FOX FEATURE WEEKLY UPDATE
SEPTEMBER 13, 2019
DATES TO REMEMBER!!!
9/17/2019
- C-TEAM VOLLEYBALL vs Fulmer @DFMS 5:30 PM
- CONSTITUTION DAY
9/18/2019
- LATE START
9/19/2019
- FALL PICTURE DAY
- C-TEAM VOLLEYBALL vs. PINE RIDGE @DFMS
9/13/2019
MIDDLE SCHOOL LATE START DATES FOR 2019-2020
Middle School Late Start dates
Wednesday, September 18, 2019
Wednesday, October 9, 2019
Wednesday, November 6, 2019
Wednesday, February 5, 2020
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
Students are not to arrive on campus no earlier than 8:30 AM
FALL PICTURE DAY
PARENT VISITATION/OPEN HOUSE MAKE-UP
Parents,
Open house has been rescheduled to Thursday, September 26, 2019, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM more information will be given later. Parent visitation will not be rescheduled but we encourage you to visit any time during the school year.
ID POLICY FOR 2019-2020
IDENTIFICATION BADGES (IDs) With the rise of safety concerns on school campuses, the use of student, staff, and teacher ID badges make it easy to identify and authorize anyone on school grounds. These badges are also used to check materials out from the library, print documents, and pay for food. All High, Middle, and Intermediate students must wear a current picture ID badge when on District Five property. ID cards are printed on both sides with the same information. ID badges must be clearly visible and worn in front above the waist and below the neck on a breakaway lanyard. In a pocket, or under a jacket is NOT clearly visible. The ID badge may not be marked on or altered in any way, except to be punched by a staff member; if it is damaged, a new ID will need to be purchased. A defaced ID is any badge on which the picture, name, ID #, year, barcode or grade level has been changed, altered, or obstructed. For students, the first card is free. However, replacing lost, stolen or damaged cards cost $5.00. The lanyard is $1.00. The replacement fee covers the cost of the materials used in reprinting and replacement lanyards. Students are to surrender their ID badge at the end of the school year, when requested or when they transfer to a different school.
Badge Policy:
● ID’s must be worn at all times.
● ID’s must be visible and worn outside of clothing.
● ID’s must be worn on a breakaway strap.
● ID’s are the property of DFMS and must not be defaced (or badge will be confiscated and the student must purchase new ID).
● Students must not wear an ID badge belonging to another student. ID will be confiscated.
● All students will be issued two free TEMPORARY IDs PER SEMESTER. After that, they will be charged $1 for every temporary issued (not to exceed $6.00).
● Replacement IDs may not be charged. Students must pay for replacement IDs at the time of purchase.
● Failure to properly wear an ID will result in disciplinary action.
● Beginning after Labor Day, any student not wearing an ID after 1st period will receive lunch detention.
● Repeated violations will be treated as persistent disobedience, and students will be assigned school consequences.
2019-2020 TARDY POLICY
Tardiness to class interrupts learning time for the entire class. Students should organize their materials and use their time wisely before school, during lunch, and after school to keep trips to lockers and other stops to a minimum. At the end of each period, all students should move quietly to their next class and be ready for instruction as guided by the teacher.
Consequences for Tardies
1st, 2nd, 3rd Tardy – No consequence
4th, 5th Tardy – Lunch Detention
6th, 7th Tardy – Lunch & Den Detention
8th, 9th Tardy - After School Detention
10th- Discipline Referral
*Tardies are cumulative for all classes and begin fresh each semester. *Students that are more than 10 minutes late to class without a pass will be considered “cutting class.”
DISTRICT DRESS CODE
The dress code for Dutch Fork Middle school is determined largely by school district policy. The school may modify the dress code as long as the changes stay within the district guidelines.
Clothing deemed distracting, revealing, or overly suggestive shall not be permitted.
Dress or accessories that are considered unsafe, dangerous, a health hazard, or disruptive to the learning environment shall not be permitted. Clothing may not display vulgar symbols or language and may not contain alcohol, tobacco, or drug symbols.
Sleeveless shirts should be at least ID badge width across the shoulder with no visible undergarments. Bare midriffs, spaghetti straps, halter/tank tops, see-through shirts/tops/blouses, and biker shorts are not permitted.
Inappropriate tops are not to be worn beneath an overcoat that the student plans to remove.
Pants must be worn at the natural waistline.
Sleepwear or slippers may not be worn.
Hats, head stockings, kerchiefs, bandanas, or bonnets are not allowed at school.
Shorts or skirts must be at least “fingertip length”. This means that all skirts and shorts must be as long as the longest finger-tip when hands are placed at the student’s side along the entire hemline.
Jeans with holes may not have holes that are higher than the student’s longest finger when hands are placed at the student’s side or higher than mid-thigh.
The school will not be responsible for confiscated, unauthorized material brought to school.
2019-2020 DISTRICT 5 ATTENDANCE GUIDELINES
WELCOME BACK STUDENTS AND PARENTS!!!
CLEAR BAG REQUIREMENT
Dear Fox Families,
We hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the school year. We wanted to take an opportunity to send a reminder that any student 8th grade or younger must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and everyone, including students, will be held to the clear bag requirement. Students will be prohibited from bringing in backpacks, athletic bags, Chromebooks and other supplies into the game.
More information about the Clear Bag requirement and other measures School District Five is taking to promote a safe environment can be found by following this link.
FINE ARTS DEPARTMENT
JR. BETA CLUB
FCA
DUTCH FORK MIDDLE SCHOOL WRESTLING
BOYS BASKETBALL
Is your son interested in Boys Basketball???? If so, we need your help to make sure that he can attend our workouts and/or tryouts. BEFORE any player can participate in team activities, they MUST have a completed physical online with www.Arbiterathlete.com and it MUST show APPROVED. Any student that shows up to workouts or tryouts without an APPROVED status on www.Arbiterathlete.com will be turned away. PLEASE don’t let that be your son.
Step 1: Create an ArbiterAthlete.com account for the parent/guardian AND athlete.
Step 2: Upload a copy/picture of the athlete’s birth certificate (applies to returning athletes as well)
Step 3: Upload a copy/picture of the athlete’s sports physical (Physical must be dated AFTER April 1st, 2019)
Step 4: All forms must be digitally signed by both the parent/guardian AND the athlete.
FALL WORKOUTS Fall workouts will be held on the following dates: September 24th, September 26th, October 3rd, October 15th, October 17th and October 22nd. All workouts will be in the Middle School gym from 3:50 – 5:30. PLEASE have your rides here at 5:30. All workouts are open to any NON-FALL sport athlete and are completely VOLUNTARY. All information will also be posted on our basketball website, https://sites.google.com/lexrich5.org/boys-basketball/home and on our NEW App.
TRYOUTS
Tryout time has been updated
Tryouts will be held November 4th, 5th and 6th from 5:30 PM-7:00 PM. Athletes should report to the cafeteria at final school dismissal. Athletes are expected to attend all three (3) days in order to be considered for the team.
CAREER CORNER
8th Grade Tours of the Center for Advanced Technical Studies (CATS) will take place during the week of October 14-17. Permission slips will be sent home Monday, September 9th and are due no later than October 1st. Below is a link to a video which highlights many of the programs at the CATS. Your student will be watching this the week prior to the tour. If you are interested in being a chaperone, the form is attached to the Tour Information letter and Student Permission form. Below is a short video of the courses that the CATS center offers. Any questions: Contact Fiona Lofton at flofton@lexrich5.org.
TECHNOLOGY CORNER
District Mobile Device Guide - Reminders
Parents may review the entire District Mobile Device Agreement by clicking the link provided. Over the next few weeks, I will be highlighting some key points in our weekly newsletter.
District Issued Mobile Device batteries must be charged and ready for school daily.
Devices should be brought to school each day in a fully charged condition.
Repeat violations of not charging the battery may result in disciplinary consequences.
Lost or malfunctioning chargers should be reported to the FoxTech in the Media Center.
Replacement or extra chargers may be purchased from FoxTech for $20.
Checks can be made payable to DFMS.
We do have a limited number of loaner Chromebooks available for students to borrow. Students with Chromebooks turned into FoxTech for repair will be given first priority to a loaner during the district recommended repair time. Any remaining students requesting the use of a loaner Chromebook will be given the privilege on a first come first serve basis for ONE period at a time. (This does not include loaners borrowed due to a Chromebook turned into FoxTech for repair.)
The first day a student borrows a Chromebook, it will be considered a warning.
The second day a student borrows a Chromebook, they will serve a lunch detention.
The third day a student borrows a Chromebook, they will serve another lunch detention.
Students who have exceeded three days of loaners in any one quarter will be required to complete their classwork on paper anytime they do not come prepared with a fully charged Chromebook for the remainder of the quarter.
Parents will be contacted via email regarding loaner Chromebooks.
PTSA INFO
Open House has been rescheduled for Thursday, September 26, 2019, 6:00-7:30 PM. The PTSA will be available on this evening with membership information/sign-up and spirit wear sales.
SPIRIT WEAR
The PTSA has an online spirit wear link with The Sports Hut at www.dutchforkspiritwear.com. They are offering free shipping on all orders 09/20/19-10/07/19. Please click on the link below for additional information and coupons.
VOLUNTEERS
If you would like to be a volunteer with the PTSA, please email Ann Morris at annmorris0524@gmail.com.
SPIRIT NIGHT
The PTSA will have our first Spirit Night of the year at Groucho’s in Irmo on October 2, 2019, from 4:00-9:00 PM. Come out for dinner at Groucho’s and mention DFMS PTSA Spirit Night when ordering and our PTSA will receive a portion of the funds raised for each customer that mentions our Spirit Night.
OTHER NEWS
Final Spirit Wear orders are due by TODAY. Forms are also available in the front office. Please join the PTSA and help us support our great school!!! Spirit wear ordered on Registration day or at the 7th Grade/New Student orientation event was distributed last Tuesday. If you did not receive your order, please contact Barbara Graham at barbara.graham55@yahoo.com or at 803-466-3875.
DUTCH FORK MIDDLE SCHOOL
Website: http://lexrich5.org/dfms
Location: 1528 Old Tamah Road, Irmo, SC, USA
Phone: (803) 476-4800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Dutch-Fork-Middle-School-549147891811317/