In the Middle

Jan. 29th: SMS School Improvement Meeting, Library, 2:30 pm

Jan. 29th: 6th Grade Concert 6:00 pm (students arrive at 5:45)

Jan. 29th: 7th Grade Concert 7:00 pm (students arrive at 6:45)

Jan. 31st: Report Cards Emailed

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.

Media Ready is an evidence-based program for middle school classrooms, designed to give youth the ability to analyze media messages, recognize unhealthy behavior, and prevent substance abuse through the power of media literacy education.

SPC Regional Prevention Task Force will be implementing the Pick Your No’s initiative at Scituate Middle School starting in January. This program aims to equip students with the skills necessary to refuse substances and other difficult situations.

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

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.

Students, did you know that beginning on Wednesday, October 23rd, you can sign up each week to get extra help after school in reading, writing, or math if you need it?

Ms. Kennedy (Math) is available after school on Wednesdays from 2:20-3:20 for Math Academic Support in Room 404.

Ms. Limoges (ELA) is available for reading and writing support after school on Thursdays from 2:20-3:20 in Room 402.

Sign-up sheets will be in the main office, and attendance is on a first come, first served basis, as there is a class cap. Please see Ms. Limoges, Ms. Kennedy, or Ms. Goffe if you have any questions about staying after school.

Agriculture Club meets on Tuesdays and is open to middle and high school students interested in nature and the environment. Projects throughout this year include the creation of an on-campus butterfly garden, a "power of plants" great plant give-away, a holiday sale, and filling our greenhouse throughout the early spring with flowers and veggies to sell at our annual plant sale. Additionally, we volunteer at the local water festival and participate in DEM's RI Salmon in the Classroom experience. For more details, please see our Agriculture Contract below. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Travers (email is linked here).

The Technology Student Association is a national student organization with over 300,000 members. TSA projects and competitions include robotics, game design, engineering, and more. Through hands-on learning experiences, these projects aim to nurture innovative thinking. We hope to empower the next generation of inventors, storytellers, and problem-solvers. Join us as we use technology to unlock our students' creative potential! This club meets on Wednesdays after school. Reach out to Mr. Sheehan if you have any questions. His email is linked here.

Project Linus is a national organization that makes blankets for children in crisis. In past years, there have been students who were recipients of blankets while they were hospitalized. At one point in time, SMS was the only school-based club in the state.

This club is open to all grades and meets on Thursdays. If you have any questions about this club, please reach out to Mrs. Battey. Her email is linked here.

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.

During an Advisory period in the month of January, all middle school students will be taking a Connections Survey. This is a research-based survey that encourages students to think about and report personal connections they have with adults and other students within the school building. The information provided by each survey will be kept confidential aside from support staff, if necessary. If you have any questions please feel free to reach out to our School Psychologist, Emma Hackett. Thank you!

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

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.

Feb 11, 2025

May 13, 2025

The Education Exchange is offering a tuition free RIDE-approved Teacher Assistant Training Program. This on-line class begins Wednesday, January 29,2025 and runs from 6PM-830 PM for 12 weeks. To enroll, please call 401-783-0293 or email: info@edexri.org or sign up online @ www.edexri.org. Attached is a flyer with additional information.

Write Rhode Island and the Providence Public Library are hosting Introduction to Comics in February. The workshop is a beginner level course for students grades 6 through 8. Students can meet and learn from published authors and comic writers, discuss topics related to comic book creation, and most importantly, create their own artwork and submit it to WriteRI’s collective comic anthology. This is in person class will be held February 18-21, 2025, at the Providence Public Library. Attendance is free, but registration is required. Register here.

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.