DRAGON DIGEST
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 6 / JANUARY 2020
JANUARY CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Saturday, January 11 - VEX Robotics Competition at Alliance Academy 8AM
Saturday, January 11 - FCS County Spelling Bee at Denmark HS 9AM
Monday, January 13 - Local School Council Meeting at DeSana (front conf. room) 7:30AM
Tuesday, January 14 - Hispanic Parent Partnership Council Meeting 6PM
Wednesday, January 15 - Blue Block Day
Wednesday, January 15 - Lady Dragon Basketball 7th/8th Gr. Girls Away at South MS 5PM
Wednesday, January 15 - Dragon Basketball 7th/8th Gr. Boys Home vs. South MS 5PM
Thursday, January 16 - Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
Monday, January 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day -Holiday - No School
Tuesday, January 21 - Golf Team Information Meeting for Students in the Cafe 9AM
Tuesday, January 21 - FCS 7th Grade Basketball Tournament (through January 25)
Tuesday, January 21 - Board Meeting 6PM
Wednesday, January 22 - Ms. Carroll's class collects paper towels for the Humane Society (through January 29)
Wednesday, January 22 - Blue Block Day w/SEAD Time
Wednesday, January 22 - Kindness Matters Awards Celebration in the Gym 11:30AM
Wednesday, January 22 - Hispanic Parent Learning Academy in the Cafe 6PM
Thursday, January 23 - Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
Friday, January 24 - Chick-Fil-A biscuit sales in morning carpool - sponsored by Track & Field Program
Friday, January 24 - PRIDE Award Celebration for 2nd Quarter in the Cafe 9:30AM
Friday, January 24 - Dragon Academy in the Cafe 4:15AM
Saturday, January 25 - FCS Technology Fair at Whitlow ES
Saturday, January 25 - Science Olympiad at Taylor Rd. MS
Saturday, January 25 - Once Upon a Mattress practice in DeSana Chorus Room 9:30AM
Monday, January 27 - Ms. Whitaker's class collects toys and books for foster care families (through February 1)
Monday, January 27 - Grade level eNewsletters go online this week
Monday, January 27 - FCS 8th Grade Basketball Tournament (through February 1)
Tuesday, January 28 - DeSana Geography Bee in the Media Center 9:15AM
Tuesday, January 28 - DeSana Golf Team Parent/Student Information Meeting in the Media Center 6:30PM
Wednesday, January 29 - Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
Wednesday, January 29 - 8th Grade Academic Achievement Celebration in the Gym 8AM
Thursday, January 30 - 7th Grade Academic Achievement Celebration in the Gym 8AM
Thursday, January 30 - Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
Thursday, January 30 - Denmark Community of Schools Parent Information Session 6PM
Friday, January 31 - 6th Grade Academic Achievement Celebration in the Gym 8AM
Friday, January 31 - Dragon Digest Goes Online
Saturday, February 1 - VEX Robotics Competition at Alliance Academy 8AM
PRINCIPAL'S LETTER
Dear DeSana Parents,
Happy New Year to you all!! I hope your Holiday Break was just what you needed to kick-back some, relax, and find some time to do a few things as a family you never seem to get the opportunity to do!
As with most new years, now seems to be the time that most people set resolutions to get the new calendar year (or a new decade!) off to a good start. I’ve never been an avid proponent of making resolutions for the new year mainly because I never did seem to keep them when I was younger. I just followed the crowd and came up with one or two because everyone else did and would ask me what I was going to resolve to do for the new year. In a matter of a few weeks . . . or more like a few days later . . . I had already stopped doing what I said I would do. Don’t get me wrong, working to improve in an area of my life that needs improving . . . and there are many . . . is something I’ve always given much thought to. But resolving to make an improvement at the start of the new year just because that is a timeless tradition has never really resonated with me.
You see, I’m more of a goal person. I think more in the way of setting a goal for myself when it becomes quite clear to me that that goal is in the best interest of making my life more meaningful, more productive, or better. The problem seems to be the part about it becoming quite clear to me. I seem to be a little slooooow in that area. But once it does become crystal clear to me, and my mind is made up . . . it’s full steam ahead! So early this December, it became quite clear to me . . . as in crystal clear . . . that I needed to get in better shape (remember, I told you I was slow on the part about things becoming quite clear to me!). So I found a personal trainer who is great and will hold me accountable to working out several days each week, bought some comfortable sweats that I could work out in, and moved forward with deliberate intent about getting serious about getting in better shape. I did not stop over the winter break; I kept at it. It’s been four weeks of working out with my trainer and I have already broken my record for keeping any New Year’s resolution . . . ev-er! The soreness is still there the next day after I work out (you may notice a funny new stride I have on occasion), but it seems to wane quicker than it did four weeks ago. I can’t say I feel more in shape just yet, but my trainer says I’m doing better and that it’s all about baby steps. I believe in my trainer . . . I like what she says.
Sooooooo, why am I telling you all of this, and what on earth does this have to do with school and life at DeSana, you may be asking? Well, there are two reasons I’m sharing this information with you.
Reason #1: I’m not the best at holding myself accountable at times . . . especially when it comes to doing exercise . . . so please feel free to ask me when you see me, how the workouts are going. Ask me if I’m still sticking with it. And an encouraging word is always nice! Since I’ve now declared my goal to the entire Dragon Nation I figure I’m going to have to follow through on it. Yes, I’m counting on you to help hold me accountable.
Reason #2: As a parent of one of our young Dragons, is there a goal (not a New Year’s resolution!) you could encourage your young teen to set to help make his/her life life more productive, more meaningful or simply better? Maybe you can have a discussion with your child about a goal you want to make to improve yourself and then talk about what is a goal he/she thinks would work for him/her. Remind them (and you!) that it is all about baby steps. Then help your child plot out what those first baby steps might be and ask him/her to help you plot out your baby steps, as well. Set aside some time to meet weekly or every other week to continue to plot out those baby steps. Celebrate your successes and your milestones along the way (My trainer has me celebrating something every time she works with me! I’m sure it’s a stretch on some days.). Maybe even make this a family thing. The more people who can help keep you/your young Dragon accountable, the easier the path is along the way!
By working with your young Dragon on this one goal, you are modeling the way for him/her. For as he/she grows and matures, bigger and more important goals will need to be set or made in school, in business, in a marriage, or in life. If we don’t model this for our middle school kids now, when and how will they ever learn how to set a goal and take reasonable baby steps to reach that goal? How will they learn to hold themselves accountable for setting and reaching goals?
So don’t wait . . . have that conversation with yourself and your young Dragon (and hopefully, your whole family!) this week! Set a goal . . . make a plan . . . and then move full steam ahead!
Here’s to setting and reaching new goals in this new decade!!
With warmest regards,
Terri A. North
Principal
DESANA DAY OF GOOD DEEDS
FOOD DRIVE IS CHANGING!
The annual D3 Day food drive has had a huge overhaul! We will still be collecting mac and cheese, cereal, and peanut butter and jelly. The entire food drive will run from January 27-February 28th (one month!). The competition will be between entire grades. The winning grade will be awarded with a lunch in the gym and an ice cream treat and the grade level teachers will get a catered lunch from Giorgio's! Our goal is for each child to bring in one of each item (mac and cheese, cereal, peanut butter or jelly). If we meet our goal, we will collect over 1,000 of each item! All food goes to The Place, Bald Ridge Lodge, and various other local food pantries.
BINGO!!!!
Save the date for BINGO! D3 Day Bingo will be Friday, February 7th, 2020. We will have 2 sessions. ALL purchased bingo cards get you a chance to win an APPLE WATCH! It is a super fun night and all proceeds go to support the work of D3 Day.
PTO
Happy New Year, DeSana families! The PTO wishes you and your loved ones a very happy 2020. May this be a wonderful year for you. We’re excited about opportunities to learn, to build relationships, and to be charitable with time, energy, and money.
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED
There are several upcoming volunteer opportunities. Do you have a few hours to help?
January 28 – The Geography Bee is this morning in the media center. One student from each Social Studies class will come to compete. The PTO provides cookies and drinks. We need at least one person to set up around 8:30 and then one person to clean up around 11:30. The time commitment should be less than half an hour. Are you available?
Sign up to help with the Geography Bee here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044AAFAF29A2F94-geography
January 29, 30, 31 – The Academic Achievement Awards are scheduled for these three mornings. Each day we need at least three people to help set up donuts and coffee. Then, once the ceremony ends, we need at least three people to help clean up. Both jobs are easy, and many hands make light work. If you are available to help, please use the signup link below to let us know when you’re available.
Sign up to help with the Academic Achievement Awards here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044AAFAF29A2F94-academic1
February 11 – The DeSana school level Oratorical Contest is scheduled for February 11 in the media center. The PTO provides cookies and drinks. We need at least one person to set up around 8:30 and then one person to clean up around 11:30. The time commitment should be less than half an hour. Are you available?
Sign up to help with the Oratorical Contest here:
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044AAFAF29A2F94-oratorical
2020-2021 PTO BOARD NOMINATIONS
The PTO is accepting nominations for PTO Officers for the 2020-2021 school year. We are looking for a President, three Vice Presidents, and one Secretary. Please use the form below to submit nominations. You may nominate yourself or another person. If nominating someone else, please talk with that person before submitting their information. As far as the time commitment, there is one 60-90 minute PTO Board meeting every month. Board members usually share other tasks as interests and schedules permit. Please submit nominations by March 18, 2020. If you have any questions about the roles and responsibilities, please email desanadragonspto@gmail.com. Thank you for serving!
PTO DISCOUNT CARD FUNDRAISER
The PTO is so excited to kick off the annual fundraiser! This year we are proud to offer a Discount Card for sale for $10 – the discounts on the card will more than pay for it! There are amazing offers to local businesses like: $10 off a purchase of $50 or more at Dick’s Sporting Goods, discounts at Coffee Nut, Black Diamond Grill, Pizza Hut, Jiffy Lube, Panda Express, Dairy Queen, IHOP, Chilis, Subway, Whichwich, Brusters, Papa Johns, Salsarita’s, Krystal, Escape Games, and Gyro Café!
Each student will receive an order form soon. The top seller from each grade will get $100 cash! The second place seller from every grade gets $50 cash! And, every student who sells at least 5 Discount Cards will receive a special treat. Purchased cards will be delivered to students in Dragon Time. To purchase your Discount card, visit this site: https://form.jotform.com/200047481170142
All the proceeds will go toward funding teacher grants and supporting school programs. All the proceeds go back to DeSana. Please support our school and save a little in the process!
Our goal for the fundraiser is $10,000. If you or your business would like to contribute toward that goal, please visit our donor page here: https://bit.ly/2RtAhlM.
ACADEMICS
DENMARK COMMUNITY PARENT NIGHT
Please save the date for our next Denmark Community Parent Night! We’d love to see you there as we partner together to support our students through their academic careers. Childcare will be provided.
FIRST SEMESTER REPORT CARDS WENT HOME WITH STUDENTS LAST FRIDAY!
All students received a printed Report Card for the first semester Friday, January 10th. This Report Card shows your student’s final semester average for his/her yearlong courses, that includes the core subjects of Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Spanish (8th graders only). Grades for each quarter’s Connection classes and students’ Literacy classes are also included on this semester Report Card.
Parents, we hope you have seen your child’s Report Card that was given to your young Dragon on January 10th! We hope you and your young teen will sit down together and take a look at his/her grades and discuss whether or not he/she is working up to his/her full potential thus far, this year. As always, we appreciate your support in helping make their education a priority in our young Dragons’ lives!
HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION INFORMATION
DENMARK HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION INFORMATION
On January 21st and 22nd, Denmark will host Rising 9th Grader Student/Parent Information Sessions.
There are two important dates approaching. Saturday, February 8th, is The Great Dane Experience at Denmark from 9:00 – 11:00 AM and Friday, February 21st, 8th Grade Student Visitation Day at Denmark for 9:30-12:00 PM.
9th Grade Great Dane Experience will be an opportunity for you to explore Denmark, pick up a registration packet (if you do not already have one), meet coaches, club sponsors, counselors and school staff to learn more about all the opportunities that Denmark has to offer.
8th Grade Student Visitation Day will be a field trip where we transport students by bus to Denmark and they will have another opportunity to tour the facility and experience a day in the life of a Denmark student.
In early February, DeSana teachers will do recommendations for the three core required classes of English, Math, and Science. On March 4th at 8:00 AM, the parent/student portal on infinite campus will open and it closes on March 11th at 4:00 PM. During this time, you will need to follow the instructions found in the Denmark Course Registration Packet and sign up for a total of 7 courses and a minimum of 3 alternates. Also at this time, you will see what recommendations for core classes our DeSana teachers made regarding your child. If you are not in agreement with this recommendation, you may follow Denmark’s wavier process found in the Denmark Course Registration Packet. The on-line wavier opens Monday, March 16th at 8:00 AM and closes on Monday, March 23rd at 4:00 PM.
Click here for an Information Flyer about transition activities for Denmark High School.
ALLIANCE ACADEMY of INNOVATION TRANSITION INFORMATION
The above information about course registration for Denmark holds true for the type of registration process for Alliance Academy of Innovation. Below are special dates they have shared:
Avenger Orientation Night – January 16th 6:30 – 8:00 PM
Avengers Assemble – February 11th 9:00 – 11:30 AM
Parent Portal opens/closes – March 4th through March 11th
Waiver process opens/closes – March 16th through March 23rd
Course verification – March 31st – April 2nd
COUNTY SPELLING BEE
On Saturday, January 11, 2020, Anika K. represented DeSana Middle School in the Forsyth County Spelling Bee Contest. Anika is our county’s 1st Runner-Up! Her next competition will be at the Regional Spelling Bee on Saturday, 2/22/2020. Please join us in congratulating Anika for her accomplishment in our school level and system level Spelling Bees!
CELEBRATING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT DESANA!
On Wednesday, January 29th, Thursday, January 30th, and Friday, January 31st, the DeSana faculty and administration will host our first semester Academic Achievement Celebrations. These celebrations will honor those students who excelled academically throughout this first semester of the 2019-2020 school year.
We will recognize our 6th, 7th and 8th grade Honor Roll students - - - those students who earned a grade of 90 or above for their semester grade in each and every class. This includes all 4 core classes --- Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- and Literacy classes and Spanish class (8th grade only), and all Connections classes taken during the first semester.
We will also recognize our Merit Roll students. For our 6th graders - - - it is those students who earned a grade of 80 or above for their semester grade in each and every class. This, too, includes all 4 core classes --- Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- and Literacy classes and all Connections classes taken during the first semester. For our 7th and 8th graders - - - it is those students who earned a grade of 85 of above for their semester grade in each and every class. This, too, includes all 4 core classes --- Math, Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- and Literacy classes and Spanish class (8th grade only), and all Connections classes taken during the first semester. Invitations for honored students and their parents to attend these wonderful ceremonies will be sent home with students on Tuesday, January 21st . The Academic Achievement Celebrations will take place by grade level, with each on separate days:
· 8th Grade – Wednesday, January 29th @ 8:00 AM in the DeSana Gym
· 7th Grade – Thursday, January 30th @ 8:00 AM in the DeSana Gym
· 6th Grade – Friday, January 31st @ 8:00 AM in the DeSana Gym
Parents, we will begin each Celebration promptly at 8:00 so you will want to make your morning plans accordingly as we will be honoring quite a few students at each. Parking will be available in the parking lots by the gym entrance to the school, with overflow parking in the front of the school.
Each celebration will be a special event as we take this opportunity to congratulate and honor our young Dragons who continually make school, their learning, and the mastering of academic standards a priority in their lives. We congratulate our Academic Achievement honorees! And we look forward to seeing our students and parents at these special award events!
INPUT WANTED! SOCIAL STUDIES INSTRUCTIONAL RESOURCES
Forsyth County Schools requests stakeholder feedback on instructional resources for the following social studies courses:
- 6th Grade Social Studies
- 7th Grade Social Studies
These resources are available for review at all Forsyth County Middle Schools, as well as the Board of Education/Professional Development Center, from January 7th to January 21st.
DESANA MATH CLUB
The DeSana Math Club recently participated in the American Mathematics Competition for middle school students, known as the AMC 8. Although the participants all did a great job, two students were recognized individually for their accomplishments. Anish B. received the Honor Roll Achievement for scoring in the top 5% nationally. This is an incredible achievement with close to 92,000 students participating in this event nationally. Aadhav T. was also recognized with a Certificate of Achievement for being a 6th grader who achieved a score of 15 (out of 25) or greater. Congratulations to Anish and Aadhav on these remarkable accomplishments!
PRIDE AWARD CELEBRATION For THE SECOND QUARTER
On Friday, January 24th at 9:30 AM our DeSana faculty, staff and administration will hold our PRIDE Award Celebration for the second quarter of this school year. Thirty-six sixth, seventh, and eighth grade students, who were selected by their teachers, will be honored at this formal occasion for exemplifying the following wonderful attributes and characteristics:
Practices Random Acts of Kindness
Ready and Willing to Work Hard
Integrity Coupled with Responsible Behavior
Demonstrates Outstanding and Honest Efforts
Exceeds Expectations
Parents and family members of the honored students are invited to attend this celebration, and join with DeSana teachers and administrators in recognizing our young Dragons as they each receive a beautiful PRIDE Award certificate, provided by our VERY generous and supportive DeSana Business Partner, Omega Learning, a Dragon PRIDE pin, and a personalized plaque, made expressly for our DeSana PRIDE Award recipients by our fabulous and very generous Business Partner, All-American Specialties. A huge shout out and thank you to Keith Williams of All-American Specialties for designing and donating the individualized plaques for each PRIDE Award honoree, and to Rosemary Albright of Omega Learning for providing the wonderful certificates for each PRIDE Award student!!
In addition, at each PRIDE Award Celebration, we invite a Forsyth County Schools or community business leader to come and share a few pearls of wisdom. We are very pleased to have Dr. Jeff Bearden, FCS Superintendent, join us on the 24th to share a few words with our PRIDE Award honorees and their parents.
We look forward to this wonderful celebration as we honor some extraordinary students for this second quarter of the school year and toast the pride of DeSana!
INCLEMENT WEATHER DAYS THIS WINTER = LEARNING at HOME with ITSLEARNING!
Winter is here, and with it there is always a good chance of winter snow and/or ice, and thus, possible school closings. As you know, Forsyth County Schools will once again this year recover instructional time lost to school closures by utilizing online learning via our school system’s online learning management system known as itslearning . . . just as we have for the past several years.
Our students should already be quite savvy in using itslearning as all of our DeSana teachers utilize it on a daily basis --- posting class lessons and activities for the day, daily classwork assignments, homework assignments, study guides for assessments, project instructions, and many other helpful resources for students to use in their studies. If, as a parent, you do not feel as familiar with itslearning as you would like, there are several ways you can gain understanding about this online learning resource. First, log onto the DeSana Webpage at http://www.forsyth.k12.ga.us/desana, and under the Quick Links Button on the right side of the screen you will see an icon with the words itslearning Resources. If, after viewing these resources, you are still not comfortable with itslearning, please contact our DeSana Middle School Instructional Technology Specialist, Lacy Gooch, at 770-667-2591 extension 491590 or by email at lgooch@forsyth.k12.ga.us. Ms. Gooch will be happy to help you!
There are some things that you will want to note about what you can expect from our teachers in regards to their lessons posted on itslearning if / when we have a school closure this winter:
- Teachers will post all assignments by 9:00 AM on itslearning.
- Assignment length for each class should range from 20-30 minutes.
- All teachers will post assignments, so that means our young Dragons can expect to have work to complete in the following classes each day we are out of school: Math, English/Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, Spanish for 8th grade students who take it, and both of their Connections classes. Teachers will not post work for literacy classes.
- All middle school teachers across the system will have digital office hours on the days that school is closed. Those times are 10:00 - 11:00 AM and 1:00 – 2:00 PM. These are the times you can expect our teachers and administrators to be online to answer any questions students may have about an assignment or to help in any other way.
- Each DeSana teacher will communicate to their students where they may find assignments for their class in itslearning on school closure days and the mode of communication to use to contact their teacher if they have any questions about an assignment.
- Please know that should a teacher lose power at his/her home and not be able to post an assignment, we have a back-up plan in place so that a DeSana colleague can post his/her assignment(s). Also, if a teacher is not able to keep his/her office hours because of an extenuating circumstance, know that we also have a plan in place to post that information on the teacher’s itslearning page so that students/parents will know that teacher will not be available that day.
- If school is closed for more than two (2) days, teachers will provide feedback to students for work submitted electronically.
- Student attendance is not connected to the completion of work.
- Please know that teachers and administrators also have several expectations for our young Dragons on these days when they are out for inclement weather as it is important that instruction carries on so that minimum time is lost in teaching the subject area standards.
- Students should begin working on their assignments/lessons on the day they missed when possible.
- Students should not hesitate to contact their teacher to ask questions about an assignment or ask for extra help with the work assigned. They should contact their teacher by the mode of communication their teacher asked them to use during their digital office hours.
- Student work is due within three school days upon returning to school.
- Students should complete their assignments in every class.
So here’s hoping for maybe a few wintery days at home to enjoy all the fun that comes with a good blanket of snow because we’ve got the teaching and learning time covered! Stay warm!
SAFETY IS . . . AND ALWAYS WILL BE . . . OUR #1 PRIORITY AT DESANA!
Please know that providing a safe and secure environment at DeSana for our students and staff is our #1 Priority each and every day! We know that if our students do not feel safe here, then the learning will not take place. We very much understand that you are sending us your most precious thing in the world daily, and you want them to be in a safe place. This is not something that I, nor the rest of my administrative team or staff, take lightly. That is why safety here at DeSana is and always will be our #1 Priority each and every day.
Forsyth County Schools and DeSana Middle School have many practices and procedures in place to help safeguard your young Dragon every minute of every day to, from and on campus. Detailed safety plans for all kinds of emergencies --- including lockdown situations --- have been carefully planned, written, shared with staff, put in place, and will be practiced frequently with our staff and students as we begin this school year. We will continue to practice these drills in an organized way, and as if they were the real thing, throughout the school year. In regards to practicing our lockdown drill, we have shown our teachers and staff a video about the correct procedures to follow in this scenario so that they can go over these procedures with students, as well. And in the near future, we will be showing all of our students this same video. We will also walk our students through a lockdown drill at least four times this year - - - one time each quarter - - - with the first one happening within the near future. You may access this video via the FCS website by clicking here. I encourage you to view the video together with your son or daughter and also discuss what they need to do in such a situation.
Our school system has an excellent partnership with the Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office. Our School Resource Officer (SRO), Deputy Dobleman, is one of 40+ deputies in the county’s schools, and is assigned to DeSana, checking on things, talking to students, and getting to know them.
DeSana has security cameras throughout the school and lockdown buttons that are connected directly to 911 dispatch. We also have a control access point for entering and exiting our school building. All visitors must come to this single front door and be buzzed in by one of our secretaries who has a wide view of the entire person and the surrounding area. Check-in procedures that are strictly adhered to are in place, and in order for a parent to check-out a child, he/she must enter our front office to do so and present a valid driver’s license. Visitor scanning technology is in place in our front office for any person visiting our school outside of the front office area. Outside doors are checked throughout the school day to make sure they are always locked and no one has left a door propped open.
Some of DeSana's daily standard operating procedures are to have our head custodian check the entire facility and campus early each morning to look for any unusual objects. Phones are in every classroom. Diligent supervision of our students by our entire staff, from the moment they step foot on campus until they leave, is a daily practice. Administrators are out and about the school daily, and are in constant communication with each other, our SRO, and the front office through radios, as well as with the school district's Safety Office via special radios. Our school phones come equipped with sophisticated technology that allows for tracing phone calls in the event of a bomb threat or other threatening phone calls.
All Forsyth County school buses are equipped with two-way radios so that they can be in constant communication with the transportation department and the school. They are also equipped with GPS so that bus locations may be tracked at all times. In addition, our FCS Code of Conduct Dress Code prohibits students from wearing over-sized, over-length or baggy clothing items so that weapons and other contraband are less likely to be hidden on students. The FCS Dress Code is enforced at DeSana.
Parents, one of the biggest things you can do to help us keep our young Dragons safe at DeSana is to have a frank talk with your child(ren) about the importance of them communicating with us here if they see, hear, read (anywhere . . . including on social media), or suspect something that concerns them about their safety at DeSana. They should immediately share their concerns with a teacher, counselor, administrator, or Deputy Dobleman. We take all reports of such concerns seriously and investigate them thoroughly, doing what we need to do in order to insure the safety of everyone at DeSana. There is also our school system’s Campus Crime Stoppers hotline at 770-205-4625, where students may make an anonymous report. Campus Crime Stoppers posters are displayed throughout our school and have the phone number to call or text.
Please also emphasize to your young Dragon that joking around about shooting people, blowing up things, harming others at school, the mall, the movie theater, or anywhere else may get them in serious trouble . . . more trouble than they could ever imagine. People are going to take such statements seriously.
We continue to talk with our students since the very first few days of school about safety being a top priority at DeSana, and letting them know that it is also their responsibility to help keep our school safe by reporting any safety concerns that they have. And we will continue the mantra of if you see/hear/read/suspect something, you need to say something. We will continue to need your help with this parents, as middle schoolers many times see only the social implications of reporting something about another student. Rest assured any information of this nature that is shared with an administrator, counselor or teacher is held in strictest confidence. Please let your child know that it is your expectation that he/she take personal responsibility in reporting anything he/she sees/hears/reads that could jeopardize the safety of any or all of our students and staff.
While I am not a parent myself, I think I do understand, and most definitely share your concern about the safety of your young Dragon here at DeSana. It is something that is always on my mind. I encourage you, parents, that any time you have concerns about the safety or well-being of your child, you will not hesitate to call or email me, or Mr. Starr or Ms. Epperson, our two Assistant Principals, or Mr. Coffield, our Assistant Administrator, to discuss these concerns. We want Desana to be a place where all students, staff and parents feel safe and comfortable. But we need everyone's help to keep it that way throughout this school year. Thanking you in advance for your help and support when it comes to the safety of our young Dragons!
GRADE LEVEL ENEWSLETTERS
We know that when it comes to sharing information with parents about what is happening in their classes at school, many middle schoolers are not the best conduit of information about what is happening in all of their different classes. Itslearning is a BIG help in reminding students about assignments and what they are studying in class, as well as providing a wealth of information for parents. But we want to make doubly sure that our parents are definitely in the know about their young Dragon’s academic endeavors, so that is why we will publish our digital, monthly, Grade Level eNewsletters at the beginning of each month. These eNewsletters are nothing fancy --- just the facts --- and are designed to give you a brief synopsis of what is happening in the four main content areas (five for 8th graders, which includes Spanish) . . . Math, ELA, Science and Social Studies . . . on a monthly basis. Each Grade level eNewsletter (eNews, for short) may contain information about standards/topics/concepts being studied throughout the month, formative and/or summative assessments coming up, project assignments, and/or reminders about other upcoming activities or events. So stay tuned to your email in-box at the first of each month . . . and be on the lookout for your eNewsletter!
ITSLEARNING
What is itsLearning?
ItsLearning is a learning management system (online platform) that allows teachers to have an online component alongside their traditional instruction. Not only can teachers post classroom content but they may also have students participate in online discussions, submit assignments, complete assessments, and create content. In addition to being a vital component for everyday teaching and learning, itsLearning will also be utilized during any days missed due to unscheduled school closures (ex. inclement weather). ItsLearning is also a communication tool for administrators, teachers, students, and parents. Additionally, teachers can utilize the recommendation engine to provide students with either remediation or enrichment on course standards.
What can I do as a parent?
In all courses, parents can monitor content assigned to their children through itsLearning. Parents can log-in with the same credentials they use to get in Parent Portal or by using their child’s log in information. Here at DeSana we recommend using your child’s log-in information. This will give you a little more access to things when you are trying to assist your child. Be sure to ask your child for their username and password. In both instances, parents can check the Lesson Planner section for the class lesson presented that day, see posted homework or posted ‘no homework’, see class resources used, class activities, and any information about upcoming tests, projects, and quizzes. Using the student log-in will allow parents to find bulletins or reminders in individual courses. Parents can also find links to valuable resources that students may need throughout the year. This can include on-line text books and more.
How do I get there?
There are 2 easy ways to get there: 1. Go to https://forsyth.itslearning.com. Use your child’s username and password to log-in. 2. Visit our DeSana Middle School web site and use the quick link at the top right to access itslearning. Again, use your child’s username and password. If your child does not know their information, they can ask one of their teachers or go see Mrs. Gooch, the DeSana Instructional Technology Specialist in her office located in the Media Center. This information cannot be emailed or given out over the phone. Having this information and checking it regularly are vital for helping your child succeed to the fullest at DeSana.
Still need help?
Visiting the DeSana Webpage will be your first step. On the right side under Quick Links is a link to valuable resources. These resources include print and video resources about using and navigating itsLearning for both parents and students. You can also access these resources through the link here. Please feel free to call or email Mrs. Gooch if you have any questions or need assistance. She is happy to either talk you through it or set-up a time to meet to better assist you. Mrs. Gooch’s contact information is 770-667-2591 ext. 491590 and lgooch@forsyth.k12.ga.us.
ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITY TO LEARN (AOL) TIME
Some students simply need the gift of time to master some of the concepts they learn in school. They can master them . . . they just need a little more time. And for some students, coming to school early for a morning help session with their teacher is just not possible. That is why we created AOL Time here at DeSana - - - An Additional Opportunity to Learn time. AOL is a 45 minute block of time that happens first thing in the morning on Thursdays, and on some Wednesdays (9:05 – 9:45). During this block of time, students have the opportunity to receive re-teaching from their teachers should they need it. If your child is struggling in a class, or if they have a big summative assessment coming up that their teacher is offering a review session for, or if they have received a low score on a summative assessment and need to relearn some concepts before they re-take the summative, please encourage them to take advantage of AOL time! Ask your young Dragon each Wednesday evening/Thursday morning where he/she is going for AOL time on Thursday. Then ask your young Dragon Thursday evening what teacher he/she went to that day for extra help. Truly, taking advantage of our AOL time can make a BIG difference in a child’s success in school. Thanking you in advance for your help in making sure our young Dragons take advantage of this learning opportunity during AOL time!
DRAGON ACADEMY FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR - - - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL LEARNING & ASSESSMENT TIME FOR STUDENTS!
Dragon Academy is an opportunity we offer students, a couple of Fridays each month from 4:15 – 6:30 for completing, taking or re-taking formative and/or summative assessments (i.e. unit tests, projects, essays, quizzes. etc.). Teachers and administrators supervise each session. It is a fantastic opportunity for students to drastically improve both their learning and their grades. Students will be invited by their teachers . . . or they may invite themselves . . . to attend Dragon Academy if they are missing work, or need to re-take an assessment to show better mastery of the standards, or complete a project. Although students will have about two hours to complete their work, once they complete all that they came to accomplish, students will be able to call their parent to come pick them up. Snacks and drinks are sold for a very reasonable cost so students may focus on their work, not on their grumbling stomachs! Any necessary school supplies will be provided for students to use to complete their work, as needed.
Please mark your calendars now for these Dragon Academy dates for the rest of the school year:
January 24
February 7
February 21
March 6
March 20
April 17
May 1
May 15
ATHLETICS
BASKETBALL
Basketball season is almost over. The Lady Dragons finish up the regular season on Wednesday, January 15 at South Forsyth Middle School. The 7th Grade Girls game will tip off at 5pm and the 8th Grade Girls game will tip off around 6:15pm. Come out and support the Lady Dragons!
TOURNAMENT TIME
Hello to all the Dragon fans out there! The basketball season is coming to an end and we are looking forward to the post season. The 7th grade boys and girls teams will be participating in the end of the season tournament the week of January 20th. We do not know who our opponents will be or the location of the games, but will get those out to the community as soon as possible. The 8th grade boys and girls teams’ tournament will be the week of January 27th with teams and locations to be determined. We would love for our Dragon community to come out and support the players as they compete to be able to play for the championship. Please be on the lookout for more information next week!
GO DRAGONS!!!!
GOLF INFORMATIONAL MEETINGS
Golf Information Meeting for interested students:
Tuesday, January 21st in the Media Center at 9:05am
Golf Information Meeting for Parents of interested students:
Tuesday, January 28th location TBD (please refer to website at closer date)
THE ARTS
DOODLE FOR GOOGLE
The annual Google doodle competition has begun! Want to win a $30,000 college scholarship, a $50,000 Google for education package for DeSana, and your artwork to be featured on the google homepage for a day? The theme this year is “I show kindness by…” See Mrs. Petit for an entry form and more information or checkout the Doodle for Google website by clicking here.
CULTURAL ARTS NIGHT
DeSana Middle School will host its 2nd annual Cultural Arts Night on February 20, 2020. On this night, we will celebrate our school's rich cultural makeup with food, performances, and art representing different cultures. Entry to the event is free, but there is a $5 cost to sample the food from the various cultures. If you would like to participate by hosting a booth, please contact Sarah Fogg (sfogg@forsyth.k12.ga.us) or Stacey Hannel (shannel@forsyth.k12.ga.us).
CULTURAL ARTS NIGHT ART EXHIBITION AND COMPETITION
Cultural Arts Night is fast approaching and we need artwork to display! This will be the first year that we will have a juried art exhibition and competition with prizes! The theme for the exhibition is “Sense of Self, Sense of Place, Sense of Community”. All mediums and sizes of artwork are welcome. Artwork MUST be turned in by Monday, February 3rd to be considered the exhibition and competition. See Mrs. Petit for an entry form and more information.
ALTRUISTIC ENDEAVORS
TOY AND BOOK COLLECTION
Mrs. Whitaker’s Dragon Time students noticed a need in our community. Thousands of children in foster care do not have toys or books. Because of this, we are asking our DeSana Community to help us give to the Foster Care Support Foundation who will then distribute these items in our local community. Students & teachers can help by donating gently used books or toys the week of January 27th - 31st. These items can be brought directly to Mrs. Whitaker’s room 2133 on the 7th grade hallway, or can be dropped off at the drop-off box in the commons area. We need your help supporting foster children in our area with your kind donations!
HUMANE SOCIETY COLLECTION
Mrs. Carroll’s Dragon Time has been helping the Humane Society of Forsyth County this year as their Impact project, a service project to help the community. Each month a specific item is collected that the Humane Society has specified a need for. January’s item is paper towels, and they are still collecting cat litter from December. The cat litter response was low due to the busyness of the holiday season. Please send your paper towels and/or cat litter to Mrs. Carroll’s classroom on the sixth grade hall if you care to participate and help our homeless pets in our county. Your help is greatly appreciated!
CELEBRATING KINDNESS & GOOD DEEDS At DESANA!
Last year we began a new student recognition program at DeSana, based on the premise that kindness does matter in our everyday lives. We are continuing this award this year as we recognize students for their kind and thoughtful deeds with our Kindness Matters! Award. This award will be given every two months --- September, November, January, March & May --- and will recognize and honor those students that any DeSana staff member observes either being kind to others on a regular basis or doing one great and wonderful act of kindness for another here at DeSana. Each nominated student will be invited to a pizza luncheon, where he/she will be awarded a certificate with his/her kind deed(s) on the certificate and shared with all honorees. Students will also receive a custom-made DeSana Kindness Matters pin.
Our next Kindness Matters! Award Celebration will take place on Wednesday, January 22nd at 11:15. It is truly our hope that continuing with this award and the other endeavors that we are embarking upon this school year at DeSana, that being kind will become the norm here . . . a way of daily living in our thoughts, words and actions that exemplifies all that is good and right about middle school kids in this world. And we do have wonderful, thoughtful and kind young men and women at DeSana!
ACTIVITIES
TECH FAIR REGISTRATION OPEN
Attention students! Do you love technology? Love making things with tech? Creating animations, apps, games, videos? The Forsyth County Tech Fair is coming up - - - it’ll be held January 25, 2020 and registration is now open! Click here for more details.
PARENT 411 - HELPFUL LINKS FOR YOU
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
STUDENT CHECK OUTS - SOMETHING TO CONSIDER . . .
With the possibility of inclement weather and flu season upon us, parents may want to be sure that emergency contacts are up to date in Parent Portal. Only those authorized in Parent Portal are allowed to pick up students. All must also present proper identification. You can see who is authorized to pick up your student and add relatives, friends and neighbors you choose by following these instructions. Don't have Parent Portal? Stop by the front office with identification to sign up!
MARTIN LUTHER KING, JR. HOLIDAY
Monday, January 20th is Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday. Students and teachers do not have school on this day, and our office will be closed. Enjoy your long holiday weekend, and consider honoring Dr. King’s legacy by helping out in our community, and doing some kind deeds for others on this day. We look forward to seeing all of our young Dragons back with us on Tuesday, January 21st.
YEARBOOKS
Students: The 2019-2020 DeSana Yearbook sales are almost over! January 31st is the LAST opportunity to order a book. Please visit balfour.com or see Mrs. West on the 7th grade hall. Books are $50. Don’t miss out as we may or may not have extras to sell at the end of the school year.