Dear BRMS Families and Students,

Welcome Back!

What a fantastic first three days at Browns River Middle School! It has been a joy to see our halls filled once again with energy, laughter, and curiosity as we kicked off the 2026-2027 school year on Wednesday, August 26th.

Our students have jumped right back into the swing of things, exploring new classroom spaces and reconnecting with friends. We want to extend a warm welcome to our new faculty members: Rosa Beard, Betsy Johnson, Jeffrey Palmer, Anna Wootton, Brian Irwin, Abigale Stannard, Gabriel Ely, and Kate Wolff.

Campus Highlights

If you’ve been near the recess area, you likely noticed our brand-new 4-square court, which has already seen plenty of action! We also encourage students to take a moment of quiet reflection at our new 5-bench sitting area near the river, offering a stunning view of Mount Mansfield. 

A huge thank you to all those who worked over the summer to get the building and grounds ready for our students' return: Kathy, Richard, Penny, Max, Colleen, Boden, Theresa, Tracy, and Billi.

Spanish Immersion

Gabriel Ely has joined our staff as the Spanish Immersion teacher for our 5th-8th Grade Students.   Profe Ely joined our staff part time last year and is now with us as a full time teacher.

5th/6th Grade- Students will meet three times a week in small groups while their peers are in  Connect Time (Intervention and Skill Time) and World Language time. 

7th/8th Grade- All 7th and 8th Grade Students will meet three days a week.  Due to the complicated nature of scheduling these students will miss other classes to attend this elective class. Students will be expected to connect with their teacher to make up any work that needs to be completed.

Important Reminders & Updates

• Daily Schedule: Our doors open at 7:30 a.m. The academic day begins at 7:55 a.m., and dismissal is at 2:40 p.m.

• Newsletter Change: Please note that starting this week, the River Raider will be emailed to families every Monday instead of Friday afternoons to help you better prepare for the week ahead.

• Electronics Policy: A reminder that per the new MMUUSD policy, students in grades pre-K through 8 may not possess personal electronic devices (including cell phones, smartwatches, tablets, and earbuds) during the academic day. We appreciate your support in helping students stay focused and present. Students may not keep these devices in their backpacks.  If students need to contact parents for after school activities such as athletics, they may drop their device in the office until dismissal.

• Meals: Breakfast and lunch remain free of charge for all BRMS students. A grab-and-go breakfast is available in the cafeteria from 7:30 to 10:00 a.m.

• Fire Drill Date: Week of August 31, 2026

In accordance with the guidance from the Vermont Agency of Education and Division of Fire Safety families and caregivers will be notified no more than one week prior to a fire drill, and the day prior to a Run-Hide-Fight/Resist drill.

Upcoming Dates

September 9th: First Early Release Day: Dismissal at 12:40pm

September 16th: Picture Day (Grades 5&6): Information will be sent home soon

September 17th: Picture Day (Grades 7&8): Information will be sent home soon

October 6th: BRMS Open House: 6:30pm

Our fall athletics season—including Soccer, Field Hockey, and Cross Country—is also officially underway. Please ensure all online forms are completed on Rank One for participating students. Contact Matt Lennon with any questions that you may have regarding the fall sports season.

Please remember that students do not have school on Sept. 4th and Sept. 7th. Thank you for a wonderful start to the year. 

Warmly,

Kevin Hamilton
Principal, Browns River Middle School

Note from the P.E. Classroom- 

Mr. Lennon and Mr. Hight are excited for another fun year with our Phys. Ed Students! Our first units of the year will be soccer with 5th and 6th grade. And Flag Football / Throwing and Catching skills with 7th and 8th grade. We will be pausing the units for a week from Sept. 8-11 when we will have the Local Motion bike trailer at BRMS! Some students are familiar with this program from elementary school. You can find more info about Local Motion on their website

We will have enough bikes and helmets for every student in P.E. but students are welcome to bring their own bikes and helmets. Bikes can be stored on the front bike rack or they can be locked to the back fence by the athletic fields if the bike rack is full. It is recommended that students only bring their bike on their P.E. days and not leave their bikes at the school overnight. If your child does not know how to ride a bike, we have a plan for other activities during these classes, but we are also happy to teach kids how to ride safely! Over the years we have taught many kids how to ride when we have had the LM trailer at our school. 

Please email Mr. Hight and Mr. Lennon with any questions alex.hight@mmuusd.org matthew.lennon@mmuusd.org