Important Dates
September 20 - 6:30 PTO meeting - https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6514826638
September 22 - 7:30am - Parent coffee at RMS
September 23 - RMS Dance - $5 admission
September 25-27 - No HW days
October 4-5 - No HW days
October 7 - PD Day for teachers, NO SCHOOL for students.
October 10 - Indigenous Peoples Day - NO SCHOOL
October 13 - RMS Student Flu Clinic
Thoughts from the Front Office
Dear RMS Community:
Well the first full week of school is behind us, and the energy in the building is still strong. I am sure it will continue to build as we move toward our first school dance in nearly 3 years, scheduled for next Friday. Given that none of our current students have experienced a dance before, we will send out more detailed information about expectations, etc. next week. Suffice it to say the structure varies significantly from the “standard” dances - the stuff of older teen movies. There will be options other than dancing (or standing on the wall), including an open gym, quieter spaces, and games. Stay tuned for more information.
Next week will also see our first “administrator coffee” of this year. Please drop by school in the morning for some coffee and conversation. We will offer more opportunities at different times throughout the year, and we encourage folks to drop by for a visit as long as you call first.
Our increased focus on healthy use of devices during the school day seems to be paying dividends as we see fewer phones out in the hallways than in years past. Please continue with the consistent message that we want our students to be fully present in what they are doing at school, and that is not possible while simultaneously looking at a screen. We also remind students (and adults, myself included) that social media, at best, presents a non realistic view of the world, as is, at its worst, toxic. We know this will be difficult for all of us, and thank everyone who has supported our efforts thus far.
Please have a great weekend, enjoying the hint of fall that is promised. Be well, stay safe, and take care of each other.
Tim Boyle
Principal
Anissa Morrison
Associate Principal
School News & Information
RMS Cafe
View the monthly menu here. If you have any questions regarding payment, please contact Janice Starkey in the main office.
If you have any questions, concerns, or dietary restrictions please contact Austin Jacobs.
RMS does offer a lunch program for families who may need assistance or special needs. Please contact Robin Morley-Ploof in the office for more information.
RMS NEWS
Upcoming in PE!
Ms. Patch's classes will start a mini unit on non-contact boxing for fitness. Ms. Patch is a former golden gloves boxer and has coached non-contact boxing at the CCBA to adults for many years. We offered this as an elective to students at RMS both last spring and this fall with great success in both student engagement and excitement for learning. We are excited to now offer it to all students for a few lessons using a combination of our equipment and equipment generously lent to us from the CCBA. Students will learn footwork, the mechanics of each punch, how the sport is scored and defensive tactics, such as keeping your hands up, despite the fact they won't be practicing any sparring. Students will practice demonstrating punches to the air and on targets, and giving feedback to others in a safe and fun environment. This is a great workout and a unique opportunity that fits our curriculum goals in Physical Education at RMS. Looking forward to a great year in PE!
Student Clubs
Students and staff will, over the year, support and supervise a variety of club opportunities which will be shared with students through announcements, posters in school and the Friday Parent Notes.
Dungeons and Dragons: A student run group, meeting on Mondays in the library from 3:00-4:30 starting on September 12. Otto Larrick, 6th grader, is contact person.
Book Club: student run book discussion group will be holding an introductory meeting on Monday September 12 in the RMS library. Izzy Doubleday, 8th grader, is contact person.
Student Council News
Look to Friday Parent Notes for information about upcoming student council events. Membership: Students interested in being a part of Student Council should speak with their homeroom teacher. Meetings at this point will be held on Tuesday evenings 7:00pm over zoom.
Upcoming events:
Color Challenge next week-8th Grade Blue, 7th Grade Black, 6th Grade Red
RMS Dance: Friday September 23rd 7:00-9:00pm at RMS. $5 admission
Message from Ms. Katie
Hi everyone! This is Ms. Katie, and this year I am teaching a child development class where toddlers will be coming in from the Upper Valley to work with our middle schoolers. With that being said, I am hoping to find some donations that would be beneficial for our project. Here is a list of some items I am looking for:
Chairs appropriate for small children
A dollhouse
Cash register
Big puzzles
A baby doll stroller
Melissa & Doug toys
Farm animal toys
Thank you so much for your contributions! The kids and I really appreciate it. Best,
Love to Play Chess?
Join a community Chess club.
Become a Legislative Page in VT:
Here for more information
Math Enrichment Opportunities:
MATH TEAM The math team is an RMS club that meets on Mondays from 3-4 starting on Sept. 12th. If you love challenging math problems and want to participate in cool math competitions like Mathcounts, AMC-8, and Math League, we would love to have you join the team! Most Mondays will be spent doing practice competitions, going over solutions, or taking actual competitions. This is a wonderful club for both competitive mathletes and also those that simply enjoy a good solid math problem. If you love math, then this is the place for you!
HANOVER MATH CIRCLE Are you interested in learning new problem solving techniques or building a strong mathematical foundation? This is a non-competitive math class geared towards anyone wishing to deepen their math skills. Whether you are a seasoned mathlete or you simply want to expand your knowledge, you'll find fun challenges at HMC. This math enrichment class will meet after school on Thursdays. Students wishing to register can do so here: https://sites.google.com/view/hanovermathcircle/home
Volunteer Opportunities: Hello Families of RMS students! Prior to COVID, our schools had a strong connection to the community with varying volunteer opportunities. While we can't be certain of what level of volunteerism will be permissible this year, we are gathering information from families regarding areas they may be interested in helping out with in the event that we are able to invite you back into our schools. Please take 2 minutes to fill out the accompanying form to let us know where you might be interested in volunteering this year. This form is merely to gauge interest in various activities throughout the year. We will contact you separately with details regarding the specific activities in which you've expressed interest. Please note - all volunteers who will be working with students are required to have a background check/fingerprinting performed at SAU 70. Fingerprinting/background checks are valid for 2 years - if you have been through the process for the school district since the 2020-21 school year, you will not need to complete the process this year. Best, Teal
Please see other announcements on the community interest page of the website.
Family Programs offered by Outright Vermont
Outright Vermont (https://www.outrightvt.org/) is an organization that supports LGBTQ+ youth and families around Vermont and neighboring areas. They offer a support group for families: Trans Parent Group - Online - First Monday of every month 6-8pm. Support group for parents and caregivers of trans, nonbinary, and gender expansive youth. Email info@outrightvt.org for more information and links.
RMS Health Office Updates
22-23 Opening Health Plan Please see the SAU-70 district website for covid health plan https://www.sau70.org/resources/opening-2022 A few highlights are: -Masks are welcome but not mandated -If a student tests positive for covid, stay home for 5 days, may return on day 6 if fever free and symptoms improve. But must wear a mask for 5 additional days. -Please contact school nurse Abby Pelletier with any questions abigalepelletier@hanovernorwichschools.org 603-643-6040
Fall Student Flu Clinic
Save the date! October 13th 2022 during school hours. More information will be available in the next few week about our annual optional student flu clinic (in partnership with Dartmouth Health).
Prescription Medications Does your child need to take prescription medication during school hours? Students must keep all prescription medications in the health office and have a signed medication form as well. The medication form and additional information can be found on the Health Office Website.
PTO Bulletin Board
The RMS Spirit Wear Store is open! Please visit to check out RMS t-shirts, sweatshirts, joggers, flannel pants, and more. This is the only opportunity to purchase Spirit Wear before the holiday season.
Join us for the next PTO meeting on Tuesday, September 20th at 6:30pm via Zoom: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6514826638 .
The RMS PTO Website and Directory are found here. Please update your account if you had one last year, or create one if you are new to RMS. You can download the Membership Toolkit app for your phone to use the directory on the go. Even if you already have an account, you'll need to confirm your information for this year.
All RMS families, teachers and staff are members of the Richmond Middle School PTO. There are no dues to participate. Our operating budget is dependent on donations. Social events, the online directory, teacher appreciation initiatives, a dedicated website and more are funded through the generous support of RMS community members. Please consider a tax-deductible donation to the PTO. Donate online https://paypal.me/FRMSPTO?locale.x=en_US or send a check to Richmond Middle School PTO, 63 Lyme Rd, Hanover NH 03755. Thank you!
Support the PTO with your everyday Amazon Smile purchases by selecting Frances Richmond Middle School PTO as your charity. See https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/community/how-to-sign-up-for-amazonsmile
Questions? Want to get involved? Email richmondmiddleschoolpto@gmail.com
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