The RMS Runway
December 15, 2023
Book Vending Machines!
RMS students are excited about the two new book vending machines that arrived at the school in October! Students who demonstrate one or more of the Community of Caring character traits: trust, caring, responsibility, respect and/or family are recognized by their teachers and are given a "Caught Caring" coupon. The students then drop their coupon into a raffle in the main office and a weekly drawing rewards students with a gold coin. The gold coin is then used to "purchase" a book from the vending machine. Thank you to the RMS PTO for providing additional funding through the Wheel-a-bration fundraiser to purchase additional book titles for students. Seventh grader, Carlos Abdou, cuts the ribbon and purchases one of the first titles!
Holiday Concert TIme!
Middle school friends and family enjoyed the Winter Concert held on December 13, 2023. The middle school chorus started the show! Thank you Ms. Arena for directing!
A Night of Music!
RMS orchestra students delighted the crowd with some holiday music including, "Somewhere in My Memory" from the Home Alone soundtrack and music from Handel's Messiah. Thank you Ms. Callahan for directing!
Music Delights RMS Community!
Finishing off the winter performance was the RMS band playing "Mechanical Monsters" & "Zombies Knocking at My Door". Thank you Mr. Cooper for directing!
Academic Updates: Specialist Classes
Band:
The band will perform at the Winter Concert on December 13th. The musicians have worked hard to prepare for this concert. This is the first year since the pandemic that we have been able to raise the difficulty level. Both the grade 6 band and grades 7/8 band learned the concert repertoire very quickly and have been able to add additional music and work on advanced concepts and techniques. Additionally the grade 7/8 band has advanced to the next book in our Standards of Excellence band method. We are very excited to see what this band can achieve this year.
Consumer Science:
Consumer Science is made up of four components but at RMS we focus on two areas. In 6th grade, the goal is to teach the students how to become millionaires! This is done through teaching financial literacy. The conclusion of the class the students will take all information they have learned and create a business plan to own a school store, which they will open to students and staff at the end of the quarter. Some RMS students have taken this information and have started their own businesses in the Dracut community. Be on the lookout for snow shoveling, grass cutting as well as jewelry businesses that started from this class.
The second component of Consumer Science is taught in 8th grade. They learn how to cook!. The students will learn about kitchen safety, how to use kitchen equipment properly and most importantly how to properly clean. Each week the students will focus on a culinary skill and perform them through creating different dishes. Starting off with batters, then creating a variety of different dough techniques and ending with a cooking competition. Students are asked to create a cultural dish and present it to a panel of judges. This final project connects family traditions with their students' learning.
Health:
8th grade update: Topics covered during the quarter include: Review of the Dimensions of Wellness, Self-Image and Self-Improvement, Making Decisions, Effective Communication (with a focus on refusal skills), Social Skills (with a focus on healthy relationships), Mental Health: Depression, Coping with Anxiety, Anger and Stress, Body Systems: Digestive, Respiratory, Circulatory, Musculoskeletal System and Central Nervous System, Physical Activity & Nutrition, Substance Use and Misuse: Nicotine, Alcohol, Prescription & Illicit Drugs and Financial Wellness
STEAM:
Sixth graders have been working on the STEAM Challenge, during which they will research different STEAM-related careers, pick one that they are interested in, find someone who does that job and reach out to them to ask them questions about the work that they do. While they're waiting to hear back from their contacts, students will work as part of a design team to design, build and test an Ankle Foot Orthosis for a (fictional) student their age who has a neurological disorder. After that is complete, we return to the STEAM Challenge where students will continue their conversations and research about their preferred career. When they have collected all of their information, they will create a poster and a 45-60 second talk about why we should consider that career as an opportunity.
Seventh graders are currently working on the bridge project where they design, build and test a bridge. Later in the quarter students will investigate the materials that make up (their) cell phones, and design, build and test a vehicle to protect an uncooked egg in the Egg Drop Challenge. Stay tuned!
8 th grade STEAM centers on the PLTW Medical Detectives curriculum, where students are acquainted with the human body and the interaction between various systems it contains. As they learn, students also gain practical skills and use actual medical equipment to measure their own vital signs.
The course continues with an overview of the human nervous system beginning with the connection between the central and peripheral nervous system. This unit covers nerve cells, including the difference between motor and sensory neurons and their connection to the Central Nervous System. The course concludes with the function and anatomy of the brain. In their final lab, students have the opportunity to dissect a sheep brain.
Consumer Science Students
Sixth grade students present their final project:
Eva Rodriques, Mariana Javier, Emelyn Soem, Mealea King, Emily Laforte
Consumer Science Students
Eighth grade students Audrey Baker, Brooke DeMonico, Olivia Pareja and Clorieliz Trinidad preparing culinary delights!
STEAM
Seventh grade students are working on designing and building their bridges!
Congratulations High Honors/Honors Students!
The first quarter ended on Friday, November 9, 2023. Congratulations to the high honors/honors students who demonstrated outstanding academic achievement!
Students of the Month: November, 2023
Congratulations to the following students who were recognized as the November Students of the Month:
Audrey Baker, Kelsey Bergeron, Caiden Bogle, Stella Borges, Riley Camerlengo, Serenity Carrasquillo, Masen Comtois, Jacob Driscoll, Madison Farinella, Emily Feeney, Annabelle Flynn, Jailieris Fontanez, Rayna Gituku, Jaslena Green, Shylize Guzman, Olivia Halloran, Catherine Hughes, Ava IIiopoulos, Amber Joyce, Peyton Joyce, Emily Krueger, Justin Leary, Riley Lynch, Nolan Mann, Evan McCue, Peyton Morgan, Agathat Nalubega, Josiah Owowoh, Aarav Patel, Olivia Pellegrino, Alexis Perry, Kimberly Peterson, Rachel Piotrowski, Kenneth Poulin, Graham Sheahan, Emelyn Soem, Elianna Som, Lainey Souza, Jakob St. Jean, Natalie Tang, Rowan Tierney. Zachary Vigeant, Luani Valdes, Bentley Vuth
How is a student selected for student of the month? Teachers nominate students who demonstrate one or more of the Community of Caring values: Caring, Respect, Responsibility, Trust & Family. Students receive a certificate and attend a breakfast on the last Friday of the month.
From the RMS Health Office: Adolescents & Vaping
Vaping is impacting the nation’s youth at alarming rates. According to the 2020 National Youth Tobacco Survey, 19.6% of high school students and 4.7% of middle school students reported using e-cigarettes. It is estimated that in 2023 that number is much higher.
What is vaping? Vaping is the inhaling of a vapor created by an electronic cigarette (e-cigarette) or another vaping device. E-cigarettes are battery-powered smoking devices. They have cartridges filled with liquid containing nicotine, flavorings, and chemicals. The liquid is heated into a vapor, which the person inhales. That's why using e-cigarettes is called "vaping."
Popular brands like SMOK and Elf Bar deliver as much nicotine as a whole pack of cigarettes. (USDHSS, 2020a, 2020b).Nicotine is highly addictive. It affects attention, learning, mood, and impulse control in the adolescent brain. (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). E-cigarettes are also sold in a wide variety of kid-friendly flavors, from gummy bear and banana ice to mango, mint, and menthol. Studies have found that most youth e-cigarette users use flavored products and say they use these products “because they come in flavors I like.”
E-cigarette vapor is not harmless vapor. In addition to nicotine, the aerosol users inhale and exhale from e-cigarettes can include heavy metals, volatile organic compounds, and ultrafine particles. These are linked to serious lung disease. In addition, e-cigarettes can be used to deliver other drugs, including marijuana.
Without a doubt, e-cigarettes are unhealthy and not suitable for adolescents.
Please speak to your child about the risks of vaping. You may also speak to RMS school nurses, administrators and/or your pediatrician for additional information.
Source: www.NASN.org