Happy Friday, RHS Students!

Winter sports and concert season is upon us in full force and things are off to a great start! In addition to all the happenings, the high school students have been instrumental in helping with the 6-12 leadership transition; with many of them assisting in middle school assemblies this past week. The leadership, love and kindness they have shown has been humbling and greatly appreciated by the students and staff alike.

Looking ahead next week, we have a half day on Tuesday; meaning we do not have Weekly Assembly this week. Friday marks the mid-point for Q2. Please be sure to check Aspen and talk to your teachers if you have any questions about the status of your grades within any of your classes. The NHS Talent Show will take place this coming Friday, December 8th at 7pm in the John Lane Auditorium. We have many amazing acts lined up for the event. We hope to see you all there!

Here's to a great week ahead! 😎

-Ms. Rose & Ms. King

12/5 - 1/2 Day for Students

• C: 7:35-8:25
• B: 8:27-9:18
• E: 9:20-10:10
• F: 10:12-11:00

12/8 - NHS Talent Show @ 7pm

12/20 - RHS Band, Chorus & Orchestra Winter Concert - Auditorium @ 6:30pm

12/22- 1/2 Day for Students & Staff (Happy Winter Vacation!) Karaoke in the AUD 10:00 am-11:00 am.

1/2 - Welcome Back

1/15 - No School (Holiday)

1/31 - 1/2 day for students

2/12 - Class of 2025 Post Secondary Planning Night @ 6pm

6/7 - RHS Graduation Ceremony @ 5 pm

Rockport Middle & High School musicians, artists and performers are hosting the following performances this Fall:

RMHS Music Department presents the following Fall performances:

All Shows begin at 6:30pm unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023: RMS Band, Chorus & Orchestra Winter Concert - John Lane Auditorium

Wednesday, December 20, 2023: RHS Band, Chorus & Orchestra Winter Concert - John Lane Auditorium

All shows are open to the public.

COVID-19 symptoms:

Below is the full list of symptoms for which caregivers should monitor their children, and staff should monitor themselves for each day BEFORE coming to school.

Students and staff should NOT come into the school building and should contact their school nurse if they are experiencing the following:

• Fever (100.0° Fahrenheit or higher), chills, or shaking chills
• Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
• New loss of taste or smell
• Muscle aches or body aches
• Cough (not due to other known cause, such as chronic cough)
• Sore throat, when in combination with other symptoms
• Nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea when in combination with other symptoms
• Headache when in combination with other symptoms
• Fatigue, when in combination with other symptoms
• Nasal congestion or runny nose (not due to other known causes, such as allergies) when in
combination with other symptoms

If your child is experiencing any of the above symptoms, please notify your school nurse for further guidance

School nurses are here to help and answer questions or any concerns that you may have!

Respect and as much confidentiality as possible will be maintained at all times. Some information, such as positive COVID-19 test results, may need to be shared with the Rockport Board of Health.

* PLEASE reach out to your school nurse if:

• Your child has symptoms
• Your child or household members/close contacts have tested positive for COVID-19.
• You have any questions or need more guidance .

General Guidelines:

Generally speaking, any child with a fever of 100.0 and above or an illness with fever that produces chills, muscle aches, sore throat, or sweating should remain at home until 24 hours after the fever has resolved without using fever reducing medicine (ex: Tylenol/Acetaminophen, Motrin/Ibuprofen, Aleve/Naproxen) . Please do not send any medication into school with your child.

Strep-throat, Conjunctivitis or impetigo (a rash with pustules) requires 24 hours of medication as prescribed by the physician before a student returns to school.

A child with a rash or skin condition that is undiagnosed by a physician should remain at home until all lesions are healed, or the child is seen and cleared by their physician.

Parents whose children have had any of the above conditions should contact the school nurse so that we may ease the transition back to school after an illness and implement communicable disease control in the school or classroom if necessary.

Your child may attend school with a cold however, if your child has copious amounts of nasal drainage or persistent coughing that interferes with the ability to participate in class they should stay home. Children with persistent cold symptoms should see their primary care physician.

The School Nurses do not have cold medicine in the school. If your child requires cold medicine before school, chances are that it will wear off by lunchtime. If you feel that your child will need another dose of over the counter medicine while at school, please call the school nurse, plan to bring the medicine in, and fill out the Medication Authorization form. Children with cold-like symptoms should not attend school, please refer to the above COVID-19 guidelines for more details.

If a mid-day dose of antibiotics is required, no-problem! Call the school nurse and we can accommodate your child's needs. You can print the Medication Authorization Form from the web-page. A responsible adult (age 18 or older) must bring medicine to school.

Your child may attend school if he/she needs short-term inhalers or nebulizers for acute Reactive Airway Disease/Asthma or Cold. Please fill out the Student Asthma Action Plan Form and have your child's physician sign it. More pediatricians are prescribing inhalers for persistent cold symptoms. Ask your pediatrician for an extra inhaler for school or call the school nurse to make arrangements. While you are at the Pediatrician, ask your pediatrician for a spacer (Aerochamber), it makes it easier for your child to inhale the medication and it will be more effective.

Thank you for your cooperation in keeping our school a healthy place to learn.

Thank you,

Jeanne E. Pratt RN BSN NCSN (she/her)

RMS/RHS nurse

tc-(978)-546-1236

fax-(978)-546-3805

Any student interested in helping to organize the annual 'Rock Those Socks' fundraiser to support the homeless population in the Greater Boston area, please see Henry Park.

Your PTO needs your unique talents, whether it's volunteering a few hours a month or a few hours a year, serving on the board, or attending meetings. Find your pet project and join us! All communications from the PTO will be done via link in school newsletter, our email address of ptorockport@gmail.com and our Facebook page under Rockport Parent Teacher Organization. We would love to have you join us!

--Rockport PTO Membership Dues-- $10 per family--

Thank you for your support!

FILL OUT FORM

Food Services will be serving breakfast on half days untill 8 o'clock.

Gloucester Biotech Academy will be giving a presentation in Guidance on Wednesday, December 6, at 10:30 a.m. The 7-month certificate program is currently tuition-free and includes a stipend, paid internship, and pathways to a career. This is a great opportunity for our juniors and seniors. Sign up in Guidance.

The Junior Post Secondary Planning night on December 13, 2023 has been canceled and will be rescheduled for after the new year.

Seniors, Class of 2024:

• Northshore Community College will be hosting an “On-the-Spot'' Admission Event -- stay tuned for details.

• Guidance has received a few scholarships that fall outside of our normal scholarship program. Seniors are welcome to check out the binder in Guidance.

• Just a reminder that Seniors need to complete their 35 hours of community service in order to graduate. The Holiday season is a great time to volunteer to help out local non profits. Please contact Ms. Luster with any questions.