RMS Newsletter

Upcoming Dates:

9/29 Open House 5:30pm
10/1 Punctuate the Positive Starts- Program info below
10/5 Picture Day- Sign up link below
10/8 Early Release
10/8 Parent Teacher Conferences 12pm-8pm
10/9 No school
10/9 Parent Teacher Conferences 8am-12pm
10/12 No school
10/13 School Board Meeting 6pm
10/29 Early Release

Congratulations to Mrs. Borkowski, UVM Outstanding Educator 2026

Punctuate The Positive

Punctuate the Positive is a occasional celebration of all the hard work students are putting in. Our first Punctuate the Positive celebration will be the month of October. If students do not meet the criteria below, they will have a regular academic school day.

To be eligible for the celebration, students must meet all of the following requirements:

No skipped classes.
Fewer than 10% absences for the month.
No major behavior incidents.
No more than 10 minor behavior referrals during the month.
No “rules of three” referrals.

I-Ready Assessments

We recently administered our first of three i-Ready assessments of the school year. i-Ready is a tool we use to monitor each student’s growth in reading and mathematics throughout the year.

These reports provide valuable information for teachers, students, and families. They help us understand whether students are on track to meet this year’s learning goals and identify areas in which they may benefit from additional instruction or enrichment. We also use this information when determining appropriate supports, including Intervention and Far Out placements.

Because these assessments play an important role in planning for student success, please encourage your student to take each i-Ready assessment seriously and do their very best. Students should work carefully, take their time, and show what they know—without worrying about getting every question correct.

Rutland–Ishidoriya Student Exchange (RISE)

The Rutland–Ishidoriya Student Exchange (RISE) is a long-running cultural exchange connecting Rutland, Vermont, students with students in Ishidoriya, now part of Hanamaki, Japan. It is rooted in the Rutland–Hanamaki sister-city relationship and has operated since the mid-1980s. Rutland City will host community member delegates from Hanamaki to celebrate our 40th year as sister cities. The delegates will visit RMS on October 8th. We will host the student delegates later in the year.

Program overview

Who can participate: Rutland Middle School eighth graders and Rutland High School ninth graders are listed for the Japan exchange program.
Timing: Applications will be available in November. Rutland students generally travel to Japan in June, and Japanese students visit and are hosted in Rutland in late October.
Length: Exchanges typically last 10–12 days
Cost: The Rutland Middle School program page identifies group fundraising as the primary means of supporting participation
Experiences: Students stay with host families, attend school, take part in local cultural activities, and represent their community while building relationships across languages and cultures.

The exchange gives students an unusually authentic experience of global learning: daily family life, school routines, food, customs, language, and community traditions. It also strengthens a civic relationship that has continued for decades between Rutland and Hanamaki/Ishidoriya—two communities separated by more than 6,000 miles but connected through education, municipal leadership, and family hosting.

Rule of 3

If a student disrupts the learning of others 3 times (minor behaviors such as calling out, fooling around with peers, or continuously making noise) in a class period, they will be sent to the office. While in the office, we will process what happened, have the student call home to explain their behavior, and then, when ready, have them return to class.

A Rule of 3 offense will be considered when determining eligibility for various bonus events at RMS. This includes but is not limited to Punctuate the Positive celebration days, non-curriculum-related field trips, and dances. A single Rule of 3 violation in a quarter does not impact extracurricular participation. More than one Rule of 3 violation in a quarter will be treated like a major behavior when it comes to after school activity or non-academic experiences participation.

We initiated our Rule of 3 last year and found it to be a very effective way to reduce behavior that detracts from the learning environment and to encourage collaboration with families. More complete information about student conduct can be found in the 26/27 Student Handbook.

Cell Phone Policy

Rutland City Public Schools is committed to maintaining a learning environment that promotes student focus, safety, engagement, professionalism, positive mental health, and effective communication. In alignment with Vermont Act 72 and the Vermont Agency of Education Model Policy on Student Use of Cell Phones, students are prohibited from using or accessing personal electronic devices during the instructional day from arrival to dismissal except as specifically outlined below. This aligns with our Strategic Plan in the areas of Teaching and Learning and Wellness of Inclusive School Communities, as well as the characteristics outlined in our Portrait of a Graduate.