Middle School Matters

The Mission of Portsmouth Middle School is to create a strong and safe learning environment: promote social, emotional and physical well-being and to provide opportunities for each student, to the best of their ability, to meet high academic standards, develop responsibility, and achieve the positive social values and behaviors to become productive citizens.

We want to thank all of the families who were able to attend our open house sessions. We received positive feedback as well as points of reflection. If you were not able to attend, here is the presentation.

Dr. Kenworthy and Dr. Masterson will be hosting a Family Coffee Hour on October 10th at 10:00 A.M. Please see the link to a form to RSVP to the event. We look forward to seeing you. PMS link: https://forms.gle/aGCxQEpLM3iR1dyM9

On October 8, 2024 at 6:00 P.M. at Portsmouth High School, the district will be hosting a community forum to gather ideas for the plan. Here is a link to a card that was being handed out at our Open House with more information.

Last Thursday we held assemblies regarding composting and recycling that we have undertaken as a school based on a district initiative. We started the program in the cafeteria on Friday. Each day, we will become better.

Last week, we concluded the universal screeners for both STAR and IXL in math/ELA. This week, we will be working with the grade level teaching teams and the interventionists to review the results and determine if students need any support to start with in October. In the event your child needs support in ELA or math, you will receive a letter with the area of support that will be provided.

We have noticed that students' dismissal procedure has changed due to family commitments/appointments. In the event your child is changing, please inform the office through the attendance form or by calling the office. This way, we can alert their teacher they are with for the last period that they will not be taking the bus. If not, the teachers are asked to follow through with their typical dismissal procedure.

During advisory, students will participate in MySAEBERS, a Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior Risk Screener. This screener measures student functioning in three domains: Social, Academic, and Emotional Behavior. The screener will take students 5-10 minutes to complete and will be administered during advisory next week.

This year we are continuing to use SmartPass for any requests to leave the classroom. So far, students have used SmartPass in an expected manner. We will review the data for any patterns or trends at the end of the month.

Smart Pass Family Communication

RIDOH mandated Vision Screening with Lion's Club, Vision Works and the school nurse will begin soon.

Grade 7: October 23rd

Grade 5: October 24th

Please reach out to Mrs. Joncas, school nurse with any questions.

Mini Golf Event, Friday, September 27th

Adult Paint Night Tuesday, October 1st

All-State Information Band - 7th & 8th grade only register by Thursday, October 10th - Audition November 23rd

All-State Information - Chorus 7th & 8th grade only register by Thursday, October 10th - Audition November 23rd

Yearbook Cover Contest (below) due by Friday, October 11th

Family Paint Night Thursday, October 17th

Yearbook Orders must be placed by 12/31/2024

Complete the Photo Opt-Out if you DO NOT want your child's picture/image/video shared. If you are ok with the school sharing your child's picture, image, video with the media, please do not fill out the form below.

Photo Opt-Out

There is a change to the lunch procedure this school year. This year, students who are looking to purchase a lunch or snack can report to the line to make purchases upon entering the cafeteria. Students do not have to wait to be called up to get in line. There will be adults at the front of the line to assist with the logistics of moving through the line. This is meant to allow for uninterrupted eating time. If students want to leave their seat, they must still raise their hand to request to move about the cafeteria.

The middle school is aligning with all other district schools by utilizing an online form to report absences from school. The form is linked here for your convenience. It is also on our website.

The student handbook has been uploaded to our website as well. Here is a link to it. There have been updates to consequences related to suspension. If families or students have any questions regarding the student handbook, please do not hesitate to reach out to a coordinator of student life or the school administration.

You may qualify for free breakfast/lunch. To see if you do, please click the link here and apply. If you qualified last year, you will have to reapply again this year. Please have this complete by October 1st so that you do not get charged for a meal.

Escobar Corn Maze

Our annual fundraiser at Escobar Corn Maze will take place on Friday October 4th from 3:30pm-dusk. Please bring your friends and family and work your way through Escobar Farms’ 2 corn mazes! All proceeds benefit the care of our PSD comfort dog Holly! This is a cash only event and students must be supervised in the maze. Please see flyer.

Rhode Island Football Club game

Our RIFC Fundraiser has been extended to their October 5th game. Their last game sold out, so don't delay purchasing your tickets to a fun family event featuring food trucks, games for the kids, face painting, hair braiding and airbrush tattoos! $10 per ticket will go back to our PTO for activities directly benefiting our kids. There will be a post-match Portsmouth Middle School photo on the field after the game. Hope to see you there! Purchase tickets for this game here.

School Store Coordinator Needed

Our PTO needs your help to keep everything running - events for our kids, fundraising efforts, and THE SCHOOL STORE! The students love to come into the store and choose fun school supplies, fidget toys or school spiritwear. We are in need of a volunteer to help refresh the store and coordinate displays, ordering and volunteers. Please reach out to portsmouthripto@gmail.com if you are interested in this role. It can be a co-coordinator role as well!

VIS Approval

If you want to volunteer in Portsmouth schools, you must have a valid Volunteers in Schools approval. It can take some time to get approvals back, so please do this ASAP, especially if you want to volunteer at our very popular Halloween Rec Night! Please see the link here for instructions on how to complete your application.

Mathnasium Drawing

Mathnasium is offering a drawing for a free evaluation and 4 free lessons (must begin between 10/1 and 10/15). If you are interested in entering this drawing, please contact portsmouth@mathnasium.com.

Hi 8th Grade Families.

Can you believe our kiddos are in the 8th grade and leaving PMS? Seems like yesterday we were worried about 5th grade, getting their new schedules, planners, and if they would they get lost walking around PMS.
We would like to start an 8th grade parent committee that would help with some fundraising ideas, parent/student get togethers, eighth grade dance, and other activities throughout the year.
If this is something you are interested in being a part of please email us, liljenn12@gmail.com, and we will add you to the list.
Thank you for your time.
Look forward to making this a special year for our kids.
Best.
8th Grade Parents

Fire drills occur on a regular basis. State law requires each school to conduct eleven fire drills, two lockdown drills and two evacuation drills each year. Shelter in Place drills are conducted throughout the school year. Children are given instruction on all procedures. Students are expected to behave in a calm, orderly manner during these exercises. Please review the importance of such exercises with your child and emphasize the need for appropriate behavior.

A lockdown is an alert to a school community that students and staff should not leave the classroom and should spread around the room until provided with further direction.

An evacuation requires all students and staff to exit the building and meet at a designated safe place.

A shelter in place is an alert to a school community that movement outside of classrooms is being restricted for a brief period of time. It is typically used when a student or staff member is requiring some sort of attention (sometimes medical) and the school is trying to keep that area clear and/or protect that person’s privacy. If there were a serious safety concern the school would not issue a shelter in place.

We will send notification of lockdowns, evacuations, and shelter in place drills and events via email.

Here is the presentation that was shared at a Parent Safety Forum that was hosted in conjunction with the Police and Fire Departments. The Run, Hide, Fight FBI philosophy guides our safety training.

The P3 Sandy Hook Promise Anonymous tip line is a resource that we encourage anyone to use if there is ever an immediate safety concern.

Get Back on Track with Routine Vaccines with the Vaccinate Before You Graduate (VBYG) Program

VBYG is a partnership between the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and The Wellness Company (TWC) that provides vaccination clinics to RI middle schools and high school students. Students who are due or overdue for vaccines can be vaccinated during the school day, with no out-of-pocket cost regardless of their health insurance status. On-time vaccination is essential because it provides immunity before students are exposed to potentially life-threatening diseases.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Available to all students in middle and high school at no out of pocket cost.

• Clinics are convenient - all immunizations are administered during the school day.

• Immunizations reported to Rhode Island Child and Adult Immunization Registry (RICAIR) within 48 hours.

• Students can catch up on required or recommended vaccinations that they may need for school, college, or work.

• Thousands of vaccines administered annually. Individual school and statewide reports are available at Data on Vaccinate Before You Graduate | Immunization Data Hub Site (arcgis.com)

VACCINES OFFERED

REQUIRED: Hepatitis B, Human Papillomavirus (HPV), Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR), Meningococcal, Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria and Pertussis (Td or Tdap) and Varicella (Chickenpox)

RECOMMENDED: Hepatitis A, MenB, Influenza and COVID-19 (ages 12+)

For information on statewide immunization requirements, visit https://health.ri.gov/immunization/for/schools/

PROMOTIONAL MATERIALS

Visit our website: Vaccinate Before You Graduate | The Wellness Company (thewellcomp.com) to view the current VBYG calendar, access the registration or check out important resources.

VBYG Announcements summarize the program and contain a QR code for easy access to the registration page: parent and student versions available (English and Spanish attached)

CONSIDER THESE OPTIONS FOR PROMOTION:

• School website

• Display posters in high traffic areas

• Daily announcements

• Newsletters

• Open house

• Health class

CONSENT - RIDOH requires a signed consent form for all vaccines administered. Verbal consent is not an option.

OPTION 1 (preferred): Register electronically at Vaccinate Before You Graduate | The Wellness Company (thewellcomp.com)

Students under the age of 16 will need consent from a parent/guardian. Students 16 and older can sign for themselves.

RIGL 23-4.6-1 “ (a) Any person of the age of sixteen (16) or over or married may consent to routine, emergency, medical or surgical care. A minor parent may consent to treatment of his or her child.”

OPTION 2: Submit a signed consent form to the school nurse. English and Spanish (attached), other languages available by request.

CONSENT DEADLINES: 4 business days prior to clinic

• Online registration submitted OR hard copies emailed or faxed to TWC at least 4 business days prior to clinic.

• Consents received after the deadline will be postponed until the next scheduled clinic. VBYG nurses are unable to make exceptions for last minute add-ons.

• Schools should indicate deadlines when sending out information about the program.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Rosters and Reports: Gen Plante, gplante@thewellcomp.com, 401-270-0299

Clinic scheduling, vaccination review and medical questions: Assigned VBYG Nurse Manager (VBYG Nurse Managers will be contacting all school nurses over the next 2 weeks).

Lesa Volpe, Immunization Program Manager, lvolpe@thewellcomp.com, 401-439-3545

Maria Bisono, RIDOH Adolescent & School Immunization Coordinator, maria.bisono@health.ri.gov, 401-222-4624

Portsmouth Youth Basketball (PYB), a non-profit organization, was formed in 2007 with the goal of teaching fundamental basketball skills to children in grades 2nd-8th in a positive environment of teamwork and sportsmanship.

Registration for the '24-'25 PYB season is now open. For those new to PYB, the recreation league practices one day a week, has games on Saturdays at the PHS field house, and will run from December to February. The divisions are broken down by school grade, Rookies are 2nd grade only and then it progresses to two-year groupings, NCAA 3rd-4th grade, Jr NBA 5th-6th grade, and NBA 7th - 8th grade. There are grade specific travel team opportunities as well. Please note that participation in the Recreation program is required to play travel. Travel is an additional program registration. For more details, please visit https://www.portsmouthyouthbasketball.com/ or contact info@portsmouthyouthbasketball.com. We hope to see you on the courts this winter!

Feel free to check out this flier with a sewing class opportunity.

1st Patriot Pride Winners of the Year!

What Day is It? PMS Letter Day Calendar

District Calendar

Portsmouth Middle School Handbook