The Merrill Minute
March 11, 2019
8th Grade Promotion
Greetings, Mustang Families,
I can hardly believe it is time for us to begin planning for 8th Grade Promotion and the highly anticipated, never underrated, 8th Grade Dance! The past three years have flown by and we have thoroughly enjoyed serving this amazing group of 8th grade students.
We are pleased to announce that promotion has been moved to the Roosevelt auditorium this year as we just don’t have the capacity for seating or parking at Merrill. This venue will be the perfect setting to transition our 8th graders into their next adventure.
8th grade promotion will be held on Wednesday, May 29th beginning at 6:00 PM. Below is a timeline of events for that day.
8th Grade Promotion/Dance Timeline
Date: Wednesday, May 29 @ Roosevelt High School (Plenty of parking, Plenty of Seats)
4:00 Students arrive at Roosevelt
4:10 Students Begin Rehearsal in Roosevelt Auditorium
5:00 Pizza and Slideshow for Students in Cafe at Roosevelt
6:00 Promotion
6:45 Reception in Roosevelt Café
7:30 Buses w/ ALL Students Depart for Merrill
7:45 Dance Begins
9:45 Dance Ends
We are still looking for volunteers to serve on the 8th Grade Promotion/Dance Committee. Please let me know if you would be interested in helping us out. Thank you!
We look forward to seeing you all on May 29!
Kate
Kathryn Panek
Principal
Merrill Middle School
Parents Night Out - Friday, March 29
The Merrill PTA invites you to join us for an adults-only evening of fun and community...all to help support our school on Friday, March 29 from 6:30-8:30 at the Waveland Golf Clubhouse. Parents Night Out is a great chance to mingle with other Merrill parents and staff in a fun environment (other adult family and neighbors are welcome with tickets).
There will be special Parents Night Out packages to bid on, as well as raffle prizes. If you have something you would like to donate to the auction, please contact rose.green@cbdsm.com.
Tickets may be purchased in advance for $28 through Eventbrite. Pizza, breadsticks, and salad are included with admission.
Click here to purchase your tickets today and THANK YOU for supporting our Merrill community!
International Baccalaureate Reauthorization
We are well underway with the process of reauthorization as an IB World School. Our first step began in February with all teachers submitting an IB unit of study to the International Baccalaureate Building Quality Curriculum team for review and feedback. We anticipate receiving feedback by mid-April and look forward to collaborative reflection that will help us to develop next steps in creating an even more authentic and meaningful IB experience for all students.
In the coming months, our IB Coordinator (in partnership with our IB Advisory team, Administrative team, and teachers) will be gathering evidence that demonstrates holistic implementation of the IB Framework and Philosophy across our campus. All of this preparation culminates with us hosting an IB site visit / evaluation team for two days in February of 2020. This is an exciting time as this process allows us to showcase and highlight the efforts of students, staff, and community in living the IB Mission - developing inquiring, knowledgeable, and caring young people who help to create a better and more peaceful world.
ISU Science Bound
Track & Field
City Science Fair
Join us for OneRun in Support of Merrill!
Lace up your shoes, put on your navy and white, and hit the streets of Des Moines in support of Merrill Middle School! OneRun is the first district-wide fundraising event for the Des Moines Public Schools Foundation, in support of K-8 schools at DMPS...and it is free! This two-mile fun run/fundraiser is set for Saturday, April 27 and will begin and end near the Des Moines Botanical Center.
Registration will be paid by corporate sponsors directly to the schools. Each participant may designate one school. The more participants, the more money to our school, so invite your family and neighbors to register! Please be sure to designate Merrill Middle School as your home school when registering! Click here to learn more about the event and to register online.
Excite!
A group of sixth grade boys are spending time each month exploring leadership in science and future scientific careers. The program focuses on underrepresented groups in science both in the field and in our classrooms. Local experts Dr. Lin (orthopedic surgeon), Laura Higgins and Fikru Haile (entomologists), and Brian Gentry (attorney) have shared with students their experiences in their field of study and leadership traits that transcend across all age groups and work environments. Thank you to those volunteers for supporting our students as they become the future leaders of our community!
Dr. Lin - Orthopedic Surgeon
Construction
City Champs!
Contact Information
Email: merrill@dmschools.org
Website: https://merrill.dmschools.org/
Location: 5301 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: (515) 242-8448
Twitter: @MerrillMustangs