Dear RMS Parents and Families,
It has been one of the most exciting weeks we have had in over a year 😊 It has been wonderful to see and hear the hustle and bustle of school this week. There are several important updates as we get back into a more consistent routine with more students on campus. Please be sure to scroll to the bottom for updates regarding carpool arrival and dismissal and other important information.
1. 4th Quarter Schedule: Please click here for a copy of the new schedule. Note that VA and in-person students will follow the same schedule
2. Remote Learning Day Next Wednesday: Next Wednesday is a district identified Remote Learning day. This means students will not attend school in person. At RMS these days are asynchronous, which means no live instruction and no new learning. To have a clear and consistent understanding of expectations for what students should be working on, teachers will be sending an email to parents, and communicating with students, about this by Monday afternoon.
3. Return to Campus Document: Please click here to read and review our “Return to Campus” document. It is critical that you and your child read this to facilitate a smooth return to school.
4. Face Coverings at Lunch: Students are doing well overall with wearing their face coverings, but we are seeing some issues at lunch. This is concerning because it is one of the greatest areas for possible exposure to COVID-19. Please reiterate to your child the importance of the following expectations:
a. If you are eating it means your mask is off so you should not be talking at that time.
b. As soon as you are done eating your must put your mask back on and this means you can begin talking with others around you who have their mask on as well.
Face Covering Compliance:
It is important that students comply with the face covering expectations noted above. Of particular importance is that the mask covers, and stays above, their nose.
Responding to students who are not wearing their face covering:
o First time: Staff will provide a general reminder to the student of the expectation and importance of wearing their face covering.
o Second time: Staff will speak to the student privately to provide a second reminder and to see if there is something that is preventing the student from complying with wearing the face covering.
o Third time: Staff will report non-compliance to an administrator and counselor who will meet with the student to determine appropriate support and next steps.
5. Updates to Carpool Arrival and Dismissal:
a. Arrival: Student no longer need to wait to exit at the direction of staff. Students may exit their vehicle once you are stopped. It is important that you remind them to continue to practice social distancing as they make their way into the building.
Please also remember these two important items for morning carpool:
▪ Please be sure students have all of their belongings organized and ready so they can get out quickly.
▪ Please DO NOT pass any vehicles. It may seem like you are waitingfor awhile, but if you count to 30 you’ll probably be on your way by time your done 😉 Thanks for helping us to ensure a safe arrival process.
b. Dismissal: We know that dismissal has taken longer than normal and that the traffic has been backed up on Burlington Mills Road. In an effort toease congestion while also practicing social distancing we would like to try a staggered dismissal by grade level. While not required, if you are able to adjust your pickup time by just a few minutes we think it may help the process. Please use these suggested times if your able to. We understand that not everyone might be able to do this.
• 6th Grade: 3:10
• 7th Grade: 3:20
• 8th Grade: 3:25
6. Phones: Prior to track out, when we were operating on cohort rotations, we took a more relaxed approach to students using their phones. We recognized that students were very limited on things they could do during periods of free time (lunch, mask breaks, etc.)
However, with many more students back on campus we have already seen the impact of phones being used inappropriately. Beginning Monday, we will return to our regular phone policy, which means phones should not be used at any point during the day. If a student must use their phone to contact a parent for some reason, they should first get permission from a staff member.
7. Dress Code: As the weather continues to get nicer please remember our dress code policy. Specifically, all shorts must go to at least the middle of the upper leg. Students whose shorts are too short will be directed to call home so another pair can be brought to school.
8. 4th Quarter Material Pick-Up: Students who are Virtual Academy for 4th quarter can come by school next Wednesday from 9:00 am – 11:00 am to pick up any materials that may still be needed.
Additionally, if your schedule only allows for an evening pick up please contact your child’s teacher. They can work with you to leave these just outside our main entrance in an envelope labeled with your child’s name.
9. EOG Testing in June: We are required to conduct EOG testing at the end of the school year. More information will be coming, but we must collect some important information now regarding testing from our families who are in our Virtual Academy. Please complete the form at this link at your earliest convenience.
Sincerely,
Thaddeus Sherman
Principal
Rolesville Middle School
