D. W. Daniel Newsletter
September 2018
Message from the Principal
Welcome back students, families, and community! I feel honored to be serving your students as the new principal of D. W. Daniel High School.
Our teachers have been putting in many hours (through the summer and weekends) to prepare for an academically rigorous school year. We will work diligently to ensure that your students are receiving an education that will prepare them for secondary and post-secondary success.
We also recognize that the high school experience is more than academics. We encourage your students to become involved in extracurricular activities while they are at D. W. Daniel High. In a few weeks our student council will host Club Fest, a lunch where all of the clubs at school will provide information to perspective members. Students will get to learn about all of the different opportunities while enjoying a fun lunch and some ice cream. We hope that your students will find that special group that helps them feel even more connected to our school.
The students and community of D. W. Daniel are beyond compare. I have been amazed at the positivity, compassion, and respect I have been shown by our student body. I have felt overwhelmed by the support shown from the community. I am looking forward to a fantastic school year!
Thank you,
Shannon Sharkey
Principal, D.W. Daniel High School
Policies & Procedures
Food delivered to the school may only be eaten at lunch, not in the classroom. Students will not be called down during class time to pick up food.
If you bring your child to school, please assist us by moving all the way forward as you are coming into the car rider line. Follow the directions of the person on duty and pull all the way around to the car in front of you. If you are first in line, pull around until the straight-away near the covered walkway. Please do not stop short as this may cause an accident as the person behind you may be anticipating your continuing to the rear of the car in front of you.
Many of us are in a hurry to get elsewhere in the mornings, but the line does move faster when everyone follows these procedures. Also, please remember there is a 15-mph speed limit as you enter that area. Our goal, as always, is the safety of our students and those on our campus. Thank you in advance for your attention to these procedures!
Guidance News
Virtual SC
Registration begins for Virtual SC
August 15-29 for Grades 11-12
August 22-29 for Grades 7-10
Registration for SDPC VirtualSC
August 30-September 6
SAT
SAT sign ups-Next test date is October 6. Regular deadline to sign up is September 7, Late signup is September 18. Please go to www.sat.org to register for the test. Use school code410345 to have your scores sent to us.
Attendance News
Please note that SDPC attendance policies are changing to align with policies put forward by the Office of Civil Rights and the South Carolina Department of Education. This includes a change in the definition of a school absence. Previously, a student was counted absent if she missed an entire day of school. Now, any student who misses 50% of her instructional day, for any reason, is considered absent for that day.
Also, be sure to review our policies relating to valid excuse notes, attendance notifications, and proper office sign-out procedure (see infographics below!)
If you have questions regarding these changes, please do not hesitate to contact Daniel's Attendance Clerk, Kristy Tapper, at 864-297-3927 or kristytapper@pickens.k12.sc.us.
Let's work together to keep our students engaged and successful!
New Athletic Website!
Daniel Foundation
Welcome to the D.W. Daniel Foundation!
Making a Difference in 2018-19 for D.W. Daniel High School!
The D.W. Daniel Foundation is a non-profit organization similar to a PTO consisting of parents, faculty, and community members that work together to serve Daniel High School. Our efforts focus on meeting the needs of our students, faculty, administration, facilities, landscaping, and more. Every Daniel High School student benefits from Foundation efforts, as we focus our expenditures to benefit the overall student body and improve learning experiences. Our organization’s mission is to support our school’s commitment to academic excellence and student success.
Look at some of the things we were able to do last school year!
· Funded faculty requests/grants for Biology (lab supplies), AP Biology (genetics supplies and a bacterial transport kit), Chemistry (calculators), the science department (electronic balances, travel for Environmental Science class), Anatomy (fetal pigs, sheep organs), AP Calculus & AP Statistics (wireless network for calculators), Foods (small propane grill), transportation for student volunteers to Clemson Community Care, and support for the chess club, math team, and our newest club, the Model UN
· Provided monthly faculty meals and Teacher Appreciation Week in May
· Maintained the DHS Faculty & Student Memorial Garden
· Sponsored “One Daniel Sports Week”, allowing all students with a D.W. Daniel student ID to attend all home sporting events for free
· Operated our DandeLION Closet that provides every day items to students in need, including specialized clothing for semi-formal, prom, job interviews, and graduation
In 2018-2019 we are working on:
• Funding more grant requests from the faculty
• Encouraging more memberships from families, faculty, and corporations
• Locating and securing additional grants
• Fundraisers, like our customized Daniel fleece blankets (order forms on myschoolbucks.com and the DHS website)
• Continuing our “Lion’s Mane” piece sales (see it in the front lobby)
• Supporting student activities that encourage leadership and involvement
How can YOU make a difference? JOIN, DONATE, and/or VOLUNTEER!
v Visit the DHS website and find us under Clubs & Organizations to join or donate
v Follow us on our Facebook page: DW Daniel Foundation
v Follow us on Instagram: @dwdanielfoundation
v Follow us on Twitter: @ DWDFoundation
v Buy a piece of the Lion’s Mane
v Provide food for our faculty meals
v Donate needed items and supplies to our DandeLion Closet
v Serve on a committee (Membership, Fundraising, Faculty Appreciation, Communication, etc.)
v Contact our President, Tina Maloney (tmmaloney@gmail.com) or Membership Chairs, Missy Huss (hussmom4@gmail.com) and Sonya Story (storytime@bellsouth.net) for more information!
Thank you for supporting Daniel High School! Go Lions!
Student Council
The Club Fest/Welcome Back Festival will be held on Friday, September 14. We encourage students to bring lawn chairs and blankets to picnic outside. Campus organizations will have booths set up to give out information about membership. Pizza slices and cokes will be sold for $1 each. We'll also have an ice cream truck on campus that day. Prices for those items will run between $1-$4.
Looking Ahead: We are making some changes for Spirit Week 2018. We're planning restaurant nights and a pig pickin' to help raise money for the Dream Center in Easley. Please plan to attend the restaurant fundraisers that week or to donate your change at the football game!
Important Dates
Spirit Week: October 8-12
Wake Up with WSPA: October 12
Homecoming Assembly: October 12
Semi-Formal: December 8
Miss Summit: January 26
If you have any questions, please contact Dana Howard (danahoward@pickens.k12.sc.us).
Born Learning Trail
Chick-fil-A Leadership Academy
Little Free Library
Yearbook News
Senior Parents:
It is time to order your child’s yearbook senior ad! Information should be coming home with your child or to your email inbox. Seniors ads MUST be ordered by November 30th. For more information or to purchase ads online, visit www.jostens.com/yearbookads . There are new ad options online this year!
Everyone:
Don’t forget to purchase the 2019 yearbook! Yearbooks can be purchased for $75 in the front office by cash or check or on myschoolbucks.com.
Please contact Ms. Elrod if you have any questions. amyelrod@pickens.k12.sc.us
Prom Date Set!
After-school Tutoring
Tutoring will begin on Sept. 6. It will be in Mrs. Qualkinbush's room (223) and Mrs. Norris's room (225). There will be a Tuesday session from 3:15-4:15 and a Thursday session from 3:15-4:45. There will be two math teachers and one English teacher at the sessions.
Social Studies Extracurricular Opportunities
The Social Studies Department has two new opportunities! Youth-in-Government gives students practical experience in just how government works. Students will submit bills and then travel to Columbia the week prior to Thanksgiving to participate in the legislative process at the Capital Building. Students interested should see Bill Wilson in Room 258 for more information.
Mock Trial gives students a chance to learn about what goes on in a court of law. Students will learn about the law, public speaking and problem solving as they prepare to prosecute or defend a court case in a real court of law before a real judge. Students interested should see Rhyne Welsh in Room 255 or Daniel Taylor in Room 254.
FCA
Travel Abroad
The “Roaming Pride” travel group is holding an informational meeting for our Italy trip in Spring 2020. The meeting is September 18, 2018, 6 pm in Daniel’s Library Media Center. Note: This trip is not officially sponsored by Daniel High School, but anyone in the community who is interested is invited!
D. W. Daniel High School
140 Blue and Gold Boulevard, Central, SC 29630
Phone: (864) 397-2900 Fax: (864) 654-9608