Panther Press 2022
Excellence,Everywhere,Everyday
Greetings Panther Family
I'd like to officially welcome you to the 2022-2023 school year with this newsletter! This year has a great sense of excitement and renewal!
This year has begun with some new staff members filling positions left vacant by staff members who have retired or moved on to other schools. We were able to hire some outstanding new teachers and administrators, some of whom had prior years of experience and others who were brand new. All of them have already made a positive impact and are demonstrating their commitment to our students through their words and actions!
We will spend this week getting the students up to speed on policies and procedures, and we will begin the process of balancing classes in our students' schedules while we are at it. Our goal is to keep class changes to a minimum; however, changing student schedules is priority number one in order to correct errors and balance classes.
As the school year begins, I want you to know that I intend to keep you informed throughout the year. Parent and staff collaboration is critical to student success. On Sunday evenings, you will receive a newsletter from me with the goal of preparing you for the upcoming week and informing you of all the wonderful things going on at Duncanville High School.
Let me reiterate that we are thrilled to be back in school doing what we love! We are looking forward to an amazing school year!
Go Panthers!
Michael McDonald
Executive Principal
DHS Administrative Team
Duncanville High School Contact List
First Day of School
Duncanville High School Counseling Department
Greetings Panther Parents,
The DHS School Counseling Department is reaching out to share how we can support our students for the 2022-2023 school year. High school is an exciting time for students to grow academically, emotionally, physically, and socially. Our hope is to provide resources that are useful and engaging to both students, parents, and staff alike!
Our role is to support student academic performance by providing social/emotional, academic, and college, career, military related interventions. This may include in-class presentations, brief individual counseling, peer mediation, small group counseling, and other targeted interventions. We also can serve as a liaison/advocate for parents and students when working with staff. Our school counseling program is designed around Duncanville High School's unique needs. On an annual basis the school counseling department conducts a survey to determine our student’s needs and design a tiered intervention model based upon these needs.
Student Schedule Changes
Students will receive a welcome back email from their Counselor on day two of school. This email will provide access to the Duncanville HS Student Schedule Change form. This form will not be active until the 3rd day of class and will close on Friday, August 19 at 3pm. There will be very few allowable changes after school starts. We will only honor schedule changes for the following:
- Schedule Error (BASED ON SPRING REQUEST UNLESS THE COURSE IS FULL)
- Failed course needed as prerequisite
- Physical Condition (DOCUMENTED)
- Athletic/Extracurricular (COACH/TEACHER APPROVAL REQUIRED)
- Course Needed for Graduation (SENIORS ONLY)
- Add Senior Late Arrival/Senior Out (SENIORS ONLY, IF SCHEDULE ALLOWS)
- Class taken and passed in Summer School
If your student should need a schedule change, they are required to complete the schedule change form sent to them in their school email. There will also be QR codes placed on the doors of both the East and West side Counseling Centers to access the schedule change form. Once the schedule change has been approved and the student schedule has been updated, the student, former teacher, receiving teacher, and parent will receive an electronic copy of their new schedule. The communication will include the date the student should proceed utilizing their new schedule.
When Should You Consider Contacting the School Counselor?
· If your student is experiencing any social/emotional distress
· If your student is having an academic concern that isn't resolved after working directly with the classroom teacher
· If there is a significant change in your student’s behavior
If you're unsure, please call or email your students counselor. We look forward to serving as your school counselors and will send out a monthly newsletter letter with additional resources and information to support our students and our staff throughout the school year.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions or concerns.
Educationally Yours,
Dr. MaShundra N. Gray
9th Grade Orientation Link
We'd like to share a copy of the new student orientation that was held this past week. This document contains a plethora of information that will help with students who are new to our campus. Please flip through the slides for information. Click on the link.
TEMPORARY STUDENT PASSWORDS
Student Schedules
Students were able to view their schedule in Skyward beginning Friday, August 5, 2022. In addition, schedules were printed and delivered to all 1st period classrooms, where students will receive a printed copy on Monday morning. Counselors have been working through the weekend to finalize schedules. With this in mind, it is possible that changes made over the weekend may not be reflected on the paper copy to be received. However, these changes will be reflected immediately in Skyward. Please feel free to access your schedule in Skyward for the most up to date information.
To view your schedule - login to Skyward, click on the Schedule link (left side), then your schedule will appear.
Family Access
We encourage parents to use Skyward Family Access to monitor student academic progress and attendance. This web-based program allows you to view your student’s assignments, grades and attendance on a daily basis. To receive automatic notifications of grades and daily attendance:
- Log into Skyward Family/Student Access
- Turn on notifications for assignments, attendance, and grades
Student Expectations
Dress Code
We expect all scholars and parents to be familiar with and adhere to the district dress code. Parents, please assist us in preparing your scholar for post-secondary options by helping us to effectively manage the expectation regarding dress code.
Students will be provided information and expectations regarding policy during the first week of school. If the principal determines that a student's dress or grooming violates the school's dress code, the student typically will be given the opportunity to correct the problem at school where possible. Repeated violations will result in disciplinary consequences under the Student Code of Conduct.
Safety Protocols
2022-2023 Bell Schedule
Early Release Bell Schedule
Transportation
Bus – buses drop off on the west side of the campus. The expected arrival time to campus is 6:45 am. Pick-up will also be on the west side of the campus and park in the bus lane. Please note: if you are unaware of the bus your scholar rides, please visit the district’s main website, select parents, then school bus find, and complete the information to locate the appropriate bus information.
PICK UP AND DROP OFF
Car rider – freshman car riders, please drop off on the west side of the campus. Upper class-men, please drop – off on the east side of the campus in parking Lot A (the main entrance). Please utilize the drop off line. Please do not drop your scholar off on the street.
Free & Reduced Lunch Program
Free & Reduced Lunch Program
Parents - free school lunches for every student will not continue in the 2022-2023 school year. Lunches will be made available to those who qualify through the Free and Reduced Lunch Program. Apply now to see if your child is eligible for free or reduced price meals at www.schoolcafe.com/duncanvilleisd.
A reduced price lunch costs $0.40. Regular priced lunch is $3.50. Breakfast remains free for all.
No Food Deliveries
DHS is a closed campus. Scholars are required to remain on campus from the start of school until the end of school. Scholars are not permitted to leave campus for lunch.
We will not permit scholars to receive outside lunch delivered from delivery services such as Uber Eats, Grub Hub, Door Dash, etc.
This is for the protection of all of our students. We cannot have fast food delivery drivers looking for students on campus. If food is delivered to campus, we will refuse to accept it.
We welcome you to come and eat lunch with your scholar. Please contact your scholar’s grade level administrator at least 24 hours in advance and ensure you are prepared with the proper identification to receive a visitor’s pass. You will need your ID or Driver’s License. Please only bring lunch for your scholar.
Stay in Contact
Michael McDonald
Location: 900 West Camp Wisdom Road, Duncanville, TX 75116, USA
Phone: 972-708-3700