THE RUMSEY CIRCLE NEWSLETTER ...

September 5, 2021

Where Parents Connect

SEPTEMBER

2021

A LETTER FROM THE RUMSEY CIRCLE PRESIDENT

Dear Rumsey Hall Families,

I hope you all had a restful, relaxing, and fun-filled summer! It’s hard to believe that we are only a few days away from the start of another school year. The start of school is an exciting time for our students, faculty, staff, and parents alike. Each new year brings enthusiasm and anticipation, along with the promise of learning and growth.

My name is Danielle Young and I am honored, as well as excited, to serve as the Rumsey Circle President for the 2021-2022 school year. Working alongside me are Anne Block, Kady Nicksa, Kate Eren, Robin Izadpanah, and Amelia Crimmins. We have been working hard throughout the summer in preparation for the year ahead and look forward to meeting our new parents as well as reconnecting with our seasoned parents. In the spirit of connecting, we invite you to join us on Friday, September 10th from 8:00-9:00 AM at Marty’s Café for Casual Coffee with the Rumsey Circle.

As a parent or guardian, you have the opportunity to attend the monthly Rumsey Circle General Meetings, volunteer on a Rumsey Circle committee, or participate in the many activities we sponsor. If you are interested in joining one of our committees, please sign up here. We are grateful to all the amazing parents who are involved and who contribute their time and talents. I have found that being involved in the Rumsey Circle keeps me connected to my children’s school and has been a rewarding experience. Many opportunities lie ahead and we are eager to get started!

Our first Rumsey Circle General Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 15th at 9:00 AM via Zoom. We hope you can join us!

And last but not least, we would like to extend a warm welcome to all of our new faculty and staff. Dierdre McGuire, IIIrd Form Teacher; Ben Pastor, Director of Advancement; Kristin Eaton, Kindergarten and Pre-Primes Assistant Teacher; Alexsandra (Ali) Quinones, Primes and Ist Form Assistant Teacher; Maryann Kusmer, Upper School French Teacher; Christian Budd ‘05, IInd Form Teacher; Peter Green, Upper School History Teacher; Catherine (Cat) Cooper, Language Skills Department, and Lindsey Bailey, Lower School Art and Fine Arts Department Chair. We can’t wait to get to know you and build long-lasting relationships.

Again, we look forward to seeing everyone, and have a great year!

Sincerely,

Danielle Young P'22, '23, '26

President | Rumsey Circle Parents Association

Email: rhscircle@rumseyhall.org

Cell: (203) 994-8482

Upcoming Events

Casual Coffee w/ the Rumsey Circle!

Join us for an informal gathering after drop-off at Marty's Cafe, 4 Green Hill Road, Washington, on Friday, September 10th from 8:00-9:00 AM to meet outside the cafe and chat with other Rumsey parents. We hope to see you there!

Hiking Club!

Rumsey Parents, are you interested in

meeting other parents or connecting again?

Come join the Rumsey Circle with fellow parents new and old for a hike after drop-off on Friday mornings this fall! Sign up here. We'll meet in the parking lot at the corner of Sabbaday Lane and Romford Road - Campus Map

Parent Social Event!

It's always fun to get together with parents at one of the local restaurants and enjoy some light bites and refreshments! We're planning our next one for later this month. Details to follow.

📅 IMPORTANT DATES 📅

September

11-12

International Boarders Arrive (12 p.m.)

Domestic Boarders Arrive (9 a.m.-12 p.m.)

Fall Term Begins (8am)

Optional Lower School Dismissal (3 p.m.)

Required Upper School Student Orientation (3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Optional Lower School Dismissal (3 p.m.)

Required Upper School Student Orientation (3 p.m.-4:30 p.m.)

Senior (Class of 2022) Orientation (3 p.m.-6 p.m.)

Closed Weekend (Boarders Remain on Campus)

Lower School Afternoon Enrichment Program Begins

Upper School Athletics Begins

Rumsey Circle General Meeting

Vaccine Appointments Tentatively Scheduled

Student Formal Pictures

Lower School Curriculum Night

VIIth Form (Senior) Informal Pictures

Form Pictures and All School Picture on Siebert Field

October

18-23

Lower School Conferences

Upper School Day Parents Conferences

Lower School Conferences

Rumsey Circle General Meeting

Tentative Parent Reception

Fall Parents Day

School Holiday (Boarders Return to Campus by 7 p.m.)

VIIth Form (Seniors) Secondary School Placement Visitations and Interviews

Academic Calendar

Full Year Academic Calendar

Important Reminder About the

Blue Dog Portal

We'd like to encourage Parents to visit the Resources Tab in the Portal. This will showcase several helpful icons, such as Magnus, School Calendar, Student Portal Training, and Parent Portal Training links. Rumsey Hall will continue to populate these icons with more information throughout the year.

1. Be sure your Child's School Email has been logged into in the past couple of months

Q: Is your child's school Gmail password working?

A: Contact the Tech department for support: tech@rumseyhall.org

2. Log into the Portal with your child's Portal Account to order Textbooks

- The Portal uses your child's school Gmail credentials and needs to be registered via the emailed invitation to their school email, which was sent in the past couple of months.

Q: Don't know your child's Portal login?

A: Contact the Tech department for support: tech@rumseyhall.org

3. Complete all School Forms in the Portal with your Parent Login

- As a parent, you may need to complete several School Forms throughout the year. Typically only one parent signature is needed.

Q: Want to see your completed forms?

A: Click on your name in the top right of the Portal > Select Files & Forms > Check the box for "Show Completed"

RUMSEY SCHOOL STORE

THE SCHOOL STORE IS OPEN!

SCHOOL STORE HOURS:

Parents: Monday-Friday at drop-off (8:00 a.m.) or by appointment
Students: Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday from 8:3 a.m. until 11:15 a.m. (or first lunch)
Students: Friday—Student Bank from 8:30 a.m. until sports (2:30 p.m.)

To make an appointment, please email gnewman@rumseyhall.org.

MONDAYS ARE

FORMAL DRESS!

Photo Courtesy of Rumsey Hall School Communications

Formal Dress is back on Mondays so don't forget to purchase your school tie and blazer!

Dress Code

NEED HELP ADDING A CALENDAR TO

YOUR SMARTPHONE?

Here are step by step instructions on how to add Rumsey calendars to your smartphone.

Instructions - Adding the

Rumsey Hall Calendar

Instructions - Adding the

Athletics Calendar

📍 CAMPUS MAP 📍

*CLICK HERE FOR A PRINTABLE VERSION*

Did you know that you can support Rumsey whenever you shop online by using AmazonSmile? AmazonSmile is a website operated by Amazon with the same products, prices, and shopping features as Amazon.com. The difference is that when you shop on AmazonSmile, the AmazonSmile Foundation will donate 0.5% of the purchase price of eligible products to the charitable organization of your choice.

1. Visit smile.amazon.com and bookmark it!

2. Sign in with your Amazon credentials.

3. Choose your charitable organization – in this case, search for Rumsey Hall

School Incorporated. When you’re done, you should see "Supporting Rumsey

Hall School Incorporated” at the top of your screen, just below the search bar.

4. Shop per usual!

ARTICLES

"Skill Them Up" - School Restarting

I have been thinking a lot about going back to school, and recently, I listened to the behavioral scientist BJ Fogg uses the term “skill them up” when talking about how to help someone activate and reach a goal in their life.

I have three key skills to share today that glean from research and experience that can benefit our kids and students greatly:

How to Limit Your Family's News Intake for Better Emotional Health

Recently, I spoke with someone who has decided to really cut down on their social media use and news feeds because they saw how it was impacting their mental state. I have written in the past and podcasted about how we help our kids recognize disinformation, but today I’m discussing managing the quantity of “bad news.”

Do Your Kids Need a Little Calm? These Mindfulness Activities Can Help Them Unwind

Even if you have heard how good mindfulness is for your health, it can still be difficult to make it a regular part of your life, especially when we have lots of things pulling us in all different directions. When we are really busy, pressing the pause button can almost feel like a waste of time. For kids with lots of energy (i.e. most kids), getting them to slow down and take some time to reflect can be particularly challenging.

Back-to-School Recipes and Meal Hacks

Back-to-school has no set definition this year, but one thing’s for sure: kids still gotta eat! From brain-boosting breakfasts and easy “make-their-own” lunches to healthy snack attacks and super speedy dinners, we're sharing resources, inspiration, and advice for acing back-to-school eating — whether it's in a cafeteria or your kitchen.

2021-2022 RUMSEY CIRCLE

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Danielle Young P'22, '23, '26

President

Anne Block P'23

Recording Secretary

Kady Nicksa P'26

Communications Coordinator

Kate Eren P'28, '31

Treasurer

Robin Izadpanah P'26

Lower School Coordinator

Amelia Crimmins P'26, '29

Upper School & Community Coordinator

_{Be sure to join our Facebook group for important announcements}

_{and reminders throughout the school year!}

HELPFUL LINKS

Rumsey Circle Parents Association	What's For Lunch?
Blue Dog Portal	Rumsey Hall Athletic Schedule
Faculty / Staff Directory	Athletic Teams & Equipment Requirements
News & Calendar	2021-2022 Dress Code

If you are interested in a copy of the Parent Directory, please email

Trish Silvernail in the Advancement Office.

☎️

Rumsey Hall School Main Line: (860) 868-0535

Attendance Line: (860) 868-0535 ext. 970

Health Center: (860) 868-0535 ext. 154

Important Reminder About the

﻿Blue Dog Portal