Discovery Middle School

• Cabinet Column from Dr. Gandhi-Inclement Weather and School Closure Procedures
• Memo from Mrs. Herrick: Virtual Learning Day Preparations, End of Semester 1 and Semester 1 Student Progress Reports, Boundary Petitions
• Ringing In the New Year with A Lot of Lost and Found Items
• Lunchroom Update: Food Choices/Purchases
• Canvas Support for Parents/Guardians
• Evidence Based Reporting Support for Parents/Guardians
• Discovery Online School Store
• Athletics and Activities Update from Mr. Larson
• Discovery Frozen Eagles - Snowboard/Ski Group
• Mr. Reinke's Realm: Social Emotional Learning
• Counseling Corner: 7th Grade Health Presentations, 8th Grade Healthy Relationship Presentations, High School Registrations
• Mr. Ford's Focus: Movement and Education
• Nursing Nuggets featuring Nurse Katelyn
• Medication In School
• SRO Corner with Officer Noll: Officer Noll in the Classroom
• Upcoming Events
• January Letter Day Calendar
• Discovery PTA
• Citizenship Test as a Requirement for Graduation
• Discovery Library
• Introduction to Restorative Practices
• Entry to Building - Raptor Visitor Management System Information
• Parent/Family Accommodations
• Parent/Family Communication
• Yearbooks
• Family Healthcare
• Liz's Closet
• Written Notification of School Accountability Report

Cabinet Column - For Cryin' Out Loud

Fargo Public Schools has already had two school closures due to inclement weather this winter. Understandably, the FPS community has questions about school closure procedure, such as: What is the driving force behind inclement weather decisions? How and when are inclement weather decisions decided? Why do we cancel school before considering distance learning? and What is the plan for the rest of the year?

Find out the answers to all of these questions and more in this Cabinet Column by FPS Superintendent Dr. Rupak Gandhi.

Happy 2023 Disovery Families! I hope that you have been able to stay warm and spend some time with family and friends during this very snowy end of December/beginning of January. There are three topics that I want to address for this January newsletter.

Topic 1: Inclement Weather/Snow Days

Please see details about the district decision-making process in the above article from Dr. Gandhi. I will share with you how our staff is working to prepare students if there is need for virtual learning days in the future.

Topic 2: End of the Semester and Semester 1 Progress Reports

The end of semester one marks the end of the assessment period for our Disovery students. As you know, 6th grade and 7th grade have fully implemented Evidence Based Reporting during the 2022-23 school year and 8th grade will be in full implementation by the end of the 2023-24 school year. For the basics of what and why the change to Standards Based Instruction (SBI) and EBR (Evidence Based Reporting) please see this one-pager, specific to middle school as well as the FPS Secondary Instructional Website.

Topic 3: Exception to Attendance Petitions

Petitions for request to enroll your child outside of your assigned attendance area must be completed prior to January 31st and a decision will be recieved by February 15th. If the petition is recieved after January 31st, families will recieve a decision by August 1st.

See additional information below regarding frequently asked questions about petitions.

Topic 1: Inclement Weather/Snow Days

Please see details about the district decision-making process in the above article from Dr. Gandhi. I will share with you how our staff is working to prepare students if there is need for virutal learning days in the future.

All Discovery students will go thorugh a virtual learning day tutorial in their whole group advisory classes following this schedule:

-6th Grade: Wednesday, C Day-January 4th

-7th Grade: Thursday, D Day-January 5th

-8th Grade: Friday, E Day-January 6th

They will review the following:

• How to log into Zoom
• Know how to access Zoom link and where it will be located
• Practice joining a class Zoom and logging in with Google
• Know how to use basic features-mute/unmute, control video, raise hand, etc.
• Know how to access class and assignments for the day, resources, etc.
• Review the Daily Bell Schedule
• Review virtual learning day attendance expecations
• Review what to do if they don't have their PLD (personal learning device) at home or if they are not allowed to take it home per parent/guardian request)

Friday, January 13th marks the end of Semester 1 for the 2022-23 school year. You and your child will have access to their Middle School Progress Report at the start of semester two.

The progress report will communicate grades/proficiency levels to parents/guardians and students, as well as demonstration of guidelines for success, and a detailed report of student attendance.

For classes that are implementing EBR (Evidence Based Reporting) your child will receive a score of 4, 3, 2, or a 1. If you have any questions or concerns about your child's score in a particular class, please reach out to the teacher of that class.

Regarding the middle school Guidelines for Success (Be Responsible, Be Safe, Be Respectful and Have a Growth Mindset), your child will recieve a C (Consistently demonstrates skill), I (Inconsistently demonstrates this skill) or R (Rarely demostrates this skill and academic progress is affected).

There will be a connect ed message to all students and parents/families when the progress reports are viewable as well as instructions on how to locate these reports in PowerSchool.

Below is a sample of what the progress reports will look like.

It is that time of year when the exception to attendance petition conversations start to occur. The information can be confusing so I want to put down a few points that may help clarify this process if it is something you are considering for your child.

One of the major questions I get asked is: If I have already filled out a petition for my child to attend Discovery and it was approved for last year, do I have to fill one out for this year for them to attend Discovery? The answere is: No. You need only fill out one petition once per child for the building. That means that if you have filled one out and gotten approved for Discovery, then you wouldn't need to fill one out until you are ready to move to high school. Then you would need to fill it out for the high school that you want your child to attend. Simply, you just fill out the middle school petition once for middle school and the high school petition once for high school.

Here is access to the Registration/Open Enrollment/Petition Process on the FPS Public Website.

You will find links to the Administrative Policy 6710-Attendance Boundaries as well as the links for the elementary, middle school and high school petition forms. Please note that there are deadlines for the submission of these forms.

Those completing the petition process must complete the appropriate form and submit it to the requested school. Petitions are accepted based upon the class size of both the assigned and requested school. Petitions are accepted at certain times of the year for the following school year based upon the program level.

Elementary Petition Form (May 1 submission deadline)
Middle School Petition Form (January 31 submission deadline)
High School Petition Form (January 31 submission deadline)

It is important to note that you are to submit the petition to the requested school by the deadline. For those who are requesting a high school, it must be submitted to that high school.

I will respond to the petition requests for Discovery by February 15th with a written letter that details the enrollment granted or the enrollment denied. It is important that you fill out an appropriate petition form for each child. Please do not lump multiple children on one form and also don't lump elementary/middle/high school children on on form. We need to have a separate form for each child and each level (elementary/middle/high).

Discovery families, our lost and found by the PE wing and by student services is plum full of items such as clothing, water bottles, shoes, boots, etc. If your child has been missing an item for awhile now, please have them check the lost and found before the end of the first semester. At the start of second semester, the items will be bagged up and donated to our local shelters.

Parents are expected to discuss expectations for any limits on food choices and purchases along with spending limits. Nutrition Services staff are not able to enforce requests for spending limits as this cannot be discussed privately with the student during meal service. Students needing accommodations due to medical or behavioral circumstances can make a request through the school counselor (behavioral) or by completing the Special Menu Request Form (medical) available on the Nutrition Services FPS webpage.

As a safety reminder, student should only bring metal or plastic water bottles to school. Please do not send glass bottles. We have had a few incidents of glass water bottles breaking in the classrooms.

Fargo Public Schools is committed to serving our families and community patrons. As evidence of this commitment, we are showcasing the qualities and services of our school district and providing a wide array of information in the FPS 2021-22 Annual Report.

This report aims to familiarize families and the community with Fargo Public Schools by sharing details such as enrollment, staffing, and budget numbers and providing overviews of student services and assessment data. Thank you for your continued support as we serve the citizens of Fargo by providing students an excellent educational experience. You can access the full document at this link.

Canvas Support - https://sites.google.com/fargoschools.org/canvassupport

The links on the web have been updated to be clearer. The links are found at the Canvas Login Screen (fargo.instructure.com) – See picture below.

This is a direct link to the Pairing Parent/Guardian Account with Students. Click on the link to see the process for the parents to follow. Students must provide the code to the parent. You might want a few copies of this available at conferences.

Evidence-Based Reporting Support - https://sites.google.com/fargoschools.org/fpssecondarygradingpractices/

Kindergarten Registration for Fall 2023 opens online on February 1 at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. Your child must be age 5 by July 31, 2023 to attend school in the fall.

Registration is a two-step process:

STEP ONE: REGISTER ONLINE
Complete online registration forms at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/registration. For assistance, please contact your child’s school to schedule an appointment to complete in-person. Masks are required for all visitors.

STEP TWO: SUBMIT DOCUMENTATION
Upload or bring the following documents to your child’s school by August 28 to finalize registration.

• Child’s certified birth certificate
• Child’s immunization record with 5-year shots
• Document (i.e. current city utility bill or bank statement) that includes parent/guardian name and current address for verification

If you do not know which school your child will attend, call 701.446.1043 or check online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/boundarymaps.

If you need help in PowerSchool (Fargo Public Schools online registration software), please call 701.446.1006

Check out the new Discovery Online School Store! There are many different brands, designs, and styles to choose from. This store will be open all year, so save the link.

Discovery Activities are on Youtube! Just search for Discovery Middle School Activities. We will try to stream home games, concerts, and meets. The videos will be found under the “Live” tab on our page. Subscribe to be notified for when we go live!

7th & 8th grade boys basketball starts on January 3rd. Practice will be right after school each day from 3:45 - 5:15. Be sure to have all of the activities forms completed in Powerschool, a physical on file at Discovery, and the activity fee paid before the first day of practice!

Check out the Discovery Activities calendar to see specific dates for games, concerts, performances, and meets. Did you know that you can view & download specific calendars for each team & concert? Just click on the “View Schedules” tab, then click on the schedules you want to view.

Clubs

Chess Club: Every Wednesday in the library at 8:10am.

The Morning Club: Every morning at 8:10 in Mrs. Stinar's room. Quiet morning space with arts & crafts & journaling.

Art Club: Meets weekly after-school. Contact Mrs. Quittschreiber (art teacher) for more information.

Get Your Game on Club: Mornings in the Library, see Mrs. Donat for more information.

Library Leaders Club: Mornings in the Library, see Mrs. Donat for more information.

Student Leadership: Please contact Mr. Napton, Mrs. Spellerberg, or Mrs. Ferderer if interested.

Drama Club: Meets every-other Monday afterschool from 3:40 - 4:20 in the Creative Dramatics classroom.

Multicultural Club: start date TBD. Will meet M,W,F in room 115. Contact Ms. Thomsen or Ms. Bashir for more information.

The Discovery Frozen Eagles will be returning this winter for snow fun!

Check out our website. (https://sites.google.com/view/discoveryfrozeneagles/home) there you can register for our email list and get in on winter fun. Be sure to find us on Facebook and Instagram.

Happy New Year to all the Discovery students and families. 2023 is here, and it always excites me what new opportunities lie ahead for our Discovery students. Some of these opportunities may include new courses offered later in the semester, a fresh start for extracurricular activities, and the opportunity to form new friendships. All these changes will give our students unique experiences to create and establish new peer connections. While it is generally accepted that academics should be a primary focus for students, it is worth noting that for many adolescents, social connections and relationships with peers are of equal importance. This is especially relevant during middle school, as students face the challenges of navigating social situations, developing independence, and gaining a greater understanding of themselves. As some of you read this, you may reflect on your middle school / junior high experience and recall how difficult it may have been - some successes and some failures. The relationship skills you learned as an adolescent may be part of your ability to form positive relationships today. Additionally, Relationship Skills are one of the 5 CASEL competencies we will look at this month.

Relationship Skills are the ability to establish and maintain healthy and supportive relationships and effectively navigate settings with diverse individuals and groups. Some examples of Relationship Skills are: communicating clearly and effectively with peers, listening actively, developing positive relationships, working collaboratively to problem solve and negotiate, and navigating social and cultural demands. To teach these capacities, Discovery teachers, counselors, and administrators will model these skills and provide opportunities for the students throughout the school year. As a parent of middle and high school students myself, I also recognize the importance of modeling these skills for my children, and I encourage you to have those same open conversations. We have a dedicated team here to support you and your child. If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out. Go Eagles!

High School Admin Visits

Due to the snow day that occurred on Wednesday, December 14th, we will be working to reschedule the South and Davies principal visit with our 8th graders. Date and time TBD.

High School Registration

Attention to all parents and guardians of 8th grade students! Registration for 9th grade with start this month! South High counselors will be visiting Discovery on January 4th, 2023 and Davies counselors will be visiting Discovery on January 5th, 2023. The counselors will be coming to share information about high school and selecting courses. Each 8th grade student will be given a registration form to review and complete with their parents or guardians. The registration form is due to Student Services by Friday, January 13th. Discovery counselors will start meeting with 8th graders after January 13th to register them for their high school courses, answer questions, and share information about what to expect in high school. Parents or Guardians will be emailed a copy of the courses that their students have registered for after their student meets with a Discovery counselor. Davies will be hosting a very informative course fair on the evening January 9th, 2023 from 4:30-7:30pm with a presentation for families beginning at 5:30 at Davies. South High’s open house will take place on the evening of January 9th, 2023 from 4:00-7:00pm at South High with a presentation for families beginning at 5:30pm. Please reach out to your Discovery counselor with any questions and make sure to complete your student’s registration form with them prior to January 13th, 2023.

Registration for future 6th, 7th, and 8th Graders

Discovery counselors will start visiting with our current 6th and 7th graders about registration for the 2023-2024 school year during second semester. Mrs. Ferderer, who will be the 6th grade counselor for 2023-2024 school year, will also start traveling to our feeder elementary schools for transition visits with our future 6th graders. More information regarding our in-house and incoming 6th grade registration will be shared with families once we return from the holiday break.

High School Tours

During second semester Discovery 8th grade students will have the opportunity to tour the high school that they will attend in 9th grade. Students who will be attending South will have the opportunity to tour to South High on January 13th. More details will be shared as we continue planning this event. Students who are slated to go to Davies will also have the opportunity to tour Davies High School. We are still working on the details of this tour. Dates and times will be shared once they are set.

8th Grade Sexual Harassment Presentations

The Rape and Abuse Crisis Center (RACC) will be visiting Discovery in mid-January. They will visit Team 8-1 on Tuesday, January 17th, Team 8-3 on Thursday, January 19th, and Team 8-2 on Friday, January 20th to talk with our 8th graders about Sexual Harassment. Through this presentation students will heighten their awareness of sexual harassment and harassment tactics and strengthen their ability to identify and provide examples of physical, visual/social/cyber, verbal, or emotional sexual harassment. They will increase their understanding of response and prevention techniques and strengthen their ability to identify/provide examples of words and actions to promote personal safety and boundaries. Students will enrich their understanding of friendship skills that can support someone who is experiencing sexual harassment and strengthen their ability to identify/provide examples of supportive help and caring. They will develop the use of response and prevention techniques and use of supportive friendship skills through practice. Finally, students will enhance their comfort level in talking to trusted adult helpers and expand their network of adults they can turn to or confide in.

If you have questions regarding this classroom visit or if your student would like to opt out of the presentation, please contact Mrs. McMinn (446-3312).

Discovery Counseling Team

Taylor Ferderer – Lead Counselor, 446-3318

Sean Napton – 6th Grade, 446-3314

Joe Snowden – 7th Grade, 446-3313

Bridget McMinn – 8th Grade, 446-3312

Beth Zimmerman – SWFF, 446-3463

Winter break is always a much-needed time to allow both students and staff an opportunity to step away from the school setting and recharge for the upcoming second semester. While we hope everyone had a wonderful break, we are excited to welcome the students back to school. Discovery Middle School will continue to promote student development using the Guidelines for Success – Be Respectful, Be Responsible, Be Safe, and Have a Growth Mindset. Two things that work in conjunction with the Guidelines for Success to allow effective student growth are routines and consistency.

Routines

Routines are a sequence of actions that occur regularly. We’ve been working to establish routines for students since the first day of school. Routines allow students to understand what is coming next and limit unexpected outcomes throughout the school day. The school day is very structured and there are routines for all transitions. For lunch, for instance, the students know what time their lunch period is, when/how they are transitioning to the lunchroom, where to sit, and what time their teacher is picking them up. Students also have routines when they arrive at school prior to the 8:35 bell, routines in classrooms, and routines for transitioning to the buses at the end of the day. Routines help to reduce student anxiety and stress and allow students to focus on the academic content and social/emotional learning. I am looking forward to getting back into the everyday routines when school is in session.

Consistency

Consistency allows students a better understanding of expectations. When the staff is consistent with classroom expectations and procedures, students are put in a better position to be successful. Consistency removes confusion and doubt and allows students to make decisions with an expected outcome. When students have a clear understanding of expectations, students are able to focus on relationships and learning.

Working within the Guidelines for Success, routines and consistency allow Discovery Middle School to be an excellent habitat for learning. Discovery Middle School has a daily learning climate that is safe and effective for all students. This promotes a school culture that encourages student growth and achievement and sets the students up for success as we transition into the second half of the school year.

Frostbite 101

In cold temperatures, your body begins to lose heat faster than it can be produced, which can lead to serious health problems. When the weather is extremely cold, try to stay indoors. If you must go outside, dress properly and know who is at high risk for hypothermia.

When going outside, be sure to wear:

• a scarf or knit mask that covers face & mouth
• mittens or gloves
• water-resistant boots
• a hat
• a water-resistant coat
• several layers of loose-fitting clothing

When going outside in winter, make sure body parts most often affected by frostbite are covered in warm, dry clothing (nose, ears, toes, cheeks, chin, fingers).

Know who is at high risk:

• Older adults without proper food, clothing, or heating
• People who stay outdoors for long periods (homeless, hikers, hunters, etc.)
• People who drink alcohol in excess or use illicit drugs
• Babies sleeping in cold rooms

A victim is often unaware of frostbite because frozen tissue is numb.

Signs & Symptoms:

Redness or pain in any skin area may be the first sign of frostbite. Other signs include a white or grayish-yellow skin area, skit that feels unusually firm or waxy, and numbness.

If a person is experiencing frostbite, seek medical attention as soon as possible. Get them into a warm room or shelter, remove any wet clothing, warm them under dry layers of blankets and clothing an place areas affected by frostbite in warm-to-touch water.

Caution: Since skin may be numb, victims of frostbite can harm themselves further. Use caution when treating frostbite and:

1. Unless necessary, do not walk on feet or toes with frostbite
2. Do not use a fireplace, heat lamp, radiator, or stove for warming
3. Do not use a heating pad or electric blanket for warming
4. do not rub or massage areas with frostbite

For more information on FROSTBITE AND HYPOTHERMIA visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/cpr/documents/hypothermia-frostbite_508.pdf

If your student should need to take a prescription or non-prescription medication at school, Form AF6720-A must be filled out in it's entirety, signed by you and your doctor, and brought to the nurse. The medication bottle for school must be labeled , including student’s date of birth. If student will self-administer, in the case of an inhaler, please fill out form AF-6720-F. You should be able to get these forms off the FPS website under registration, or at your doctor’s office.

You can reach the nurse @ 701-446-3319 or by email: djhnurse@fargo.k12.nd.us.

It has been a busy first semester here at Discovery Middle School. Part of being an SRO is getting the opportunity to teach classes and interact with the students. Early in the year Mrs. Donat and I went into several 8th grade FACTs classes and taught students about sexting and relationships. Students learned about some of the dangers of social media as well as some possible criminal charges if inappropriate things are shared. This semester I was invited into Mr. Stegman’s class to help teach 8th grade students the Bill of Rights. I covered several of the amendments giving them police perspective and how we deal with several of the amendment in our day-to day duties. I was also invited to both Ms. Goldmann’s and Mr. Zimiga’s 7th grade health class to talk about alcohol. I covered the dangers of alcohol and how it affects the body. The students got the unique opportunity to use the Police Department’s “drunk goggles” and experience walking a straight line while under the influence. This coming semester I was asked to teach in several science classes about some of my CSI skills, including DNA /trace evidence collection, taking scene photos and fingerprinting. Thank you to all the teachers who gave me the opportunity to talk in your class! I always look forward to meeting your students! Hope you all have a fun and safe Holiday break.

January 3

• Classes resume after Winter Break

January 13

• End of Semester 1

January 16

• No School - Staff Professional Development

January 26, 27, 28

• Discovery Musical Performances - "Into the Woods"

January 30

• PTA Meeting

Please see below for the january Letter Day Calendar or check out our Discovery website.

Our bell schedules and calendars are always posted on our Discovery website.

Do you know what the attendance clerk does at Discovery? Those who attended the October PTA general meeting got a glimpse into the work of this vital position from Mr. Israel, the attendance clerk at Discovery. He talked about his job as well as shared some of the data he shares with the administrative team on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. It was great information and something many people might now know much about.

We also got to hear from Mrs. Donat on what’s going on in the library. She shared the next reading challenge with us and offered an opportunity for the PTA to help with the challenge. PTA approved a grant to pay for prizes with the reading challenge.

PTA also had the opportunity to fund an important aspect of the health curriculum for 7th graders. FirstLink is scheduling their Suicide Education Outreach program in the 7th grade classrooms. The PTA felt that this was needed education for our students and chose to fund the cost of bringing the program into Discovery.

These are just a few examples of what the PTA does at Discovery. We can’t do the work without both parents and teachers being a part of the group. You can expect to learn lots of things about the school and develop relationships with leadership and teachers at the same time. You’ll get to know the administrative team better and you can make an impact on middle schoolers.

Please join us! Membership is only $15 for the entire school year and includes membership into the North Dakota PTA as well. Funds raised help us support student activities that might not otherwise be possible, grants for teachers and much more. Your support makes a real difference at Discovery Middle School!

If you want to learn more about the PTA or you have questions, check us out on Facebook by searching for Discovery Middle School PTA-Fargo. You can also email DiscoveryPTAPresident@gmail.com. General monthly meetings are held the last Monday of each month at 6:30 p.m. You don’t need to be a member to attend a meeting, we invite you to attend a meeting and check it out first if you want to.

The North Dakota state legislature has passed HB 1087, requiring all students to demonstrate proficiency in civics as a requirement for high school graduation. The law states:

“a student may take the test, in whole or in part, at any time after enrolling in grade seven and may repeat the test, or any portion thereof, as often as necessary to demonstrate proficiency.”

Every middle school in the district will be offering that test to students in grade eight this year. The information on the civics test is closely related to the material covered in eighth grade social studies. Students who do not demonstrate proficiency (70% or above) will have the opportunity to take the test again at the high school. There is no penalty for taking the test multiple times and there is never a fee to take the test.

The questions for the civics test are taken from the federal government’s Naturalization Test.

If you have questions or would like further information, please feel free to contact one of our 8th grade history teachers.

Jeremy Nesvold 8-1 (nesvolj@fargo.k12.nd.us)

Hans Anderson 8-2 (andersh@fargo.k12.nd.us)

Kyle Stegman 8-3 (stegmak@fargo.k12.nd.us).

6th Grade FACS classes learned about the benefits of reading aloud

to kids, read-aloud techniques, and even got a chance to practice by reading E for Everyone picture books to each other.

Babysitting Bags of E for Everyone picture books for Pre-K through elementary age are available for checkout in the library. These books can be checked out for the purpose of reading to younger siblings as well!

In addition to eBooks and audiobooks, Sora now has electronic magazines that cover a variety of topics. Sora is located in Middle School Resources (on Canvas dashboard). Students access Sora with their lunch number and normal password. Remember, students can download the app on mobile devices for free access there as well!

Please ensure your child has earbuds or headphones in school, as many audio options are available and utilized for learning.

• Please help your student remember to charge the device every night, so it is ready to use during the day. Bringing the charging cord to school is a good idea as well.
• In addition, ask your student to shut the device down each night. This is especially important as we move back and forth from school to home.

Discuss with your student the importance of carrying the PLD by the base rather than by the screen. Screens can break from the pressure when carried only by the screen.

Parents, you may be feeling like your child has too much screen time. Here are some articles from Common Sense Media that may be helpful:

4 Conversations to Have with Older Kids and Teens about Their Screen Time Habits

How Can I Help My Kids Develop Good Screen Time Habits?

How to Set Screen Rules that Stick

Three Places Families Should Make Phone Free

What are Restorative Practices in schools?

Restorative Practices have been used in schools since the 1970s and encompass a wide range of responses in order to address negative behaviors and incidents.

Why should we use Restorative Practices in Fargo Public Schools?

Research shows restorative practices lead to a reduction in suspensions, expulsions, and

(negative) behaviors/incidents and improvements in perception of school safety and academic improvement.

What does Restorative look like at Discovery?

Restorative Practices have both proactive and reactive components. Proactive elements include building and fostering positive relationships between students and staff and using techniques such as restorative chats and affective questioning. Reactive elements include a spectrum of responses such as restorative mediation, classroom circles, and restorative conferencing when conflict or harm occurs. Currently we have formed a Restorative Steering Committee meeting biweekly which is working to help shape restorative practices here at Discovery.

What is a Restorative Circle?

The circle process is a community-centered practice that has existed in Indigenous cultures for centuries. In the circle, every person is equally important and has an equal chance to be heard. It can be used in a classroom to teach content, to build relationships, and to address conflict.

What are Discovery Staff and Students saying about Restorative Practices?

“I was able to be kind of friends with the other student, there was no aggression against each other” (Student)

“I’ve learned to be the bigger person” (Student)

“There was less drama and I felt relieved because I didn’t have to worry about it” (Student)

“Me and my friends got our friendships back and better than ever”(Student)

“I feel like the meetings really saved some friendships and really made school life happier and healthier” (Student)

“I am becoming a better person after having these meetings” (Student)

“I was able to understand and react to students that were displaying negative behavioral cues in class – getting to the root of the issue was massively successful in changing the outcome of the issue. Getting the student the help they needed resulted in them becoming productive and successful in class” (Teacher)

Questions?

Jennifer Tackling, Restorative Conferences Facilitator, Discovery Middle School

Email: tacklij@fargo.k12.nd.us

Phone: 701-446-3361

Katie "Kat" Field, Restorative Practices District Facilitator

Phone: 701-446-1007

Email: fieldk@fargo.k12.nd.us

Fargo Public Schools is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and staff. Part of keeping students and staff safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do so. The Raptor system will allow us to better screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools to provide us with a safe environment for our students and staff.

Upon entering the school building, visitors will be asked to present an ID, such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. Once entry into the building is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of their visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.

A video overview of our pilot and how the system works is available at: https://youtu.be/8qwHwTmp-80

Family support is so important for your child’s success at Discovery. If parents or other family members need accommodations to participate and attend any school function at Discovery, please contact the school office two to three business days prior to the event. Every effort will be made to meet your needs.

Communicating with parents and families is always our goal at Discovery Middle School.

You may subscribe to Discovery’ Newsletter and Daily Announcements on our website by going to “Content E-Alerts” on Discovery’s website. Parents/guardians can sign up to receive alerts about new Daily Announcements, Newsletters, etc., for each school your students attend. E-Alerts are sent to users who have subscribed to a homepage or website section of interest. You will receive an email notification that content has been modified.

You may also want to add our school calendar to your personal calendar. This will help you stay informed about all the activities that are happening at Discovery.

Our school supply list, our student handbook, a link to PowerSchool, PTA information, and several other useful links are also available on our website.

https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery

Yearbook orders will be taken online .The cost is $20.00. To ensure that your child will receive a yearbook at the end of the year, it must be ordered and paid for in advance. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Friday, March 10, 2023.

A Discreet, Free Resource for Discovery Students in Need

What: Discovery strives as a team to meet the needs of all students as part of our mission to build a foundation for success. Liz’s Closet, a free resource at Discovery, aligns with this mission by providing students in need with items such as clothing, hygiene products, non-perishable food items, etc.

At Discovery, we hope to provide developmentally appropriate support to students in need by offering a means to obtain basic food and hygiene products in a discreet manner. Students utilizing Liz’s Closet will have access to reusable bags, so items are less visible as students are leaving the building.

Where: Liz’s Closet will be located in Student Services. The room being used as “Liz’s Closet” will be accessible through a trusted adult in the building (teachers, counselors, administrators, paraprofessionals, designated staff).

Who: Any student in need of these items is welcome to take what he/she needs with the help of a trusted adult.

How: Although students are welcome to directly ask a trusted adult at Discovery to use Liz’s Closet, to maintain privacy as best as possible, a student can simply draw a star on a sheet of paper and bring it to a trusted adult. The adult will then instruct the student as to when he/she can go to Student Services to collect what is needed. If this adult does not have a time that works for him/her, the adult will notify the appropriate counselor or Student Services staff member to be expecting this student sometime within the school day. Once in Student Services, the student will be escorted to the closet and can take what is needed.

If you know of anyone who may need to utilize this resource, please do not hesitate to contact a Discovery counselor or administrator. Additionally, if you would like to donate shelf-stable food, school supplies, or hygiene products to Liz’s Closet, please contact Taylor Ferderer (school counselor) at 446-3318.

Dear Parent/Guardian,

North Dakota has launched a dashboard called “Insights,” designed to help communities across the state access important information about K-12 districts and schools. Insights features easy-to-read reports on multiple measures of school success, including:

• Student Achievement
• Choice Ready Results
• Performance Comparisons
• English Learner Progress
• Graduation Rates
• School and State Accountability Results
• School Improvement Information
• Post-Secondary Education
• School Environment

Transparency to the Public

North Dakota is committed to informing communities about how well our schools are doing. North Dakota’s future success depends on tapping into the potential of all students, so they graduate choice ready with the knowledge, skills, and disposition to be successful.

State education departments are required to annually create an accountability report for every public school in the state per the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). The school accountability reports outline how schools perform on the accountability elements North Dakota selected within its ESSA plan.

How is our School Doing?

To find more information about our School Accountability Report, visit the dashboard at Insights.nd.gov, select “Find My School,” and search alphabetically. The school accountability report is posted under the Dashboard heading.

Please note that the data made available to the public masks or hides data for groups with ten or fewer students to protect confidential information about individual students. Therefore, if data is unavailable to less than ten students, it will say “no data available.”

Family Engagement

We have strong plans for working to improve the educational programs at our school. We want you and your child(ren) to continue actively participating in our educational system. Please help support our high expectations for student achievement by participating in the school educational initiatives, offering input and support in our endeavors to raise student achievement, or volunteering at the school. Meeting our school’s goals will take a united effort, and I look forward to working with our families to ensure success for each student.

Continuous Improvement

All schools engage in continuous improvement for general support; therefore, our school has completed a continuous improvement plan through Cognia.

As part of the overall school improvement plan, a strategy map is generated for each school. Our strategy map, outlining our key school improvement initiatives, is also available on Insights.

If you have any questions regarding the information in the memorandum, please contact me.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Amy Herrick

(she, her, hers)

Discovery Middle School Principal

herrica@fargo.k12.nd.us

701.446.3304

Amy Herrick, Principal

Brandon Larson, Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator

Hunter Reinke, Assistant Principal

Joe Ford, Administrative Intern

Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery
Location: 1717 40th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-3300