Merrill Minute
August 6, 2021
Welcome!
Greetings, Mustang Families,
The 2021-2022 school year is just around the corner and we are looking forward to welcoming almost 750 Merrill Mustangs on Wednesday, August 25 for the first day of school!
Mustang Launch:
Thank you for completing the back-to-school survey in the previous edition of the Merrill Minute. The data helped us develop our back-to-school plan that we are calling "Mustang Launch". Below are the components of Mustang Launch.
- Self-Guided Tours: We will open the building to students and families for self-guided tours on Tuesday, August 17 from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM. With their schedule (available on Infinite Campus on August 16), students may explore the building, drop off bulk school supplies such as Kleenex, turn in immunization records, and pick up pre-ordered school supply kits from the PTA in the cafeteria. While teachers will not be available, other staff members will be happy to answer any questions you might have.
- Meet and Greet: On the same day, we will have a few staff members available at Deer Ridge and Franklin Avenue library to meet students and families and answer any questions that you might have. We will publish those times in the coming days.
- Video tour: Thank you to Merrill parent, Dan Welk, who is producing a short, student guided video tour of Merrill. We will send the video to all students and families before school starts in case you are unable to make it to Merrill on Tuesday, August 17.
- Success for All: The first few days of school in August, as well as throughout the school year, we will focus on getting to know students, building community, helping students navigate the Merrill campus (lockers, lunch, schedules, etc.), and supporting students emotionally and academically as they return to the physical space of a school.
Yours in launching a new school year,
Kate
Kathryn Panek
Merrill Middle School, Principal
Water Bottles
Masks
Lockers and Backpacks
Caring, Principled, and Reflective
Our mission at Merrill is to create a better and more peaceful, liberated world. In doing so we partner with students to establish a culture that supports improving social, emotional, behavioral, and academic outcomes for all students. Our guiding principles include being CARING, PRINCIPLED, and REFLECTIVE, or CPR.
Students are introduced to CPR during the first few days of school where we converse with students about CPR, teach what CPR looks like in common areas, and provide students time to practice CPR in the hallways, restrooms, busses, cafeteria, and recess area. In addition, students will engage in dialogue regularly about CPR in the classroom. Throughout the year we will continue to strengthen our learning community and celebrate student success!
Student Schedules
Technology
Instruction
Day In The Life of a Merrill Student
- 8:00 A.M. Doors Open Doors will open at Merrill at 8:00 each day. Students may grab breakfast before heading directly to their 1st period classroom. Students will eat breakfast in the classroom and prepare for the day.
- 8:30 A.M.1st Period Begins Students will engage in six courses throughout the day. Class periods will be approximately 56-minutes in length. At the end of each class period, students will head out the door to their next class. Most classes are located in close proximity to each other. Staff members will be available in the hallways to help students find their way.
- Lunch and Mustang Minutes: New this year we have divided students into two, 30-minute sections of lunch per grade level. This will reduce the number of students in the cafeteria at any given time and promote a more enjoyable and relaxing lunch experience. While the first group of students in each grade level is eating lunch, the other group will be in Mustang Minutes. (Mustang Minutes is more traditionally referred to as homeroom or advisory.) Sixth grade lunch and Mustang Minutes is from approximately 10:30-11:30, followed by seventh grade lunch and Mustang Minutes from 11:30-12:30, and finishing with the eighth graders from 12:30-1:30.
- 3:25 P.M. Dismissal We have a staggered dismissal process set-up in which we will dismiss the walkers and bikers, bus riders as each individual bus arrives, and passenger vehicle riders at 3:25.
- 3:45 P.M. After School All students not participating in a club or activity need to exit the building by 3:45. Families who are in need of an after school option may click here to learn more about our partnership with the Boys and Girls Club.
Boys XC
Boys interested in cross-country, please download the InstaTeam app and use code SEV82M to join for our schedule, optional practices and other information. Our first optional practice will be from 3:35-4:45 on August 16 at the bus turn-around. Make sure to have running shoes, a water bottle, and a cell phone and running belt if you have them.
Attention 7th Grade Families!
The Iowa Department of Public Health requires all students in Iowa entering 7th grade to have a Meningitis and Tdap (whooping cough) vaccine. The vaccinations need completed by August 24th to start school August 25th. Please send an updated vaccination record to Merrill (fax 515-323-8656). Do you have an appointment set up for your child yet? Is there anything I can do to help you?" If families do not have a medical home, they can call Polk County Health Department at (515) 286-3798.
DMPS COVID-19 Mitigation
We continue to encourage everyone eligible to get vaccinated.
In addition, we encourage all students, staff, and families to wear masks on campus. The CDC now recommends that all students, teachers, staff and visitors to schools wear a face mask, regardless of their vaccination status. Wearing is caring, so please mask up for yourself and especially for your colleagues and our students.
DMPS has invested in improving air quality and circulation in our schools; in installing water bottle filling stations, and utilizing hand sanitizing stations and enhanced cleaning.
Transportation Eligibility
Cell Phones
Cell Phones: Cell phones need to be off and put away for the duration of the school day. We define “put away” as in a school bag, checked-in at the front office at the start of the day, or left at home. We define “school day” as the time from when the student enters the building until 3:25.
Families who need to contact their student during the school day should call the main office at 242-8448. Students needing to call home during the day may use the phone in the main office. Finally, students may check their cell phones for messages when school is dismissed at 3:25.
International Baccalaureate
As an International Baccalaureate school, Merrill students are enrolled in Language & Literature, Math, Science, and Individuals & Societies all year.
Every other day, year long courses:
In addition to the four courses above, students are also enrolled in Physical Education and Performing Arts (vocal music, band, orchestra, music appreciation) every other day all year.
Every other day, semester long courses:
Finally, students are enrolled in Visual Arts, Spanish, Health, and Business every other day for a semester.
Yearbooks
On-line Registration
The annual online registration process for current DMPS students opens on July 12. Families will receive a unique link to register inside their parent portal account on Infinite Campus. Click on the link to verify information and upload relevant documents. For help navigating online registration, click here. If you do not have a parent portal account through Infinite Campus, please contact the Family Call Center, 515-242-8221, for information and assistance.
School Supplies
If you did not order a school supply kit, please plan on having pencils, notebooks, a binder, and Kleenex.
We try to keep some supplies on hand and will be happy to connect your student with supplies as needed. Our supply closet is almost always short on pencils and Kleenex. Donations are welcome. Thank you!
DMPS - Free Meals for 2021-2022
The Des Moines Public Schools Food and Nutrition team is pleased to announce every student will have access to free meals during the 2021-22 school year.
Thanks to a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called Seamless Summer Option (SSO), DMPS has the funding to offer a free breakfast and lunch to every student, every school day, regardless of income.
No further action is required by families for students to receive free meals at school. For more information, please click here.
COVID-19 Mitigations
With the start of a new school year a month away, Des Moines Public Schools is ready to welcome students back to the classroom while doing what we can to lessen the spread of COVID-19 … and encouraging everyone to do their part. Click here to read more about what we all can do for a healthy start to 2021-2022.
School IDs
DMPS is requiring students in 6th -12th grades to wear their student identification card (ID) when on any school campus and when using school provided transportation. Students will need their ID upon school entry, at lunch, on school provided transportation, and to enter extracurricular events.
DMPS will provide the ID, holder, and lanyard. Lost or damaged IDs can be replaced for $1.00.
Boys & Girls Club: After School Programming
Kristina Cox
Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Iowa
Gregory & Suzie Glazer Burt Club
2500 Forest Ave I Des Moines, IA 50310
o. 515-271-4608 l c. 515-577-7160
kcox@bgcci.org l www.bgcci.org l find us on Facebook
Meet the Merrill Team!
Office Manager Jane Schumann
Merrill Principal Kathryn Panek
Student Engagement Martin Luft
Student Last Name: A-L
Kristen Kennedy - Anderson: Associate Principal
Kimber Foshe: School Counselor
Student Last Name: M-Z
Sara Triplett: Associate Principal
Caitlin Foshe: School Counselor
Attendance Office Joyce Grace
Media Specialist Carrie Kent
Merrill Office Julie McCann
Success Case Manager Andrew Pavelka
Behavior Interventionist Paige Dahms
School Nurse Kelli Luft
Instructional Coach Allison Chartier
Social Worker Monica Congdon
Instructional Coach Danielle Taylor
Join Us for One Run in Support of Merrill
Lace up your shoes, put on your navy and white, and hit the streets of Des Moines in support of Merrill Middle School! OneRun is a district-wide fundraising event for the Des Moines Public Schools Foundation, in support of K-8 schools at DMPS...and it is free! This two-mile fun run/fundraiser is set for Saturday, September 11 and will begin and end near the Des Moines Botanical Center.
Registration will be paid by corporate sponsors directly to the schools. Each participant may designate one school. The more participants, the more money to our school, so invite your family and neighbors to register! Please be sure to designate Merrill Middle School as your home school when registering! Click here to learn more about the event and to register online.
DMPS '21-'22 School Calendar
Merrill Middle School
Email: jane.schumann@dmschools.org
Website: merrill.dmschools.org
Location: 5301 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: 515-242-8448
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/merrillpta
Twitter: @MerrillMustangs