GREAT first two weeks!

We have had a GREAT start to our school year at Rock Mills Jr. High School!  Students have had a seamless transition back to school, and the year is running smoothly.  We are updating our web site, blog, and Twitter accounts.  We will be adding a Facebook account soon.

• Our web site:  http://rockmillsjrhs.randolph.k12.al.us/
• Follow us on Twitter:  @RockMillsJHS

Fast Facts 2014

·       Car rider line will remain same as last year.  Drop off by the power pole for breakfast at 7:00-7:05 AM.  Please make two lines for car riders at the end of the day.

·       Drop off times for students NOT eating breakfast begin at 7:15 AM.  We will not be able to accept students before this time. 

·       Students will NOT be allowed in the main building before 7:15 AM.

·       Students will be counted tardy after 7:23 AM.  

·       Students will not be allowed to be checked out once buses are pulled forward and loading – they will remain in the office until the buses have departed.

·       Pick up time starts at 2:35 PM. 

·       Remember that we need accurate phone numbers to contact you. If your child were sick or seriously injured, who would you want us to call?!

·        Meal prices are as follows: 

Breakfast	Lunch
Reduced:  $0.30	Reduced:  $0.40
Regular:  $0.75	Regular:  $2.05

·       Snack prices range from $0.25 to $0.50.

·       In the event that we have to delay school for inclement weather or another emergency, here is the delay time chart.  Please note breakfast will NOT be served in case of delay.

 

	Teacher Arrival	Student Arrival
Normal	7:05 AM	7:00 – 7:15 AM
1 Hour Delay	8:05 AM	8:15 AM
2 Hour Delay	9:05 AM	9:15 AM
3 Hour Delay	10:05 AM	10:15 AM

• We will have Fall Pictures (yearbook photos) on Friday, August 15^th.
• If your child brings a lunch, remember that there is only one microwave to serve the entire lunchroom, so often times there is a line.  (Lunch only lasts 25 minutes) 
• We are so very excited to have your child here with us this year, thank you for sharing them with us!
• Please remember our website at www.rockmillsjrhs.randolph.k12.al.us or our blog (http://rockmillsjhs.blogspot.com) for more updates!!
• You can follow us on Twitter (@RockMillsJHS) for quick announcements!
• Here are the upcoming PTO dates for Rock Mills:
• Monday, September 1^st – School closed for Labor Day
• Tuesday, September 9^th – 6:00 p.m. – Parent Involvement Night/PTO Meeting and Open House
• Monday/Tuesday, September 29-30^th: School closed for fall break and teacher in-service.
• Monday, October 7^th – Parenting Day – Students leave half day.
• Tuesday, October 14^th – PTO Meeting – 6:00 p.m.

Fast Facts 2013

Rock Mills Jr. High School

Home of the Rockets!
2013-2014
Fast Fact Sheet

·       Car rider line will remain same as last year.  Drop off by the power pole for breakfast at 7:00-7:05 AM.  Please make two lines for car riders at the end of the day.  Drop off times for students NOT eating breakfast begin at 7:15 AM.  We will not be able to accept students before this time.  

·       Students will be counted tardy after 7:23 AM.  

·       Students will not be allowed to be checked out once buses are pulled forward and loading – they will remain in the office until the buses have departed.

·       Pick up time starts at 2:35 PM. 

·       Remember that we need accurate phone numbers to contact you. If your child were sick or seriously injured, who would you want us to call?!

·        Meal prices are as follows: 

Breakfast	Lunch
Reduced:  $0.30	Reduced:  $0.40
Regular:  $0.75	Regular:  $1.95

·       Snack prices range from $0.25 to $0.50.

·       In the event that we have to delay school for inclement weather or another emergency, here is the delay time chart:

 

	Teacher Arrival	Student Arrival
Normal	7:05 AM	7:00 – 7:15 AM
1 Hour Delay	8:05 AM	8:00 – 8:15 AM
2 Hour Delay	9:05 AM	9:00 – 9:15 AM
3 Hour Delay	10:05 AM	10:00 – 10:15 AM

• We will have Fall Pictures (yearbook photos) on Thursday, October 10^th.
• If your child brings a lunch, remember that there is only one microwave to serve the entire lunchroom, so often times there is a line.  (Lunch only lasts 25 minutes) 
• We are so very excited to have your child here with us this year, thank you for sharing them with us!
• Please remember our website at www.rockmillsjrhs.randolph.k12.al.us or our blog (http://rockmillsjhs.blogspot.com) for more updates!!
• You can follow us on Twitter (@RockMillsJHS) for quick announcements!
• Here are the upcoming PTO dates for Rock Mills:
• Monday, September 2^nd – School closed for Labor Day
• Tuesday, September 10^th – 6:00 p.m. – Parent Involvement Night/PTO Meeting and Open House
• Monday/Tuesday 9/30 and 10/1 School closed for fall break.
• Monday, October 7^th – Parenting Day – Students leave half day.
• Tuesday, October 8^th – PTO Meeting – 6:00 p.m.

WELCOME BACK TO SCHOOL!!

Welcome to the 2013-2014 school year!  I hope you have all had a wonderful summer and are excited to be back to school.  We have worked very hard to prepare for another outstanding year at Rock Mills.  As always, we expect nothing but the best from our students, so set your goals high and work hard to achieve them!  Our web site (http://rockmillsjrhs.randolph.k12.al.us) and our blog (http://rockmillsjhs.blogspot.com) will both still be available to help keep you informed of important news, but you may also follow us on Twitter (@RockMillsJHS) for quick news announcements.

Snacks will still be sold again this year before first period begins.  Snacks will range from $0.25 to $0.50 depending on the product, and these may be eaten during your break.  The Randolph County School System offers healthy meals every day at school.  Prices for meals are:  Breakfast - $.30 for reduced and $.75 for paid. Lunch - $.40 for reduced and $1.95 for paid.  Please remember that carbonated drinks are NOT allowed in the lunchroom.

Student attendance is directly related to student success, and it is very important.  Please help us teach your children to be successful in reporting to school on time.  Students who will be eating breakfast may get off the bus or unload from cars and report to the lunch room at 7:05 a.m.  Students not eating breakfast will NOT be allowed in the building until 7:15 a.m.  Remember that if you bring your children to school in the mornings:  please pull all the way up to the power pole to unload.  Please do NOT park and block the front entrance.  The first bell of the day will ring at 7:20 a.m. to signal students to report to homeroom.  Students will be considered tardy at 7:23 a.m.

Because of our shortened student-day calendar, our length of day has been extended slightly.  Students will be dismissed to load buses beginning at 2:30, and car riders will begin loading after 2:35 p.m.  Students will NOT be allowed to be picked up before the buses have left to ensure the safety of all our children.  If you will be picking your child up by car, please pull into the driveway and wait in two rows behind the buses.  Teachers will put your child in the car.  Remember, changes in transportation must be done by a note or phone call during the day.  Children will not be allowed to go home with someone else if we do not have a letter from both homes.  Please refer to your Student Code of Conduct for details on excused and unexcused absences as well as make-up work in the event that your child misses school for any reason.

To help maintain a secure campus, remember that our doors will be locked between the hours of 7:30 a.m. and  2:00 p.m.  Please ring our doorbell, and someone will be glad to assist you.  As principal, I am here to promote a safe and successful learning environment for your students, and I will be glad to assist you in any way to make your child’s education a success!  My door is open for visits or conferences, and you may contact me by phone or e-mail (jbraden@randolph.k12.al.us).  I am excited and looking forward to another great year at Rock Mills!!

Sincerely,

Jennifer P. Braden, Ed.S.
Principal

THANK YOU! Thanks for a great school year!

As this school year ends and we begin preparations for next fall, I am reflective upon the wonderful first year that I have had as your principal!

We have done and learned so much this year!  You all worked very hard on your ARMT+ tests, and I know that your test scores will be reflective of this.  I hope that you all enjoyed the Field Day celebration and end of year celebrations that rewarded you all for your hard work!

Parents - thank you for your help and support throughout the year!  Please remember to read with your children this summer to help them stay prepared when school begins in August!!  Supply lists are available in the office and at various business throughout the county.

I hope you all will remember our drive to raise funds for a new school sign - call me if you need more information!

Have a wonderful and safe summer vacation!!  We can't wait to see you in August!!

I know that we are all concerned and upset about the horrible events that occurred at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut on Friday, December 14^th.  In no way can words adequately describe what that community is feeling at this time, and I know all of our thoughts and prayers are with them as they grieve their losses.  I do want you to know that we are taking precautions, increasing security measures, and reviewing our safety plans to do everything we can to protect your child.

Today, I talked with every class about safety procedures at Rock Mills.  We discussed our safety drills – including our “lock down” procedures, and our faculty is reviewing our school safety plan this afternoon in a faculty meeting.  Also during this week, Mr. Kirby, Randolph County Superintendent, has requested additional sheriff deputies for school patrol.  The presence of these deputies is welcome, and the students know that they are here with us practicing our safety procedures. 

One change that you may notice immediately will be our locked exterior doors.  All doors exiting to the outside will be kept locked.  The front doors will be open only from 7:00 – 7:30 a.m. each morning and from 2:00 – 2:30 p.m. each afternoon.  You are, as always, welcome to visit our school; however, if you come after 7:30 a.m. and before 2:00 p.m. you will need to be let in the front doors.  I appreciate your cooperation in this matter, and while I know that it may be of slight inconvenience to us, nothing compares to the safety of our children.

I am always available to you if you have any questions or concerns.  You may also e-mail me:  jbraden@randolph.k12.al.us, and to further increase communication, I will begin utilizing a school Twitter account, as well as continuing my blog, http://rockmillsjhsnews.blogspot.com.  I will send out further information once the Twitter account is set up and working.

Thank you for your help and cooperation in ensuring the safety of our children.

Rock Mills Ornaments at the Governor's Mansion

 All children in Alabama were invited to make ornaments to decorate Christmas trees at the Candlelight Tour held at the Governor's Mansion, and Hill House (picture at left).  Students from Rock Mills in Kindergarten, 2nd and 3rd grades participated.  Several teachers and I drove to Montgomery to view our ornaments, and I am so proud of our students for their outstanding work and participation!!!

Christmas Tree with Ornaments from Second Grade

Students from Mrs. Banks' class in Second Grade made reindeer ornaments from their handprints, and they are displayed on the tree in the picture above.

Cinnamon-Gingerbread Ornament by Kindergarten

In the picture above, you can see a close-up of a cinnamon-gingerbread ornament made by our Kindergarten class.  Some of our ornaments from our Third Grade class are displayed in the tree below.

Ms. Coker's Third Grade class originally took a field trip to Rock Mills Pottery to make pottery ornaments.  These ornaments were partially broken during the ceramic firing process when a shelf fell in the kiln.  Thanks to the creativity of Mrs. Richardson, our Reading Coach, you can see the beautiful hanging collage that received a place of honor in the entry hall of the Hill House.  We would like to thank Mrs. Gillespie for her beautifully written letter describing the work that was put into the making of these ornaments and the disappointment we felt when they were broken.  As you can see, the hanging collage turned out beautifully, and the final picture shows the collage in the entry hall in the right corner.

Ceramic Hanging Collage by Third Grade

 

 

 

Entry Hall of Hill House Showing the 3rd Grade Collage in the Right Corner

 

CONGRATULATIONS

to all of our Rock Mills students and teachers who participated!!!!

I was so proud to represent you as your principal!!