MARCH 2024
UPCOMING EVENTS:
3/5: RMS Pops Choir Concert @ RMS, 7pm
3/6: WY-Topp Writing Assessment for 7th graders
3/6: Wyoming Prevention Needs Assessment Survey for 6th & 8th graders
3/8: Early Release @ 12:35pm
3/10: Daylight Savings Time
3/12: Parent Teacher Conferences, 4:15pm-5:45pm
3/14-15: RMS Musical @ RMS, 7pm
3/16: RMS Musical @ RMS, 2pm & 7pm
3/17: St. Patrick's Day
3/18: First Soccer Practice @ 3:10pm
3/19: RMS Night of Jazz @ RMS, 6:30pm
3/25-29: Spring Break! - No School!
WY-TOPP (WRITING TEST) & THE WYOMING PREVENTION NEEDS ASSESSMENT SURVEY
- March 6th - The Wy-Topp Writing Test for 7th graders during homeroom
- March 6th - The Wyoming Prevention Needs Assesment for 6th and 8th graders during homeroom
Needing some tips on test-taking success? Here are 14 tips from Harvard.
RMS PRESENTS: THE LITTLE MERMAID
RMS o-fish-aly invites you under the sea for this year's musical, The Little Mermaid! Come and enjoy these fin-tastic performances on March 14th and 15th at 7pm and March 16th at 2pm and 7pm in the RMS Multi-Purpose Room.
UPCOMING CAMPS FROM MS. MCNIVEN:
- Open to grades 6th & 7th
- Due Date: March 30th
- Notes: FREE, must provide own transportation
- Requirements: 2 teacher recommendations, report card 250 word essay, online application
- Due Date: March 30th
- Notes: $75, must provide own transportation
SMARTPHONES, SAFETY & SCHOOLS
RMS has kept student cellphones out of the classroom since 2022. We are grateful for this policy and have seen so much benefit in student engagement and lower rates of conflict. Research continues to evidence that limiting smartphone use for kids and young teens is in their best interest.
An article from the Atlantic titled Get Phones Out of Schools Now details research on cell phones and academics: "Consider this study published by the University of Chicago “Brain Drain: The Mere Presence of One’s Own Smartphone Reduces Available Cognitive Capacity.” College students came to a lab to take a test. They were randomly assigned to one of three groups, given the following instructions: (1) Put your phone on your desk, (2) leave it in your pocket or bag, or (3) leave it out in another room. No one actually used the phone during the test. Just the potential distraction knowing the phone was present provided clear results. The closer the phone was to students’ awareness, the worse they performed on the tests. Even just having a phone in one’s pocket sapped students’ abilities."
The Center for Human Technology reported to congress that between 2010-2017, researchers at NYU attributed the 170% rise in depressive symptoms among teen girls directly to social media use. Students themselves report lower rates of stress when their phones are collectively "put away for the day," thanks to more face-to-face interaction, less drama online, and no fear of missing out on conversations peers may be having because the policy is school-wide.
What's more - unmonitored smartphone and internet use put kids at risk for exposure to explicit material. Common Sense Media reported in 2022 that 44% of 1,300 teens (13-17) surveyed said they had viewed at least one time during the school year sexually explicit content at school, either on their own device or a classmate's. Average age for pornography exposure is currently 12 (some sources say 11).
Technology is an incredible tool and education moves with the times. However, we know that limiting personal cell phone use is what is right for our students and their success - academically, socially, and emotionally. Thank you for supporting this critical policy!
MARCH BREAKFAST/LUNCH MENU
FROM MRS. KUCERA
Depression Cake (Simple Chocolate Cake) - Depression cake is a quick, easy and delicious chocolate cake made without eggs or butter. This cake became popular during the Great Depression.
Ingredients:
1 ½ cups flour
1 cup granulated sugar
½ tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
⅓ cup cooking oil
1 Tbsp vinegar
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup water
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, salt, baking soda, and cocoa powder until well combined.
Add 1 cup water to a liquid measuring cup, then add the vanilla extract and vinegar to the water.
Add the oil to the bowl of dry ingredients, followed by the water mixture. Stir until the chocolate cake batter is mostly smooth. Make sure no dry flour remains on the bottom of the bowl.
Pour the cake batter into an 8x8" or 9x9" baking dish.
Bake the cake for 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar and enjoy.
SPARTAN ATHLETICS
Check out Spartan Athletics to see upcoming events!
7TH GRADE REMINDER
All 7th graders are required to have a Tdap (adult tetanus) vaccine, unless they have a medical or religious exemption. Thank you and please provide a copy to the school. For questions or more information, please contact Nurse Kenna at kborst@fremont25.org.
POWERSCHOOL
You can start completing your students registration forms for the 2023-2024 school year via your parent PowerSchool login. And, good news, there are fewer forms to be updated! You can find the forms under the 2023-24 School Year heading. Please log in and update your information, as well as, add contacts to your student's list who may check them out from school. Please call the office or email Mrs. Mayes with questions.
MY SCHOOL APPS
If you haven't already done so, follow the link to fill out the school meal benefits application. To receive potential benefits, these applications must be completed each school year and do not carry over.
SCHOOL INFORMATION:
Riverton Middle School
840 Major Ave
Riverton, WY 82501
Phone: (307) 856-9443
Fax: (307) 857-1695
Important Links: