January 23, 2026

Thanks for your patience and flexibility this week as we’ve navigated the weather and lack of instructional time.  I want to say this is three years in a row on this exact week in January. 

Last Friday, we celebrated the unofficial halfway point of the 2025/26 school year. Seeing our students grow academically, physically, and emotionally is what makes the middle school experience for students, parents, and staff so unique.

The mid-year point of the school year provides parents and students alike the opportunity to take inventory of the successes and challenges they’ve faced and to strategize before embarking on the second half of the school year. Below are a few questions, directly related to our school’s core guidelines, that students and parents are encouraged to process together.

Am I doing what’s right?

Middle schoolers can sometimes struggle to make good decisions and they need frequent reminders or “coaching” from their parents and trusted adults. Doing the right thing can be hard at times for young people when other influences can sway them differently.  Think about their phone usage and how they are interacting with their peers in a digital space. Honest and open dialogue with your student about temptations, negative peer pressure, and risk-taking will enhance the relationship and allow parents the opportunity to set clear expectations about behavior that is aligned with both the school and their family’s values.

Am I treating others well?

We aspire to build a culture at Riley Street Middle School where students care for and support one another. Our school is fortunate to have students who set a great example every day for their peers to follow. However, we have instances where students make poor choices and don’t always treat their classmates very well, in person and online. We desire for our students to be empathetic, forgiving, resilient, and compassionate.  Reflect with them often about, "Is this how you would want someone to talk to you"?  Let’s make it a point to teach our students these skills in hopes of supporting them in maintaining positive interactions with their peers.

Am I doing my personal best?

School is challenging in so many different aspects for our students.  I often would procrastinate, not keep up on my homework, or forget to study for a test because of the amount of things happening for our family in a given week.  Math was always a subject I had to put extra effort into or my grade would suffer.  Fortunately, I had a teacher who pulled me aside, helped me organize and prioritize my daily activities, and set me on a productive path forward.  For our students, the same holds true today. Work hard and do your best. Letter grades on a report card are not all we should be striving for. Academic growth and improvement are equally as important as academic excellence. Let’s encourage our kids to focus on just getting a little better every day.

-Matt Baer

Principal, Riley Street Middle School