Mr. Gary McCulloch, Principal

Middle school is an exciting time, full of changes and new experiences. Middle school kids are so much fun to deal with as they go through this period of transition from little kids to caring, responsible, young adults.

We know that the shift from elementary to middle school can be quite scary to some students (and their parents), but there are a lot of great times in store for everyone! Our job at Rock Hall Middle School is to partner with our parents, community, and the students themselves to make this transition time as filled with great relationships and positive learning experiences as we can. Remember, the most successful students have parents who remain involved in their education all the way through!

In Honor of Vincent Hynson - 10 years of success @ RHMS - Two awards have been set up in honor of Mr. Hynson. Annually, three Kent County middle school students receive awards at the Martin Luther King, Jr. breakfast. This year's award winner for Rock Hall Middle School was Tynisha S. Last year's was Ryan R., and the year before, Amber W. was honored. Washington College also offers an annual scholarship in Mr. Hynson's name.

The staff at Rock Hall Middle School strives every day to offer the best educational experience in a safe and caring environment. It is important to us that we keep the lines of communication open between home and school.Please contact us by e-mail. phone, or letter with any concerns that you have! Contact information is given in the school newsletter on the Information page. Teachers' names with e-mail addresses are given on the Directory Page.

Rock Hall Middle School Goals

There are five school wide goals which align with the Kent County Public Schools' goals:

1. Achievement
2. Technology
3. Safe and Caring Environment
4. Parent & Community Involvement
5. Personal Responsibility & Lifelong Learning

For more information on these school goals, see the RHMS School Improvement Plan.

Here is a typical day at Rock Hall Middle School:

Buses arrive between 8:30 and 8:40 a.m. Students enter the building and go to their lockers, get the materials needed for the day, and then proceed to their homerooms. Students may also go to their lockers at lunchtime and upon dismissal from school. All book bags and outerwear are stored in lockers during the school day. The Media Center is open for students to borrow books from 8:30 to 8:50 a.m. Ms Quartois happy to recommend books for students.

Between 8:45 and 8:50, The R.H.M.S. News Team broadcasts the announcements over our closed-circuit T.V. system from the station in our Media Center.

There are five periods at R.H.M.S. Students have three minutes in between to change classes. One of these periods is for special subjects, such as physical education, music, art, or Spanish.On Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, students will go to our Acceleration & Enrichment (A&E) period for approximately forty minutes, right after homeroom. In A&E, students will either receive extra help in language arts or mathematics, or will engage in advanced coursework in web design, science investigations, studio art, drama, or instrumental music. On Tuesdays & Thursdays, students will go to Advisory at the end of the day for approximately half an hour. In advisory, students will engage in lessons which support the Keys 4 Success @ RHMS: Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and Persistence. Students will also work on service learning projects and set personal goals for academics and social interactions.

Acceleration & Enrichment (A&E) Period

We are very excited to be able to expand our A&E period this year (formerly called Acceleration). Students who need extra help in language arts and/or math, work in small groups with language arts and math teachers. Other students cycle through a variety of enrichment programs which are aligned with the College Board Pre-Advanced Placement standards and help prepare students for Kent County High School's Advanced Placement courses. The courses offered this year are computer applications & web design, science investigations, drama, and studio art. There is also time during this period for the Advanced Band students to meet with Mrs. Wesley to enhance their instrumental skills. Mrs. Wesley is planning on entering them in distric wide competitions this year to show off their new skills.

Advisory Period

In advisory, students will engage in lessons which support the Keys 4 Success @ RHMS: Respect, Responsibility, Safety, and Persistence. Students will use The Seven Habits of Highly Effective Teens by Sean Covey to learn how to handle the stresses inherent in adolescence. Rock Hall Middle School will use the Search Institute's Asset Building framework to reinforce and extend students' individual strengths. Students will also work on service learning projects and set personal goals for academics and social interactions.

For more information on the benefits of advisory, go to Middleweb's site on Advisory Resources.

General Information:

Students must dress in uniforms for gym. Uniforms can be purchased in the office, or students may wear dark shorts and a yellow top. Lockers and combination locks are provided for students to store their clothes during gym.

At the middle school, students may choose to take instrumental music and be part of the school band. There are two programs a year. The programs spotlight instrumental students and students who are taking music during the preceeding semester.

Students in grades five and six are accompanied to and from specials by their teachers. Students in grades seven and eight are not escorted to their classes.

Lunch is served around 11:30 for for fifth and sixth graders and around 12:30 for seventh and eighth graders.

Bathroom breaks are scheduled by the classroom teachers throughout the day for grades five and six. Grade seven and eight students use the restrooms during class changes or upon special request as needed. Agenda books serve as student hall passes.

Dismissal is at 3:33 p.m.

Monthly newsletters will be mailed home to families, giving information about student & staff accomplishments and upcoming events.

Special events and assemblies are scheduled throughout the year as an extension of the learning experience. These special offerings are privileges earned by demonstrating aspects of the Keys 4 Success in school.

Parents and community members are always welcome to visit. Please be sure to come by the office and pick up a visitor's tag. We also would love parents and community members to volunteer and offer assistance at any time.

There are several incentive programs in place for students to earn special privileges. Some of them are...

• CharacterCounts!
• Positive Behaviors Interventions, & Supports Program
• The Keys 4 Success Weekly Key Awards
• High Honor Roll Luncheon
• Honor Roll & Perfect Attendance Socials

Activities for students:

Students have the opportunity to serve as members of the Student Government Association, which is a very active organization at RHMS. We also have an terrific after-school program where students may receive academic help or become involved in activities such as sports, cheerleading, Homework Help, and Babysitting Instruction (sponsored by the Red Cross). Students may also join the Principal's Advisory Team and help solve school problems.

Activities for parents:

There are lots of ways for parents to get involved at RHMS. The PTSA is a very active organization at the school. In addition to providing activities for parents and students, such as the bookfair and the Covered Dish Dinner, they also are members of the School Improvement Team. Parents are also encouraged to join the Parent Advisory Team. This group meets once a month in the evening at RHMS in order to voice concerns and give input on school issues. They also are active members of the S chool Improvement Team. Parents are also invited to come and volunteer at the school. There are many teachers who are delighted to have an extra pair of hands in the classroom.

Finally, we LOVE to have parents come and visit. Just sign in at the office any day or time and visit as many of your child's classes as you would like!

Service Learning Activities

As part of the high school graduation requirements, students must earn seventy-five (75) hours of service learning credit. 40 of these hours are normally earned during middle school at a rate of 10 hours per year. Teachers provide students with opportunities to earn a minimum of 10 credit hours per year, but RHMS's goal is for every student to complete 75 hours by the end of eighth grade. Many of these hours are provided by activities generated during the advisory period.

Agenda Books: At the beginning of the school year, each student at Rock Hall Middle School receives an agenda book. The agenda book serves as the student handbook and as a reference for students and parents to keep organized and to keep abreast of student assignments. Parents are encouraged to check their child's agenda book nightly and offer assistance to their child in completing homework and long-range assignments. Agenda books are also used for student hall passes. Students get their first agenda books free. Additional agenda books must be purchased at a cost of $4.00.

Homework: The policy for homework at Rock Hall Middle School is that each student will receive 15-20 minutes of homework in each subject per night. Except for classes earning high school credit, such as algebra I or Spanish I, homework is not assigned over weekends or holidays. However, it may be necessary for students to use weekends or holidays for make-up work and long-range projects.Letter grades are given for completed assignments and for report cards.

Report Cards & Interim Reports: There are 4 report card periods and 4 opportunities for interim reports to be sent home at mid-quarter. All students receive both report cards and interims. Interim reports are mailed home for students, while report cards are hand carried.