ABRPTSO

Weekly Chatter

RJ Grey Junior High School

November 17, 2024

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Last Day to Order Your ABSAF Muffin Loves!

Sunday Nov. 17th is the last day to order your Muffin Loaves! CLICK HERE to order!

The NEW 2024-2025 R J Grey Junior High School online searchable Directory is ready! 

Log into your PowerSchool Portal NOW! You can download, view/search, or print out your directory from the portal. Or do all 3 - it's FREE!! This is our gift to you from the ABRPTSO! Get them while they're hot!   

How to access the RJGrey Student Directory:

Step 1: Log into your student's portal on PowerSchool at https://powerschool.abschools.org/public/      

Step 2: Click on your child's name on the top bar

Step 3: Then, click on the "Student Directory" in the left-hand menu (see picture HERE)

Step 4: On the page, click on "Click here to access the RJG Student Directory" (see picture HERE). The student directory opens in a separate tab.

Step 5: View, download or print your directory! Once downloaded to your computer or phone, it is easily accessible for search. If you prefer hard copies, you can print the downloaded file.

RJ Grey Ski & Board Club

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The RJ Grey Ski & Board Club will run this year for 6 weeks starting on Tuesday, January 7th, 2025. Click on the link to learn more about the RJ Grey Ski & Board Club and how to sign up. Due to the coordination needed with Mount Wachusett Ski Area, bus transportation, and the school club, there are several steps required to complete the student registration

Up to three coach buses are available, and each seat must be filled. We will accept completed student registrations, in the order received, in blocks of 52 students. Depending on the number of students enrolled, you might be placed on a waitlist should space become available. Please contact Mrs. McVey at amcvey@abschools.org with your registration questions.

Parents/Guardians, if you are interested in chaperoning please send an email to ecamposano@abschools.org. We have some school staff chaperones but benefit from having some parent/guardian chaperones as well. We’ll take the names of interested parties to chaperone and we’ll confirm your status in the next few weeks. Thank you!

Community Education Classes

BLAST! Babysitter Lessons & Safety Training (Gr. 6-8): December 2  1 SPOT LEFT!

A babysitting workshop & CPR/AED certification course.

Dot Mandala: December 4

With step-by-step instructions, you'll learn the fundamentals of Dot Mandala painting, all while unwinding and tapping into your creativity. 

Holiday Season Cookie Decoration: December 14

Students learn to decorate and frost cookies so that they can become eye-catching treats at any holiday event! Students will learn how to make many different colors of frosting as well as the techniques needed to make any kind of shape on the cookies.

All-Town Band: January 8 - March 12 

This musical offering is open to students in grades 6-8 who participate in their school's band program. (Please note: 6th graders must be recommended by their band director.) The ensemble is open to students playing woodwind, brass and percussion instruments.

Chunky Blanket Workshop: January 16

Create and design your own cozy, handmade Chunky Knit Throw Blanket, no knitting tools needed! (Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult).

Teen Interview Workshop (Grade 8-12): January 23

In this workshop participants will learn self-presentation skills, important talking points, and best practices to help succeed at an interview.

Swiss Roll Cake Class: January 25

Students will learn the swiss cake technique and decorate their swiss cake by designing their own unique patterns.

Winter Basketball

Registration is still open for the Comm Ed Winter Basketball Leagues which are open to students in grades 3-12 and who do not play on school, travel or club teams. The mandatory league clinics will be held Saturday, December 7; register now to participate! You can learn more about the program and register online via our Basketball Page.

Danny's Place Parent Info Night

Have you ever wondered what Danny's Place is?

When you hear us say, "We make an impact in our youth in the Acton-Boxborough Community," do you want to know more about how we do what we do?

This is your opportunity to find out!

Come hear from our team about how we're transforming youth programming and how we cultivate a space where kids can be kids. Bring your questions and find out how your family can benefit from our offerings.

Details: Parent Info Night: The Danny's Place Difference

When: Nov 18th, 2024 - 6pm - 7:30pm

Where: Danny's Place - 543 Mass Ave, West Acton

This is a Free Event - RSVP in the link and join us!

https://www.hisawyer.com/.../schedules/activity-set/1108524

Discovery Museum Speaker Series

Does Parenting Have To Be This Hard? What Babies Can Teach Us | Free, live Zoom webinar, Tuesday, November 19, 7-8pm | Discovery Museum Speaker Series event with Dr. J. Kevin Nugent, Founder and Director Emeritus of the Brazelton Institute in the Division of Developmental Medicine at Boston Children’s Hospital

American parents are finding parenting much harder than they expected. Over 80% of parents use internet search engines to look for parenting advice, but less than 50% of them found the results to be trustworthy. Almost 70% of parents say they would use more positive parenting strategies if only they knew them. So, where do we find these more positive parenting strategies that go beyond the prescriptive expert-driven “how to” approach of the internet? Our research suggests that the baby can teach us most of what we need to know as parents, since children influence the way their parents behave as much as parents influence their children. In fact, much of what looks like the effect of genes may really be the result of the way genes feed back on the environment. Event is free, advance registration is required. Register here.

New Process for Daily Announcement Sign Ups!

The School invites any interested parent or guardian to sign up to receive our Daily Announcements email. The Daily Announcements email is exactly what it sounds like. Generally, in mid-morning, our Main Office will compile any of our ongoing or new announcements and send them to interested families. Examples of parts of our email would be: listing which clubs meet that week; sign ups for Ski Club; Jazz Band auditions; when the next Early Release is; and notification of a postponed athletic game or meet. We don't use the Daily Announcements to send emergency information. 

This year, we have moved to sending our Daily Announcements through Parent Square. Please click on the link below to sign up. If you're already registered with Parent Square, just sign in and got to Groups and add the Daily Announcements to your groups. If you are not yet registered, you will need to enter the email address that we have on file (the address where you are receiving this message).

Please click here to sign up to receive the Daily Announcements email!

LATE BUS

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The Late Bus will arrive at the Junior High at approximately 4:30pm each day (Monday through Friday), and then pick up students at the High School at approximately 4:40pm. The Late Bus will then depart the campus around 4:45pm and begin its route.  The Late Bus will not be in service on days when both the Junior High and High School have an early release schedule.

Free Breakfast and Lunch at RJ Grey

AB Food Services is excited to serve healthy and delicious breakfast and lunch to all students in the district. Breakfast is available at all schools 20 minutes before the start of school. All lunches include entrée, milk choice, fruit, and vegetables. 

 ALL students can receive one breakfast and one lunch every school day at no charge for the school year 2024-2025!

Even though meals are at no charge this year, we encourage families to apply for free/reduced-price meals as you may be eligible for additional benefits. You may apply for free/reduced-price meals here. If you receive an email in August from Food Services stating your child is eligible for free/reduced-price meals, you do NOT need to apply again.

Absent, Tardy & Dismissals

Parent/Guardians: Please email the Main Office with all planned absences. You will receive a confirmation email.

rjgrey_main_office@abschools.org

(Please include your student's full name/grade and DATES of absence)

Main Office: 978-264-3350

Before 8am, ext. 3333

After 8am, ext. 3304

Please note: ALL dismissals are due by 8:00am RJ Grey website

ITEMS NEEDED FOR RESOURCE CENTER

As you begin spring cleaning, the Acton-Boxborough Resource Center (ABRC) would appreciate the following clean, gently used or new condition donations.

Please note, there is a donation container in front of the Administration Building where donations can be dropped off anytime.  

Backpacks

Lunchboxes

Water bottles

New youth size underwear

Youth socks

Children's clothing size 10 and smaller, especially boys

Footwear of any kind or size, especially sneakers 

X-Large/Large reusable shopping bags

Plastic hangers (kids and adult)

School supplies; crayons, highlighters, pencils, markers, colored pencils, small pencil sharpeners, pencil grips, pencil pouches

Safety tip scissors for elementary aged children

Mini tissues

Single subject notebooks

Construction paper

Glue sticks

Pocket folders

Activity books; word search, coloring, sticker