RMS Express
Monthly Update from the Principal's Desk - August 2023
Welcome to the 2023-2024 School Year!
Dear Readington Middle School families,
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year at Readington Middle School! September is right around the corner and we have a great year ahead of us. We have been busy this summer getting ready. We are eager to see all of our learners on the first day of school on September 7th, 2023!
As a school, our continued goals focus on:
Ensuring a safe and secure learning environment;
Upholding the tradition of high quality middle level education;
Teaching to the whole child, which promotes student growth academically, socially and emotionally;
Promoting real world challenging problem solving with a rigorous curriculum;
Creating a collaborative space where students can learn from each other and the community; and
Have fun while doing it all!
The middle school years are “designed around the developmental needs of young adolescents, which involve identity formation, agency, self-discovery and relationships.” (Association of Middle Level Educators, This We Believe, 3rd ed.) These are also the years in which students need the strongest connections to home and school. We thank you for your continued partnership in educating your child.
Our student handbook is the best read together with your child so that shared expectations are met and followed. Please view our student handbook HERE.
Throughout the school year, please be sure to check our website for the most up to date information. Each Wednesday, we update the "Virtual Backpack" with time sensitive information through the Genesis Blast. Monthly, we produce the RMS Express, this digital newsletter about all things going on here at the school.
Please mark your calendars for the following events here at RMS:
- RMS Back to School Night, 9/19/2023
- RMS Picture Day, 9/21/2023
- HSA Fall Festival, 9/22/2023
- Screenagers viewing, tentatively 10/3/2023
The first day of school will be here before you know it! Routines will come back and getting back into the swing of things may be hard. To prepare for the first day of school (and every day after that), RMS recommends getting a good night sleep, preparing your lunch and clothes ahead of time, setting an alarm to wake up on time and eating a good, healthy breakfast. We know our middle schoolers are eager to return and we can't wait to see them all and how much they have grown.
So, until the start of the 23-24 school year, please be well, have a GREAT rest of your summer, and Go Vikings!
Mr. Timothy Charleston
Principal, Readington Middle School
Dr. Jonathan Moss
Assistant Principal, Readington Middle School
In this edition of the RMS Express, please find articles/images about the following:
- School Schedules
- Student Handbook
- Summer Upgrades at RMS!
- New Staff at RMS
- RMS Daily Schedules
- Technology (Chromebooks and Cell Phones)
- Lockers
- Arrival and Dismissal at RMS
- Before and After School Homework Help
- Readington Middle School Student Recognition Program
- June 2023 Students of the Month
- 6th Grade and NEW 7th/8th Students Open House
School Schedules
Schedules for all student's will be available to view in Genesis, our student information system, at 2:00 pm on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. Please be sure to update your Genesis contact information if items have changed, including phone numbers and/or email addresses.
To view your students schedule, all mandatory forms must be completed in Genesis. To access the portal, please click HERE.
If there is an issue with your students schedule, please contact the main office (908-534-2113) and an administrator will get back to you.
New Student of the Month Wall of Fame
New Water Bottle Filling Stations
Custom Blue and Gold Stripes
New Staff to RMS
Every single person is committed at RMS to ensuring that this year is educational, enriching, challenging, and most of all, fun for students. This includes our main office staff, custodians, counselors, instructional assistants and teachers. I am thrilled to have with us some new staff members who will play a part in your students educational journey here at RMS. Please give them a warm Viking welcome when you see them!
Bobbie Bolandi, Behavioral Counselor
Erin Buttgereit, Language Arts
Jacqueline Campanale, Instructional Assistant
Sara Chatman, Mathematics
Emma Lieberman, Speech
RMS Daily Schedule
At Readington Middle School, we run 9 periods everyday, which includes lunch and academic support. Our classes either run on a full year basis, denoted by an FY, or half year, denoted by a S1 or S2, for either Semester 1 or Semester 2. Further, some classes meet daily, denoted by a 1&2 in the day column, or they meet every other day, which is 1 or a 2 (day 1 or day 2).
Technology at RMS
All students are assigned a Chromebook for the year. They will receive this within the first few days of school. Having a device is a lot of responsibility. We expect at RMS that students will show good digital citizenship while using the devices for educational purposes.
During our school day, cell phones and other non-school issued devices are not to be used by students. Students excel academically and socially when not tied to cell phones and the distraction of texts and social media. Students should be focused on learning and not on phones. Cell phones should be kept in students' lockers. If you need to reach your student, please do not text them but rather call the main office and you will be put in touch with your child.
Lockers
During the first days of school, homeroom teachers will assign your students a locker. Each student needs to bring in a combination lock (no key locks) to school to put on the locker. Teachers will collect student locker combinations which will be kept in the main office.
Arrival/Dismissal at RMS
Students may enter the building at 7:25am and must report to their homerooms by 7:35am. The school day concludes at 2:25am. We highly encourage and recommend bus ridership. The times for bus pick up and drop off will be in Genesis by 8/23/2023. Please be sure you are at your assigned bus stop in time.
If you are planning to drop off or pick up via the car line, please adhere to the following map:
Before/After School Homework Help
RMS has before and after school homework rooms available for your student to participate in. Before school starts at 7:00am on the first day of school. After school help will begin September 18, 2023 and goes from 2:30-4:00 pm, Monday through Thursday.
Readington Middle School Student Recognition Program
We believe that recognition goes along way for middle school students and we are always happy to put the spotlight on those who are going above and beyond to live the RMS mission.
Readington Middle School Students of the Month for June 2023
Our winners were:
Rebekah DeVries
Madelynn Komoskinski
Leo Borella
Camilla Reyes
Jillian Drzyzga
Tanner Forman
Congrats to all our winners! We were so happy to spend time with them celebrating their accomplishments.
Do you want to be selected as a student of the month? Earn a Valuable Viking award or a Student of the Week award during that month to qualify!
6th Grade and NEW 7th/8th Students OPEN HOUSE
Wednesday, September 6th, 2022 from 1:00-2:00PM.
We will be holding an open house for our 6th graders and for NEW to RMS 7th and 8th graders to get better acquainted with the building and their schedules.
This open house is an optional event for students only. There is no formal presentation during this open house. It is a time for students to get to know the building before the first day of school.
If interested in coming to this optional open house, please drop your students off at the side entrance (near the bus lot) of the building anytime between 1:00-2:00pm. The sneak peek lasts approximately 20 minutes. Please wait for your students to be done. They will exit near the cafeteria.
We will have our RMS Administration, Staff, Faculty, and Guidance Department on hand to greet our newest Vikings. We will also have Viking Ambassadors, aka returning 7th and 8th grade students, who will be leading the tours with our students. Students only need to bring a copy of their schedules with them on this day.
Wednesday, Sep 6, 2023, 01:00 PM
48 Readington Road, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA
Therapy Animals at RMS
As we continue to deliver the best possible school environment for staff and students, we are pleased to announce that we will be continuing to invite a therapy dog into our school environment.
Numerous research studies have shown the benefits of a therapy dog in schools. Below is a list of the benefits of having therapy dogs in schools:
Cognitive - companionship with a dog stimulates memory, problem-solving, and game playing.
Emotional - dogs in schools improve self-esteem, acceptance from others and lift moods; often provoking laughter and fun. Dogs can also teach compassion and respect for other living things as well as relieving anxiety.
Social - a dog can serve as a conduit for discussion, encourages responsibility, wellbeing, and increases focused interactions with others.
Physical - interactions with furry friends can reduce blood pressure, provide tactile stimulation, assist with pain management, provide motivation to move, walk and stimulate the senses.
Reading - reading to dogs has been proven to help children develop literacy skills and build confidence, through the calming effect the dog’s presence has on the children as well as the fact that a dog will listen to children read without being judgemental or critical.
We are welcoming back Korra Bean to the RMS family as a Certified Therapy Dog! Korra is a 2 year old, happy Maltipoo. She was selected because of her breed’s temperament, intelligence and hypoallergenic nature. We understand that some may be concerned about being around dogs or have concerns about allergic reactions to a school dog. Korra is hypoallergenic and has a an intense cleaning and grooming routine. The dog will be carefully monitored while she is on school property. Students will never be left alone with any animal. She will also only be allowed in situations with pupils and staff who voluntarily wish to work with her. Ms. Ellen Goodfellow, an RMS counselor, is her certified handler. We are guided by Board of Education Policy #2560.01 on Therapy Animals in Schools.
All families are asked to log into the Genesis Portal to complete the Therapy Dog form and to select whether or not you want your child around the dog so that we can make appropriate accommodations. If you have any questions about this, please contact the main office to speak with an administrator or school counselor.
RMS Viking Athletic Calendar
District School Calendar for 2023-2024
Readington Middle School
Website: https://www.readington.k12.nj.us/Domain/58
Location: 48 Readington Road, Whitehouse Station, NJ, USA
Phone: 908-534-2113
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/readingtonschools
Twitter: @RMS_VIKINGS