Rye Neck Middle School
December 8, 2023 - Issue 7
Dear Rye Neck Families,
We hope this message finds you in good health as we dive into the festive spirit of December! It's hard to believe how quickly the school year is progressing, and we're thrilled to share the latest updates and news from our middle school community. Please take a few minutes to read through our newsletter and stay up to date.
As always, communication is key to our shared success. If you ever have any questions, concerns, or simply want to share a proud moment, please don't hesitate to reach out.
Best regards,
Dr. Barker
Upcoming Events
- MS PAC Meeting: December 14th, 1:15pm
- Steps For Success Ends: December 18th
- MS Winter Concert: December 20th, 5:30pm, PAC
- BOE Meeting: December 20th, 7pm, Community Room
- MS Olympics: December 22nd
- Early Dismissal: December 22nd - 6th Grade 10:45am, 7th Grade 10:50am, 8th Grade 10:55am
- MP2 Progress Reports posted: December 22nd
- Holiday Recess - School Closed: December 25th - January 2nd
Workshops for Parents & Caregivers from the RNUFSD and ESS
This year, our district has partnered with Effective School Solutions to enhance our culturally inclusive mental wellness and behavioral support programs that improve and strengthen outcomes for students. In the coming weeks and months, we will be hosting in-person and virtual workshops of high interest to parents. Please watch for future dates and descriptions in mailings and on our district website.
ESS Mental Wellness Presentations
Rye Neck Schools and Effective School Solutions (ESS) invite you to join us for a series of virtual and in-person parent-centered presentations on mental wellness throughout the year, starting with our inaugural workshops on December 13, 2023.
Caring for children can be rewarding while simultaneously emotionally and physically depleting. Building Capacity for Parents: Supporting Adults to Avoid Burnout and Enhance Well-Being will help the important adults in children's lives identify the signs of stress and caregiver fatigue; offer tangible strategies to build their capacity; and enhance their emotional and physical well-being.
There will be a virtual presentation at 10:00 AM for parents/caregivers of children in grades K-5 and another at 6:00 PM for parents/caregivers of children in grades 6-12. Parents and caregivers are welcome to attend the session that is most convenient to their schedules. While the workshops will present the same information, the age-specific examples will vary.
Please see the invitation for more information.
Principal's Advisory Committee Meeting
Below is the agenda for the next middle school PAC meeting. Please reach out to one of the PAC members (Stacie Brenkovich, Elizabeth Blache, Janine Clements, Celine Dujeux, Stephen Palgon, Jaime Santa and Jen Soussa) if there are specific questions you have regarding agenda topics.
Yearbook Sales Information
Click on this link to buy the RNMS yearbook: www.yearbookordercenter.com
Then enter code: 40568
Herff Jones will also be sending out sales emails throughout the year! Get your yearbook soon as the price will increase later in the year.
Website Update and Feedback
Rye Neck Schools launched a new website in 2021 through Blackboard. In 2022, Blackboard was acquired by Finalsite, which will no longer support our website's template as of 2025. In the coming months, we will choose a new Finalsite template for a summer 2024 launch. Additionally, Rye Neck is in the process of updating its current app to include more student-specific information, such as your child's schedule, grades, and important documentation.
Mary Lanza and the Technology Planning Advisory Team created the 2023 Rye Neck Website Survey to gather feedback from the community that will guide decisions about our new website. The 2023 Rye Neck Website Survey is offered in three languages (English, Japanese, and Spanish); and it includes questions about our current website, the Rye Neck App, and our social media presence. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey by December 12, 2023.
Bike Safety
We would like to remind you of some bike safety rules.
By law, all children ages 13 and under must wear a helmet while riding a bike. In Mamaroneck, bicycle riders must consider the safety of pedestrians on sidewalks (and must dismount and walk their bikes on Mamaroneck Avenue).
Unlike joggers, bicyclists should ride in the same direction as auto traffic while on the road.
Students must be mindful of how they are riding their bicycles while on our MS/HS campus. There are lots of staff, students and parents walking and many cars that are driving during arrival and dismissal.
Please review this New York State resource on Bike Safety. Please remember that all of us who use the roads, whether on foot, on a bike, or in a car, have to pay attention to each other to prevent physical injury.
After School Clubs
After school clubs started the week of October 2nd. They are open to students in grades 6-8. Students can try different clubs or if they are in 6th grade they can also participate in intramural sports. The club presentation as well as the schedule for intramural sports is below.
2023-24 6th Grade Intramurals Schedule
2023 - 2024
6th Grade Intramurals Schedule
School Days
Monday - Friday
3:00PM - 4:00PM
Intramural sessions are run by Rye Neck Coaches.
Intramural design will consist of skill development and scrimmaging.
Please use this FamilyID link to register your child for Intramurals:
6th Graders are to report directly to the location indicated below.
Intramurals only run on days school is in session.
Attendance is not mandatory for participation but if you sign up we ask that you make every attempt to attend each day. A student may register for multiple sessions/sports.
Acceptable Use Policy
Code of Conduct
Rye Neck Schools Academic Integrity Agreement
PTSA Event Calendar
NEWS FROM THE CLASSROOM
Enrichment - Ms. Costelloe
On Thursday, December 21st our 7th and 8th grades will once again have a virtual visit with Dr. Soyica Diggs Colbert, author of Radical Vision: A Biography of Lorraine Hansberry. Dr. Colbert is the Interim Dean of Georgetown College at Georgetown University, where she is also the Idol Family Professor of African American Studies and Performing Arts. She will speak to all of our 7th & 8th graders following their reading of the play A Raisin in the Sun, by Lorraine Hansberry. Many thanks to English teacher Chris Macli for identifying this amazing opportunity, to the PTSA for funding the visit, and to Author Visit Chair Megan Getraer for making all the arrangements.
6th Grade English - Ms. Castaldo, Mr. Macli & Ms. Offner
HAPPY DECEMBER! 6th Grade ELA classes have been very busy. We are reading our second novel, The Cay by Theodore Taylor. Students are enjoying an audio version of the book. As they listen, they are learning to take concise, accurate notes. They will also be exploring themes, and learning about the different types of conflicts seen in literature.
Please make sure your child is keeping up with their independent reading. Students must choose a book, and have it approved by December 7th. Information about the due date and project will be given in class. Enjoy the holiday season.
Research Tech - Ms. Costelloe
Over the past month Research Tech classes continued the exploration of digital citizenship issues. In particular we’ve been looking at avoiding online scams & schemes, exploring how to create and maintain a positive digital footprint and online identity. Important understandings as our 6th graders are beginning to spend more time online.
Our current assignment questions when our information needs require something more authoritative than the results of a Google search. Understanding the need for authoritative information when doing academic research, and learning how to navigate the Rye Neck databases becomes the foundation for the work we will do in grades 6-12 to build effective, efficient and ethical research skills.
I love that so many students are arriving to class with all of their work completed and enjoying the opportunity to be self-directed learners and creators during our class time. I have curated a plethora of websites, resources, platforms and databases so that students can learn about whatever interests them at the moment or build their creative skills. The Self-Directed Learning Links are posted on their Google Classroom Classwork Page and are available on the MSHS Library website.
6th Grade Art - Ms. Appel
Students have just completed their first project in art class for this quarter. They learned about Sarah Morris and her abstract paintings in order to create their own abstract spider web designs inspired by her style. Students focused on using color variety, lines, a central shape, patterns, and value within their work. Next, they will learn about Grant Haffner to create landscape paintings.
7th Grade English - Mr. Tinnirello
Students in seventh grade English have received their personal copies of A Raisin in the Sun to be read at home. Also, student book reports will soon be returned and are revisable, but revisions are due no later than Monday, December 18th.
7th Grade English B - Mr. Macli
We're starting our new book, A Raisin in the Sun, this week. We'll begin by reading and analyzing "Harlem," a poem by Langston Hughes that addresses what happens to people who have yet to accomplish their dreams. Near the end of the month, the middle school will have a guest speaker who will discuss the time period of the play and the life of the playwright, Lorraine Hansberry.
7th Grade Social Studies - Mr. Magnani, Ms. Davey and Mr. Scozzari
Before the Thanksgiving break, we began our unit on the Road to Revolution which focuses on the events of the 1760s and 1770s that led up to the outbreak of the American Revolution. This month, students had an opportunity to play "investigators" who were brought in to analyze the testimonies of 3 key eyewitnesses to the incident at King Street (later known as the "Boston Massacre"). Using this information, students wrote up their "reports" to support whether the event was a matter of self defense or murder and they were "published" in the Boston Gazette! The next test for Module 4 will take place before the December break. As always, please remind your student to check our teacher webpages and Google Classroom for nightly homework assignments, review materials and other helpful items.
7th Grade Art - Ms. Appel
Students just finished working on their cut-out prints inspired by Henri Matisse in which they used Gelli plates to create different monoprints. They focused on the primary colors and learned how to create the secondary colors by overlapping their colors. Students currently are learning about Andy Warhol with Ms. Appel’s student teacher, Ms. Karlsson, and are continuing to experiment with different printmaking techniques inspired by his work. Students have been learning about the pop art movement and how Warhol often used animals in his own prints. They are choosing one animal as the focal point for their work and will also incorporate repetition and line design in their final print.
8th Grade Art - Ms. Appel
Students just finished working on their insects inspired by the etchings of Albrecht Dürer in which they used different line techniques as well as analogous colors within their backgrounds. Currently students are learning about Andy Warhol and the pop art movement with Ms. Appel’s student teacher, Ms. Karlsson. They are learning about different printmaking techniques as well as how Andy Warhol used bright colors and repetition in his work. Students are focusing on using an endangered animal as their subject for this project just like how Warhol did an entire series on endangered animals to raise awareness. Students will use multiple colors when printing and will layer colors to add more contrast in their final compositions. They will also use repetition and line details to emphasize certain areas in their work.