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ABRPTSO
Weekly Chatter
RJ Grey Junior High School
September 12, 2021
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"Creating a community of thinkers, learners, and responsible citizens." |
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Table of Contents
- Calendar of Events
- ABRPTSO General Body Meeting
- What you Need to Know about Attendance at the Junior High
- Rise to the Challenge
- ABSAF Launching 2021-2022 Fundraiser Drive
- Community Ed. Fall Offerings
- AB Youth Volleyball Clinic at ABRHS
- Food Services Department Update
- Job Opportunity at Community Ed.
- Scarecrow Contest in Acton!
- Looking for a Mental Health Provider?
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September 13 - Early Release Day, 1pm (no tryouts or practices)
September 14 - First ABRPTSO Meeting of 2021-2022 Academic Year, 7pm
September 16 - Yom Kippur, No School (CORRECTED DATE: THURSDAY, 9/16)
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ABRPTSO General Body Meeting
We hope you can join the first JH/HS PTSO meeting of the year on Tuesday, September 14th at 7pm. We will be meeting at Room 115N at the High School. Please note that masks need to be worn indoors in all school buildings. The agenda is available by clicking the following link:
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What you Need to Know about Attendance at the Junior High
Absence: If your child will be absent from school, please call the Safe Arrival Line before 8:00am (978-264-4700 x3333). If you call after 8:00, use extension 3304.
Tardy: If your child will be tardy to school and will miss homeroom, please call the Safe Arrival Line or the Front Office. Remind your child to check-in at the Office upon arrival. All students who are not in homeroom when the bell rings at 8:00am, even if they are in the school, must check in at the Office for they will be marked absent.
Dismissals: Students who will be dismissed during the school day need a note from home signed by a parent or guardian stating the time of dismissal and whether or not the student will return that day. You may write a note or print a dismissal form. Students should bring the note or completed form to the Office first thing in the morning. They will be given a pass to leave class at the appropriate time. They should check in at the Office as they are leaving and again when they return.
Click here for more attendance information.
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Rise to the Challenge
Rise to the Challenge is something the Junior High started as a way of recognizing student involvement in community service. We know that many students are already participating in service activities outside of school, and we hope to celebrate those efforts along with encouraging more students to become active in service opportunities. Students who complete 10 hours of service within a school year will be recognized for their efforts. Please visit the Community Service webpage for details on this program. If you have any questions please email Debbie Brookes.
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The Acton-Boxborough Student Activities Fund (ABSAF) is launching its 2021-2022 Fundraising Drive!
The Board is thrilled to start a new year of fundraising and happy to announce that we presented a check for $10,000 to the Acton Boxborough School Committee in May of 2021. We will continue our efforts this year through ABSAF Pass Sales, Fall Phonathon and outreach to the AB Community.
ABSAF is a non-profit organization that supports our students in all of the extracurricular activities they participate in (see below):
- Athletic Teams (Junior High to High School Varsity)
- Academic Teams (Math Team, Science Team, Speech & Debate Team, and Academic Decathlon Team)
- Performing Arts Groups (Band, Chorus, and Theater)
- Community service at ABRHS and RJ Grey Junior High
Donations are accepted throughout the school year and any contribution is appreciated. Many families benefit from the tremendous value of the ABSAF Pass. A donation of $175 or more, will grant you and your immediate family an ABSAF Pass with the following benefits below:
- Admission for all immediate family members to home High School regular season sporting events.
- Two complimentary tickets to each of the theatrical productions at the Junior High and High School.
- Convenience for your family when attending AB events that charge admission.
To learn more about how to obtain an ABSAF Pass and support extracurricular activities at the Junior High and High School, please visit www.absaf.net or tap on this link:
On behalf of the students at RJ Grey, we thank you in advance for your support!
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Community Ed. Fall Offerings
Community Ed has a myriad of offerings for JH kids this fall. Visit our website or sign up for our email list to receive updates regarding new classes. You can reach our office at 978-266-2525 with questions or to register.
Some examples of upcoming classes for JH students are:
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AB Youth Volleyball Clinic at ABRHS
If you have a child interested in learning more about the sport of volleyball or working on their volleyball skills, please join Varsity Coach Darren Gwin and members of the girls volleyball teams at their first YOUTH CLINIC.
The clinic is for children in grades 4th -8th and will be on Saturday, 9/25 and Sunday 9/26. Come for 1 or both days.
4th - 6th grades 1:00p - 3:00p
7th - 8th grades 3:00p - -5:00p
Location: ABRHS Field House (upper gym)
Pre-registration is preferred via Google form or you can sign up the day of.
Cost:
1 day $35.00
2 days $60.00
If the link is not working to register, you can go to ABVB’s website at abvbspike.com to register as well.
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Food Services Department Update
The Food Services Department Staff is looking forward to providing nutritious and delicious meals for your children in the cafeteria this upcoming school year!
- Exciting news!! Every student is eligible to receive one breakfast and one lunch every school day at no charge.
- We are back to using pin pads this year at the registers.
- All students need to know their 4 digit pin number when they get to the register. We can look the student up by name but it helps if they know their pin number. Even though meals are free, students will enter their PIN when they come through the line. Your student’s PIN and meal account balance are below.
- If students purchase "a la carte items" such as water, snacks or second meals, the items will be charged to their Food Service meal account.
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Food Services removed all “a la carte” restrictions last year due to COVID. If you would like to set up restrictions for prepackaged "a la carte items," log into www.SchoolCafe.com/abrsd. If you set up a restriction, please let your students know in advance of the restriction.
- If the meal account is in the negative, we will not allow students to purchase prepackaged “a la carte” items. However, students will always be able to get a breakfast and lunch.
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Click here for the Food Services Welcome Letter with more information.
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Job Opportunity at Community Ed.
Adult staff are needed at Community Ed. Extended Day. Shifts are 3-6 PM on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday and 12:30-6 PM on Wednesday. Flexible scheduling! Choose from 1-5 afternoons per week. For more information, please email Community Ed. Director, Erin Bettez at ebettez@abschools.org.
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Scarecrow Contest in Acton!
Enter the “Stand Up to Stigma” Scarecrow Contest to benefit the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Central Middlesex. Bring your $25 donation to Cucurbit Farm at 32 Parker St. in Acton and pick up your scarecrow starter frame, beginning 9/1. Then drop off your family friendly scarecrow at the farm stand. Individuals, organizations, and businesses are invited to participate. The scarecrows will be on display for the month of October, and the public is invited to cast their vote for the winning entry. Our goal is 100 scarecrows along the fence and many conversations about mental health! You can also submit your carved pumpkin to the “Jack O’ Lantern Glow By” event, set for Halloween weekend. Plus, there’s a corn maze! Additional info at namicentralmiddlesex.org and cucubitfarm.com.
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Looking for a Mental Health Provider?
INTERFACE Referral Service is a mental health resource and referral Helpline that helps children, adults and families, in subscribing communities, become connected with mental health and wellness resources. Part of your ABRPTSO Membership Donation goes towards the funding of this service.
INTERFACE Referral Service looks forward to continuing to help residents of Acton & Boxborough find a successful match with an outpatient mental health provider in their area, who is able to see them at a convenient time, takes their insurance or meets their fee requirement, as well as meets their clinical needs.
Please call the William James College INTERFACE Helpline at 617-332-3666 Monday through Friday from 9 AM to 5 PM, for resource information and/or provider referrals from a mental health professional. Please also review the very extensive website at interface.williamjames.edu for additional information about the service, as well as resources on mental health and wellness across the lifespan.
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The Weekly Chatter is distributed each Sunday. If you have a submission you'd like to include in the Chatter, please email it to ABWEEKLYCHATTER@gmail.com by noon on Friday. The Chatter was created solely for the purpose of communicating school-related events, groups and forums to parents and students.
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