Ipswich Middle School

Sean Fitzgerald, Assistant Principal

Our mission is to create a nurturing community where students are encouraged to develop confidence as lifelong learners with the awareness and flexibility necessary to adapt to a changing world. We strive to bring out the best in every student and adult in our learning community.

Email: pginolfi@ipsk12.net
Website: www.ipsk12.net

Instagram: ipswichmstigers
Location: 130 High Street, Ipswich, MA
Phone: (978)356-3535

Sorry, I couldn't resist the alliteration. Today we had our Tiger Tales summer reading celebrations. The students discussed a series of questions about the books that they read over the summer in multi-graded groups. It was great to see students from all three grades sharing their point of view and working together on a culminating project. Selected 8th grade students led their groups and by all accounts did a wonderful job. Riley Brennan and Natalie Campbell did a fantastic job in my group! Thank you very much to the Laroche family and Tougas Family Farm for providing farm fresh apples for everyone during the event. There are many pictures from this morning, enjoy:

Here is a brief look into some of our classes to jump start those conversations about what happened at school. This week there are pictures of 6th graders in Science class learning about coastal erosion with our learning partner, Change Is Simple. 7th Graders in Ms. Z's Art class creating 3D art out of card board. 8th Graders in Ms. Molton's Civics class prepping for their upcoming vocabulary quiz on a beautiful day.

GAMES STARTING WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 29TH! Intramural Basketball is open to all students in grades 6-8. Registration is now open and all interested players MUST be registered by WEDNESDAY October 22, 2025 (2:30pm) to ensure that they have a spot on a team.

Games will be held most days after school from 2:30 - 3:45, with the last day of games on Tuesday, November 25. Games are 30 minutes- players will have the first or second time slot (2:30-3:00 or 3:05-3:35). Students will play in teams on a set schedule, detailed schedules will be available on or before the FIRST day of games. Basketball dates Oct 29, Nov 3, 4, 5, Nov 12, 14, 17, 18, 19, 24 and 25.

Please note - Basketball is a popular sport! We will create the team rosters and game schedules based on the number of students registered by 2:30 on October 22, 2025. Late registrations will be placed on a "waitlist" in the order they are received and only considered if space is available or someone drops out. To be added to the waitlist, email Katie Henderson at khenderson@ipsk12.net. There is no guarantee that waitlisted students will be assigned a team. Thank you for understanding. - Ms. McNichols

The fee to play intramurals is $50 for one intramural and $75 for unlimited intramurals. If you already paid for Tennis then basketball would cost an additional $25 and all subsequent intramurals will be free. Please register your child and contact Katie Henderson to make arrangements (khenderson@ipsk12.net).

Grade 6 has a long standing tradition of taking students on an overnight trip to The Ecology School in Maine (formerly called Ferry Beach). This year, the trip is tentatively planned for April 28 - May 1, 2026.

The Ecology School can accommodate 120 students, usually 60 in the Female dorm and 60 in the Male dorm. Even though our class enrollment numbers are below that, each year 20 - 25 students decide that the local day trips are a better fit for them. In order to plan our estimated numbers for each trip, we ask that you complete the 2026 Grade 6 Spring Trip Interest Survey by October 8.

Below we have provided some details that may help you decide which trip is best for your student.

The cost of the trip to The Ecology School is $400.

The cost of the local trip is about $60.

There are partial and full scholarships funds available for families who need financial assistance to pay for the trips - no student is excluded due to financial constraints.

In order to attend either trip students need to have a good academic, attendance and discipline record.

You can find more details about each of the trips in the 24- 25 Ecology School Parent Presentation

For those interested in the overnight trip to Saco, Maine we will be hosting a parent information night on Wednesday, October 22 at 5:30 PM to answer any additional questions you may have.

To find out more about The Ecology School, you can visit their website at:

The Ecology School at River Bend

The Ecology School Residential Overnight Programs

The Teen Center has some exciting activities planned for next week!

On Tuesday, October 7, students are invited to bring their roller skates or rollerblades for open skating in the Boone Hall gym. Music and snacks will be provided to keep the energy up.

Then, on Friday, October 10, the Teen Center will kick off the spooky season with a Halloween Party! Students can enjoy pizza, drinks, festive activities, and of course—plenty of candy.

In addition to these special events, the Teen Center is open daily from 2:30–4:30 p.m. (except Thursdays for now). Students can enjoy a variety of spaces and activities, including the art room, movie room, game room, and lounge, along with snacks and drinks.

Green Team will meet Wed. October 8 and Fri. Oct. 10 to harvest tomatoes and potatoes. All are welcome. Please meet Ms. Senechal at the garden outside of the High School enterance after school.

Monday, October 6th - Kindness Club Meeting - 2:30 in the 6th grade pod.

Tuesday, October 14th - No school , Staff Professional Development

Wednesday, October 15th - Grade 8 RA rotation

Friday, Oct 24th - Whittier Voc. Tech. presentation to the 7th grade

Thursday, October 30th - Picture retake day

Ms. Bevilacqua

Yesterday I gave the Appreciation Tapestry to Gena Bevilacqua!
Ms. B. has dedicated a tremendous amount of time and energy to organizing both the Tiger Tales book groups and last week’s 7th Grade Circles, and her efforts are deeply appreciated. True to her humble nature, she downplays the work that goes into it—I even had to trick her into holding up the tapestry by saying I needed a good picture of it! Thank you, Gena, for all that you’re doing to build such meaningful experiences for our students.