Massabesic Middle School

August 18, 2025

Updated August 28th

We are so excited to welcome you all to Massabesic Middle School for the 2025-2026 school year! We hope that you had a wonderful summer and are looking forward to a year of learning, fun and community building. This will be a year of exciting growth and opportunity, and we can't wait to get started.

Our first day of school is Tuesday, September 2. All students should have received their team welcome letter and supply lists at the start of August. Full student schedules are accessible in ParentVUE once the annual verification has been completed. All students may receive no cost breakfast and lunch, but all welcome to pack their own lunch if they choose to. Remember to pack a water bottle, as only water is allowed in school, and to dress for the weather.

We will be sending out a monthly family newsletters, like this one, throughout the school year. In this month's newsletter you will find information regarding our Open House, MMS Athletics, information about the MMS/MHS activity bus, Parent VUE, and after school pick up. Please also see the MMS Family Handbook for more information.

We hope to see you at the MMS Open House on August 28th from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Thank you in advance for your support of MMS and we look forward to a great year!

Sincerely,

Kelly Grantham, Principal

Amy Troiano, Assistant Principal

August 28 - Open House, 5:30-7:00 pm (arrive any time!) More information below.

September 2 - First student day

September 4 - Fall Sports Meet the Coaches Meeting 6:00 pm MMS Library

September 8 - MMS Fall Sports Begin (see flyer below for registration information)

September 10 - Early Release Day (12:00 dismissal)

September 23 - School Picture Day

September 24 - Early Release Day (12:00 dismissal)

September 25 - Maine Through Year Reading Assessment

October 2 - Maine Through Year Math Assessment

October 8 - Early Release Day (12:00 dismissal)

October 9 - NWEA Science Assessment

October 10 - No School for Students (Staff In Service Day)

October 13 - No School

Hello, I’m Jenna Ravanis, and I am thrilled to join Massabesic Middle School as the school nurse. I am a registered nurse with over 15 years of diverse experience, including long-term nursing home care, home health and hospice care, healthcare navigation, and extensive hospital work in various settings such as medical-surgical floors, the emergency room and maternity care. When I’m not at work I enjoy playing soccer, spending time outside and relaxing with my husband and three children.

I look forward to working with families and staff to promote health and wellness within our school community. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if your child needs assistance or health guidance. I am excited to collaborate and support our students’ success and well-being!

Jenna Ravanis, RN

jennaravanis@rsu57.org

(207) 247-6121

Student arrival at MMS is 7:10- 7:30 a.m. All students must arrive before 7:30 to be considered on time. Students who ride the bus will enter at the bus entrance. Students that are dropped off will enter through the Main Entrance. Drop off students that arrive prior to 7:10 am will wait in the library until the 7:10 bell, when they will be allowed to go to their homeroom and get breakfast.

Our last instructional period of the school day ends at 1:45. Please refrain from dismissing your student prior to 1:45 pm unless it is necessary. In the event that an earlier dismissal is necessary, we respectfully ask that you notify the office prior to 12:00 pm on that day.

Students are dismissed by grade level beginning at 1:50. If your student will be a regular pick up from school, please arrive by 1:45 and join the dismissal line at the Main Entrance. See the MMS Family Handbook for detailed information.

Click the link below to sign up for our daily pick up list if your student will be a regular pick up each day!

All MMS students will have all five core classes — Language Arts, Math, Social Studies, Science, and Interdisciplinary Studies — every day. They will also have their RtL (Response to Learning) block daily.

Students have two Allied Arts classes each day — 21st Century Skills, Art, Financial Literacy, Health, Introduction to Guitar, Music Production, Spanish, STEM, Studio Art, and Technology Education — meet every other day on a Green/White day rotation for one semester. Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, and Physical Education also meet every other day on a Green/White day rotation, but for the full year.

A copy of our daily schedule can be found on page 6 of the MMS Family Handbook, along with other important school information.

The BusRight app will allow you to, in real-time, follow your child’s bus route to and from school, receive notifications when the bus begins and ends its route, view the expected arrival time at your child’s designated bus stop, and receive ad-hoc communications from the Transportation Department, including bus cancellations.

Parent invitations were sent in early August. The message came from support@busright.com with the subject “You’re Invited to BusRight”. Your invite contains a link to create an account with BusRight and instantly link you to your student(s).

Start by downloading the BusRight app from the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) ahead of the official launch in August.

We strongly recommend that you watch the short BusRight app walkthrough video to better understand the app's functionality and navigation. The video can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CN7tVb7_YWY

Have Questions?

Questions or issues regarding the use of the BusRight app should be directed to support@busright.com.

Questions about your child's bus stop or route and how it is appearing or not appearing in the BusRight app should be directed to the Transportation Department at busright@rsu57.org.

Students participating in after school clubs or athletics may access the MMS/MHS Activity Bus.

Please review the attached schedule, located on the RSU 57 Transportation website and linked below, for bus and stop locations. Help your student identify which late bus and stop will work best for your family on days that they will be staying after school.

Meet Our New MMS Athletic Liaison – Mr. Thomas Nelson!

We are excited to welcome Mr. Thomas Nelson as our new MMS Athletic Liaison! Mr. Nelson teaches 6th grade social studies on Team Sebago and brings a wealth of coaching experience in basketball, soccer, and track & field. He currently serves as the MHS JV Boys’ Basketball Coach and is eager to support our middle school athletic programs.

Fall sports registration is now open and underway. Registration closes September 15. Register via ParentVUE. If you have any questions about MMS Athletics, you can reach him at thomasnelson@rsu57.org.

Also, be sure to bookmark the new MMS Athletics Website! This site is under construction and will be your go-to spot for the most up to date information regarding MMS Athletics.

Mark Your Calendars - Meet the Coaches Night - Fall Sports

• September 4 at 6:00 pm, MMS Library

Seeking:

• 7th grade boys' soccer coach
• 7th grade girls' soccer coach

If interested, please email thomasnelson@rsu57.org for more information on how to apply!

Water is the only beverage that students may have with them in classrooms during the school day. We encourage all students to bring a refillable water bottle to school each day.

We’re excited to share that two brand-new water bottle filling stations have been installed in our academic wing! These stations provide cold, filtered water so students can easily refill their bottles throughout the day.

Law Enforcement Club for 7th & 8th Graders

Dear Parents and Guardians,

We are thrilled to announce the launch of an exciting new extracurricular opportunity for our 7th and 8th grade students this fall – the Law Enforcement Club! This unique club is being offered through a collaborative effort between RSU 57, the York County Sheriff's Office, and our own School Resource Officer, Deputy Rob Pellerin.

The Law Enforcement Club will give students an engaging, hands-on introduction to various aspects of law enforcement, taught by real professionals from the Sheriff’s Office. Each session will focus on a different area of expertise, such as:

• Crime Scene Investigations
  

• Traffic Stops
  

• K-9 Demonstrations
  

• And many more exciting topics!

Beyond exploring the field of law enforcement, the club will emphasize important life values, including good citizenship, empathy, and standing up for others. Students will also have the opportunity to give back through a community service project that they help plan and carry out.

Sign-ups for the club will take place in September, and our first meeting will be held in October. We will meet twice a month after school for approximately one hour at the Middle School. Specific meeting dates and times will be shared in early September. We believe this club will be an incredible opportunity for students to learn, grow, and contribute positively to their community. If your child has an interest in law enforcement, service, or simply wants to explore something new, we encourage them to join!

If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to Deputy Rob Pellerin or the school office. We look forward to a fantastic year ahead with the Law Enforcement Club!

Sincerely,
Deputy Rob Pellerin
School Resource Officer
RSU 57 & York County Sheriff’s Office
robertpellerin@rsu57.org

Do you have the ParentVUE app? Please be sure to download the Parent VUE app or access the site online to view your student's gradebook, assignments, schedule and more. Student gradebooks are updated frequently and we ask that you regularly check your student's account. Please contact our main office for assistance if you have trouble activating or accessing your account.

Be sure to read the MMS Family Handbook

Website: https://middleschool.rsu57.org/
Location: Massabesic Middle School, Old Alfred Road, East Waterboro, ME, USA
Phone: (207) 247-6121