RIVER RAIDER

To Our 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Parents/Guardians

(5th Grade Students do not participate in YRBS)

Our school is taking part in the 2023 Youth Risk Behavior Survey on Wednesday February 22nd, 2023. This was developed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is sponsored by the Vermont Department of Health and Agency of Education. The YRBS has been administered every other year in Vermont since 1993. Separate versions of the survey ask middle or high school students about health behaviors and assets or protective factors. Topics include personal safety and injury prevention, mental health, nutrition, physical activity, sexual health, substance use, and protective factors.  

Results from the YRBS help us determine the extent to which adolescents engage in or experience  health risk behaviors. The results from the YRBS support public health officials, educators, and community organizations ability to assess and improve efforts to reduce health risk behaviors among adolescents throughout the state and nation. They help us develop and evaluate health-related programs and securing their future funding.

The YRBS is anonymous. It has been designed to be confidential and to protect your child’s privacy. Students will not put their names on the survey and student login information is not recorded. Individual survey responses will not be revealed in a report of the results or disclosed to any school employee. 

For this survey to be accurate, it is important that all students, regardless of whether they have engaged in health-risk behaviors, are given an opportunity to participate in the survey. We would like all students to take part in the survey to best understand the issues and experiences of youth, however, the survey is voluntary. Students may skip any questions they do not wish to answer or stop taking the survey at any point without penalty. As a parent, you have the right to view the survey before it is administered and to have your child opt out.  A copy of the survey is available on the Department of Health YRBS webpage (www.healthvermont,gov/yrbs). If you have any questions or concerns, please email Ashley Bergeron at: ashley.bergeron@mmuusd.org

Please visit the Vermont Department of Health website at: http://healthvermont.gov/yrbs for more information about the Vermont YRBS including previous reports. Links to the CDC’s YRBS page, FAQs, and other background information are available by clicking “Learn more about the YRBS” on the website. 

Should you decide to opt your child out of taking the survey, please complete the following form and return it to Ashley Bergeron by Monday February 20th, 2023.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Sincerely, 

Kevin Hamilton, Principal

Ashley Bergeron, YRBS Coordinator

Each year, families, companies, and students join the Spectrum Sleep Out in solidarity with homeless young adults in Vermont. These courageous individuals sleep outside for one night-Thursday March 23rd- and raise money to keep Spectrum’s doors open for the next young adult looking for help. This year our team, the BRMS Rock Stars, has a goal of raising $20,000 (or more!) to provide homeless and at-risk youth the services they need to build future success and independence.

Want to get involved?! Click on the below link to join the BRMS team:

http://give.spectrumvt.org/site/TR/Events/TeamRaiserWorkshop?team_id=2331&pg=team&fr_id=1140

*Please note that the 2023 BRMS Sleepout will be happening from individuals' homes this year-with a live check in! We will not be gathering as a larger group and sleeping at school, however, stay tuned for potential events and gatherings the week of!

Want to learn more about the Spectrum Sleep Out? Check out the link below:

https://www.spectrumvt.org/events/sleep-out/

*If you have any questions, please contact Ashley Bergeron at ashley.bergeron@mmuusd.org

Session 2 Sign up link.

BRMS BRAG will be selling snacks during the BRMS Basketball Tournament 

on Friday, February 17 & Monday, February 20!

We are looking for volunteers to help set up, sell snacks, and clean up. 

Have a basketball player? You can volunteer and watch the game! Sign up HERE!

We’re raising funds for a new climbing structure!

Fundraising is underway, but we need your help!

Check out Daily Drawing Fundraiser! 

Only 1,000 tickets will be sold! 

Tickets are $5.00 each. 

Tickets are on sale now through February 28, 2023.

Each ticket has 31 chances to win!

The Daily Drawing Fundraiser runs for the entire month of March 2023.

Winning tickets will receive $50 with a special

 St. Patrick’s Day Drawing on March 17, 2023 for $200.

Click HERE for more details and to buy tickets, 

or to make a tax-deductible donation click HERE!

Browns River Action Group (BRAG) is a nonprofit organization that supports BRMS. We help promote student self-esteem, support school staff, and assist in efforts to solve school needs through volunteering and fundraising. 

If you would like more information, please email brmsbrag@mmuusd.org.