RAMS News- September 4, 2023
Tina Cortis
Contents
|
||
|
|
||
Welcome BackWelcome back to school, RAMS community! The opening days of school marked palpable excitement and anticipation. Once empty and silent, the classrooms, hallways, and spaces now buzz. We look forward to the promise of countless discoveries and achievements in the months ahead. As we set out on this journey together through the tumultuous middle school years, please know we are here to offer and provide encouragement and support to all. Please remember to reach out to us with any questions or needs so that we may continue to fill moments with hope, potential, and the boundless possibilities of each student’s educational journey.
Please follow @RAMSTAGRAMSHPS on Instagram for regular updates/photos of the awesome work our students and staff are doing every day! |
||
|
|
||
RAMS Open HouseWe are pleased to welcome families back for our RAMS Open House. Please read the details about dates and times CAREFULLY. This is an important opportunity for parents and caregivers to meet their student’s teachers and hear about the particular skills, content, and expectations.
Again, please read the details about dates and times CAREFULLY.
GRADE 6 ONLY GRADE 6 families & unified arts/world language teachers on Wednesday, September 20th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
GRADES 7 and 8 ONLY GRADE 7 and 8 families & unified arts/world language teachers on Thursday, September 21th, from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm |
||
|
|
||
RAMS School Council-Volunteers NeededRAMS School Council is a small representative group of parents, teachers, community members, and administrators. The School Council meets to review and discuss the school's improvement goals, both current and future. If you want to serve on the RAMS School Council, please email Principal David Jordan at jordand@holliston.k12.ma.us. |
||
|
|
||
Holliston PTOJoining the Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) is a fantastic way for parents and caregivers to engage in their student’s education and school community actively. By becoming a member of the PTO, you can play a vital role in supporting various school initiatives, fundraising efforts, and educational programs. Moreover, it provides an excellent platform for networking with fellow parents, teachers, and administrators, fostering a strong sense of community and collaboration. Whether you have a few hours to spare or are looking for opportunities to contribute your skills, joining the PTO allows you to have a meaningful impact on your child's school experience while working with other dedicated individuals who share a common goal – the success and well-being of our students. Please visit the district-wide, Pre-K through 12, Holliston PTO website.
|
||
|
|
||
RAMS Clubs, Activities, and Late BusesExciting news for RAMS! We're in the process of putting together a fantastic lineup of afterschool clubs and activities that will provide you with a wide range of opportunities to explore your interests, develop new skills, and have fun. All clubs will run on a designated weekday from 2:30 p.m. to 3:25 pm. Stay tuned for more information on these exciting offerings catering to various hobbies, passions, and talents. There's something for everyone, whether you're into sports, arts, science, or community service. Get ready to make the most of your middle school experience by participating in these enriching extracurricular activities. We can't wait to share the details with you soon!
Late Buses will begin to run during the week of September 11th. |
||
|
|
||
Unique Course Offerings for ALL Students: A Letter from Dr. JordanDear Families,
I am excited to announce a few alternative offerings we have been able to provide to students based on student and family interest feedback and the rising needs of students. These classes include the following:
Course Details: ↓
Introductory Spanish (6, 7, 8) will be an entry-level point, similar to Introductory French. This course will be available to ALL students as an alternative to Spanish, French Immersion, and Introductory French. While these existing courses will continue to run, the new Introductory Spanish meets both requests by families that have been ongoing and addresses learning gaps suffered due to Covid. Please note our traditional Spanish course is not an entry-level class and builds off of learning from elementary school. Families wanting an entry point into Spanish before high school have requested Introductory Spanish for many years. Additionally, World Language development suffered in Covid. This new offering, available to ALL 6-8 students, will allow some students currently in Spanish with Covid-related learning gaps to start fresh.
Pit Crew (6, 7, 8) is back after a 4-year hiatus from Covid. Pitcrew is a small offering for students highly interested in computer software and hardware. This group assists our Technology Department with software updates, technology repairs, and hardware installation. This course is for those students with interest and at least a minimal understanding of computer software and hardware. Those selected for the course will take Pit Crew instead of Art or Music.
Wellness II (6, 7, 8) is a non-traditional Wellness offering based on the Wellness standards taught in 6-8. This course focuses on more targeted areas of support around students' Social, Emotional, and Physical well-being. The class size will be 7-12 students with topics/activities ranging from yoga, meditation, executive functioning, mental health strategies, social pragmatics, stress and anxiety prevention, and peer conflict.
Adaptive PE/Health (7, 8) is a course we have always run for many of our students with significant neuro-divergent needs to help support their health and physical needs. Like a Best Buddies program, we are looking for interested students to model and support the various physical and cognitive abilities historically served in the course. The course is open to 7th and 8th-grade students in good academic and behavioral standing with their teachers.
If your student is interested in the new offerings, please complete this Student Interest Form.
If you or your student have any questions, don't hesitate to get in touch with me at jordand@holliston.k12.ma.us.
I appreciate your consideration of these unique offerings. Regards, David Jordan |
||
|
|
||
NEW AND HOW TO: Reporting Absences and TardiesIf your child will not be in or late to school, you have several options for reporting your child's absence or tardiness. Please be aware that if you report your child's absence or tardiness by 9:15 a.m., you will not receive a notification from Bright Arrow indicating that your child has been reported absent.
Early Dismissals We have implemented an easy and efficient new online dismissal system to run RAMS more efficiently. When you fill out this easy Google form, the online dismissal system informs our front office staff of your child's dismissal before arrival. This allows time for us to call your child's classroom and have them ready when you arrive to pick them up. Rather than calling the office or having them bring a note to school, if you need to dismiss your child before the end of the school day, please fill out our new online dismissal form as soon as you know you will need to dismiss your child. The form can be filled out days or weeks in advance and can be used for multiple dismissals to accommodate recurring appointments. It allows us to monitor and organize dismissals throughout the day. It has been extremely helpful on busy days when classes might enjoy the outside in the good weather or exam days. The more advance notice you give us, the better. And while we understand that there may be a day when a student needs to be dismissed last minute, the advance notice this dismissal system gives us is a massive help as we work to dismiss students promptly. To access the online dismissal form, visit our RAMS website and clock on About. This will give you a drop-down menu, and the last item on that drop-down menu is Dismissal Form. Fill out the information, click Submit, and that's it! The information will be forwarded to our front office staff. Thank you for helping RAMS run more efficiently! |
||
|
|
||
RAMS AthleticsThe Fall 2023-2024 Interscholastic Athletic program at RAMS includes Cross Country for grades 6, 7, and 8. Field Hockey for grades 6, 7, and 8. Volleyball for grades 7 and 8 only.
Registration for fall sports is now closed.
Parent/Caregiver Sports Night THIS WEEK! 9/5 in the RAMS auditorium.
Athletic Information can be found at the RAMS Athletics. |
||
|
|
||
RAMS Still Need ParaprofessionalsRobert Adams Middle School is seeking paraprofessionals. At RAMS, paraprofessionals will work with students, individually or in small groups, to provide instruction, supervise, and share positive energy. The impact paraprofessionals have on the educational system is immeasurable, and we at RAMS greatly value our paraprofessionals.
Interested applicants can apply using the following platform: SchoolSpring
If you are curious, please connect with us. You may know a new retiree, a recent college graduate, or a caring and positive person who would love to work with students. Contact David Jordan (jordand@holliston.k12.ma.us) or Karen Manning (manningk@holliston.k12.ma.us) |
||
|
|
||
Mark Your CalendarsAugust 24 Open Building Day 24 School Committee @ 7:00 PM 28 Opening Day for staff 29 Opening Day for Students 1-12 30 Opening Day for students PreK/K
September 1 PD day-district, no school for students 4 Labor Day 5 Parent sports night @ 6:00 pm in RAMS auditorium 7 School picture day 14 School Committee @ 7:00 PM 16 Rosh Hashanah TBD Scholastic book fair 20-21 Open House: Grade 6 & Arts/WL Wednesday (20) Grades 7 & 8 Thursday (21) (6:30-8:30) 23 Celebrate Holliston 25 Yom Kippur/no school |
||
|
|
||
RAMS Think it Over
|
