Hi 6th grade families!

We are thrilled to welcome your children next week.  Some updated information:

• Bus routes and your child’s team/teachers are visible now in the Parent Portal of PowerSchool and digitally sign important forms

• Plan for 6th grade orientation is Tuesday, August 29th from 7:30-9:30 (see more information below)

• Download the First View Bus App and watch your child's bus location in real time

• Check out the SPS District Calendar for the 2023.2024 School Year

• Sign up for the School Based Health Center using their Digital Registration Form (click here for the Digital Registration Form in Spanish).  The office located in Rippowam operates much like a small doctor’s office does. The medical team works closely with the school nurse and is available during the school day to assist students with sick visits, physicals, immunizations and more.

6th Grade Orientation
For all 6th grade students, we will be hosting an in-person orientation on Tuesday, August 29th from 7:30 am until 9:30 am.  Orientation will be for students only - parents will not be permitted to attend.  Students will report directly to the Auditorium when they arrive (either from the bus, walking or parent/guardian drop off).  Buses will be operating for 6th grade orientation if your child will be a bus rider.  Bus information is available in the Parent Portal of PowerSchool.  

2023.2024 Daily Schedule
Rippowam is adopting a flexible middle school schedule.  Students will still take 7 periods (5 Core and 2 Encore classes) a day and will participate in advisory twice a week.  Our Core academic classes are  English, Math, Science, Social Studies, 1 semester of Tech Lab and 1 semester of Literacy Lab.  Tech Lab is a STEM focused enrichment class and Literacy Lab is a reading and writing focused enrichment class to better prepare students for high school. Encore classes are art, gym, music, strings, band, chorus, technology, Spanish, math lab, ESL, resource and will run on an A/B day alternating schedule.  Students will be in teams named by colors.  

You can see your child's team at the information bar along the top where you see their name, student ID and other information:

Please note that we cannot accommodate scheduling requests such as a certain team or being in class with certain friends

Welcome Message from 6th Grade Teams

The Red Team
The Red team would like to officially welcome our newest Raptors to Rippowam! Get ready for a year filled with exciting learning experiences, new friendships, laughter, and fun! We know you might be feeling a bit nervous about starting 6th grade, but we are here to guide you every step of the way. The teachers on our team are Mr. Correa (ELA), Mrs. Bivona (Science), Mr. Stanton (Social Studies), Ms. McGrath (Math),  Mr. Ruckdeschel (Tech lab) and Mr. Weaver (SPED), Ms. Gawande (Math Lab), and Mr. White (SPED).  To ensure a successful start to the school year, we have made a list of supplies that we would like you to have.  We can't wait to meet you!

• 5 notebooks (any kind)

• 4 folders

• pens and pencils

• glue stick

• calculator

• Highlighter

The Orange Team
Hello! Welcome to the new school year! We are the Orange B Team! We are thrilled to have your child in our classrooms this year and look forward to getting to know you and your child better. Our mission is to create a learning environment that's a safe haven for ideas, there should be no fear of wrong answers! We want to have transparency throughout the year, if there’s ever something they don’t understand or need help on, please have them ask for help. Teachers are people, we are not scary. Together, we’ll form a productive partnership to ensure your child achieves his or her highest potential and all of his or her learning goals.  The teachers on our team are Mr. Musitano (ELA), Mrs. Bridgers (Science), Mrs. Bivona (Social Studies), Mrs. Koehler (Math), Mrs. Zezima (Reading), and Mrs. Rak-Daniels (SPED), Mr. Fornaciari (Specialized Reading), Mrs. Cruz (EL), and Mr. Joannou (Math Lab). 

• Pencils/pens

• Colored Pencils

• Highlighters

• A notebook(s)

• Folders for each class

Click HERE to read more from the Orange Team

More information to come next week!  Have a great weekend.