Rockport Middle/High School

Happy Friday, RMHS Students & Families,

I can't believe we are headed into October this coming week. A heartfelt thank you to the students and families for making the first month back to school a successful one on so many levels. It was great to see so many families over the past weeks between the Open House, Post-Secondary Planning Night and athletic events. I look forward to more sporting events, performances, and community events to come.

This coming Friday (October, 3rd) marks the mid-term for Q1. Please check Aspen for your progress and communicate directly with teachers if you have any concerns or questions about your grades to date.

A reminder to families that we are hosting a Family/Principal partnership series this year as a way to foster collaboration around important adolescent challenges. Please see the schedule below and mark your calendars! We would love the opportunity to learn and grow with you as we work to raise our children together.

Here' to a great week ahead! 😎🍂

-Ms. Rose

Amy Rose, Principal

Tuesday, September 30th:

FLEX block will run as follows:

• RHS Class Meetings (See locations below)
• RMS Assembly (AUD)

HS Class Meeting Locations for Tuesday's FLEX:

• 9th-Library

• 10th- HS Art Room

• 11th-Gym

• 12th-Cafeteria

Friday, October 3rd: AP US History Field Trip Sturbridge

Saturday, October 11th: Homecoming Weekend - Game Day at the Ryan-Curley Athletic Field

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

Wednesday, October 22nd: PSAT's

Monday, October 27th: Picture Retake Day

Tuesday, October 28th: Extended Assembly

Friday, October31st - Sunday, November 2nd: RHS Musical

Friday, November 7th: RMS Dance 🕺💃

Friday, November 7th: Report Cards available

Wednesday, November 12th: Career Day 8 - 10:45

Wednesday, November 12th: Sports Awards

6th Grade Students, Mac Pregent, Beau Whelsky and Izzy Ventimiglia proposed new after school clubs that led to the creation of a new intramural program for students in grades 6 thru 8. The details are still being worked on, but stay tuned for more information to come on this exciting new opportunity for our students! Kudos to Mac, Beau & Izzy for their vision and commitment to enhancing our school community!

Ms. Swanson's High School Biology classes are studying Conservation Lands and will apply their research to our local Stellwagen National Marine Sanctuary

In partnership with BLOOM, the Rockport Public Schools is proud to sponsor a workshop on Thursday, November 13th at 6pm. Save the date on your calendar and stay tuned for more information to come.

Rockport Middle/High School is preparing for the NEASC Decennial Visit. The New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) is a voluntary accreditation process for schools occuring once every ten years. During this visit, a team reviews a school's adherence to research-based standards of quality, a process that involves a multi-year self-study followed by the visit itself, resulting in a final accreditation report by the NEASC Commission. The goal of the visit is to help schools improve the quality of education they provide to their students by ensuring they meet research-based standards.

We are excited to embark on this process and motivated by the feedback it will provide. As part of this process, we are asking for family feedback. If you already filled this out at this past week's Open House, THANK YOU! You do not need to fill it out again. For anyone who was unable to attend, or take the survey, please take a few minutes to take it at your convenience. Your feedback will help us to create specific goals and areas for improvement around the school/family partnership at RMHS.

RMHS NEASC Family Survey Link

A reminder to students and families to hand in your first day packets to the Main Office as soon as possible. If you have questions about the packet or need assistance with its content, please see Ms. Lucido & Ms. Elwell in the front office.😀

Student and Family District Handbook

In an effort to be more environmentally friendly and to cut down on the paperwork that families need to complete at the beginning of the school year, Rockport Public Schools has revised our school handbooks into one updated online Student and Family District Handbook. This new version is published on our website and allows for easy access to an organized list of procedures, practices, and important information.

Please read and review the handbook using this link: Rockport Public Schools Student and Family District Handbook.

Parents and guardians will need to acknowledge that they have read the handbook through this form: Acknowledgment of Receipt of RPS Student and Family Handbook. This form is also available on the Handbook page of our website. Please complete ONE FORM FOR EACH child you have attending Rockport Schools. For 6th through 12th grade students, you will also be prompted to have your child sign this acknowledgement form.

Rockport High School DECA program is organizing Career Day this year for RHS high school students. The date is November 12 from 8-10:30AM. Takes place at the high school

If you are interested in being a presenter, please fill out the registration form using the link below. Questions? Email slarsen@rpk12.org

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdOr3Ee1wyeHodMCXNKFXXF5fL-qbIknBmsBQHcOW4tKOQcbw/viewform?usp=sharing&ouid=111598024687589058164

Everyone is welcome!! No signing up, come when you need to, and leave when you are done !!

Morning hours: 6:30-7:25 Monday- Friday

Afternoon hours: 2:10-3:00 Monday - Thursday

If you have any questions or concerns, please email me, Michelle, at melwell@rpk12.org

The Viking Vibes are read each morning as part of the morning announcements. They include information about upcoming clubs, athletic or events that may be of interest throughout the year.

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.

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 team of people and systems.

Seniors - Class of 2026:

• College admission representatives continue to visit RHS Guidance. The number of students attending so far has been amazing. 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: Roger Williams University, Emmanuel College, Boston University and University of Southern Maine!

ALL Students:

• College and Career Fairs: All are Welcome!

Tuesday, September 30th, from 6-7:30 pm at Ipswich High School, Lower Gymnasium, 134 High Street, Ipswich.

Thursday, October 9th, from 6-8:00 at Peabody Veterans Memorial High School, Field House, 485 Lowell Street, Peabody. You can find a list of “Colleges and Universities on the PVMHS website: https://peabody.k12.ma.us/departments/guidance/

Click College Fair under QUICK LINKS on the right side of the page.

• 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. The alphabet breakdown is based upon student last name:

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.

• 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 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.

The school campus is closed to the public when school is in session and after 10:00pm nightly. This includes the use of the tennis courts, track, playgrounds, athletic fields and all other parts of the campus. This does not include families and community members attending school events in our schools or on our school grounds. We appreciate the community's understanding and support as we continue to prioritize the safety of RPS students and staff.

RHS Senior/Junior Prom - May 15th at 5pm @ The Floriana (Hellenic Center)

RHS Senior Showcase - May 19th at 6:30pm @ SLPC

RHS Senior Banquet - May 27th at 6pm @ The Elks