RMHS Weekly Newsletter

Dear RMHS Students and Families,

Prior to the winter recess I mentioned in the newsletter that RMHS would undertake a new schedule pilot in the end of January through mid-February. The purpose of this message is to explain the rationale behind trying a pilot schedule and to help students understand how this will impact their day from January 22 - February 16, 2014.

For the past several years RMHS staff and the leadership team has undertaken a study around the efficiency of the daily schedule. The reason for this work is centered on the belief that a high-quality educational experience results from many components, one of which is a quality schedule. Two years ago a consultancy group worked with RMHS to determine areas where the schedule could be improved to provide the following:

• Increased Time on Learning

• Equity for Students and Departments

• Increased Opportunity for Student Engagement

• Additional Common Planning Time
  
  

Last school year and this year a scheduling committee met consistently to discuss how to improve our schedule in those areas. The committee was a representative group of faculty, staff, department and building leaders and the Food Services Director. As the current Principal, I took up this work at the start of the school year. The committee worked diligently to create a handful of schedules that met the goals outlined above. After much discussion, it was decided that the next step is to pilot 1 or 2 of the schedules that the committee believes could work best for students and staff.

The goal of the pilot from Jan. 22 - Feb. 16 is to identify any unforeseen sticking points and to collect feedback from staff, students and parents / caregivers once the pilot is complete. From past experience I will highlight that change is challenging, and at times stress inducing for everyone, but that the goal of the pilot is to collect honest feedback from key stakeholders at the conclusion of the pilot and use that feedback to make decisions on any shifts in our schedule. We believe that using this pilot will enable us to approach any scheduling shift as thoughtfully as possible.

All students will be emailed a schedule that explains where they need to be every day from Jan. 22 - Feb. 16. This schedule will be emailed to students next week on Tuesday, Jan. 9 and teachers will then address any questions students have during flex on both Tuesday and Thursday. The start and end times of the day remain the same in this schedule during the pilot.

In the published schedule for the district there is an early release day on February 9th. During the pilot, February 9 will be a full day of school; however, there will be early release days on February 2 and 16 instead during which students will be released at 1:32 pm. This varies from the usual early release time of 1:02 pm. Transportation, for those that use it, will be adjusted on these dates.

The pilot schedule maintains similarly length classes every day. One change is that on days when flex takes place two classes will drop instead of one, which allows classes to start and end at the same time each day while still maintaining flex blocks. (See example below) On January 9th students will receive individualized schedules for the duration of the pilot, January 22 - February 16, that tells them what class to attend each day and every period. January 22 will be a Day 1 and the start of Semester 2 (term 3). (See Photo Below)

One of the sticking points in the current schedule are classes that meet for double blocks, which are predominantly Advanced Placement (AP) science courses. The scheduling committee acknowledges that more time is needed to accommodate science labs but would like to consider allowing the same number of minutes for all classes throughout the school year. The pilot schedule accomplishes this goal, and also speaks to the Priority 2 above of Equity for Students and Departments.

In the pilot schedule there will be 2-Red / Black days in which classes will be longer. Each Red Day, on Feb. 1 and 16, will be an early release day for students in which they will be dismissed at 1:32 pm. This is to meet the needs of all science classes with labs and to give equitable instructional time to all staff throughout the school year. (See Photo Below)

I realize that this is a point that could cause some student stress; however, many schools run this type of block schedule every day with success. It will allow teachers to go more in depth on topics on February 1-2 and 15-16, and also add Common Planning Time for staff on the early release days. This was also a need highlighted by the consultancy group and scheduling committee.

The longer blocks in the middle of the day on both schedules are due to the incorporation of lunch, classes are the same length as other periods with a 30-min lunch included. If the pilot schedule was adopted next school year students would gain almost 30-hours of instructional time over the course of the school year, with minor schedule adjustments.

Last but certainly not least, I want to highlight that students who receive special education and related services will continue to do so during the pilot schedule, however, the minutes on their IEPs may not match exactly the minutes on their pilot schedule. By emailing pilot schedules for each child next week, our hope is that families will better understand their child’s schedule during the weeks the schedule is being piloted. If, after reviewing the schedule, you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s special education liaison to discuss.

Thank you for your partnership as RMHS works to find the best internal schedule for students. Please note that at the conclusion of this pilot the information collected through surveys from all stakeholders will strongly inform the decision about whether to move to this pilot schedule (or a modified version of this schedule) or to continue working towards a different solution. Please do not hesitate to reach out to me with any questions leading up to or during the pilot.

Respectfully,

Jessica B. Callanan

Principal & Director of Academic Achievement

Reading Memorial High School

Congratulations to Paul Sorgi for being named the High Five of the week!

Tuesday evening, the RMHS Varsity Basketball team secured a win against Stoneham leading to a huge accomplishment for Coach Paul Morrissey. Congratulations Coach Morrissey on his 300th career win at RMHS. We look forward to following a successful season for the team this year!

2023-24 School Year Calendar (format 1)

• 1/9 or 1/11 - Complete MLK District-Wide Art Project in Flex

• 1/11 - Jr. Parent Night (6:30 pm)

• 1/12 - Close of Q2

• 1/12 - Early Release Day (1:04 pm student dismissal)

• 1/15 - MLK Jr Day - No School

• 1/16 - 1/19 - Midyear Exams

• 1/17 - Gap Year Fair (6 pm)

• 1/17 - Quarterly PTO Meeting (Fidelity Investments Presentation - 7 pm)

• 1/18 - New Principal Meet and Greet for Parents / Caregivers (6 pm - library)

• 1/22 - New schedule Pilot Begins

• 1/22 - Q3 starts

• 1/23 & 1/25 - Fidelity Sessions for all seniors in flex

• 1/23 - Future Freshman Night (6:30pm)

• 1/29 - Report Cards Published

Students are only required to report to school to take mid-year exams the week of Jan. 16-19. Teachers will take attendance each period / exam. If students miss an exam, they must contact teachers directly to schedule the make-up exam. If a parent / caregiver reports a student absent due to illness or other excused absence reason it will be communicated to teachers.

Morning busing will run at the same time and afternoon buses will be adjusted to leave earlier if possible. The time will be solidified with the bus company this week and then communicated to all students and families. Breakfast will be served daily until 10 am as usual, and lunch will be served from 11-12. If students are in the school to study during or between exams they can be with a teacher with an approved pass or on Main St. or in the library.

In the week leading up to exams and the close of the term students should work with teachers to prepare for exams and to ensure all final assignments are submitted before the end of Term 2 (Jan. 12) and Semester 1 (Jan. 19).

Are you looking to explore alternatives to college? Whether you are dreaming of Spanish language immersion in Costa Rica, rock climbing in the American Southwest, or pursuing a virtual internship from the comfort of your living room, there are so many gap year options to explore! The USA Gap Year Fair hosted by @gooverseas at Reading Memorial High School on January 17th will give you the opportunity to chat with providers, counselors, and alumni to discover your perfect match. High School seniors attending the fair can earn a bonus point towards a $5000 gap year scholarship entry. Registering now helps the programs plan ahead for materials. https://readinggyf2024.eventbrite.com/?aff=Educators

All seniors will attend 2 free financial literacy sessions with representatives from Fidelity on January 23 and 25 during flex. There is no commitment to work directly with Fidelity after attending these educational sessions, it is meant as a tool to inform and teach about financial wellness. We are excited to provide this free opportunity to students and partner with Fidelity Investments to support seniors as they prepare for the next chapter of their lives after graduation. Sessions will only run on January 23 and 25, not the other dates referred to in the flyer below.

RMHS will be offering its first winter session of Unified Strength and Conditioning starting January 9th! The team is open to any RMHS students available to participate on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-4pm. All sessions will be held at the Burbank YMCA. As always, the number one focus of Unified Athletics is friendship and connection. Unified Sports strives to bring student athletes together and recognize just how much we all have in common and can learn from each other. Please click here to register students interested in participating. For more information, please contact Coach Tara Herlihy.

Students Interested in Becoming an Umpire - See Below

Happy 2024!! I hope everyone had a wonderful break. Our next vaccine clinic will be next Friday 1/12 at Coolidge from 2-5pm (please note date change!!). Covid and flu vaccines will be available, as well as RSV, shingles, pneumonia, and TDAP (tetanus and whooping cough) for those who are eligible. Here is the link to sign up.

• There are still spots available for the Swiss Exchange Program! Please click on this link to submit your application:https://forms.gle/ZgmarBZL2R352FyN8
• Additional information is available on our Google Classroom. You can sign up by going to Google Classroom and using this class code to join: 2mztw7s
• Here is a document that can answer most questions about the upcoming Swiss Exchange Program: https://tinyurl.com/Swiss-Exchange-Basic-Info
• Here is a link to our blog from the April 2023 trip to Switzerland: https://rmhsbasel.blogspot.com/

The Special Education Parent Advisory Council works for the understanding of, respect for, and support of, all children with special needs in the community (including ALL children on IEPs or 504 plans and children who may require specialized support). Watch this brief introductory video to learn more!

Visit the SEPAC WEBPAGE

Sign up for our mailing list

Follow SEPAC on Facebook or Instagram

See our 2023-2024 Calendar of Events

Past Event:

Tiered Support for Students Presentation - Recording

• Student Services gave a presentation on the Multi-Tiered System of Support (MTSS) used by the Reading Public Schools to give targeted attention to students who need additional support.

• Recording available on Reading SEPAC website (under past-presentations)

Upcoming event:

Tuesday, Jan 16th, 6-8PM

Basic Rights Workshop: Evaluation and Eligibility

• A comprehensive introduction to special education laws and procedures.

• Purpose of the law, referrals, evaluations, team meeting process, determining eligibility, services and placement, what if student is not found to be eligible for services, after the team meeting, parent’s response options to an IEP, procedural due process rights for resolving disputes.

• Virtual Event - Registration required

• Registration: https://fcsn-org.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZModuGurj8qE9YGNyYvN-XwRon-85VhYuZg

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1kw4puSFiU-UQwGY5O1Kco_JNcCqMVHn7dnCXSbfpSy4/edit?usp=drive_link

The Reading Scholarship Foundation is pleased to announce that its 2024-25 application is now available. Any Reading, MA resident who is a high school senior OR is pursuing an undergraduate degree may apply. Any non-Reading, MA resident that attended Reading Memorial High School in Reading, MA, as a full-time student for a period of at least three years is also eligible. The application and the full requirements to apply can be found at https://readingsf.org/scholarship-application-plugin/

The Department has partnered with the nonprofit uAspire to provide free support to students and school staff to help seniors complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

For Students: uAspire will offer a FAFSA webinar for students three times: 4:00-5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 3; 5:00-6:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 30; and 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, February 27. Registration is open online. In addition, FAQs are available in English and Spanish, and more resources are posted on uAspire.org/resources, uaspire.org/Checklist, and uaspire.org/FSAID.

ALL students, staff, and community members can order a yearbook via Lifetouch. RMHS’s yearbook code is: 14773724. Link: https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/Order/SelectStudent?isAdvertisementOnly=false. $65, regular pricing, ends on February 12th.

PTO IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

• PTO DUES (different from Class Dues) - $50 per family (not per student) is the suggested donation but any donations are welcome. Please send your annual dues via PayPal or check made out to “RMHS PTO.” Pay via PayPal using the online link https://bit.ly/2MnjShb (we suggest donating $55 to cover fees) or send a check to “Attn. RMHS PTO - RMHS Main Office, 62 Oakland Road.”

• The PTO is sponsoring a night for Parents & Caregivers during the January on the topic of Financial Wellness. The meeting is a 7 pm in the RMHS library. See promotional materials below. This will be coupled with free financial literacy classes offered to juniors and seniors in Jan. during flex blocks (see promotional materials above).
  

In recent years, your PTO dues and funds raised have provided funding for items including agendas, funding after school library hours, books/resources for RMHS library, enrichment programs and speakers, staff appreciation, Homecoming and Unity Day activities. Thank you for your support!

MCAS tests are required by state and federal law and are an important tool to promote student success and educational equity. High school students in Massachusetts must take and pass the MCAS tests in English Language Arts (ELA), mathematics, and science to earn a high school diploma, in addition to meeting local requirements. Students will have additional opportunities to retake the tests prior to graduation if they do not meet the criteria in the spring of 2024. The high school MCAS tests also provide the opportunity for students to qualify for several state awards. These include the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship and the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery.

The dates for the Spring tests are shown in the table. Ninth graders will take the Biology test in June, and tenth graders will take the ELA test in March and the math test in May. Each test has two sessions over two consecutive days. Please add these dates to your calendar so that your child is available for testing. More information will follow in the spring.

Stay up to date with the daily happenings at RMHS! You can find our daily announcements located on the RMHS Website under Morning Announcements.

There will be a Meet and Greet with Principal Callanan on January 18, 2024, from 6-7 pm in the RMHS Library. All students, parents and caregivers are welcome.

Principal Jessica B. Callanan

jessica.callanan@reading.k12.ma.us
781-944-8200 ext. 19801

62 Oakland Road

Reading, MA 01867

** All past newsletters from the 2023-24 school year are also archived on the school website for ease of accessibility.

RMHS Website (Including Updated 2023-24 Student Handbook)