KMS Newsletter

Dear KMS Families,

Thank you all for your support during the start of our 2025-2026 school year. As always, student success is driven by a strong partnership between families and the school and we appreciate all that the community does to support Keene Middle School.

Fall sports and clubs are in full swing, 6th grade students have begun attending field trips to the Harris Center, High 5 is visiting 6th and 7th grade classrooms, we have held our Open House, and fundraising has begun for the Eighth Grade Washington D.C. trip.

On Friday 10/3, we held our second school-wide assembly. We reaffirmed our KMS values of safety, respect, and responsibility. We discussed October being Bullying Prevention Month and the importance of ensuring all individuals are respected and welcomed into our KMS community. We also highlighted the difference between our “System 1” responses, which are automatic and emotional responses to situations and challenges, and “System 2” responses, which require us to slow things down and think carefully about a situation or challenge. Developing our “System 2” responses are essential to learning, making progress, and conducting meaningful social interactions.

Friday, October 10th will be our annual assembly recognition of International Peace Day. This assembly includes contributions and presentations from students and staff and is followed by Cluster based activities. This assembly will also provide KMS an opportunity to formally kick off our Choose Love program which will culminate in a visit from Scarlett Lewis in March. Friday the 10th is also an Early Release Day for students. Dismissal will be at 12:57.

Over the course of the year, there are many different offerings at KMS that can round out a student’s middle school experience. We recommend and encourage each student to sign up and participate in at least one activity. Students can join most clubs at any time during the school year. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have any questions. If your child needs help choosing an activity, please call your child’s School Counselor.

Sincerely,

Mike Smith, KMS Principal

The Parent Portal was opened on September 29th. The families of new KMS students should have received an email with login information for their student. If you have not received it, please reach out to the school and we will make sure you receive that information. For parents who already have an account, your login and password will still work. If you need help with the Parent Portal, please email Molly Damico at mdamico@sau29.org.

Morning Homework Club (Formally known as AM in the IMC) is a program designed to support students in academics, homework completion, and organization. Teachers will often refer students to this program if they feel it will be helpful. Families can also contact Betsy Stacey bstacey@sau29.org with questions.

Late buses do not drop off students as close to home as their regular school bus. But it will take them to their neighborhood. Below is the late bus information that has been regularly shared in the Weekly Updates:

• Late Bus Schedule
• Nelson and Harrisville - Mondays and Wednesdays
• Marlow - Tuesday and Thursdays
• Sullivan, Stoddard, Surry - No Late Buses

Which buses go where?

• Yellow Bus - Rt 101, Marlboro Street, Eastern Ave Area
• Blue Bus - Park Ave, Arch Street, Hastings Ave, Pearl Street Lower Main Street Areas
• Green Bus - Court Street, Washington Street Areas
• Red Bus- Out of Town Bus M/W & T / TH

Welcome Back! I want to thank all the parents who have given me paperwork for their child’s immunizations. This will make the annual state immunization audit more efficient. Immunizations: All students must be in compliance with NH state laws or they could be excluded from school. Please make sure your student has a copy of their immunization record on fi le with the health office. All 7th grade students must have their Tdap vaccine before the start of school. If not, we would need a doctor’s appointment date for the Tdap submitted to us or have a signed exemption form, if applicable. Please have your doctor’s office fax the up to date immunization record to our office. Our fax number is 603-357-9045.

Prescription Medication

Please note the policy for prescription medication at school. ALL prescription medication must be brought into the health office by an ADULT in a current, unexpired, correctly labeled pharmacy container. Students are NOT permitted to bring medication to school. If your student has more than one medication, please make sure to bring them all in at the same time and we can only accept a 30 day supply. A doctor’s order as well as a parent permission form must be on fi le for all prescription medications given at school. If your student self-carries an epi-pen or an inhaler, please make sure the physician reflects “self-carry” in their order. Please call our office at 603-357-9020 x5015 to set up an appointment to drop off medication.

Contact Information

Please be sure to update personal contact information in PowerSchool so I can reach you if your child requires me to do so. Over the counter medication permission form: Please update PowerSchool to reflect which OTC medications you are permitting us to give your child in school. This needs to be done every year. Parents of sixth graders, please watch out for the OTC permission request to come home as a form. Fill it out appropriately and return with your student. Without the online update or the form, we cannot medicate your child in school. If you have difficulty updating permissions in PowerSchool, please contact the nurse’s office for assistance. Any OTC medication that you want us to give and we do not carry, will require a separate OTC parent permission form to be filled out for us when you deliver the medication that will be kept here for your child.

We look forward to working with you and your students this year!

Olga DiMeglio, BSN, RN KMS School Nurse

Geskus Photography took school pictures on September 18th. Photo retakes will be taken on Thursday, November 6th. If your child was absent from school on September 18 th , he/she will have a picture taken for a required KMS school ID. Those who wish to have their picture retaken must return the unwanted pictures to the photographer in order to have retakes taken. If you have any questions, please contact Geskus Photography at 1-800-473-3885.

The CCG is the KMS version of a PTA and we are off to a wonderful start this year. Our first meeting was held on September 9th and we are already planning a variety of activities for KMS families this year.

Our first event will be a Family Game Night on Thursday, October 23 from 6:30-7:30 in the KMS cafeteria.

Interested in being a part of this great group of caregivers? Join us on the second Tuesday of each month in the KMS library from 7:00-8:00. If you have any questions please reach out to cardinalcaregiversgroup@gmail.com .

For the last several years, Keene Middle School has had a space for students to get clothes if they are in need. Students in grades 6-8 can access the KMS closet throughout the year. There are clothes for each season available in the KMS Closet. If your student is in need of clothing, shoes, or winter jackets, please reach out to your student’s School Counselor. Due to the many generous folks who have donated clothing, we are not accepting donations at this time. In addition, many thanks to Andrea Plaskiewicz for organizing the KMS Closet!

Registration is still open for this year’s eighth grade trip to Washington, D.C. Families can register online at www.worldstrides.com/register or by calling 1-800-468-5899, and using KMS trip ID# 221081. The trip is scheduled for Tuesday, April 21 - Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Our next fundraiser - cookie dough - will take place in October and students will earn 35% of their sales toward their individual trip costs.

Appropriate behavior and academic performance are necessary for participation. These expectations were shared with the students last spring, and will be reviewed in advisories later this month.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact Mr. Paone.

Mr. Paone, Mrs. Wasko and Mrs. McKeon Grade 8 Advisors

Join the Keene Middle School Yearbook Club! Are you ready to help capture the most unforgettable moments of this school year? Join the Yearbook Club and be part of a creative team that will design and build our school’s yearbook from start to finish! From snapping photos and laying out pages, to writing event descriptions and designing the perfect cover, you’ll have a hand in every step of the process. Want to make your mark on Keene Middle School and create a keepsake that will be cherished for years? Then the Yearbook Club is for YOU! Let’s work together to make this year’s yearbook something truly special. Ready to get started? The Yearbook club started on Sept 29th, and it will be running every Monday and Friday from 3:30-4:30, but students who need the late bus will leave at 4:00.

If you have any questions please reach out to Mrs. Hamlin , Yearbook Advisor

The Extensions Program at KMS provides students the opportunity to challenge themselves in a variety of ways during Focused Study Group time, in the classroom, and afterschool. Engaging and exciting activities will be offered throughout the year that are designed to develop students’ interests and skills. Ms. Stacey, the Extensions Teacher, is working with Cluster teams and other staff on extended learning opportunities throughout the school. The school year is off to a wonderful start with Focused Study Group topics planned such as Advanced Creative Writing, Global Mythology, and an 8th grade unit that involved interviewing local experts. Ms. Stacey is also collaborating with 6th grade math teachers and providing student leadership opportunities during and after school. We welcome your input, ideas, and suggestions for activities and projects. If you have questions regarding extended learning opportunities at KMS, please contact Betsy Stacey .

It's been wonderful to get back into the swing of things in the IMC! All reading classes have visited; it's been a pleasure meeting our new students and welcoming back familiar faces from last year. As a reminder, the IMC now has a subscription to SORA Downloadable Books. SORA allows you to use your KMS account to check out eBooks and audiobooks to your Chromebook, phone, tablet or home computer. Audiobooks are a perfect way to take a break from screen time. Checkout SORA today! If you have any questions regarding the use of SORA, email Shelli Huntley .

Established in 1973, the ink flows freely here at the school newspaper! The adventure continues as it morphs from Newspaper to News & Literary Magazine, in the footsteps of rags like The New Yorker, who publish news as well as art, profiles of public figures, stories, poems, interviews, comics, book reviews, & more. All are welcome, even if you can’t attend a lot. Professional writers often work remotely! WHEN: All Thursdays except 1st Thursday monthly: 3:40-4:30pm, starting 10/2. Not 9/25! (Open House) WHERE: We meet up in the Bus Room, then go to Rm. 1302. Students need a way home at/before 4:30.

Email Professor B. with any questions or to sign up. Room 1302 is in the "blue corner" downstairs.

Click here to check out an issue from the past!

The KMS Band has their first concert of the year on Thursday, October 30th, at 6:30pm. All three grade levels will perform. Students should report at 5:45pm. Please enter through the auditorium/gymnasium doors at the side of the building. Concert dress is the red KMS Music tee and solid black bottoms (no jeans, no rips, no stains). Students needing assistance finding concert clothes should let me or their school counselor know.

Band students interested in auditioning for Honors Band are reminded that auditions will be recorded in November. Application forms will be handed out to interested students later in October.

Band families: be on the lookout for the next edition of the KMS Band newsletter, The Cardinal Cadence, coming soon to an inbox near you!

The KMS Strings Program has their first concert of the year on Thursday, November 6th, at 6:30pm. All three grade levels will perform. Students should report at 6:00pm. Please enter through the auditorium/gymnasium doors at the side of the building. Concert dress is the red KMS Music tee and solid black bottoms.

Jazz Band starts on Monday, October 13th! Any students who haven’t signed up but are still interested should check in with Mrs. Hahs ASAP to see if there are still spots available.

Strings Club's first rehearsal is on Wednesday, October 1st! Interested students should reach out to Mrs. Scagliotti for more information.

A reminder to all band, chorus, and strings families to check out the KMS Music Department Facebook page. Reminders, spotlights, articles, and updates are posted regularly! https://www.facebook.com/keenemsmusic/

Keene Middle School will recognize this month through a series of activities and fun events:

• School Counselors will have updates and anti-bullying information on WCAN each week
• Students and staff will be collaborating on a schoolwide bulletin board that will be featured in the cafeteria - photos will be shared once it is completed!
• UNITY DAY - 10/22 - All students and staff are invited to wear orange in unity to stand against bullying!

-KMS School Counseling Team 8