The Ranger Report Raymond Park Middle School

8575 E. Raymond Street

Indianapolis, IN 46239

Phone – (317) 532-8900 fax – 532-8999

Principal – John Kleine April 2016

Vol. 21 Issue 8

The Future Starts Here

Important Dates to Remember:

Apr 4: School Resumes — Full Day

Apr 12: Warren Wellness Extravaganza @WCHS —

6 — 8 PM

Apr 13: Late Start— 8:30 AM - Breakfast will not be

served for MS students

Apr 18—29: ISTEP Testing Window

May 4: Family Math and Science Night — 6:00 PM

Academically Directed,

Community Connected

From the

Assistant Principal’s Desk…

Healthy Eating at RPMS

The breakfast and lunch prices are as follows: Breakfast—$1.45, Reduced .30¢ Lunch—$2.10, $2.65, $2.90, and $3.35, Reduced .40¢

Please visit our web-site for the menu; http://warren.nutrislice.com/menu/raymond-park/lunch/

As students are looking forward to enjoying their upcoming spring break, RPMS is already focusing on the 2nd round of ISTEP testing that will take place two weeks once the students return to school. A few ideas that can serve as helpful tips to prepare your student at home. 1. Make time to de-stress: Help children gain the

energy needed for homework mode by allowing them time to relax and recharge. Winding down can include any combination of activities such as a quick workout, enjoying a TV show, reading for enjoyment. Please remember to set time limits so that student’s don’t lose focus.

2. Establish a homework station: Designate a set

place and time for studying. Keep the area free of clutter, away from distractions and stocked with supplies. In the event that a teacher does not assign homework, require learning time, during which your child picks a topic to research or have them to read. Allow students to see you reading or working on something too, this will help them to develop a strong work ethic.

3. Know the signs of struggles: Don’t wait for the parent-teacher conference or report card to find out if your child is having trouble. If kids are struggling, they may keep quite so they don’t worry or disappoint parents. If they become withdrawn, restless or irritable, or if their eating or sleeping habits change, let them know you’ve noticed and encourage them to talk to you about what’s worrying them.

4. Encourage perseverance: Every child has natural aptitudes, but it’s the challenging subjects they need to stick with. Tell your children, “No one knows how to do something automatically.” They have to practice to get good. Encourage them to keep at it. Then show your excitement when their hard work pays off.

Warren Wellness Extravaganza - Get FIT! Get HEALTHY!

Mark your calendars for the 11th annual Warren Wellness Extravaganza. Warren Township is proud to partner with Community Health Network to bring you this exciting event scheduled for April 12, 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the Warren Central Field House. During our two-hour event, families will be exposed to many different physical activities, sample healthy snacks, receive information about summer sports camps, and much more. There is something for everyone. Mark your calendars and plan to attend because everyone needs to be FIT and HEALTHY! See the flyer included in this month’s Ranger Report.

Health and Wellness When your student is not feeling well at school, please encourage him/her to come down to the school clinic to be assessed by the clinic assistant/school nurse instead of contacting you first on a cell phone. This allows us to check their temperature, and find out what symptoms they are having to better care for them while at school. Then when we call you about your child we can give you this information about his/her health which will help you make the decision about their care. Thank you for cooperating with the health and well-being of your child.

Important Information

The school day is from 7:30 a.m. until 2:50 p.m.

Students are tardy if they are not in the

classroom by the 7:30 a.m. bell.

(Students that are car-riders should arrive

between 7:15— 7:20 a.m.)

Please call our main line at 532-8900 (press 1)

prior to 8:00 a.m. to report a student

absent or for an early release.

Rose-Hulman Institute

of Technology—

Homework Hotline 1-877-ASK-ROSE (1-877-275-7673)

Sunday-Thursday nights from

7 - 10:00 p.m. EST

http://www.askrose.org

Over 70 Rose-Hulman students are trained and

ready to assist your students with math and

science homework help.

Counselor’s Corner April 2016

Mrs. Hankley, 532-8900 ext. 8910 thankley@warren.k12.in.us

How to Stay Motivated When the Weather Gets Nice: 5 Spring Study Tips

The snow has melted, and the weather is starting to get nice. However we still have a couple months left of school and

this means students can’t shut down yet! So here are a few ways to help get your student motivated when we return from

break and finish the semester strong.

1. Stay studious in the sun On those days when beams of sunlight are coming through the blinds and the thought of staying indoors is too much to

bear, take it outside! It might sound challenging, but studying can be done outside. The trick is to find something on your

to-do list that can be checked off while nestled up in the tree house, sitting on the porch or lounging in a lawn chair.

2. Give yourself a break It is especially difficult to silently sit while studying when the weather warms. Give yourself a break! Instead of fighting

your personal study style, work with it. Make a to-do list. Putting everything you need to do down on paper will not only

ensure that you don’t forget anything but also will show you exactly what needs to be done. Finish as much as you can in

approximately 20-minute blocks of time, and take short breaks in between.

3. Reward yourself It’s important to reward yourself for hard work. Once you finish the last chapter of a challenging reading assignment or

work out that last math problem, find an active way to celebrate your accomplishment and the warmer weather. Grab a

group of friends and shoot some baskets, throw a Frisbee or take a walk around the block. Keeping rewards in mind while

you work will motivate you to finish that last bit of studying!

4. Do the worst first If you have a big pile of work to do you may be tempted to work on the little things first to get them out of the way and

put the most difficult project or assignment off. Finishing the most challenging assignment first will free up your time for

fun later. It isn’t always easy to tackle the biggest project first. Sometimes it takes a little self-convincing, but it’s worth it in

the end.

5. Stay organized Think spring cleaning! Is your locker still packed full of winter coats, hats, and mittens? Are there wadded up papers in

your backpack that date back to September? Take the time to purge those unnecessary items. Empty your locker and

freshen your folders. A clean and fresh approach will keep you on track to finish the year on a strong note!

*Also parents, as this school year continues to move at a fast pace and our Rangers are pacing along and keeping stride, be

sure to keep in contact with your child’s teachers. The power of communication and monitoring of academic progress

is essential.

Thank you to all the RPMS orchestra parents

and friends who set up tables in the gyms at RPMS on

March 11th, 2016. Your time and hard work are greatly

appreciated!

EastSide Soccer Association

Soccer Registration: March 26th at

Dicks Sporting Goods, East Washington Street

from 11:00 - 1:30 p.m. Ages 3 - 14,

Practices start April 4th, 5:45 - 7:15 p.m.

You may also register online at: essasoccer.net

Principal’s Message

April 2016

Dear Parent/Guardian:

It is my hope that this letter finds you in the process of enjoying an eventful and restful spring break

with your students. When students return to Raymond Park Middle School on Monday April 4 to resume

classes, there will be only 38 instructional days of school left in the school year. This eight-week time

span may not seem like a great deal of time, but there is much to accomplish, including completion of the

second portion of the spring ISTEP+.

Ranger students will be taking the multiple choice portion of ISTEP+ each morning, April 18 through

April 29. This year’s multiple choice session will be administered using paper/pencil, and students will be

testing at the beginning of each day during testing period. Please be mindful of your student’s daily

attendance and make sure that they arrive to school in enough time to begin their day in class promptly at

7:30 AM - Students will perform much better on ISTEP+ if taken within the normal flow of the schedule.

Raymond Park Middle School has continued to promote the theme “Finish Strong” during the

2015-2016 school year. Motivational author Dan Green writes:

Finish Strong…two words that more clearly define a call to action than any other

two words in the English Language. I challenge you to find two words that more

absolutely define a performance objective. The words ‘finish strong’ are pervasively

used in our culture, and they are a perfect example of how the whole is greater than the

sum of the parts. When you combine ‘finish’ with ‘strong’ you create a powerful platform

of action (Finish Strong, forward).

April and May are difficult months for adolescent students. The changing of the weather in concert with

visions of summer activities can work to deflate enthusiasm for school and even impede judgment. It can

be a particularly difficult time for 8th grade students who feel as if they’ve outgrown the middle school and

hear the call of the high school. There is no better time for students to embrace the Finish Strong theme!

The Finish Strong theme will continue to be formally observed on Finish Strong Fridays for the

remainder of the school year. The Finish Strong spirit will also be used to help kids remain focused for

each of the next 38 school days. The assistance of parents is also needed in this venture. Please engage in

ongoing discussion with your adolescent student about the importance of remaining focused and ending

the school year in positive, first-class, Finish Strong fashion.

Sincerely,

John Kleine

Principal