Panther Post

Dear RNMS Families,

This week was both fun and productive at Rye Neck Middle School! On Monday, our 6th and 7th grade students enjoyed an engaging Extreme Science presentation by David Hagerman. Special thanks to the PTSA STEAM Committee for bringing this exciting experience to our students! Check out some pics below.

On Tuesday's Superintendent's Conference Day, our faculty participated in valuable professional development. Teachers explored "Dream Projects" and how to integrate them into the curriculum, aligning with our strategic plan—details can be found below. Additionally, many staff members completed CPR certification, enhancing our capacity to keep students, staff, and families safe. Teachers also used this time for collaborative planning and curriculum development.

On Wednesday of next week, there will be a board meeting at FE Bellows (9:00 AM) in the morning and middle school conferences will take place in the evening. Please note that conferences are by appointment and will occur only if you have been contacted by your child’s teachers or counselor.

A quick scheduling update: The JCK Foundation was originally scheduled to visit our 7th-grade science classes next week, but this has been rescheduled to Monday, 11/18. In case you are unfamiliar, the JCK Foundation brings programs to schools to promote mental wellness, resilience, and confidence among youth. They aim to prevent isolation and provide valuable resources to support students' well-being. They have already presented to our 6th grade students and later this year they will be meeting with our 8th graders.

Photo retakes are on Tuesday, 11/19. If your child was absent on picture day or would like a retake, this is their opportunity!

Lastly, to all who have served in the U.S. military—Happy Veterans Day! Enjoy the long weekend!

Best,
Jason Doerr
Principal

Next Week:

• November 11:
• Veterans Day - School Closed
• November 13:
• Board of Ed Meeting, 9:00 AM, FEB
• MS Parent Teacher Conferences, 6:00 PM

On the Horizon:

• November 18:
• JCK in 7th Grade Science classes

• November 19:
• MS Photo Retake Day
• Modified Sports Info Mtg for 7th & 8th Graders, 3:00 PM, DH
• November 27:
• MS/HS Rapid Dismissal, 10:45 AM
• November 28 & 29:
• No School - Thanksgiving Recess

We are proud to announce our Students of the Month for October. They are:

6th Grade: Oliver S. and Madeline L.

7th Grade: Thomas H. and Clementine B.

8th Grade: Asahi T. and Dylan C.

The Student of the Month award aims to recognize students who make meaningful contributions to our school community, both inside and outside the classroom. This program celebrates those who demonstrate a love for learning and a commitment to personal growth, regardless of academic standing. Here are some of the reasons students are nominated:

• Classroom Progress
• Grade Improvement
• Leadership Qualities
• Strong Engagement
• Kindness and Consideration
• Outstanding Attitude
• Community Involvement
• Personal Growth
• Exemplary Character
• Individual Achievement

Congrats to all six of our recipients this month!

Parent Square Coming in January: What's ParentSquare? We're glad you asked! Through this unified communications platform, you will be able to:

• Receive all District, school and classroom communications via email, text, or app

• View the school and classroom calendar and RSVP for events

• Easily sign up to volunteer and/or bring items

• Securely receive report cards, IEPs and other important student documents

• Communicate with teachers and staff safely in your preferred language

• And so much more…

We need your feedback! We believe effective communication is essential to our relationship with the Rye Neck Community. As we prepare for the launch, we would like your feedback to help guide the way we use this platform so we can prioritize our community's needs. Please take some time to complete the Communications Survey by Monday, November 18th. The survey should take less than 10 minutes, depending on how thorough you choose to be. While we're not quite ready to launch just yet, we will send out a lot more information as we get closer to January. Our goal is for every family to join ParentSquare and engage with our school community. Watch this video to learn more and keep an eye on your email for more information later this fall!

The Great Gatsby HS Performance: Looking for a fun night out with your family? This year's HS fall show is The Great Gatsby. Tickets are currently on sale. Please click HERE to purchase tickets. The performances are as follows:

Thursday, November 14th at 7 PM

Friday, November 15th at 7 PM

Student Advisory Group Opportunity for Grades 6-8!

We are excited to announce the start of our new student advisory group at RNMS, a group of students from all grade levels who will meet with us once a month during 1st period. This group will give students a direct voice in what’s happening at Rye Neck Middle School. We’ll discuss current school events, gather their ideas for future activities, and hear feedback on ways we can improve the school experience.

All students in grades 6-8 are eligible to participate! Please speak with your child about this opportunity to get involved. If they’re interested, please fill out this Google Form to sign up by 11/15/24. We will select students and notify them soon, as we are looking to have the first meeting during the month of November. Thank you for encouraging your child to share their voice and make a positive impact at RNMS!

Recycle Your Old Eyeglasses and Make a Difference!: The Student Senate is proud to support the Lions Eyeglasses Recycling Program! They will be collecting gently used eyeglasses to help bring the gift of clear vision to low and middle-income communities worldwide. With your donations, countless individuals will have the chance to experience improved sight for the first time, empowering them to lead productive lives, support their families, and pursue educational opportunities. If you would like to make a difference, please drop off your old eyewear in the donation box located in the main office starting on Tuesday, November 12th. Thank you for your support!

• On Monday, November 4, our 6th and 7th grade students were captivated by David Hagerman's Extreme Science assembly! Hagerman brought science to life in exciting and unexpected ways. Students watched as slime formed from polymers, electricity provided students with a "shocking" experience, crystals caused water to "disappear," and the world’s largest Styrofoam cup ball made its grand appearance. To top it off, he used a giant bungee cord slingshot to demonstrate potential and kinetic energy

English:
The 8th Grade English classes have recently completed a short story unit, exploring various themes and honing critical analysis skills. Moving forward, students will study The House in the Cerulean Sea by T.J. Klune, a novel that explores acceptance, inclusion, belonging, and the concept of chosen family. As always, the curriculum will continue to emphasize reading comprehension strategies, skill development, and weekly essay writing.
Ms. Lee’s class will close out the marking period with an argument essay unit before beginning their first novel, Esperanza Rising, which delves into themes of perseverance, social justice, immigration, adaptation, family, and identity.

Algebra 1:
8th Grade Algebra students have been exploring slope concepts, including the relationship between rise and run, and using tables, graphs, and ordered pairs. Next, they will apply their slope knowledge to graph lines using three different forms of equations: standard form, point-slope form, and slope-intercept form. Graphing lines is a foundational skill that will benefit students throughout this year and beyond in high school mathematics.

Math 8:
As the first marking period concludes, Math 8 students are wrapping up units on Integer Exponents and Multi-Step Algebraic Equations. With these essential algebraic skills established, they will transition into topics in Geometry for the second marking period, focusing on the area and circumference of circles, volume of three-dimensional shapes, and angle relationships.

Social Studies:
Students in Social Studies have delved into the Gilded Age of U.S. history, experiencing innovations like Henry Ford’s assembly line and the Wright Brothers’ Flyer I, and analyzing social issues through events like the Triangle Shirtwaist Factory Fire and Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle. Next, students will study the United States’ emergence as an imperial power, examining expansion efforts from the purchase of Alaska to the Spanish-American War and “Yellow Journalism.” This unit serves as a segue into World War I, where students will analyze propaganda posters and even create their own.

Living Environment:
Unit 1 on Living Things offered students hands-on learning, including cheek cell and onion cell examinations and experiments with a synthetic membrane. Interactive stations fostered collaboration and creativity, and a highlight was the "Wanted Poster" project on organelles. Looking ahead to Quarter 2, students will dive into biochemistry, a challenging topic. To support them, Mrs. Vega will host extra help sessions every Monday, and alternative arrangements can be made as needed.

Spanish 8 (Mr. Bianco):
Mr. Bianco’s Spanish students have been focused on discussing school subjects and schedules. They have been practicing conversations and written exchanges about school activities, preferences, and similarities between themselves and peers. Next, students will work on describing classrooms and locations of objects, enhancing their listening, reading, and conversational skills.

Spanish 8 (Ms. Regan):
Ms. Regan’s Spanish classes have been learning to describe family members and discuss celebrations. Currently, students are using their creativity to design ideal parties through vision board projects.

French:
In French class, students have been mastering regular and irregular verb conjugations and exploring food and restaurant habits. The next step involves researching French pastries and presenting their favorite desserts.

Italian (Mrs. Martinelli):
Mrs. Martinelli’s Italian class recently wrapped up a chapter on places in the city and high numbers. Students are currently creating dialogues about city life and shopping, incorporating key grammatical points such as prepositional contractions, irregular verbs, and the verb “costare” with its shopping-related conjugations. Next week, students will present their dialogues and then move on to a highly anticipated chapter focused on their favorite topic: “il cibo italiano” (FOOD!).

Future Updates: The schedule below will spotlight different grades and programs in upcoming newsletters:

• November 15th – 7th Grade
• November 22nd – 6th Grade
• November 27th – Arts/P.E.
• December 6th – 8th Grade

Superintendent's Conference Day: On Tuesday's Superintendent's Conference Day, our 6-12 staff came together to deepen their focus on Strategic Plan Goal #1 and enhance classroom engagement with project-based learning. A key focus was introducing Dream Projects, which move beyond traditional projects by embedding learning directly within the project itself—transforming the project into the unit.

Teachers explored:

• Engagement vs. Compliance: How can we inspire genuine interest and active participation?
• Project-Based Learning Transition: Shifting from traditional units to projects that inherently teach core content.
• Learning Through Products: Designing projects where the outcomes are as rich in learning as conventional assessments.
• Dream Projects Implementation: Strategies for implementing dream projects emphasizing student choice and interest.

Teachers brainstormed individually and collaboratively within their departments, identifying upcoming units and curriculum areas where dream projects could be introduced. Staff also reviewed inspiring project examples and developed initial ideas for creating high-impact, student-centered projects.

#RNlearns

Intramurals: Please see the information/schedule for 6th grade intramural sports 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:

Panther's Den: The Panther’s Den is officially open! Located in the library (just left of the Community Room), this space offers students a refreshing change of pace during their lunch period. At the Panther’s Den, students can relax, chat, play games, enjoy activities, color, draw, journal, and have lunch—while also meeting new friends and recharging for the afternoon! Since space is limited to 8-10 students per day, a Google Form will be sent out every Thursday for sign-ups for the following week. Students can select their preferred day, though adjustments may be made based on interest. Thank you so much to the Rye Neck School Foundation for helping make this idea a reality! We’re excited to provide this new opportunity and can’t wait to see students enjoy the space! If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Ms. Barilli, Ms. Crivorot, Mrs. Lawlor, or Mrs. Sullivan.

ENL Homework Helpers: The 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. During these sessions, students will receive assistance with their homework and other academic tasks. A snack will be provided or students may bring their own. We will meet in room L214.

Use of Library: Students have the opportunity to come to the library before, during, and after school. 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.

Clubs: Middle school clubs began in October. Take a moment to review this chart of MS Club Offerings with your child to see which clubs catch their interest. There’s no sign-up required—just show up after school on the designated day. Students have also reviewed these options with their teachers during homeroom.

Crossing Hornidge Road: For everyone's safety, 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.

Important Change in Crossing Guard Location: The crossing guard stationed at the front of F.E. Bellows is being moved from the crosswalk on Carroll Ave. directly in front of the FEB entrance to the crosswalk at the intersection of Carroll Ave. and Route 1/Boston Post Rd. The hours of coverage will remain the same and new pedestrian crossing signs will be posted at the FEB crosswalk on Carroll Ave. The change began on Tuesday, October 15th. Drivers are reminded that pedestrians have the right of way in all crosswalks and at intersections with marked or unmarked crosswalks as per New York State law.

Cell Phones: Students have been doing great so far following our cell phone policy. Please continue to discuss with them that (as per our Student Handbook) cell phones and other electronic devices are not to be used in the school building during school hours unless authorized by a teacher for special classroom purposes. If electronic devices are used on the way to and from school, they are to be kept locked in students' lockers. Failure to follow this rule can result in confiscation of these items and they will be returned only to parents. Please make sure to send a lock in with your child so they may secure their cell phones and other devices in their lockers.

Important Documents (please review with your child!):

Student Handbook

Technology Acceptable Use Policy

Village of Mamaroneck Bicycle Safety Brochure

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.