In the Middle

Feb. 26th - PTO Meeting, Library, 7:00 pm

Feb. 27th - Superintendent's PACT Meeting, Library, 5:30-6:30 pm

The Scituate Lions Club presents “A Night of Magic” starring world renowned Master Illusionist, Lyn Dillies. All proceeds of this fundraiser will benefit the family of the late Sgt. Jason Riquier, Scituate PD. The event will be held on Friday night, March 21, 2025 at 7:00 PM. Doors open at 6:30PM at the Scituate High School auditorium. Please visit http://www.Everbrite.com or scituatelionsri.org for a donation of $20 per ticket.

This year we are dedicating a few pages in the yearbook to our special 8th graders. We will be doing "a look back" at their younger years. Please send any photos (solo or group) from elementary school that you would like to see included in the yearbook to

sms_yearbook@scituateschoolsri.net

Ms. Norton will be creating the middle school yearbook this year. If you have photos that you would like to see included in the yearbook, please email them to sms_yearbook@scituateschoolsri.net This includes photos from all of our SMS Athletic Teams.

The Rhode Island Department of Education is currently administering its annual SurveyWorks Family Survey, which is an opportunity for family members to provide feedback about our school community and our children’s opportunities to learn. The survey results are most useful when all families participate, so I am writing to ask you to participate in this survey.

Your views on matters like the safety of your child at school, the way students are taught, the condition of the school, and how connected you feel to this school are important. By taking this short survey, you can help our school leadership and school community to make improvements. Responses are anonymous and cannot be linked to any individual; no one can tie your responses back to you.

You can take the short survey online between January 21 and March 31. To take the survey, visit: bit.ly/ridefamily. Choose your school from the drop-down list.

If our family response rate hits 50%, all students will receive a coupon for a free ice cream during lunch. If that response rate reaches 75%, we will host a free schoolwide movie event.

Seventh grade students are finishing up their mid-year writing assessment. They read two articles about changing school start times, then created an argument to defend a later arrival to school. More sleep for teens?? It wasn't hard to get them started on their arguments in favor of that!

Kids have shown lots of writing growth since September! Great job finding, explaining, and citing textual evidence.

The Knights Team teachers hope everyone had a healthy and fun vacation week!!

SMS is in need of coaches for the following spring sports:

• Boys Track (Job ID 4946844)
• Girls Track (Job ID 4946842)

If we are unable to secure coaches, SMS will not be able to have a team.

If you know of anyone who may be interested in coaching, please check out https://www.schoolspring.com/ and search using the job identification number above. Reach out to the athletic director, Sal Gelsomino, at sal.gelsomino@scituateschoolsri.net .

SMS Cheer team competed in their first competition of the season. While it didn't end the way they'd hoped, the girls were on fire! We are so proud of them all.

Don't forget to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. All links are in our Linktree below

Get your teams together for our SMS 2nd Annual Dodgeball Tournament, Friday, March 7, 6:30 PM - 8:30 PM. Don't have a team but want to play? Don't worry, you can sign up as a free agent. Free Agents will be combined to form a team or added to teams with less than 6 players. Registration is $5 per player, deadline is March 3rd! Sign up with this link: https://www.zeffy.com/ticketing/dodgeball-tournament--2025

Cash only concessions will be available and spectators are welcome! Also, please check out the volunteers sign up link:

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C45AAA72CA0FBC16-55292163-dodgeball

We are sorry to say that this Tuesday's event at United Skates has been cancelled. With only 4 student signups, we would rather plan an event that will engage more of the student body. Stay tuned for a new upcoming event! *Refunds will be processed for those who have bought tickets already.

Several parents have reached out to inquire about access to SmartPass to monitor how much time their child is out of class. SmartPass offers a parent account. Please email me for your child's unique access code.

Late buses are available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. Buses typically arrive around 3:45-4:00, depending on when the elementary runs are complete. Parents and guardians picking up their children should wait in the high school's main parking lot. Students will exit those doors and not the middle school doors; they would usually get picked up at normal dismissal time.

Tuesdays

• Detention
• Agriculture Club

Wednesdays

• Detention
• Math Support
• TSA Club

Thursdays

• Detention
• ELA Support
• Linus Club

As winter approaches, some of us may experience a change in our mood that happens as a response to the colder weather and shorter days. This may look like feeling sad or annoyed, having difficulty concentrating, or changes in appetite or sleeping patterns. The winter blues are more commonly known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)

Check out SPC's winter newsletter. SPC is a regional coalition that is federally funded organization that provides mental health promotion and substance use prevetnion.

Teen depression is a topic often clouded by misconceptions. As parents, caregivers, and advocates, understanding the truth about this condition is crucial for supporting our teens. Let’s tackle some common myths and uncover the facts behind this important issue.

ParentGuidance.Org (a project of The Cook Center for Human Connection) is a new resource for RI schools designed to foster a positive, proactive, and productive culture around Mental Health and Wellness by increasing parent/caregiver engagement. Their portfolio of supports include free and contracted services.

Free services include On-Demand Courses on a variety of topics (anxiety & depression, bullying, body image, technology, grief & loss, meditation & mindfulness, and more) and an Ask A Therapist feature; both from leading mental health experts designed to educate and empower parents/caregivers. Contracted services include Parent/Staff Coaching, Mental Health Family Seminar Series, and Professional Development.

The Scituate School Department has partnered with Unite Us to streamline the process of applying for free and/or reduced lunches.

Please click the link which will take you to the meal benefit application on the State of Rhode Island Department of Education website.

https://ride.ri.gov/child-nutrition/unite-us-electronic-school-meal-benefit-application

Please fill in all fields. Be sure to select Scituate Public Schools in the field “Select the school district that your child will receive school meals from”.

If you have any questions, please call: Jennifer Carnevale, Executive Finance Assistant at 401-647-4100 option 2, then option 3

RIDE and the Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) are excited to host the return of virtual Conscious Discipline® workshops in 2025! These workshops are an opportunity to learn proven strategies to support your child's social and emotional development. The training will be presented in Spanish on March 19, 2025, and families can register here. Families can register for the English presentation taking place on March 26, 2025, here.

• $600 Need-Based Scholarships
• For Rhode Island Middle School Students
• To Enroll in Summer Art Experiences of THEIR Choice (music lessons, camps, art classes, etc.)
• Applications Due March 20, 2025.

Details and application at http://ppacri.org/scholarships.

The Scituate School Department does not discriminate on the basis of age, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, race, religion, national origin, color, creed, political affiliation or disability in any of its educational programs and activities, and in employment and application for employment, as required by Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1965, the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, and other federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies: Equal Employment Officer, P.O. Box 188, North Scituate, Rhode Island 02857, Telephone: (401) 647-4100; Email: EEO@ScituateSchoolsRI.net. You may also direct inquiries directly to: Office for Civil Rights (Boston Office), U.S. Department of Education, 8th Floor, 5 Post Office Square, Boston, MA 02109-3921, Telephone: (617) 289-0111; Facsimile: (617) 289-0150; Email: OCR.Boston@ed.gov. If you require an accommodation to attend a meeting or program at a school, call the Equal Employment Officer at least two business days in advance of the meeting or program.