It's Going to be a Great Year!

We are back in full swing and having our students back from the summer is wonderful! We have had a strong start to our school year and we have seen so many students welcoming new students, helping our new 5th grade students, and creating a positive space for us all to learn. Our first days together were spent with a focus on building community and learning behavior expectations. This week students will take the iReady math and reading benchmark assessments and begin delving into academic work.

Please remember that cellphones and other electronic devices are not allowed during the school day. Students have been amazing with this and we appreciate your support! Please help us remind students that after school social plans should be made the night before and students should limit phone calls home during the school day. If you need to get in touch with your child, please call the office at 802-885-8490 and we will make sure they get the message.

Thank you all again for helping us kick off an incredible school year. Please take some time to read the important information below and take a look at some photos from our first days together here at RMS.

Monday, September 7th - Labor Day - No School

Wednesday, September 9th - Early Release at 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, September 23rd - Early Release at 11:30 a.m.

Thursday, September 24th - RMS BBQ and Open House at 5:30 p.m.

Monday, October 5th - RMS School Picture Day

RMS will be doing our first i-Ready Inform assessment on Wednesday, September 2 and Thursday, September 3. This test helps our teachers better understand the skills and needs of each student. Please remind your student to put in their best effort on this assessment, and ensure they get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy breakfast on testing days (free breakfast is always available at school). If you have any questions about the assessment, please reach out to your student's T3 teacher or Mr. McNaughton.

Dear RMS Families,

The Health Office at Riverside Middle School is pleased to announce that Dental Services for School Based Dental Care will be offered through North Star Dental, in partnership with 802 Smiles. If you are interested in having your child receive school based dental services, please reach out to the Health Office at RMS to see if your child qualifies for these services. If your child does qualify for these amazing services, we will provide the forms required for treatment.

On the week of September 21st, Springfield School District in partnership with Project Action will be hosting various presentations about community safety and well being. Here at Riverside we have two presentations planned:

September 23rd - Crissy Webster, LCMHC NCC founder of Crissy Webster Counseling Services LLC will speak to the 7th and 8th grade students about conflict resoloution and de-escalation. This interactive

workshop teaches practical communication and de-escalation skills that can be used at home,

school, work, and in the community. Participants will learn techniques for staying calm under

pressure, regulating emotions, practicing active listening, validating others perspectives, setting

healthy boundaries, and resolving disagreements respectfully. Based on principles similar to

Mental Health First Aid, this session provides practical strategies that help prevent conflict from

escalating while promoting healthier relationships.

September 25th - Trissie Casanova from the Vermont Department for Children and Families will facilitate an all-grade presentation on internet safety. Technology plays an important role in our daily lives, but it also creates new challenges for personal safety and healthy relationships. This interactive workshop explores internet safety, digital citizenship, consent, and recognizing healthy and unhealthy relationship behaviors. Participants will learn about online grooming, social media and gaming risks, digital boundaries, respectful communication, warning signs of exploitation, and strategies for staying safe online.

If you choose to not have your child participate in one or both of these presentations, please call the office at 885-8490 and we will make sure that other arrangements are made while these presentations are in session.