Rockport Middle/High School

Dear RMHS Families,

We are so excited to welcome you back to school on Wednesday, August 27th! For those families new to the middle/high school, this weekly newsletter serves as a way to communicate the most vital information in hopes to assist students in planning for the “week ahead”. This does not cover everything that goes on at the middle/high school but is rather an overview of the major events or changes to the schedule that may impact your child. A copy of each week’s email is also posted on the RMHS website.

My favorite part of being the 6-12 principal is watching the growth of our students, and forging partnerships and connections with families that last a lifetime. We kicked off this past week by celebrating our seniors through the annual senior cruise, and meeting our incoming 6th and 9th graders through orientations. The energy and excitement for the new year was contagious and we are so excited to see all of our students on Wednesday, August 27th. Students will report directly to their A block on Wednesday morning. Class lists will be posted on boards throughout the school and people will be in the hallways to support everyone finding their first class. All students will receive their schedules and go through an orientation at that time.

Here's to a great first week ahead! 😎

-Ms. Rose

Wednesday, August 27th: Welcome Back 🎉🎊

Wednesday, August 27th: Senior Breakfast @ Bracketts Oceanview Restaurant 6:30am -7:15am 🥞🍳

Friday, August 29th: No School

Monday, September 1st: No School

Tuesday, September 2nd: Summer Reading Groups (Extended WIN/Assembly 9:24 - 10:15 am).

Saturday, September 13th: DECA Car Wash (Advance Auto Parts)

Monday, September 15th: Picture Day

Tuesday, September 16th : Senior Post-Secondary Planning

Thursday, September 18th: RMHS Open House

Tuesday, September 23rd: Half Day for Students

Friday, October 3rd: APush Field Trip Sturbridge

Monday, October 13th & Tuesday, October 14th: No school for students

Monday, October 27th: Retake Picture Day

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.

RMHS is excited to welcome the following new staff members to our team for the 2025-2026 school year:

6-12 Full Time Substitute: Chad Johnson

Attendance Clerk/Reception: Katie Elwell

Paraprofessional: Kathleen Heal

Students in grades 6-9 who ordered supplies via the Shoptkits are all set! The orders were shipped directly to the school and will be provided to your children on the opening days of school. For those families who missed the deadline or opted not to order through this vendor, I have included links to the school supply lists by grade level below.

High School students in grades 10-12 should come to school on the first day with a charged computer (if they have one), a writing utensil, and a notebook. Requirements for school supplies vary depending on your child’s teacher and classes. Teachers will spend the first two days outlining their specific class requirements and expectations. There is no need to buy school supplies in advance to avoid purchasing unnecessary items. We highly recommend that you wait until after the first two days to buy the appropriate supplies for your unique schedule.

Middle school schedules are available in Aspen and students will receive hard copies on the opening day of school. If you have questions about your child's schedule, please email Ms. King, Assistant Principal (aking@rpk12.org) and Ms. Stapleton, 6-8 Counselor (cstapleton@rpk12.org).

High School schedules were made available to students and parents in June through Aspen. You can continue to access your child’s schedule through Aspen at your convenience. Guidance counselors are holding add/drop periods through the first weeks of school if you and/or your child would like to make a change to your existing schedule.

Please note that counselors will work diligently to respond to all scheduling requests. Due to the volume of requests, this may take some time. Students will have a two-week add/drop period once school begins in order to ensure all scheduling issues are resolved.

The school year begins with full days on Wednesday, August 27th, and Thursday, August 28th. There is no school on Friday, August 29th, or Monday, September 1st for the long Labor Day weekend.

Students in Grades 6-11 will report to their A block at 7:35 am on the first day of school to receive their schedules and other important opening day materials. All seniors (grade 12) will report to the Auditorium.

Rockport Middle/High School requires students to participate in our summer reading program. Please be sure your child does this in order to be prepared for the opening day of school. The 2025-2026 summer reading list is available on our website under the “Resources” tab, “MS Summer Reading” or “HS Summer Reading”. If you have trouble accessing the list online, please contact Ms. Lucido in the main office by calling 978-546-1234. Students will be expected to participate in a faculty-led discussion about their book within the first few days of school.📚🙌

Seniors - Class of 2026:

• Post Secondary Planning night will be held in the RHMS Cafeteria on Tuesday, September 16, from 6:00 - 7:30 pm. Bring your college questions for the counselors!

• College admission representatives will be visiting RHS Guidance starting on September 18th. All Seniors and Juniors are welcome! Please get permission from your teachers before attending and sign up in Naviance to secure your participation.

Coming soon: University of Vermont, Dean College, Salem State University, Merrimack College, and Boston University!

Juniors & Sophomores, Classes of 2027 & 2028:

• The PSAT/NMSQT for Juniors and Sophomores will be offered this year during the school day on October 22nd. We strongly encourage all JUNIORS to register! You will find the registration form and payment information in your first-day packets. All registrations must be turned into guidance by September 19th in order to participate.

• To learn more about PSAT: satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/preparing/practice-tests

ALL Students:

• College and Career Fair: Tuesday, September 30th, from 6-7:30 pm at Ipswich High School, Lower Gymnasium, 134 High Street, Ipswich. All are welcome!

• Community Service is a graduation requirement. All students are encouraged to check their Class Board or Aspen account to see how many community service hours they have earned. Please check the school website or bulletin board outside of Guidance for opportunities.

Please see the chart below for a breakdown of counseling assignments at the high school level. Alphabet breakdowns are based on student last names:

Students in grades 6-8 are required to use a school-issued device. Students will be given the device on the opening days of school and will be expected to take proper care of the devices throughout the year.

Students in grades 9-12 are expected to bring a computer to school each day for general use. Recommended devices include a Chromebook, MacBook, or Windows laptop, so that students can access the internet, Google Classroom, and complete writing and research assignments. Tablets and phones are not as effective at these tasks. All devices brought into the school network are visible to technology staff and must abide by the acceptable use policy, as do all school-issued devices. RMHS will supply any students with a Chromebook who are unable to or do not want to bring their own device. These devices will be issued in the first few weeks of school after acceptable use policies have been signed and returned. A student cannot receive their device without the acceptable use policy being signed. Students will be responsible for charging devices each night. Repairs will be dealt with on an individual basis.

If your child requires a school-issued Chromebook, they will have the opportunity to obtain one during the first two weeks of school by visiting the Tech Office.

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.

The annual RMHS Open House is scheduled to be held on Thursday, September 18th at 6:00 pm.

Save the date on your calendars and stay tuned for more information to come over the coming weeks!

The new RMHS schedule provides a variety of ways to support your children by creating routine and structured ways to reinforce the academic and social-emotional curricula 6-12. We look forward to sharing more about these built-in opportunities with your students on opening days.

• 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 “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.

Senior Breakfast – Wednesday, August 27th at 6:30 am - Brackett’s Oceanview Restaurant

Post-Secondary Planning Night (Grade 12 students and families) - Tuesday, September 16th at 6pm in the Auditorium

RHS Graduation – Friday, May 29, 2025 at 5 pm

Please take the time to enjoy the final days of summer. 😎 We are excited to welcome the students back on August 27th!

-Ms. Rose