Rockport Middle/High School

Happy Friday, RMHS Students & Families,

This past week, the golf team wrapped up another season by attending the state level of competition this past Wednesday. Sam Kesterson and Nolan Bace ended the week at the CAL Open where they represented Rockport as the top two golfers on the Vikings team. We are so proud of them for making Rockport proud with their skill and class on the course. Congrats to the entire Vikings team for a great season!

The middle school leaders traveled to NH for a NELMS leadership workshop this past Thursday where they connected with leaders across the region on ways to make an impact within their local communities. We will celebrate and honor the collective accomplishments of our students this coming Tuesday at our first 6-12 Peer Mentoring Assembly of the year! Please see the list below for a more detailed look at the week ahead...🎉

-Ms. Rose

Amy Rose, Principal

RMS Student Council officers, Emma Marshall, Cecilia McNamara, Ryan Moseley, Emilia O'Connor, and Sophia Johnson attend the NELMS Leadership Conference with their advisor, Ms. Stein😀

7th Grade Students Lily MacArthur, Rosie Trupiano, and Erin Parsons presented an impactful performance about Cyberbullying to the RES 5th graders as part of their SEL programming.

Tuesday, October 21st: RMHS Assembly - Peer Mentoring Activities 6-12

Wednesday, October 22nd: PSAT's for Grades 10 & 11

Monday, October 27th: Picture Retake Day

Tuesday, October 28th: Extended Assemblies for 'See Something, Say Something' School Safety Training

• Grades 6-8: 9-9:45
• Grades 9-12: 9:55 - 10:40
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Friday, October 31st - Halloween Dress Up Day! (School appropriate costumes, please 😊).

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

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.

Students with more than three unexcused tardies in a quarter will be required to make up the time on learning after school. Mr. Parisi sent a notice to impacted students and families this past week and students will be expected to make up the time beginning on Wednesday, October 15th. Students are also ineligible to participate in after-school activities if they are chronically tardy. We appreciate the family support in making on-time attendance a priority.

In partnership with BLOOM, the Rockport Public Schools is proud to sponsor a workshop on Thursday, November 13th. 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 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

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

Get More Involved In Music!

In addition to music classes during the school day, there are lots of avenues to take lessons, hear concerts, and participate in ensembles outside of school.

· Gloucester Music Works is a brand new brick and mortar music school started by the Brace Cove Foundation on Maplewood Ave in Gloucester. They offer free lessons and instrument use to those in financial need. Their opening session of lessons starting in November is free to all! For future sessions, if you don’t qualify for assistance through them, reach out to music teacher Nathan Cohen at ncohen@rpk12.org and he may be able to help you get access to scholarship lessons there. See their info flier and map for more info or reach out directly at lessons@glostamusic.org, call them at 351-217-6599, or visit their website.

· Alexandra Grace Music Studio offers private instrumental and vocal lessons, group classes, and songwriting and recording workshops. They also offer internships. Located on Railroad Ave in Rockport, you can contact them at alexandra@alexandragracemusic.com, 978 879-7179, see their info flier or visit their website.

· Independent Instructors are available as well, either in home studios or after school at RPS. Speak to one of the music teachers at RPS for help finding an appropriate teacher.

· Lesson Scholarships in the amount of $500 each will be available to a limited number of students through RPS. Info will be going home via music ensemble email lists and the smore later this fall/winter. The scholarships are available to all students regardless of participation in ensembles. If you are interested in learning more about scholarship applications, email ncohen@rpk12.org or keep an eye on the smore.

· Ensemble Opportunities are available outside of RPS. Cape Ann Youth Chorus, which is open to students 8-18 years old, is directed by Thom Smoker and Kristina Martin and rehearses Monday afternoons at the Shalin Liu Center. Rockport Legion Band rehearses Thursday evenings and is directed by Logan LaRue. Northeast Massachusetts Youth Orchestras meet Mondays and have multiple ensembles available to wind and string players at different ability levels.

· Live Music and Educational Opportunities abound through organizations like Rockport Music and Cape Ann Guitar Society. In addition to the world-class music that Rockport Music brings into RPS classrooms, students under 18 years old can receive free tickets to almost every concert at the Shalin Liu Center. Call the box office at 978 546 7391 and ask for free tickets!

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.

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: Stonehill College, University of Rhode Island, University of Maine, and UMass Lowell!!

ALL Students:

• College and Career Fairs:

Over 30 RHS students and their families attended the College & Career Fair at Ipswich High School, meeting with college reps and local businesses, and asking great questions! Our school community was well represented in valuing our partnership with the Cape Ann Chamber of Commerce Business Education Collaborative!

• 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