Frequently Asked Questions

Check the Transportation section of the Adams 12 Five Star Schools’ website to find out your bus route and pick up or drop off times. 

Busses drop off in front of the school in the southwest parking lot at about 8:15 AM then you can line up out front until the doors open at 8:20 AM. (Hint: Seventh graders might want to line up outside the main doors on the north end of the building as it’s way closer lockers and classes. Sixth graders, stick with the main entrance on the west side of the building and 8th graders predominantly use the Activities Entrance by the gym & cafeteria.)

Tell your friend we have a bunch of bike racks located at the back of the building, near the southeast corner, and all he has to do is bring his own lock. If you have buddies who ride skateboards or scooters, good news! There is a wall mounted rack in the front lobby and a standing rack in the rear of the building right next to the bike racks...all they have to do is bring their own lock! We do NOT have any additional storage space for bicycles, scooters, skateboards, or longboards in the building; when the rack in the lobby is full all ‘wheels’ need to be locked at the outside rack.

Each middle school student is assessed a $15 Technology Fee, which goes directly toward our school’s purchase of current hardware, software, and e-subscriptions. Students will also be assessed a $5 fee for a planner which will be distributed in the first days of school. Finally, we have a few clubs that charge a small fee for yearlong participation---in the $5 to $15 range depending on the club---if the students are creating items that require supplies outside what we typically have available at RTMS.

Non-refundable payment of all fees can be made quickly and easily online through PayforIt.net. Cash or checks are accepted if you choose to pay your school fees at Rocky Top and, if necessary, individuals may set up a payment plan to avoid financial hardship.

If you were approved for free and reduced meals in our school district last year, you automatically retain that status for the first thirty days of this next school year and these fees will be waived. Be sure to visit https://www.applyforlunch.com/ as soon as possible to secure this status for the remainder of the school year.

Please contact the Office Manager, Arlene Gines, at 720.972.2206 if you need financial assistance with school supplies, fees, or other materials.

Per District Policy, all staff and students are required to wear photo identification while on school grounds. You will be issued an ID, protective case, and lanyard at the time school pictures are taken.

If you misplace it or forget it, contact your first hour teacher to obtain a temporary ID. Each student is permitted only three temporary ID’s free of charge before being automatically billed $5 for a replacement set. You may also purchase items within the set separately…ID only for $2, protective sleeve only for $1, and lanyard only for $3. Feel free to get creative with your lanyard…just keep it school-appropriate, please. (Never fear, if you don’t like your school picture, retakes are scheduled for !)

The easiest way to get started is to visit the Parent Portal  then follow the directions to establish a new account. You’re also welcome to visit our main office during Exploring Grizzly Country or Back to School Night. Once you get your activation key from the staff here, you and your family will be set to check daily assignments, attendance, and grades as well as receive messages from teachers.

We have a typical schedule on Mondays and Fridays, an Early Release schedule on Wednesdays and a specialized schedule on Tuesdays and Thursdays to accommodate our school-wide Bear Necessities class. Through this class dedicated to social-emotional wellness, all students will acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions.

Rocky Top offers over 25 before and/or after school clubs including Technology, Chess, Jazz Band, Yearbook, Computer Gaming, Spanish, Crossfit, GSA, Art, Weightlifting, Photography, Drama, Student Council and Baking Club. We also have an AMAZING intramurals program that includes soccer, volleyball, basketball and team handball. There’s no cost to participate in most clubs; you just have to get the paperwork signed by your parents then arrange for your own transportation.

If you’d like to shop the options, be sure to attend our annual Clubs & Activities Fair

Each grade level has a separate 30 minute lunch. Though it may take a little longer to make it through the line the first few days as everyone tries to remember their lunch numbers, you will definitely have time to eat AND play!

Feel free to pack your lunch and leave it in your locker until the appropriate time. Another option is to buy a hot lunch for $2.95 or check out the many items of varying prices available through our ala carte menu. Your family has a couple of options for loading money into your account. 

If you were approved for free and reduced meals in our school district last year, you automatically retain that status for the first thirty days of this next school year. If you still qualify for free or reduced priced meals, be sure to visit Free and Reduced Benefits as soon as possible to secure this status for the remainder of the school year. 

When you finish eating, head outside to the blacktop area for basketball, 4 square, tetherball or jump roping...around the corner for wall ball or out to the field for touch-football, a small soccer game or just to hang out in the grass.

First, regardless of assignments from individual teachers, all students should be reading for 30 minutes every evening. In addition to that, Rocky Top teachers assign homework only when you need to practice skills, elaborate on something introduced in class or to prepare for upcoming units of study. You’ll use your Gmail calendar (access provided through student account) and student planner to keep track of all assignments, but you can also access the information through the core homework calendars on our website, GoogleClassroom or your teacher’s Schoology page. 

As far as the amount of homework, you may have up to 10 minutes per grade level…that means 6th graders might have 60 minutes of homework per night, 7th graders 70 minutes and 8th graders 80 minutes. You may also have additional homework/practice if you’re learning an instrument or a foreign language. However, no homework will be due on a Monday or after long breaks*, so you’ll definitely still have time for a social life! (*Long term projects are the only exception to that rule.)

There is no before and after school program at the middle school level. Staff is present to supervise beginning at 8:10 AM so students are welcome to hang out at the front of the building until the bell rings at 8:20 AM. Dress appropriately for chilly mornings; if it’s below 20°, raining or snowing we open the cafeteria with supervision at 8:10 AM and you can wait in there until the first bell. Our library is also open nearly every morning at 7:30 AM to return or check out a book or investigate our cool MakerSpace. It is also open most Wednesday afternoons from 2:15 PM to 4:00 PM. Finally, there are clubs offered nearly every day before or after school.

Be sure to check out our Clubs & Activities Fair to coordinate days and times that work for your family.

Teachers offer study sessions before and after school; check the syllabus or your teachers’ web pages for a daily schedule. If you need further explanation of a concept, extra study time for an assessment, help on some homework or to retake a test, just CONFIRM AHEAD OF TIME that the teacher will be present at the regularly scheduled time. Remember, when you stay for an after school study session you have to arrange for your own transportation.

First, have your guardian call the attendance line, 720.972.2337, to leave a message notifying us that you are not coming to school. If your family forgets to call, our office staff will call numbers from your approved contacts list until we reach someone just to be sure you’re safe. Next, when you feel well enough, just get online to your teachers’ websites. Anything you need to know will be listed there. You may also email your teachers---they’re great about letting you know what you missed and you’ve got an extra day to get stuff turned in after you’re back.

Unfortunately, you may be scheduled into classes you did not request. Classes are sometimes full, the class you requested doesn’t fit into your schedule properly or the class you requested is not offered any longer. Therefore, we cannot guarantee a schedule change.

If, for some reason, there are duplicate classes, missing classes or other abnormalities within your schedule, you just need to pick up a Class Change Request form in the front office or print it from our website then drop it in the Counseling Office. If a change is possible, it will be made within the first two weeks of school. Please don’t ask your family to call; this will slow the process as the counselors only work from the request forms. The counselors will let you know as soon as the changes are made, but know that schedule changes WILL NOT be made before the first day of school.

PE shirts are available for purchase through your PE teachers when you enter that class or during Back to School Night. The uniform shirts are $8.00 but you may wear your own athletic shorts, leggings or sweats (must meet the dress code) and tennis shoes that tie securely to the foot.

Any student who would like to purchase a shirt outright at the start of the class, is welcome to do so, but Grizzlies are not required to purchase these shirts. Instead, PE teachers will provide you with a “loaner shirt” on the first day of class. You may use this shirt throughout the class, but must return it at the end of the semester. If you do not return it, you will be charged the $8.00 replacement fee. 

For Band and Orchestra, your friend will have to provide her own instrument. Tell her not to panic though, her teacher will provide purchasing and rental information during the first week of class. You may also want to let that friend know that, in an attempt to balance musical sections, she may not be assigned her first choice of instruments so be open to the teacher’s suggestions!

Don’t worry! Soon you will be a tech-expert and able to support your family. Until then, be sure to encourage them to bring your Chromebook to our workshop, Getting Connected @ RTMS on September 11th from 6:00 to 7:30 PM. We’ll help them establish their own logins, gain access to your teachers’ blogs and learn to navigate Google Classroom. If your device gives you trouble, be sure to submit a request to the iHelp team via our website. These amazing tech-savvy students will get your computer up and running in no time! (By the way, want to become a member of the iHelp Team? Be sure to attend our Clubs & Activities Fair to learn more!)

You will have a BLAST as a Grizzly! With almost 1200 students coming from at least 4 different elementary schools, you’re sure to make new friends on a daily basis. Be open to meeting new people, flexible as old friends shift to new peer groups and know that you are now part of the most exceptional middle school in all of Colorado. We ARE Rocky Top!