Rochester Middle School
February Newsletter 2024
📆IMPORTANT DATES 📆
February Dates
- February 7th Early Release Day
- February 22nd 6th Grade Dance
- February 26- March 1st Winter Break
Upcoming in March
- March 1st Winter break
- March 12th Teacher Workshop Day- No school
Check back throughout the month for updates.
Dear RMS Families-
We are halfway through Term B at the middle school. If students need academic support on teams, please reach out to individual teachers or team leaders. All teams offer after-school tutoring, and we will begin to offer 2 Saturday School dates in the months of March, April, and May.
Each month we are holding all-school assemblies. Each assembly highlights positive office referrals, a staff member of the month, and after-school all stars from athletic teams and clubs. This month we had a Crab Soccer Tournament organized by 6th Grade Assistant Principal Kayla Roy. Teams competed at grade-level prior to the tournament. In the finals, BC represented 6th grade, Drexel represented 7th grade, and Columbia represented 8th grade. We also had a staff entry. Drexel ended up in 2nd place, and Columbia won it! Thank you to students and staff for their participation. This month we will have a Staff vs. Student Basketball Game with band, chorus, and the cheerleaders performing. The RMS staff hopes to repeat with a victory this year!
As a school we are working on our three New England League of Middle Schools Goals. We are putting great emphasis on Instruction for behavior and academics, safety, and communication. Staff members have met with students and reflected on the progress of our goals. RMS staff are attending NELMS workshops on schedules, SEL, advisory, and more in the months of February and March. During staff meetings, we have spent a great deal of time developing our advisory program and working on social-emotional practices to support staff and students. We are excited to continue to see the progress as we work towards improving on our goals.
The week of February 19-23 is Tri-City Spirit Week, and students in Dover, Rochester, and Somersworth will be celebrating careers with special theme days all week. On Friday, February 23 we have our basketball assembly for students that will lead into the February break.
Have a great day!
Respectfully,
Ryan Gilpatrick
Notes from the nursing office 📋
February is heart health month. Following these suggestions will help your students to avoid heart disease, high blood pressure, obesity, and high cholesterol as they get older.
Engage in 60 minutes of physical activity daily.
Eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein.
Limit sugar and processed foods. Eat healthy snacks such as yogurt, fruits, and nuts.
Stay hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Avoid sugary and energy drinks.
Get enough sleep. Kids ages 10-13 should be getting approximately 9-11 hours of sleep a night.
Avoid exposure to secondhand smoke.
Practice mindfulness and deep breathing to help reduce stress.
Limit screen time.
Encourage social interactions.
Field Trip and Dance Requirements and Guidelines
Requirements:
Field Trips and Dances at RMS are Blue Ribbon Events. To attend a Blue Ribbon event students must meet the following criteria:
Zero administrative behavior referrals prior to the week the field trip or dance takes place
Zero unexcused absences during the reporting period in which the field trip or dance takes place
No grades of IWS in all classes, including Unified Arts classes
No overdue library books (8th grade semi-formal only)
Guidelines:
All School rules apply as outlined in the student handbook.
Students are to conduct themselves in a manner that is appropriate for school.
Inappropriate touching and suggestive dancing is not permitted at RMS dances.
Staff chaperones may ask students to leave if school appropriate behavior is not followed.
Students may not leave the area where the dance is being held and allowed to return back to the dance.
RMS Book Fair
The RMS spring book fair will be in the library March 18th to March 22nd. We'll have lots of newly published books, old favorites and some great bargain books. More information will be coming in March so be on the lookout for it! All proceeds benefit our RMS library. Thank you so much for your support!
RMS Book Club
The RMS Book Club will meet on Tuesday, February 6th to discuss the short story "The Ex-Box" by David Lubar. We will meet in the library from 2:30-3:15; refreshments will be served. Make sure you have a plan to get home when the meeting is over. See Ms. Marshall for more details or for a copy of the story.
Intramural Sports 🏀
Co-ed Soccer- January 16th through February 8th
Co-ed Floor Hockey- March 14th through April 19th
Steam Club
Steam Club will meet in room 145
6th grade will meet on Mondays 2:30-3:30
7th & 8th grade will meet on Tuesdays 2:30-3:30
Positive Office Referrals
Student and Staff Crab Soccer
Please be mindful of driving safely when dropping and picking up students at Rochester Middle School. We have had some concerns expressed particularly about pick-up after 2:30 pm for intramurals, clubs, music, and sports.
Lost n Found
Please remind your students to check the lost and found for any missing items. All unclaimed items will be donated during February break.
Bus Information
All bus questions including routes, drivers, pick up and drop off times should be directed to the bus companies listed here.
Safeway (603) 382-0600
Student Transportation (603) 509-2904