Happy Friday, RMHS Students and Families,

I hope you enjoy the upcoming weekend. Thank you to the families who were able to participate in the Zoom workshop this past Thursday evening around Vaping, Drugs, Alcohol and Helping our Teens to Make Healthy Choices. The speakers, Dr. Bell and Dr. McCormick were fabulous and offered practical ways to help all of us support our teens through the challenges of adolescents. If you were not able to make it, we will be sending a recording of the event to all families over the coming weeks. A HUGE thank you to Karen Conant, Joanne Mercaldi, and Jenny Davis from BLOOM who made this experience all happen for us. 👏👏👏👏👏

Tonight, Friday, January 31st is the winter semi-formal middle school dance from 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm in the Cafeteria. The event is open to RMS students only and the cost is $5. We hope to see you all there! 💃🕺

Report cards were posted for families to view in Aspen today and middle school students were given a paper copy to bring home Friday afternoon. If you have any questions about your child's grades, please reach out to the subject-specific teacher. If you would like a copy of your child's report card, please contact Connie Lucido in the main office.

Here's to a great week ahead! 😎

-Ms. Rose

Monday, Februaty 10 - Friday, February 14th: RHS Spirit Week

Tuesday, February 11th: RMHS Extended Assembly for a PTO Sponsored Guest Speaker

Friday, February 14th: 1/2 Day

Monday February 17th - Friday, February 21st: Winter Break

Monday, February 24th: Welcome Back

Monday, February 24th: MS Assembly

Tuesday, February 25th: HS Assembly

Wednesday, February 26th - Sunday, March 9th: Art show

Thursday, February 27th - Friday, February 28th: DECA State Competition

Thursday, March 6th - RHS Course Selection NIghts (Grades 8-11) @ 7 pm

Spirit Week Theme 2025 - “Mixed Bag”

Dress up points are based on class percentages.

Rules: A student just has to show an overall “vibe” of the assigned category and they get the point.

Monday: Class Shirt/Color Day

• Freshmen - Blue

• Sophomore - Pink

• Junior - Black

• Senior - Purple (new shirts count, they are white with purple writing)

• Teachers - support any class or wear your viking gear

Tuesday: “Salad Dressing” Day

• Freshmen - Ranch Dressing (Western / Cowboy / Flannel)

• Sophomores - Greek Dressing (Toga / Greek Gods & Goddesses / Greek life fraternities )

• Juniors French - Dressing (French / Beret / Baguette / Mimes)

• Seniors - 1000 Island Dressing (Island / Tropical)

• Teachers - support any class

Wednesday “Dress your age” Day

• Freshmen - Babies

• Sophomores - Middle School Age

• Juniors - Adult

• Seniors - Senior Citizens

• Teachers - Choose your age and support any class or “The After Life” (whatever that looks like in your mind - ghost/skeleton, risen from the dead, or a billionaire on vacation…)

Thursday “Rhyme without a Reason” Day

Pairs or groups dress like different things that rhyme and don't necessarily have anything to do with each other.

Catch all for anyone who doesn't have an idea:

Seniors - Anything that rhymes with: Bat, Cat, Rat, Hat, etc…

Juniors - Anything that rhymes with: Boxer, Rocker, Locker, Doctor, etc..

Sophomore - Anything that rhymes with: King, Bling, Spring, Ring, etc.

Freshmen - Anything that rhymes with: Moon, Spoon, Balloon, Favorite Tune, etc…

Examples:

• Weight Lift & Taylor Swift

• Golf Pro & “Let it Go”

• Kanye West & Overdressed

• NBA & Kim K

• Pageant Queen and Jelly Bean

• Bumble Bee & Christmas Tree

• Rock 'n Roll and Super Bowl

• Winnie the Pooh, Tennis Shoe, Royal Blue, Cindy Lou Who

• Tooth Fairy, Strawberry, Katy Perry

Friday Student Teacher Swap day

Students dress like a teacher in the building or like any teacher in general and teachers dress like a student in the building or any student in general

We are so excited to begin the RHS course selection process for students in grades 8-11 over the next month.

Please save the dates for more information to come:

• Monday, March 3rd- Thursday, March 6th: RHS Course Selection Week - Teachers will have conversations with students and make academic recommendations in Aspen.

• Tuesday, March 4th: Ms. Rose will review the course offerings and process for students during the school day to discuss the 2025-2026 Program of Studies, and the timeline for the RHS Course Selection Process.

• Thursday, March 6, 2025, @ 7 pm in the John Lane Auditorium : RHS Course Selection Night - The evening is comprised of formal and informal presentations by the academic coordinators and counselors who will outline their subject-specific offerings and pathways. Administration and counseling staff will provide information about our ongoing partnerships with Project Lead the Way, Virtual High School, Educere; as well as Dual Enrollment and other community-based expansion offerings.

• March 7th- March 14th: Students have time to review recommendations with their families, continue conversations with their teachers, and make requests for elective classes in Aspen.

• March 14th - March 24th: Counselors will review all recommendations in Aspen to assure that a comprehensive schedule of courses has been requested for the purposes of building a master schedule.

• Early June 2025: RHS schedules will be released to students and families. At that time, students will have an opportunity to make any level or elective changes with their Guidance Counselor.

Dates: February 26th - March 9, 2024

Reception: March 6th, 6:00pm - 7:30pm
National Art Honors Society Induction Ceremony 5:30pm

Location: Rockport Art Association, 12 Main St, Rockport, MA

Days & Hours: Wednesday - Sunday 11:00am - 4:00pm

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.

New Community Service Opportunities! Community Service is a graduation requirement!

Twelve (12) babysitters are needed at Rockport Elementary School on Wednesday, February 12th from 5:45 - 7:15pm so that parents can attend a workshop. Volunteers can be in grades 8-12. Contact Erin Canniff ecanniff@rpk.org to sign up.

The Homework Club needs Homework Helpers to work with RMS students after school in the RMHS Library from 2:15-3:00pm. Contact Michelle Elwell at melwell@rpk12.org or stop in to talk with her after school in the library.

Please visit the new Community Service page on the website for other suggested opportunities and community service forms. Opportunities are also posted on the bulletin board outside of Guidance or stop into Guidance with any questions.

Juniors - Class of 2026:

Career Readiness FLEX classes will be held this quarter. Come prepared with your charged chromebook or laptop.

Save the Date! NACAC Boston National College Fair March 27 and 28, 2025

The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) invites students, parents, and counselors to explore the college search process at the NACAC National College Fair in Boston held on Thursday, March 27, 2025, from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. and Friday, March 28, 2025 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. The fair will be held at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center.

Complete information about the fair, including free student registration, can be found at https://www.nacacattend.org/25Boston.

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:

RHS Jr/Sr. 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

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.

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.

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.