May 9, 2025

Dear Parents/Guardians,

Congratulations to both the band and chorus for a wonderful concert on Wednesday night. The performances were outstanding!!

Next Friday, 5/16 is the 8th grade, end of the year dance. This year the students have decided on a disco theme. Tickets will be on sale May 13 - 16 during lunch waves. The cost to attend is $10.00 and a signed permission slip is required to purchase a ticket.

A reminder that our last Smarter Balance Assessment, the Math CAT, will be on Tuesday.

Finally, I want to thank all the Parents/Guardians and local businesses that contributed to making our staff appreciation day exceptional for all of us here at RHAM. The volunteers who helped out during the day, along with the food and giveaways were amazing. We are thankful to work in such a supportive community and all of us here at the Middle School appreciate all your support. Thank you!!

That is all I have for now.

Have a great weekend.

Michael Seroussi

RHAM Middle School Staff would like to express our sincere appreciation to our RHAM families and local businesses for the generous donations for our Staff Appreciation Week! The gift certificates, gift baskets and gift donations for our giveaways, and the delicious array of dishes for our luncheon were highlights of the week for our staff.. Huge thanks also go out to the parent volunteers who made phone calls, decorated and set up, picked up and delivered food and giveaways, served lunch and cleaned up afterwards! We couldn’t have done it without you! The willingness to support our staff means the world to us. It's wonderful to know that we have such community centered families and businesses in Hebron, Andover and Marlborough. We truly value your support. Thank you again for helping us celebrate our amazing staff.

Last night Mrs. Wilson, Ms. McKiernan and our students put on some spectacular performances. It was wonderful to see all the cultural songs and music throughout the night! We even had some great guest musicians join our band! Then the finale of Defying Gravity was just wonderful!
Bravo to everyone involved. You all worked very hard and it was an amazing show!

May 2025

• May 13- Smarter Balance Testing
• May 16- 8th Grade End of Year Dance - MS Cafe; 7:00 - 9:00 PM
• May 20- 8th Grade Field Trip - Boston
• May 22- 7th Grade Field Trip - Lake Compounce
• May 23- Alternative Energy Race Team Field Trip
• May 23- Governor’s Get Outside and Play Day
• May 23- Early Dismissal; 11:45 AM
• May 26- NO SCHOOL; Memorial Day
• May 26- Memorial Day Parade
• May 27-29- 8th Grade Schedule Review; 7:20 AM - 9:00 AM
• May 29- Evening of the Arts
• May 30- Purple Team Awards Ceremony (HS Auditorium) 12:30 PM

June 2025

• June 2- Red Team Awards Ceremony (HS Auditorium) 12:30 PM
• June 3- Gold Team Awards Ceremony (HS Auditorium) 12:30 PM
• June 4- Green Team Awards Ceremony (HS Auditorium) 8:00 AM
• June 4- Inquiry Team Awards Ceremony (HS Auditorium) 12:30 PM
• June 10- Early Dismissal / Exams; 11:45 AM *
• June 11- Early Dismissal / Exams; 11:45 AM *
• June 12- Early Dismissal / Exams; 11:45 AM *
• June 13- Promotion; 8:00 AM *
• June 13- Last Day of School / Early Dismissal; 11:45 AM *

*Dates subject to change due to weather/school closings

The 8th Grade Dance is coming up on May 16th! Students will receive their permission slips on Monday and can buy tickets for $10 per person next Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday during either lunch wave.

We’re excited to announce that the seventh grade field trip to

Lake Compounce is scheduled for Thursday, May 22nd!

Permission slips have already been distributed to students and should be returned soon.

The total cost of the trip is $30, which includes both transportation and park admission.

For lunch, students may:

• Bring a lunch from home,
• Purchase one from the school cafeteria, or
• Buy food at the park.

Please note: Lake Compounce is a cashless facility. Students who wish to make purchases at the park must use a debit card or purchase a prepaid card at the park.

We’re looking forward to a fun and memorable day!

Grades 7 & 8: We're in the home stretch for the 2024-2025 school year! Please be aware that if your child is failing (59 0r below) 2 or more courses for the year they may be facing taking summer school courses or retention. Summer School courses will be offered in English, Science, Math and Social Studies. Summer School will run from June 30th through July 24th (excluding July 4th). Classes will meet Monday through Thursday from 8 am - 12 pm. There is no cost associated with Summer School and bus transportation will NOT be provided. Your child's School Counselor will be in touch with more detailed information if Summer School is required for your child.

Grade 8: Toward the end of this month 8th graders will meet briefly with a high school School Counselor to review their schedule/classes for 9th grade. At that time, if there are any conflicts in the student's schedule they will work with the School Counselor to resolve the conflict. Please keep in mind that schedules can still change over the summer.

Grade 7: Beginning next week, School Counselors will be looking for 7th grade volunteers for our Walk Around Days on 8/14 & 8/20 10am-2pm! As a volunteer, rising 8th graders will offer tours, help with lockers, and answer any questions the incoming 7th graders may have. Lunch is provided if your child stays the whole day. If your child is interested in helping us out, have them listen to the morning announcements next week and/or keep an eye on their School Counseling Classroom for the sign up form! This is a great opportunity for our rising 8th graders to gain leadership experience!

SOAR Youth Leadership will be hosting their end of the year celebration meeting on Tuesday, May 20th 2025 from 2:15-3:15pm where they will be sharing and celebrating all the awesome things they accomplished and participated in this year!

This year, Art Club and Environmental Club students teamed up to celebrate Earth Day! On 4/22 students in the MS art club as well as the MS and HS Environmental Clubs met together to paint clay pots with acrylic paint. The pots were then clear coated and left to dry so students could return on 5/6 to fill them with soil and herbs such as basil, oregano, thyme, and dill. It was a fun collaboration for the students who used a nature inspired project to showcase their artistic talents while raising awareness about the environment.

Happy Spring!

As the allergy season is upon us, we would like to remind you that our school nurse’s office does not carry cough medicine or seasonal allergy medications. To help alleviate your child’s allergy symptoms during school hours, we recommend administering any cough and/or allergy medication in the morning before your child arrives at school. This can help ensure that your child is comfortable throughout the day and better able to focus on their studies. Please make sure that any medication you provide is taken according to the recommended dosage and timing.

If your child requires medication during school hours, please complete the necessary authorization forms and provide the medication to our office. You can contact the school nurse for more details.

Thank you for your understanding and support in keeping your child comfortable and healthy during this allergy season!

Courtney Roy, BSN, RN

RHAM Middle School Nurse

Regional School District 8
P: 860-228-9423 Ext 4009

F: 860-228-5316

courtney.roy@rhamschools.org

Starting the day with breakfast is crucial for students to stay healthy, focused and energized throughout their school day. Eating a balanced breakfast helps prevent headaches and stomach aches, which often occur when students skip this important meal. For those with little time or no desire to eat in the morning sending your child to school with easy grab-and-go snacks like yogurt cups, fruit cups, granola bars, protein bars, breakfast crackers, etc. will provide them with the fuel they need, when they need it, to remain in class for a successful day of learning. Breakfast options are also available for purchase in the Cafeteria during advisory, please encourage your child to utilize that option as well if you have set up an account. Thank you!

If you would like your child to be able to receive Tylenol, Motrin, cough drops or lotion during the school day, please make sure you have logged onto Power School and updated your child's Consent to Treat form for this school year.

Access the form on the RHAM Middle School Website under the PARENTS tab:

• Parent Portal
• Forms
• Enrollment
• Health Authorization

Attendance - Absence/Late Arrival/Early Dismissal

FRIENDLY REMINDER - If your child is going to be absent from school, arriving late, or dismissing early, you must report to the school by either filling out the Nurse's Office Form or calling (860)228-9423 X4008 by 8:30 A.M. (Please note that a phone call will need to be followed up with written notification.) The link to the Attendance Form can also be found on the RHAM Middle School website under the “Parents” tab. Additionally, you can scan the QR code located on the RHAM Schools website to access the Attendance Form.

Attention 8th grade parents - This is a reminder that every 8th grade student is required to have a physical form submitted to the school. If your child does not have a current physical on file, you will have been notified, and this needs to be handed in ASAP. The physical needs to be dated July 1, 2022 or later to be accepted.

Attention 7th grade parents - This is a reminder that every 7th grade student is required to have a physical during their 6th or 7th grade year. The physical must be dated between July 1, 2023 and June 30, 2025. Please submit your child's physical, along with their most current immunization record to the school nurse as soon as possible.

Please click on the link below for a blank copy of the health assessment form.

Students can bring the paperwork to the nurse's office or you may email it to mshealthoffice@rhamschools.org . Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact the health office.

https://sites.google.com/rhamschools.org/healthoffice/required-physicals

Dr. Colin McNamara continues his goal to meet as many parents and community members as possible. To help in this effort, he has added new opportunities this school year for "Coffee and Conversation" with community members at the dates listed below. We hope you are able to attend one of the listed times. Please make sure to bring a photo ID, and watch for any updates due to weather or other circumstances.

Middle School Media Center - Small Conference Room

All dates listed below are from 10:00 AM - 11:00 AM

Thursday, September 26th

Thursday, November 14th

Wednesday, January 15th

Wednesday, March 19th

Wednesday, May 21st

High School Media Center

All dates listed below are from 5:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Thursday, October 24th

Thursday, December 12th

Thursday, February 6th

Thursday, April 10th

Here at RHAM Middle School we offer a large variety of clubs and activities for students to get involved in. This is a great way to meet new people and try new things of interest. Please click the picture above to see the most up to date list of clubs, descriptions, dates and times. The full list is also available on the Middle School website.

CLUBS AND ACTIVITIES 24/25

Parents & families are able to monitor the progress of the bus that transports their child(ren) to and from school in real time using a computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone. Please note that the monitoring of bus progress is restricted to the families of students riding their assigned bus.

Please use this link for more detailed information and to register: Transportation Information

We wanted to share some key details about the MyRideK12 app and what can affect its updates.

• The app’s tracking is typically about 2 minutes behind real-time.
• For the best updates, your phone should have at least three bars of signal.
• The bus also needs a strong signal for its location to update properly.

Because of these factors, especially in rural areas, there may be times when the app’s updates are slower or less accurate.

We appreciate your understanding and are happy to answer any questions.

--

Scott Butson

Director of Technology and Communication

Regional School District No. 8 - Andover, Hebron, Marlborough

Hebron, CT 06248

860 228-2115

We have two lunch waves at RHAM Middle School. The first wave starts at 10:35am and the second wave starts at 11:20am. We know that students often get hungry before and after lunch, so they may bring a snack to keep in their locker. We would like to remind everyone that because of allergies, no nut products are allowed in school.

Where Can I Find the Menu?

https://www.fdmealplanner.com/

There are times when families find themselves in need of support to ensure that their children are able to get lunch at school. If you are in need of assistance, please see the Free/Reduced information under the parent tab and then click on food service.

Catheann Torneo <catheann.torneo@rhamschools.org>

860-228-2115 ext. 3710

• Late buses run Monday - Thursday (No Fridays).

• Students are picked up at the Middle School around 4:00pm.

• There is 1 bus per town.

• Bus routes are determined at the time of pickup, based upon how many students are on the bus and student locations. The length of time it takes to get home will vary. You might not be dropped off at your actual home, you could be dropped off up to 1 mile away.

• You will report to the library after your activity or event and wait there doing school work, etc. until the late bus arrives.

• You must be staying after school for an event or activity.

• You cannot leave the school grounds then come back to take the late bus.

Bus Traffic

All buses will enter RHAM from Route 85 and RHAM Road. The buses will proceed along the bus lane between the schools and the middle school baseball and high school softball fields. All middle and high school students will be dropped off in the morning and picked up in the afternoon at the high school drop off area and the buses will then leave RHAM through the main high school exit onto Wall Street. All students will enter through the High School main entrance. No parent vehicles will be permitted to enter the bus lane leading to the high school and staff parking area.

Morning Drop Off Directions

High school parents dropping their children off must enter the high school drop-off loop off of Wall Street and drop their children off at the drop-off area that is across from the weight room and Central office (See map). Parents must then exit back onto Wall Street. Parents dropping off students will not be allowed to enter any of the parking areas.

Middle school parents dropping their children off may enter from Wall Street through the high school entrance adjacent to the Wall Street practice fields or from RHAM road. Parents entering from Wall Street must proceed along the access road adjacent to the tennis courts and drop their children off in front of the middle school main entrance (See map for drop off/pickup areas). Parents must then take a left at the stop sign and exit onto Route 85 via RHAM Road.

Parents entering from RHAM Road must take a right into the student drop off loop, and then follow the signs that will lead you to the drop-off point in front of the middle school main entrance. Parents must then take a left at the stop sign and exit onto Route 85 via RHAM Road. Parents are not allowed to enter the main staff parking area.

Parents with both middle and high school students must make one drop-off and enter the high school drop-off loop off of Wall Street and drop their children off at the drop-off area that is across from the weight room and Central office (See map). Parents must then exit back onto Wall Street. Middle school students dropped off at the high school will walk through the high school and proceed to the middle school.

Afternoon Pick Up Directions

High school parents picking their children up must enter through the main high school entrance on Wall Street and pick their children up at the pick up/drop off area immediately in front of the weight room. Parents must then exit back onto Wall Street from the exit adjacent to the Wall Street practice fields. Parents picking up students will not be allowed to enter any of the parking areas.

Middle school parents picking their children up must enter from Wall Street through the high school entrance adjacent to the Wall Street practice fields or enter from RHAM road. Parents entering from Wall Street must proceed along the access road adjacent to the tennis courts and pick up their children in front of the middle school main entrance. Parents entering from RHAM Road must take a right into the Parent Drop-off loop and then follow the signs that will lead you to the Pick-up point in front of the middle school main entrance. Parents picking up at the end of the day may wait along the right side of the access road in front of RHAM Middle School. Please do not double park on the left side of the access road. Parents are not allowed to enter the main staff parking area. Parents must then take a left at the stop sign and exit onto Route 85 via RHAM Road.

Parents with both middle and high school students can either pick up both students using either the high school or middle school pick-up area or pick up first at the high school and then proceed down to the middle school pick-up area.

Student Directions

High school students parking in the upper or lower student parking lots must enter and exit through the Wall Street student entrance (see map) adjacent to the Wall Street fields.

Link to MS Maps

Link to HS Map