RES Weekly Buzz

It was wonderful to see many of you last night at our Back to School Night! Thank you for attending and meeting with your child's classroom teacher. As you know, there is a lot of great learning at RES this year! For those unable to attend last night, don't hesitate to contact the classroom teacher if you have any questions.

This week, our 4th-grade students enjoyed a day at Project Adventure, where students deepened their capacities to communicate, collaborate, problem-solve, and work together. The students returned to school tired but excited to share their experiences throughout the day. Many thanks to Erin Canniff and Darlene Trumbour, who spearheaded this incredible day, and the staff that accompanied them. This trip would not be possible without the grant funding from the Gloucester Health Department. Many thanks to them as well!

Opening school for a new year is no easy task, but when I see the smiling faces walk through the door each morning, it reminds me that all the hard work is worth it. Our students are happy, curious, and excited to be at RES, and I am grateful for all those things. Thank you for entrusting your children with us each day and partnering with us to create a wonderful school environment and school experience where they will thrive and be happy. Of course, we want them to learn and come home full of knowledge, but most importantly, I want them to be happy, and that is just what they are.

Have a wonderful weekend,

Amy

• September 24th: 1/2 Day of School
• September 25th: RES Picture Day-See below for more information

2024-2025 RPS School Calendar

Good afternoon,

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.

Thank you!

Amy Waterman, Principal
Rockport Elementary

We are excited to present the RPS Principal-Family Partnership series. All parents, guardians, and families are welcome to join us from 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm in the John Lane Auditorium on the evenings listed below. The informal presentations will support families by bringing in outside resources and professionals to educate us on the most complex and current trends within the dedicated topics. Each date holds a unique theme and is designed to provide families with current information while allowing for open and meaningful dialogue. The experience will foster the importance of the school-family partnership in effectively managing the most complex of issues our kids face. Outside professionals will lead the presentations, but RPS administration and related staff will attend meetings to learn, share, and grow with you. We hope to see you all there!

November 14, 2024 – The Anxious Generation: Social Media Discussion – Bullying, Social Media Use & Current Trends

January 23, 2025– The Road to Commitment or Compromise – Vaping, Drugs & Healthy Decision-Making

March 20, 2025 – Raising and Educating Resilient Children: The Gift of Failure

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.

RES is pleased to offer Run Club and Juggling Club again this year. Please use the appropriate sign up below.

*Reminder-There will be no early bus this year for before school clubs*

24/25 Run Club for grades 1-5: Sign up here

24/25 Juggling Club for grades 2-5: Sign up here

24/25 Fall Run Club/Juggling schedule

Any questions email Ms. Canniff, ecanniff@rpk12.org

RES is pleased to offer a Fall session of before/after school activities. The classes will meet once per week for 6 weeks beginning the week of September 23rd. Before school classes meet from 8-8:40am, After school classes meet from 3-4pm. Students will be brought to the RES lobby at 4pm to meet parents. Students will only be released to parents unless an email or note has been sent to the instructor. Below are the descriptions of each of the activities. Sign up by completing the form below by Friday, September 20th. Please remember to send a note in with your child stating they will be attending an afterschool class. One note with all dates is fine. Please be aware there is no school nurse on duty during before/after school activities.

Enrollment is on a first come, first serve basis. The class size is based on the type of activity. Once your sign up has been confirmed an invoice will be sent for payment. Cash or checks, made payable to RES will be accepted. 1 check made out to RES per family. All payments must be received prior to the start of the class. Any questions email Nikole Gale, ngale@rpk12.org

Signup here

Before/After School Schedule

Click on sign for more information

Classroom teachers would appreciate if you use this Transportation Form to help guide your child in the right direction at the end of the school day. If you are unable to print, a note with the requested information is great!

Please use this link to sign your child up to ride the school bus for school year 2024-2025. Routes will be posted on the website and sent to families this week. There have been some changes made to the routes from last year.

Bus Routes

School Bus Stop Safety

School pictures will be taken on

Wednesday, September 25, 2024.

Click here to order.

Rockport PTO wishes everyone a wonderful, fun, safe summer!

Upcoming Events:

• Watch for information

PTO Membership Form

Please click on the link to review RES Illness and COVID-19 Protocols for this school year.

If your child needs a medication, inhaler, or Epi-Pen in school for the 2024-2025 school year, new forms are required to be filled out. The Medication Administration form, Authorization To Treat form, and Asthma Action Plan form (for inhalers) are all available under the Health Services link on the rpk12.org website.

If your child had their annual physical over the summer, please remember to turn in a copy when the new school year starts.

Please remember that NO PEANUT OR TREE NUT FOODS ARE ALLOWED IN SCHOOL. Because many students have food allergies, please also remind your child that they should NEVER share their meals or snacks with peers.

Make sure your child brings a water bottle to school every day.

If you have any questions or need any forms sent home in your child's backpack, please call the RES health office at 978-546-1223.

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts has extended free school meals for all students through the 2024-2025 school year! This means that breakfast and lunch will continue to be served at no cost to all students.

Please note that even though meals will be free for all, it is essential for families to complete still the household Application for Free and Reduced Price Meals for the 2024-2025 school year. You can view and complete the application here: CLICK HERE FOR THE ROCKPORT FAMILY PORTAL. We strongly encourage ALL families to submit this form as it allows us to establish eligibility for P-EBT summer benefits, discounts on Athletic fees, Transportation fees, and Testing fees (SAT, ACT, and AP), discounts on utilities and internet connection fees, and to aid us in serving our families most effectively.

What if my child doesn't want to eat school lunch? Why should I fill out the form?

Even if your child chooses to bring their lunch, filling out the form is very important! It ensures that Rockport Public Schools gets all the funding and benefits available to support teachers and students. Also, even if your child does not eat school lunch, students who qualify for free lunch can receive other benefits like:

• Summer EBT eligibility
• Free or discounted Bus Pass fees and Athletic Fees.
• Discounts for your family on utilities and internet service.
• Reduced fees for SAT and ACTs and college applications

In addition, please consider applying for SNAP, the federal nutrition program that provides eligible residents with monthly financial assistance to purchase groceries. More SNAP information can be found at getsnap.org1-877-382-2363 or by calling Project Bread’s FoodSource Hotline at 1-800-645-8333.

The food and nutrition department at Rockport Public Schools thank you for your patience in awaiting this historic news! As always, we are grateful for the opportunity to provide nourishing and healthy meals to all Rockport students so please reach out to us with any questions or concerns at 978-546-1243 or via email at dnokes@rpk2.org

Best regards,

Deborah Nokes

Director of Food Service

Rockport Public Schools

978-546-1243

dnokes@rpk12.org

• Any elementary, middle, or high school positions that are open in Rockport Public Schools are posted here.

• Click here or scan our QR code to see all available positions.

Click the links below to access the various resources:

• RES 24/25 Staff
• RPS Community Flyers
• Rockport Public Library-Visit the Rockport Public Library for some great offerings for both children and adults.
• Nurturing Families Class at Pathways-There is still space available in the Nurturing Families program offered at Pathways for Children for FREE to all area families, beginning on Wednesday, 9/25 at 5-7:30 pm. This is a family program and includes child participation in age appropriate groups and a shared family meal.

  Please see the attachment for all the details and share freely with any interested parents/caregivers. For further information and to register please reach out to Jeannine Helen at jhelen@pw4c.org. or call 978 296-8088.

• Cape Ann Youth Chorus
• Hispanic Heritage Day Activities
• Rockport Music- Visit the Rockport Music website for upcoming show information and discounted options for students of RPS.
• K-8 Rockport Youth Basketball
  
• Cape Ann Museum
• Power of Produce-The Power of Produce! Rockport Farmers Market is very excited to be offering the POP Club (“Power of Produce”) program at the Rockport Farmers Market this year! The POP Club program seeks to empower your children, ages 5-12, to make healthier food choices while supporting local farmers and local food producers. Children will receive 3 POP Dollars at every Saturday market they attend to use to purchase produce from our local vendors, encouraging your children to actively engage with their produce suppliers and to make nutritious choices. Through its innovative approach, the POP Club program inspires families to prioritize fresh, local foods and cultivates a lifelong appreciation for healthy eating habits in children. The Rockport Farmers Market opens this season at Rockport’s Harvey Park on Saturday June 15 and runs every Saturday through October 12 from 9 AM to 1 PM. All children must be accompanied by a parent to sign up and participate in POP Club. You can download the attached signup sheet and bring it to the market or sign up at the market when you arrive. Check out our website for updates and more information: rockportexchange.org.
• Gloucester Youth Football and Cheerleading