Ipswich Middle School

Peter Ginolfi, Principal

Sean Fitzgerald, Assistant Principal

Our mission is to create a nurturing community where students are encouraged to develop confidence as lifelong learners with the awareness and flexibility necessary to adapt to a changing world. We strive to bring out the best in every student and adult in our learning community.

Email: pginolfi@ipsk12.net
Website: www.ipsk12.net

Instagram: ipswichmstigers
Location: 130 High Street, Ipswich, MA
Phone: (978)356-3535

Humanities classes in sixth grade recently finished reading A Long Walk to Water. In the novel, they learned about the nonprofit organization that Salva Dut, one of the Lost Boys, established in an effort to bring clean drinking water to villages in his country of South Sudan. They also learned about the responsibility of girls to fetch water from far distances and carry it back to their homes, making this trip twice a day and often spending most of their day completing this task.

Some students chose to do a project where they needed to carry a one-gallon jug of water for 24 hours as part of their fundraising efforts to help build wells in South Sudan. Last year our students raised over $5,000 and a well was built for the people of South Sudan that has the name of our school on it. I will have an update about this year’s fundraising effort later this year. If you would like to contribute please see the flier below which was created by 6th grader Anna Trudeau.

Each month the teachers in each Cluster, RAs, and Guidance nominate a student who exemplifies our TIGER acronym - Truthful, Inclusive, Gracious, Engaged, Respectful.

Front Row (L to R): Brooks Hibyan, Deacon Walczak, Nick Roberts, Owen Twomey

Back Row (L to R): Hanna Hardy, Assistant Principal Sean Fitzgerald, Thomas Marsella, Ethan Bresnahan, Bryce Courville, and Principal Peter Ginolfi (not pictured Matthew Marini)

Once again this year 8th grade students were allowed to try out and compete on the High School Varsity Swim Team. We have five 8th grade students swimming against students as old as 18 years old and they are more than holding their own. Here is what their coach, Barbara Machaiek had to say about them, "They have had a positive impact on our program. All five girls ( Loretta Blagg, Riley Brennan, Natalie Campbell, Anna Carroll and Riley Patriquin) have been working so hard at practice and have such great attitudes. We had our first meet before vacation and all of them earned points for our team." Congratulations and as Dory the fish from Finding Nemo said, "Just Keep Swimming"

Be on the lookout in next week's newsletter for information regarding Intramural Volleyball Registration. This popular program fills up fast so I wanted to get it on your radar.

Please read this important announcement from our Yearbook Editor and Librarian, Ms. Chang:

Dear Parents and Guardians of 8th Graders,

We are collecting ONE baby photo of each 8th-grade student to feature in the yearbook and in the end-of-year slideshow. Please submit your photo digitally using the form linked below.

To meet our publishing deadlines, Mrs. Chang, our yearbook editor, must receive your one baby picture by Friday, January 30th. Because the yearbook production schedule is fixed, late submissions cannot be accepted.

Please note that the photo you submit for the yearbook will also be used in the end-of-year slideshow, so only one photo is being collected in the form.

These baby photos are always a beloved part of the yearbook and slideshow, and students truly look forward to seeing themselves and their classmates included. Students whose photos are not submitted often feel disappointed, and we hope to avoid that by receiving all photos on time.

Thank you for your cooperation and timely attention. Your help ensures that every 8th grader is represented in this special tradition.

Click here for the link to submit your 8th graders' baby picture.

Tuesday, January 13th - School Council Meeting- 5:30 in the 6th grade pod - Wellness Committee presentation

Friday, January 16th - Grade 6 Dance, 7-9 PM in the cafeteria

Monday, January 19th - No School - MLK Day

Tuesday, January 20th - IMS Winter Art Show, 6-8pm in the DPAC Lobby

Monday, January 26th - RA rotation change for all students.

Monday, January 26th - Progress reports for students with averages below a 70% are mailed home.

This week the Appreciation Tapestry was presented to Grade 6 Humanities teacher Ms. Bedell, who was nominated by Mrs. Davidson. She wrote, " I just wanted to share how grateful I am for the incredible support Ms. Bedell has given our students this year. She has welcomed our kids into their classrooms with such genuine warmth and openness, making them feel seen, valued, and included no matter what kind of day the kids are having.
Ms. Bedell is so thoughtful about providing appropriately leveled work and meeting students exactly where they are (academically and emotionally!). Our students feel safe with her. The consistency, kindness, and care she brings to us truly make a difference.
We are very lucky to have her, and I wanted to be sure her hard work and heart were recognized.

Middle School Self-Defense & Self-Awareness Seminar January 24, 1:30-3:00

Grades 6–8 (Ages 11–14)

Confidence. Awareness. Smart Choices.

Today’s middle school students face new challenges—peer pressure, bullying, online threats, and unfamiliar situations. This age-appropriate self-defense & self-awareness seminar empowers students with the tools they need to stay safe, confident, and in control.

What Students Will Learn

Situational awareness & recognizing unsafe situations
How to use voice, posture, and confidence to set boundaries
Bully prevention & de-escalation strategies
Stranger awareness & personal safety basics
How to escape common grabs (age-appropriate & non-violent)
When to get help and who to trust

No experience required. No aggressive behavior taught.

Program Details

Length: 60 minutes
Format: Interactive, engaging, and movement-based
Audience: Middle School Students (Grades 6–8)

Why Parents Love This Program

• Supports social-emotional learning (SEL)
• Reinforces respect, responsibility, and self-control
• Age-appropriate, school-safe content
• Taught by an experienced professional martial arts instructor
• Focus on prevention, not fighting

Instructor

Tashi Mark Warner
Professional Martial Arts Instructor
Over 40 years of teaching experience
Specialist in youth safety, confidence, and character development