (Recognizing, Understanding, Labeling, Expressing, and Regulating emotions) to promote social-emotional learning at the middle school. This framework helps build emotional intelligence, improving communication and problem-solving. In collaboration with BOCES, we've held professional development sessions to ensure effective implementation. At this week's faculty meeting, we began creating our staff charter, a guide to align values and strategies for supporting emotional intelligence. This work ties directly to our strategic plan’s second goal and will positively impact student growth and school culture.

#PantherVoices#PanthersImpact

Important Documents (please review with your child!):

Student Handbook

Technology Acceptable Use Policy

Village of Mamaroneck Bicycle Safety Brochure

MS Club Offerings

Parent Square Coming in January: Watch this video to learn more and keep an eye on your email for more information later this fall!

Use of Library: Library hours are typically from 7:50 am until 4:00 pm and we try to give you advance notice if there is a change to the posted hours.

Panther's Den: The Panther’s Den offers students a relaxing space during lunch to play games, enjoy activities, and meet new friends. A Google Form will be sent out every Thursday for sign-ups for the following week.

Recycle Your Old Eyeglasses and Make a Difference!: Our Student Senate is collecting gently used eyeglasses to help bring the gift of clear vision to low and middle-income communities worldwide. Please drop off your old eyewear in the donation box located in the main office. Thank you for your support!

ENL Homework Helpers: ENL Homework Helpers sessions take place every Monday from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM, and will run through January 27, 2025, with Mr. Martinez in room L214.

Crossing Hornidge Road: Students should only cross Hornidge Road at the designated crosswalk on Post Road. Please avoid cutting through private property or crossing the street outside of the crosswalk, as it can create unsafe situations.

Cell Phones: Cell phones and other electronic devices are not to be used in the school building during school hours. Failure to follow this rule can result in confiscation of these items and they will be returned only to parents. Please find additional information about our cell phone policy in our Student Handbook.

Ongoing Feedback: To gather more feedback from parents, we invite you to use this Google Form below to share your questions, comments, concerns, or ideas. While submissions can be made anonymously, please include your name and contact information if you would like a direct response.

Intramurals: 6th grade Intramurals are no longer running and will resume in April. If your child is interested in attending at that time, please see the information/schedule below:

6th grade intramural sessions will take place from 3:00 PM - 4:00 PM on the dates below. Intramural sports:

• are run by Rye Neck Coaches.

• will consist of skill development and scrimmaging.
  

• require your child to be registered on FamilyID using this link: 6th Grade Intramurals

• only run on days when school is in session.
  

Please note that while attendance is not mandatory for participation, if you sign up we ask that you make every attempt to attend each day. A student may register for multiple sessions/sports.

Please see the schedule below:

RNSF Give Grant Impact: "The RNSF "Give, Grant, Impact" Appeal is here! Now through December 20th, you have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of our students. Each donation funds grants that bring innovative resources, programs, and experiences directly to Rye Neck students, providing them with opportunities to explore, create and excel. Visit the RNSF WEBSITE to donate today!"

Cell Phone Help for Parents: Please see the Rye Youth Council Events page for upcoming events that provide parents with help as they manage cell phone use for their families. These events include:

• So Now You Have a Cell Phone... - January 13th