We are excited to welcome all our South Bulldogs back to school in just two weeks! Our teachers have been busily preparing classrooms and all the materials needed for a smooth opening to the school year. Our custodians have worked hard over the past two months to scrub the building clean "from stem to stern" and are putting the final polish on everything to be sparkling on the first day. We can't wait to see all our returning students on 9/3 and to welcome all our new students!
Arrival to School & End-of-Day Dismissal
- The school doors open at 7:42 AM daily. Students can gather in the Gymnasium starting at that time and proceed to homeroom at 7:52 AM. Homeroom starts at 8:02 AM every day, when the morning announcements begin. Students arriving after 8:02 are tardy to school and must sign in at the front office.
- Bus routes will be made available for all students who have registered for a bus. You can check eligibility on the BPS website and contact Transportation about registration if needed. A late bus will be available beginning later in September, but is only open to regular bus riders.
- Students may walk to school or ride a bike/skate/etc. You must wear a helmet if biking/skating to school. Please use crosswalks and, where available, crossing guards.
- You may also get a ride to school and should be dropped off in the front driveway loop. Please consider a carpool to reduce traffic! In the morning, students can unload as soon as you are past the speedbump, all the way to the stop line in front of the building. Afternoon pickup is also in the front driveway loop and students will walk up to their car wherever they are parked (no need to wait until everyone pulls forward). Please drive slowly around the school campus throughout drop-off and pick-up! Middle schoolers are not reliable pedestrians when it comes to looking both ways or waiting to cross!
- Dismissal from school is at 2:25 PM daily. Bus students will gather in the Gymnasium to be called out as buses arrive. Walkers & riders can leave directly through the Front Entrance or whatever exit is most convenient.
Food/Drink
- Breakfast is available in our Cafeteria free of charge to all students. Any dietary restrictions can be accommodated with prior notice. No food or drink may be consumed outside the Cafeteria (or Health Office as needed). The only exception is water; all students are encouraged to bring a refillable water bottle with their name on it to stay hydrated throughout the day.
- Lunch is served daily between 11:15-12:50, scheduled by grade. Every student is entitled to one lunch free of charge, or you may bring your own lunch. We cannot reheat food that has been brought from home. Lunch menus and lunch accounts are available on the Food Services website. If a student would like a lunch in addition to the complimentary meal, they may purchase one with money in their MySchoolBucks account. Students may not share food or buy food for other students.
- School supply lists for each grade are available on the South website. You do not need to bring everything on the supply list for the first day; a notebook and a pen or pencil is fine at a minimum. Some teachers may tell you to gather additional materials or to skip certain items. If you purchase something you later do not need, there will be a donation bin in the front lobby for extra school supplies to be used by anyone who needs them.
- Every student will be assigned a locker and a combination padlock to use on it. You may not bring in a padlock and must use the school-issued lock to secure your items.
- Students may use a backpack to bring items to and from school and between classes. Roller-style bookbags are not recommended, as they have a frame that makes them too large for our lockers and the drag-behind style presents a tripping hazard in crowds.
- Please make sure you have finished your Summer Assignments! If you haven't finished yet, you've still got 2 weeks, but it is officially crunch time! If you completed everything early in the summer, take some time next week to review everything so it's fresh on the first day of school.
- Technology
- Braintree Public Schools has a "Bring Your Own Device" policy for technology, also called BYOD. Every student is expected to have a "device" (chromebook or laptop) available for use throughout the school day. You may purchase a chromebook or laptop, or you can apply to get a device on loan from the school system for the entire school year (a "loaner"). For information about loaner devices, see the recent ParentSquare message from Tech Services. The Tech Services website also has specifications if you are considering purchasing your child their own device.
**Mr. Rainie's personal advice: no student needs to bring something more advanced than a chromebook to middle school! A top-of-the-line gaming laptop or MacBook is at risk of being damaged by the hustle & bustle of adolescent life. If it were my own child, I would sign out a district loaner and take full advantage of the option to purchase insurance and benefit from tech support & troubleshooting every day of the school year. I've worked with middle schoolers too long to expect anything else!**
- South's Tech Services will be available in the Media Center on Wednesday, 8/27 from 7:30-10:30 AM to help onboard any personal devices. They will also be in the main lobby of Braintree High School from 9am to 1 pm, Monday through Friday this week and next. This is open to all students and families in the district.
- During the school year, students must bring their device to school every day. Students should charge their device every night, and they should also bring their charger to school every day so they are never stuck with a dead battery.
- Cell phones are not allowed during the school day, in accordance with the Code of Conduct. If a student brings a cell phone to school, it must be powered off and stored in their locker throughout the school day. Students who need to contact someone at home may ask to use a teacher's classroom phone or the telephone in the Main Office, but for the most part they should be able to stay focused on schoolwork while they are in school. Guardians who need to contact their child can call the Main Office to speak with someone.
- Health Office
- South is fortunate to have a School Nurse, full time, every school day. Heather Driscoll has been our nurse for many years and she will be at South next week preparing for the school year. If your child has a medication that needs to be dropped off at school (such as an EpiPen, inhaler, daily med, etc.) feel free to drop it off next week between 9-12, Monday 8/25 through Thursday 8/28. Please bring a copy of the prescription and any supporting documents.
- Students who are starting 7th grade are required to provide an up-to-date physical examination report. You can bring it to the office, send it to the homeroom teacher on the first day of school, but it is usually easiest to ask your child's pediatrician's office to fax their latest physical to Nurse Driscoll at 781-847-1227.
- Middle school is a time to explore your identity and how you present yourself to the world. Fashion has long been a key way for people to express themselves, and at South we respect a person's right to express themselves appropriately. However, school is a different setting than at home or in summertime leisure activities, so it is important to discuss with your child how they will be dressed once school begins again. The middle school dress code applies to all students and is attached for families to review.
- Middle school is also a time to learn and practice strategies for future learning and work. All 5th graders will be provided an Agenda notebook, which is a daily planner to record their homework assignments in. Older students are able to purchase an agenda for personal use, but they may also choose to practice a different organizational strategy. Some students prefer to use a small notepad or their own daily planner. Some prefer an online calendar or notebook. Most important will be to practice any routine every single day until it becomes a habit, and to explore alternatives if you find that it is not helping you to stay prepared.
Upcoming Events & Calendars
- Students will be told their homeroom when they arrive at school on the first day. We will have an extended homeroom on the first day to review their new schedules. 5th graders will have an extended orientation time over the opening days of school.
- Attached to this message are some helpful calendars: the District calendar, the Middle School Term Dates for grade reporting, and the Middle School “Day of the Cycle” calendar to tell you what day it is at South.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
Thursday, 9/18, 6:30-8:00pm - Back to School Night
Friday, 9/19 - School Picture Day at South
EARLY DISMISSAL DAYS 2025-2026
Early Dismissal is at 11:45 AM for Middle Schools
Lunch will NOT be served before early dismissals, but you may order a Grab-N-Go lunch in advance, which you can take with you as you leave during dismissal on half days. Food Services will provide a link for ordering lunch before each Early Release Day.
NO SCHOOL DAYS 2025-2026
COLUMBUS DAY/INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY – MONDAY, OCTOBER 13
ELECTION DAY/TEACHER WORKSHOP – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4
VETERANS DAY – TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11
FALL THANKSGIVING BREAK – NOVEMBER 27 - 28
WINTER HOLIDAY BREAK – DECEMBER 24 - JANUARY 4
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. DAY – MONDAY, JANUARY 19
FEBRUARY WINTER BREAK – FEBRUARY 16 - 20
GOOD FRIDAY – FRIDAY, APRIL 3
APRIL SPRING BREAK – APRIL 20 - 24
MEMORIAL DAY – MONDAY, MAY 25
JUNETEENTH – FRIDAY, JUNE 19
There are two public calendars which you may choose to add to your personal Google calendar, iPhone, etc.
The South Middle School Events Calendar includes public events and important student events. It is updated throughout the year, so check back often or subscribe to get automatic updates.
The Middle School “Days of the Cycle” Calendar tells what day of the cycle it is at South. Never wonder on a Sunday night again!
- In the event of school cancellation due to inclement weather (or other events), the Day of the Cycle calendar does not change. That day is simply skipped and teachers will make up for lost time the next time your classes meet.
We are excited to see everyone in a few short weeks. I hope you are able to take full advantage of the final days of summer and squeeze in some last-minute adventures or relaxation. If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to send an email or call the South Main Office at 781-380-0160.
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