Discovery Middle School
Newsletter - November 2022
Building a Foundation for Success!
Mrs. Amy Herrick
Grade 8
Mr. Brandon Larson
Grade 7
Mr. Hunter Reinke
Grade 6
This Month's Newsletter Features the Following:
- Memo from Discovery Administration
- Attendance
- 2021-2022 FPS Annual Report
- Canvas Support for Parents/Guardians
- Evidence Based Reporting Support for Parents/Guardians
- Discovery Online School Store
- Athletics and Activities Update from Mr. Larson
- Discovery Frozen Eagles - Snowboard/Ski Group
- Discovery Drama Update
- Mr. Reinke's Realm: Social Emotional Learning
- Counseling Corner: 7th Grade Health Presentations, 8th Grade Healthy Relationship Presentations, High School Registrations
- Mr. Ford's Focus: Movement and Education
- Nursing Nuggets featuring Nurse Katelyn
- Medication In School
- SRO Corner with Officer Noll: Traffic and Safety
- Upcoming Events
- November Letter Day Calendar
- Discovery PTA
- Citizenship Test as a Requirement for Graduation
- Water Bottles
- Discovery Library Updates: Author Visit, Fall Reading Program, Makerspace, Book Fair, Earbuds, Digital Safety, PLD Help
- Entry to Building - Raptor Visitor Management System Information
- Parent/Family Accommodations
- Parent/Family Communication
- Yearbooks
- Family Healthcare
- Liz's Closet
- Written Notification of School Accountability Report
Hello Discovery Families!
Welcome to November! We are gearing up for the temperatures to start dropping, and for new activities, concerts, and performances to pick up! Some of the things to keep an eye on this November are the Discovery One-Act Performances, musical auditions, girls basketball games, wrestling begins, 6th grade volleyball begins, orchestra concerts, choir concerts, Veteran's Day and Thanksgiving Break. Read on for more specific information, and for other important updates from Discovery.
Annual Frequently Asked Questions Document
- Click link here for access to document with frequently asked questions about back to school and the school year.
ATTENDANCE
School attendance matters!
Did you know?
- Students should miss no more than 9 days of school each year to stay engaged, successful and on track to graduation.
- By 6th grade, absenteeism is one of three signs that a student may drop out of high school.
- By 9th grade, attendance is a better predictor of graduation rates than 8th grade test scores.
- Missing 10%, or 2 days a month, over the course of the school year, can affect a student’s academic success.
(Attendanceworks.org)
What you can do
Make school attendance a priority
- Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
- Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
- If your children must stay home because they are sick, make sure they have checked Canvas AND emailed teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom.
- Find out if your children feel engaged by their classes, and feel safe from bullies and other threats.
- Make sure your children are not missing class because of challenges with behavioral issues or school discipline policies. If any of these are problems, contact the school and work with them to find a solution.
- Monitor you child’s academic progress utilizing Powerschool & Canvas and seek help from teachers or tutors when necessary. (You can always have them pull up their Canvas and navigate you to each of their classes) Make sure teachers know how to contact you.
- Stay on top of your child’s social contacts. Peer pressure can lead to skipping school, while students without many friends can feel isolated.
- Encourage your child to join meaningful after-school activities, including sports and clubs.
- Notice and support your children if they are showing signs of anxiety.
- Know the school’s attendance policy – incentives and penalties.
- Check on your child’s attendance in Powerschool to be sure absences are not adding up.
- Seek help from school staff, other parents or community agencies if you need support.
For absences, please call the Attendance Office directly at 701-446-3310 or email at dmattendance@fargo.k12.nd.us. Please leave a message if the call is not picked up right away.
If you are planning on picking up your student during the school day, please call the Attendance Office as early as possible so that we can get your student a pass and have them ready in the office.
2021-22 Annual Report
Fargo Public Schools is committed to serving our families and community patrons. As evidence of this commitment, we are showcasing the qualities and services of our school district and providing a wide array of information in the FPS 2021-22 Annual Report.
This report aims to familiarize families and the community with Fargo Public Schools by sharing details such as enrollment, staffing, and budget numbers and providing overviews of student services and assessment data. Thank you for your continued support as we serve the citizens of Fargo by providing students an excellent educational experience. You can access the full document at this link.
Canvas Support For Parents/Guardians
Pairing Parent/Guardian Account with Students
The links on the web have been updated to be clearer. The links are found at the Canvas Login Screen (fargo.instructure.com) – See picture below.
This is a direct link to the Pairing Parent/Guardian Account with Students. Click on the link to see the process for the parents to follow. Students must provide the code to the parent. You might want a few copies of this available at conferences.
Evidence Based Reporting Support for Parents/Guardians
Discovery Online School Store
Athletics and Activities Corner with Mr. Larson
Girls Basketball: 7th & 8th grade girls basketball started on October 24th. Please make sure you review the Informational Handout with your child. The game schedules should be shared out by the end of the week this week, or early next week. Contact your child's coach if you have any questions regarding the season. (Boys basketball starts Jan. 3)
Wrestling: 6th, 7th, & 8th grade wrestling starts next Monday, Nov 7th. If you have a child who is interested in wrestling, please review the Informational Handout with them. If you have any specific questions regarding, please contact Coach Schroeder: Schroes@fargo.k12.nd.us
This year, all 7th & 8th grade girls who are wrestling will have their own league! They will be practicing at Carl Ben Eielson. (All 6th grade girls will practice at Discovery) Contact Coach Fugleberg for more information: Fuglebt@fargo.k12.nd.us
* Remember, if your child is in 7th or 8th grade, they need to have a physical in order to participate in athletics. The NDHAA has a specific physical form that we need to have filled out.
Music
6th grade Orchestra: Concert - November 22 @ 5:30
7th & 8th grade Orchestra: Concert - November 22 @ 7:00
6th Grade Choir: Concert - November 29 @ 5:30 and 7:00
The Discovery music department offers many co-curricular opportunities. Contact the corresponding teachers for more information.
- Primo Band: Stotts & Lucht
- Jazz Band: Lucht & Salzer
- Honor Band: Stotts
- Vivo Choir: Van Den Eykel
- Con Brio Choir: Van Den Eykel
- Honors Orchestra: Burgraf & Tengesdal
Clubs
Chess Club: Every Wednesday in the library at 8:10am.
The Morning Club: Every morning at 8:10 in Mrs. Stinar's room. Quiet morning space with arts & crafts & journaling.
Art Club: Meets weekly after-school. Contact Mrs. Quittschreiber (art teacher) for more information.
Get Your Game on Club: Mornings in the Library, see Mrs. Donat for more information.
Library Leaders Club: Mornings in the Library, see Mrs. Donat for more information.
Student Leadership: Please contact Mr. Napton, Mrs. Spellerberg, or Mrs. Ferderer if interested.
Drama Club: Meets every-other Monday afterschool from 3:40 - 4:20 in the Creative Dramatics classroom.
Multicultural Club: start date TBD. Will meet M,W,F in room 115. Contact Ms. Thomsen or Ms. Bashir for more information.
SNOWBOARD/SKI GROUP
The Discovery Frozen Eagles will be returning this winter for snow fun!
Check out our website. (https://sites.google.com/view/discoveryfrozeneagles/home) there you can register for our email list and get in on winter fun. Be sure to find us on Facebook and Instagram.
DISCOVERY DRAMA!
Greetings from the Drama Department! This year we have many activities and productions planned and we are excited!
This year we kick off our season with our PLAY. This year our PLAY is actually six 10 minute plays about different aspects of Bullying. The Bully Plays uses humor and clowns and Greek Mythology to explore the dangers of bullying and offers us some solutions to end it! The production will be on November 18th at 7:00 PM and November 19th at 2:00 PM in the Discovery Auditorium! Admission is FREE! We hope to see you there!
As soon as we return from Thanksgiving break we will have auditions for our MUSICAL: Into the Woods, Jr. All students are eligible to audition.
We will have Singing and Acting auditions on Monday November 28th from 3:40-6:00 PM in the choir room.
We will have our Dance audition on Wednesday, November 20th from 3:40-5:30 in the Cafeteria.
On Friday December 2nd we will have our CALL BACKS… which is when we call back the folks who impressed us on the other two days!
The Cast list will be emailed out on Saturday December 3rd and rehearsals will begin on MONDAY, December 5th!
Please listen carefully to the announcements for more details!
There will be an audition packet available to help students prepare for the auditions!
Questions? Please email Lori Koenig at koenigl@fargoschools.org.
Mr. Reinke's Realm: Social Emotional Learning
Happy November to all the Discovery students and families! In years past, we would have had snow on the ground, and Halloween night was cold, windy, and miserable. However, the 2022 fall has been a welcomed transition into our winter months. With calmer days, temperatures in the 60s have allowed for some pleasant evenings and even better weekends! One activity I have enjoyed is going on bike rides (no wind 😊) and riding the trails down by Iwen Park. If you have not had the opportunity, take your bike (wear your helmet) and enjoy the mountain biking trails, scenic views, and relaxing sounds of nature. These local attractions are great for our Discovery community members and our overall mental and physical health. Additionally, these bike rides have allowed me to work on my self-management techniques when I get overwhelmed with work and life. Additionally, Self-Management is one of the 5 CASEL competencies we will look at this month.
Self-Management is defined as the ability to manage one's emotions, thoughts, and behaviors during different situations throughout the day. Some self-management techniques are managing one's emotions, identifying and using stress management techniques, exhibiting self-discipline and self-motivation, setting goals, using organizational skills, showing courage to take the initiative, and demonstrating personal agency. As adults, we have learned techniques for delaying gratification, managing stress, and feeling motivated to accomplish personal goals through many people during our lives. Now, it's our Discovery students' turn to experience Self-management techniques and opportunities through our CASEL competency model and advisory lessons throughout the year. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Go Eagles.
Counseling Corner
7th Grade Health Presentations
First Link visited our 7th grade Health classrooms on Thursday, October 27th, 2022 and Friday, October 28th, 2022 to talk about suicide warning signs and what to look for, resources, and how to ask for help. If your student does not have Health this semester, First Link will return second semester to present to that group of 7th grade Health students.
8th Grade Healthy Relationship Presentations
The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center will be coming to talk about Healthy Relationships with our 8th grade classes in December. They will visit Team 8-1 Monday, December 19th, 2022, Team 8-2 Wednesday, December 21st, 2022, and Team 8-3 Tuesday, December 20th, 2022. In this presentation students will heighten their awareness of healthy relationship attributes and strengthen their ability to identify/provide examples of these qualities and characteristics. Students will also enhance their understanding of clear communication and strengthen their ability to identify and provide examples of assertive words and actions that “Say No” or provide consent. Students will increase their understanding of prevention and response techniques and strengthen their ability to identify/provide examples of words and actions to promote healthy relationship boundaries. Finally, they will develop the use of prevention and response techniques and use of strong communication skills through practice.
If you have questions regarding this classroom visit or if your student would like to opt out of the presentation, please contact Mrs. McMinn or Mrs. Ferderer.
High School Registration
Attention to all parents and guardians of 8th grade students! Registration for high school is approaching fast! Davies counselors will be visiting Discovery on Thursday, January 5th, 2023, to share information about high school and selecting courses. Each 8th grade student will be given a registration form to review and complete with their parents or guardians. This registration form is due to Student Services by Friday, January 13th, 2023. The form must be signed by the student’s parent or guardian. Discovery counselors will start meeting with 8th graders on Monday, January 16th, 2023, to register for high school courses, answer questions, and share information about what to expect in high school. Parents or guardians will be emailed a copy of the courses that their students have registered for. Also, Davies will be hosting an informational course fair on Monday, January 9th, 2023 with more information to come.
If your student is attending South, the South counselors will be coming to do their registration talks and provide registration materials on Wednesday, January 4th, 2023. South’s informational parent/guardian and student evening will be held on Monday, January 16th, 2023.
We are hoping to provide an opportunity for our 8th graders to tour their High School in January as well. More information regarding this piece of transitions from Discovery to High School to come.
Please reach out to Mrs. McMinn or Mrs. Ferderer with any questions and make sure you complete your student’s registration form as a family!
Discovery Counseling Team
Taylor Ferderer – Lead Counselor, 446-3318
Sean Napton – 6th Grade, 446-3314
Joe Snowden – 7th Grade, 446-3313
Bridget McMinn – 8th Grade, 446-3312
Beth Zimmerman – SWFF, 446-3463
Mr. Ford's Focus - Movement and Education
Movement is extremely important for growing students. Middle school students are still figuring out which sports or physical activities they might enjoy and learning about the benefits of movement. Exposing students to different sports, physical movements, or exercise, allows young people to explore which activities appeal to them. While we would like students to have an opportunity to develop movement habits for the obvious physical health benefits, movement can also have a positive impact on learning. Movement makes our heart pump faster to quickly carry more oxygen to the muscles that are getting fatigued. This also causes more oxygen to be carried to other areas of our bodies, like our brains. Studies have shown that students who move or are active prior to being in a learning environment, have better retention of information being taught and better recall later.
There are a lot of opportunities for students to enjoy different physical activities here at Discovery. Physical Education is the foundation for learning when it comes to lifetime skills and the importance of movement. All Discovery students take part in P.E. Discovery also offers extracurricular activities. Volleyball and football seasons just ended in the middle of October. Girls’ basketball just started, and wrestling will begin soon. There are intramural basketball and volleyball programs in the morning before school. Students can sign up and participate to get some movement before the school day starts. There are also weightlifting, and exercise programs run before and after school in the weight room. Again, students have an opportunity to participate with experienced staff members who are teaching and supporting our students every day. We understand that being a part of extracurricular activities or learning physical-activity skills, will allow our students to improve their self-esteem, improve their physical health, and develop important social/emotional skills. We also understand how the benefits of movement can provide additional support learning in the classroom. Below are some pictures from girls’ basketball practice, morning intramural volleyball, and students working out before school in the weight room.
Nursing Nuggets with Nurse Katelyn
The cold and flu season are upon us, and it is important that we all work together to prevent the spread of viruses. There are numerous things that we can do to help stay healthy, including:
· Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue or your elbow when you cough/sneeze.
o Wash your hands after coughing/sneezing
· Wash you hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not readily available, use alcohol-base hand cleansers
· Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth (viruses are often contracted by touching something that is contaminated)
· Avoid close contact with those who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick.
· Stay home if you are sick
o Symptoms of allergies, the common cold, and Covid-19 are very similar. Please follow the CDC guidelines for Covid.
§ Please e-mail a copy of your Covid results to me or attendance if you do get tested.
o Please stay home for 24 hours after:
§ Vomiting or diarrhea
§ Fever of 100.0 F or higher
§ Undiagnosed skin rash or sores
o Do not hesitate to call me if you have any questions regarding illnesses or what you should do prior to returning to school
Katelyn Novacek, RN
E-mail: djhnurse@fargo.k12.nd.us
Phone: 701-446-3319
Attendance
E-mail: dmattendance@fargo.k12.nd.us
Phone: 701-446-3310
MEDICATION IN SCHOOL
If your student should need to take a prescription or non-prescription medication at school, Form AF6720-A must be filled out in it's entirety, signed by you and your doctor, and brought to the nurse. The medication bottle for school must be labeled , including student’s date of birth. If student will self-administer, in the case of an inhaler, please fill out form AF-6720-F. You should be able to get these forms off the FPS website under registration, or at your doctor’s office.
You can reach the nurse @ 701-446-3319 or by email: djhnurse@fargo.k12.nd.us.
Hope you’ve had a wonderful summer!
SRO Corner with Andrea Noll
Parents of students as well as Discovery staff members understand the importance of arriving safely and getting home safely from school. Discovery Middle School and Centennial Elementary are located very close to one another and traffic in the area can get hectic in the morning and after school. Many Discovery students walk/ride bike to and from school and areas around the school become congested. As many of you see on a daily basis there are flashing yellow signs surrounding the school enforcing a 20 MPH (Mile per Hour) school zone. The city and your local law enforcement take these signs seriously.
Fargo Municipal Code 8-0502. - Speed limitations.
Subject to the provisions of § 8-0501 and except in instances where a lower speed is specified in this chapter or by the laws of this state, it shall be prima facie lawful for the driver of a vehicle to drive the same at a speed not exceeding:
Subsection B: Twenty miles an hour when passing a school; regular school hours when children are present, or when traveling through a designated school zone when a flashing beacon or other device indicates that reduced speed is required.
Penalty for violating the flashing beacon with children present is $80 if going (1-10 MPH) over the 20 MPH limit plus $2 for every MPH over 10.
Please drive safely and if you have any questions please reach out to Officer Noll.
Upcoming Events
November 7
- Wrestling begins
November 11
- No School - Veteran's Day
November 14
- 6th Grade Volleyball begins
November 18 & 19
- Discovery One Act - "The Bully Plays"
November 22
- 6, 7, 8 Orchestra Concerts
November 23, 24, 25
- No School - Thanksgiving Break
November 28
- PTA Meeting - 6:30pm in the cafeteria
November 29
- 6th grade Choir Concerts
NOVEMBER LETTER DAY CALENDAR
Please see below for the November Letter Day Calendar or check out our Discovery website.
Our bell schedules and calendars are always posted on our Discovery website.
Discovery PTA
Do you know what the attendance clerk does at Discovery? Those who attended the October PTA general meeting got a glimpse into the work of this vital position from Mr. Israel, the attendance clerk at Discovery. He talked about his job as well as shared some of the data he shares with the administrative team on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. It was great information and something many people might now know much about.
We also got to hear from Mrs. Donat on what’s going on in the library. She shared the next reading challenge with us and offered an opportunity for the PTA to help with the challenge. PTA approved a grant to pay for prizes with the reading challenge.
PTA also had the opportunity to fund an important aspect of the health curriculum for 7th graders. FirstLink is scheduling their Suicide Education Outreach program in the 7th grade classrooms. The PTA felt that this was needed education for our students and chose to fund the cost of bringing the program into Discovery.
These are just a few examples of what the PTA does at Discovery. We can’t do the work without both parents and teachers being a part of the group. You can expect to learn lots of things about the school and develop relationships with leadership and teachers at the same time. You’ll get to know the administrative team better and you can make an impact on middle schoolers.
Please join us! Membership is only $15 for the entire school year and includes membership into the North Dakota PTA as well. Funds raised help us support student activities that might not otherwise be possible, grants for teachers and much more. Your support makes a real difference at Discovery Middle School!
If you want to learn more about the PTA or you have questions, check us out on Facebook by searching for Discovery Middle School PTA-Fargo. You can also email DiscoveryPTAPresident@gmail.com. General monthly meetings are held the last Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. You don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, we invite you to attend a meeting and check it out first if you want to. Our next meeting is set for November 28. We would love to have you join us!
CITIZENSHIP TEST AS A REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION
The North Dakota state legislature has passed HB 1087, requiring all students to demonstrate proficiency in civics as a requirement for high school graduation. The law states:
“a student may take the test, in whole or in part, at any time after enrolling in grade seven and may repeat the test, or any portion thereof, as often as necessary to demonstrate proficiency.”
Every middle school in the district will be offering that test to students in grade eight this year. The information on the civics test is closely related to the material covered in eighth grade social studies. Students who do not demonstrate proficiency (70% or above) will have the opportunity to take the test again at the high school. There is no penalty for taking the test multiple times and there is never a fee to take the test.
The questions for the civics test are taken from the federal government’s Naturalization Test.
If you have questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact one of our 8th grade history teachers.
Jeremy Nesvold 8-1 (nesvolj@fargo.k12.nd.us)
Hans Anderson 8-2 (andersh@fargo.k12.nd.us)
Kyle Stegman 8-3 (stegmak@fargo.k12.nd.us).
WATER BOTTLES
WHAT'S HAPPENING IN THE LIBRARY!
6th Grade Author Visit
Author Dusti Bowling will be presenting to the 6th graders on Friday, October 28, from 9 - 10 AM in the auditorium. All 6th grade students are reading her book Insignificant Events in the Life of a Cactus and will attend the presentation.
Students and Staff Participate in Fall Reading Program!
The library’s fall reading program is the Reading Treasure Hunt! Participants will hunt for things like an adventure book that has a blue cover and an article in Britannica (in electronic Middle School Resources on Canvas). Of course, a few of the tasks are to read the book that has been found. There are great prizes for all those who complete the treasure hunt. This program will end November 22.
Makerspace
The library’s makerspace will feature monthly DIY creative crafts or STEM activities. Students can visit the library and listen to the announcements to find out what activities are going on. Starting on Nov. 1, the Learning Lab (room 135) will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings. Students can visit the Learning Lab by using an eHall Pass. The Learning Lab has CueBots, Sphero, GreenScreen, Legos, Little Bits, Oculus VR, and Puzzles.
Scholastic Book Fair
The Scholastic book fair will be held at the Discovery Library December 6-9 from 8:10 AM - 4:00. All students will have a scheduled time to visit the fair during their English classes.
Earbuds
Please ensure your child has earbuds or headphones in school, as many audio options are available and utilized for learning. Earbuds are on sale in the team centers and library for $1.
Digital Safety
With the increasing use of digital media, teaching your child digital safety is essential. Talk to your student about the values and standards he/she should be following when using the Internet. Three excellent resources for parents and students are Common Sense Media, Google’s Be Internet Awesome, and NetSmartz.
PLD Help
Students can find immediate help for their PLD in their Discovery Library, PLD, and Tech Help Canvas Course located on Middle Level Resources.
Additional resources can be found on the page where parents and students login to Canvas (fargo.instructure.com).
If they can’t find what they need, they can email Mrs. Hyde at hydeg@fargoschools.org for additional help.
Connecting to your Student on Canvas
Follow the directions below to connect your parent account to your student’s Canvas courses or add yourself as an observer in your student’s courses. .
Creating a Parent/Guardian Account
Pairing Parent/Guardian Account with Student(s)
NOTE: If you created an account previously, this account still exists and is tied to your child(ren)’s account and you can go straight to https://fargo.instructure.com/login/canvas to log in. If you have forgotten the password for this account, click the Forgot Password link that will be available on that login page.
Families who do not yet have a Canvas parent account are encouraged to register for one.
Help links for parents and students can be found on the Fargo Public Schools public website fargo.instructure.com. Handouts available include signing up for a parent Canvas account, turning off your email notifications, and information about the Canvas App.
INTRODUCTION TO RESTORATIVE PRACTICES
What are Restorative Practices in schools?
Restorative Practices have been used in schools since the 1970s and encompass a wide range of responses in order to address negative behaviors and incidents.
Why should we use Restorative Practices in Fargo Public Schools?
Research shows restorative practices lead to a reduction in suspensions, expulsions, and
(negative) behaviors/incidents and improvements in perception of school safety and academic improvement.
What does Restorative look like at Discovery?
Restorative Practices have both proactive and reactive components. Proactive elements include building and fostering positive relationships between students and staff and using techniques such as restorative chats and affective questioning. Reactive elements include a spectrum of responses such as restorative mediation, classroom circles, and restorative conferencing when conflict or harm occurs. Currently we have formed a Restorative Steering Committee meeting biweekly which is working to help shape restorative practices here at Discovery.
What is a Restorative Circle?
The circle process is a community-centered practice that has existed in Indigenous cultures for centuries. In the circle, every person is equally important and has an equal chance to be heard. It can be used in a classroom to teach content, to build relationships, and to address conflict.
What are Discovery Staff and Students saying about Restorative Practices?
“I was able to be kind of friends with the other student, there was no aggression against each other” (Student)
“I’ve learned to be the bigger person” (Student)
“There was less drama and I felt relieved because I didn’t have to worry about it” (Student)
“Me and my friends got our friendships back and better than ever”(Student)
“I feel like the meetings really saved some friendships and really made school life happier and healthier” (Student)
“I am becoming a better person after having these meetings” (Student)
“I was able to understand and react to students that were displaying negative behavioral cues in class – getting to the root of the issue was massively successful in changing the outcome of the issue. Getting the student the help they needed resulted in them becoming productive and successful in class” (Teacher)
Questions?
Jennifer Tackling, Restorative Conferences Facilitator, Discovery Middle School
Email: tacklij@fargo.k12.nd.us
Phone: 701-446-3361
Katie "Kat" Field, Restorative Practices District Facilitator
Phone: 701-446-1007
Email: fieldk@fargo.k12.nd.us
ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Fargo Public Schools is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and staff. Part of keeping students and staff safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do so. The Raptor system will allow us to better screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools to provide us with a safe environment for our students and staff.
Upon entering the school building, visitors will be asked to present an ID, such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. Once entry into the building is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of their visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.
A video overview of our pilot and how the system works is available at: https://youtu.be/8qwHwTmp-80
PARENT/FAMILY ACCOMODATIONS
Family support is so important for your child’s success at Discovery. If parents or other family members need accommodations to participate and attend any school function at Discovery, please contact the school office two to three business days prior to the event. Every effort will be made to meet your needs.
PARENTAL/FAMILY COMMUNICATION
Communicating with parents and families is always our goal at Discovery Middle School.
You may subscribe to Discovery’ Newsletter and Daily Announcements on our website by going to “Content E-Alerts” on Discovery’s website. Parents/guardians can sign up to receive alerts about new Daily Announcements, Newsletters, etc., for each school your students attend. E-Alerts are sent to users who have subscribed to a homepage or website section of interest. You will receive an email notification that content has been modified.
You may also want to add our school calendar to your personal calendar. This will help you stay informed about all the activities that are happening at Discovery.
Our school supply list, our student handbook, a link to PowerSchool, PTA information, and several other useful links are also available on our website.
YEARBOOKS
Yearbook orders will be taken online .The cost is $20.00. To ensure that your child will receive a yearbook at the end of the year, it must be ordered and paid for in advance. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Friday, March 10, 2023.
Liz’s Closet
A Discreet, Free Resource for Discovery Students in Need
What: Discovery strives as a team to meet the needs of all students as part of our mission to build a foundation for success. Liz’s Closet, a free resource at Discovery, aligns with this mission by providing students in need with items such as clothing, hygiene products, non-perishable food items, etc.
At Discovery, we hope to provide developmentally appropriate support to students in need by offering a means to obtain basic food and hygiene products in a discreet manner. Students utilizing Liz’s Closet will have access to reusable bags, so items are less visible as students are leaving the building.
Where: Liz’s Closet will be located in Student Services. The room being used as “Liz’s Closet” will be accessible through a trusted adult in the building (teachers, counselors, administrators, paraprofessionals, designated staff).
Who: Any student in need of these items is welcome to take what he/she needs with the help of a trusted adult.
How: Although students are welcome to directly ask a trusted adult at Discovery to use Liz’s Closet, to maintain privacy as best as possible, a student can simply draw a star on a sheet of paper and bring it to a trusted adult. The adult will then instruct the student as to when he/she can go to Student Services to collect what is needed. If this adult does not have a time that works for him/her, the adult will notify the appropriate counselor or Student Services staff member to be expecting this student sometime within the school day. Once in Student Services, the student will be escorted to the closet and can take what is needed.
If you know of anyone who may need to utilize this resource, please do not hesitate to contact a Discovery counselor or administrator. Additionally, if you would like to donate shelf-stable food, school supplies, or hygiene products to Liz’s Closet, please contact Taylor Ferderer (school counselor) at 446-3318.
Written Notification of School Accountability Report
Dear Parent/Guardian,
North Dakota has launched a dashboard called “Insights,” designed to help communities across the state access important information about K-12 districts and schools. Insights features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success, including:
- Student Achievement
- Choice Ready Results
- Performance Comparisons
- English Learner Progress
- Graduation Rates
- School and State Accountability Results
- School Improvement Information
- Post-Secondary Education
- School Environment
Transparency to the Public
North Dakota is committed to informing communities about how well our schools are doing. North Dakota’s future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate choice ready with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to be successful.
State education departments are required to annually create an accountability report for every public school in the state per the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The school accountability reports outline how schools perform on the accountability elements North Dakota selected within its ESSA plan.
How is our School Doing?
To find more information about our School Accountability Report, visit the dashboard at Insights.nd.gov, select “Find My School,” and search alphabetically. The school accountability report is posted under the Dashboard heading.
Please note that the data made available to the public masks or hides data for groups with ten or fewer students to protect confidential information about individual students. Therefore, if data is unavailable to less than ten students, it will say “no data available.”
Family Engagement
We have strong plans for working to improve the educational programs at our school. We want you and your child(ren) to continue actively participating in our educational system. Please help support our high expectations for student achievement by participating in the school educational initiatives, offering input and support in our endeavors to raise student achievement, or volunteering at the school. Meeting our school’s goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for each student.
Continuous Improvement
All schools engage in continuous improvement for general support; therefore, our school has completed a continuous improvement plan through Cognia.
As part of the overall school improvement plan, a strategy map is generated for each school. Our strategy map, outlining our key school improvement initiatives, is also available on Insights.
If you have any questions regarding the information in the memorandum, please contact me.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Amy Herrick
(she, her, hers)
Discovery Middle School Principal
701.446.3304
Discovery Middle School
Brandon Larson, Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator
Hunter Reinke, Assistant Principal
Joe Ford, Administrative Intern
Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery
Location: 1717 40th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-3300