In the Middle

We’ve had a fantastic start to the school year! The students are adjusting well to their new routines, and it’s been wonderful to see their enthusiasm and engagement in class. They’re already showing great potential, and we’re excited about the journey ahead.

Please continue to encourage your child to stay organized and communicate any concerns they may have. If you have any questions or need further support, feel free to reach out.

Thank you for your ongoing support!

dm

September 2nd - No School (Labor Day)

September 10th - No School (State Primary Day)

September 17th - Open House 6:00 - 8:00 pm

September 25th - PTO Meeting 7:00 - 8:00 pm

We've had a few reports of Chromebooks not turning on even after being plugged in and charged. To fix this issue it is a simple combination of pressing the refresh button and tapping the power button, this "jump starts" the computer and will turn it back on. It does take about 5-10 seconds for the boot screen to load. If the issue continues, students should reach out to the technology department by sending an email to technology@scituateschoolsri.net.

• The middle / high school uses a one-way traffic pattern entering from Trimtown Road, looping around the middle school, and exiting onto Rockland Road.

• No vehicle should pull through the main driveway or enter the circle during morning arrival.
  

• All students being dropped off in the morning must enter the auditorium parking lot, turn right, drive around the middle school and students should enter the door near the greenhouse/Caito Field.

• The Student Drop-Off Door closes at 7:45 AM. After that, middle school students should get buzzed in through the doors near Guidance.

Scituate Middle School, along with 75 other Rhode Island secondary schools, is implementing a Student Assistance Program based on a national model called Project SUCCESS. The program is provided by Rhode Island Student Assistance Services (RISAS) and is funded by the Rhode Island Department of Behavioral Health and the school department.

The goals of Project SUCCESS are to prevent and reduce substance use and to improve school performance. The program provides school-wide awareness, classroom presentations and individual and small group sessions to teach about the effects of substance use and skills to resist pressures to use substances.

Abbi Coria, our Student Assistance Counselor, will implement Project SUCCESS prevention and education activities at Scituate Middle School. She works full-time between Scituate High School and Middle School, and is available to meet with parents and legal guardians. Miss Coria has a Master's Degree in Couple and Family Therapy, and specialized training in substance use prevention and mental health promotion. The Student Assistance Counselor is an employee of RISAS and is supervised by RISAS and the School.

Miss Coria is available to see students who are experiencing personal, school or family problems that could put them at risk of substance use or other unhealthy behaviors. If you are worried about your child, reach out to the Student Assistance Counselor or encourage your child to connect directly with her at school. You can call her at (401) 647-4123 ext. 1051. All calls will be confidential.

This program has helped many students make responsible choices and has helped others get outside help for related problems. To evaluate the effectiveness and improve the program, the state requires us to collect data from students who participate during the school year. No names are on any collected data.

If, for any reason, you do not want your child to be seen by the Student Assistance Counselor, please contact the Student Assistance Counselor or me directly. We are very pleased to offer this valuable program to the students in our school.

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

The purpose of the Scituate School Department (SSD) Attendance Policy is to bring students and teachers together so that learning can take place. Attendance at school is a serious matter and time lost from class, including tardies and early dismissals, is irretrievable. Studies show that attendance is directly related to a student's success in school. Attendance records are also part of a student's permanent record, which may be passed on to any organization seeking references. Rhode Island state law (RIGL 16-19-1) requires all students between the ages of six and sixteen years to be registered in and attend school regularly.

1. All absences, tardies and early dismissals are recorded and reported as unexcused until an appropriate excuse is provided in writing.

2. A parent/guardian is required to call the school to report their student's absence. The school will attempt to contact the parent/guardian regarding absences if the school has not been notified. This contact does not imply that such absences are excused. Parent/guardian permission, in and of itself, is not recognized as a legitimate excuse for absences.

3. Teachers shall take daily attendance and class period attendance at the secondary level. Teachers shall notify administration when a student is not in class and not listed as absent on the daily attendance sheet.

4. A list of absent students will be generated for each school day.

5. Any combination of six(6) tardies and/or early dismissals shall be considered one unexcused absence.

6. Following four (4) unexcused absences, which may include tardies, and/or early dismissals, the school will contact the parent/guardian to notify them of the attendance concerns and provide a copy of the attendance policy for their review.

7. Following eight (8) unexcused absences, which may include tardies, and/or early dismissals, the school will contact the parent/guardian in writing requesting a meeting. A referral may be made to the Attendance Officer.

8. Following ten (10) unexcused absences, which may include tardies, and/or early dismissals, a referral will be made to the Attendance Officer and/or Truancy Court.

9. The timelines indicated in 6-8 shall be proportionally adjusted for students who are enrolled for less than one hundred and eighty (180) days.

10. Appointments with doctors, dentists, and other healthcare providers. should be made at times other than during the school day when possible.

11. Students with any unexcused absence, tardy and/or early dismissal on the day of a school-related activity ( e.g., dance, play, athletic event/practice) may not attend that activity.

School attendance is a powerful predictor of student outcomes. Rhode Island defines chronic absenteeism as the percentage of students who miss 10% or more of school days during the year (or two days per month). Research shows that chronic absenteeism is associated with a number of negative consequences for students, including lower achievement, disengagement from school, course failure, and an increased risk of dropping out. Attendance each day is even more critical to help get students on track in the wake of the pandemic. We know some absences are unavoidable, but any absence makes it more difficult for children to keep up with the daily learning needed to grow and succeed.

Reduce the risk of West Nile virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) after mosquitoes tested positive for the diseases. WNV is most commonly spread to people by the bite of an infected mosquito, and mosquito season in Rhode Island runs from summer through fall. Mosquitoes are most active at dawn and dusk, in the shade, and when temperatures are above 55°F.

Here are some precautions that everyone can take to reduce the risk of WNV:

• Use protective clothing

• Have students wear long-sleeved shirts and pants.

• Use bug spray

• Use an EPA-approved bug spray with DEET (20–30% strength), picaridin, IR3535, oil of lemon eucalyptus, or paramenthane. Don't use bug spray with DEET on children under two months old.

• Maintain screens

• Ensure that window and door screens are in good condition and don't have holes or be loose.

• Reduce standing water

• Remove standing water from containers like buckets, pots, wheelbarrows, boats, and pools.

• Clogged rain gutters and puddles on tarps can also support mosquito larvae.

The meeting schedule for the 24/25SY are listed below. The meetings will take place at Ponaganset Middle School, Room 150 at 6:00 pm.

Dec 10, 2024

Feb 11, 2025

May 13, 2025

Join us on September 7th between 10 AM and 4 PM for a family-friendly day on URI’s Narragansett Bay Campus to learn about the latest in coastal and ocean exploration, discovery and science. Along the shore of Narragansett Bay, URI faculty, staff and students will welcome friends, neighbors and future scientists to participate in behind-the-scenes tours, interactive experiences and conversations with a wide variety of ocean experts.

For the most up-to-date details and registration information, visit the Science Saturday webpage.

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.