In the Middle
Scituate Middle School Weekly Update - 10.16.23
Project Linus Needs Your Help!
Any donation of fleece fabric that is two yards or more can be helpful to our cause. Donations can be dropped off at the middle school during normal school hours. We are also accepting monetary donations as well as Joanne's Fabrics gift cards. Click on the button below to read a letter from 8th grader Kiarra Montella.
Have you checked PowerSchool lately?
As we near the mid-quarter, please check PowerSchool for your student's grades. If you are unable to access, please send an email to parentportal@scituateschoolsri.net
Picture Day
Picture Day will be on Monday, October 16th. You can pre-order on my.lifetouch.com with Picture ID EVTZ73MCD or have your child come to the middle school office to pick up a form.
Weekly Spotlight
Grade 6
Green Architecture Enrichment
Grade 8
The students in Mr Reed’s Medical Detectives Enrichment period designed a Medical Monopoly game. The Game Board included:
- Chance cards containing types of illnesses
- Properties like hospitals, doctor's offices, and wellness centers
- Transportation like ambulances and medical helicopters
- In place of utilities were health insurance and blood bank
The game enhances the students understanding of the Medical Field including current issues with pharmaceutical companies and health care costs. Plus, it’s fun and the students really took pride in their creativity. Well Done!
Project Linus
Our 8th grade student leaders are spending time prepping blankets for upcoming club meetings.
After-School Clubs
Project Linus
Project Linus is a national organization that makes blankets for children in crisis. In past years, there have been students who were recipients of blankets while they were hospitalized. At one point in time, SMS was the only school-based club in the state.
This club is open to 8th grade students only at first and meets on Tuesdays. During these first few weeks, Mrs. Battey teaches the 8th graders how to make the blankets. By the second meeting, these students are then tasked with preparing the fabric for others to finish off. As new students join the club (once the club is opened to 6th and 7th graders), these 8th grade student leaders are in charge of teaching these students how to make the blankets. This, then, becomes a student-led club where students are truly leaders as they teach and otherwise manage the club. If you have any questions about this club, please reach out to Mrs. Battey. Her email is linked here.
Agriculture Club
Agriculture Club meets on Tuesdays and is open to middle and high school students interested in nature and the environment. Projects throughout this year include the creation of an on-campus butterfly garden, a "power of plants" great plant give-away, starting our first RI Envirothon team, and of course, filling our greenhouse throughout the early spring months with flowers and veggies to sell at our annual plant sale. Additionally, we connect with community members and programs to take part in tree planting field trips, water festivals, and RI Salmon in the Classroom experience. If you have any question please reach out to Ms. Travers. Her email is linked here.
Music Club
The music department will be offering a rotating music club after school on Wednesdays. Students will be able to sign up when the Google Form is posted in classrooms on Mondays for the week. Please note that there is a cap of 25 students. Reach out to the music department if you have any questions. Staff emails are linked below.
Upcoming schedule:
October 18 Mrs. Vantine (Band)
October 25 Mr. Rivard (Band)
November 1 Ms. Norton (Chorus)
TSA Club
The Technology Student Association is a national student organization with over 300,000 members. TSA projects and competitions include robotics, game design, engineering, and more. Through hands-on learning experiences, these projects aim to nurture innovative thinking. We hope to empower the next generation of inventors, storytellers, and problem-solvers. Join us as we use technology to unlock our students' creative potential! This club meets on Wednesdays after school. Reach out to Mr. Sheehan if you have any questions. His email is linked here.
Spartan Shout-Outs
Athletics Update
Below you will find the contact information for our Fall Sports at Scituate Middle School. Please direct any sports inquiries to the appropriate coach. Coaches will be able to answer questions that the main office staff may not have the answers to.
Girls Soccer - Coach Eric Stinette eric.stin@gmail.com
Boys Soccer - Coach Miles Henderson henderson.miles@gmail.com
Cross Country - Coach Jennifer Borin jenniferborin@gmail.com
Athletic Director - Sal Gelsomino sal.gelsomino@scituateschoolsri.net
Cross Country
Monday - Manning, pickup 3:45pm
Tuesday - off-site practice Pono, no bus. 4:15-5:30
Wednesday - off-site practice Pono, no bus. 4:15-5:30
Thursday - Manning pickup 3:45
Friday - Short practice for Varsity followed by Friends & Family Fun Run (3:30 start). Rain Date 10/27
Saturday - State Championships, Ponaganset HS 10am boys; 10:30 girls. Bus departs Scituate at 8am.
The cross country teams finished up their Division Championships at Rocky Point yesterday and they did not disappoint!
The Varsity Boys finished 2nd out of 12 teams securing a spot for the Varsity team at the State Meet next week. Leading the way was Oliver Redmond with a 4th place finish and a personal best time of 9:30. Oliver was followed by Andrew Bettez, Andres Diston, Alex Chiappone, Jackson Downs, Lucas Borin and Luka Pannone.
The Varsity Girls finished in 3rd of our 12 teams and they also qualified to run at the State Meet. Leading the charge was Sophia Morgan with a 2nd place finish (missing first by a hundredth of a second) and a personal best time of 11:35. Sophia was followed by Joiee Downs, Aubree Silvia, Sophia Lemoine, Clover Couillard, Ava Dunn and Makayla Ross.
The top 3 finishers for the boys JV race were Dylan Pierce, Tampa Ortiz and Joey Jacavone. The top finishers for the girls JV race were Paisley Banville, Gabby DeRosa and Layla Richards. These runners will be alternates for the State meet.
It was a great day where we celebrated our 8th graders with some really creative posters.
SMS Yearbook
I'd like to introduce myself to those of you that did not meet me during my first year teaching at the middle school last year. I'd like to announce that I'll be managing the yearbook this year as well as teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade art classes. In order to compile a nice bank of pictures for this year's yearbook, I'd like to ask for parent, student, and faculty help taking pictures of sporting events, school activities, and anything else SMS-related.
Please save the email address sms_yearbook@scituateschoolsri.net and attach any pictures you take throughout the year. Don't forget to include the name of the event, the date of the event and names of people pictured if possible. We will store all photos sent to the yearbook email and select from the bank of compiled pictures as we assemble the layouts.
Feel free to reach out to me with any questions. Thank you in advance for all of your help!
~Ms. Julie Trikoulis
Student Support Services
Thanksgiving Baskets
As you may know, each year Scituate Public Schools hosts a turkey basket drive around Thanksgiving. This is for families who may need some extra assistance with providing a complete Thanksgiving meal for their family to enjoy. The baskets will include all the things needed for a turkey dinner. Please use the following google forms to express interest in receiving a Thanksgiving Basket.
**Please fill out the information by 10/31/23 to be placed on the list to receive a basket ** If you have any questions please reach out to Jennifer Ricci, LCSW District School Social Worker at jennifer.ricci@scituateschoolsri.net"
Lunch Drop-Ins Begin Sept. 28th
The student support team would like to once again run drop-in lunches for the middle school this upcoming fall. This event will be running during all lunch waves on Thursdays in the library conference room (facilitated by our Mental Health Interns) The goal is to provide a safe alternative lunch space where middle school students can have quiet conversations and recharge.
Small group interventions have long been used by school counselors and teachers to help build soft-skills capacity for struggling students. Lunch groups are another way to help foster these positive interactions so that students gain skills and form bonds during school hours or times of stress and anxiety.
This program will aim to help students feel seen, build positive coping skills, and form trusting relationships.
Scituate Rotary Club Donates Backpacks
Thanks to a wonderful donation from the Scituate Rotary Club, we have school supplies available to be distributed to our students in the Middle and High School!
Supplies include: Backpacks, Stationary and Art Supplies, Gift Cards (limited amount)
Please fill out the Backpack Request Form below if you are interested/ in need of school supplies for your child/ student(s)!
All requests are confidential and will be handled by our School Social Worker, Jennifer Ricci, LCSW.
Free / Reduced Lunch Information
The Scituate School Department has partnered with Unite Us to streamline the process of applying for free and/or reduced lunches. Please click the link which will take you to the meal benefit application on the State of Rhode Island Department of Education website.
https://ride.ri.gov/child-nutrition/unite-us-electronic-school-meal-benefit-application
Please fill in all fields. Be sure to select Scituate Public Schools in the field “Select the school district that your child will receive school meals from”.
If you have any questions, please call: Jennifer Carnevale, Executive Finance Assistant at 401-647-4100 option 2, then option 3"
Bus Information
All students, parents/guardians should be able to view their bus info in PowerSchool. Should you have any questions, please reach out to First Student by emailing Wendy.Lacombe@firstgroup.com
News From North West Special Education (NWSE)
Hello! Below are the meeting dates for the Northwest Special Education Local Advisory Committee for the 23/24SY. All are welcome to attend!
November 14, 2023 at 6:00pm at Ponaganset Middle School, Room 150
February 13, 2024 at 6:00pm at Ponaganset Middle School, Room 150
April 30, 2024 at 6:00pm at Ponaganset Middle School, Room 150
Parking is available in the rear parking lot behind the building; entry at the rear entrance of the building.
Important Dates Ahead
11/13– Veterans’ Day-Observed (No School)
11/22-11/ 24 – Thanksgiving Recess (No School)