DMS March Family Update
Character Trait: Love of Learning 😍🌍📖🎶🎨
WHAT DOES LOVE OF LEARNING MEAN?
You master new topics on your own or in school. Those with a love of learning are intrinsically motivated and engaged in a topic regardless of achieving an external standard. They enjoy learning simply for the sake of llearning. They don’t need a prize or a high grade as a reward. Their reward is the process of doing the work and improving.
People who love learning experience positive feelings in the process of acquiring skills, building on existing knowledge, or learning something completely new. Over time, individuals with this strength may develop deep and wide knowledge. Their knowledge enables them to make significant contributions to others’ understanding.
WHY DOES IT MATTER?
Developing a love of learning is highly beneficial for an individual. It means that they are intrinsically motivated to deepen their existing skills and abilities, or learn something completely new. Since intrinsically motivated action is correlated with positive emotions, those who act on their love of learning may also have enhanced mental and physical health. Additionally, individuals who love learning have the desire and ability to overcome challenges, due to a sense of autonomy and control over their environment.
On a group level, love of learning is crucial. The best leaders have an insatiable desire to learn. It’s love of learning that compelled Benjamin Franklin to fly a kite and make significant advances in electricity. It’s love of learning that led Nelson Mandela to study Afrikaans (the language
of his oppressors) and read a smuggled copy of Shakespeare, while locked in Robben Prison. And it’s only by learning and experimenting that we continue to grow.
Individuals with this strength might be described as:
• Studious
• Knowledgeable
• Immersed
Individuals with this strength are likely to think, feel, or behave in the following ways:
• I love learning new things and broadening my knowledge.
• I love diving deeply into the subjects in which I’m interested.
• I know a lot about my subject area.
• Working on my area(s) of expertise never feels like “work” to me.
• I spend as much time in my area(s) of expertise as possible.
• I care more about doing a good job than gaining recognition.
Euphenie Andre- Former Student visits DMS/DHS
One of Dover's finest, Euphenie Andre (class of 2019) came to visit Dover on March 1st. In case you don't know some of the accomplishments Euphenie has since graduating from Dover listed below are just a few:
- Senior Year of HS Division II State Champ for Triple Jump
- Outstanding Female Athlete of the Year (2019), Triple Jump 2019 league and section championship, and became the first Dover High School Track and Field Champion.
- attended University of Missouri
- set a personal record in the Triple Jump at the SEC Indoor Championship and the fourth-best mark in program history
- received the 2021 First-Team All-American for Indoor Track & Field
- graduate of the University of Missouri where she majored in journalism.
- joined ABC 17 News team in August of 2023
👏Student Shoutouts/ 🧑🏫What's Happening in the Classroom?
6th Grade
ELA AIS
Reading AIS shout out with our Readers Theater performance on "The Curse of King Tut." In their thrilling portrayal, the students brought to life the mysterious events surrounding Howard Carter's discovery of King Tut's tomb. Zachary Bartek, Fernanda and Heidy Duarte Martinez showcased impressive reading fluency, capturing the audience's attention.
7th Grade
Science
The 7th graders are investigating the case of a real 13-year-old girl named M'Kenna. M'Kenna had digestive symptoms that eventually caused symptoms in other parts of her body. We began investigating how a healthy digestive system works so we could better understand what's happening to M'Kenna. Students are learning about the structures and functions of the digestive system, as well as tracking chemical reactions that occur as food molecules pass through the system. To become better science learners overall, we have been working on making models to develop and share our understandings, interpreting data presented in tables and graphs, and identifying prefixes that can help us understand the meanings of unknown words. Ask a 7th grader how we know how food is broken down in the stomach... it's quite the story!
Student shoutouts for science:
Maria Rusciano - For being such a dedicated scholar.
Cielo Torres - For being a real helper to her peers.
Colin Doherty - He's consistently engaged and ready to learn starting promptly at 7:25 am.
Alyssa Stallone - Has shown a true dedication to improving her writing by voluntarily coming to multiple support sessions at lunch.
Reading AIS
Kayla C. demonstrated awesome reading fluency, navigating complex sentences in Reading AIS. Our exploration of this year’s theme, "African Americans and the Arts," involved engaging with art and text readings from New York African American artists.
8th Grade
Luna M. - for her consistency and dedication to her school work.
Tyler W. - goes aove and beyond to ensure he is completing all assignments on time.
Nina Z. is constantly improving her work and study habits.
Landyn S. displays an interest in learning in all classes
Dafne Lopez Ruiz- for her dedication to her studies and attendance.
Media 8 and Dover Daily
The Media 8 class is doing a great job producing the Middle School Dover Daily, showcasing their editing skills and creativity. Each edition features unique content that caters to a wide range of interests. From the intellectual "Thinking Thursday" that challenges minds, to the laughter-inducing "Funny Friday," there's something for everyone. "Mixtape Monday" offers a glimpse at what students and staff are listening to, to start the week right, while "Futball Friday" caters to sports enthusiasts with the latest in soccer news. Not forgetting the heartwarming "Dog of the Week," which spotlights adorable canines found at the Happy Life Animal Rescue. Our YouTube channel provides these young creators with a real-world platform to refine their media production skills. Be sure to check out our YouTube channel to witness the incredible talent and hard work of the Media 8 class in action!
Project Lead the Way (PLTW)
In the PLTW 8 class, students embarked on an exciting challenge to design air skimmers capable of traveling the greatest distance. Tasked by Mr. T, they delved into learning the importance of precise measurements, mass addition, and its strategic placement, as well as the role of increasing thrust to enhance performance. The stakes were high with the promise of a fun Friday if anyone could achieve a skimmer flight of at least 65 feet. Rising to the occasion, Lucas Casey astounded everyone by setting a new record with his skimmer soaring an impressive 72 feet! This achievement not only highlighted Lucas's exceptional skills but also showcased the dedication and hard work of all students in PLTW 8.
Elective Classes
Art
The 6th grade Art and Global arts classes celebrated Black History Month by learning about how art forms from West Africa have influenced our culture here in the United States. Both classes learned about Ghanian Kente cloth and created paper collages inspired by them. The Global Arts classes learned how to make coil baskets from West Africa and how they influenced sweetgrass baskets that are made in the low country in southern United States.
Band
The band officers were integral in getting ready for Cabaret and all our performances: Charlotte Adams, Thomas Sanchirico, Olivia Orlando, Rose Jardines Ballinas, Brianna Felix.
The section leaders have a big hand in getting the band ready for the parade: Jakelin Duarte Martinez, Anthony Della Rossa, Gemma Kohler, Charlotte Adams, Thomas Sanchirico, Brian Garcia Morales, Brayden Moore, Grace Ricci, Mason Robbins.
Physical Education
Our middle school students did an outstanding job raising money for Finn's Challenge. We had 47 students earn 10 hours of community service. That's 470 hours of community service earned for the month of February!!!
Badminton Winners in Coach O's Classes!!!
Daniella Drake and Riley Jones
Noe Gonzalez and Jason Miguel-Aldana
Brayden Moore and John Grabala
On March 1st- DMS held their first badminton tournament as part of Finn's Challenge. Our students worked up a sweat, kept score, and earned some community service hours.
🥇Winners: Luca Setaro and Brainerd Esquivel
📣 Upcoming Events
Progress Reports
Progress Reports will be mailed home by the end of the week. These are a 5 week/midway feedback on how your student is currently doing for Marking Period 3.
Please be sure to check Parent Portal for missing assignments.
Paws for a Cause 🐕🐾
Our AVID 8 students have organized a community service project to help a local animal rescue.
They are looking for students to donate the following items:
- Newspaper
- Paper Towels
- Baby Wipes 👶
- Blankets/Towels
- Cleaning Supplies 🧽
- Treats
- Trash Bags 🗑️
The student with the most newspaper 📰 donated will spend the day with AVID 8 at the Animal Rescue.
The grade level with the most items donated will earn a movie 🎬 and popcorn 🍿
📣 THIS IS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR YOUR STUDENT TO EARN COMMUNITY SERVICE HOURS
3 items = 1 hour community service
max of 10 hours can be earned by donating items
All donation items should be dropped off to Ms. Kuester to earn community service and credit.
📆 DONATIONS ARE BEING ACCEPTED UNTIL MARCH 22nd
AVID - Advancement Via Individual Determination
We are excited to announce that we will be adding an AVID 7 elective class next year for the middle school.
The AVID Program is:
- designed to support students in their academic journey
- centered around WICOR through the content areas (Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration, Organization, & Reading)
- collaborative group work, tutorials, note-taking, and the development of study skills.
- focused on building skills and developing behaviors that lead to success
- aimed to develop well-rounded individuals ready for success in higher education and beyond
- an overview of various post-secondary options, including four-year schools, community colleges, and vocational training
The AVID program is NOT a:
- remedial class
- class to get work done
AVID students
- meet grade level expectations on the MAPS test
- might not be working up to their potential because they lack the support system they need
- are performing well but may benefit from structured support in preparing for higher education
- have a strong interest in academic improvement
- are willing to commit and put in the work
- are often students who are the first in their family to attend college
- may not have ideal study conditions at home
AVID students are not:
- a behavior issue
- disinterested, indifferent, or unengaged in the learning process
- absent a lot
- resistant to stepping outside their comfort zone
- at risk of failing any class
AVID Selection Process:
Presentation to 6th and 7th graders during Town Hall (beginning of March)
Students will have the opportunity to get a paper application from the office (beginning of March)
Students will complete the application and ask for teacher recommendations (end of March)
Interviews with Ms. Kuester and Mrs. Schmitt (beginning of April)
Invitations and meeting parents at night (mid-April)
State Testing Coming Up.....
ELA: April 10th and 11th
Math: May 8th and 9th
More info to come.....
8th Graders ONLY
Permission Form packets will be handed out in Period 1.
📆 All forms due to Period 1 teachers by March 13th
💡Reminders
Classroom Expectations
Students are expected to have materials needed for class. The following items are neccessary to engage in academics:
✍️Pen/pencil
📓Notebook/Paper
📒Folder/Binder
📚any required materials by teacher (ex: Novel for class reading)
If you are not able to provide these for your student please contact the middle school main office to see how we can support.
Community Service
Community Service is a requirement for graduation. Students must complete 90 hours of community service by the end of their senior year of high school.
Dover Middle School issued a requirement for students to be able to walk in their 8th grade moving up ceremony.
The class of 2024 has a requirement of 15 hours of community service by the end of 8th grade
The class of 2025 has a requirement of 30 hours of community service by the end of 8th grade
Please use Volunteer Access to see any community service opportunities available. Also feel free to reach out to our Dover Middle School Community Service Coordinator if you have any questions.
DMS Community Service Coordinator
Ms. Janine Loos
Counselor Corner
Upcoming Dates/Events
☘️🍀March 2024: Women’s History Month
🔦Character spotlight: Love of Learning
Pi Day: 03/14
Superintendent's Conference Day: 03/15
Spring Recess 3/25-4/1
Teacher Office Hours
Please click on the button below to view the office hours for January. This is a live document and will be updated in real time.
Please note that teachers stay after one day per month until 3:00pm for extra help. Students are able to take the 3:30 bus home.