DRAGON DIGEST
VOLUME 4, ISSUE 2 / SEPTEMBER 2019
CALENDAR OF SEPTEMBER EVENTS
9/11/2019 Blue Block Day
9/12/2019 Blue Block Day/AOL
9/17/2019 5:30 PM Dragon Football vs. Vickery Creek Middle @DESANA (last home game!)
9/17/2019 6:00 PM Regular Board Meeting
9/18/2019 Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
9/18/2019 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM DeSana Blood Drive
9/18/2019 7:00 PM Local School Council Meeting
9/19/2019 Blue Block Day w/AOL Time
9/19/2019 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Academic Achievement Awards for Current 7th Graders/Last Year's 6th Graders (2nd semester 2018-19)
9/19/2019 6:00 PM Denmark Community of Schools Parent Info Session - Technology Today: Empowering Parents @Denmark HS Auditorium
9/20/2019 8:00 AM - 9:00 AM Academic Achievement Awards for Current 8th Graders/Last Year's 7th Graders (2nd semester 2018-19)
9/20/19 Health Screenings for 7th and 8th Graders During Connections
9/20/2019 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM Dragon Academy
9/21/2019 9:00 AM JV Dragon Football vs. Lakeside @ DeSana
9/25/2019 Blue Block Day w/AOL
9/26/2019 Blue Block Day/SEAD Lesson
9/26/2019 Dodgeball Tournament During Connections (All Grade Levels)
9/27/2019 CFA Biscuit Sales in AM Carpool Sponsored by Basketball Cheer
9/27/2019 11:00 AM Kindness Matters Award Celebration (Gym)
9/30/2019-10/4/2019 Fall Break (No School)
DESANA DAY OF GOOD DEEDS
SEEKING CORPORATE AND FAMILY LEVEL SPONSORSHIPS
The D3 Day committee is currently seeking corporate and family level sponsorships. If you are interested in information about sponsorship levels or how to get your family name added to the D3 Day t-shirt, please contact:
Dawn Bourg dawn@bourgs.com
Jennifer Harris jharris@campharris.org
SEEKING SPONSORSHIP CHAIR
The D3 Day Committee is still in need of a sponsorship chair. This committee member does not need to attend monthly meetings. The job of the chair is to seek corporate sponsorship's and bingo prizes. This job can be done from home or at any time you have available to go out and seek sponsorships.
PTO
PTO NEWS
Happy September, DeSana families. We hope you’re all feeling more settled with school schedules, homework, and extracurricular activities. For PTO, the school year is off to a great start! We sincerely thank all of you who have joined PTO.
One of the goals of the PTO is to foster community between the school staff, students, and families. This year we hope to help build community by dining together. We’re excited to share that our first Spirit Night is scheduled for Wednesday, September 18 at Chili’s on Highway 20 in Cumming. If you're able to join us at Chili’s or place an order for takeout, please click here for the flyer to show the server. You may print it or show a picture on your phone. For every order placed between 11 am and 11 pm on the 18th, Chili’s will generously donate 20% of the bill totals back to DeSana! We plan to have a Spirit Night every month this year. Please watch the Dragon Digest for details.
There are several volunteer opportunities available this month. Academic Achievement Awards ceremonies are September 19 and 20 from 8-9 am. We’ll have donuts, juice, and coffee for attendees and need help getting food and beverages set out and then cleaned up. If you are attending the ceremony with your student, please consider coming early or staying a few minutes late.
Volunteer signup: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B044AAFAF29A2F94-academic
Nurse Rebecca requests volunteers to assist during vision and hearing screenings, which are scheduled for September 20 during first and second periods. The screening process is easy and no medical training is required. She's also requesting drinks and snacks if you're able to send in a few items. Please visit this signup link to volunteer for screenings or snacks: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60b044aafaf29a2f94-vision
Watch for news in October about the PTO fundraiser and a fun fall activity!
ACADEMICS
DEADLINE FOR COMING OUT OF AN ADVANCED STUDIES COURSE IS WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9th
On Monday, September 23rd, students who are currently in an Advanced Studies Class will receive a parent letter. This letter will give you details regarding the opt-out choice your child has for their Advanced Studies Class. Students were allowed to sign up for Advanced Studies classes last spring by choice. We believe in allowing all students the opportunity to sign up for Advanced Studies Classes. Students have the opportunity to try out such a class to see if it meets their academic needs. Before the end of the first quarter, students may change their mind if it does not meet their needs. Now is a great time for students and their parents to have conversations about their choice(s) to be in advanced studies courses. Checking Parent Portal to see how your child’s grade is progressing is one indicator of potential success. However, we encourage parents and students to look beyond the grade and to see if there are missing assignments, and reflect upon the grades earned thus far. Grades are not the only piece of information that should be taken into consideration. Time commitment based on class workload and extracurricular activities are other factors that should be considered. We have asked teachers who teach Advanced Studies Courses to talk to students who are not working up to the standard that we expect in such courses. We also encourage you to communicate with the classroom teacher for their perspective on course placement if you are uncertain. The final decision to stay in or come out rests with the parent. The deadline for withdrawing from an accelerated or advanced studies course is Wednesday, October 9, 2019 at 4:00 PM. Please keep in mind that if your child remains in an advanced or accelerated class after the deadline, he/she will be in this class for the entire school year; there is no other time during the 2019-2020 school year when a student will be allowed to change to an on-level class. To withdraw your student from an accelerated or advanced studies course, a parent must make this request in writing to Ms. Epperson, Assistant Principal, at sepperson@forsyth.k12.ga.us by the October 9th deadline. October 9th at 4:00 PM is a firm deadline. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact Ms. Epperson.
CELEBRATING ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AT DESANA
On Thursday, September 19th and Friday, September 20th, the DeSana faculty and administration will host our fall Academic Achievement Celebrations. These celebrations will honor those students who excelled academically during the second semester of the 2018 – 2019 school year (last year). What better way to start this new school year than to recognize our young Dragons for their outstanding academic accomplishments last spring!
We will recognize our Honor Roll students - - - those students who earned a grade of 90 or above for their second semester grade (not their final course average) in each and every class. This includes all 4 core classes --- Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- and Enrichment classes and Spanish class (8th grade only), and all Connections classes taken during the second semester.
We will also recognize our Merit Roll students. For 6th Grade Students --- those students who earned a grade of 80 or above for their second semester grade (not their final course average) in each and every class. This, too, includes all 4 core classes --- Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- Enrichment classes, and all Connections classes taken during the second semester. For 7th Grade & 8th Grade Students --- those students who earned a grade of 85 or above for their second semester grade (not their final course average) in each and every class. This, too, includes all 4 core classes --- Math Language Arts, Science and Social Studies --- Enrichment class or Spanish class (8th grade only), and all Connections classes taken during the second semester.
Invitations for honored students and their parents to attend these wonderful ceremonies were sent home with students on this past Tuesday, September 10th. The Academic Achievement Celebrations will take place by grade level, with each on separate days:
· Present 7th Grade Students / Last Year’s 6th Grade Students – Thursday, September 19th @ 8:00 AM in the DeSana gym
· Present 8th Grade Students / Last Year’s 7th Grade Students – Friday, September 20th @ 8:00 AM in the DeSana cafeteria
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 in front of the school and by the gym.
This 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!
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 begin publishing our digital, monthly, Grade Level eNewsletters beginning next week --- for the rest of August, and again on August 30th for the month of September. 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 as our first eNews will be coming your way electronically within the next week!
ANNOUNCING DRAGON ACADEMY FOR THE 2019-2020 SCHOOL YEAR - - - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL LEARNING & ASSESSMENT TIME FOR STUDENTS!
Dragon Academy is an opportunity we began offering students on Friday, August 23rd from 4:15 – 6:30 for completing, taking or re-taking formative and/or summative assessments (i.e. unit tests, projects, essays, quizzes. etc.). Dragon Academy will happen at least two times a month --- on Fridays ---beginning Friday, August 23rd, with teachers and an administrator supervising 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 will be 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:
September 20
October 18
November 1
November 15
December 6
December 13
January 24
February 7
February 21
March 6
March 20
April 17
May 1
May 15
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!
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. AOLis a 45 minute block of time that will happen first thing in the morning on Thursdays, and on some Wednesdays (9:05 – 9:45) beginning Thursday, August 22nd. 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!
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.
ATHLETICS
HOME GAME PERMISSION SLIPS
We love to have our students stay after school for our home football games to cheer for our Dragons! Tuesday, September 17 is our last HOME game against Vickery Middle. If your student would like to stay after, he or she must have a signed permission slip for each game as well as the admission price ($4). And, of course, concessions will be sold at the game. Permission forms are available in the front office or you can download either English or Spanish permission forms now by clicking the language of your choice. Students keep their permission forms and money to be collected right before they head to the game. Pick up times and further information are on the permission form.
ACTIVITIES
PICTURE DAY!
Say cheese!! Mark your calendars for Fall School Picture Day on Friday, October 11th. More information will be sent out later this month.
8TH GRADE EXTENDED DAY FIELD TRIP
Attention 8th Graders:
Are you ready to fly and go back in time? Come join us for the 8th Grade Extended Day Field Trip to IFly, Kennesaw Mountain and the Southern Railroad Museum on Monday, October 21. Applications are due to Ms. Baggett by September 17th. Click here for full information and application.
DESANA HOSTS RED CROSS BLOOD DRIVE
Parents and guardians, we are proud to announce that DeSana Middle School is hosting a blood drive! It will be on September 18 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. If you are planning to come, we encourage you to book an appointment, but walk-ins are welcome. Use the first link below to register. In the sponsor code box, type DeSana MS, or you can also call 1-800-Red-Cross. If you are planning to donate, keep in mind that you should eat iron-rich foods, drink non-caffeinated fluids, and also get a sufficient amount of sleep the day before. To learn more about how to prepare or what to do after donating, click on the second link. We hope to be successful in our second blood drive hosted by HOSA. Help spread the word by sending details to family and friends, and if you are able, please consider donating to a good cause that can help so many people.
2. https://www.redcrossblood.org/donate-blood/blood-donation-process/before-during-after.html
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 first Kindness Matters! Award Celebration will take place on Friday, September 27th 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!
PARENT 411 - HELPFUL LINKS FOR YOU
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
FALL BREAK IS RIGHT AROUND THE CORNER!
Even though there does not seem to be even a hint of Fall in the air --- especially when it comes to the daily temperatures --- Forsyth County Schools' Fall Break will soon be here, starting in two weeks . . . September 30th – October 4th. During this week, the DeSana office will be closed, as ALL students and staff take some time off to rejuvenate their mind, body and soul. We hope all of our DeSana families plan some fun times with family and friends and stay safe in their travels! We look forward to seeing all of our young Dragons back at The Lair on Monday, October 7th, ready to engage in some more exciting learning!
HEALTH SCREENINGS AND CLINIC INFORMATION
The main goal of the DeSana Middle School clinic is to help keep all students healthy and feeling as good as possible so that they may put forth their very best efforts each day at school in order to reach their academic potential. Occasionally, students may become ill or get injured while here at school. Clinic hours are from 8:30-4:30, Monday-Friday.
If your child needs medication during the school day, please remember a parent needs to bring the medication to the school in its original container and sign a “Request for Administration of Medication” form. Click here to download. Students are not allowed to bring their medication to school or keep it on their person, with one exception. See below
The clinic does not have stock medications. All over-the-counter medications must be brought in by a parent/guardian, not a student. Any daily medication that is given to your child for longer than a two-week period, must have a physician signature on the medication form. Whenever a child is sick and out of school, the student must be fever free, without the use of Motrin/Tylenol, for 24 hours before returning to school. The student must also be vomiting and diarrhea free for 24 hours prior to returning to school.
Students who may need an inhaler and an epi-pen at school may keep it with them. Georgia law requires a signed asthma action plan and/or a food and allergy action plan, including a doctor’s signature, be kept on file in the clinic.
DeSana’s yearly 7th grade scoliosis screening will be held on September 20, 2019. 8th grade will also have their scoliosis screening plus hearing and vision screening, on September 20, 2019. The screenings will be conducted during Connections classes. A refusal form has been sent home with students and is available by clicking here. Seventh and eighth grade students will be screened unless a parent signs the refusal form and the student returns it to school. If a student does not pass the first screening, a second check is done by the school nurse. You will be notified if your child does not pass the second screening.
Nurse Rebecca McWalters, RN
770-667-2591 ext. 491529
A NOTE FROM THE FRONT OFFICE
Parents, please encourage your student to label his/her name on all personal items. If your student has misplaced a personal item at school, he/she can claim it from the lost and found table located outside the media center or the bin on each grade level hallway.
For more information about the DeSana front office, click here.
MANY THANKS TO OUR AMAZING BUSINESS PARTNERS!
*ALL AMERICAN SPECIALTIES
*BROWNS BRIDGE CHURCH
*CHICK-FIL-A @ THE COLLECTION
*CITY CHURCH
*DR. HOM PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY & ALPHARETTA COMPREHENSIVE DENTISTRY
*GEORGIA ORTHODONTICS AND CHILDREN'S DENTISTRY
*MARVEL SOCCER
*NORTH GEORGIA PROMOTIONS
*OMEGA LEARNING
*RBM OF ALPHARETTA
*RISPA
Forsyth County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or gender in employment decisions or educational programs and activities.