Rosa Parks Middle School

Dear Dolphins,

I hope you are enjoying the last week of summer with family and friends. We are looking forward to hearing the halls filled with the sound of our Dolphins ready to connect, collaborate, and create. We have been busy planning and preparing for your children. 

MCPS will resume in-person instruction for the 2021-22 school year. There will be a full day of classes, five days a week, and we will follow our normal middle school seven period day. Additionally, MCPS shared that masks are required in school buildings for all students, staff, and visitors, regardless of vaccination status. Information about the reopening can be found here.  We ask that you start to talk to your child about the mask requirement in school (covering their mouth and nose) so that we can all work together to keep each other as safe as possible. 

By now we all know that this pandemic has been unpredictable. Plans continue to adjust based on guidance from the CDC and the Montgomery County Health Department. The best way to stay current is to visit our RPMS website and the MCPS website regularly. This year has brought about many changes and updates so please continue to stay informed to the greatest extent possible.  

Upcoming Events: 

• Aug 25, 2021: There will be an informal community reception to welcome new families to RPMS on Wednesday, August 25, 2021, from 6:30 – 7:30 p.m. to great RPMS students and families. Kona Ice truck will be located in front of the school during this time for our students to have cold treats! Additionally, several staff members will be present to answer questions for our new families. Our student ambassadors will also be available to give tours of the building.

• Aug 26, 2021: Orientation for incoming 6th and 7th grade students will be held on Thursday, August 26th from 8:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Buses will run on a normal a.m. schedule (see MCPS transportation website). Upon arrival at Rosa Parks, students will report to the cafeteria and gym to receive their schedules. Then, they will follow their schedule and meet their teachers. Students will be dismissed from the cafeteria at 12:00 p.m. to walk home, ride the bus, or meet their parents. Also, there will be an orientation for 8th grade students who are new to Rosa Parks on Thursday, August 26th from 8:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. Students will report to the Pinkney-Murkey Media Center where they will receive further instructions.

• Aug 30, 2021: First day of school. School begins at 8:15 a.m. and ends at 3:00 p.m. Students can enter the building at 7:55 a.m. The school supply list can be found here. 
• Sep 9, 2021: This year’s Back to School Night will be Thursday, September 9, 2021. As of now, it will be in-person accompanied by the RPMS Back to School Night website which includes teacher videos and information. In keeping with the CDC and state guidelines for safety regarding the pandemic, safety measures will be in place to ensure everyone’s safety. We are asking that only one family member per student attend to safely accommodate our Dolphin community. Students should not accompany parents to avoid large crowds. 

 Important Information:

• Cafeteria Protocols
• Students will be required to wear masks at all times when they are not eating or drinking, including when entering and exiting the cafeteria, in the lunch line, throwing trash away, and after finishing their meal. Additional spaces will be available for some students to eat outside or in the school library. Staff are exploring ways to provide separation between students at cafeteria tables. 
• Meals
• School breakfast and lunch will be served in the cafeteria at no cost to students through the entire 2021-2022 school year, any day that schools are open. All meal service will be grab and go, with no self-service or a la carte items offered. However, students will have more meal choices than were available last year, and a faster meal service process has been designed to reduce the time spent in meal lines. Meals will also be available for pickup on Mondays and Thursdays by students enrolled in the DEC. Details online.
• Student Technology
• Students will be asked to bring their fully charged Chromebooks to school each day. Chromebooks and digital resources will be used as a tool to enhance the lessons that teachers create. 
• All students will have a MCPS Chromebook. If a student did not receive a school issued Chromebook or did not swap their Chromebook for the new Lenovo brand, they will be available in homeroom on the first day of school and thereafter. 
• Families who need technical support after should send an email to communitytechsupport@mcpsmd.org or submit a ticket via the Community Tech Support portal (support guide).  

We are looking forward to reconnecting with all of our students on August 30, 2021. Wishing you all good health and a safe close to your summer holiday.

Sincerely, 

Mrs. Jewel Sanders