Hello, NMS Families & Community and Happy Friday!
📲 Did you need to contact someone at NMS? Click here for our new phone tree!
🏀 Winter Sports Registration is OPEN! Click HERE! Students interested in playing basketball or indoor track should register ASAP
**WARRIOR FEST UPDATE!!**
💉 Upcoming Health Clinics: Flu and Covid Vaccines!
Please note that October 26th's FLU Vaccine Clinic will be held in the Templeton Elementary School Cafeteria for the convenience of the TES Staff.
- CLICK HERE to sign up to receive a FLU Vaccine Thursday October 26, 2023 at Templeton Elementary School.
Social Studies teachers and students at NMS are participating in an exciting collaboration with Primary Source and the Department of Elementary and Secondary Schools to bring our students Investigating History! Click here to read more!
😎 NMS is a GREAT place to be! Look at what our students are up to!
Maybe you've missed the traditional foliage which is a little dull this year, thanks to the rain. If you were in science class you probably would know all about it, thanks to the work being done to study our environment. Currently, our students are studying all kinds of things that make the world around them more interesting....
Like our National Symbol's connection to our local ecosystem, the bald eagle (above) in Ms. Latka's 7th Grade Science, and a survey of trees around the NMS school grounds (below) In Mr. McNamara's 6th Grade Science. Click here to see some up-close tree information
And it doesn't stop there!
🧬Mr. Dufour's Design & Modeling
students develop orthotic devices to solve medical problems with foot issues according to a specific set of parameters using the design process learned in class. Students must meet a challenging set of criteria that involve several STEM skills. Shown, left and below, are several samples from 5th graders! Click here to see more images from this fascinating project!
🎨Mrs. Dupuis' Art students have been busy, too! Student artwork adorns the hallways in and around the NMS main office and changes regularly. If you're in the building, don't forget to check out the awesome displays which currently include projects on Pattern and Prehistoric Art. Click here to see more examples of the current artwork up on our walls!
🗯 School is no place to joke about threats!
Please click here to read our recent statement about the importance of students understanding appropriate vs. inappropriate language at school how it pertains to threatening words.
🏫 IMPORTANT: ATTENDANCE PROTOCOLS / CALL OUT PROCEDURES
Please click here to read our recent piece on the legal implication of school attendance and what our procedures are for meeting the expectations. Thank you for your assistance in keeping our students safe and helping strengthen our protocols for tracking and maintaining accurate attendance records.
School Council
Narragansett Middle School will be looking to elect two Parent / Guardian representatives to the NMS School Council. Elections will be announced when candidates are identified. 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.
Shared Expectations
It's been a fantastic first month of school, and we want to thank all our NMS families for their obvious preparation as students arrived ready to go! We will be continuing our calibration of school expectations and the return from summer vacation to help students meet the expectations of being back in school 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 created and maintained. 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 focuses on four
basic shared expectations that our core values are rooted in: Be Nice, Work Hard, No Excuses, and Good Choices. Teachers have been teaching and 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 keep families informed, and of how the system works (click here or on the thumbnail). The chart explaining what to expect, so that we can all work together for the best outcomes, is shown (left). We look forward to working together and having an amazing year!
It must be Friday.... 😀
Every Friday morning, NMS Student Council students contribute some time to encourage proper recycling habits by emptying the classroom and offices recycle bins. StuCo members are incredibly efficient in their work and provide a great service by ensuring recycle bins are visible, available, and always able to accommodate any materials necessary. Thank you to Student Council advisors Mrs. Wheeler and Mrs. Parker for their oversight and management of the StuCo Crew!
| 😁 Getting Involved: NMS Extracurriculars |
| Activity | Advisor / Faculty Leader | Meeting Dates |
| After-school Band 2:30 - 3:30* | Mr. O'Connor goconnor@nrsd.org | Tuesday: 5th Grade Band Thursday: 6th Grade Band (*Band runs 2:30 - 3:30. Students riding the late bus are welcome to attend after-school band until 2:55!) Any 7th student interested--see Mr. O'Connor! |
| Art Club | Mrs. Dupuis jdupuis@nrsd.org | Thursdays (as announced)
Next meeting 11/2 |
| Leo Club (Volunteers) | Mrs. Dupuis jdupuis@nrsd.org | Tuesdays (as announced) |
| International Club | Mrs. Medlicott jmedlicott@nrsd.org | Thursdays |
| Intramural Dodgeball | Ms. Eaton aeaton@nrsd.org & Mrs. Caouette lcaouette@nrsd.org | Mondays, Tuesday, Thursdays |
| Science / STEM Club | Mr. Dufour cdufour@nrsd.org | Tuesdays |
| Student Council | Mrs. Wheeler gwheeler@nrsd.org & Mrs. Parker lparker@nrsd.org | Every other Thursday (as announced)
Next meeting 11/2 |
| Theater Guild / Drama Club | Mr. Schlundt gschlundt@nrsd.org | Mondays |
| Yearbook | Mrs. Rivard drivard@nrsd.org | Mondays as announced (two meetings per month)
Next meeting 10/23 |
| 📣 Important Dates & Reminders |
| Thursday, October 26 | Students of the Month Assembly! |
| Tuesday, November 7 | No School for Students Full Day Professional Development for staff |
| Friday, November 10 | No School--Veterans Day Observed |
| November 13-17 | NMS Anti-Bullying Week! Stay tuned for details! |
| 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 |
| Thursday, November 30 | Students of the Month Assembly! |
| Thursday, December 21 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. |
| December 22 - January 1 | Holiday Vacation |
| Tuesday, January 2 | School Re-opens; Happy New Year! |
| Friday, January 12 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| Monday, January 15 | No School -- Martin Luther King Day |
| Friday, February 2 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| February 19 - 23 | February Vacation |
| Friday, March 8 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| Thursday, March 28 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| Friday, March 29 | No School--Good Friday |
| Wednesday, April 10 | Half Day of School for Students—Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Teacher Conferences--Afternoon Sessions Only (details forthcoming) |
| Thursday, April 11 | Half Day of School for Students—Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Teacher Conferences--Afternoon Sessions Only (details forthcoming) |
| Friday, April 12 | Half Day of School--Dismissal at 11:10 a.m. Afternoon Professional Development for staff |
| April 15 - 19 | April Vacation |
| 🗓️ Next Week @ NMS: Daily Schedule and Lunch Menu |
| Monday, October 23 | Tuesday, October 24 | Wednesday, October 25 | Thursday, October 26 | Friday, October 27 |
| B Day | C Day | D Day | E Day | F Day |
| Chicken Nuggets | Meatball Subs | Tangerine Chicken | Pasta Day: American Chop Suey | Assorted Pizza |
NRSD Food Services Department
| ❤️🩹 Nurse Notes |
See information on upcoming Flu and Covid Vaccine Clinics up above in the beginning of the memo!
Contacting Nurse McKinnon JUST GOT EASIER:
Text 978-939-6326 to reach the middle school nurse. Please feel free to use this text line for quick questions as well. Please save this number in your cell phone because Nurse McKinnon sends out reminders/updates this way.
🎉
Upcoming Health Screenings this school year:
- Postural Screens for 5th, 6th, and 7th
- Vision, hearing, height/weight/BMI, and SBIRT for 7th only
If you would like to opt out of any of the screenings listed above, PLEASE email/call me ASAP. I will not be rescreening any student who had screenings completed during their yearly physical.
With cold and flu season fast approaching, please remind your students to wash hands FREQUENTLY, bring a water bottle THAT SEALS to school, and to NOT touch their face and mouth.
Health office FYI- Both viral and bacterial strep has been on the increase recently, so please keep that in mind. Also, please be mindful of our exclusion policy, if anyone has any questions about that, please text/call Nurse McKinnon!
Narragansett Middle School Nurse:
Alyssa McKinnon ● Email: amckinnon@nrsd.org
Phone: 978-939-2113 ● Fax 978-939-8634 ● **NEW** Text: 978-939-6326
NRSD Nurse Leader:
Myriah Zwicker ● Email: ezwicker@nrsd.org
Phone: 978-652-0201 ● Fax: 978-939-8634
NRSD Health & Wellness Department
| 👟 Athletics |
Winter Sports Registration is OPEN!
Athletics-related questions?
Contact the Athletic Director:
Brad Bond ● gansettathletics@nrsd.org ● 978-939-7325
Next week's sports (Week of October 23rd)
(please check the updated online schedule regularly--link below--frequently as changes occur constantly due to weather or conditions)
