ROBERTSVILLE REVIEW
September - October
Message from the Principal
Greetings Ram Nation,
Thank you to all of our students, parents, and staff for a great first quarter of the school year. We hope that your family is gearing up for a terrific fall break. I would like to encourage students to take advantage of our RMS intersession program-RAMS DIY. This four-day event will take place October 1-4. We do need your registration sheet turned in by Monday, September 24 to secure your spot. This promises to be an awesome learning experience for all students. Our intersession program will be held at Secret City Academy with transportation provided. We are moving off campus as our 5th grade wing and Encore wing will be undergoing renovations during this two-week period.
Speaking of the renovation progress, our maintenance staff is working at an incredible rate to renovate two classrooms every two weeks at this time. This puts us well on our way to complete the entire renovation process by the end of the first semester. This is certainly a tribute our maintenance department and our custodial staff.
As we finish up our first quarter, I do want to point out that our first report cards will be distributed on October 19. As always, our staff is more than willing to discuss your concerns with you. Please feel free to contact any of our instructional staff or
administration to set up a meeting to address any issues. We will also be assessing our students’ progress in reading and math by giving our students the TE 21 benchmark assessment. These assessments, which are based around our current curriculum standards and pacing guides, hope to provide a clear indication of our students’ current level of performance.
I would also like to welcome our newest member of the Ram Fam, Ms. Amy Fuqua. Ms. Fuqua is coming to us from Linden where she served as a teacher for 11 years. Ms. Fuqua will be replacing Ms. Mardee Miller in 6th grade math. While we will miss Ms. Miller, we wish her the best of luck in her future endeavors, and we are excited to bring Ms. Fuqua into our school community.
We look forward to great second quarter!
Climb the Mountain,
Kirk W. Renegar Ed. D.
Principal-Robertsville Middle School
Daily Bulletins
- Geography Bee Club will meet in Room 228from 2:45 until 4:00pm
- International Diversity Club will meet in Room 2009 from 2:45 until 3:30pm
- Interact Club will meet in Room 107 from 2:45 until 3:45pm
- Math Counts will meet in Room 230 from 2:45 until 4:00pm
- Music Makers Club will meet in Room 202 from 2:45 until 3:30pm
- Volleyball District Tournament @ Horace Maynard Middle School
Tuesday, September 25
- Chess Club will meet in the Library from 2:45 until 3:45
- Robotics Club will meet in Room 127 from 3:00 until 4:00pm
- YOKE Club will meet in the Cafeteria from 7:00 until 8:00pm
- Volleyball District Tournament @ Horace Maynard Middle School
- Cross-Country @ Leasure Pools Fooks of the River; girls at 6:00pm and boys at 6:30pm
Wednesday, September 26
- Chess Coaching will take place in Room 123 from 7:00 until 7:30am
- Dungeons & Dragons Board Game Club will meet in Room 119 from 12:45 until 2:15pm
- Lighthouse Club will meet in Room 213 from 7:05 until 7:30am
- SECME Club will meet in Room 120 from 7:05 until 7:30am
Thursday, September 27
- Poetry Club will meet in ROom 233 from 7:00 until 7:30am
- Robotics Club will meet in Room 127 from 3:00 until 4:00
- Playoff 1st Round; TBA
Friday, September 28
- Deadline to Submit Portrait Orders
- GIVE Club will meet in Room 224 from 7:05 until 7:30am
Calendars
News and Updates
Rambler Staff Gets the Scoop on New RMS Principal
By EvaLynn Hammer with Matthew Kitts, Noah Hall, Lauren Upham, Lindsey Weatherford, and Tarin Davis
Dr. Kirk Renegar joined the staff at Robertsville Middle School as the new principal for the 2018-2019 school year.
With this change in leadership, students have noticed a change in some school policies. The RMS Rambler Staff, comprised of Julie Kinder-McMillan’s eighth grade journalism and creative writing class, recently had the opportunity to interview Renegar to pose questions about these changes as well as about his opinions and personal life.
The new traffic pattern is one of the more visible changes this year. Dr. Renegar explained how he felt the previous system was not safe. The students were not adequately supervised, and the buses were getting stuck in traffic.
Another new feature at Robertsville is the new RamPerks drawing. According to Renegar, there are “way more students making great choices than students making poor choices. We want to reward you by providing incentives for (good behavior). That’s what RamPerks is all about.”
The new Ram Rules school wide discipline system is another addition. Over the summer, Renegar worked with a committee of teachers representing all areas of the school to create the Ram Rules plan. Renegar attributes many of these changes to the high number of disciplinary referrals during the last school year. He said he took a cue from the student body when reading the complaints from students about disruptive behavior in the classroom on last year’s school climate survey.
“If we do not have order and structure and we do not have discipline, it is difficult to provide you with an exemplary learning environment,” he said.
According to Renegar, one other way to structure this environment is an adherence to a dress code.
“I do think there needs to be a standard of dress for any situation whether you are in school or whether you are in the workforce, or wherever you are,” he said. “I think there is a level of dress that is appropriate. When I come to work, I want to model professional dress for you because ultimately I want to be able to show you what that looks like.”
Even with a dress code, Dr. Renegar still wants students to express themselves and their individuality.
“You deserve the right to be who you are,” he said. “I think it’s really important in building a positive school culture to celebrate the things that you guys are doing right.”
Structure aside, Dr. Renegar believes success in the classroom boils down to instruction.
“The whole experience is based around what is taking place in the classroom,” he said. “You can’t buy enough computers, you can’t buy enough programs, you can’t discipline your way into good quality instruction.”
Renegar began his career teaching middle school social studies and previously coached baseball at Hardin Valley Academy in Knoxville. Immediately prior to coming to RMS, he served as principal at Hardin Reynolds Memorial School in Critz, Virginia. His desire to relocate from his hometown area in Virginia to Oak Ridge was in part due to what he describes as the “incredible reputation of this school district.” He believes what makes RMS special are the unique community partnerships which can’t be replicated.
“Not everyone gets to experience what you’re experiencing,” he said. “The interaction that takes place between the teachers and the students, and the magic that takes place between student to student interactions and the learning that is involved… that’s the most important thing.”
Rambler reporters took the opportunity to ask Renegar some questions about his personal life. He and his wife have a daughter and son who now attend Linden Elementary School. His daughter’s name is Eilidh Ruth. She is in Kindergarten and loves to dance. His son Whit is in third grade and loves sports. At the top of Renegar’s own bucket list is a trip to the World Series.
If Renegar could be any superhero, he would be Superman and use his super powers to tackle bullying, his number one pet peeve.
“Bullying hits home,” he said. “Bullying is all about insecurity on the part of the bully. To me, if you have to make yourself feel better about who you are by making someone feel worse, then I think that you have some inherent problems that need to be dealt with.”
Besides bullying, another of his pet peeves is being late. He stated, “I freak out when I’m late, and I don’t want to be the reason someone else is wasting their time.” This explains why the principal is almost always on time; even so, time management is among his biggest challenges as a busy administrator. After a long week of being “pulled in a lot of different directions,” students might find Dr. Renegar enjoying Chick-fil-A chicken nuggets with Polynesian sauce before playing a round of golf. Come Monday, he will eagerly return to the halls of RMS.
Rambler reporters saw a completely different side of Renegar upon interviewing him.
“Before, I thought he looked like a perfectionist, like he had to have things his own way,” noted reporter Lily Yassu, an eighth grader new to Robertsville. “He seemed very strict and wanted direct eye contact. However, when we interviewed him, I realized that he wasn’t so serious. He was very funny and had a good personality. I asked him a few questions, and he answered them with truth.”
Another Rambler staffer, eighth grader Halie Campbell agreed. “I think he is very nice. He is very open to listening to what students have to say. I think he will be a good principal for RMS.”
In the end, “I want to be able to impact as many people as possible,” Renegar said. “I don’t know that there’s a better job in the world than being able to reach and potentially improve the lives of young people.”
Portrait Deadline
The deadline for returning portrait orders for Creative Images is Friday, September 28. Make up portrait day is Thursday, October 18. Anyone who was absent on the original portrait date will be photographed on make up day. If you would like to request a retake for your student, please notify Ms. Kinder @ jkinder@ortn.edu.
Robertsville Yearbooks Are On Sale!
The 2019 RMS yearbook is now on sale at www.yearbookordercenter.com. The current price is $15. After January 20, 2019, the cost will rise to $20. You have two easy ways to order and pay for a yearbook.
Go to www.yearbookordercenter.com, enter our school code (17202) or search for Robertsville, and then follow the steps. Optional upgrades such as name stamping and plastic covers are available online only. Order and pay for your yearbook with a credit or debit card. Cost of yearbooks online goes up to $20 AFTER JANUARY 20, 2019.
OR
Pay for your yearbook at school. Yearbook money ($15) will be collected at school from Nov. 5-9 ONLY. Turn in CHECK PAYMENTS to the homeroom teacher. The cancelled check will serve as your receipt. Turn in CASH PAYMENTS to Ms. Kinder (yearbook sponsor). Students will receive a written receipt for cash payments. Parents may combine payments for multiple students on one check. Please submit each student’s name and homeroom.
Yearbooks will be distributed in June, 2019. IF AVAILABLE on distribution day, extra yearbooks will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis for $20 (CASH ONLY).
Questions? Contact RMS Yearbook Sponsor Julie Kinder at jkinder@ortn.edu.
RMS 6th Grade Costume Concert
RMS 6th Grade Costume Concert
Thursday, October 25, 2018
7:00 pm in the ORHS Auditorium
**All 6th grade Orchestra and Chorus students need to arrive no later than 6:15 at ORHS! 6th grade band students, please see Ms. Reams for more information about reporting time. Students are encouraged to dress up in a costume of choice as long as the costume adheres to the RMS dress code!
Football Update
Robertsville took on Jefferson in the City Championship last night. The Rams held the ball for the majority of the game. We were able to run the ball all night with Jayden Williams, Jason Coates, and DeJauvis Dozier. Jason Coates scored the lone touchdown for the Rams on a pass from Jayden Williams. The defense played well all night allowing on 5 possession for the Eagles and 3 scores from those 5 possessions. The defense made a big stop right before halftime on a pass break up by Pryce Davis and a tackle on fourth down by Cam’Ron Barnette. Michael Darden came up with a key fumble recovery in the fourth quarter to give the Rams a shot. We are so proud of the team and especially the 8th graders on how they performed.
Cyberbullying Presentation
MathCounts
MATHCOUNTS started last week. We will meet Monday’s in room 230 until 4pm. It is open to grades 6-8. Students collaborate on problem sets.
World Language Classes - Spirit Week
Eighth grade French and Spanish classes created “We are Robertsville” posters for spirit week in conjunction with their study of plural adjectives.
Outstanding Poetry in 7th Grade
Seventh grade students have been studying the Middle Ages and focusing on the essential question: How does society influence our identity and experience? One of their assignments was to write a poem about their own identities. The students' poems were fantastic. Here are just a couple of the outstanding poems that were submitted.
Porcelain
Noa D.
I have trapped myself inside this castle of thorns.
Hanging myself close to self-destruction.
Vines thrash at me fed by others opinions.
My porcelain skin is easy to break and expose my satin inside.
I hang limp unable to move but only protect myself.
I can see others but cannot say a thing.
The deep water below darkens with each word out of turn.
The vines grow with each thought I speak.
Once pretty and unscathed.
Protected by my family I now hang exposed.
I do not feed the vines.
As a doll I hang helpless.
Only I can save me.
I am not the fertilizer I am not the vines.
Constantly hitting others to protect themselves.
With every word and hit I take dropping slowly.
Down towards the ever demeaning darkening water below.
No one sees the satin yet.
I frivolously fight without movement.
I try to encourage and help the ones I see in the distance.
Our castle is stone we have to help each other.
For a Black Girl
Avianna H.
Your hair is nappy
You need to comb your hair
You look too ratched with your weave
Your butt is too big
You need to stop talking so loud
You are too quiet to be Black
You are tall you must play basketball
Your lips are too big
You’re hips are huge
You must have daddy issues
If you do not wear J's you are wack....
Don’t be like a black mamba
Venomous
Full of rage
Aggressive
Predator
Listen here Black girl...
You are perfect
Capable of achieving your dreams
You have beautiful hair
Beautiful no matter your shape, the shape of your nose, or your complexion
A Queen yet a descendant of a slave
Seventh grade English students are preparing to write their own historical fiction narrative set in the Middle Ages. They have analyzed an excerpt from The Midwife’s Apprentice to see how its author, Karen Cushman, weaves character and setting details, historical facts, and problems/resolutions into her writing. Students have also discussed “exploded moments” and the elements necessary to build a successful story. The final step before writing the first draft was to complete an ESCAPE plan (Establish, Setting, Characters, Action, Problem, Ending) and peer edit.
Suicide Prevention Movie: Screening of "Suicide - The Ripple Effect"
On Tuesday, September 25th at 6:30 p.m, the Anderson County Schools AWARE Initiative and Second Baptist Church (SBC) in Clinton invite you and the whole community to an event to discuss suicide prevention and a call for action. They will be featuring the 90-minute movie by Kevin Hine: Suicide - The Ripple Effect.
Attached are a flyer with information and a video. Please feel free to share with anyone else who may be interested. We hope to see you at Second Baptist Church, 777 Public Safety Lane, Clinton, TN 37716! The church phone number is 865-457-2046
Upcoming SECME Field Trip
the GIVE Club
The GIVE [Get Involved-Value Everyone] Club is a student centered club with a focus on helping others . This month, the club is working on two projects to help others in our own RMS community. The club will be helping TORCH by collecting food items for families in need. These items need to be non perishable and packaged so they are easy to give out. Items such as granola bars, snacks, crackers, individually packed chips and waters. The second project is collecting new or gently used pajamas to assist Willowbrook in their pajama drive. If you are interested in contributing, items can be dropped off at the office for Becky Davis or David Scott or students can bring them to school .
PTSA - Reflections Program
Hello Ram Fam!!
Your PTSA is excited to announce that Robertsville will be participating in this year’s National PTA Reflections Program which is celebrating its 50th year. Reflections is an arts program though which students can create artwork to reflect their interpretation of a theme.
Do you like to dance and want to try choreographing your own number? How about producing a film, writing a poem or story, composing a song, taking a picture or creating a piece of visual art? Try your hand at any or all of these art forms with this year’s Reflections theme: “Heroes Around Me.” Pick up a PTA Reflections Entry Packet today from the front office, create your works of art, and return each with a completed entry form by December 21, 2018.
Learn more about Reflections at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSvo7vS4Hgg
Chess Club
Tuesday afternoon Chess Club and Wednesday morning Competitive Chess Coaching will begin the first week of September. Both clubs are available to all grade levels. Chess Club occurs on Tuesday from 2:50-3:45 in the library. All ability levels are welcome. Students who are new to the game will have the opportunity to learn the basics. Students play matches with players of varying ability levels. Competitive Chess Coaching occurs on Wednesday from 7:00-7:30 in room 123. Students interested in tournament play will study chess strategy under Linden chess coach, Justin Croft. To sign up for either or both clubs, please complete the registration form(s).
Registration forms can be found on the front lobby bulletin board, near the clinic. Please return forms to the club sponsor. Ms. Sheppeard, esheppeard@ortn.edu, is the sponsor for the Tuesday afternoon club, and Ms. Kercher, jrkercher@ortn.edu, is the sponsor for the Wednesday morning coaching club.
Canvas Parent Accounts
About Robertsville
Robertsville Middle School Vision Statement:
To be a great school
Mission Statement:
Every child will be successful
Belief Statement:
- We believe all students can grow academically.
- We believe in a safe and secure learning environment.
- We believe that our school culture is built on respect.
- We believe in teacher collaboration in conjunction with community resources to provide students support.
Contact Information
Phone Numbers
Main Office: 865-425-9201
Counseling Center: 865-425-9202
Library & Computer Help Desk: 865-425-9153
Instructional Technology Coach: 865-425-9214
Cafeteria: 865-425-9235
Clinic: 865-425-9196
Fax Numbers
Main Office: 865-425-9247
Counseling Center: 865-425-9236
Website: www.ortn.edu/robertsville
Location: 245 Robertsville Road, Oak Ridge, TN, United States
Phone: 8654259201
Twitter: @RMSortn