Dear Rye Neck Families,

It was fantastic welcoming you to our Open House last Thursday. Teachers were excited to meet you and also have an opportunity to share some of what your child can expect to learn this year. If you were unable to attend and have questions, please reach out to your child's teachers or school counselor. Please look over the upcoming events below, read about what's taking place in the classrooms, enjoy the first fall weekend and Happy New Year if you're celebrating that as well!

Dr. Dulce Barker

Rosh Hashanah - No School: Monday, September 26th & Tuesday, September 27th

Yom Kippur - No School: Wednesday, October 5th

MS PTSA Class Photo Day: Thursday, October 6th
Columbus Day - No School: Monday, October 10th

8th Grade Trip to Philadelphia - Friday, October 21st

Spooktacular - Friday, October 28th 6 p.m. Dining Hall

MS PTSA Class Photo Retakes: Thursday, November 10th

Parent/Teacher Conferences: Wednesday, November 16th 6 p.m.

After school clubs will start the week of October 3rd. Homeroom teachers shared a club offerings presentation with students on Thursday, the presentation was emailed to them and you can also find it on our school website. Clubs are open to students in grades 6-8. Students can try different clubs or if they are in 6th grade they can also participate in intramural sports. The club presentation as well as the schedule for intramural sports is below.

MS After School Clubs

Monday - Friday

3:00PM - 4:00PM

• Intramurals sessions are run by Rye Neck Coaches.

• Intramural design will consist of skill development and scrimmaging.

• Please use this FamilyID link to register your child for Intramurals:

• 6th Grade Intramurals

• 6th Graders are to report directly to the location indicated below.

• Intramurals only run on days school is in session.

• Attendance is not mandatory for participation but if you sign up we ask that you make every attempt to attend each day. A student may register for multiple sessions/sports.

Students' meals are no longer free.

Breakfast costs $1.50

Lunch costs $3.00

Deli bar costs $4.00

MySchoolBucks Registration Information

I’m thrilled to announce that on Tuesday, October 4th, from 7:30 - 8:30a we will begin our Global Citizens Program. Global Citizens will be an independent study opportunity for any middle school student interested in embarking on an in-depth research project on the topic of their choice.

This opportunity will be available to all students with a desire to learn and work independently. We will look to build expertise in their chosen area of interest and look for real-world applications to make a difference in the world around us. The program will meet every Tuesday from 7:30 - 8:30 am in the Community Room, although students don’t have to attend for the full hour. The 7:30 am start time is primarily there to ensure that our music students may participate as well. The expectation is that students use that window to strategize the steps they’ll take in the following week to independently move their project forward. I’ll be there to coach and guide them, recommend resources, help them jump hurdles or push through the frustrations, and, most of all, provide encouragement.

If any students are ready to present the work they’ve done, they will have the opportunity to do so at the High School Research Symposium on the evening of April 11th. It will be a wonderful opportunity to share their passion with others and enjoy the projects being presented by our high school students. I hope this will become a bridge to the many independent learning and research opportunities that will be available to them when they enter high school.

Students who would like to participate should come to the main entrance of the MSHS every Tuesday. The main doors will open at 7:40 am, but if they arrive at 7:30 am they may knock at the door and let them know they are attending the Global Citizens Program in the Library and they will be let in.

Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions.

Welcome to the 6th Grade! Students have been busy learning to navigate their new school. They are reading schedules, finding classes, and enjoying the adventure of middle school. Students are continuing to work on skills such as close reading strategies, reading comprehension, writing, and grammar. We are just beginning our first in-class novel Seedfolks. This year we are focusing on the diversity of literature that is available to us. As students read, we are asking them to pay attention to the story, and look at how different characters, authors, ethnic groups , and genres each tell their own unique story. The October genre is realistic fiction. Book choices must be approved by 10/5/22, and the book must be read by 11/5/22. Students will be given the details for the project in the coming weeks. Please encourage your child to read every night, and to keep up with all assignments by using an agenda and Google Classroom.

In Research Tech, students are learning about the many features of their Gmail account and will learn all that goes into sending a formal email to a teacher, principal or future employer.

Students started off the year learning about Sarah Morris, a current living artist who creates abstract paintings. Students focused on using basic elements and principles of art, such as line, color, shape, repetition, balance, and symmetry to create their own unique works of art. Students also thought about how they could fill the space within their compositions to make it look more interesting.

Students in seventh grade English have begun work on The Outsiders, by S.E. Hinton, a book that focuses on the problems with believing in stereotypes. Students will begin reading the book at home next week, possibly 10 or more pages each night, and then answer questions from a handout. Parents should be aware most class reading will take place AT HOME for the entire school year.

With the end of September approaching, students are wrapping up the introductory unit in social studies. We began the year with some basic, but necessary skill work used by historians - understanding how to label time and centuries and using latitude & longitude. Their first quiz on latitude and longitude was given back on September 16th. We also began our journey into history by exploring what was happening in different parts of the world prior to the year 1500. Students participated in a stations activity where they moved around with a partner to analyze information on civilizations in Europe, South America and Africa. We are looking to have our first exam around the beginning of October. Please check to see that your student is using their homework agenda and has the necessary materials for class.

After we finish our grammar and story elements review, the class will begin reading S. E. Hinton's The Outsiders. We'll discuss themes related to friendship and belonging and learn about the era and setting of the story.

Students started off the year learning about Keith Haring. Students looked at his colorful works of art and how he created stylized figures in order to help them gain inspiration for their own projects. Students focused on trying to tell a visual story within their work as well as giving their audience a sense of rhythm and movement within their visual scenes.

Students started off the year learning about the Op Art Movement as well as looking at the paintings by Victor Vasarely and Bridget Riley. Students focused on using different lines as well as value in order to make their hands appear like they are popping right off of the page. Students thought about color choices as well as repetition to enhance their work.

The Library hours are from 7:50 am until 4:00 pm most days. All middle school students are invited to use the Library after school as a place for quiet study and socializing. We have a number of students who work to get homework completed and some who love to play on the computers or use our puzzles and board games. We love having them here!

Beginning in October, our middle school students will have two additional windows opened up to them. They will be invited to work and quietly socialize in the library before classes and their homeroom teacher may issue a limited number of passes to use during the lunch period, once lunch has been eaten in the dining hall.