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

Eighth grade students in Mr. Daley's Health Class are learning about the dangers of vaping and have created posters to share what they have learned with other students. These posters will be displayed throughout the building in high visability areas.

The Dangers of Vaping: What Middle School Families Need to Know

Vaping continues to be a concern for adolescents, and it poses significant risks—especially for developing brains. Most vape products contain nicotine, which is highly addictive and can interfere with attention, memory, and emotional regulation. Even products labeled “nicotine-free” have been found to contain nicotine or other harmful chemicals. In addition, vape aerosol can introduce dangerous substances into the lungs, including heavy metals and toxic flavoring agents, which can lead to long-term lung damage and conditions such as EVALI (E-cigarette or Vaping Associated Lung Injury).

Vaping also impacts mental health and academic well-being. Nicotine use is linked to increased anxiety, sleep problems, and worsening depression, and students who vape are more likely to transition to other forms of substance use. We encourage families to talk openly with their children about the very real risks of vaping and to reach out to our school counseling team if you need support or resources. Together, we can help keep our students safe and healthy.

We’re excited to announce that our annual IMS Food Drive is officially underway! Each year, our school community comes together to support local families in need, and our students play a meaningful role in making a real difference.

This year, we will be collecting non-perishable food items to benefit our local food pantry. Popular contributions include canned vegetables and fruits, soups, pasta, rice, peanut butter, cereal, and other shelf-stable items. Every donation—big or small—helps strengthen our community.

There is one final collection on Monday Morning, November 24th.

Students can bring their donations directly to their pods. We’ll keep track of totals throughout the drive, and we’ll celebrate the collective effort as a school once the drive concludes. Our goal is not competition, but compassion—showing our students how simple acts of generosity can have a powerful impact.

Thank you for your support and for helping us show our students what it means to care for others. Making a difference starts here.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Scott Jewell at sjewell@ipsk12.net or Joanne Ryan at jryan@ipsk12.net, who are pictured below.

Missed the Parent Meeting? Here is the information your need: 25- 26 Ecology School Parent Presentation

How to Sign Up Your Child:

Complete the 2026 Ecology School Registration Information packet by December 5

• Academic and Behavioral Contract

• Ipswich Permission Slip

• $100 deposit to Ipswich Middle School

• There is NO option to pay online.

You will need to log onto the Ecology School Website (see Parent Presentation for details) At that time you will:

• Create an account and profile for your child. (Group Hold: IMS26 will be needed)

• Complete their online Registration form

• Complete the online Health form - If you expect changes, you may want to wait.

• Questions may be sent to csenechal@ipsk12.net or scolby@ipsk12.net

The District has been hard at work building a new website for Ipswich Public Schools. As part of our rebranding effort, we’ve focused on making the site simpler, clearer, and easier for families to use. We’re excited to unveil the new site this Monday, November 24th, and we hope it makes staying connected with our schools even easier. You will still be able to access the website by the same URL: www.ipsk12.net

As we are now in November, the weather has definitely made a turn toward winter. Many students are headed to lunch and recess in shorts and t-shirts. Please encourage your children to bring warm clothes with them to school and to wear out to recess. We will continue to head outside each day unless it is extremely cold (below 20 degrees) or raining.

Apply Now – Deadline January 10, 2026

Our Fall 2026 application will continue to be available through January 10, 2026! Please encourage your 8th-grade students and their families to visit EssexNorthShore.org/Admissions to complete the electronic application. Paper applications are also available here or by contacting a member of our admissions team.

Both our application and website include multilingual features, allowing families to access information in several languages.

We are working to process applications as they come in and once completed, Middle School Counselors should be able to view the names of their Grade 8 applicants.

Open House – THIS Saturday, November 22, 2025

Registration for our Open House continues to be open! Students and families can register at
EssexNorthShore.org/Admissions

We are offering two sessions:

• Session 1: 8:30–10:30 am.

• Session 2: 11:30 am–1:30 pm.

Years ago most or all of the middle schools in the Cape Ann League had boys and girls interscholastic basketball teams. Over the years schools began dropping out of the league as youth recreational and travel teams gained popularity. For the past four years the only schools left in the league were us, Rockport and Manchester-Essex. Last year Rockport did not field a girls team. Therefore we have decided not to have boys and girls interscholastic teams. We plan to always continue with intramural basketball and our students can still compete against other towns through the travel basketball league. The High School Athletic Director, Superintendent, and our school council were also involved in discussions regarding this decision.

Get ready to unleash your creativity! The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has just announced its fourth annual "Name A Snowplow" contest, and they are looking for students across the state, including all middle schoolers, to help! This is a chance to give one of the 12 new MassDOT snowplows a fun, catchy, and memorable name for the upcoming 2025/2026 winter season. The contest is a way to celebrate the winter season and recognize the dedicated public works employees who work hard to keep our roads safe during snow and ice storms. Last year's winning names were fantastic, including names like Taylor Drift and Control-Salt-Delete, so the bar is high—but we know your students can come up with some winners.

If you have a great idea, the time to act is now! The deadline to submit your suggestions for the Snowplow Naming Contest is 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5th. You can submit your application using the easy online portal here: https://www.mass.gov/forms/name-a-snowplow-contest-submission. A selection panel will choose 12 winners across two grade-level categories (K-4 and 5-8), and the winning submissions will be announced by Friday, December 19th. Winners will even be invited to participate in a snowplow unveiling event. For more information about the contest and the rules, please visit: https://www.mass.gov/name-a-snowplow-contest-2025-26. Good luck and get naming!

Wednesday, November 26th - 11:20 dismissal

Wednesday, November 26th - End of Trimester 1

Wednesday, November 26th - The Teen Center is closed

Thursday, November 27th - No school, Thanksgiving Break

Friday, November 28th - No school, Thanksgiving Break

Monday, December 1st - Grade 8 RA rotation

Tuesday, December 9th - IMS Choral Concert, 7 PM in the PAC

Monday, December 15th - IMS Instrumental Concert, 7PM in the PAC

I was recently in Ms. Marinopoulos's classroom, and I was truly impressed by the level of engagement and enthusiasm her students demonstrated. She had designed a fast-paced, collaborative comprehension activity connected to the novel they are reading, and the energy in the room was remarkable. Students worked in small groups to answer as many comprehension questions as possible within a two-minute window, earning a plastic cup for each correct response.

What followed was a burst of creativity and teamwork: groups used their cups to build the tallest tower possible. Although the activity lasted only about ten minutes, it was exceptionally effective. Students were fully invested, supporting one another, thinking critically, and having fun—all while deepening their understanding of the text.