RAMS Raider's Den for Sept 19, 2024

Dear Roseville Area Middle School Staff, Students, and Families,

We have had a great week of learning at RAMS this week. The students are settling into rituals and routines as we continue to build community through creating a sense of belonging. At RAMS we are focusing on social emotional safety, as well as addressing physical safety. As a part of practicing our physical safety we will be engaging in safety drills. These safety drills will be trauma-informed by nature. That means we will explain what the drill is, we will announce the drill (it won't be a surprise) and we will reflect about the drill.

The Standard Response Protocol (SRP) is a school safety system that provides a standard way to communicate emergency situations to students, staff and parents. The SRP uses a set of directives depending on the type of emergency. When an emergency is activated, the school will send a short message to parents via email to let them know what the action is. The school will then provide additional updates as needed until the situation is resolved. (See below for a visual of our district SRP safety system).

Each year schools are required to do 5 fire drills and 5 hold/lockdown drills. We did our first fire drill with just staff prior to school starting and will have our first fire drill with students tomorrow on Friday, September 20th. On Monday, September 23rd, we will be doing our first "Hold" drill during STAR. The lesson in STAR on that day will be educating students on why we have school safety drills and processing with them on how they feel when doing these drills during the school year. If your student would like to talk to someone, they can come to our Students Support Services office and staff there will be available to meet with them.

Thank you again for sharing your beautiful children with us at RAMS and enjoy the rest of your week and weekend.

Learning for ALL,

Heidi George

On Mondays, during STAR (Students-Teachers-Actvities-Relationships) class students and staff are engaging in circle. Check out some of the circles we were able to capture in pictures this week:)

🌟🌟🌟RAMS ROCKS!🌟🌟🌟

SEPTEMBER

• Thursday, September 26 - RAMS Family Connections Night - 5:30-7:30pm

OCTOBER

• Thursday, Oct 3 - FTA Meeting - RAMS Team Office (next to the Media Center) - 7:00pm
• Tuesday, October 8 - Fall Conferences with STAR Teacher - 3:30-7:30pm - see below for more information

• Wednesday, September 9 - School Picture Retake Day - during all lunches
• Thursday, October 10 - Fall Conferences with STAR Teacher - 3:30-7:30pm - see below for more information
• Wednesday, October 16 - No School - Teacher Workshop Day
• Thursday, October 17 - No School - Fall Break
• Friday, October 18 - No School Fall Break

RAMS will hold fall conferences on:

• Tuesday, October 8 - 3:30-7:30pm
• Thursday, October 10 - 3:30-7:30pm

Families will sign-up to meet with their students STAR teacher either in-person or in a Zoom mtg. We will send out the sign-up link next week in a variety of ways - weekly family email, Facebook and from STAR teachers via Talking Points.

Stay tuned for more information. We look forward to connecting with you!

School success goes hand in hand with good attendance. Research shows that consistent attendance at school correlates with student achievement. Therefore, we want to do all we can to ensure children are in school as much as possible. Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Start building this habit in preschool so they learn right away that going to school on time every day is important. Good attendance will help children graduate from high school and do well in college and at work. Our hope is to partner with families to remove barriers so students can be in school as much as possible.

We also know there will be days when your child will miss school, especially if they’re sick. Missing school when you’re sick is OK. In fact, children should stay home when they are sick. The goal is for students to be in school 95% of the time. That means your student would miss 8 days or less for the entire school year.

Here are some things you can do to help:

• Set a regular bedtime and morning routine.
• Avoid medical appointments and extended trips when school is in session.
• Don’t let your child stay home unless they are truly sick. Keep in mind complaints of a stomachache or headache can be a sign of anxiety and not a reason to stay home.
• If your child seems anxious about going to school, talk to teachers, school counselors, or other parents for advice on how to make your child feel comfortable and excited about learning.

Here are some additional reminders regarding attendance:

• If your child has a doctor appointment, please bring them back to school after the appointment if possible.
• Excused absences include, but are not limited to: illness, doctors appointments, religious holidays, family emergency, and funerals.
• Unexcused absences include, but are not limited to: oversleeping, missing the bus, no transportation.
• There are also times students miss school due to family events. Some examples include cultural celebrations, weddings, funerals, graduations, and vacations. Up to five Family Event days will be excused. Day 6+ would be unexcused. Families could choose to take students out of school for family leave, but these days would be unexcused absences.

Thank you for all you do to support getting your child to school each day. Higher attendance equals higher student achievement! Thank you in advance for your support and partnership.

School attendance is incredibly important for all students learning. RAMS uses an automated calling system for absences. If your student is marked unverified (absent) or tardy for ANY class period, you will receive an automated call that afternoon. Please use ParentVUE to check your student’s attendance.

Reporting Absences

There are several ways families can report their student(s) absence(s).

• In the ParentVue App - CLICK HERE to find directions on how to report your student(s) absence(s) in the app

• Call 651-482-5281and leave a voicemail

• When leaving your message, please include the student name, grade, reason for absence, your name and a contact number.

• Email ramsattendance@isd623.org each day the student is absent.

• If you are unable to use the ParentVue app, call or email, please send a note when the student returns to school.

Leaving Early/Appointments

We cannot stress enough the importance of students being on time for learning. Please make every effort to get your child to school so they can be in class before 8:05am.

Students who may need to leave early for appointments/family events should bring a note to the office BEFORE school starts in the morning. Students will be given a pass to leave class at the appropriate time and can sign themselves out in the office. Students will then sign back into the office when returning.

Tardy To School

Students will sign in on the iPad in the front office when arriving late to school. Students should have a note, email or a call from a parent/guardian. Doctor/Dental appointments should provide a clinic note for absences.

Vacations

If you are taking a student out of school for two or more days, please send a note or contact the office one week prior. The student will be given a “Leave Form” for teachers to sign and use to get homework.

Early Student Arrival

School starts at 8:05am. Students who do not ride the bus should arrive at school no earlier than 7:45am.

Breakfast Upon Arrival

Upon arrival at 7:45am until 8:00am students can also pick-up breakfast by entering through the Cafeteria doors and then go to class. The exterior cafeteria doors will be open for students to enter to grab breakfast until 8:00am. If a student arrives after 8:00am and needs a breakfast they will check-in at the front office and be given a pass to go to the cafeteria to grab breakfast and then hustle to class.

All students will have access to a complete breakfast, lunch, and afterschool super snack at no cost. We ask ALL families to fill out the Application for Educational Benefits form (previously called Free/Reduced Meal Application) EVERY year. This form determines funding for your child’s school and provides direct benefits for your child if you qualify. Benefits include funding for:

• Waived fees for athletics, testing, and transportation for your child

• Reduced internet fees

• Social workers, paraprofessionals, and counselors

• Decreased student-to-instructor ratios

• Increased technology

• Early childhood education

To apply today, CLICK HERE!

Join us for an evening of fun and information!

• Learn about programs and supports for students at RAMS
• Discover ways to support your student at home
• Connect with RAMS Staff and other RAMS Families

📅 Thursday, September 26

🕑 5:30-7:30pm

📍RAMS Cafeteria

Estimadas familias,

¡Bienvenidos a un nuevo año escolar! Estamos tan felices de tener a sus queridos estudiantes en nuestros salones de clases. A la misma vez sentimos una gran responsabilidad de enseñar a nuestros estudiantes en el idioma español para que continúen su trayectoria hacia ser bilingües. Aquí les doy un adelanto a fechas y eventos importantes.

Ya deben haber recibido un prontuario o plan de curso de cada educador. Esto les ayudará a saber lo que sus estudiantes estarán aprendiendo y cómo apoyarles en su aprendizaje. Para conocer mejor a los maestros de sus estudiantes, cómo funciona la escuela RAMS y las aplicaciones que sus estudiantes van a estar usando en el iPad, le pedimos que asistan a la Noche Familiar el 26 de septiembre de 5:30-7:30 en la cafetería de RAMS.

Las segundas fechas importantes para recordar son las del 8 y 10 de octubre. Recibirá un comunicado de parte de la escuela para anotarse en una de esas dos fechas para conocer a el/la maestro/a de STAR de su estudiante. Por favor anótese para venir a la escuela en uno de estos días. Las citas durarán tan solo 15 minutos.

Finalmente, quisiera dejarles saber que, a finales de octubre, los estudiantes de DLSI estarán tomando el examen de aprovechamiento del lenguaje español, STAMP 4s. Ya les enviaré más información a medida que se acerque la fecha.

¡Muchísimas gracias por ser parte de nuestra familia de RAMS! Esperamos verles el 26 de septiembre.

Bendiciones en este nuevo año escolar,

María Cristina Delgado

Coordinadora de DLSI 7-12

Dear DLSI families,

Welcome to a new school year! We are delighted to have your beloved students in our classrooms, and at the same time, we know the enormous responsibility we have as you entrust your children to us. We are dedicated to teaching your students in the Spanish language as they continue their pathway towards multilingualism. Here’s a peek at important dates soon to come.

You should have received a syllabus from each one of your student’s teachers. These will help you better understand where they are in their learning throughout the year and how you can encourage and help them. To better know the teachers, how RAMS works and the applications the students will be using on their iPads, I encourage you to attend our Family Night on September 26th from 5:30-7:30 at the school’s cafeteria.

Another important date to remember is the Fall Connection Conference on October 8th and 10th. You will meet your student’s STAR teacher(s) on the date you choose to come. You will be receiving a communication from RAMS with a link to set up that appointment.

Finally, I would like to let you know that towards the end of October, the DLSI students will be taking the Spanish Language proficiency assessment, STAMP 4s. I will be sending you more information as the date approaches.

Thank you so much for being part of our RAMS family! We hope to see you on September 26th.

Looking forward to a year together!

María Cristina Delgado

DLSI Coordinator 7-12

Dear Parents and Guardians,

At RAMS, we are committed to improving the culture and climate of our school and supporting the whole child. One way we are addressing the whole child is by looking at student strengths and areas of concern for social, emotional, and academic behaviors.

This year we will be administering a universal screening of social, academic, and emotional behavior skills to the students in your child’s STAR class. The screening consists of 20 items related to skills such as “I participate in class” and “I have trouble waiting my turn.” The screener will be taken in class on iPads. This information helps us understand the needs of our students and to make effective plans at the whole school, class, and individual level.

Parents/guardians will be contacted if your student demonstrates that an intervention would be beneficial. All proposed interventions will be optional.

If you would like more information about the screening, please contact Amy Grengs, School Psychologist, at the phone number or email address listed below. There is also the option we present to all families for their child to not participate in the screener. If you choose for your child to NOT participate in the screener, please complete an opt-out option by September 27th, 2024. You can either:

• send an email to Amy Grengs (amy.grengs@isd623.org) with your name, your student's name, and this statement "I have read the information about the social-emotional screener and request that my child opt out of the universal screening," OR

• fill out this Google form).

Thank you,

Heidi George

RAMS Principal

Amy Grengs

School Psychologist

amy.grengs@isd623.org

651-482-5289

In accordance with MN State Law and ISD 623 policy, students who are not fully immunized by October 15, 2024, will be excluded from school until requirements are met. These absences will be marked unexcused.

During September, letters are being sent to all families who have students that are not fully immunized. We will continue to send letters and/or make phone calls until the student is compliant.

To prevent your student from being excluded from school, please schedule an appointment to have the needed vaccines administered as soon as possible. Once you have the appointment scheduled, please call me (651-724-6680) and let me know the name of the clinic and date of the appointment. If you do not have a clinic, or require a reduced rate, you can call the Ramsey County Immunization Clinic at 651-266-1234.

RAMS Health Office is staffed from 7:30-3:30 on student contact days

P: 651-482-5291

F: 651-288-5034

RAMS School Nurse - Joan Tighe: 📨 joan.tighe@isd623.org

RAMS Health Assistant - Linsey Saxon: 📨 linsey.saxton@isd623.org

7-8 Athletics/Activities page

• Sports Physical Form (Found here in English, Spanish Hmong & Somali)
• Online Registration
• Activity Bus Routes
• Information on Free Sports Physicals at Twin Cities Orthopedics

*7-12th sports in the district are run by the RAHS coaches and activities office. More information can be found at www.rosevilleraiders.org. RAHS fall sports start Monday, August 12th.

RAHS activities office contacts:

📨 Natalie Crosby or 📨 Andrea Schmidt

AD Office Contacts: 📨 Tanysha Scott and 📨 Susan Garland or call 651-482-5290

Students 8th grade and younger must be accompanied by an adult AND that adult must stay and monitor those students. Students and parents who don't follow these expectations will be subject to loss of entry to future RAHS events.

RAMS THEATRE FALL PLAY

"Caught in the Web" - by Brian D. Taylor

Have your student fill out this Google Form if they are interested in the RAMS Theatre Writers Workshop / Writing the Winter One-Acts (this helps us prepare and plan - you will still need to come to auditions/crew sign-ups.)

SYNOPSIS:

Phone-obsessed teens Sarah and Derek have heard their parents’ cautionary nagging before. “One of these days you’re gonna get sucked up into that phone!” And then one day... it happened!
The two teens find themselves trapped in the internet and on a wild adventure through the World Wide Web! Memes, viral videos, games, email, dating sites, and social media come alive onstage, including Fruit Ninja, The Dress, Distracted Boyfriend and Jealous Girlfriend, Harambe, and many more. And of course, it wouldn’t be the internet without lots of cats and a dancing baby!
Travel through the World Wide Web with Twitter, Miserable Cat, and Sirilexa as they team up with Derek and Sarah to find The Google, who can help them in their search for a way home. But The Google informs them of some bad news: their parents are also caught in the web and need saving! Now Derek and Sarah must brave the darker parts of the internet with identity thieves, trolls, knockoff sellers, and other shady characters.

AUDITIONS:

• Monday, September 23 - after school 2:45-4:00pm

• Tuesday, September 24 - after school 2:45-4:00pm

• You only need to come to ONE DAY

• You do NOT need to prepare anything for auditions - we will have something for you to read. Just show up!

CALL BACKS: Thursday, September 26 - 2:45-5:00pm

REHEARSALS: Monday, September 30 - Wednesday, Nov 14

• Typically Mon, Tues and Thur After School 2:45-5:00pm and Friday's 2:45-4:00pm

CREW SIGN-UPS (limited to 35 students):

• Monday, September 23 - after school 2:45-4:00pm

• Tuesday, September 24 - after school 2:45-4:00pm

• Crew is limited to 35 students for safety reasons as we use power tools

• Come fill out a Google Form & get more information at Auditions

• Crew typically meets Wed's After School 2:45-5:00pm

Roseville Area Schools will continue to offer free meals for all students during the school day, including healthy breakfasts, lunches, and after-school "super" snacks. To ensure our meal programs remain effective and equitable, we are implementing some changes to our procedures, specifically regarding second meals and additional lunch servings.

Changes to Meal Procedures

Elementary Schools:

• Elementary students will no longer be able to purchase additional items such as entrées or sides. However, milk may still be purchased separately.
• We encourage students to make the most of our meal offerings by eating breakfast, utilizing the share cart, and enjoying the "all-you-care-to-eat" fresh fruit and vegetable options available with their lunch serving.

Secondary Schools:

• Secondary students may purchase additional entrées, sides, or milk if they have money in their meal account.
• To purchase additional items, students must check in at the designated cashier, receive a food tray, return to the serving line for the additional items, and check out at the designated register.
• Students with negative meal balances will not be permitted to purchase additional items.

We encourage all students to take advantage of the free breakfast and lunch offerings, which include unlimited fruits and vegetables and access to the share cart. Secondary students also have the opportunity to enjoy free super snacks at the end of each school day.

Thank you for your understanding as we make these adjustments to better serve our students.

Menus at the secondary level will no longer be provide for each month in a calendar format. Please click on the grey button below to access the menus online. Make sure you change the school to be Roseville Area Middle School and check that you are in the week you would like to look at the menus.

RAMS students will have the opportunity to purchase books at the FTA hosted Scholastic Book Fair! Teachers will sign-up to bring their students to the Book Fair in the Media Center during the week of Oct 7-11. It will also be open during conferences on Tuesday, October 8 and Thursday, Oct 10 between 3:30-7:30pm.

If you would like to set your student up with an eWallet please visit the Scholastic Book Fair website here: https://bookfairs.scholastic.com/bf/rosevilleareamiddleschool

🕐 7:00pm

📍 RAMS Team Office (next to Media Center)

📅 Thursday, October 3

📅 Thursday, November 7

📅 Thursday, December 5

📅 Thursday, February 6

📅 Thursday, March 6

📅 Thursday, April 3

📅 Thursday, May 8

Do you identify as Native American? Are you receiving messages from Gabriella Carroll, American Indian Education Program coordinator, or Savannah Rojas, Native American cultural liaison? If not, please contact Gabriella at gabriella.carroll@isd623.org or at 651-359-0572 to be included in Roseville Area Schools’ American Indian Education Program. The Roseville American Indian Education Program is a district-wide program with a goal of promoting cultural awareness, academic advocacy, and community connection for our American Indian students and families. The Roseville American Indian Education Program serves all Native American students regardless of tribal affiliation or blood quantum.

Roseville Area Schools implemented a new transportation routing system this summer to enable easier route updates, fewer delays, and streamlined communications with families. During this conversion we have also been shifting some bus stops to corners within a reasonable distance while considering student safety.

The conversion hasn’t occurred without challenges. We are aware we inadvertently have stops on busy streets that don’t meet our standards. Many daycare or alternate addresses did not convert from the old system to the new one and these addresses had to be set up manually. We have also encountered difficulties with some of our specialized transportation. Add to this an exceptional amount of ongoing road construction and it has made for the perfect storm.

We ask for your patience as we address and resolve the remaining issues. If you need to request a change to a bus stop or if you no longer require transportation services, please email us at transportation@isd623.org or call us at 651-635-1638. Please be prepared to provide the following information:

• Student Name

• Student ID

• Reason for the request (for example, relocation, change in transportation needs)

Please note that we are processing requests as quickly as possible. You will receive updates and information about any changes via email, so please ensure that your contact details are current. This includes verifying that your most recent telephone number and email address are on file to ensure you receive all necessary communications promptly.

The safety of our students is our highest priority, and we appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this transition.

We’re one week away from the annual Roseville Area Schools Foundation 2024 Fall Fundraiser, which will take place Thursday, September 26, 5:30 p.m. at the Roseville Cedarholm Golf Course Community Building.

The event will feature a variety of fundraising activities including gift card pulls, a silent auction, and direct donation opportunities. Proceeds from the event will benefit a new Roseville Area Schools Foundation Relief Fund, which provides emergency funding to support students’ success in school and to eliminate opportunity gaps.

You will have an opportunity to hear from a number of representatives from the district including Superintendent Jenny Loeck, Senator Claire Oumou Verbeten, Foundation Chair Kezia Reeder, District Social Worker Peggy McLafferty-Yares, and representatives from the Office of Equity and Innovation.

Please consider giving back to make a direct impact for our students. This is a pay as you are event with a suggested donation of $35.

Looking for fun Roseville Area Schools apparel? Choose from this selection of limited edition shirts! Your purchase will support Roseville Area Schools Community Education programs and services.

🔺 Heather black long sleeve ($20)

🔺 Heather red long sleeve ($20)

🔺 Gray short sleeve with school mascots ($15)

These shirts are a soft, comfortable tri-blend fabric (50/37/13 poly/cotton/rayon) in a unisex fit. Sizes are available in adult S - 3XL and youth S - XL.

Orders are due by October 4, 2024. ⏰ 🗓️ Shirt orders will arrive near the end of October! To place an order, call 651-604-3770 or CLICK HERE.

The Roseville Adult Learning Center offers classes for adults to learn English, earn computer certifications, advance their career, or earn an adult diploma! We also offer an IT Career Pathway and an Apprentice & Manufacturing Ready Career Pathway. There is NO COST to join our program, and we are still accepting students this fall. Come join our supportive community and prioritize your education.

CLICK HERE to get started, or call 651-604-3553 📲

FREE Toy Lending Library! 🚂 🧩 📖

Do you have children ages 5 and under? Check out the Roseville Early Childhood Program's FREE toy lending library! 😊 Individuals, families, and childcare providers can check out a wide variety of toys, books, puzzles, and parenting resources at no cost. Borrow the items for a few weeks, then return them and check out new ones!

This library promotes sustainability, increased access to toys and resources, and healthy child development. ♻️ These toys can help children practice social-emotional skills, fine motor skills, literacy and more - all while saving caregivers from constantly buying new toys as their children age and outgrow them. ✅

The toy library can be found in our Early Childhood Center at Parkview (701 County Road B W, Roseville). 📍

CLICK HERE to learn more and view current hours! 📲

Important RAMS Phone Numbers and Email addresses (click on any staff members name below to send an email)

• Main Office - 651-482-5280
• 📨 Attendance Email or leave a message at 651-482-5281
  
• Principal - 📨 Heidi George - 651-482-5284
• Assoc. Principal Grade 7 - 📨 Garin Bogenholm - 651-482-5287
• Assoc. Principal Grade 8 - 📨 Joseph Bue - 651-482-5297
• Building/Administrative Support Staff - 📨 Linsey Owen - 651-482-5284
• Registrar / Student Records Support Staff - 📨 Rebecca Thompson - 651-482-5288

• Athletics/Activities - 651-482-5290
• 📨 Tanysha Scott - Activities Director
• 📨 Susan Garland - Activities Clerical
• Student Support Services Office - 651-482-5289
• 📨 Julie Gabos - Grade 7 - Counselor
• 📨 Todd Richter - Grade 8 - Counselor
• 📨 Amy Grengs - School Psychologist
• 📨 Lisa Valerius - School Psychologist
• 📨 Angie Feigal - Social Worker
• 📨 Duane Woeste - SEL Teacher
• 📨 Melanie Cogan - Student Services Support Staff
• Health Office - 651-482-5291
• 📨 Joan Tighe - School Nurse
• 📨 Linsey Saxton - Health Assistant
• Special Education - 651-288-5000
• 📨 Jodi Walker - Special Education Lead Teacher
• 📨 Nancy Boulay - Special Education Clerical
• Centerline Bus - 651-482-1794
• District Transportation - 📨 Kristen Donaldson - 651-635-1638
• Tech Support - 651-288-5001
• 📨 Kathryn O'Brien - Media Specialist
• 📨 Kaolee Yang - District Tech Integrationist
• School Fax - 651-482-5299
• Spanish Liaison - 📨 Cecilia Martino - 651-235-3426
• American Indian Liaison - 📨 Savannah Rojas - 651-332-6513
• Somali Liaison - 📨 Kowthar Ismail - 651-322-0468

• Karen Liaison - 📨 Hsar Htoo - 651-332-6929
• Bhutanese/Nepali Liaison - 📨 Indira Kharel - 651-307-7471
• Hmong Liaison - 📨 Maider Lee - 651-210-7821
• African American Liaison - 📨 K’Lynn Lewis - 651-239-2826

Pre-order your RAMS 2024-25 yearbook online directly from JOSTENS.

Questions about Yearbook? Reach out to our Yearbook Coordinator Kelly Rogers.

RAMS sent out a Back to School email the past two weeks that had a lot of great school information. If you missed those emails please CLICK HERE to find the most recent email.

Has any of your contact information changed over the summer? Address, phone numbers, emergency contact information, etc? If so, please contact the office by calling 651-482-5288 or email

📨 rebecca.thompson@isd623.org and we will update our records