DMMS School Newsletter
August 2019
Mrs. Buckley’s Update
Welcome to Daniel Morgan Middle School! Our staff is excited for our students to return to school and we look forward to meeting our new families. I encourage you to read our student handbook with your child as it is a document that we update each year. We have several exciting events going on at school as we kickoff the 2019-2020 school year.
This year, we will implement a personalized learning structure, called PEDLE (Personalized Education and Digital Learning Experiences). We will have several spaces available for our students and teachers to enhance project-based and personalized learning. Students will work collaboratively and independently with a teacher facilitator in the lab. For more information, please see our brochure which is located in our Parent Resources section of our website. In all of these experiences, we will continue to maintain a focus on our cross-curricular balanced literacy approach to instruction which ensures that all students are reading and writing every day and across all content areas.
Daniel Morgan Middle will continue to utilize the PBIS (Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports) model to improve our school climate and student conduct. Our behavior expectations use the S.W.A.G. (Safety First, Work Together Respectfully, Accept Responsibility, and Guide) acronym. We use S.W.A.G. tags to acknowledge positive behaviors and students can use them toward an incentive. This month, we will be going to the Jim Barnett Pool. Students with zero unexcused absences will receive a popsicle at the pool.
Please note important dates on the calendar below. Thank you for all that you do in partnering with us to make this a collaborative educational experience for your child. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact me at buckleyj@wps.k12.va.us or 540-667-7171.
Dates to remember:
From Guidance
August 8th is right around the corner (the first student day of the 2019-2020 school-year), and we at Daniel Morgan Middle School are already preparing. We will be ready and waiting when the doors open in a week. Please let us know if you have questions or concerns that we can help with, so that you feel prepared as well.
We want all of our students to feel their very best on the first day of school, so now may be a good time to get back on a school-time sleep routine. During the Summer, bedtime tends to sneak later and later, and morning rise times tend to do the same! Sleep experts tell us that students need between 8 and 10 hours of sleep for their brains to function at their best. A bedtime routine that cuts out all caffeine before 5:00pm, and includes quiet, screen-free time at least an hour before bed-time, may help your student get the sleep that he or she needs.
If late night worries get in the way of falling asleep, encourage your student to make a list of these things so they can be ‘put to bed’ for the night as well, and looked at with fresh eyes in the morning.
Help your student to begin the day in a calm way by minimizing morning conflict and confusion. Teach them to prepare their school belongings prior to bedtime, so they are ready to go in the morning. Remind them to place their school related belongings in the same place each day when they return from school. This practice decreases daily stress for both you, and your student!
Welcome back!
Karen King
DMMS School Counselor
540-667-7171 ext. 73001
From Instructional Coaches
Welcome back! We hope that you had a wonderful summer. As we transition back into the school routine, it is imperative for our students to adopt good habits. Over the next few weeks, teachers will be going over routines and expectations. There is power in building a positive routine at home as well. A consistent organizational and sleep routine can help ensure a positive start to the 2019-2020 school year! Below are a few links with some ideas on how to help your child build positive organizational habits as well as what the experts say about the importance of quality rest for middle schoolers! We cannot wait to see everyone!
https://www.today.com/parents/how-get-kids-organized-middle-school-2D80555742
FROM ATHLETICS
Welcome back to the start of a new school year. I am excited to take over as Athletic Director of Daniel Morgan Middle School. As the new school year approaches, so does the start of our fall sports season. (Football, Cheerleading, Girls Basketball, and Boys/Girls Cross Country). For students interested in sports this school year, they must have a sports physical completed before they can try-out. The VHSL physical form is available here or in the office. Please remember a sports physical is only good for one school year. All physicals for 2019-2020 must be dated May 1, 2019, or later.
Any student trying out for a sport should not purchase any specialized clothing or footwear prior to try-outs. Any questions please contact me at dorseyb@wps.k12.va.us.
August Events Events:
August 6th - Football try-outs begin (3:30-5:30)
August 6th - Girls Basketball try-outs begin (3:30-5:30 in the ⅞ gym)
August 12th - Cheerleading try-outs begin (3:45-5:15)
August 12th - Cross Country practice begins (3:30 - 5:00)
August 26th - Girls Basketball at Admiral Byrd (5:00)
August 29th - Girls Basketball at Johnson-Williams (5:00)
August 31st - Football Scrimmage at Handley (9:00)
From the Nurse
Welcome back! I’m really excited to start this new school year! If you have any questions or concerns regarding your child PLEASE feel free to contact me. I’m here to assist in any way that I possibly can. Have a wonderful start to the school year.
I have listed below some resources with helpful information regarding the flu and colds, and information on when to keep your child at home when they are not feeling well.
Resources Regarding Colds, Flu, and Hand Washing
Infuenza: The Disease- from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
How to tell the difference between a cold and flu
Health Matters: Flu- from the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
Why is hand washing so important?
Why do I need to wash my hands?
Also just a friendly reminder:If your child is vomiting the night before school and/or has a temperature of 100 or above they should remain home the next school day and not return to school until they are afebrile without the use of medication to control the fever.
*
Also, I will be sending letters or calling the parents of students that were listed in Power School that had Medical Alerts stating that he or she had asthma, a food allergy, or a seizure disorder, and the clinic does NOT have an inhaler and/or an Epi-pen or emergency medication. If it states in Power School that your child has a food allergy, asthma, or any other disorder that requires medical attention the clinic MUST have those medications on site. If not, it needs to be made clear whether the clinic needs an inhaler or Epi-pen, or any other emergency medication.
You may contact me at kuykendall@wps.k12.va.us , or call me at 540-667-7171, #72000.
We as nurses are constantly asking ourselves how we can make a difference. School Nurses make a difference everyday.
From ESOL
Greetings from the ESOL Department!
We have a great year ahead, and we are looking forward to working diligently with our wonderful teachers and students at Daniel Morgan Middle School.
The goal of our ESOL Program is to provide language development instruction simultaneously with academic content instruction, so that students will become fully proficient in English while meeting the same challenging state standards. English Learners receive individualized ESOL services by certified ESOL teachers who provide instruction in English language acquisition while also teaching grade level SOL objectives in reading, writing, mathematics, science, and social studies. ESOL instruction is provided through an in-class/inclusion model, sheltered instruction, or targeted small group instruction to meet the educational strengths and needs of the student, so that they will meet the academic achievement standards for their grade level.
In September we will also start the ESOL Club after school. If students need help with homework, completing assignments, and studying or revising concepts and ideas that are covered in the content classes, they can stay after school on Mondays through Thursdays from 3:30pm to 4:30pm. In order to attend, they need the intramural permission form signed. There will be more information coming soon.
If you have any questions, you can contact Dr. Glatzel at (540) 667-7173, ext. 75233, or by email at glatzel@wps.k12.va.us
Have a wonderful 2019-2020 school year!
Thank you for all the support this year and have a wonderful summer!
From PTO
News
Open house is on August 5th from 4pm to 6pm.
What’s Next -
This section will be updated once finalized.
Fundraising
Please consider a direct donation with a check payable to the DM PTO. The DM Campus students and staff appreciates your support.
The main goal for PTO is to generate enough funding to support field trip funding for the DM campus.
We would love to hear from you. Please email us at dmpto@wps.k12.va.us to get involved or to just get your email contact added to the database.
If everyone volunteers just a little, a lot can be done. It is so important for your child’s educational experience to see parents and loved ones engaged, interested, and involved. We need YOU!
Check us out on Facebook & Twitter @DanielMorganPTO as we post upcoming school and community events
Daniel Morgan Middle School
48 S. Purcell St.
Winchester, VA 22601