June 27, 2021

We finally made it. Good luck Class of 2025!

We put a resounding exclamation point on the 2020-2021 school year over the past week. Some sprinted to the finish line while others were dragged across! The weather cooperated with us just about all-week as students enjoyed Field Days, awards ceremonies, and some treats in the sun (Thanks PTSA!). It was a nice way to end a year full of challenges.

On behalf of the faculty and staff of RMS, thank you to the wonderful students and families who put in their best effort and supported each other throughout the year. The amount of good will was well-noted as it was difficult keeping it all together at times. We came together as a school community and we remained one of the safest schools in East Providence. The real stars of the show were the kids, who kept their masks on and stayed in the same classroom most of the day, and did so with little complaint. We are all looking forward to next year when we will hopefully be able to loosen some of the restrictions and return to more normal schooling.

Best wishes for and relaxing and enjoyable summer, with the hope that our kids can just be kids. We will see you at the end of August!

Calendar of Events

August 2021

• 31 Tuesday: Tour de RMS (9:00 -10:00 am & 2:00-3:00 pm)

September 2021

• 2 Thursday: First Day of School (Just Grade 6)

• 3 Friday: First Day of School (Just Grade 6 & 7)

• 6 Monday : Labor Day - No School

• 15 Wednesday: Hispanic Heritage Month Kick-off

• 16 Thursday: Meet the Teachers Night (6:30 pm)

Community Bulletin Board

• Junior Townies: Here is a link to information about Football, Cheerleading, and Flag Football.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: Registration for Kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year is now open online and in-person. To be eligible for Kindergarten, children in RI must turn 5 years old on or before September 1st of this year. (RI state policy does not permit early entrance.) Forms and paperwork necessary for registration can be found on the East Providence School Department website (https://epschoolsri.org/parents) under Registration. For more information or to return packets, please contact Maria Rodrigues (401-383-5745 or mrodrigues@epschoolsri.com).

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

June 6, 2021

June is finally here!

Memorial Day Weekend and the beginning of June are important milestones at RMS. This is the time when we start to tie up all of our loose ends and prepare to finish strong. This year, we are learning to a lot of new things as we put together our plans for the end of the year. Teachers will be putting in their final grades of the year in the next two weeks, and we are finalizing plans for Viking Awards and field days for each grade. Here are some details about upcoming events.

Calendar of Events

June 202

• 9 Wednesday: Grade 7 in-person

• 9 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 10 Thursday: National Junior Honor Society Induction 6:30 pm (in-person w/parents)

• 15 Tuesday: Grade 8 Awards Night 6:30 pm (in-person w/parents)

• 16 Wednesday: Grade 8 in-person

• 17 Thursday: Grade 8 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 18 Friday: Grade 8 Celebration (all 8th graders in-person + Facebook Live)

• 21 Monday: Grade 7 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 22 Tuesday: Grade 6 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 23 Wednesday: Report Cards Available in Skyward

• 23 Wednesday: Last Day of School (Distance learning day, all grades)

Announcements

• Congratulation Mrs. Rapoza and Ms. Travis: Last Thursday, RMS Special Education Department Coordinator, Donna Rapoza, and Grade 8 Science teacher, Sarah Travis, were honored by the East Providence Local Advisory Committee for Special Education (EPLAC) for their contributions to students. 8th grader, Tommy Newman did a really nice job of reading his nomination of Ms. Travis! Mr. Kirkutis was also recognized (in-person) for the award he won last year.

• Spring Spirit Week 2021: The Student Council has planned an exciting music-themed June 7-11, 2021. Here are the themes for each day. There just might be some fun events announced during the week too.

  • Monday: Rock Star Hair - Tease it, Spray it, Spike it. Go all out for this crazy hair day.

  • Tuesday: Blues Day - wear blue to celebrate the cool vibes of the Blues.

  • Wednesday: Country Music Day - Go back to the early days of country music. Think blue jeans, overalls, and boots.

  • Thursday: A Day at the Opera - Wear your finest clothes as we celebrate opera music.

  • Friday: 90’s Throwback - Taking it back to the nineties. Get out your grunge gear or Kangol hats.

• End-of Year Events: Here is some information about the various events we will have over the next few weeks. We will meet on Monday at 1:35 to plan our field days, and more details will be sent out over the next week.

  • Thursday, June 10th: National Junior Honor Society Induction at 6:30 pm - This will be an in-person event in the auditorium for the newest members of the National Junior Honor Society (current 7th graders). Each inductee can have up to 2 family members attend the ceremony.

  • Tuesday, June 15th: Grade 8 Awards Night at 6:30 pm (in-person w/parents of award winners) - This will be an in-person event for approximately 40 8th graders who will be receiving the President’s Award, the William Fontes Award, the Charles Vermette Award, and the John Macomber Award. Students receiving awards will receive 2 tickets for family members to attend the ceremony.

  • Thursday, June 17th: Grade 8 Viking Awards & Field Day - This is a daytime event. All Grade 8 students (in-person and distance learning) will be invited to attend in-person at RMS. The Viking Awards will start around 9:30 am, and then we will proceed outside for a picnic (let’s keep our fingers crossed for nice weather). Chartwells will be supplying burgers and hotdogs and there will be beverages, chips, and a frozen treat. There will time for 8th graders to sign yearbooks and take part in some fun activities - or maybe just catch up, in person, with some old friends and teachers.

  • Friday, June 18th: Grade 8 Celebration - This is another daytime event. All Grade 8 students (in-person and distance learning) will be invited to attend. Students are asked to "dress up" for the event which it will take place in the auditorium. The celebration will start 10:00 am and it will be streamed on Facebook Live (details will be forthcoming). After the event, we will proceed out into the triangle (once again, let’s keep our fingers crossed for nice weather). Our PTSA will have lemonade and treats for the kids. Parents are invited to come to RMS at this time (we are shooting for 11:15 am) and take photos with the kids in the triangle. Parents may choose to take their students home (or maybe out for lunch!) to celebrate the successful completion of middle school and a challenging school year!

  • Monday, June 21: Grade 7 Viking Awards & Field Day - This is a daytime event and all Grade 7 students. Distance learners will be invited to come to RMS. The Viking Awards will start around 9:30 am and then we will head outside for a field day. Chartwells will supply burgers and hotdogs and there will be some fun activities for the kids outside (fingers crossed) for most of the rest of the day.

  • Tuesday, June 22: Grade 6 Viking Awards & Field Day - This is a daytime event and all Grade 6 students. Distance learners will be invited to come to RMS. The Viking Awards will start around 9:30 am and then we will head outside for a field day. Chartwells will supply burgers and hotdogs and there will be some fun activities for the kids outside (fingers crossed) for most of the rest of the day.

• RMS On-line Store: We finally have an on-line store, allowing users to pay by credit card! Check out the new hooded sweatshirts (https://epschools.square.site/rms-store).

• Summer School: Students in the middle school summer school program will receive instruction in both English Language Arts and math and will acquire credits necessary to advance to the next grade. A Google Form to register will be sent to parents of student who are recommended to attend.

  • • Summer school will take place July 6 - July 30, 2021 8:00 am - 11:45 am at Martin Middle School. Summer school is in-person only.

    • Attendance is mandatory and any student who is absent more than three (3) times will be dismissed from the program. There are no exceptions to this policy.

    • Transportation to and from school is the responsibility of the parents or guardian.

    • There is no fee to attend summer school.

    • Registration must be completed by Friday, June 25th.

    • A confirmation email will be sent to parents and students by June 30th.

• Summer Reading: Here is the Summer Reading 2021 list. All students are required to read one of the books in this list over the summer!

• Letter from Head Nurse Diane Wallace: Click here to read the most recent letter from RMS Nurse, Diane Wallace (who is also the district Head Nurse) about the most recent RIDOH and CDC guidance related to schools.

• Textbook Drop-off and Collection: We are in the process of collecting textbooks that were distributed to distance-learners. Last October, students signed up for and received books to support learning at home. Books must be returned by Monday, June 14th and can be dropped off any time during the school day (8:30-3:30) or on Thursday, June 10th (5:30-6:30 pm - Just drive around the circle on the right side of the RMS and Mrs. McCarthy will be there to collect the books). If you are unable to locate the book or if the book's condition is unacceptable, please send payment in the form of cash or check. Checks are to be made out to Riverside Middle School. Books or payment are to be returned to the main office.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

The Dean's List

• Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • Miranda Willis: Mrs. White is proud to recommend Miranda Willis to this week’s edition of the Dean’s List. “Miranda is a model student in the 8th grade. Her hardwork and perseverance has helped her to make the honor roll each quarter this year. In addition to her great work ethic, Miranda is kind to everyone. She is the first one to help her classmates when they don't understand new material or offer to help her teachers with something.” Miranda is usually the first student to arrive at RMS and represents all of our core values daily.

  • Selena DaSilva: Eighth grader Selena DaSilva has been a rock star each year at RMS. She not only has been successful in maintaining her high grades, but she has been tutoring her two best friends since kindergarten in math (one even goes to Martin)! Selena also likes to help her cousin, a second grade teacher, with grading papers and laminating. Selena plays trumpet in our concert band and after school can be seen rockin’ the bass guitar in a music band at the Seekonk School of Rock.

  • Brayden Orellana: The 7th grade team of Mrs. Tarantelli, Ms. Braga, Mr. Sulham and Mrs. Kelley is honored to recognize their student, Brayden Orellana. Brayden is a hybrid learner who is always in class...in fact, he hasn’t had a single absence all year long! He completes all of his work on time with quality and effort that have earned him a spot on the honor roll. Always well-behaved, Brayden is very unassuming in his daily effort to be the best student that he can be.

  • Kloe Carrillo: A sixth grader, Kloe is proud to say that this year has been her best school year ever, despite having to live and work through a pandemic. She has managed to achieve high A’s in all of her classes and her teachers also tell me that Kloe scored the highest in her class on the iReady math assessment. Her favorite subject is art and she can’t wait to continue her success in the 7th grade.

  • Hope Moran and Isabel Tavares: A huge thank you goes out to Hope and Isabel for volunteering to speak at our virtual “Welcome to RMS” orientation last week for incoming 5th graders and their families. Two veterans of our morning announcement show, VTV, Hope and Isabel spoke about some of the great opportunities students will have at RMS while also showcasing our beautiful gymnasium and auditorium in the process. Hope (7th grade) and Izzy (8th grade) are naturals in front of the camera and are each very involved in numerous activities at RMS... no surprise why they were such great ambassadors for our school and role models to our incoming class.

Community Bulletin Board

• Junior Townies: Here is a link to information about Football, Cheerleading, and Flag Football.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: Registration for Kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year is now open online and in-person. To be eligible for Kindergarten, children in RI must turn 5 years old on or before September 1st of this year. (RI state policy does not permit early entrance.) Forms and paperwork necessary for registration can be found on the East Providence School Department website (https://epschoolsri.org/parents) under Registration. For more information or to return packets, please contact Maria Rodrigues (401-383-5745 or mrodrigues@epschoolsri.com).

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

May 23, 2021

The finish line is in sight!

We all know that learning is a life-long activity, but this year, we are definitely looking toward the end of the school year. One month from today will be the last day of the 2020-2021 school year. We still have a lot to do to get our end-of-year events ready, but soon enough, our 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will be engaged in their last school activities before the wonderful summertime! Here are some details about the next few weeks.

Calendar of Events

May 2021

• 26 Wednesday: Grade 7 in-person

• 26 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 26 Wednesday: Credit Recovery Saturday Session 2 Begins

• 26 Wednesday: Welcome to Riverside Middle School Livestream (for incoming 6th graders)

• 31 Monday: Memorial Day - No School

June 202

• 2 Wednesday: Grade 8 in-person

• 9 Wednesday: Grade 7 in-person

• 9 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 10 Thursday: National Junior Honor Society Induction 6:30 pm

• 15 Tuesday: Grade 8 Awards Night 6:30 pm (in-person w/parents)

• 16 Wednesday: Grade 8 in-person

• 17 Thursday: Viking Awards - Grade 8

• 18 Friday: 8th Grade Celebration (all 8th graders in-person + Livestream)

• 21 Monday: Grade 7 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 22 Tuesday: Grade 6 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 23 Wednesday: Report Cards Available in Skyward

• 23 Wednesday: Last Day of School (Distance learning day, all grades)

Announcements

• Wednesday In-Person Schedule: Wednesday, May 26 will be an in-person day for Grade 7 students. Wednesday, June 2 will be an in-person day for Grade 8 students.

• Congratulation Ms. Kenahan: Last Monday, RMS Math Department Coordinator, Katie Kenahan was named the East Providence Teacher of the Year! Mr. Perry is a bit biased, but he is happy to say that the RMS Faulty & Staff is the best around. Check out an article in the East Providence Post about Ms. Kenahan's award.

• Grade 8 Awards Night: Early next week, invitations will be sent out to the families of Grade 8 students who will be receiving awards at our annual event on Tuesday, June 15th. Presidential Awards, the William Fontes Award, the Charles Vermette Award, and the John Macomber Award will be presented at this time. Students will receive 2 tickets to the event, which will take place in the RMS auditorium.

• Credit Recovery Program: The second session of Credit Recovery began on Saturday. On Tuesday, May 25th, the second weekday session begins. Students who are eligible for credit recovery have been informed by their teachers. Any student who has not signed up should contact Mr. Perry.

• Summer School: Summer school will run Monday-Friday July 6-31 and will be in-person only. Parents of students who will be required to attend summer school will be contacted. Please be sure that contact information is updated in Skyward.

• NJHS Induction: Mr. Kirkutis has sent out information to National Junior Honor Society candidates about the June 10th Induction Ceremony. If you would like information about NJHS, contact Mr. Kirkutis via email (mkirkutis@epschoolsri.com).

• End of Year Events: We are planning end-of-year events for students. We will have an event for 8th graders at RMS on Friday, June 18th. All 8th graders - in-person and distance learners - will be able to come into RMS during the day for our 8th Grade Celebration. Parents will be able to watch a livestream of the event and the video will also be available following the event.

• Letter from Head Nurse Diane Wallace: Click here to read the most recent letter from RMS Nurse, Diane Wallace (who is also the district Head Nurse) about the most recent RIDOH and CDC guidance related to schools.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

The Dean's List

• Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

• Recognizing Magnificent Staff - Mark Maguire: The Dean’s List is proud to feature our band instructor, Mark Maguire. In a unique and unprecedented year of distance and hybrid learning, Mr. Maguire has still been able to successfully and safely instruct his band students while continuing to make his music program thrive! First off, Mark has been flexible, willing to adjust his schedule and even stays beyond school hours to make the magic happen. This past week, the band students hosted their first live concerts of the year...two years in the making for our incoming 6th graders. Families enjoyed a concert outdoors in our “triangle” in which each grade performed on a different evening. Year in and year out, Mark continues to produce and develop award-winning musicians and consistently scores a rating of superior at the state-wide music competition. He is respected by his colleagues, loved by current and former students and is instrumental (no pun intended) in the continuing success of our awesome Townie High School Band.

• Parent Spotlight - Kimberly Goncalves: RMS would like to thank the support and efforts of Mrs. Kimberly Goncalves, mother of former Virtual Viking of the Week and 6th grader Ty Goncalves. Kimberly has been a huge help to our student athletes. As a notary, Kim would come to RMS (sometimes on short notice) to meet a parent and notarize the Assumption of Risk form...which is necessary before a student-athletes is eligible to participate in school sports. You may also recall that Mrs. Goncalves and Ty were responsible for organizing and providing pizza for all of our in-person 6th graders earlier in the year. Thank you for your continued involvement and support to our Viking community!

Community Bulletin Board

• Tour the Old East Providence High School: With an awesome new building being completed on Pawtucket Ave., EPHS is scheduled to be demolished this summer. The East Providence School Department has scheduled a walk through of the old building for anyone who wants to see it one last time. Click here for details.

• East Providence Prevention Coalition Survey: Our friends at EPPC have asked for our support in developing and coordinating strategies to address tobacco, alcohol. Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey. Your feedback is not only helpful, but also truly valuable and very much appreciated! https://tinyurl.com/eppcsurvey.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

May 9, 2021

Happy Mother's Day!

We have a lot to be thankful for as we have reached mid-May. With Mother's Day, Teacher Appreciation Week, School Nurse's Day, and more, we have had a few weeks to remember all that we have to celebrate, despite living through such difficult times. The end of the year is approaching quickly and we are planning our end-of-year events. Check out the details below.

Calendar of Events

May 2021

• 11 Tuesday: Grade 6 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 12 Wednesday: Grade 7 in-person

• 12 Wednesday: Grade 7 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 12 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 13 Thursday: NGSA Testing - Grade 8

• 13 Thursday: Grade 8 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 17 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 18 Tuesday: iReady Testing (ELA - Grade 6&7)

• 19 Wednesday: Grade 8 in-person

• 19 Wednesday: PTSA Restaurant Night at Gregg's Restaurant

• 20 Thursday: iReady Testing (Math - Grade 6&7)

• 20 Thursday: School Improvement Team 3:30 pm

• 22 Saturday: Credit Recovery Saturday Session 2 Begins

• 26 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 26 Wednesday: Credit Recovery Saturday Session 2 Begins

• 26 Wednesday: Incoming 6th Grade Presentation

• 31 Monday: Memorial Day - No School

June 2021

• 1 Tuesday: iReady Testing (ELA - Grade 8)

• 3 Thursday: iReady Testing (Math - Grade 8)

• 9 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 10 Thursday: National Junior Honor Society Induction 6:30 pm

• 15 Tuesday: 8th Grade Awards Night 6:30 pm (in-person w/parents)

• 17 Thursday: Viking Awards - Grade 8

• 18 Friday: 8th Grade Celebration (in-person all students + livestream)

• 21 Monday: Grade 7 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 22 Tuesday: Grade 6 Viking Awards & Field Day

• 23 Wednesday: Report Cards Available in Skyward

• 23 Wednesday: Last Day of School

Announcements

• Wednesday In-Person Schedule: Since the last day that we did not have testing on a Wednesday was a Grade 8 day, this Wednesday (May 12th) will be an in-person day for Grade 7 students. Next week (May 19th) will be an in-person day for Grade 8 students.

• NGSA Testing for grade 8: The NGSA test (the state science assessment) will be administered to grade 8 students on Thursday, May 13th. As students must take the assessment at school, Grade 8 distance learners can come in to RMS to take the test. Those students will be able to take a bus as they did during the RICAS assessment or can be dropped off at school on the morning of the 13th.

• Teacher of the Year: Congratulation to Katie Kenahan for being named the 2021 RMS Teacher of the Year. Thank you to everyone who nominated a teacher, and congratulations to the many teachers received nominations from students and colleagues. It is evident that so many teachers are RMS are valued for their professionalism and friendship.

• Thanks To Our PTSA: The RMS PTSA honored our faculty and staff this past Teacher Appreciation Week with coffee and donuts, a new and stocked beverage refrigerator, and some wonderful messages as we drove in on Friday. Thanks to Jessica and the rest of the PTSA for making us feel special!

• Credit Recovery Program: Students who are participating in the Credit Recovery program need to attend all sessions in order to remain eligible. The second session begins on May 22rd (Saturday Session) and May 25th (Weekday Session).

• Band Concerts at RMS: Withe loosening of some COVID restrictions, we are able to host some outdoor concerts for parents of Band members. Mr. Maguire has sent information home to families of RMS Band members about concerts that will take place on May 11, 12, and 13. All spectators are asked to follow social distancing guidelines and to wear masks.

• End of Year Events: We are planning end-of-year events for students. We will have an event for 8th graders at RMS on Friday, June 18th. All 8th graders - in-person and distance learners - will be able to come into RMS during the day for our 8th Grade Celebration. Parents will be able to watch a livestream of the event and the video will also be available following the event.

• Grade 8 Awards Night: Our annual Grade 8 Award Night will take place on Tuesday, June 15th at 6:30 pm. This will be an in-person event in the RMS auditorium. Students receiving awards will be notified and will receive two tickets each.

• Summer School: Summer school will run Monday-Friday July 6-31 and will be in-person only. Parents of students who will be required to attend summer school will be contacted. Please be sure that contact information is updated in Skyward.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Restaurant Night: Wednesday, May 19 PTSA Restaurant Night at Gregg's Restaurant (Print this flyer!)

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Community Bulletin Board

• East Providence Prevention Coalition Survey: Our friends at EPPC have asked for our support in developing and coordinating strategies to address tobacco, alcohol. Please take a few minutes to complete a brief survey. Your feedback is not only helpful, but also truly valuable and very much appreciated! https://tinyurl.com/eppcsurvey.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

April 25, 2021

We're ready to finish strong

The fourth quarter has arrived and we will soon be getting ready for end of year events. Before we get there, however, some of us have a lot of catch up to do! Below are details about our plan to help close the gaps in learning that resulted from distance learning. Be sure to check out other important information like this week's Dean's List!

Calendar of Events

April 2021

• 26 Monday: Reading Week - Biography Day

• 27 Tuesday: Reading Week - Something We Can Read

• 27 Tuesday: School Improvement Team Subcommittees

• 28 Wednesday: Grade 8 in-person

• 28 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 28 Wednesday: Reading Week - Wizarding Wednesday

• 29 Thursday: Reading Week - Favorite Book Character

• 29 Thursday: PTSA Trivia Night (postponed)

• 30 Friday: Reading Week - Reading Rainbow

• 30 Friday: Report cards available in Skyward

May 2021

• 1 Saturday: Credit Recovery Saturday Session 1 Begins

• 3 Monday: Credit Recovery Weekday Session 1 Begins

• 3 Monday: RICAS Testing (Math) - All in-person Grades 6 & 7 students

• 3-7 Monday-Friday: Teacher Appreciation Week

• 4 Tuesday: RICAS Grades 6 & 7 Make-up

• 5 Wednesday: RICAS Testing (Math) All distance learning Grades 6 - 8 students

• 6 Thursday: RICAS Testing (Math) All in-person Grade 8 students

• 7 Friday: RICAS Grade 8 Make-up

• 11 Tuesday: Grade 6 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 12 Wednesday: Grade 7 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 12 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 12 Wednesday: Mid-Quarter

• 13 Thursday: Grade 8 Band Concert 6:30 pm

• 17 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 18 Tuesday: NGSA Test (Grade 8)

• 18 Tuesday: iReady Testing (ELA - Grade 6&7)

• 18 Tuesday: Grade 6 Band Concert (Rain Date) 6:30 pm

• 19 Wednesday: Grade 7 Band Concert (Rain Date) 6:30 pm

• 20 Thursday: Grade 8 Band Concert (Rain Date) 6:30 pm

• 20 Thursday: iReady Testing (Math - Grade 6&7)

• 20 Thursday: School Improvement Team 3:30 pm

• 22 Saturday: Credit Recovery Saturday Session 2 Begins

• 26 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 26 Wednesday: Incoming 6th Grade Family Night

• 31 Monday: Memorial Day - No School

Announcements

• Credit Recovery Plan: As part of our goal to help close gaps in learning that came about during the 2020-2021 school year, RMS is offering credit recovery to many students who failed courses in quarters 1, 2 & 3. Eligibility to take part in the program was determined by teachers who have worked with students throughout the school year. In general, students who have made an effort to participate in class and complete assignments have been given priority for credit recovery. Some students are not eligible to take part in the credit recovery program due to attendance issues during quarters 1, 2 & 3. Summer school may be available to those students. Students who are eligible will see a form in their grade-level Google Classroom on which they can sign up. Sign-up needs to be completed by Wednesday, April 28. For more information, please refer to the email that was sent out on April 20th. Credit recovery begins next week!

• Report Cards: 3rd quarter report cards will be available in Skyward by the end of the day on Friday, April 30th.

• COVID Testing at RMS: We will once again be offering non-symptomatic BINAX COVID testing at RMS on Tuesday, April 27 (Grades 6&7) and Thursday, April 29 (Grades 6&8). Students who already handed in a completed permission form do not have to fill out another. Here is the form or call the RMS Main Office and we will send one home with your child.

• RICAS Testing: The annual state assessment, RICAS, will be administered at Riverside Middle School May 3-7 (Math). All students taking the test must do so in-person at RMS. Following is the schedule.

  • Monday, May 3: In-person students in grades 6 & 7 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. Assignments will be left in Google Classroom for Grade 6 & 7 distance learners as teachers will not be logging into meets on Monday.

  • Wednesday, May 5: Distance learning students in grades 6-8 will come to RMS to take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. In-person students will not come to RMS on this day. Assignments will be left in Google Classroom.

  • Thursday, May 6: In-person students in grade 8 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. Assignments will be left in Google Classroom for Grade 8 distance learners as teachers will not be logging into meets on Thursday.

All students should arrive at 7:45 am on their testing day. For distance learning students (coming in on Wednesday), busses will be available to and from school and lunch will be provided. The times and stops for students needing bus transportation can be found here. More information will be shared with students in the Morning Announcements. Please refer to emails that have been sent in recent weeks or the RMS Family Bulletin for additional information.

• Spring Reading Week 20201: Mrs. Ash is getting our glorious library ready for Reading Week, April 26-30. Be sure to take part!

• 26 Monday: Reading Week - Biography Day

• 27 Tuesday: Reading Week - Something We Can Read

• 28 Wednesday: Reading Week - Wizarding Wednesday

• 29 Thursday: Reading Week - Favorite Book Character

• 30 Friday: Reading Week - Reading Rainbow

• Band Concerts at RMS: Withe loosening of some COVID restrictions, we are able to host some outdoor concerts for parents of Band members. Mr. Maguire will be sending information home to families of RMS Band members about concerts that will take place on May 11, 12, and 13.

• Medical Forms: Nurse Wallace has indicated that some students (especially 8th graders) have not handed in medical forms (especially physicals). Parents are asked to please send in forms ASAP. If you have any questions, please contact Nurse Wallace at dwallace@epschoolsri.com.

• Teacher Appreciation Week: May 3-7 is Teacher Appreciation Week. Keep an eye out for information on how you can help recognize the best teaching staff in Rhode Island!

Spotlight on Academics

• Science Takes the the Stage in April: Spotlight on Science: Below are the concepts students will be learning about in science for the 4th Quarter:

  • Grade 6: During 4th quarter the 6th grade students will continue to gain an understanding about the workings and interrelationships among Earth’s atmosphere, hydrosphere, geosphere and biosphere. Students will finish the year extending these understandings to the change Earth is undergoing due to the progressively greater effect humanity is having on the balance in nature. As we study how local conditions affect the growth of organisms, we will see that organisms which traditionally rely on their body structures and behavior adaptations to survive are being put under pressure due to the increasing pace the environment and climate is changing. Within our study of the challenges living organisms and their ecosystems have to adapt to the pace of the environment and climate change we will look at the effect of human activity. Concluding our year will be the study of the issue of burning fossil fuels as a major cause of global warming and climate change, and how strategic choices can be implemented to reduce the impacts of these human activities on the environment.

  • Grade 7: During the 4th quarter, students will explore how living things obtain what they need from their surroundings as well as how organisms interact with the living and nonliving things around them. Additionally, students will explore how humans have impacted Earth’s biodiversity and natural habitats, though geoscience processes change Earth’s surface as well. They will brainstorm ideas on how they can impact biodiversity in a positive way.

  • Grade 8: During the 4th quarter, students will focus on data analysis using; punnett squares, predator-prey graphs to support natural selection, the current human population census and per-capita consumption impacting Earth’s systems. In combination students learn the electromagnetic spectrum and how energy is reflected, absorbed or transmitted through various materials. This leads directly to global warming and engineering design.

The Dean's List

• Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Trivia Night: There are a few conflicts with the proposed April 29th Trivia Night. We are looking to reschedule. Details will be posted soon.

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Community Bulletin Board

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

Last Week's Announcements

• New Chromebooks for RMS Students: If you did not pick up a new Chromebook for your child, please contact Mrs. Costa at gcosta@epschoolsri.com to arrange to pick one up at RMS.

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• Water bottles for in-person learners: As the weather is getting warmer, in-persons learners are encouraged to bring water bottles from home.

• Teacher of the Year: Nominations are open for the Riverside Middle School Teacher of the Year. Families can nominate a teacher. However, only students can access the nomination form with their Google accounts and are limited to one nomination. The RMS School Improvement Team will vote on the Teacher of the Year in Late April.

• Logging into Skyward: Checking Skyward frequently is a great way to stay on top of student progress. Mr. Pond has created a video to help parents login to Skyward and navigate the website. Check it out here

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

April 4, 2021

We're getting ready to wrap up the 3rd quarter

In just a few weeks, we will be enjoying April vacation. Before we get there, however, we will will be putting the finishing touches on assignments, projects, and assessments. There is no better time than the present to log into Skyward to check on student progress and to reach out to teachers for information about student progress. We will also be taking the RICAS this week (see the post below) and finalizing our plans for student remediation and summer school. Here are some more details about things that are happening at RMS.

Calendar of Events

April 2021

• 5 Monday: RICAS Testing (ELA) - All in-person Grades 6 & 7 students

• 7 Wednesday: RICAS Testing (ELA) All distance learning Grades 6, 7 & 8 students

• 7 Wednesday: NJHS Officers’ Planning Meeting

• 7 Wednesday: PTSA Restaurant Night at Chipotle

• 8 Thursday: RICAS Testing (ELA) All in-person Grade 8 students

• 12 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 14 Wednesday: Quarter 3 Grades Close

• 14 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 15 Thursday: Quarter 4 Begins

• 16 Friday: Early Spring Band Concert

• 16 Friday: 3rd Quarter Honors Celebration

• 19-23: April Vacation

• 21 Wednesday: Administrative Assistant’s Day

• 27 Thursday: School Improvement Team Subcommittees

• 28 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 29 Thursday: PTSA Trivia Night

Announcements

• RICAS Testing: The annual state assessment, RICAS, will be administered at Riverside Middle School April 5-9 (ELA) and May 3-7 (Math). The Rhode Island Department of Education has determined that all students must take the test in-person at the school. Therefore, we have come up with a plan for our distance learners to come to RMS to take the test. Following is the schedule.

  • Monday, April 5: In-person students in grades 6 & 7 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. Assignments will be left in Google Classroom for Grade 6 & 7 distance learners as teachers will not be logging into meets on Monday.

  • Wednesday 7: Distance learning students in grades 6-8 will come to RMS to take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. In-person students will not come to RMS on this day.

  • Thursday 8: In-person students in grade 8 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. Assignments will be left in Google Classroom for Grade 8 distance learners as teachers will not be logging into meets on Monday.

All students should arrive at 7:45 am on their testing day. For distance learning students (coming in on Wednesday), busses will be available to and from school and lunch will be provided. The times and stops for students needing bus transportation can be found here. More information will be shared with students in the Morning Announcements. Please refer to emails that have been sent in recent weeks or the RMS Family Bulletin for additional information.

• PTSA Restaurant Night: This month's RMS PTSA Restaurant Night will take place on Wednesday, April 7 at Chipotle. Here is a Facebook Event. You can use this flyer, show it on your device, or tell the server and 33% will go to the RMS PTSA!

• Lifetouch Photos Have Arrived: Lifetouch has delivered photos that were taken a few months back. Picture packages were sent home with in-person students. Parents of distance learning students are asked to email Mrs. Costa at gcosta@epschoolsri.com to arrange a pick up.

• New Chromebooks for RMS Students: If you did not pick up a new Chromebook for your child, please contact Mrs. Costa at gcosta@epschoolsri.com to arrange to pick one up at RMS.

• Insurance for Chromebooks Now Available: The cost to replace one of our new Lenovo Chromebooks is $241. With insurance, repairs and replacement are covered for accidental damage and theft. Click here for a flyer that explains the program.

• Water bottles for in-person learners: As the weather is getting warmer, in-persons learners are encouraged to bring water bottles from home.

• Bring in Books to RMS: Distance-learning student who will be coming into RMS for RICAS testing on Wednesday, April 7 are encouraged to bring in any library books or text books they may have at home.

• Spring Reading Week 20201: Mrs. Ash is getting our glorious library ready for Reading Week, April 26-30. Be sure to take part!

• 26 Monday: Reading Week - Biography Day

• 27 Tuesday: Reading Week - Something We Can Read

• 28 Wednesday: Reading Week - Wizarding Wednesday

• 29 Thursday: Reading Week - Favorite Book Character

• 30 Friday: Reading Week - Reading Rainbow

Spotlight on Academics

• Science Takes the the Stage in April: During the month of April, all science classes will be focusing on analyzing and interpreting data as it relates to their grade specific unit core ideas. Students will collect and analyze data using Gizmos, which are online simulations that align to NGSS. Gizmos uses an inquiry-based approach to learning that has been validated by extensive research as a highly effective way to build conceptual understanding. These simulations are incorporated throughout the year, however, students will be using this software in addition to other resources to analyze and interpret data across grade levels.

The Dean's List

• Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Restaurant Night: This month's RMS PTSA Restaurant Night will take place on Wednesday, April 7 at Chipotle. Here is a Facebook Event. You can use this flyer, show it on your device, or tell the server and 33% will go to the RMS PTSA!

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Community Bulletin Board

• Light the City in Blue for Blake: Last May, Oldham Pre-School lost their little school friend, Blake, to brain cancer. Unable to celebrate his life due to COVID, his family is now honoring him this May with “Light the City in Blue for Blake.” Beside events in blue, there will be signs sold for $20. with all proceeds going to The Tomorrow Fund in Blake’s Memory. Blake’s Mom and Dad are hoping the signs will be displayed on lawns everywhere during the month of May. If you would like to purchase a sign for your yard, contact Gail Gustafson (ggustafson@epschoolsri.com), Blake’s teacher at Oldham.

• Scholarships for Young Artists: The Providence Performing Arts Center is now accepting applica­tions for the ARTS Scholarships 2021 program with a deadline of 4:00 P.M. on February 26, 2021. The ARTS Scholarships program awards 30 scholarships valued at up to $500 each to qualified, talented Rhode Island middle school students (aged 11-14 as of June 1, 2021) to attend local, sum­mer arts education programs. Links to applications, guidelines, and a list of summer arts programs are available online. For more information, visit the PPAC website or call Cynthia Goldsmith at 574-3105.

• Riverside Little League: Check out the Riverside Little League website for information about teams and tryouts.

• Central Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Central Little League here.

• Rumford Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Rumford Little League here.

• Boys and Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to a flyer about Summer Blacktop Basketball.

• EP Jr. Townies: The EP Jr. Townies are holding sign-ups for Spring Flag Football. Check out a flyer for the Junior Townies here.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Teacher of the Year: Nominations are open for the Riverside Middle School Teacher of the Year. Families can nominate a teacher. However, only students can access the nomination form with their Google accounts and are limited to one nomination. The RMS School Improvement Team will vote on the Teacher of the Year in Late April.

• Logging into Skyward: Checking Skyward frequently is a great way to stay on top of student progress. Mr. Pond has created a video to help parents login to Skyward and navigate the website. Check it out here

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

March 21, 2021

Hope arrives with warmer days

With the return of springtime weather and some good news about vaccines, we are hopeful that we are on a path toward returning to some normalcy. We have a lot of ground to make up as many of us have been thrown off by the pandemic. At RMS, kids are continuing to learn and grow. We are just past the mid-quarter mark, so it is a good time for parents to take an accounting of students' progress and grades on Skyward and to reach out to teachers with any concerns. Over the next few weeks, we will be formalizing our plans to address any learning gaps that may have come about this year - including summer school and after school tutoring. Here are some more details about the coming week.

Calendar of Events

March 2021

• 23 Tuesday: School Improvement Team

• 24 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

April 2021

• 2 Friday: Good Friday (no school)

• 5 Monday: RICAS Testing (ELA) - All in-person Grades 6 & 7 students

• 7 Wednesday: RICAS Testing (ELA) All distance learning Grades 6, 7 & 8 students

• 7 Wednesday: NJHS Officers’ Planning Meeting

• 8 Thursday: RICAS Testing (ELA) All in-person Grade 8 students

• 12 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 14 Wednesday: Quarter 3 Grades Close

• 14 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 15 Thursday: Quarter 4 Begins

• 16 Friday: Early Spring Band Concert

• 16 Friday: 3rd Quarter Honors Celebration

• 19-23: April Vacation

• 21 Wednesday: Administrative Assistant’s Day

• 27 Thursday: School Improvement Team Subcommittees

• 28 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 29 Thursday: PTSA Trivia Night

Announcements

• RICAS Testing: The Rhode Island Department of Education has determined that we will be taking RICAS tests this year. This will require distance learning students to come into RMS to take the test. We will be following RIDOH and CDC guidelines. Click here to read an article in the Providence Journal about the plan to take RICAS. Here is the schedule. More details will be sent home via email during the week.

  • • Monday, April 5: In-person students in grades 6 & 7 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day

    • Tuesday, April 6: Make-up sessions for students in grades 6 & 7 who were not present on Monday

    • Wednesday 7: Distance learning students in grades 6, 7, & 8 will come to RMS to take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day. In-person students will not be coming into RMS on this day.

    • Thursday 8: In-person students in grade 8 will take both sections of the ELA portion of the RICAS exam during the school day

    • Friday, April 9: Make-up sessions for students in grade 8 who were not present on Monday

• New Chromebooks for RMS Students: The East Providence School Department has purchased new Chromebooks for our students. On Monday, we will be sending home the Acceptable Use Policy and Chromebook Handbook with our in-person Grade 6 and 7 students. Parents or guardians will have to sign 2 pages (the Receipt of the Acceptable Use Policy and the Chromebook Loan Agreement). In-person students will return the forms and they will be provided with a new Chromebook. (Those students will have to hand in their old Chromebook first.) On Wednesday, Grade 8 students will receive the packets and they will need to return them on Friday. (If parents or guardians are able to print the forms in this post, 8th graders can bring the forms in on Thursday and will be given a Chromebook.)

For distance learners, we have set up some pick up times. In the email that was sent out on Thursday, it provided certain days for each grade. However, we decided to open it up to parents of students in all grades. (Parents and students who are coming for the pick up are just asked to maintain 6 ft. social distance while at RMS.) Here are the dates and times when pickups will be available. Please remember that the forms must be signed by a parent or guardian.

• Tuesday, March 23: 5:30-6:30 PM

• Wednesday, March 24: 2:30-3:30 PM & 5:30-6:30 PM

• Thursday, March 25: 2:30-3:30 PM & 5:30-6:30 PM

• Friday, March 26: 2:30-3:30 PM

• Youth Arts Month: March is Youth Arts Month! You have to check out the work of our students on the East Providence Public Library Youth Art Month page. You will also want to look through this document about the EPHS Art Department. There are some great things in the arts in EP. Imagine what is going to happen once kids get into the brand new Art Rooms at the new EPHS!

• Teacher of the Year: Nominations are open for the Riverside Middle School Teacher of the Year. Families can nominate a teacher. However, only students can access the nomination form with their Google accounts and are limited to one nomination. The RMS School Improvement Team will vote on the Teacher of the Year in Late April.

• 2021 Yearbooks: Yearbooks are available for purchase on the Lifetouch website using the code 9173321. Ordering information can be found on this document. Order one today! The deadline to order is April 2nd.

• Our March Fundraiser - Pennies for Patients: Each year, we raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients Drive. We are asking all students and families to bring in spare change or anything they would like to donate to this important organization that funds cancer research and treatment. Here is a video about Pennies for Patients.

The Dean's List

• Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

PTSA Information

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Spotlight on Scholarship

• Social Studies: Students in 6th grade Geography are currently learning about Africa. Did you know that Africa is the second largest continent in the world! In fact, Africa is over three times larger than the United States of America. In addition to its stark and untamed beauty, Africa contains huge mountains, such as the breathtaking Mt. Kilimanjaro, lush savannas, tropical rainforests, three enormous deserts, and the longest river in the world. Students are reading, researching, and investigating the geography, culture, and history of Africa. Students will be completing a project on an African country of their choice to wrap up this unit. This comprehensive research project is designed to give students the opportunity to work and learn how to work collaboratively with their classmates with a common goal in mind. Mr. Izzi and Mrs. Barnowski are excited to dive into this project with their students.

Community Bulletin Board

• Scholarships for Young Artists: The Providence Performing Arts Center is now accepting applica­tions for the ARTS Scholarships 2021 program with a deadline of 4:00 P.M. on February 26, 2021. The ARTS Scholarships program awards 30 scholarships valued at up to $500 each to qualified, talented Rhode Island middle school students (aged 11-14 as of June 1, 2021) to attend local, sum­mer arts education programs. Links to applications, guidelines, and a list of summer arts programs are available online. For more information, visit the PPAC website or call Cynthia Goldsmith at 574-3105.

• Riverside Little League: Check out the Riverside Little League website for information about teams and tryouts.

• Central Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Central Little League here.

• Rumford Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Rumford Little League here.

• Boys and Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to a flyer about Summer Blacktop Basketball.

• EP Jr. Townies: The EP Jr. Townies are holding sign-ups for Spring Flag Football. Check out a flyer for the Junior Townies here.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• Logging into Skyward: Checking Skyward frequently is a great way to stay on top of student progress. Mr. Pond has created a video to help parents login to Skyward and navigate the website. Check it out here.

• An Update from Nurse Wallace: Here is a letter with updates about COVID-19 from Nurse Wallace, who is our school nurse and also the head nurse for the school district.

• Lifetouch Picture Day Snaps @Home: If a parent of a distance learning student does not want their child to come into RMS, Lifetouch also offers Picture Day Snaps @Home. This service allows parents to upload a photo and purchase a package through Shutterfly. Check out the website for directions. The Picture Day ID is EVT9D47B4.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

March 7, 2021

Springtime is just around the corner

There are a lot of good things happening around RMS. We have a lot to look forward to as the weather starts to get warmer. Thank you for keeping up to date with events and announcements and please feel free to contact us via phone or email if you have any questions.

Calendar of Events

March 2021

• 10 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:40 pm

• 10 Wednesday: Mid-Quarter

• 10 Wednesday: SurveyWorks (students)

• 11 Thursday: PTSA Restaurant Night at Chelo's

• 15 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 15 Monday: PTSA Meeting 6:30-7:30 pm

• 16 Tuesday: BiNAX Testing Grades 6 & 7

• 16 Tuesday: NJHS Information Night 6:00 pm

• 18 Thursday: BiNAX Testing Grades 6 & 8

• 19 Friday: Pennies for Patients Flash Friday Fundraiser

• 23 Tuesday: School Improvement Team 3:30 pm

• 24 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

Announcements

• COVID-19 Testing Available March 16 & 18: We will once again off COVID-19 testing to in-person students and staff members using the BinaxNow test. The test is self-administered with results in around 15 minutes. Grade 6 and 7 students will be able to take a test on March 16 and Grades 6 and 8 may test on March 18. Permission forms will be sent home with in-person students this week.

• An Update from Nurse Wallace: Here is a letter with updates about COVID-19 from Nurse Wallace, who is our school nurse and also the head nurse for the school district.

• Ms. Gustafson on Network TV: RMS Art teacher, Katina Gustafson was featured in the Good News Story of the Day on the Kelly & Ryan Show. Check out the video with Ms. Gustafson and her awesome snow sculptures.

• Our March Fundraiser - Pennies for Patients: Each year, we raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Pennies for Patients Drive. We are asking all students and families to bring in spare change or anything they would like to donate to this important organization that funds cancer research and treatment. Here is a video about Pennies for Patients.

• Virtual EPHS Open House: On Tuesday, March 16th, East Providence High School will conduct a second Virtual Open House. There are video messages from all department leaders from the high school explaining each department's offerings. These videos can be found on the front page of the East Providence High School website. Additionally from 6 - 8 pm there will be a live link on the high school website so families can ask questions of school administrators and leaders. For more information, please call East Providence High School at 435-7806.

• Survey Works: It’s time again for SurveyWorks, a survey that the Rhode Island Department of Education that measures school effectiveness. Please use this link to access the survey.

• Logging into Skyward: Checking Skyward frequently is a great way to stay on top of student progress. Mr. Pond has created a video to help parents login to Skyward and navigate the website. Check it out here.

• RICAS Testing: The Rhode Island Department of Education has determined that we will be taking RICAS tests this year. We will be creating a schedule by which distance learning students will be coming to RMS to take the test. Schedules will be shared in a few weeks. Click here to read an article in the Providence Journal about the plan to take RICAS.

The Dean's List

Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

• Nazarae Phillip: Our Virtual Viking this week is 8th grader Nazarae Phillip. An honors student and member of the NJHS, Nazarae keeps busy at RMS. She volunteers to help tutor students in our after school homework club on Mondays, participates in the art club on Tuesdays and has become a guest on our morning show to share and celebrate stories for Women’s History Month. Nazarae will also begin her 3rd season on the cross country team next week.

• Abigail Ellison: Another Virtual Viking this week is a well-rounded student athlete - seventh grader, Abigail Ellison. A star in the classroom, Abigail consistently earns first honors but she also excels after school, as well. Abigail competes on the RMS Cross Country and Track teams and volunteers to help support her classmates each week as a member of Mrs. Tarantelli’s Peer Tutor group. Outside of school, Abigail remains active. She competitively swims, plays tennis and furthers her own learning by taking classes at the Squared School Academy of Mathematics.

• Caelen Oliver: A 6th grade honor student, Caelen Oliver, not only joins the Dean's List, but he was awarded the Prudential Spirit of Community award, the nation's largest youth recognition program based exclusively on volunteer community service. Caelen earned all A's last quarter and he was recognized by Prudential for his service to the community, including raising money for Shriners Hospitals for Children. Nice work Caelen!

• Jayden Cabral-Acevedo: Representing our core value of Character is Jayden Cabral-Acevedo. Jayden demonstrated his maturity as an 8th grader and really stepped up as a leader. When a fellow classmate was having a rough day, Jayden recognized this and used his past experiences and words to help get that student back on track and feeling positive again. As we all are being tested during these difficult times, it’s a breath of fresh air to witness students helping one another out. Jayden’s awareness and compassion were instrumental and he will bring these skills to the Unified Basketball Team next week.

• Matthew Capaldo: Seventh grader Matt Capaldo is recognized for Scholarship this week. To complete a project about human rights in Mrs. McCarthy's social studies class, Matt designed a tee shirt using his Cricut machine. His shirt was such a big hit, Matt is now being asked to create more shirts for other staff members. All of his teachers wanted to recognize how hard Matt has been working in their classes this quarter. Keep up the good work, Matt!

• Max Carroll: Last month, Ms. Foster and Mr. Salgueiro headed our February Fitness Club in which students and staff met both virtually and in person after school to help get into shape, beat the winter blues and participate in some fun exercise activities. Participants who completed all of their goals were entered into a raffle and we would like to recognize our lucky winner, Anthony “Max” Carroll, who won an Amazon gift card for his excellent work and involvement in the club.

• Ty Gonsalves: Our Virtual Viking is 6th grader, Ty G! Ty was nominated by his teachers for his outstanding grades, awesome participation and excellent attitude in his virtual classes! Prior to vacation, Ty wanted to connect and do something nice for his fellow in-person 6th graders so he and his mom helped to organize and provide hot pizza for everyone for lunch. After school, Ty helps tutor his friends in math and has also been playing soccer for several years!

• Avery Butler & Masie Flynn: Sixth graders, Avery and Maisie have stepped up as leaders among their peers. Before the 2nd semester began, RMS hosted informational Google Meets for all distance learners who would soon be returning to in-person learning. Avery and Maisie led the 6th grade Meet, sharing their experiences and eloquently answering questions that incoming students had about returning to school. Avery and Maisie were well-spoken, professional, gracious and a huge help to their peers. Thanks for stepping up and for being such awesome Vikings!

• Kaia Greene: Kaia was nominated by her 6th grade teacher, Mrs. Fillion, who shares, “Kaia is one of the nicest, most hard-working & responsible students I know. She is always helpful, respectful, hardworking and kind. She is an absolute pleasure to know!” Kaia’s hard work has paid off as she achieved honors for the first semester!

• Abby Leddy: A huge thanks goes out to our Student Council, led by Ms. Braga and 8th grader, Abby L. Through their efforts, RMS made and delivered Valentine cards and some joy to the residents and staff of Waterview Villa Rehabilitation and Health Care Center. In addition to making the cards, the Student Council also sponsored a “Red Out” event for our Heart-Healthy Friday which raised over $125 for the American Heart Association. We would like to thank Ms. Braga and the Student Council for their leadership, generosity and community involvement!

• Mrs. Tarantelli: RMS would also like to recognize Mrs. Tarantelli and several of her students who have stepped up as leaders this past quarter. Mrs. Tarantelli organized a peer tutoring club that meets weekly after school. Her group offers both academic and organizational support for her students. Volunteers meet virtually in breakout rooms after school to provide 1:1 help with assignments, study skills and much more! A huge thanks goes out to the following 7th grade students who all volunteer as tutors each week: Kyra Diorio, Abby Ellison, Aubrey Facteau, Raphael Ferreira, Hope Moran, Annabelle Moore, Payton Rutkowski, Sophia Santos and Alistair Soderlund. Initially, Mrs. Tarantelli would contact and arrange all of the groupings herself but now, due to her leadership and mentoring, the student volunteers are taking on that role themselves by reaching out to their peers who may need some extra help or time and then by helping to plan the tutoring sessions! The program has been very successful. For example, Mrs. Tarantelli would like to acknowledge one of her students, Jamaree Enos, who has put in the effort, joined every session and as a result, has seen a huge improvement in all of his grades.

• Mrs. Kelley: Mrs. Kelley’s after school cooking club met virtually for the first time this past week and was a huge success! She and her students baked delicious lemon-blueberry muffins together after school. We would like to thank Mrs. Kelley for her dedication and leadership. She not only organized the club, but provides all of the ingredients and even went out and delivered them to our distance learners. Thanks for stepping up and we can’t wait to see what the group makes next!

PTSA Information

• PTSA March Restaurant Night: The March PTSA Restaurant Night will be at Chelo's in East Providence on Thursday, March 11. Check out this Facebook Event for details.

• PTSA March Meeting: Mark your calendar, the RMS PTSA will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, March 15 6:30 - 7:30 pm on Zoom. A link to the meeting will be sent out via email on the day of the meeting.

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Spotlight on Scholarship

• Mathematics: Pi Day (March 14th) is fast approaching! Pi is the ratio of the circumference of a circle compared to its diameter! It’s an irrational number that never ends and never repeats, but we typically round it to be about 3.14. We celebrate Pi Day on March 14th (3/14...get it?) Want to know more about what Pi is? Check out this video on YouTube!

RMS Athletics

• Sports Season II: The next sports season for Rhode Island middle schools will take place March 15 - April 16. This season will be the traditional "Fall Sports" of Boys and Girls Soccer, Cross Country, and Unified Basketball. Each sport will have a maximum of 10 games and there will not be playoffs. Students can access the sign-up form in their grade level Google Classroom. Also, don't forget that parents or guardians of students who wish to participate in middle school sports must complete Family ID . All athletes who have not completed an Assumption of Risk form must do so before participating in a middle school sport.

• Sports Season III: The final sports season of the year will take place May 3 - June 19. The season will consist of baseball, softball, track & field, and possibly wrestling.

Community Bulletin Board

• Scholarships for Young Artists: The Providence Performing Arts Center is now accepting applica­tions for the ARTS Scholarships 2021 program with a deadline of 4:00 P.M. on February 26, 2021. The ARTS Scholarships program awards 30 scholarships valued at up to $500 each to qualified, talented Rhode Island middle school students (aged 11-14 as of June 1, 2021) to attend local, sum­mer arts education programs. Links to applications, guidelines, and a list of summer arts programs are available online. For more information, visit the PPAC website or call Cynthia Goldsmith at 574-3105.

• Riverside Little League: Check out the Riverside Little League website for information about teams and tryouts.

• Central Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Central Little League here.

• Rumford Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Rumford Little League here.

• Boys and Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to a flyer about Summer Blacktop Basketball.

• EP Jr. Townies: The EP Jr. Townies are holding sign-ups for Spring Flag Football. Check out a flyer for the Junior Townies here.

• Boys & Girls Club Summer Basketball: Check out this link to the Boys & Girls Club Summer Blacktop Basketball league.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

• RIC Sports Camps: Here is a flyer about various camps that will be held this summer at Rhode Island College.

Older Announcements

• In-person Learning to Include Wednesdays Starting 2/24: In-person learners in Grades 7 & 8 will be coming into RMS starting on February 24th. Grade 7 and Grade 8 will alternate every week. (Grade 6 students will not come in on Wednesdays.) Therefore, Grade 7 will come in on 2/24 and Grade 8 will come in on 3/3.

• Lifetouch Picture Day Snaps @Home: If a parent of a distance learning student does not want their child to come into RMS, Lifetouch also offers Picture Day Snaps @Home. This service allows parents to upload a photo and purchase a package through Shutterfly. Check out the website for directions. The Picture Day ID is EVT9D47B4.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

• EPCTC Virtual Open House and Video: The East Providence Career Tech Center will hold a virtual Open House on Tuesday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm. 8th graders and their families should check out http://eastprovidencectc.com for more information and also watch this video that explains some of the programs at the EPCTC. Don't forget that the CTC at the new EPHS is going to be state-of-the-art!

• New Schedule on Wednesdays: Because our 7th and 8th grade students will be returning to RMS on alternating Wednesdays, we be will changing our schedule. We will be using the end of the day on Wednesdays to continuing our mentoring program. Teachers will share the schedules with students and the period will run as follows.

  • • Period 1: 8:00-8:40

    • Period 2: 8:40-9:20

    • Period 3: 9:20-10:00

    • Period 4: 10:00-10:40

    • Period 5: 10:40-11:20

    • Period 6: 11:20-12:00

    • Lunch/Mentoring - 12:00-12:30 (lunch)

    • 12:30-1:30 Mentoring Block

February 26, 2021

Lifetouch Picture Day(s) Schedule

Lifetouch will be at RMS to take school pictures on Tuesday, March 2 and Thursday, March 4. Pictures will be taken during the school day for in-person students. After school, distance learners may come into RMS to have a photo taken. During all sessions, we will follow protocols in order to provide for the safety of our students and staff. Families can pre-order picture packages on the Lifetouch website using the code EVT9D47B4.

Distance learning students who are coming to RMS should remain in their car until their scheduled time. Students will enter through Door 2 (the cafeteria entrance on the left side of the school). Depending on how quickly the process goes, students may need to wait outside RMS for a short time. Therefore, the kids need to dress for the weather. All students must wear masks inside and outside RMS. Lifetouch has also sent out information with Picture Day recommendations and safety protocols.

Below are the schedules for each grade. Please pay close attention to the times and dates for each grade and last name. We have both distance and in-person learners listed and all three grades.

In-Person Students

Grade 6 (Rooms 201-206): Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Grade 6 (Rooms 210-214): Thursday, March 4, 2021

Grade 7: Tuesday, March 2, 2021

Grade 8: Thursday, March 4, 2021

Distance Learning Students

Grade 6 (Last Name A-K): Tuesday, March 2, 2021 1:45 - 2:15 PM

• Last Name A - C: 1:45 PM

• Last Name D - F: 2:00 PM

• Last Name G - K: 2:15 PM

Grade 6 (Last Name L-Z): Thursday, March 4, 2021 1:45 - 2:15 PM

• Last Name L - O: 1:45 PM

• Last Name P - R: 2:00 PM

• Last Name S - Z: 2:15 PM

Grade 7: Tuesday, March 2, 2021 2:30 - 3:30 PM

• Last Name A - C: 2:30 PM

• Last Name D - G: 2:45 PM

• Last Name H - M: 3:00 PM

• Last Name N - R: 3:15 PM

• Last Name S - Z: 3:30 PM

Grade 8: Thursday, March 4, 2021 2:30 - 3:30 PM

• Last Name A - C: 2:30 PM

• Last Name D - G: 2:45 PM

• Last Name H - M: 3:00 PM

• Last Name N - R: 3:15 PM

• Last Name S - Z: 3:30 PM

We will be making announcements about Picture Day during our morning announcements show. Following Picture Day, additional information will be shared about ordering yearbooks and other services available through Lifetouch and Shutterfly.

February 21, 2021

We are marching on through the Winter

We have just about made it through the coldest part of the year. Spring is on the horizon and hopefully, we will have some things to look forward to as the weather gets warmer (and we get this pandemic under control)! Here are some details about the coming week at RMS.

Calendar of Events

February 2021

• 23 Tuesday: EPCTC Open House 6:00 pm

• 24 Wednesday: First Wednesday for in-person Grade 7 students

• 24 Wednesday: Grade 8 Mentoring & SurveyWorks

• 24 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 25 Thursday: School Improvement Team Subcommittees 2:30 pm

• 26 Friday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (away) 4:15 pm

• 26 Friday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (home) 4:15 pm

• 27 Saturday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Martin (away) 4:00 pm

March 2021

• 1 Monday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Tiverton (away) 4:00 pm

• 1 Monday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Martin (away) 3:30 pm

• 2 Tuesday: Lifetouch Photos - Grade 6 & 7

• 3 Wednesday: NJHS Officers’ Planning Meeting 1:00-2:00

• 3 Wednesday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Gaudet (away) 4:00 pm

• 3 Wednesday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Gaudet (home) 4:00 pm

• 4 Thursday: Lifetouch Photos - Grade 6 & 8

• 4 Thursday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Martin (home) 4:00 pm

• 10 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00

• 10 Wednesday: Mid-Quarter

• 11 Thursday: PTSA Restaurant Night at Chelo's

• 12 Friday: Pi Day Event

• 15 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 15 Monday: PTSA Meeting 6:30-7:30

• 19 Friday: Pennies for Patients Flash Friday Fundraiser

• 23 Tuesday: School Improvement Team 3:30 pm

• 24 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

Announcements

• COVID-19 Testing Available on Sunday: As a reminder, the State of Rhode Island requires anyone who has traveled out of state to quarantine for 14 days upon their return OR provide proof of a negative COVID test before returning to school on Monday, February 22, 2021. On Sunday, February 21st from 5:30pm - 7:00pm, the East Providence School Department will offer Voluntary COVID-19 testing for all East Providence School Department Students and Staff. The East Providence School Department has been provided a supply of BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Test Cards allowing all students, staff, and teachers at schools to test for COVID-19 free of charge. This program is offered in collaboration with the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) and the Rhode Island Department of Education (RIDE). The test takes 15 minutes and parents will be contacted immediately if a student tests positive for COVID-19. The parents of students who test negative will receive an email. In order to participate in the testing program, a student must be accompanied by a parent. Permission slips will be available at the testing site.

• The Dean's List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • • Our Virtual Viking Award goes to 7th grader, Laila Sarkis. Ms. Braga writes that “Laila works very hard and is always looking to improve her work. She volunteers on a regular basis and comes to our meets with a positive attitude.” With all A’s, Laila has made 1st honors for the first semester and also plays the flute in our concert band. For enrichment, Laila has been taking classes after school and is now almost fluent in Greek! Συγχαρητήρια! Laila!

    • Nominated for our core value of Character this week was 6th grader, Kaia Greene and 7th grader, Rachael Jesus. Mrs. Fillion recognized Kaia as one of the nicest, most hard-working and responsible students she has. She said, “Kaia is always respectful, helpful, dependable and an absolute pleasure to have in class.” “Rachael is an incredibly mindful student,” writes 7th grade math teacher Mrs. Kelley. “She is always kind and thoughtful with her classmates and teachers, has a contagious positivity, and never hesitates to ask for help on assignments if she needs it. She brightens up my sixth period virtual math classroom on a daily basis and has formed mutually respectful relationships with several other students in her class. She is always the first to compliment others and ask them how they are doing if they are not at 100%. Rachael is an incredibly caring individual and even went so far as to create a new Google icon for me using my Bitmoji.” Keep up the great work, ladies!

    • Two brothers take home our Scholarship core value this week: Isaiah and David Costa-Rado! Mrs. Maratto recognized Isaiah for meeting all of his reading goals and for his outstanding work-ethic in his 7th grade classes. David showed both Mr. Perry and Mr. Petsch on a Google Meet how he is using the website xello.world to explore his career interests and opportunities in Mrs. D’Arezzo’s WIN (What I Need) class. Both boys have achieved honors for the 2nd consecutive quarter.

• In-person Learning to Include Wednesdays Starting 2/24: In-person learners in Grades 7 & 8 will be coming into RMS starting on February 24th. Grade 7 and Grade 8 will alternate every week. (Grade 6 students will not come in on Wednesdays.) Therefore, Grade 7 will come in on 2/24 and Grade 8 will come in on 3/3.

• New Schedule on Wednesdays: Because our 7th and 8th grade students will be returning to RMS on alternating Wednesdays, we be will changing our schedule. We will be using the end of the day on Wednesdays to continuing our mentoring program. Teachers will share the schedules with students and the period will run as follows.

  • • Period 1: 8:00-8:40

    • Period 2: 8:40-9:20

    • Period 3: 9:20-10:00

    • Period 4: 10:00-10:40

    • Period 5: 10:40-11:20

    • Period 6: 11:20-12:00

    • Lunch/Mentoring - 12:00-12:30 (lunch)

    • 12:30-1:30 Mentoring Block

• Lifetouch Picture Day: Lifetouch will be taking photos again this year at RMS on March 2 & 4. There will be sessions for in-person and distance learning students. On March 2, half of Grade 6 and all of Grade 7 will have their photos taken. On March 4, the other half of grade 6 and Grade 8 will have their photos taken. In-person students will have photos taken during the school day and distance learning students will be able to come to RMS 1:45-3:45 pm. We will send out an email with the times for each grade and each pod so that we can keep everything safe and organized. The Picture Day ID is EVT9D47B4.

• Lifetouch Picture Day Snaps @Home: If a parent of a distance learning student does not want their child to come into RMS, Lifetouch also offers Picture Day Snaps @Home. This service allows parents to upload a photo and purchase a package through Shutterfly. Check out the website for directions. The Picture Day ID is EVT9D47B4.

• Survey Works: It’s time again for SurveyWorks, a survey that the Rhode Island Department of Education that measures school effectiveness. Please use this link to access the survey.

• 2021-2022 School Calendar: The Rhode Island Department of Education has released a calendar for the 2021-2022 School Year. Dates are subject to change, so keep an eye out for updates in the coming months.

• EPCTC Virtual Open House and Video: The East Providence Career Tech Center will hold a virtual Open House on Tuesday, February 23rd at 6:00 pm. 8th graders and their families should check out http://eastprovidencectc.com for more information and also watch this video that explains some of the programs at the EPCTC. Don't forget that the CTC at the new EPHS is going to be state-of-the-art!

• East Providence School District Support Center: This website was designed to provide families with a variety of resources to support health and wellness as we navigate the re-opening of our school community during this challenging time.

• Using School Issued Chromebooks: It is beneficial for students to use a school issued Chromebook when at home distance learning. Teachers are able to contact students using GoGuardian, a program that is only available through the Chromebooks. Even if a student is logged into a home computer, having the Chromebook on at the same time is helpful to teachers. Contact the RMS Main Office at 433-6230 if you would like to to have a Chromebook for a student to use at home.

• Homeroom Begins at 7:45 am: Teachers have asked to remind students and parents that homeroom begins at 7:45 am, and students are asked to join at that time. Also, it is important that students stay logged on to their Google Meet during the entire period.

• Daily COVID-19 Screener: Parents of in-person students are reminded to complete the COVID-19 screener in Skyward each morning. Students can not enter the building until a screener has been completed.

• Charging Chromebooks: It is important that in-person students come to school with their Chromebook charged every day. Parents are asked to please remind students to plug their devices in when they come home.

RMS Athletics

• Sports Season II: The next sports season for Rhode Island middle schools will take place March 15 - April 16. This season will be the traditional "Fall Sports" of Boys and Girls Soccer and Cross Country. Each sport will have a maximum of 10 games and there will not be playoffs. Coaches will be making announcements about tryouts in the coming week. (See the next announcement about registering students for athletics.)

• FamilyID: Parents or guardians of students who wish to participate in middle school sports must complete Family ID . Also, all athletes who have not completed an Assumption of Risk form must do so before participating in a middle school sport.

• Sports Season III: The final sports season of the year will take place May 3 - June 19. The season will consist of baseball, softball, track & field, and possibly wrestling.

Spotlight on Scholarship

PTSA Information

• PTSA March Meeting: Mark your calendar, the RMS PTSA will hold its monthly meeting on Monday, March 15 6:30 - 7:30 pm on Zoom. A link to the meeting will be sent out via email on the day of the meeting.

• PTSA March Restaurant Night: The March PTSA Restaurant Night will be at Chelo's in East Providence on Thursday, March 11. More information will be provided soon.

• PTSA Membership: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS. An adult membership is $7 and a student membership is only $5.

• PTSA Facebook Page: Check out the RMS PTSA Facebook page and keep up with our hardworking group! Be sure to LIKE the page and check back often.

Community Bulletin Board

• Scholarships for Young Artists: The Providence Performing Arts Center is now accepting applica­tions for the ARTS Scholarships 2021 program with a deadline of 4:00 P.M. on February 26, 2021. The ARTS Scholarships program awards 30 scholarships valued at up to $500 each to qualified, talented Rhode Island middle school students (aged 11-14 as of June 1, 2021) to attend local, sum­mer arts education programs. Links to applications, guidelines, and a list of summer arts programs are available online. For more information, visit the PPAC website or call Cynthia Goldsmith at 574-3105.

• Central Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Central Little League here.

• Rumford Little League: Baseball tryouts are just around the corner. Check out a flyer for the Rumford Little League here.

• EP Jr. Townies: The EP Jr. Townies are holding sign-ups for Spring Flag Football. Check out a flyer for the Junior Townies here.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

January 31, 2021

We are getting ready for another transition

We are just about halfway through the school year as students are finishing up their quarter 2 work and getting ready for the second semester. On February 8th (Monday), a number of students will be coming back to RMS for the first this school year. Some will be 6th graders who will get to meet their teachers in-person for the first time. It sure will be interesting around RMS over the next few weeks. Here are some details about things that are happening at Riverside Middle School

Calendar of Events

February 2021

• 3 Wednesday: ELL ACCESS Testing

• 3 Wednesday: Quarter 2 Grades Close

• 3 Wednesday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (home) 4:15 pm

• 3 Wednesday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (away) 4:15 pm

• 4 Thursday: Quarter 3 Begins

• 4 Thursday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Bayview (away) 3:30 pm

• 5 Friday: Grade 6 Meeting 12:00 pm

• 8 Monday: First day for Semester 2 in person Grade 6 & 7 students

• 8 Monday: PTSA Restaurant Night at Miller's Roast Beef 10:30 am - 9:30 pm

• 9 Tuesday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Martin (away) 3:30 pm

• 9 Tuesday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Martin (home) 3:30 pm

• 10 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00 pm

• 11 Thursday: First day for Semester 2 in-person Grade 8 students

• 12 Friday: Report Cards Available in Skyward

• 12 Friday: 2nd Quarter Honors Celebration

• 10 Wednesday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Delasalle (away) 4:00 pm

• 11 Thursday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. DeLasalle (home) 4:00 pm

• 15-19: Winter Vacation

• 15 Monday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Tiverton (home) 2:00 pm

• 17 Wednesday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Kickemuit (home) 11:00 am

• 17 Wednesday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Kickemuit (away) 5:00 pm

• 18 Thursday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Tiverton (away) 2:00 pm

• 22 Monday: Faculty Advisory Committee Meeting

• 24 Wednesday: First Wednesday for in-person Grade 7 students

• 24 Wednesday: Grade 8 Mentoring & SurveyWorks

• 24 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting

• 25 Thursday: School Improvement Team Subcommittees 2:30 pm

• 26 Friday: Girls Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (away) 4:15 pm

• 26 Friday: Boys Basketball - Riverside vs. Barrington (home) 4:15 pm

Announcements

• The Dean's List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • • Congratulations to our food service employee, Pat Abrames, who was nominated this week by our staff for her hard work and dedication to the students of Riverside Middle School. Each day, Pat delivers both breakfast and lunch to every classroom and also braves the weather outside making sure that our distance learners receive their meals, as well. Teachers and students note how Pat is pleasant, positive and always has a smile on while doing her job. Thank you, Pat, for your service and positive example to our Viking community!

    • Sixth grader, Kamryn Lindsey, was nominated this week by her teacher Mrs. Barnowski. Kamryn has outstanding grades and is a very hard worker, according to her teachers, who also speak very highly about her positive attitude and enthusiastic participation in class. Mr. Maguire mentions that Kamryn is an absolute All-Star on clarinet in the 6th grade band! Keep up the great work, Kamryn!

    • Haleigh Shirley stands out for her positive and personable attitude in class. Haleigh is an excellent example of an enthusiastic virtual learner. She frequently participates in class meets by turning on her camera, speaking up, and collaborating with her teacher and peers. Haleigh's spirit and energy help to make our virtual classroom a supportive and engaging place to be. Haleigh was nominated by her 7th grade English teacher, Mrs. Hammons! Keep it up, Haleigh!

    • Congratulations to 7th grader, Daniel Lukusa. His science teacher, Mrs. Tarantelli writes, “Daniel is extremely conscientious and turns all of his work in on time. He also takes attendance for me each day and I never have to remind him. This week we were working on a Gizmo and some students didn't know where the link was located, so Daniel took the initiative and typed the link in the chat. He also updated the answers in the chat in case one of his peers missed it. He is an utter joy to have in class. He is a true scholar.” Daniel shows his spirit every week by participating in our Townie Tuesday, Bow Tie Thursday and every spirit event we have at RMS. Keep up the great work, Daniel!

    • Next to be recognized is 6th grader Ella Lowell, nominated by her social studies teacher, Mrs. Barnowski. “Ella is an extraordinary student. She always completes her school work and is very thoughtful of what she turns in. Ella is the first to volunteer a response and engage in discussion during class. Her pleasant attitude is a joy to the classroom and rubs off on her classmates.” Ella exemplifies our core value of Scholarship and has earned highest honors for the first semester!

    • Our Virtual Viking of the week is distance learner, Lacy Mendoza. After achieving all of her reading goals, Lacy was nominated by her teacher, Mrs. Yassine who shares, “Lacy is a hard worker who comes to class every day ready to learn, participate and demonstrates outstanding work ethic.” Lacy already demonstrates leadership skills as a 6th grader. After school, Lacy has been volunteering her time by tutoring peers who may need help in their classes. Well-rounded, in addition to being a good student, Lacy also sings, dances and plays soccer.

• Returning to RMS for In-person Learning in Quarter 3: Students who will be returning as in-person learners for the first time will for come to RMS starting on Monday, February 8th (Grades 6 & 7) and Thursday, February 11 (Grade 8). THIS IS A CORRECTION FROM AN EARLIER MESSAGE THAT STATED THAT STUDENTS WOULD BEGIN ON 2/4. We will still be following a hybrid schedule (Grade 6: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; Grade 7: Monday and Tuesday; Grade 8: Thursday & Friday). If you did not complete the form that was sent out in December and are planning to have your child stay at home, please contact Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com).

• Grade 6 Students Coming to RMS for the First Time: Some Grade 6 students will be coming to RMS for the first time starting on February 8th. Teachers will be sharing information about any supplies that students may need, but for the most part, standard school supplies, like pens, pencils, notebooks, and a student's Chromebook will be sufficient. On Friday, February 5th there will be a meeting on Google Meets during the school day for 6th graders who are returning to RMS. We will be sure to provide information that students will need to make a smooth transition. Students will be able to ask questions and there will even be a virtual tour.

• In-person Learning to Include Wednesdays Starting 2/24: In-person learners in Grades 7 & 8 will be coming into RMS starting on February 24th. Grade 7 and Grade 8 will alternate every week. (Grade 6 students will not come in on Wednesdays.) Therefore, Grade 7 will come in on 2/24 and Grade 8 will come in on 3/3. Students and parents will be reminded.

• Black History Month: February is Black History Month and we will be featuring information in our morning announcements from guest speakers about the contributions on African-Americans to our great nation.

• RMS Clubs & Activities: Teachers have added a number of after-school clubs and activities that will begin in the coming weeks. Cooking Club, Contemporary Fiber Art Club, Animal Lovers Club , and Stop-Motion Animation Club are all in the works. Students can find sign-up information in their Grade Level Information Google Classrooms.

• RMS Basketball is Back: In the calendar at the top of the page are the RMS Boys and Girls Basketball games that will be held in February. Unfortunately, spectators will not be allowed in to watch the games, but we will be streaming the events on either Facebook Live or YouTube. More information will be made available soon.

• Survey Works: It’s time again for SurveyWorks, a survey that the Rhode Island Department of Education that measures school effectiveness. A link and access codes will be sent out this week via email to the parents and guardians of RMS students to complete the survey.

Spotlight on Scholarship

• From the ELA Department: As William Shakespeare once wrote, “All the world’s a stage.” This statement is certainly true in Ms. Potts' and Ms. French's 8th grade English classes as students read Frances Goodrich and Albert Hackett’s drama “The Diary of Anne Frank.” This play tells the true story of a young Jewish girl and her family who hid from the Nazis during the Holocaust. Students will undoubtedly find parallels between Anne’s experience living in hiding and their own as they navigate living in a pandemic. As students take on the roles of different characters to read aloud the play, we are reminded that even in these unprecedented times of distance learning, we can remember and learn from the past.

• From the Guidance Department: The RMS School Counseling Office has been working to implement the State Department's Prepare RI Initiative of Individual Learning Plans. The Individual Learning Plan or ILP, is a tool that students begin in sixth grade and continue with until high school graduation. The purpose is for students to have a voice and decision-making ability in their individual academic planning through the use of the platform Xello. Every quarter, the school counselors have been working diligently to ensure students are creating academic, career, and social emotional SMART goals as well as exploring potential career interests and participating in custom-made lessons for each grade level. As we are now in the month of January, eighth grade students will soon be able to choose their high school courses for their 9th grade year at EPHS. This includes a virtual tour of the Career Tech Center too! More information will be forthcoming, and updates will be made and communicated to the school community.

PTSA Information

• PTSA February Restaurant Night February 8th: Mark your calendar, the RMS PTSA is back with another Restaurant Night Fundraiser! Come to Miller's Roast Beef at 628 Warren Ave. in East Providence on Monday, February 8th 10:30 am - 9:30 pm. Mention Riverside Middle School or present the flyer on our Facebook page and 20% of food and beverage sales will go to the Riverside Middle School PTSA!

• PTSA Trivia Night: Thank you to the more-than 30 teams of families and staff members (and even Superintendent Crowley) who took part in our January PTSA Trivia Night. Congratulations to Jericho and family for ruling the game! Another fun event is in the works. If you won a prize and didn't provide your information, send an email to PTSA President, Jessica Beauchaine (jbeauchaine@epschoolsri.com).

Community Bulletin Board

• EP Jr. Townies: The EP Jr. Townies are holding sign-ups for Spring Flag Football. Check out a flyer here.

• PreKindergarten Registration: The Rhode Island Department of Education will be holding a lottery in early May 2021 for the East Providence PreKindergarten Program. Fill out a form to receive notification when the lottery opens for registration. Interested families should fill out the survey to receive such notification. If you have any further questions, please call 401-270-7571 or email eperez@epschoolsri.com. East Providence Pre-Kindergarten locations are at Oldham Elementary School, 60 Bart Drive 111 and Martin Middle School, 111 Brown Street.

Older Announcements

• National Junior Honor Society: Plans are in the works to welcome our next cohort of the National Junior Honor Society. Seventh graders who have maintained a 93 grade point average are eligible to apply for membership to this esteemed organization. Mr Kirkutis will be sharing information over the next few weeks about membership and upcoming informational meetings.

• All Course Network: The All Course Network (ACN) is a statewide course catalog (sponsored by the Rhode Island Department of Education) that lets students take free courses at colleges, schools, or online. Some of the courses available to middle school students are high school and college level and some are more for fun and to learn new skills. All of the courses are free to students and some can be used for high school and even college credit. This is a great opportunity for students to get ahead, to gain some new skills, and even have some fun. There are courses available for Kids in grades K-12. You can find the ACN course descriptions here, but you must register at the EnrollRI website.

January 17, 2021

Happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!

The quote on the image above says a lot about what keeps us moving forward at Riverside Middle School. In spite of all the difficulties around us, it is our hope that we will continue to help our kids develop their character in a positive way. Thank you to the students, educators, and families of Riverside Middle School who continue to push forward through this difficult time. Here are some details about the next few weeks at RMS.

Upcoming Events:

January 2021

• 18 Monday: MLK Jr. Day - No School

• 18 Monday: SurveyWorks Window Opens

• 21 Thursday: Molar Express (postponed)

• 25 Monday: Winter Spirit Week - Red & White Day

• 25 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 16 Tuesday: Winter Spirit Week - Tropical Tuesday

• 27 Wednesday: Winter Spirit Week - Pajama Day

• 27 Wednesday: Mentoring Session

• 27 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00 pm

• 28 Thursday: Winter Spirit Week - Throwback Thursday

• 28 Thursday: PTSA Meeting 6:00 pm

• 28 Thursday: PTSA Zoom Trivia Night 7:00-8:00 pm

• 29 Friday: Winter Spirit Week - Hat Day

• 29 Friday: Flash Friday Fundraiser for Special Olympics

Announcements:

• The Dean's List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • • 8th grader Liam W. has been a shining example of student excellence in math class this quarter. His teacher, Ms. Kenahan notes that Liam has completed all of his math work, participates in class frequently and is quick to assist others when they need help. Liam currently has all A’s and should be very proud of his accomplishments thus far!

    • 7th grade science teacher Mrs. Tarantelli nominated her student, Nathan C. for his generosity and character. Her class has been playing a review game in which the winners earn a Dunkin Donuts gift card. Nathan had won two days in a row and told Mrs. Tarantelli to donate his prize to the person in second place since he already won. She in fact did send the prize to the second place winner but also gave it to Nathan because of his kindness to his peers.

    • 6th grader Raven J. really stepped up and took the lead during Wednesday’s mentoring sessions. Raven was instrumental in helping her peers find the link to join their individual sessions. Raven was not afraid to speak up, turn her camera on and help staff connect with their students. The mentoring sessions are a great opportunity for students to build rapport with a staff member, share concerns, create SMART goals together and help students organize their classes and assignments.

    • Congratulations to 8th grader Angelo R., our Virtual Viking of the Week! Angelo was also nominated by Math Department Head, Ms. Kenahan for his excellent work ethic and leadership during his class Google Meets. Several teachers mention how Angelo is always the first to turn on his camera, say hello and participate frequently throughout class. Angelo’s leadership in class has been a shining example for his peers to follow.

• Winter Spirit Week: The RMS Student Council is looking to lift our spirits. They are sponsoring a Winter Spirit Week. Here are the themes for each day.

  • • 25 Monday Winter Spirit Week - Red & White Day

    • 26 Tuesday Winter Spirit Week - Tropical Tuesday

    • 27 Wednesday Winter Spirit Week - Pajama Day

    • 28 Thursday Winter Spirit Week - Throwback Thursday

    • 29 Friday Winter Spirit Week - Hat Day

• Returning to RMS for In-person Learning in Quarter 3: Earlier in the month, parents were asked to submit a form if they are planning to have their child be a distance learner in the third quarter (beginning February 4th). This needed to be done even if a student is already a distance learner. You did not need to complete the survey if you would like your child to be in-person for the second semester. Otherwise, we plan on seeing all students whose parents did not complete the form back at RMS beginning on 2/8 (Grade 6 & 7) and 2/11 (Grade 7). If you did not complete the form and are planning to have your child stay at home, please contact Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com).

• COVID Testing at RMS: Plans are underway to provide non-symptomatic COVID-19 testing using the BinaxNow test in the schools of East Providence. Over the next few weeks, a plan will be developed to allow for anyone at the school to take a self-administered test, with results in around 15 minutes. Here is a letter from Superintendent Crowley with more information. In the meantime, parents of students who are experiencing COVID related issues (such as student illness and COVID positive tests) are asked to send an email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com) and Nurse Wallace (dwallace@epschoolsri.com) so that any necessary contact tracing or adjustments can be done.

• PTSA Meeting: The RMS PTSA will meet on Thursday, January 28th at 6:00 pm. This meeting will take place before Trivia Night. Don't forget, you can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS.

• PTSA Restaurant Night: Mark your calendar, the Riverside Middle School PTSA has scheduled the January Restaurant Night for Thursday, December 21st. Order from Panera 4-8 PM, and support the RMS PTSA! Check out the event on Facebook. Print out or show a copy of the image shared in the FB event or use this flyer. If you are ordering online, use the code PRFUND.

• PTSA Trivia Night: The first PTSA Trivia Night was such a hit that we are going to do it again on January 28th 7:00-8:00 pm. This is an event for the whole family as we will have questions from many decades and topics! We will once again be using Kahoot and there will be plenty of prizes! Login information for the Zoom meeting will be sent out via email the day before the event.

• National Junior Honor Society: Plans are in the works to welcome our next cohort of the National Junior Honor Society. Seventh graders who have maintained a 93 grade point average are eligible to apply for membership to this esteemed organization. Mr Kirkutis will be sharing information over the next few weeks about membership and upcoming informational meetings.

• Photo & Stop Motion Animation: Mr. Morang will be offering a Photo & Stop Motion Animation after school enrichment beginning in March. A link to a sign-up form will be shared in the coming weeks.

• Survey Works: It’s time again for SurveyWorks, a survey that the Rhode Island Department of Education that measures school effectiveness. In the next few weeks, parents and guardians of RMS students will be asked to go to surveys.panoramaed.com/ride and complete the survey. A link will be shared with parents via email with login codes and any other needed information.

• All Course Network: The All Course Network (ACN) is a statewide course catalog (sponsored by the Rhode Island Department of Education) that lets students take free courses at colleges, schools, or online. Some of the courses available to middle school students are high school and college level and some are more for fun and to learn new skills. All of the courses are free to students and some can be used for high school and even college credit. This is a great opportunity for students to get ahead, to gain some new skills, and even have some fun. There are courses available for Kids in grades K-12. You can find the ACN course descriptions here, but you must register at the EnrollRI website.

January 3, 2021

Happy New Year!

It sure was nice to type 2021 in the date up above. To say the least, 2020 was a challenge, and even though we are certainly not out of the woods yet, we are hopeful that there will be more sunshine in the new year. With the arrival of Period 1 on Monday January 4th, we are back to the business of teaching and learning at RMS. As we have done all year, we are rolling up our sleeves and moving on. Thank you for helping to keep our Viking ship moving forward! Here are some details about the coming weeks at RMS.

Upcoming Events:

January 2021

• 8 Friday: Principal’s Coffee Hour 9:00 am

• 12 Tuesday: i-Ready Testing (ELA)

• 13 Wednesday: Mentoring Session

• 13 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00 pm

• 14 Thursday: i-Ready Testing (Math)

• 18 Monday: MLK Jr. Day - No School

• 18 Monday: SurveyWorks Window Opens

• 21 Thursday: Molar Express

• 25 Monday - 29 Friday: Winter Spirit Week

• 25 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 27 Wednesday: Mentoring Session

• 27 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00 pm

• 28 Thursday: PTSA Meeting 6:00 pm

• 28 Thursday: PTSA Zoom Trivia Night 7:00-8:00 pm

• 29 Friday: Flash Friday Fundraiser for Special Olympics

Announcements:

• Returning to RMS for In-person Learning: We are scheduled to return to our hybrid learning schedule on Monday, January 11th. That means that the students who are in-person learners will be coming back to RMS (Grade 6: Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday; Grade 7: Monday & Tuesday; Grade 8: Thursday & Friday). In the event that there is a change to this plan, a message will be sent out by Superintendent Crowley.

• 2nd Semester Distance Learning Requests: In preparation for the second semester, the East Providence School Department is requesting that you fill out a survey if you plan to have your child(ren) take part in distance learning for the second semester. The survey will close on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. You do not need to complete the survey if you would like your child to be in-person for the second semester. If the survey is not completed your student will be assigned to in-person learning. Requests made after January 6th are not guaranteed. EPSD Distance Learning Request- 2nd Semester

• Principal's Coffee Hour: It's time again for parents to meet with Mr. Salgueiro and Mr. Perry for an informal conversation about things that are happening at RMS. On Friday, January 8 at 9:00 am, we will meet via Zoom for around an hour. Information about how to login to the Zoom meeting will be sent in an email on Thursday.

• Mentoring Sessions: Our next mentoring session will take place on Wednesday, January 13th. All students will have an opportunity to meet one-on-one with their mentor teacher to discuss their progress and to monitor educational goals. On the mentoring session days (all mentoring sessions will take place on Screen-lite Wednesdays), students will be working independently on assignments left by their teachers. (This is because teachers will be meeting with individual students.)

• PTSA Meeting: The RMS PTSA will meet on Thursday, January 28th at 6:00 pm. This meeting will take place before Trivia Night

• PTSA Restaurant Night Rescheduled: Mark your calendar, the Riverside Middle School PTSA has scheduled the January Restaurant Night for Thursday, January 21st. Order from Panera 4-8 PM, and support the RMS PTSA! Check out the event on Facebook. Print out or show a copy of the image shared in the FB event. If you are ordering online, use the code PRFUND.

• PTSA Trivia Night: The first PTSA Trivia Night was such a hit that we are going to do it again on January 28th 7:00-8:00 pm. This is an event for the whole family as we will have questions from many decades and topics! We will once again be using Kahoot and there will be plenty of prizes! Login information for the Zoom meeting will be sent out

• iReady Mid-year Assessments: On Tuesday, January 14 and Thursday, January 16, students will take the iReady mid-year assessment. iReady is one of the the tools that we use to determine the math and English language competency of our students. As many of our students will be taking the assessment from home, we are requesting parents to help us prepare by reminding kids to work as hard as they can to complete the task and to the best of their ability. Check out the iReady Family Center for more information and support documents.

• Winter Spirit Week: The RMS Student Council is planning our first Winter Spirit Week, which will take place January 25-29. Details will be made available during the morning announcements about the themes of the week.

• The Dean's List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

Older Announcements:

• COVID Issues: Parents of students who are experiencing COVID related issues (such as student illness and COVID tests) are asked to send an email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com) and Nurse Wallace (dwallace@epschoolsri.com) so that any necessary contact tracing or adjustments can be done.

• Join the RMS PTSA: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS.

• An Important Message About Identity Theft: The Rhode Island Education Operations Center shared this important message about identity theft issues related to students. Identity theft, or fraud, is a crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another individual's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. Recently, a Rhode Island minor was a victim of identity theft after receiving positive COVID-19 results and relaying personal information during a phone conversation with a scammer posing as a contact tracer with the RI Department of Health. Besides your date of birth, The RI Department of Health will never require you provide any other personal identifying information that could cause fraud or deception. As the holidays draw near, please stay vigilant to ensure your personal information remains safe.

December 6, 2020

We made it to the Holidays!

The week before our Holiday vacation is finally here. There are so many things that we could talk about as we get ready for a well-earned break. Usually at the end of December, we review the year and reflect upon our successes and challenges. This year, perhaps we should just focus on the future! However, that might imply that everything was negative this year. So let's just say that we have stuck together as a school community and we learned a lot about how to exist in the in-person and distance learning environments. We will use these lessons to create an even better experience for our kids in 2021. We will get past any difficulties and move on!

On behalf of Mr. Salgueiro, Mr. Petsch, Officer Tammy, and the Faculty & Staff of Riverside Middle School, I wish you a most joyous Holiday Season, best wishes for the New Year, and good health for you and your family. Thank you for being a part of the Riverside Middle School Family. Here are some details about things that are happening at RMS.

Upcoming Events:

December 2020

• 24-January 1 Wed-Fri: Holiday Recess

January 2021

• 8 Friday: Principal’s Coffee Hour

• 12 Tuesday: i-Ready Testing (ELA)

• 13 Wednesday: Mentoring Session

• 13 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00

• 14 Thursday: i-Ready Testing (Math)

• 18 Monday: MLK Jr. Day - No School

• 18 Monday: SurveyWorks Window Opens

• 21 Thursday: Molar Express

• 25 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 27 Wednesday: Mentoring Session

• 27 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Meeting 1:00-2:00

• 29 Friday: Flash Friday Fundraiser for Special Olympics

Announcements:

• Distance Learning Dates Amended: Per the recommendation of the Department of Health, the East Providence Schools will continue virtual learning through the first week of January and reopen for our in-person learners on January 11, 2021. Read the letter from Superintendent Crowley, here.

• 2nd Semester Distance Learning Requests: In preparation for the second semester, the East Providence School Department is requesting that you fill out a survey if you plan to have your child(ren) take part in distance learning for the second semester. The survey will close on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. You do not need to complete the survey if you would like your child to be in-person for the second semester. If the survey is not completed your student will be assigned to in-person learning. Requests made after January 6th are not guaranteed. EPSD Distance Learning Request- 2nd Semester

• Mentoring Sessions: Last Wednesday, students had an opportunity to meet one-on-one with a teacher to discuss their progress and to make educational goals. All mentoring sessions will take place on Screen-lite Wednesdays, once or twice per month. The next session is on January 13th.

• Chromebook Swap-out: On December 21-23 9am-3pm, there will be a no-contact pick-up at the Martin Middle main entrance vestibule for students who are having an issue with their school-supplied Chromebook. A student or family member can swap out a problematic can swap out a Chromebook and pick up a replacement.

• PTSA Restaurant Night Rescheduled: Mark your calendar, the Riverside Middle School PTSA has scheduled the January Restaurant Night for Thursday, December 21st. Order from Panera 4-8 PM, and support the RMS PTSA! Check out the event on Facebook. Print out or show a copy of the image shared in the FB event. If you are ordering online, use the code PRFUND.

• PTSA Trivia Night: The first PTSA Trivia Night was such a hit that we are going to do it again in January. We will once again be using Kahoot and there will be plenty of prizes! Keep an eye out for the date and time in the next RMS Family Bulletin.

• Community Service Award: The Prudential Spirit of Community Award recognizes one middle level school student from every state in the nation as state honorees with a $1,000 scholarship, plus others with Distinguished Service awards. Send an email to Mr. Perry for information if you or a student you know has made a difference in our community. The deadline isn December 22nd.

• EP Wins an Award for Work on the New EPHS: the City of East Providence was selected to receive a new annual award called The General Treasurer’s Distinguished Service Award. It celebrates champions who have provided extraordinary support to Treasury and our various programs. East Providence was selected for “Distinguished Service for Leadership on School Construction and Green Infrastructure”.

• The Dean's List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • Mr. Kirkutis nominated our Librarian, Mrs. Ash for Scholarship this week. “The morning announcements are amazing,” Mr. K. writes. Mrs. Ash coordinates the student speaking roles, slide illustrations, and she did a wonderful job filming Santa Claus during the live meet this past week. Our homeroom looks forward to the morning announcements every day because of the 'behind the scenes' efforts of Mrs. Ash. Thank you to our Vtv students Isabel, Jacob, John, Luke, and Hope.

  • Virtual Viking of the Week: Seventh grade science teacher and Department Head, Mrs. Tarantelli, would like to recognize and nominate Madison Pilon. Madison takes an active role in class and is in charge of taking attendance during the meet. She also takes a leadership role in class each day by volunteering to present her screen when we are going over assignments. She realizes that you don't always have to have the right answer and takes chances. Madison is an excellent role model to her peers. As a result of all of her efforts, Madison’s grades have all improved and she is having an outstanding 2nd Quarter

  • We would also like to recognize Mr. Kirkutis for leading and mentoring our National Junior Honor Society students. This past week, the NJHS held elections to pick this year’s slate of officers. Here are the results:

    • Co-Presidents: Kloey Iacovone and Abigail Leddy

    • Vice-President: Isabel Tavares

    • Secretary: Brian Rutkowski

    • Treasurer: Luke Grimley

    • Parliamentarian: John Vaughn

Older Announcements:

• COVID Issues: Parents of students who are experiencing COVID related issues (such as student illness and COVID tests) are asked to send an email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com) and Nurse Wallace (dwallace@epschoolsri.com) so that any necessary contact tracing or adjustments can be done.

• Join the RMS PTSA: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS.

• An Important Message About Identity Theft: The Rhode Island Education Operations Center shared this important message about identity theft issues related to students. Identity theft, or fraud, is a crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another individual's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. Recently, a Rhode Island minor was a victim of identity theft after receiving positive COVID-19 results and relaying personal information during a phone conversation with a scammer posing as a contact tracer with the RI Department of Health. Besides your date of birth, The RI Department of Health will never require you provide any other personal identifying information that could cause fraud or deception. As the holidays draw near, please stay vigilant to ensure your personal information remains safe.

December 6, 2020

We are learning more and more every day

As we approach winter with shorter days and the holiday season in full swing, we are not letting up on teaching and learning. We learned a lot in the first quarter about working in the hybrid learning environment. We have had some successes as a number of students made the Honor Roll for the 1st Quarter. For others, the distance learning experience has been a real challenge. This week, we will have parent-teacher conferences - a step toward getting all students what they need to be successful. As always, students and parents are encouraged to reach out to teachers and guidance counselors for support as this is a new experience for everyone and we are learning together how to make it work for our kids. Here are some details about things the are happening at RMS in the coming weeks.

Upcoming Events:

December 2020

• 8 Tuesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00 pm-7:00 pm

• 9 Wednesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 8:30 am-2:30 pm

• 11 Friday: Virtual RMS Holiday Concert (on Facebook Live)

• 14 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 15 Tuesday: School Improvement Team 2:30 pm

• 18 Friday: Ugly Holiday Sweater Fundraiser

• 24-January 1 Wed-Fri: Holiday Recess

Announcements:

• COVID Issues: Parents of students who are experiencing COVID related issues (such as student illness and COVID tests) are asked to send an email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com) and Nurse Wallace (dwallace@epschoolsri.com) so that any necessary contact tracing or adjustments can be done.

• Parent-Teacher Conferences: Parent-Teacher conferences will take place via Google Meet on Tuesday, December 8 (5:00-7:00 pm) and Wednesday, December 9 (8:30 am-2:30 pm). Parents must sign up for a time slot on Google Calendars provided by teachers. (Here is the link to teachers' calendars.)Parents will need a Google account to sign up and login to a Google Meet. The links are below. If you are unable to schedule an appointment, email teachers directly or guidance counselors Mr. Pond (Grade 6 & 7) or Dr. Calabro-Pepin (Grade 8).

• 2nd Semester Distance Learning Requests: In preparation for the second semester, the East Providence School Department is requesting that you fill out a survey if you plan to have your child(ren) take part in distance learning for the second semester. The survey will close on Wednesday, January 6, 2021. You do not need to complete the survey if you would like your child to be in-person for the second semester. If the survey is not completed your student will be assigned to in-person learning. Requests made after January 6th are not guaranteed. EPSD Distance Learning Request- 2nd Semester

• Professional Development Day: Monday, December 14th will be a Professional Development Day for all East Providence Schools. Students will login to their Google Classrooms and complete assignments left by their teachers.

• Report Cards: Quarter 1 Report Cards are now available on Skyward. The report cards can be found in the Portfolio section of Skyward. (Here are some directions if you have trouble finding the Portfolio section). If you have any questions or concerns, please contact teachers via email. The email directory can be found on the RMS Family Bulletin.

• PTSA December Restaurant Night: The Riverside Middle School PTSA is back with another Restaurant Night. On Thursday, December 17th, order from Panera and support the RMS PTSA! Check out the event on Facebook. Print out or show a copy of the image shared in the FB event. If you are ordering online, use the code PRFUND.

• Join the RMS PTSA: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS.

• An Important Message About Identity Theft: The Rhode Island Education Operations Center shared this important message about identity theft issues related to students. Identity theft, or fraud, is a crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another individual's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. Recently, a Rhode Island minor was a victim of identity theft after receiving positive COVID-19 results and relaying personal information during a phone conversation with a scammer posing as a contact tracer with the RI Department of Health. Besides your date of birth, The RI Department of Health will never require you provide any other personal identifying information that could cause fraud or deception. As the holidays draw near, please stay vigilant to ensure your personal information remains safe.

• Distance Learning Requests: Parents and students are reminded that requests for in-person students to switch to full-time distance learning must be made via email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com).

• SEL Activities for Townie Families: The East Providence Schools recognize the challenges so many of us are facing. Here are some activities that attend to the social and emotional health of our students and families. This month's activities include a countdown to Holidays and Winter Break.

• The Deans' List: Riverside Middle School's Dean of Students, Mr. Petsch updates the Dean's List on Motivational Mondays with information about the amazing efforts of RMS students, faculty, staff and families. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com.

  • Scholarly Sisters: Congratulations to 6th and 8th grade siblings, Maisie and Dylan F. who both achieved high honors for the first quarter. In fact, the girls had eight perfect 100’s between the two of them! Dylan was just inducted into Riverside’s chapter of the National Junior Honor Society (NJHS) this past Wednesday. Teachers accredit the girls’ success to their hard work, participation, zero missing assignments and an overall positive attitude and willingness to help others. Outside of the classroom, the girls also stay involved by participating in lacrosse, cross country, track and student council.

  • Amazing Artists: Ms. Gustafson would love to recognize Kyra D., Aliyah E, Seth G., Sophia S., Anthony (Max) C., Raphael F., and Isaiah B. for always volunteering to showcase their artwork on camera to the rest of their class. These students also allow Ms. Gustafson to give them feedback in front of the class to help push their artwork further. Not only does this help them, but it also helps the rest of their fellow artists in class to reflect on their artwork, too!

  • Virtual Vikings of the Week: Seventh grade science teacher and Department Head, Mrs. Tarantelli, has nominated her student Kyra D. for her outstanding effort and attitude in class. Kyra makes an extra effort each day to say hello and frequently volunteers in class. She turns her camera on when speaking to her teachers and peers and had an outstanding first quarter by achieving first honors! All of her teachers say that Kyra is an outstanding young lady and a pleasure to have virtually in class! Department Coordinator, Mrs. Hammons, recognizes Jaeden Y. for being an exemplary distance learning student in her English class. Jaeden participates frequently, collaborates with others, and communicates proactively with questions. He works on assignments early to receive feedback in order to improve and revise before turning in on the due date. He is always willing to work to support his peers and teachers when they need help. Keep up the great work, Jaeden!

• Quarter 1 Honors Announced: Here is the announcement that will be published in local publications. Dr. Robert Perry, Principal of Riverside Middle School and Mr. Glen Salgueiro, Assistant Principal, are pleased to announce the Honor Roll for Quarter 1 of the 2020-2021 school year.

SUMMA CUM LAUDE (All A’s)

Grade 6: Trey Abdullah, Sofia Aguiar, Logan Amaral, Jayden Alford, Jamie Andrews, Anirudh Bandlamudi, Layla Bates, Kaylee Barros, Aidan Brasil, Tayven Cabral, Avery Butler, Kloe Carrillo, Victoria Carreiro, Sabastian Castro-Manfredi, Avyana Conti, Sophie Elmera, Gianna Escobar, Gabriella Evora, Jayden Fernandez, Kingston Ferreira, Maisie Flynn, Jaylah Freeman, Ava Gagne, Ty Goncalves, Aurora Hofstetter, Raven Johnston, Aedan Komiega, Ella Lowell, Mary Maciel, Lindsay Maratto, Kylie Martins, Joshua Mello, Lacy Mendoza, Abigail Mendo, Cyrus Morse, Joshua Oliveira, Liam Olson, Caelan Oliver, Sydney Olson, Layla Palazzi, Eliana Perez, Ethan Pereira, Andrew Pezzullo, Shelby Quinn, Alexandra Rajaratnam, Abigail Raphael, Amelia Reis, Kiya Richardson, Owen Richards, Melany Sotomayor, Jacob Stover, Joseph Tavares, Veronica Thomas, Faith Viau, Angelina Veiga, Milie Whalen

Grade 7: Isaiah Barden, Monica Cabral, Anthony Carroll, Julius Cortes, Kyra Diorio, Abigail Ellison, Raphael Ferreira, Kylee Fournier, Hope Moran, Daniella Paixao, Victoria Patricio, Alexis Rego, Joel Rivera, Payton Rutkowski, Sophia Santos, Laila Sarkis, Brady Silva, Liana Soares, Isabella Williams

Grade 8: Ferhat Akdemir, Tyler Almeida, Jayla Azulay, Liam Blinn, Jorge Bonilla Morales, Michael Bullock, Jonathin Cramer, Selena DaSilva, Annebelle Eisel, Dylan Flynn, Luke Grimley, Breena Hannon, Kloey Iacavone, Ariana Ingram, Abigail Leddy, Jacob Liberatore, Thomas Newman, Kathryn Patalano, Adriana Perry, Mackenzie Pimentel, Liliana Rocha, Brian Rutkowski, Isabel Tavares, Nolan Travassos, Jazmine Valdez, John Vaughn, Liam Wadsworth-St.Pierre

MAGNA CUM LAUDE (All A’s and B’s)

Grade 6: Elska Alario, Fatma Akdemir, Joseph Branco, Nasja Caniff, Travis Carlucci, Joseph Chabot, David Costa-Rado, Alexia Dacosta, Kiany Duarte, Jayden Fernandez, Jalyn Ganley, Mia Garrido Peguero, Mia Gomes, Na'qiel Gooden, Jada Gore Henderson, Zarae Hall, Aydin Heady, Quintin Johnson, Angel Kimball, Cameron Kureck, Kamryn Lindsey, Logan Moakler, Ava Nascimento, Samuel Nichols, Maygan Pimentel, Charles Richards, Arayanna Resende, Yariel Saure Caraballo, Jalyssa Silva, Benjamin Sousa, Marisa Thornber, Sophia Vieira, Jah'zir Watts, John Wooten

Grade 7: Anthony Amerantes, Aalina Amoros, Noah Araujo, Paul Bower, Emma Callahan, Mathew Capaldo, Nathan CarterJoseph Costa, Isaiah Costa-Rado, Benjamin Davidson, Kyle Desrosiers, Tyri Donald, Amya Ellis, Aubrey Facteau, Julia Ferreira, Jake Fournier, William Gillheeney, Ryan Gillis, Seth Guertin, Alexa Lamothe, Daniel Lukusa, Elijah McNair, Ava Mello-Vieira, Annabelle Moore, Keira Mullen, Brayden Orellana, Lucas Pacheco, Troy Pacheco, Corbin Proulx, Jazlyn Rodrigues, Brandon Soares, Jayden Strom, Sidney Valles Perry

Grade 8: Katherine Almeida, Marin Bessette-Warwick, Steven Bruni, Miley Caetano, Alanah Cardoso, Donovan Dos Reis, Lidiane Dos Santos, Olivia Dufresne, Amariah Ede, Aden Fleck, Skyller King Garcia, Seth Garrett, Nilufer Ibis, Thalia Lima, Thomas Lonergan, Emma McCoy, Tyler McLaughlin, Jade Mejia-Troche, Noah Nevitt, Connor Pereira, Nazarae Phillip, Jonathan Raposo, Kai Reed, Evan Resende, Angelo Rodriguez, Charlotte Santos, Hannah Silveira, Ava Soares, Ryan Ward, Ava Williams

November 22, 2020

One quarter down, three to go

Well, we managed to get this far! Last Thursday, we started the second quarter and most students met their new teachers. As we approach our first extended break of the year for Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful for. Despite the hardships that we are experiencing, and three seasons of uncertainty, we are holding together as a school community. Without question, we can always do even more to provide the education of our kids, but we are doing a pretty good job of it. On behalf of the faculty and staff or Riverside Middle School, I wish you good health and thanks for trusting us with the children of Riverside Middle School. Here are some details about some of the things that are happening at RMS.

Upcoming Events:

November 2020

• 23 Monday: PTSA Meeting (postponed)

• 25-27 Wed-Fri: Thanksgiving Recess

• 23 - Dec 4: Scholastic Book Fair

December 2020

• 2 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Induction

• 3 Thursday: Report cards available in Skyward

• 8 Tuesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm

• 9 Wednesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 8:30 am-2:30 pm

• 14 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 15 Tuesday: School Improvement Team 2:30 pm

• 18 Friday: Ugly Holiday Sweater Fundraiser

• 24-January 1 Wed-Fri: Holiday Recess

• 23 - Dec 4: Scholastic Book Fair

Announcements:

• Distance Learning for All Students on Monday & Tuesday: Superintendent Crowley announced last week that all school buildings in East Providence will be closed on Monday and Tuesday, November 23 & 24. Students will login for distance learning. Students should join their classes starting at 7:45 am like any distance learning day.

• Report Cards: Like last year, report cards will be available in Skyward for parents to view. They will be available on Thursday, December 3rd. However, don't forget that you can always find grade and assignment information on Skyward.

• Distance Learning Requests: Parents and students are reminded that requests for in-person students to switch to full-time distance learning must be made via email to Mr. Perry (rperry@epschoolsri.com).

• PTSA Thanks: The RMS PTSA would like to thank everyone who supported the Restaurant Night fundraiser last Thursday and everyone who made it to RMS PTSA Trivia Night. It was so much fun that we will be doing it again soon! Keep an eye out for an invitation.

• Join the RMS PTSA: You can now register for the RMS PTSA on an easy to use website. If you prefer, here is a link to the RMS PTSA membership form that you can print out and send back to RMS.

• PTSA Meeting Postponed: The November 23rd PTSA meeting is postponed to a date TBA.

• Parent-Teacher Conferences: On Tuesday, December 8 (5:00-8:00 pm) and Wednesday, December 9 (8:30 am-2:30 pm), we will hold Parent-Teacher Conferences via Google Meet. Teachers will share a calendar that parents can use to schedule a time slot. In order to do this, A PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS TO HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT. Please create a Google account if you do not already have one. Calendars and appointment slots will be shared by teachers in the coming week.

• A Note about Busses: The Transportation Department would like to remind everyone that students taking busses must adhere to their bus assignments. If they miss their bus, they can not take another bus, nor can they take busses to friends' houses or other locations.

Older Announcements:

• A note about Chromebook Security: Students have been reminded that the content they view on school-issued Chromebooks is monitored - even at home. Alerts are sent to the school when inappropriate material is viewed and parents will be contacted. Parents are asked to please remind students of the importance of digital security and the appropriate use of the internet.

• EPHS Commemorative Brick Fundraiser: Friends of Townie Athletics is sponsoring a Commemorative Brick Fundraiser. You can personalize an engraved brick to be placed at the new EPHS. Click here for the order form and more information or you can order online at http://4everbricks.com/donors/FTA/.

November 8, 2020

We are marching toward another milestone

Over the past nine months, it seems like every week we hit new milestones - some positive and some negative - that affect our lives in profound ways. At RMS, we are focusing on safety and learning more each day about how to keep everyone engaged in education. It hasn't been easy, but we are figuring it out. With another milestone behind us, we will be turning our attention to the end of the first quarter. Unlike last year during distance learning, when students received grades of either 60, 80, or 100, this year, we are using a traditional grading system. It's important that students and parents log into Skyward and keep an eye on grades and assignments and keep on top of student progress. Contact teachers via email with questions or concerns! Here is some information about things happening over the next few weeks.

Upcoming Events:

November 2020

• 10 Tuesday: Veteran’s Day Event (Grade 8)

• 11 Wednesday: Veterans Day No School

• 16 Monday: Professional Development Day

  • 16-20: NJHS Interviews

• 17 Tuesday: Quarter 1 Grades Close

• 18 Wednesday: Quarter 2 Begins

• 19 Thursday: PTSA Restaurant Night 3:00-8:00 pm

• 19 Thursday: PTSA Virtual Trivia Night 7:00-8:00 pm

• 25-27 Wed-Fri: Thanksgiving Recess

• 23 - Dec 4: Scholastic Book Fair

December 2020

• 2 Wednesday: National Junior Honor Society Induction

• 3 Thursday: Report cards available in Skyward

• 8 Tuesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 5:00-8:00 pm

• 9 Wednesday: Parent Teacher Conferences 8:30 am-2:30 pm

• 14 Monday: Professional Development Day

• 15 Tuesday: School Improvement Team 2:30 pm

• 18 Friday: Ugly Holiday Sweater Fundraiser

• 24-January 1 Wed-Fri: Holiday Recess

• 23 - Dec 4: Scholastic Book Fair

Announcements:

• The Dean's List: Each week, Mr. Petsch is pleased to recognize the awesome contributions to our school by students, staff member, and even parents. If you would like to nominate someone for outstanding efforts in scholarship, character, service, leadership, or citizenship, send an email to bpetsch@epschoolsri.com. Here are some recent recipients.

  • Seventh grade math teacher, Ms. Kelley would like to recognize two students this week: Isaiah B. and Samira D.. "Isaiah is a very bright and motivated student. He completes all of his work on time and always goes above and beyond with each of his math assignments. With a 100 on our first quiz of the year, he currently has a 99 average in math. Isaiah works very hard on a daily basis, has excellent participation in class and is always fully engaged in every activity. Samira is a very caring individual who always responds when I ask a question and never hesitates to ask me how I am doing at the beginning of every meet. She is respectful to all other students in our Google Meets at all times and sets a great example with her attitude and participation in class!"

  • Literacy teacher, Ms. Foster would also like to give a shout out to two of her students who have stood out for their participation - Christian G. and Malachi L.. "Both have done a fantastic job keeping up with their assignments and are among the few students who are not afraid to unmute and participate in class regularly. When Ms. Foster creates breakout rooms, Christian and Malachi are 100% on task and respectful to everyone. Ms. Foster shares that this isn't an easy year, but students like them make it better!"

  • PE teacher Mr. Mello was impressed by the work and effort of his period three students. "As a class project, Brenna A., Kendrick C., Xavier V. and Emmanuel T. each created informational social media flyers as one of their class projects."

  • Mr. Maguire would like to recognize the 8th grade band students, both in-person and distance learners, for their preparation and performance at our Virtual Halloween Concert last week. Not only was the concert virtual, but it was also Riverside's first Halloween Concert ever! If you haven't caught the performance already, check out facebook.com/RiversideBandz to see it and other past performances.

  • Mr. Petsch is pleased to announce the Virtual Viking of the Week! Even as a full-distance learner, 8th grader, Kloey I. manages to stay involved and connected to RMS! With all high A’s, Kloey can always be seen with her camera on participating in each class. She also participated in every Spirit Day and despite being virtual, still managed to get involved with Socktober by donating 60 pairs of socks for her pod in room 219. Stepping up as a leader, Kloey is a student member on our School Improvement Team and a huge advocate and voice for the students of RMS. Congratulations, Kloey, for being our first Virtual Viking of the Week!

  • Seventh grade science teacher Mrs. Tarantelli would like to recognize one of her hybrid-learning students, Raphael F.. Mrs. Tarantelli reports that Raphael always volunteers in class and offers to present his screen whenever she asks for a volunteer. Both a gentleman and a scholar-athlete...Raph is always polite and courteous to his teachers, is currently achieving high 90’s in all of his classes and last year made the RMS Soccer Team as a 6th grader. Keep up the good work, Raphael!

  • Tech. Ed teacher, Mrs. Nelson, reports that Alisha R. has persevered through these difficult times and has worked even harder as a result. She has kept up with all of her assignments and participates in class with a positive spirit each day. Alisha helps out with our student council and was even Mrs. Nelson’s “Virtual Twin” during our Spirit Week. Alisha’s character has been an inspiration and example to her peers by showing that even when the going gets tough, the tough keep on going!

• PTSA Restaurant Night: The RMS PTSA is back with another Restaurant Night fundraiser Thursday, November 19, 2020 at 3:00 PM – 8:00 PM! Make a purchase at either East providence Subway location - 1086 Willett Ave. or 617 Warren Ave. - and the RMS PTSA will receive 20% of the proceeds! Bring your phone and show the Facebook event page or print out a copy of the flyer on the FB page.

• PTSA Virtual Trivia Night: On Thursday, November 19 (the same as the Subway fundraiser), the RMS PTSA will hold Virtual Trivia Night on Zoom. Mr. Perry and Mr. Salgueiro and members of the RMS PTSA Board will hold a fun contest using Kahoot (a favorite of students at RMS) 7:00-8:00 pm. There will be prizes and an opportunity to have some fun while supporting the RMS PTSA! A link to the Zoom event will be sent out as we get closer to the event.

• PTSA December Meeting and new officers: The RMS PTSA will meet on Monday, November 23rd at 6:30 pm via Zoom. Congratulations to the new officers. They are as follows:

  • • President: Jessica Beauchaine

    • Vice President: Shawna Evans

    • Vice President: Tabitha Martins

    • Secretary: Kelly Iacavone

    • Treasurer: Michelle Sousa

• Parent-Teacher Conferences: On Tuesday, December 8 (5:00-8:00 pm) and Wednesday, December 9 (8:30 am-2:30 pm), we will hold Parent-Teacher Conferences via Google Meet. Teachers will share a calendar that parents can use to schedule a time slot. In order to do this, A PARENT OR GUARDIAN HAS TO HAVE A GOOGLE ACCOUNT. Please create a Google account if you do not already have one. More information will be shared next week.

• Seeking an RMS SIT Team Parent Member: The form for a parent to indicate they would like to serve as a member of the RMS School Improvement Team is still open. If you would like to be considered to be a member of RMS SIT team, please submit your name and statement by Tuesday, November 10th . Voting will follow.

• A note about Chromebook Security: Students have been reminded that the content they view on school-issued Chromebooks is monitored - even at home. Alerts are sent to the school when inappropriate material is viewed and parents will be contacted. Parents are asked to please remind students of the importance of digital security and the appropriate use of the internet.

• EPHS Commemorative Brick Fundraiser: Friends of Townie Athletics is sponsoring a Commemorative Brick Fundraiser. You can personalize an engraved brick to be placed at the new EPHS. Click here for the order form and more information or you can order online at http://4everbricks.com/donors/FTA/.

• Updated Information on COVID and Travel: Here is a message from Superintendent, Kathryn Crowley regarding travel at the holidays.

With the upcoming Thanksgiving Break right around the corner, I write to remind you of the current RIDOH rules concerning out of state travel and quarantine requirements when you return to our state. Based on RIDOH requirements if you are a Rhode Island resident who has been in one of these states with a COVID-19 positivity rate higher than 5%, you must quarantine for 14 days and self-monitor for symptoms.

• • • As an exception, you may provide proof of a negative test for COVID-19 that was taken within the 72 hours prior to arrival in Rhode Island. Quarantining for 14 days is always preferred over relying on a negative test result as quarantining is the best way to limit the possibility of spreading COVID-19.

    • If you are a returning Rhode Island resident, you can self-schedule an asymptomatic test at a community-based testing location listed below or through portal.ri.gov. Returning residents who schedule an appointment through portal.ri.gov will not be billed for asymptomatic testing.

    • It might take several days to receive test results . You must quarantine while waiting for a negative test result.

    • If you receive a test during your quarantine in Rhode Island and get a negative result, you can stop quarantining. However, you still need to self-monitor for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days, wear a mask any time you’re near people who don’t live with you, and follow physical distancing guidelines.

    • If you return to Rhode Island and begin to experience symptoms of COVID-19, contact your primary care provider or a Respiratory Clinic to schedule a test.

These rules apply to you and any member of your family who travel with you.

As the pandemic worsens, we can expect our Governor to place additional restrictions on us. So, before you make travel plans and as soon as you return to our state please review the most up to date information as well as answers to questions by accessing https://health.ri.gov/covid/travel/ .

Older Announcements:

• COVID-19 Information for Families: Here is a link to a document from the Reopening RI Plan that explains what happens if my child has symptoms at home or gets sick in school. The document answers a number of questions related to the current health crisis.

• Distance Learning Expectations: Here are some reminders for families about our as we do our best to support the students of East Providence with online instructional opportunities.

• Students are expected to be online during scheduled classes and on time to class.

• Parents/guardians should be mindful about what family activities would potentially be heard/seen during the students’ use of video conferencing. This is a great tool to keep students connected, but please have your students use these tools somewhere near enough to monitor, yet private enough to concentrate on their work.

• Please have students dress appropriately when video conferencing and make sure that there are no distracting materials or backgrounds.

• Students/parents/guardians, should not take photos, screenshots, or record any video or audio from these class sessions. This is a violation of our EAST PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

• The tools we use are vetted by our faculty and administrators for data privacy and safety. We will be adding new tools as needed and are mindful of the important aspect of keeping students and student data safe.

• Students should be using a district-issued Chromebook. If you do not have one please contact the school office.

• Please have Chromebooks charged and secured somewhere safe during sleeping hours. Go Guardian is installed on all district computers and monitors use on district devices at all times.

• If the assigned Chromebook is not working properly (broken keyboard, microphone, etc.) please report it immediately to the school so it can be exchanged for a functioning device.

• Parents/guardians should refrain from talking with the teacher during a Google Meet. Appointments may be scheduled for non-academic hours with your child’s teacher.

• Lastly, the same rules of conduct and behavior will apply when a student is online as apply in the classroom. If you have questions or concerns about your student’s use of online tools, please contact your school Principal. If you are experiencing technical issues please contact our IT Team at 401 383-2224 x4323. We appreciate your support during this challenging time and we are working very hard to keep our students engaged and supported.Emergency Information (updated): Thank you to the parents and guardians who took the time to update emergency information. We just received word that parents now have the ability to update emergency contacts themselves in Skyward. If you don't want to wait for it to be updated by the RMS secretaries, you can Login to your Skyward account and follow these directions and make the changes yourself. It is a good idea to check a student's emergency contacts every year as relationships sometimes change and addresses and phone numbers are updated.

• SMILES Dental Services: East Bay Smiles is a school based dental program that provides dental services to students. Click here for a brochure about the program and click here for questions and answers about the program. If you have any other questions about the Smiles Program, call (401) 848-6697 X103 or e-mail kduran@ebcap.org.

• Dismissal Procedure (updated): A parent or guardian who would like to dismiss an in-person student during the day is asked to send an email to rmsattendance@epschoolsri.com. The message will be directed to one of the main office secretaries who will handle the dismissal. Parents are reminded that the person dismissing the student must be on the emergency pick-up list (in Skyward) and must show a valid ID.

• Applying for Free and Reduced Lunch and Lunch Pick up: It is easy and convenient to fill out the form for free and reduced lunches. The form can be found on the MySchoolApps site and only takes a few minutes to complete! Also, remember that lLunches are available for all students doing distance learning. Parents will need to fill out this form to be able to pick up lunches after this week. All children in the house 18 and under can receive a free lunch. Meals can be picked up at any site.

• Return your books from last year! We are still missing some books that students had last school year. Students are asked to please return books to their Period 1 teacher. Students who do not return books may be charged for the item and it carries through high school.

• Morning Announcements Online: Here is a link to the morning announcements that are presented to students each morning at 7:50 am. These announcements are updated frequently, so check often.

October 25, 2020

We are working to keep everyone engaged

Now that we have our routines down and we are getting accustomed to our schedule, it's time to focus on keeping everyone engaged. During our Professional Development Day last Monday, RMS teachers examined our current situation and discussed ways that we can keep kids in the school and at home engaged in their education. Our goal is to make the best of our situation and figure out ways to keep a steady flow of learning and experiences for kids as the year progresses. We will do these in the safest ways possible. Keep an eye out for information about some fun events that will be coming up in the next few weeks and also be sure to check out the Distance Learning Expectations at the bottom of this week's announcements.

Upcoming Events:

October 2020

Monday, October 26: PTSA Meeting (6:30-7:30 pm via Zoom)

Monday-Friday, October 26-30: RMS Fall Spirit Week

• Monday: Mismatch Monday

• Tuesday: Tie-dye Tuesday

• Wednesday:Red and White Day

• Thursday: Triplet Thursday

• Friday: Spooky Spirits Day

Thursday, October 29: Textbook and Supplies Pick up 2:00-3:00 pm & 5:30-6:30 pm.

Thursday, October 29: Flu Clinic 4:00-7:00 pm

Friday, October 30: Halloween Band Concert (Livestream) 9:00 am

Friday, October 30: NJHS Candidate Packets due

November 2020

Tuesday, November 3: Election Day - No School

Announcements:

• Recognizing Marvelous Students (& Staff): Each week, Mr. Petsch is pleased to recognize the awesome contributions to our school by students, staff member, and even parents!

  • This week, 8th Grade English teacher Ms French would like to recognize two of her students, Arijah and Daisha, for being Rockstars! Arijah utilizes office hours each week to catch up on his assignments. He takes advantage of this time to ask his teachers questions and for extra help. Daisha is the undefeated champion and #1 scorer on all of Ms French’s review games for Kahoot and Quizlet Live! She always comes to class prepared, is a model student and will put her undefeated record on the line again this week! Congratulations to both students as their hard work (both distance and in person) is paying off.

  • PE teachers, Mr. Kirkutis and Mr. Mello are proud to recognize their first period class in room 212. You would think that meeting each day from 7:45am to 8:40am would pose a challenge for any physical activity but not for this group. Mr. K. reports that his hybrid class is energetic, eager to learn and has had perfect attendance each day. Furthermore, all of the distance students turn on their cameras so Mr. K. and Mr. Mello can see their physical participation and smiles each day. Even on our distance day, “Workout Wednesday” has become a hit which fosters great participation and enthusiasm from the class.

• Pink Out for Breast Cancer Awareness: Our Student Council, under the leadership of Ms Braga, has helped to organize our Pink Out Days and collected $100 this past week for Breast Cancer Awareness!

• Socktober Sock Collection Update: We are pleased to announce that RMS collected nearly 2000 pairs of socks during our Socktober collection! Congratulations to the students in Room 201 for for leading the way with 548 pairs of socks. Our favorite 'Crazy Sock Lady' will be joining us for the morning announcements this week to fill us in on the prize for the rooms with the most donations.

  • • 1. Grade 6 - Room 201: 548

      2. Grade 6 - Room 203: 493

      3. Grade 8 - Room 226: 254

• RMS PTSA Meeting and Election of Officers: The RMS PTSA will meet on Monday, October 26th at 6:30 pm for a quick meeting via Zoom. The election of officers for the 2020-2021 school year will take place. All parents, students, and teachers are welcome to attend.

• Seeking an RMS SIT Team Parent Member: This year, parents of RMS students will choose a parent to serve as a member of the RMS School Improvement Team. Please indicate if you would like to be considered to be a member of RMS SIT team. Meetings of the entire SIT team take place 4 times per year and subcommittees meet around once per month. Voting will begin on November 1st, so please submit your name and statement by Thursday, October 30th.

• Textbook & Supplies Pickup: On Thursday, October 29th, there will be a textbook and supplies pick up 2:00-3:00 pm & 5:30-6:30 pm. ELA and social studies teachers have made books available to students who are distance learning. (Teachers have already informed parents and students). The pick up will take place in the circle on the right side of RMS. Parents can drive around the circle and will be met by a staff member who will provide books for specific students. Also, you may return and textbooks or library books from last year at this time - even from older siblings!

• Flu Clinic: There will be a flu clinic at RMS sponsored by RIDOH on Thursday, October 29 4:00-7:00 pm. The event will take place in the cafeteria and participants will enter through Door 2 on the side of the building. You must register before hand at the Wellness Company website.

• COVID-19 Information for Families: Here is a link to a document from the Reopening RI Plan that explains what happens if my child has symptoms at home or gets sick in school. The document answers a number of questions related to the current health crisis.

• Students congregating at the REC after school: We have noticed that more students than usual have been hanging out at the Riverside Rec (the city property behind RMS) after school. Older kids have been there too. We have made announcements to students that it is not a good idea to be congregating and it's best to go straight home after school. Parents are asked to please speak to their kids about help us out with this.

• Distance Learning Expectations: Here are some reminders for families about our as we do our best to support the students of East Providence with online instructional opportunities.

• Students are expected to be online during scheduled classes and on time to class.

• Parents/guardians should be mindful about what family activities would potentially be heard/seen during the students’ use of video conferencing. This is a great tool to keep students connected, but please have your students use these tools somewhere near enough to monitor, yet private enough to concentrate on their work.

• Please have students dress appropriately when video conferencing and make sure that there are no distracting materials or backgrounds.

• Students/parents/guardians, should not take photos, screenshots, or record any video or audio from these class sessions. This is a violation of our EAST PROVIDENCE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY

• The tools we use are vetted by our faculty and administrators for data privacy and safety. We will be adding new tools as needed and are mindful of the important aspect of keeping students and student data safe.

• Students should be using a district-issued Chromebook. If you do not have one please contact the school office.

• Please have Chromebooks charged and secured somewhere safe during sleeping hours. Go Guardian is installed on all district computers and monitors use on district devices at all times.

• If the assigned Chromebook is not working properly (broken keyboard, microphone, etc.) please report it immediately to the school so it can be exchanged for a functioning device.

• Parents/guardians should refrain from talking with the teacher during a Google Meet. Appointments may be scheduled for non-academic hours with your child’s teacher.

• Lastly, the same rules of conduct and behavior will apply when a student is online as apply in the classroom. If you have questions or concerns about your student’s use of online tools, please contact your school Principal. If you are experiencing technical issues please contact our IT Team at 401 383-2224 x4323. We appreciate your support during this challenging time and we are working very hard to keep our students engaged and supported.

Older Announcements:

• Emergency Information (updated): Thank you to the parents and guardians who took the time to update emergency information. We just received word that parents now have the ability to update emergency contacts themselves in Skyward. If you don't want to wait for it to be updated by the RMS secretaries, you can Login to your Skyward account and follow these directions and make the changes yourself. It is a good idea to check a student's emergency contacts every year as relationships sometimes change and addresses and phone numbers are updated.

  • National Junior Honor Society: Plans are underway to bring in the next class of the RMS National Junior Honor Society. Mr. Kirkutis has met with candidates and he has explained the process for becoming an NJHS member. Eligible RMS students have received packets that are due on October 30th. If you would like more information, email mkirkutis@epschoolsri.com.

• SMILES Dental Services: East Bay Smiles is a school based dental program that provides dental services to students. Click here for a brochure about the program and click here for questions and answers about the program. If you have any other questions about the Smiles Program, call (401) 848-6697 X103 or e-mail kduran@ebcap.org.

• Dismissal Procedure (updated): A parent or guardian who would like to dismiss an in-person student during the day is asked to send an email to rmsattendance@epschoolsri.com. The message will be directed to one of the main office secretaries who will handle the dismissal. Parents are reminded that the person dismissing the student must be on the emergency pick-up list (in Skyward) and must show a valid ID.

• Applying for Free and Reduced Lunch and Lunch Pick up: It is easy and convenient to fill out the form for free and reduced lunches. The form can be found on the MySchoolApps site and only takes a few minutes to complete! Also, remember that lLunches are available for all students doing distance learning. Parents will need to fill out this form to be able to pick up lunches after this week. All children in the house 18 and under can receive a free lunch. Meals can be picked up at any site.

• Return your books from last year! We are still missing some books that students had last school year. Students are asked to please return books to their Period 1 teacher. Students who do not return books may be charged for the item and it carries through high school.

• Morning Announcements Online: Here is a link to the morning announcements that are presented to students each morning at 7:50 am. These announcements are updated frequently, so check often.

October 11, 2020

We're just about midway through the quarter

We are definitely settling into the school year. Most distance learning students have been logging in consistently from home and our in-person learners have their routines down at RMS. Teachers have reported that they are getting comfortable with hybrid teaching and everyday they are adding a new strategy to their playbook. It certainly is a different kind of school-year. At this point of the quarter, students are well into assignments, tests, and quizzes. Parents and students are encouraged to check the Skyward grade book and Google Classroom frequently to check on academic progress. Please reach out directly to a teacher if there are concerns about assignments or grades. Mr. Pond, the guidance counselor for students in Grades 6 & 7, and Dr. Pepin, the Grade 8 guidance counselor can provide help too.

One of our biggest challenges this year is keeping up a strong school culture that we have enjoyed at RMS for many years. We are working to find ways to engage our kids who are distance learning and even our in-person students have had to adjust to a school that is just not the same as the one they have enjoyed. The good news is that everyone has been patient and helpful as we have worked to figure this all out. With that said, here are some details about things that are coming up at RMS over the next few weeks.

Upcoming Events:

October 2020

Monday, October 12: Columbus Day - No School

Thursday, October 15: Mid-Quarter Progress Check

Friday, October 16: Principal's Coffee Hour (9:00 am via Zoom Meeting)

Monday, October 19: Professional Development Day (Students learn independently from home.)

Monday, October 19: PTSA Meeting (6:30-7:30 pm via Zoom)

Tuesday, October 20: Pink-out Day for Breast Cancer Research (Grades 6 & 7)

Friday, October 23: Pink-out Day for Breast Cancer Research (Grade 8)

Monday-Friday, October 26-30: RMS Fall Spirit Week

• Monday: Mismatch Monday

• Tuesday: Tie-dye Tuesday

• Wednesday:Red and White Day

• Thursday: Triplet Thursday

• Friday: Spooky Spirits Day

Friday, October 30: NJHS Candidate Packets due

Announcements:

• Recognizing Marvelous Students (& Staff): Each week, Mr. Petsch is pleased to recognize the awesome contributions to our school by students, staff member, and even parents! This week, eighth grade math teacher, Mrs. DeGroot, would like to recognize Lana M., one of her in-person learners who has excelled in class. She has turned in all her work on-time and has awesome quiz grades of 100 and 96! Keep up the great work, Lana!

• Principals Coffee Hour: Mr. Perry and Mr. Salgueiro host a Principal's Coffee Hour four times per year. This year, because of COVID restrictions, we will be meeting via Zoom video on Friday, October 16 at 9:00 am. In general, Principal's Coffee Hour is an informal meeting in which the principals and parents have an opportunity to talk about things that are happening at RMS and discuss plans and goals. For security purposes, the link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out in a separate email. Please consider joining us!

• RMS PTSA Meeting: The first meeting of the year of the RMS Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) will take place via Zoom on Monday, October 16th 6:30-7:30 pm. There are a lot of opportunities for parents who would like to contribute to RMS and there will be a discussion about a new PTSA Board. For security purposes, the link to the Zoom meeting will be sent out in a separate email.

• National Junior Honor Society: Plans are underway to bring in the next class of the RMS National Junior Honor Society. Mr. Kirkutis has met with candidates and he has explained the process for becoming an NJHS member. Eligible RMS students have received packets that are due on October 30th. If you would like more information, email mkirkutis@epschoolsri.com.

• Professional Development Day: Next Monday, October 19th is a Professional Development Day for teachers. Students will not be coming to RMS that day. However, it is not a day off. All teachers will post assignments that students will have to complete independently by the end of the day. Teachers will be explaining this throughout the week.

• PD Day Lunch Pickup: Monday, October 19th will be a Professional Development Day and students will not be coming to school. Lunch will be available to be picked up at RMS 8:30-9:00 am. Please fill in this form if you would like to pick up lunch on that day.

• Socktober Sock Collection: Socks are one of the most needed yet least donated items to shelters. Each year, the RMS community has a drive to collect as many pairs of socks as we can. Last year, with the help of our former “Crazy Sock Lady,” Mrs. Alves, RMS donated over 1,000 pairs of socks to local shelters. This year’s Socktober contest is underway and each pod has a donation box in their classroom to collect new pairs of socks. After one week, the 6th grade pod in room 213 leads the way with the most donations. The pod with the most socks collected by the end of school on Friday, October 23, will win a “SURPRIZE” the following week. Please show your school spirit, and generosity, by participating and donating to this necessary and great cause!

• Emergency Information (updated): Thank you to the parents and guardians who took the time to update emergency information. We just received word that parents now have the ability to update emergency contacts themselves in Skyward. If you don't want to wait for it to be updated by the RMS secretaries, you can Login to your Skyward account and follow these directions and make the changes yourself. It is a good idea to check a student's emergency contacts every year as relationships sometimes change and addresses and phone numbers are updated.

• SMILES Dental Services: East Bay Smiles is a school based dental program that provides dental services to students. Click here for a brochure about the program and click here for questions and answers about the program. If you have any other questions about the Smiles Program, call (401) 848-6697 X103 or e-mail kduran@ebcap.org.

• Dismissal Procedure (updated): A parent or guardian who would like to dismiss an in-person student during the day is asked to send an email to rmsattendance@epschoolsri.com. The message will be directed to one of the main office secretaries who will handle the dismissal. Parents are reminded that the person dismissing the student must be on the emergency pick-up list (in Skyward) and must show a valid ID.

• Applying for Free and Reduced Lunch and Lunch Pick up: It is easy and convenient to fill out the form for free and reduced lunches. The form can be found on the MySchoolApps site and only takes a few minutes to complete! Also, remember that lLunches are available for all students doing distance learning. Parents will need to fill out this form to be able to pick up lunches after this week. All children in the house 18 and under can receive a free lunch. Meals can be picked up at any site.

• Return your books from last year! We are still missing some books that students had last school year. Students are asked to please return books to their Period 1 teacher. Students who do not return books may be charged for the item and it carries through high school.

• Morning Announcements Online: Here is a link to the morning announcements that are presented to students each morning at 7:50 am. These announcements are updated frequently, so check often.

September 27, 2020

It's time to turn our attention to instruction

We have learned how to do a a lot of new things in just a few short weeks of school. Students at RMS have learned how to maneuver through the hallways, while kids at home have had to adapt to a new schedule and technology. Parents have had to adjust their schedules in order to fill out the Daily Wellness For, while teachers have worked to address the needs of kids in front of them and on their computer screens. In all, a lot of people have had to cooperate in order to make things function. As a school community, we are certainly a work-in-progress, but we are making strides every day. Now that we have many new routines down, we need to turn our attention to curriculum and instruction. Without question, our first priority is safety, but because everyone has taken on so much responsibility, we are able to much more emphasis on curriculum and instruction. Here are some details about the coming week .

Upcoming Events:

September 2020

• • Monday, September 28

    • Grades 6 & 7 and special populations in-person learning, Grade 8 (all students) distance learning

    • iReady ELA Testing: Grades 6 & 7 (Periods 3 & 4)

    • Meet the Teachers Night: 6:00-7:30 PM

  • Tuesday, September 29

    • Grades 6 & 7 and special populations in-person learning, Grade 8 (all students) distance learning

    • iReady Math Testing: Grades 6 & 7 (Periods 1 & 2)

  • Wednesday, October 2

    • Grades 6-8 (all students) distance learning

  • Thursday. October 1

    • Grades 6 & 8 and special populations in-person learning, Grade 7 (all students) distance learning

    • iReady ELA Testing: Grade 8 (Periods 3 & 4)

  • Friday, October 2

    • Grades 6 & 8 and special populations in-person learning, Grade 7 (all students) distance learning

    • iReady Math Testing: Grade 8 (Periods 1 & 2)