Note from School Leaders

Dear Rising Tide Students and Families,

Today marks the second release of current grades for students in their courses through the Community Portal. Please note that the grades can be viewed on the Community Portal for a limited window of time until Thursday, October 12 at 8:00 a.m. This second release includes Upper School elective courses as well as the other core courses. Students and Parents/Guardians can use the print screen option on their computer (windows option; mac option) capture this second release of current grades.

Thank you for your support of this ongoing initiative to promote academic rigor and transparency. The bi-weekly release of current grades for all students will replace the mid-term progress reports that were sent to some students in the middle of a term in past years. With the first release of current grades, we have seen evidence of students taking responsibility for their learning, and we are excited to continue to partner with parents and guardians in supporting students to grow as learners.

The Parent/Guardian reports for the Spring 2023 MCAS testing have been mailed to homes and should arrive this week. If a student took MCAS at another public school in Massachusetts last year, your family may receive the report directly from the former school, or from Rising Tide in the coming weeks if the former school sends the report to Rising Tide.

MCAS results are one source of data, in addition to a variety of formative and summative assessments, used by our educational team at Rising Tide to assess student areas of strength and areas in which to grow. Each report includes a child's results for any tests taken this past spring. The four scoring categories are Exceeding Expectations, Meeting Expectations, Partially Meeting Expectations, and Not Meeting Expectations. For English and Mathematics tests, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) also provides a Student Growth Percentile (SGP), to measure the progress of each student over time.

This is the first year since 2019 that DESE has implemented its full accountability system to measure districts and schools. In 2023, Rising Tide has an 82% accountability percentile, is classified as not requiring assistance or intervention, and is making moderate progress towards targets. You can see more details about MCAS results on the Rising Tide School Profile. There will be an overview presentation regarding MCAS results at the October board meeting, and a detailed presentation of the ways in which our team uses MCAS data for developing action steps with the curriculum at the November board meeting.

Have a wonderful week.

Sincerely,

Michael O'Keefe

Head of School

Zahra Williams

Interim Principal/Assistant Head of School

Wednesday, October 11: SAT testing will take place at 7:45 am.

Wednesday, October 18: School will be closed for students. This will be a full day of professional development for faculty and staff.

Friday, October 20: Rising Tide will host a social event from 3:00 to 5:00 pm. for students in grades five and six.

Saturday, October 21: All families are invited to attend our Homecoming event taking place at Sacred Heart School in Kingston. Our soccer and volleyball teams will be playing. The event will begin at 12:30 pm, and games will start at 1:00 pm (girls' soccer), 2:00 pm (volleyball), and 3:00 pm (boys' soccer).

Monday, October 23: The Rising Tide Board of Trustees will have its monthly meeting at 7:00 pm. This meeting is open to the public.

Wednesday, October 25: Rising Tide will be hosting the PSAT/NMSQT exam for 10th and 11th graders at 7:45 am.

Thursday, October 26: Middle school families can enjoy Muffins in the Morning from 7:35 am to 8:53 am. Each middle school student is encouraged to bring a special guest to school.

Friday, October 27: Rising Tide will host a social event from 6:00 to 8:00 pm for students in grades seven and eight.

Wednesday, November 1: Rising Tide will open the Annual Enrollment Period for the 2024-2025 school year and begin accepting applications for enrollment for grades 5-12. We will host a virtual enrollment open house for prospective families on Wednesday at 7:00 pm.

Thursday, November 2: Middle school students will perform their fall play, The Seussification of Romeo & Juliet, at 6:00 pm.

Monday, November 6: LifeTouch photographers will return to Rising Tide for school picture retakes.

Friday, November 10: School will be closed in observance of Veterans' Day.

2023-2024 School Calendar

Register for AP Exams

Rising Tide students who are enrolled in advanced classes (offered primarily in 11th & 12th grade) are eligible to take AP Exams, as those courses align with the AP curriculum. AP Exams are offered through the College Board and students can potentially earn college credit or place out of certain college requirements. AP Exams take place each May, but registration is due on November 14th. Please reach out to Ms. Trauttmansdorff if you have any questions. 

Registration is a two-step process. Please follow the instructions on this form. You must register BOTH on the College Board website and with Rising Tide.

Yearbook Information Packets for Seniors

Hello Seniors and Senior Families! The Yearbook Team is sending out the Senior Information Packet, which contains information about what materials families and students need to submit to help the Yearbook Club create Rising Tide’s 2023-2024 Yearbook. Please read through the packet and reach out to Holly Martz, Yearbook Advisor, at hmartz@risingtide.org with any questions. Students should be on the look out for an invite to the Yearbook Google Classroom where they can upload their senior/baby photos and their student bios.

Update from the Parent Group 

MUFFINS IN THE MORNING for Middle School Families. Mark your calendars for Thursday, October 26, from 7:35 am to 8:53 am, when each middle school student is encouraged to bring a special guest to school to join the student’s morning routine, including their morning Advisory and first academic class of the day. It is a great opportunity to gain insight into your child’s school day before first-term report cards and conferences. 

Middle School Parents, we’re looking for donations for refreshments for this fun event.  Click here to see how you can help.  If you have any questions, please contact Parent Coordinator Cory Mace at corymace@hotmail.com. 

Thank You to Photo Day Volunteers During Photo Day! Thank you to the parents who assisted with last week’s Photo Day – it really helps to have hands on deck to keep the lines moving and everyone smiling. NOTE: In case your child missed school last week, Photo Retake Day is scheduled for Monday, November 6. 

Parent Group Meeting Notes. We had a lively discussion with Mr. O’Keefe, Mr. Papillo, Ms. Carlucci, and interested parents last Wednesday on recent celebrations, online grade access, and upcoming opportunities for family engagement, including Muffins in the Morning and Homecoming.  Click here to read the meeting notes. 

College Visits This Week

Representatives from college admissions offices visit Rising Tide to meet with students throughout the fall. These meetings take place during upper school lunch and are open to upper school students in all grades. Visitors for the upcoming week include:

Tuesday, October 10

• Fisher College
• Plymouth State University

Thursday, October 12

• St. Anselm College
• Johnson & Wales University

Friday, October 13

• Salem State University
• American International College

Monday, October 16

• Merrimack College

Athletic Games This Week

Tuesday, October 10th

Varsity Girls' Soccer hosts Falmouth Academy at 4:00 pm

Location: Sacred Heart School

Varsity Boys' & Girls' Cross Country hosts Monomoy at 4:00 pm

Location: Morton Park

Varsity & J.V. Golf hosts Cape Cod Academy at 4:00 pm

Location: Atlantic Country Club, Plymouth

Varsity Boys' Soccer at Falmouth Academy at 4:00 pm

Location: Falmouth Academy

Middle School Girls' & Boys' Soccer at St. John Paul II

Girls at 3:30 pm, Boys at 4:45 pm

Location: St. John Paul 2 (Hyannis)

Wednesday, October 11th

Varsity Volleyball hosts St. John Paul 2 at 4:00 pm

Location: Sacred Heart

Varsity Golf hosts Carver at 3:30 pm

Location: Village Links

Middle School Boys' & Girls' Soccer at Falmouth Academy

Both games at 3:30 pm

Location: Falmouth Academy

Thursday, October 12th

Varsity Boys' Soccer hosts Cape Cod Academy at 4:00 pm

Location: Sacred Heart

Varsity Girls' Soccer at Cape Cod Academy at 4:00 pm

Location: Cape Cod Academy

Varsity & J.V. Golf at St. John Paul II at 4:00 pm

Location: Varsity at Willowbend Country Club

JV at Twin Brooks (Hyannis)

Friday, October 13th

Boys' & Girls' Cross Country at Bob Glennon Twilight Meet at 5:15 pm

Location: Barnstable Fairgrounds

JV Golf Cup at 2:00 pm

Location: Cranberry Valley Golf Course

Recent Happenings At Rising Tide

Raising Funds for Cancer Research

Students in Rising Tide's National Honor Society hosted a bake sale last week to benefit breast cancer research.

Quick Links and Contacts

Breakfast and Lunch at Rising Tide: Rising Tide's breakfast and lunch program, catered by the Plymouth Public Schools, offers free lunches for students each day at Rising Tide. Check out October's lunch menu here.

Attendance Line: Call (508) 747-2620, ext. 102 to report your child's absence from school.

Complete a Notes from Home to Rising Tide Office Form to share daily communication with our office staff at Rising Tide, including dismissal information.

Health Questions: Contact Nurse Leader, Lisa Hughes, at lhughes@risingtide.org. You can also call (508) 747-2620 x115.

Monday Memo Translated: If you are interested in translating the Monday Memo into another language, you can do so by clicking on the button below for instructions. Each issue of the Monday Memo will be added to this website page the day after an issue is published.