Happy Friday, RMHS Students & Families,

That's a wrap! It's hard to believe we are a quarter of the way through the school year. This past week has been a whirlwind as we conclude the first quarter and look forward to upcoming plays, dances, concerts, athletic events and so much more. This week, the students and staff went out all with their Halloween costumes, making for a fun day of laughter. The high school student council hosted a Halloween Costume Contest for students and staff. A huge thank you to them for bringing us all together for music, candy and fun! 👻🎃

Come out in support of the RHS Drama Llamas as they present three performances this coming weekend!

Friday, November 1st @ 7pm in the John Lane Auditorium

Saturday, November 2nd @ 7pm in the John Lane Auditorium

Sunday, November 3rd @ 2 pm in the John Lane Auditorium

The middle school student council is hosting their first dance of the year tonight (Friday, November 1st) at 6:30pm in the Cafeteria. We hope to see all the middle school students there! 💃🕺

Final quarter grades will be posted in Aspen by Friday, November 8th at 2:10 pm. If you have any questions about your grades, please contact the teachers directly.

-Ms. Rose

Amy Rose, Principal

Monday, November 4th: Q2 Begins - MS students will receive new schedules on Monday morning to reflect WIN and other quarter changes. HS students should be sure to check their schedules in Aspen for minor adjustments including new FLEX Explore classes.

Friday, November 8th: Report cards available in Aspen

Monday, November 11th: No School (Veteran's Day)

Tuesday, November 12th: RMHS Fall Awards @ 6:00pm Aud.

Thursday, November 14th: Principal/Family Partnership Series (See Info Below)

Saturday, November 16th: PTO Holiday Fair

Tuesday, November 19th: Career Day 8:00-10:30

Thursday, November 21st: Orchestra Summit Finale Concert - 6:30pm AUD

Wednesday, November 27th: 1/2 Day before the Thanksgiving Holiday

Tuesday, December 3rd: 1/2 Day for Students

Wednesday, December 11th: RHS Winter Concert - 6:30 Aud

Tuesday, December 17th: RHS Jazz and Small Ensemble Concert - 6:30pm Shalin Liu

Friday, December 20th: 1/2 Day before the Winter Vacation!

Thursday, January 2nd: Welcome Back!

Thank you to the Rockport PTO & the Education Foundation for Rockport for financially supporting our two-day field trip to Project Adventure. Our goal is to foster individual confidence through adventure-based activities and climbing challenges, while also strengthening our school community through team-building exercises. This type of programming is a key focus for our school and grade level to create a respectful, positive and inclusive learning environment.

On Tuesday, November 5th, Rockport Middle School will host a mock presidential election, focusing on the voting process. Students will go through all the steps: registering to vote, checking in, casting ballots, and checking out. The election will include both a popular vote and an electoral college system (based on the grade population). All polling roles will be filled by student volunteers, with an emphasis on learning how to vote.

Take a Day to Meet and Observe a Professional in a Field of Interest!

• Job Shadow Day will be Monday, January 27th, 2025

• All Students in 11th and 12th grade will explore career or community service

interests

• Students are encouraged to find their own placements; Assistance is available

• Job Shadow Day Proposal is due December 13th, 2024

Questions? See RMHS Capstone Program Coordinator Mr. Vendt evendt@rpk12.org

RPS is excited to welcome Katie Greer for the first Family/Principal partnership series event of the year. She will join us in the RMHS Auditorium at 6 pm to talk about social media use and current trends. Please click the link to learn more about Katie and her important message:

• RPS - Katie Greer Presentation November 14, 2024

We hope to see you all there!

The school campus is closed to the public when school is in session and after 10:00pm nightly. This includes the use of the tennis courts, track, playgrounds, athletic fields and all other parts of the campus. This does not include families and community members attending school events in our schools or on our school grounds. We appreciate the community's understanding and support as we continue to prioritize the safety of RPS students and staff.

Wildfires in Massachusetts

What we know so far:

Convened by the Public Health Institute of Western MA

Thank you,

Jeanne E. Pratt RN BSN NCSN (she/her)

RMS/RHS nurse

tc-(978)-546-1236

fax-(978)-546-3805

Being in school and on time are extremely important to your child's success. When students attend school regularly and arrive on time, they stay engaged in their learning, build strong relationships, and develop solid study habits. Please help us by making sure your child gets to school on time each day. The cafeteria and library are open at 7:00 am and free breakfast is available in the cafeteria for all students. The main hallways and classrooms open at 7:25 am.

We understand that the transition to a middle/high school this coming year comes with a shift in contact information. To simplify the process for families, we have streamlined all communications to run through the RMHS Main Office. Please use the main number for routine inquiries: 978-546-1234. For a more detailed chart of counselors, and other support personnel, please use the chart below to help navigate our new team of people and systems.

The 2024 PSAT/NMSQT Testing Administration was very successful! Sophomores and Juniors, please stop by Guidance to sign a gratitude letter for the Rockport Education Foundation -- let’s thank them for their generosity and for supporting EQUITY! Cheers!

Salem State University Dual Enrollment:

Guidance is reaching out to remind students who are interested in taking one free Dual Enrollment course with Salem State University this spring, the deadline to apply is Friday December 6, 2024. Applications are available in Guidance or use the link to the program details, course availability, and application:

https://www.salemstate.edu/sites/default/files/pdfs/Dual_Enrollment_Application_23_WEB_FILL.pdf

Community Service is a graduation requirement!

All students need to earn 50 hours. Check out your Class Board or Aspen account to see how many community service hours you have earned--updated today on 11/1. Please check the bulletin board outside of Guidance for opportunities or stop by Guidance to speak with Ms. Vavruska or Ms. Price.

Juniors & Seniors:

• The college admission representatives are so impressed with you -- keep showing up and asking great questions! The number of students attending so far has been amazing. All seniors and juniors are welcome, please check with your teachers before attending. The college calendar is posted outside of Guidance. Sign up in Naviance to secure your participation. Coming soon: Bryant, Westfield State University, and Emmanuel College

• Northshore Community College will be conducting an informational session for juniors and seniors on November 7, 2024 at 9:30 am in Guidance. Community college is now FREE for graduates. Students will learn about the MassTransfer Program and A2B Pathways. If time allows, an Application Workshop for seniors will follow. Applicants will need their social security number. If interested, please sign up in Guidance.

Seniors - Class of 2025:

• Guidance has received a few scholarships that fall outside of our normal scholarship program. Seniors are welcome to check out the binder in Guidance.

Juniors - Class of 2026:

• Please check your emails to set up your Naviance Registration. A temporary password and link are in your email. Please follow the instructions. Counselors are excited to begin working with juniors during FLEX Explore: Career Readiness in Quarter 3.

Please see the chart below for a breakdown of counseling assignments at the high school level. The alphabet breakdown is based upon student last name:

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.

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.

Breakfast is an important way to start a productive day. We encourage all students to arrive early enough to get breakfast before school begins if possible. For those students not able to get to school early on any given day, we will provide a set time in the morning to be sure breakfast is accessible to all. Breakfast and lunch continue to be free for students this year.

• In order to strengthen the home/school partnership at RMHS, we will be providing a number of resources for families to keep you informed of important information and events. Resources will be available on the website by late August and include:

  • The Principal’s page on the RMHS website.

  • The Parent Resource Guidebook that provides answers to the most commonly asked questions.

  • The “RMHS Viking News” emailed to all students and families beginning the first week of school.

  • Your child’s Aspen account and Google Classroom pages for the most up-to-date information within individual classes.

  • Routine email communication for parents to guide and inform important upcoming events, school-related expectations, and/or happenings.

Prom - Friday, May 16th, 2025 @ Spinellis

Senior Showcase: Tuesday, May 20th, 2025 @ Rockport Music Shalin Liu

Senior Banquet - Wednesday, May 28, 2025 @ The Elks at Bass Rocks