RMS Express

Dear Readington Middle School Families,

The 2026–2027 school year is officially underway, and we are off to a fantastic start here at RMS! Our teachers and staff have done an outstanding job welcoming students back into the building and creating a positive, supportive environment for learning. Thank you for helping make the beginning of the school year such a success.

I want to extend a special thank you to Ms. Mooney, Ms. Cangiano, Ms. Hruska, Ms. Lepinski, and Ms. Post for all of their hard work behind the scenes to help ensure a smooth and successful opening. I would also like to recognize our nurses, custodial team, and cafeteria staff, whose dedication helps ensure that our students’ safety, health, and well-being remain top priorities each day. In addition, our counselors and Child Study Team members continue to provide valuable care and support as our students transition into a new school year.

Our RMS Fall Athletics are also in full swing, and we are incredibly proud of the hard work, dedication, and sportsmanship our student-athletes are demonstrating both on and off the field. We encourage our families and community members to come out and cheer on our Vikings at their home games. The energy and encouragement from our community mean so much to our student-athletes! For the most up-to-date athletics information, please be sure to check the athletics calendar included further down in this newsletter.

Beyond athletics, our clubs and extracurricular activities are getting underway, providing students with opportunities to explore their interests, build friendships, develop new skills, and showcase their talents. Whether on the stage, on the field, or in the classroom, it is inspiring to see our students embrace new opportunities to learn, grow, and become active members of the RMS community.

We are looking forward to an incredible year ahead and are grateful for your continued partnership and support. Together, we can continue to make RMS a place where every student feels welcomed, supported, and inspired to thrive.

Go Vikings!

Students will enter the building at 7:25am and must report to their homerooms by 7:35am. The school day concludes at 2:25pm. We highly encourage and recommend bus ridership. The times for bus pick up and drop off will be in Genesis by 8/19/2026. Please be sure you are at your assigned bus stop in time. If you have any questions about bus stops or transportation, please call the Transportation Office: 908-534-3835.

If you are planning to drop off or pick up via the car line, please adhere to the following map. Please follow the signals from RMS staff who are wearing the brightly colored safety vests!

Attending school regularly helps children feel better about school—and themselves. Even as kids grow older and more independent, families play a key role in making sure students access learning opportunities and understand why attendance is so important for success in school. Families can use these strategies to help kids build a habit of good attendance.

Did You Know?

• Starting in preschool and kindergarten, too many absences can cause children to fall behind in school.

• Missing 2 days a month can make it harder for kids to learn to read.

• Students can still fall behind if they miss just 1 or 2 days every few weeks.

• By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student might drop out of high school.

The Readington Township Board of Education’s Attendance Policy #5200 reflects the district’s concern for the thorough and efficient education of each pupil. A pupil must be in attendance for 160 or more days. If a student misses more than 10% of the school year, they are considered chronically absent and a team will be assembled at the end of the year to ensure that your child has met the instructional program requirements for their grade level.

Please note that stated excused absences allowed by New Jersey Statute are not included for the purposes of calculating a students absentee rate.These include:

• Religious observance (N.J.A.C. 6A:32-8.3(h));

• “Take Our Children to Work Day” or other rule issued by the Commissioner;

• Participation in observance of Veterans Day (N.J.S.A. 18A: 36-13.2) or district board of election membership activities (N.J.S.A. 18A: 36-33); or

• The closure of a busing district that prevents a student from having transportation to the receiving school.

Absences listed below are calculated when reviewing chronic absenteeism. These include:

• The pupil's illness supported by notification to the school by student’s parent/guardian;

• The pupil's required attendance in court;

• Requirements of a pupil's individual health care plan;

• Requirements of the pupil's Individual Education Program (IEP);

• The pupil's suspension from school;

• A death or critical illness in the pupil's immediate family supported by notification to the school by student’s parent/guardian;

• Necessary and unavoidable medical or dental appointments that cannot be scheduled at a time other than the school day;

• An absence considered excused by the Commissioner of Education and/or a New Jersey Department of Education Rule (e.g. religious holiday);

• An absence for a reason not listed above, but deemed excused by the Principal upon a written request by the student’s parent/guardian stating the reason for the absence and requesting permission for the absence to be considered excused.

Absences listed below are calculated when reviewing chronic absenteeism. These absences may also be counted towards truancy from school in accordance with NJ Statutes Annotated (NJSA) 18:A and NJ Administrative Code (NJAC) 6A . These include:

• Family travel unrelated to the instructional program

• Performance of household or babysitting duties

• Other daytime activities unrelated to the school program

Regular attendance is an integral factor for attaining success in school and is required by state law. However, a child should not come to school feeling ill. The school should be notified if a student will be absent for any period of time. Parents should notify the school when their child will be absent by leaving a message on the attendance line (908- 534-3831) any time after school hours or before 8:20 AM in the morning of their child’s absence.

When calling out a student on the attendance line, please include the following information:

1. Parent name

2. Student’s name, grade, and homeroom teacher

3. Reason for absence

4. Probable date of return to school

5. Any other pertinent information

Please call daily when the student is absent. The attendance secretary will verify absences. Please note: when the student returns to school after being absent, parents must send an absence note indicating the reason and date of absences.

You can also email: rmsattendance@readington.k12.nj.us

Readington Middle School is proud highlight our students and their tremendous accomplishments over the course of the year. We highlight our students through multiple types of awards, which include:

• Valuable Vikings: These are students who show that they go above and beyond.

• Students of the Week: These are students who reflect our weekly affirmation the best. Two students in each grade, each week, are selected for this.

• Students of the Month: These are students who best reflect the RMS mission that month. Two students in each grade, each month, are selected for this.

We will select our first batch of Student's of the Month at the start of October!

The deadline for registering for Winter Sports 2026 is November 9, 2026! Please visit the nurse's page to access the forms required. Late forms can be turned in to the Nurse's Office or emailed to sportsforms@readington.k12.nj.us but do not guarantee a spot on a team.

RMS has before and after school homework rooms available for your student to participate in. Before school starts at 7:00am on the first day of school, 9/3/2026. After school help runs from 2:30-4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday, and will start on 9/8/2026.

Website: https://www.readington.k12.nj.us/Domain/58
Location: 48 Readington Road, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-534-2113
Twitter: @RMS_VIKINGS