Hello, NMS Families & Community and Happy Friday!
Congratulations to our newest Students of the Month! On Thursday, October 26, the NMS student body and staff gathered in the Safka Auditorium to celebrate our first group named Students of the Month! These students, selected by staff members, are chosen because they exemplify the core values of Be Nice, Work Hard, No Excuses, and Good Choices, which are the foundation of NMS's Shared Expectations. Through these building-wide expectations, students learn positive decision making and build skills in successful participation in classrooms and common spaces, which create spaces where students can thrive, unimpeded, academically. Congratulations to (back row, left to right) Tyler Maxwell, Matt Basil, Joey Tomasetti, Kirstyn Arsenault, Isabelle Buzzell; (front row, left to right) Olvin Galeano Erazo, Victoria Gentile, Evelyn Quinn, and Dylan Bobka. Congratulations to all of our Students of the Month and thank you to the faculty / staff for taking the time to identify students deserving of the recognition!
Spirit Dress-up Day! Next Tuesday, October 31, everyone at NMS is invited and encouraged to dress up according to the colors assigned below. Let's see who can get the greatest number of people participating!
5th Grade: RED
6th Grade: PURPLE
7th Grade: BLACK
Faculty & Staff: ORANGE
Please note there is NO Theater Guild on Monday, October 30!
Check out the Clubs & Activities section (below) for information on the next round of Intramurals! The Intramurals permission slip is below (click on the image to print out a copy!)
Stay Connected! Download the NRSD app and sign up to receive alerts for a specific school, or the district as a whole! Go to the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play (Android) to get the NRSD app and search "Narragansett Regional SD, MA"
📲 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!
| 😁 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) Next meeting 11/14 |
| International Club | Mrs. Medlicott jmedlicott@nrsd.org | Thursdays |
| Intramurals Click here for the NMS IntramuralsPermission slip | Ms. Eaton aeaton@nrsd.org & Mrs. Caouette lcaouette@nrsd.org | Monday, Tuesday, Thursday |
| Student Council | Mrs. Wheeler gwheeler@nrsd.org & Mrs. Parker lparker@nrsd.org | Every other Thursday (as announced)
Next meeting 11/2 |
| Science / STEM Club | Mr. Dufour cdufour@nrsd.org | Tuesdays |
| Theater Guild / Drama Club | Mr. Schlundt gschlundt@nrsd.org | Mondays There is NO Theater Guild on Monday, October 30! |
| Yearbook | Mrs. Rivard drivard@nrsd.org | Mondays as announced Next meeting 10/30 (*make up for missed meeting on 10/23) |
| 📣 Important Dates & Reminders |
| Tuesday, October 31 | COLOR WARS! See above for color assignments! 👚 |
| 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 30 | Tuesday, October 31 | Wednesday, November 1 | Thursday, November 2 | Friday, November 3 |
| G Day | A Day | B Day | C Day | D Day |
| Grilled Cheese | Philly Cheesesteak | Chicken Patty Sandwich | Pasta Day: Penne & Meatballs | 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.
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 30th)
(please check the updated online schedule regularly--link below--frequently as changes occur constantly due to weather or conditions)
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!