Weekly Dolphin Newsletter
Week of October 23, 2023
Important Updates
No School for Students on Wednesday, 11/1
Schools are closed for students on Wednesday, 11/1, for teachers to finalize their first quarter gradebooks. Marking Period 2 starts on Thursday, 11/2.
Principal's Community Night Thursday 11/2
Join us in the media center on Thursday night, from 6:30 to 7:30, to hear updates from the first quarter at Rosa Parks Middle School. We will have follow up information from our summer "Meet the Principal" meetings as well as information about our School Improvement Plan, math and literacy interventions, student voice data, and we will have time for a Q&A.
Treats for Troops
Put your family’s excess halloween candy to good use by donating to our veterans and our actively serving military members. RPMS will serve as a candy collection site from November 1st through November 10th. Send in any type of unopened store bought candy treat and we’ll forward it along to the Treats for Troops campaign, a Soldier’s Angels program. Learn more about Soldier’s Angels by visiting https://soldiersangels.org/
HONORING MILITARY Members FROM OUR COMMUNITY
We’d love to recognize and express our gratitude to all service members that are connected to our RPMS community. Please take just a moment to scan the QR code or access the link here to submit the name and picture of a service member family or friend. These images will be included in our Veterans Day presentations throughout the building on November 10th.
Veteran's Day Open House - Friday November 10
Please join us for our annual Open House event on November 10th. Register to visit our building and observe your student for a few classes anytime between 8:30 and 2:30 If you’d like to observe the activities we’ve included to honor veterans, please be sure to sign up to visit your student’s TAP class.
A link for sign ups will be emailed separately to Rosa Parks Families
Lost and Found Clean Out
Lost and found items will be out in the cafeteria through November 7. After November 7th we will donate items left in lost and found. Remind your student to check for their missing jackets, sweat shirts, lunch boxes, and water bottles.
Rosa Parks Composting Update
I am excited to report that the students were able to divert 105 lbs of food from landfills and incinerators in September 2023
Order Your Yearbook Now!
Yearbooks are on sale now at a discount! Prices will go up after the new year, so order yours now and get the lowest price possible. Yearbooks are $40 plus a small service fee. Click the picture to buy yours now!
Grade Level Assignments Summary
After School Activities
After School Clubs and Activities
After School Activities have started! This link will remain in the newsletter every week, and we will let you know as new clubs are added!
Clubs starting this month
Rec Xtra Poms & Cheer Club
Rec Xtra Computer Art Club
Rec Xtra Friday Hoops
Rec Xtra Gardening Club (session 1)
Rec Xtra Guitar Club
Rec Xtra Journalism Club
Rec Extra Chess Club (Session 1)
Rec Xtra Tennis Club
Rec Xtra Japanese Culture and Anime Club
Rec Xtra Friendship Bracelet Club
Rec Xtra Dungeons & Dragons Club
Rec Xtra Biology Club
Activity Bus Routes and Stops
Click here to see our bus routes and stops, activity buses run every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.
Community Opportunities
GBTLA Saturday School - Registration is Open!
Saturday Schools Programs have physical locations at Wheaton, Northwest, Einstein, Montgomery Blair, Paint Branch, and Clarksburg High Schools. Each of these centers will serve students in grades 6-8 and includes breakfast and transportation over 23 Saturdays from September to May. The affordable cost for our Saturday School program is $40 for students that qualify for FARMS and $85 for all other students. This cost is for the entire year.
Saturday School serves MCPS as a strategic partner and provides mentoring and tutoring from 8:30 am - 11:00 am on Saturday mornings, which is what we consider the 6th Day of Learning. The middle school Saturday School curriculum allows students additional time with MCPS curriculum and is taught by MCPS teachers with the goal of extending and supporting the weekly grade-level learning outcomes.
Flyers, Schedules, and Registration Materials can be found here.
SSL Opportunities
Student Service Learning
Parents and families may review details about SSL hours here. Students joined the myMCPS Classroom/Canvas course titled "SSL-RPMS 2023-2024" that is also available to all individuals who hold a role as "Observer" on myMCPS Classroom/Canvas. The Canvas course is a place for students to learn more about SSL, research service opportunities, and submit verification forms.
Students and families are encouraged to submit SSL verification forms digitally using the Google Form on the SSL Canvas course. Digital submission allows the SSL coordinator, Mrs. Lewis, to process forms more rapidly and to communicate with students and families more efficiently if concerns arise. Students may see Mrs. Lewis at school during TAP with any questions about the program; families may reach Mrs. Lewis by email: sarah_f_lewis@mcpsmd.org.
Join the PTA
Click here to visit our Givebacks Store and join or make a donation to the PTA.
PTA Givebacks and Emails
Our PTA uses the online communication tool called Givebacks (formerly known as Memberhub). RPMS PTA uses Givebacks to bring you into our school community and keep you informed and engaged with what is happening. Within our Givebacks, you will find our e-store, newsletters, signup sheets, calendar events, files, photos, reminders, and much more all in one place!
To receive PTA emails and other communications, please click here to add you and your family to the RPMS Givebacks site.
We would love to have you and your family as PTA members. Please visit our e-store to join.
Thanks, and welcome to Givebacks!
Upcoming Events
Fundraisers
Rosa Parks Band Fundraiser
Support the Rosa Parks music program by stocking up on pasta at our fall fundraiser, “Fun Pasta”. All purchases are done online and delivered to your house. Visit our page to order!