Sixth Grade Resource Hub

HOW TO USE THIS RESOURCE

This Smore will be utilized as a resource to house important information for parents and guardians of current 6th grade students at Riverside Middle School. Below, you will find a message from the RMS grade level leadership, Back to School information, teacher websites, team newsletters, BackPack info, Google Classroom info, and a "How Do I" section with frequently asked questions.

MESSAGE FROM MS. BELL & MRS. HALL

This Sixth Grade Resource Hub was created to support you as you guide your student through their first year of middle school. Below, you’ll find helpful information about your child’s sixth grade team, as well as answers to frequently asked questions from parents just like you.

Our goal is to make this journey as smooth and successful as possible. We hope you find these resources helpful in staying informed, connected, and confident as your student continues to learn and thrive. The transition to middle school is an exciting time filled with growth, new routines, and opportunities to build independence—for both students and parents! Please let us know how we can support you and your student this school year.

Warm regards,

Ms. Bell and Mrs. Hall
Assistant Principal & School Counselor

kebell@greenville.k12.sc.us

sehall@greenville.k12.sc.us

6th GRADE PARENTS, we are excited to announce our new Monthly Meet Up and hope that you’ll plan to join us for some or all! We will be hosting a Google Meet Up once a month to connect with other 6th grade parents, share experiences, support one another, and build a stronger school community. Whether you’re navigating middle school for the first time or looking to connect with other families, this will be a welcoming space to learn something new, share ideas, ask questions and build meaningful relationships. Our first meet up will be on September 15th at 12:30pm. The specific dates and Google Meet links for each month will be posted in advance on the RMS School Counseling website.

Please contact our RMS librarian, Mrs. Glenn, at sglenn@greenville.k12.sc.us if you have any questions about the current Discus username and password.

Missed our "Back to School/Meet the Teacher" night? Mr. Keith's presentation can be found HERE.

ARRIVAL & DISMISSAL PROCEDURES

ARRIVAL

At the beginning of the school day, students will report to the cafeteria starting at 7:30 AM. 6th graders will sit at the tables designated for 6th grade (closest to the stage). There will be staff to welcome them and assist them with getting to the correct area, as well as signage. If they choose, students may eat breakfast upon entering the cafeteria at the designated breakfast tables. At 7:45 AM, the 7th and 8th graders are dismissed to the gymnasium. 6th grade stays in the cafeteria. Around 8:10 AM, the 6th grade teachers will escort the students to the hallway by their 2nd period class.

DISMISSAL

At the end of the day, students will remain in their classroom, with their teacher, until they are called for dismissal. Information will be announced overhead and on the teacher’s smart board.

ELECTRONIC DEVICE POLICY

Students are not allowed to use their electronic devices during the school day. Electronic devices include, but are not limited to, cell phones, headphones, tablets, and smartwatches. This is not just a RMS rule, this is mandated by the state.

GIFTED AND TALENTED PROGRAM

How can my student qualify for Gifted and Talented?

Students must qualify using the criteria provided by the district.

How is my student served GT in middle school?

Students are placed in ELA 6 GT. They will take ELA 7GT and then English 1 Honors in 8th Grade.

Is Math served through the GT program?

No. Only English.

How are students considered for Advanced Math?

Students can qualify for advanced math by fulfilling the district criteria. They must meet a certain SC Ready Score, have an “A” as their overall grade in 5th grade and have a teacher recommendation.

Can I override my student’s placement in English or Math?

No.

Further questions can be directed to your student’s counselor or you can look at the Greenville County Gifted and Talented website.

LOCKERS

Students will not be using lockers. They will be provided with a school issued Chromebook for their academic needs, including electronic copies of their textbooks. If necessary, teachers have class sets of textbooks in their respective classrooms.

LUNCH/RECESS

Students will have a 40 minute lunch/recess period during their 5th period class. Students will either eat lunch first and go out to recess second, or go to recess first and eat lunch second. Lunch can be bought at school or brought from home. Students are not allowed to bring drinks even during lunch.

Parents are not allowed to drop off or order outside food (ex. DoorDash, UberEats, Chick-fil-a, Subway, etc.) for students to pick up in the front office.

SCHOOL ID POLICY

To help keep our school safe, all RMS students are expected to wear their school ID badges at all times while in the building. Students will be given an ID on the first day of school.

If a student forgets or loses their ID, they can get a replacement ID badge for $5.00. If a student doesn’t have money at the time, the cost will be added to their RMS Student ID debt account. Please note that any unpaid ID debt will carry over to the next school year, and repeated ID issues may result in consequences. Be aware that this debt can impact your student in the future.

Our attendance clerk, Mrs. Erin Karr, will send out email correspondence if your student has a balance due to purchasing new IDs. If you're paying in person, please send exact cash only. If you are paying online, you can pay this balance anytime by going to SchoolCash. If you need help with SchoolCash , please visit their website at https://www.schoolcashonline.com/Home/Support.

For more details on our ID rules and other policies, please check the 2026–2027 RMS Student Handbook.

TRANSPORTATION

BUS RIDERS

As long as your student has been registered as a bus rider, the transportation department will be calling you to let you know the details about pick up and drop off locations. There may be a waiting period if you wait to request that your student is a bus rider after the start of the school year.

CAR RIDERS

Drop off and pick up locations are off of Hammett Bridge Road (doors open at 7:30am) and Gibbs Schoals Road (doors open at 7:45am). Students cannot be dropped off on the RMS campus earlier than 7:30 AM.

WALKERS

Students who will be walking to/from school will need a signed parent permission form on file. Once that has been received, students will receive a sticker for their ID badge noting that they have written permission to walk home.

Please make sure to discuss with your students how they will be getting home on the first day of school. Contact the front office if there are any changes to your student's transportation needs at 864-355-7900.

TEACHER WEBSITES

Teachers use their websites to post important information such as their syllabus, lesson plans, class supply list, and weekly planners/newsletters. The weekly planners/newsletters give a snapshot of what students are working on in class during the week and what may need to be worked on at home.

Teacher websites can be accessed by going to the RMS home page, clicking on the staff button at the top, and selecting “Sixth Grade.”

TEAM NEWSLETTERS

Links to each team's newsletters will be added as they are received.

BACKPACK

WHAT IS BACKPACK?

A Backpack for Parents account gives parents, guardians, and other contacts one easy place to stay connected with their student. You can check your child’s attendance, class schedule, grades, test scores, lunch balance, and bus route (if applicable). Also, you can get alerts and notifications from school staff and update parent or contact details when needed.

BackPack for Parents

GCS BackPack for Parents Information

BACKPACK HACKS

Access BackPack for Parents on your cell phone or personal device for more convenient access to your child's information.

Go to your settings and set up to receive notifications if your student earns below a certain grade on any assignment or assessment (You can choose the numeric grade).

GOOGLE CLASSROOM

WHAT IS GOOGLE CLASSROOM?

Google Classroom is a free, user-friendly platform from Google that helps teachers and students stay organized online. Teachers can set up classes, share assignments and announcements, collect student work, and give feedback with grades and comments. Due dates are automatically added to the class Google Calendar and students get reminders for upcoming or missing work. It also makes it easy to communicate, collaborate on shared documents, and access all school work from any device with internet access.

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Quick Guide to Google Classroom

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Parent's FULL Guide to Google Classroom

GOOGLE CLASSROOM HACKS

Our teachers put ALL important information on Google Classroom. Check Google Classroom for assignments, notes, class agendas, presentations, and/or any instructional materials. This is the BEST first step when looking for instructional resources.

Ensure that you receive "Guardian Email Summaries" for your child's Google Classrooms. Information included in those emails are missing work, upcoming work, and class activity. No grades are shared in the summaries. Your child's teacher may have already invited you, but you have to accept the invitation (sent to your email) to receive information. You are able to set up the frequency of email communication in your settings.

Log into Google Classroom with your child and have him or her take you on a "tour." ALL students have been taught how to navigate Google Classroom and it is reinforced on a daily basis.

When your student shows you that an assignment is "Turned In," you have to click on the assignment to ensure that it is actually completed. On several occasions, students have turned in unfinished or blank assignments just to show that the assignment is no longer "Missing."

"HOW DO I..."

CHECK MY STUDENT'S GRADES

Student grades can be regularly checked via BackPack for Parents. Teacher gradebooks are updated at least once a week. A student turning in a late assignment should email their teacher upon completion and submission. If a student has any questions about a specific grade, it is their responsibility to contact their teacher.

Contacting teachers about grades or assignments via email is always the best practice. School staff members have up to 24 hours to respond to parent communication. Please be aware of possible delays due to the weekend and/or holidays.

REQUEST EXTRA HELP ON ASSIGNMENTS

A student should reach out to his or her teacher if they need extra help on assignments. A best practice is to send the teacher an email. If a teacher has a specific "help request" form, it is posted on their Google Classroom or teacher website.

TURN IN MISSING ASSIGNMENTS AFTER BEING ABSENT

In order to receive full credit for make-up work, all work must be submitted within five school days, immediately following the absence. In cases of prolonged illness beyond five days, special consideration will be given. It is the responsibility of the students, not the teachers, to arrange for make-up work.

Work assigned before the absence will be due the day the student returns.

Tests assigned before the absence will be taken on the scheduled test date or date arranged with the teacher.

If a student misses a test or quiz while absent, on the first day back, arrangements should be made with the teacher to make up the assessment within five school days.

In general, work is made up before or after school in order not to miss more class time. Arrangements may also be made with the teacher to make-up assignments during support times such as Flex Time, tutoring times, and/or Extra Help Lab. Arrangements should be made with the teacher to complete this in a timely manner.

Students must be absent at least three days before a request for make-up work to be picked up may be made. Please make requests to the guidance clerk via phone call at 355-7904 or email the guidance clerk (see website for email address). The call must be received by 8:30 A.M. in order for make- up work to be available in the front office at 3 PM. Teachers have the option of emailing make up work if they so choose. Students are encouraged to check teacher websites and Google Classroom for assignments during any absence.

REDO A MAJOR TEST

In pursuit of giving students the opportunity to demonstrate mastery in accordance with a growth mindset, Riverside Middle School has set forth the following redo/retake policy:

Students or their guardians may request one opportunity to redo each major grade.

Students/parents must submit their request for a redo/retake within one school week of the graded assessment being returned by submitting the Redo/Retake Google Form.

Students must have submitted all minor assignments in the Unit before requesting a redo/retake of the major assignment. Before an assessment is redone/retaken, students must complete a re-learning opportunity as determined by the teacher and agreed upon through a documented discussion between the teacher, student, and/or guardian.

The retake score will replace the original score only when the retake score is greater than the original score.

Students must have submitted all minor assignments in the Unit before requesting a redo/retake of the major assignment.

FIND INFORMATION ABOUT RMS ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS

To find information about activities and events at Riverside Middle School, please visit the RMS website, RMS Parent Newsletter, and/or RMS Facebook page.

Information about the Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) can be found on the RMS PTSA website.

RMS Parent Newsletter