The Panther Pride

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Dear Panther Families,

The year is officially underway and I am loving the positive energy in the building! We started the year with our first in person all school assembly in over two years. For students at every grade level it was the first time they could see the whole community they are a part of. Staff and students were beyond excited to get to know one another. Many teachers noted that students arrived ready to learn and full of optimism. It's clearly going to be a great school year.

During these first couple of weeks we've been developing relationships and establishing expectations. Many teachers have begun to dig into the knowledge and skills they will be learning. This week students will participate in our iReady benchmark assessments which will measure their performance levels in reading and math. From there, teachers will work to tailor their instruction to student's needs and provide rigorous instruction.

Now that students have a firm understanding of their schedule and building procedures we'll also be introducing clubs. Many students are already engaged in our sports teams with games and matches in full swing. We are also coordinating with staff and parents to plan trips and events that make school fun and exciting. Please encourage your students to keep an ear out for opportunities to get involved.

Below you'll find information regarding upcoming events, new developments and important information. We look forward to seeing everyone soon at our Open House this week!

Sincerely,

Bryan Oelerich

Principal

• Open House is this Thursday (9/15) from 6-8pm
• This event will be held in-person
  
• Families are invited to attend with their student
  
• Students will act as guides for the evening
• Copies of schedules will be available in the lobby if needed
  
• Families will follow an abbreviated version of their student's schedule
• Teachers will provide an opportunity to get to know them, familiarize yourself with the curriculum and gain a clear understanding of procedures and expectations
• Individual conferences regarding student progress will occur later in the trimester
  
• Community and student organizations will provide information in the lobby
  
• During Unified Arts (UA), families will report to the auditorium for a group presentation
• During Enrichment, families can select one of the two courses their student signed up for
  
• Please see the schedule below for details regarding times
  

• Our Student Handbook is available on the school website.
• It includes important information regarding daily life include our schedule, attendance process, dress code, cell phone policy, responses to behavior concerns, etc.
• All families are asked to sign that they have received a copy of the handbook. This can be done electronically using THIS LINK.
• Hard copies of the handbook are available upon request.
• Physical copies of the signature page will be sent home as well and can be submitted to your student's homeroom teacher or at our main office.

We are in the process of moving over to a new system for managing our student information as well as gradebooks. In the coming weeks, you can expect to receive information regarding PowerSchool and how to access information regarding your child.

Please see the ASPTO Welcome Letter for the 2022-2023 school year. This organization does a great job supporting students' academic and social development as well as acting as a voice for family ideas and concerns. We collaborate to bring in enriching activities to the school and are excited to continue growing our partnership.

We are in the process of setting up after school clubs and activities for this school year. Currently, we are surveying student interest and selecting club advisors. Students can expect to hear information over the morning announcements in the coming weeks. We'll also be sure to include information in our next family newsletter. There will be many chances to get involved.

Middle School band has just begun! It is not too late to sign up if you didn't get it on your enrichment schedule. Any student in any grade may start band at the beginning of the year, so now is the time to sign up! Instruments offered: flute, oboe, clarinet, saxophone, trumpet, french horn, trombone, euphonium and percussion. The band goes on field trips, plays at local events, and participates in festivals. At the Open House, Mrs Fletcher is available during Enrichment blocks (E,F,G) to talk about the band program with anyone who is interested.

Please see the Robotics Team Flyer for information regarding the club and opportunity to sign up. This dynamic program has been a huge success. Mr. Doyle and his team of coaches have built several amazing teams where kids learn engineering and computer science skills through authentic experiences. Students are extremely supportive of one another and watching them in action at a competition is truly amazing.

The Restorative Practice Center is new to the middle school this year. The goal of the program is to foster development of a positive community through strong relationships. If someone is experiencing an issue such as a conflict with peer or difficulty following expectations this program will be used as an alternative to or in coordination with traditional disciplinary consequences.

This center is located upstairs next to Mrs. Scicutella's office. The space and support staff will facilitate conversations between students and staff when an issue arises. We look forward to the learning opportunities and positive relationships this new resource will allow us to provide.

It is awesome to return to a school year in which field trips and community guests are not impacted by health precautions. This improvement will allow us to plan field trips and invite community guests into the building more frequently. Our faculty have begun research an planning ways to create novel experiences for our students that connect learning in the classroom to the wider world. This includes the class trips that were on hiatus the last few years. You can expect to hear additional information as soon as we have details on trips, experiencing and individuals.

9/13 (Tue) - iReady Reading Assessment

9/14 (Wed) - 90 Minute Early Release for students

9/15 (Thurs) - Open House 6-8pm

- iReady Math Assessment

9/19 (Mon) - 1st Advisory

9/25 (Sun) - Holdenwood Trail Run supporting ASEF

See our district calendar for important dates for the year.

Our mission is to provide high-quality education in a safe, respectful, and inclusive environment where every student develops the skills, character, and core values needed to graduate and become a productive member of global society.

Email: boelerich@asrsd.org
Website: asrsd.org
Location: 1 Hospital Road, Shirley, MA, USA
Phone: (978)772-8600
Facebook: facebook.com/ASRMSPanthers