| 📣 Welcome Back! |
We couldn't be more excited to reflect back on the fantastic opening week we had! Students and staff came back rested, positive, and enthusiastic and the week flew by. We want to thank the NRSD Custodial and Maintenance Staff for their incredible job in preparing the school and outside spaces for the new school year.
Stay in touch this year with the NRSD website and associated outlets! If you haven't yet downloaded the app, you want to get going now! Our app is used to alert families to important happenings and updates. Go to www.nrsd.org and scroll to the bottom of the page for a link to the App Store or Google Play to get the app!
And be sure you're checking each week for updates through The Friday Memo! If you have the app, you will receive alerts to your phone when new information is released.
| 🫂 People Make the Difference: Our Incredible Faculty and Staff |
It was a pleasure to welcome back faculty and staff on Thursday, August 24th and especially to greet our newest NMS Warrior members. Check out our amazing NMS support system:
| 😴 Reestablishing the School Year Routine |
Don't forget as everyone gets accustomed to their new school-year routine to get enough rest! Children as well as adults need adequate sleep to maintain their physical, emotional, and psychological health so here's a little reminder to help get that healthy habit back on track after summertime.
| 🚸 Attendance |
Attendance is an incredibly important aspect of student success. Chronic absenteeism can derail even a heartfelt attempt at good grades and best efforts. We are obligated to ensure that students of school age are attending school regularly and will reach out when students exceed certain attendance criteria and work with families to support successful student attendance.
Check out this website for important information on student school attendance and please don't hesitate to reach out if you have questions.
If you have to call a student out for any reason, please call 978-939-5928 and press 1 for the Attendance Secretary, Mrs. Ann Lyons. (See below for more info on our new phone system!).
| 💻 School Brains |
The NRSD utilizes the School Brains platform for communication and academic progress updates. All families received credentials for accessing their School Brains account and should log in immediately. School Brains is our primary tool for communicating academic information like progress reports and quarterly report cards. If you have any questions about accessing your School Brains account, please email the NRSD Help Desk: helpdesk@nrsd.org
| 🖊️ Importance of Signing the Student & Family Handbook Acknowledgment |
Please be sure you have logged intoSchool Brains using the credentials sent by our Informational Technology Department (IT) and signed the electronic handbook acknowledgment. This important step allows students to receive their Chromebooks as well as replacement devices, as well as ensure that families have reviewed district and school-specific information.
| 😊 Shared Expectations |
Last year we adopted our Shared Expectations, which was a means to review what school-based expectations look like. All students will receive lessons in what is expected in order to keep everyone safe, feeling welcome, and help make them successful. We will be starting out our year recalibrating what it's like to be in school, full time, and meet the expectations socially, behaviorally, and academically. This means reviewing, teaching, and consistently reinforcing behavioral expectations first, so that distractions are minimized and an environment where academic success can flourish is the emphasized. When asked “Why?” by a student in response to a redirection about voice level, running, or roughhousing, we often need to remind them of the fact “We’re in school.”
In an effort to help our students, NMS is focusing on four basic shared expectations that our core values are rooted in: Be Nice, Work Hard, No Excuses, and Good Choices. Teachers have been reviewing these concepts in preparation for a rigorous academic return to school in order to have a successful year. As students are shown and explore these expectations, they are also learning to acknowledge the consequences of poor choices, including the progressive disciplinary actions that may result. Our goal is to inform students and families of how the system works so that we can all work together for the best outcomes. We look forward to working together and having an amazing year!
| 🚌Transportation & Drop-off / Pick Up |
Please be sure you have reviewed the procedures for student arrival and departure from NMS.
All bus riders at NMS (and NRHS) will be dropped off in the rear of the school, as was done last year. Any student being dropped of by private vehicle or walking will enter through the front / main entrance. Vehicle drop offs can be made by entering the Middle/High School complex driveway off of Baldwinville Road any time after 7:15 a.m. All private cars should follow the green arrows shown; IMPORTANT: for safety reasons, entry to the staff parking lot is not permitted during morning drop off.
Students being dropped off or walking who wish to eat breakfast should arrive prior to 7:35. Students arriving by bus will be permitted to grab breakfast upon arrival. All students should be in their first period class by 7:45 to avoid being marked absent.
NMS / NRHS LATE BUS
STOPS FOR THE LATE BUS ARE NOT THE SAME AS MORNING OR AFTERNOON BUS RUN STOPS
Late Bus Information:
- will run on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday afternoons, departing from the rear parking lot, at 3:00 p.m.
- students riding the bus MUST obtain a pass from the staff member they stayed after school with
- students MUST know their LATE BUS STOP using THIS INFORMATION and have it noted on their late bus pass
| 📞 NRSD Has a New Phone System! |
When calling the NMS main phone number, 978-939-5928, please listen carefully to the options so you can best be directed to the party you are looking to speak with. To best serve your needs, there is a specific number designated for the most common requests. Upon reaching the main menu, please be sure to select carefully:
1. Attendance line: use this to call a student out, ask questions about an attendance designation, or to discuss attendance coding. The NMS Main Office is not the location for any attendance-related questions.
2. NMS School Nurse, Ms. McKinnon: use this to reach the NMS health office for any related questions.
3. NMS Adjustment Counselor, Mrs. Ambrozy: use this line to reach Mrs. Ambrozy with questions about your student, or to return a phone call from her.
4. Athletics: use this NRSD Athletic Director, Mr. Bond, when you have any questions that are athletics related. Questions about registration, practices, games, schedules, etc., should be directed here.
5. NMS Main Office: to reach the building administration (Mrs. LaFreniere or Ms. Smith), leave voicemails for staff, or for any questions not related to a line above, select 5 to reach Mrs. Murphy in the office.
To reach the NRSD Central Office, the phone number is 978-939-5661.
| 🏫 NMS Open House: Wednesday, September 6 |
Please join us for our annual Open House for families of students in Grades 5-7 on Wednesday, September 6th! Doors open at 5:15 when you are welcome to wait in our main lobby, and then are welcome to head into the main building starting at 5:30 p.m. This is an informal event that does not require an appointment, so please stop in, tour the building, and meet our fabulous teachers!
Teacher conferences will be held in November, so any questions that require a more lengthy conversation should be directed to individual teachers via email or voicemail in order to set up.
This open house event runs from 5:30 - 7:00 p.m. We hope to see you Wednesday evening!
| 📷 School Picture Day! |
Don't miss school portraits on Tuesday, September 12th! Retakes will be held on October 18th!
| 📱Digital Health & Safety |
On Wednesday, September 13, students at NMS will hear a presentation from Katie Greer, and expert in Digital Health & Safety. That evening, parents and guardians only are invited to a presentation in the NRHS Kiva at 7:00 p.m. Click here to see the letter from Superintendent Casavant with more details! Don't miss this important informational event.
| 🫂 School Council |
Narragansett Middle School will be looking to elect two Parent / Guardian representatives to the NMS School Council at Wednesday's Open House on September 6th. If the two Parent / Guardian seats are not filled on that evening, subsequent elections will be held during Teacher Conferences in November. From the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education webpage:
What is a school council? A school council is a representative, school building-based committee composed of the principal, parents, teachers, community members and, at the secondary level, students, required to be established by each school pursuant to Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 71, Section 59C.
What is the reason the Education Reform Act calls for establishing school councils? Teachers, parents, and community members can become more committed to improving the schools and more supportive of the public school system when they enjoy the opportunity to serve or be represented on a school council that has a role in shaping the policies and programs of the school.
If you are interested in being a candidate for election to the NMS School Council, please contact Principal Mary LaFreniere at mlafreniere@nrsd.org.
| 😁 Getting Involved: NMS Extracurriculars |
| Activity | Advisor / Faculty Leader | Meeting Dates |
| Art Club | Mrs. Dupuis | Alternating Thursdays First meeting Oct. 5 |
| International Club | Mrs. Medlicott | Thursdays First Meeting on Sept. 14 |
| Intramurals (Fall session: Dodgeball) Appropriate footwear required | Ms. Eaton & Mrs. Caouette | Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays First meeting Sept. 11 Permission slips due back Friday, Sept. 8 |
| Leo Club (Volunteers) | Mrs. Dupuis | Tuesdays as announced First meeting Sept. 19 (note updated meeting days) |
| Science / STEM Club | Mr. Dufour | Tuesdays First meeting Sept. 19 |
| Student Council | Mrs. Wheeler & Mrs. Parker | Thursdays as announced First meeting on Sept. 14 |
| Theatre Guild / Drama Club | Mr. Schlundt | Mondays First meeting is Sept. 11 |
| Yearbook | Mrs. Rivard | Alternating Mondays First meeting Sept. 18 |
Extracurricular Activities News & Notes:
🎭There will be an informational meeting for all families interested in Theatre Guild! Please join us for Open House and then stay to hear Mr. Schlundt describe the Theatre Guild mission and what he hopes to accomplish with our very talented and enthusiastic students! Theatre Guild's informational meeting will start at 7:10 in the auditorium.
🎵 After-school Band for any student interested will be starting soon! There will be a meeting for any interested student on Thursday, September 14th at 9:00 a.m. At this meeting, French Music will speak to students and distribute instrument rental information. All rentals will be handed out at school on or about September 28th. All rentals must be obtained online through French Music.
After-school Band will meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting October 3rd. Please look for information coming from Mr. O'Connor, NMS Music teacher, shortly!
Speaking of getting involved, thank you to our awesome Student Council Ambassadors for their help in hosting our annual 5th Grade Orientation event on Tuesday, August 22nd! We had a huge turnout, with over 90% of families coming to learn more about the transition to middle school. Special shout out to our StuCo Ambassadors, shown below, for giving up their time to help make sure our newest Warriors were feeling more comfortable about their new school!
| 📣 Important Dates & Reminders |
| Monday, September 4 | Labor Day--No School |
| Wednesday, September 6 | Middle School (Gr. 5-7) Open House, 5:30 – 7:00 p.m. 7th Grade Ecology School Parent / Guardian Informational Meeting, 6:40 p.m. Theatre Guild Informational Meeting, 7:10 (auditorium) |
| Tuesday, September 12 | School Portrait Day at NMS! |
| Wednesday, September 13 | Digital Health & Safety Presentation by Katie Greer, 7:00 p.m. in the NRHS Kiva |
| Friday, October 6 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m.
Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| Monday, October 9 | Columbus Day--No School |
| Wednesday, October 18 | School Portrait RETAKES! |
| Tuesday, November 7 | No School for Students
Full Day Professional Development for staff |
| Friday, November 10 | No School--Veterans Day Observed |
| Monday, November 20 | Half Day of School for Students—Dismissal at 11:10 a.m.
Teacher Conferences--Afternoon and Evening Sessions (details forthcoming) |
| Tuesday, November 21 | Half Day of School for Students—Dismissal at 11:10 a.m.
Teacher Conferences--Afternoon Sessions Only (details forthcoming) |
| Wednesday, November 22 | Half Day of School |
| November 23 & 24 | Thanksgiving Break--No School |
| 🗓️ Next Week @ NMS: Schedule and Lunch Menu |
| Monday, September 4 | Tuesday, September 5 | Wednesday, September 6 | Thursday, September 7 | Friday, September 8 |
| No School Labor Day | D Day | E Day | F Day | G Day |
| No Lunch Served | Chicken Patty Sandwich & Fries | Meatball Sub & Baked Beans | American Chop Suey | Assorted Pizza |
NRSD Food Services Department
| ❤️🩹 Nurse Notes |
Welcome back! Here are a few friendly reminders from the health office!
If your student needs scheduled medication during the school day make sure to have their doctor fax over an active order ASAP, and drop off the medication to my office. It is very important that medication is brought in by parent/guardian and NOT sent in your students backpack.
Please send in your students medical paperwork, especially the consent for over the counter meds, so I’m able to give if needed
Please have your student come to school with a water bottle, hydration is key to keep kids healthy and in class learning!
Let’s try to stay ahead of the incoming cold/flu season! Remind your students of frequent hand washing, not touching their face/mouth, and not sharing snacks/drinks with friends at school.
Any questions or concerns at all please don’t hesitate to call/email me. Healthy kids are happy kids!
NRSD Health & Wellness Department
Narragansett Middle School Nurse:
Alyssa McKinnon ● Email: amckinnon@nrsd.org
Phone: 978-939-2113 ● Fax 978-8634
NRSD Nurse Leader:
Myriah Zwicker ● Email: ezwicker@nrsd.org
Phone: 978-652-0201 ● Fax: 978-939-8634
| 👟 Athletics |
Athletics-related questions?
Contact the Athletic Director:
Brad Bond ● gansettathletics@nrsd.org ● 978-9369-7325
(first NMS events September 14)
Anyone interested in Warrior Elite Travel Basketball, please click here.