Academics
Semester 1 Report Cards
All students received their semester 1 report cards. The Honors Breakfast was held on February 8th and 85 students were recognized for their academic achievement. Please be sure to sign the report card and return it to school. If you did not receive your student’s report card, please contact the main office as soon as possible and we will get a copy to you. As a reminder, all students and families have access to Skyward, the online portal where grades are posted. If you do not yet have access to this tool, please contact the main office to get the login information.
Students who are struggling in classes are encouraged to contact their teachers for support. Teachers are available for tutoring Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday after school. Please make specific arrangements with teachers to take advantage of these support sessions. Parent conferences are encouraged. Please contact your student’s guidance counselor if you would like to schedule a conference with teachers or contact teachers directly as needed.
Mrs. Bouley, counselor for grades 9 and 10: rbouley@rinimc.org
Ms. Keating, counselor for grades 11 and 12: jkeating@rinimc.org
Attendance
Please continue to encourage your students attendance in school and on time each and every school day. It is essential that the RINI future nurses and healthcare providers develop excellent work habits and academic skills. Missing just one class or one day of school causes students to be at a disadvantage and results in increased stress for students who as a result of absence, must catch up on what was missed.
Recent communications from the school nurse reiterate signs of illness that require students to stay home from school. If your student is unable to attend school, please contact the main office to report their absence.
Please refrain from dismissing students from school prior to the regular dismissal time. Appointments should be made outside of school hours.
SAT Assessments
The grade 11 students will be participating in the state mandated SAT testing during school hours on April 9, 2019. Not only is the the assessment important for RINI accountability metrics, it is one of the requirements for admission to most nursing programs at colleges and universities. Students are expected to be prepared and to put forth as much effort as possible so that they can “show what they know” and so that the test scores are reflective of who they are as students. Nurses and healthcare providers are required to pass many different standardized assessments for acceptance into educational programs as well as for certifications and licensure opportunities. The SAT is an important experience in test taking and will help prepare students for other high stakes tests that they will encounter in the future.
In preparation for this very important assessment, RINI has been preparing students practicing test questions, and allowing students to become familiar with the test format. On Tuesday, February 26, there will be a full practice test for all grade 11 students. This is mandatory and an important and valuable experience. (This is a different date than that communicated previously, so please amend your calendars.)
Please support your student and assist them in preparing for both the practice test on February 26 and for the actual SAT test on April 9. Students should be well rested on these days and should arrive to school early. A Sodexo catered breakfast will be served on both days, beginning at 7:30 am. All students MUST be in the testing rooms by 8:15 am or they will not be allowed to participate in the test and they will become ineligible for any test incentives.
Students who arrive on time to the practice test, cooperate and engage fully, and attempt to answer all questions will be eligible for early dismissal on the practice day and on the test day. Early dismissal is 1:45 pm for students who are eligible. The incentives for students who demonstrate achievement and/or growth are outlined on the SAT incentive form and are awarded only to students who arrive on time, participate appropriately and fully in both the practice test and the actual test, and meet the targeted benchmarks.
Please do not hesitate to contact Ms. Keating, grade 11 guidance counselor if there are any questions pertaining to the SAT and the preparation for it.
College
CCRI Nursing Program Pathway for RINI Students
CCRI Nursing program and RINI have partnered to offer a unique college pathway for RINI students only. This program will allow 8 RINI students to direct access into the CCRI Nursing program in their senior year of high school as long as students meet the prerequisites for the program. This qualifies for free tuition through the RI Promise Program. Within 2 years, RINI students can earn their Registered Nurse (RN) licensure and an Associates Degree from CCRI. Through an articulation agreement with URI, they can then transfer into the RN-BSN program and compete that within as few as 15 additional months. This is a very exciting and important program for RINI students. Grade 12 students are currently in the process of completing requirements and applying to this program. Grade 11 students will learn more from the CCRI nursing department in the upcoming months. RINI will be hosting a parent information session in the spring. More details will follow.
For more information, please contact Ms. Keating, guidance counselor at jkeating@rinimc.org.
Sodexo Scholarship
Grade 12 students are eligible for the annual Sodexo Scholarship. $500 will be awarded to one RINI student who exemplifies the RINI Pillars of Nursing. Application packages can be obtained from Mrs. Gaspar and are due NO LATER than March 22, 2019.
URI Writing class Field Trip
Mrs. Mays will be taking the students in the URI Writing course on a field trip to the main campus at URI in Kingston on Friday, March 1. Students will tour the campus, participate in a library program where they will learn about research resources and support available, and they will visit the nursing department to learn more about the program and opportunities for nursing students at URI. This is not an optional field trip, as it is a curriculum requirement for the course. Signed permission slips must be returned to Mrs. Mays prior to Friday.
Sturdy Memorial Hospital Health Careers Fair
Selected RINI students will have the opportunity to attend the career fair at Sturdy Memorial Hospital in Attleboro, MA on March 7, 2019. For more information, please contact Mrs. Wozniak.
Workforce
Internships
RINI students are participating in internship experiences with several of our industry partners. It is imperative that students who are scheduled for an internship attend each and every day. These experiences are meant to help students develop workforce skills and habits and the partners count on the students to be there on the scheduled days. Students are required to complete any missed school work as a result of their internship, and therefore regular attendance in school is essential. Students who demonstrate the RINI Pillars of Nursing are eligible for an internship experience. Please contact Mrs. Wozniak for additional information. awozniak@rinimc.org
Mentor Program
In partnership with Lifespan, the RINI Mentor Program continues. Several students in grades 11 and 12 have been paired with industry professionals who have volunteered to meet with them and to support them on their journey to nursing and healthcare careers. Students who are interested in obtaining a mentor should contact Mrs. Wozniak for more information.
RINI Upcoming Events
RINI Accepting New Students For Grade 9 in the 2019-2020 School Year
Applications are available on the RINI website. https://rinimc.org/admission/.
The lottery will be held on March 1, 2019 and students will receive notification by mail of their status for enrollment. Since RINI is a focused career pathway school, it is essential that students and families are aware of the expectations and requirements for future nurses and healthcare providers. RINI is not just an alternative high school, rather a very rigorous academic program for students who wish to pursue nursing and allied health careers.
Please share this information with any friends, family, community members, or neighbors who may have children interested in attending RI Nurses Institute Middle College.
Summer Opportunities
Employment
Mrs. Wozniak will be enrolling students in summer employment programs offered at RINI and with other organizations. More information will be available soon.
- Nurses focus on nutrition and health (ages 14-16)
- Career Exploration through summer internship (ages 17-21)
CNA employment
Several RINI healthcare partners have employment opportunities for licensed CNAs. Please contact Mrs. Wozniak for information.
Family Engagement
SurveyWorks
YOUR OPINIONS MATTER. The RI Department of Education provides a survey for all school community members to provide important feedback about education and RI schools. RINI uses the survey results for program planning and improvements. Families are encouraged to complete the survey either online or on a paper copy. To access the online survey, please go to www.surveys.panoramed.com/ride. The family access code is 28607family.
The survey is available in several languages, including Spanish. Please select the language that you are most comfortable with.
To obtain a paper copy of the survey, please contact the main office at the school or have your child pick up a survey from Mr. Margres.
The survey will take less than 20 minutes and will provide very valuable information about how RINI is serving students and families. Your participation is essential, so thanks in advance for taking the time to participate. RINI office staff and/or the parent organization president are available to assist parents with this survey. Parents are invited to come to the school to complete the survey.
From the RI Department of Education
Students and families – we want to hear from you at the State of Education event
The State of Education address, an annual event that highlights the accomplishments, challenges, and goals of education in Rhode Island, is coming up on Monday, March 25.
Rhode Island students and families are encouraged to submit a short response to one of six prompts – there are three choices for each audience – for a chance to speak at the State of Education. Responses should be 400 words or less, and should be submitted by Friday, March 8, through this form. (This is separate from the Student Q&A submissions.)
Please help promote these opportunities and post about them on social media, using the hashtag, #RIStateOfEd.
Rhode Island Parent Information Network
RI Parent Information Network has been a critical resource to Rhode Islanders serving our community since 1991. RIPIN’s mission is to assist individuals, parents, families, and children to achieve their goals for health, education, and socio-economic well-being by providing information, training, education, support, and advocacy for person/family centered care and system change.For information about programs, services, and opportunities, please see the website https://ripin.org/ or contact RINI’s special education department.
Stop and Shop Fundraising
RINI continues to participate in A+ School Rewards and earn CASH through a great fundraising program with Stop & Shop.
When you shop at the store, points earned will be calculated and converted to CASH rewards to use towards educational needs here at RINI. Visit www.stopandshop.com and select Savings & Rewards. Follow the prompts to create your online account. You’ll need your 13-digit Stop & Shop Card number and the School ID #: 40677.
You can help the school by just doing your normal household grocery shopping with no additional cost to you!
AmazonSmile
Your Amazon purchases will automatically generate .05% to the charity of your choice (RI Nurses Institute!). Use AmazonSmile.com instead of Amazon.com.
AmazonSmile is a way for customers to support their favorite charitable organization every time they shop with Amazon.
Shoppers who start at smile.amazon.com will find the same Amazon they know and love, with the added bonus that Amazon will donate a portion of the price of eligible purchases to the charity of your choice.
Signing up is easy!
Here’s how to shop AmazonSmile:
- Visit smile.amazon.com
- Sign in with your Amazon.com credentials
- Choose a charitable organization to receive donations, or search for the charity of your choice
- Select your charity – RI NURSES INSTITUTE MIDDLE COLLEGE
- Start shopping!
- Add a bookmark for smile.amazon.com to make it even easier to return and start your shopping at AmazonSmile
Parent Organization
Ms. Vivian Medina, Board member and Parent Organization President is willing and available to assist any family member with issues related to the school or to their children. She can be reached at vmedina@rinimc.org or by calling the main office.