Dear Dakota Meadows Middle School Families,

We are excited to welcome you to the 2020-2021 school year! The new year will definitely bring significant changes for all District 77 students and families. A tiered busing system had been implemented to reduce bus overcrowding and the length of time students are riding. To support this change, the DMMS school day start and end times will be changing, along with the times the building is open to students and families.

DMMS building/supervision hours will be:

• Our school day will begin at 8:35 a.m. and end at 3:20 p.m.

• Designated doors will open at 8:10 a.m. for student entry.

• Breakfast will be available from 8:10 - 8:25 a.m.

• Starting at 8:10 a.m., supervision for students will be available and after school until 3:30 p.m.

Bus Registration Reminder

• If your child is eligible for busing (Live at least 1.0 mile from school for grades K through 5 and 2.0 miles from school for grades 6 through 12), and plan to use bus services, please email tbaumg1@isd77.org the following information:

• Student(s) name

• Student's home address

• Student's school beginning September 2020

• Student's grade

• Parent name

• Parent phone number

One email listing all eligible students in your family will successfully register the students for busing.

Please feel free to contact our office at (507) 387-5077 with questions.

Looking forward to a great year,

The DMMS Administration Team

The website below has instructions for the DMMS Masks web stores. The stores will remain open through SEPTEMBER 3 with orders completed approximately 2-3 weeks after they close. UTE will contact you when your order(s) are available for pick up.

For every mask that is sold, UTE will donate one mask to DMMS.

You can view the site directly at this link:

Welcome to Dakota Meadows! We are excited to have students and staff back in the building. The school year is going to be VERY different but we are working hard to creatively design plans to keep everyone safe and healthy. Please be aware of the number of students walking or biking to and from school. We ask all drivers to be alert and to keep a close watch for our students walking and biking.

Please adhere to the following expectations to support safety:

• Parents drop off and pick up students in the east parking lot (door #8) near the gym before and after school.

• Main office entrance (Door #1) and the west entrance (Door 20) are NOT designated drop-off or pick-up areas before or after school. These are busing drop off and pick areas. Please respect this request!

• Use ALL of the sidewalk to let your student out of the vehicle.

• This includes from under the basketball hoops around the building to Howard Drive.

• Pull up as far as you can to Howard Drive to drop off your student; NOT right in front of door (this allows 5 more vehicles to drop off)

• If your car stops by a sidewalk - Your child should GET OUT.

• Students will remain outside until 8:10 a.m. due to health and safety concerns, please DO NOT drop off before 8:10 a.m.

• Students are assigned an entrance by grade level trail. Social distancing and a mask are expected.

Please see the included map diagram for additional information.

The lines will move faster if you follow these simple expectations and show consideration of other drivers.

Thank you!

Carmen Strahan - Principal

Kai Sill - Asst Principal

Julie Larkin - Spies-Dean of Students

Dakota Meadows Middle School

Assigned Grade Level/Trail Doors

Entrance conferences are scheduled with your students advisor for Tuesday, September 8th from 12-8 and Wednesday, September 9th from 8-1. 6th grade conferences may take place in person or virtually, but only virtually for 7th and 8th graders. Strict health expectations will be in place for families coming to DMMS for conferences. Please click on the above link and familiarize yourself with the expectations. A sign up link for conferences with Trail, Advisor and which Scarlet or PRIDE Team your son/daughter is assigned will be shared with families through the Parent Portal. If you are a 6th grade parent please be sure to note if you are requesting a virtual conference. If not noted, we will assume that you are coming to DMMS to meet in person.

"We can't help students move forward unless we accurately identify where they are." Gerry Swan

Beginning in the fall of 2020, District 77 middle level schools will be moving to full implementation of Standards Based Learning (SBL) also known as Standard Based Grading (SBG). Please see the linked SBL Message to better understand this change and how it will help you and your child accurately identify where they are in their learning. We are confident that this approach to teaching and learning will increase student achievement and lead to clearer conversations around student learning and growth.

Click here for distance learning tips.

An optional distance learning schedule has been created to support student learning at home. Please feel free to use it as it is or modify to meet your families need.

Due to COVID-19 Health and Safety Concerns, DMMS Office Staff will no longer be accepting written passes to excuse kids from a portion of the school day. If your student needs to be excused from class early, please call 507-387-5077 or email the DMMS Attendance Clerk at dmmsattendance@isd77.org. We will then ensure that your student gets the pass and is excused from school at the appropriate time.

Also due to COVID-19 Health and Safety Concerns, students will not be allowed to use the phone in the office unless an emergency situation dictates. Please ensure that you have pre-arranged any communication that needs to occur with your student before the school day.

The calendar includes on Distance Learning day per month for all students recently approved by the school board. As opposed to Tuesday Late Start Days, one Wednesday each month will be designated a Distance Learning day. No students report to school on these days.

DMMS 20/21 Student Handbook