Dear Parents,
It’s the most wonderful time of the year! Welcome back! The beginning of a new school year is filled with excitement, anticipation, wonder and nervous energy. I hope that you enjoyed some quality time with your families and friends and that you are looking forward to the best year ever! The start of a new year gives students, teachers and parents alike a fresh start. When parents and schools work together to do what’s best for our most precious commodity, our communities are happier, healthier and much more productive. I look forward to celebrating this new year with you and your daughters. Let the adventure begin!
Verna M. Moore, Middle School Head
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HAVE YOU ORDERED YOUR TEXTBOOKS YET? Information about textbook purchases was enclosed in your August mailing. Rental textbooks will be distributed in class. All other books need to be purchased from MBS.net and need to be ordered right away so your daughter will have them for class.
THE RED BOOK: This essential guide to life at RPCS will be distributed to students (one per family) during the first week of school. It contains contact info for all students, the school handbook, directions to athletic events, basic calendar dates, and other additional useful information. (Please note that additional key middle school events will be listed each month in this newsletter.) Please review the handbook with your daughter. We will also be focusing on the handbook during opening advisory group meetings.
AFTER SCHOOL ACTIVITIES: Students will learn about, and sign up for, our fall after school activities offerings during the first week of school. Forms should be turned in to Miss Keim, no later than September 2nd at 8:00am. Activities will begin on September 8th and will run until early December. Team sports will begin on September 8th as well.
FORMS: As usual, there are several forms that need to be turned in ASAP:
Health Forms: These are available online at our web site. All forms must be in before your daughter may take part in any school activities. Those families that are still missing forms have been notified. Contact the nurse’s office if you still need a form.
Acceptable Use Policy: All students must return a signed AUP to her advisor before she can receive her network password. This is a good opportunity to talk with your daughter about making good decisions while online. Our tech classes cover this topic extensively as well.
PARENTS’ BACK-TO-SCHOOL NIGHT, Wednesday, September 16, 7:00 pm - 9:30 pm: Please make every effort to join us on this evening to meet your daughter’s teachers. The schedule is as follows:
7:00 Refreshments in the Knott Lobby
7:15 General Remarks in the Sinex Theater, followed by classroom visits
The evening will conclude by 9:30 pm.
LAPTOP TRAINING FOR PARENTS: All parents whose daughters purchased laptops this year (7th grade and new 8th graders) should plan to attend the laptop information event sponsored by Team 7 and the Tech Department on Tuesday, October 6th at 7:00pm in rooms 5 and 6.
HOMEWORK WHEN STUDENTS ARE ABSENT: If your daughter misses school due to illness, please have her call classmates to get that night's homework, check the teachers’ websites, and or email her teachers. You are welcome to come to the building to get any books that she may need from her locker. If your daughter is sick for three or more days, please call the middle school office and Miss Keim will facilitate gathering her homework.
SIXTH GRADE ROLLER SKATING PARTY: The first sixth grade social activity planned by the middle schools of RPCS, Boys' Latin, Bryn Mawr, Friends, Calvert and Gilman is a Roller Skating Party on Friday, September 11. Students will leave school by bus at 12:30 pm and return, by bus, at 3:30 pm. The event, including skate rental, will cost about $6.00. You will receive more information via your daughter closer to the date. Sixth grade teachers serve as chaperones for this event.
EIGHTH GRADE COURTYARD MIXER, Friday, September 11th, 7:30 pm – 9:30 pm: Parents, please be ready to say "Yes, I'd love to!" when you are asked to chaperone. We very much need your help! Weather permitting, the mixer will be held in the Webb Centennial Courtyard. In case of rain, it will be cancelled. The recommended dress for this mixer, and all mixers, is casual. Specific guidelines for all mixers are listed in the Middle School Handbook in the RedBook. Please note that no one will be admitted after 8:00 and that, as always, tickets purchased in advance are required.
SEVENTH GRADE CAMPING TRIP, September 22nd -25th: We will return this year to Calleva Outdoor School, near Poolesville, MD. Packing lists and health forms were included in the August mailing. Students will depart RPCS at 8:30 am on Tuesday and return by 3:00 pm on Friday. If the return time is delayed, we will attempt to notify parents by email and a web site posting. A representative from Calleva will be speaking to the girls on September 11th at 2:30 in the Sinex. Interested parents are welcome to attend.
EIGHTH GRADE CAMPING TRIP, September 21st -25th : This year, the annual 8th grade trip to the Mountain Institute in West Virginia will again occur in the warm days of mid-September. We have scheduled a meeting for the students with a representative from the Mountain Institute. Your daughter will bring home more information. (Packing lists were sent home in the August mailing.) Students will depart RPCS at 8:30 am on Monday and should return around 5:30 pm on Thursday. If the return time is delayed, we will attempt to notify parents by email and a web site posting. A tentative meeting with a representative from Woodlands will be speaking to the girls on Thursday, September 10th at 2:15 in the Sinex Theatre. I hope to have a definitive answer for you by Friday, September 4th. Interested parents are welcome to attend.
ALUMNAE ASSOCIATION GIFT WRAP FUNDRAISER: Middle School students will receive gift-wrap packets during the first week of school. Please consider supporting RPCS by purchasing the gift-wrap. We ask that students do NOT sell door to door. When collecting money for the gift-wrap, please remember to collect tax. Finally, do NOT send cash to school. The advisory with the highest percentage participation gets a dress-down day. Students whose parents choose not to participate can still “get credit” for their advisory if they have a parent or guardian sign the packet and return the signed packet to their advisor. We are very grateful to the Alumnae Association for the many ways they support the school. For example, this year, the Association helped underwrite the RedBook and Schools Attuned training for the faculty.
EMAIL DISTRIBUTION LISTS: In the Middle School, we maintain a parent email list for each grade. From time to time, as needed, I use this list for quick notification of all parents in the grade at once. I will use the following "codes" in the subject line to help you:
IMPORTANT: This denotes an urgent message that you should open right away.
REMINDER: This will be a brief reminder of an upcoming MS event or task.
OF INTEREST: Reading this email could be interesting but is optional.
If your email address has changed, please notify Miss Keim by email or phone.
Let’s make this the best school year ever!
~ V.M.