The Panther Post
DMS News December 2017
Principal's Corner
Panther Families,
It is hard to believe that we are just a few days away from the end of this semester! We have many exciting activities to look forward to in these upcoming days. This week on Wednesday, December 6th, we will have our second "no homework night" that will allow students and families to have playtime, downtime and family time-PDF.
DMS students will be taking exams to finish the semester. A link to the fall exam schedule can be found in the upcoming events section below and also on the DMS webpage. It is very important that your student is present to take exams on the dates they are scheduled. Students will not be allowed to take exams early. Any student that misses their final exam should call the office to schedule a time to take a make-up exam on Wednesday, January 3, 2018.
It is my hope that you will enjoy the gift of family and friends during the upcoming holiday break. As always, thank you for your continued support of the students, faculty and staff of Discovery!
With Panther Pride,
Kim Stewart
Discovery Middle School: A place for innovation, excellence and discovery.
December Upcoming Events
December 2: Scholar's Bowl Competition, East Lawrence Middle School Invitational
December 4: DMS Bands Holiday Concert 6:30 p.m. at BJHS Zompa Auditorium
December 5: 7th Grade NJHS Parent Information Meeting at 6:00 p.m.
December 6: PDF-No Homework Night
December 8: CyberPatriot Competition Round 2
December 11: DMS Geography Bee
December 12: 7th Grade Washington D.C. Trip Meeting at 5:30 p.m. in the DMS cafeteria
December 18-20: Semester Exams-- Exam Schedule
December 20: Half Day of School with dismissal at 11:45 a.m.
December 20: Last day of the 1st Semester
December 21 - January 3: Winter Break/No School
Students Return to School on Thursday, January 4!
DMS Basketball:
Dec. 4 -- @ Buckhorn 7G, 8G, 7B & 8B at 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 7 -- Meridianville (home game) 7B, 8B, 7G & 8G at 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 11 -- @ Monrovia 7G, 8G, 7B & 8B at 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 13 -- Hampton Cove (home game) 7G at 4:30 p.m.
Dec. 14 -- Sparkman (home game) 7B, 8B, 7G & 8G at 4:00 p.m.
Dec. 15 & 16 -- Columbia Tournament 8G TBA
DMS Sugar Plum Tree
Parents,
We are collecting items to help families here at Discovery during the holiday season!
Please choose an item from the DMS Sugar Plum Tree (Angel Tree) Wish List to help Discovery families! Use the link below to sign up for the item you choose. You may bring or send the unwrapped item to the front office by Friday, December 8th.
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050a49abae1-dmssugar2
Please contact Kristy Benefield at kbenefield@madisoncity.k12.al.us if you have any questions.
Thank you so much for your generosity!
2017 DMS St. Jude Children's Hospital Fundraiser
We will be collecting donations on the DMS website through December if you would still like to participate.
Thank you to all of the students, parents, teachers, staff and administrators who helped make this happen!
DMS Logo Contest Winner
Discovery Middle School: A place for innovation, excellence, and discovery!
2017 Madison County Honor Choir - Discovery Middle School
Congratulations to the following DMS students for being chosen to participate in the Madison County Honor Choir:
Ashley Baragona, Lainey Beckwith, Samantha Bignault, Madison Castillo, Andie D'Amico, Amelia Dobbs, Kennedy Gore, Callie Gregory, Maelee Hamlett, McKinley Harris, Kiandra Holloway, Shaniya Jacobs-Lanier, Tabitha Kelly, Ashley King, Ashley Morgan, Lily Parsley, Lilian Qu, Maylea Roby, Grace Shaunce, Isabella Valentin, Madison Wells, Lexi Willard and Jonylah Williams
We are proud of you!
2017 Alabama All-State Chorus - Discovery Middle School
Congratulations to the following DMS students who were chosen for Alabama's All-State Chorus:
Kobe Baffield, Maddie Baker, Lainey Beckwith, Madison Castillo, Andie D'Amico, Sabrina Glover, Maelee Hamlett, McKinley Harris, Shaniya Jacobs-Lanier, Ashley King, Lily Parsley, Maylea Roby, Grace Shaunce, Nicole Teper, and Isabella Valentin
2017 School Spelling Bee Winner:
Additionally, both the champion and the runner-up were awarded a free one-year membership to Britannica Online for Kids, a $74.95 value from Encyclopedia Britannica.
Great job Aparna and Jonathan!
Art Contest
Show what it means to be a military connected student through visual art, poetry, or essays.
See Mrs. Bagwell (room 517) for details and contest guidelines.
Due December 20th.
*Must be a military connected student to enter.
Library Events
The DMS library IS the place to be!
What's new? We have new Makerspace areas designated for students to create and showcase monthly/seasonal creations! These areas house materials and supplies for students to use in creating/designing displays and sharing unique talents and cultural treasures. Holiday Creations is our current platform.
If you would like to donate craft supplies to our new stations, we are in need of the following items: twine, rope, fabric, buttons, sequins, fabric glue, craft glue, craft books, colorful Duct tape, construction paper, crepe/tissue paper, craft sticks, straws, AA batteries, Styrofoam craft shapes, coffee filters, Clorox wipes, dry-erase markers, oil pastels, and pipe cleaners. THANK YOU in advance for your generosity!
Candy Canes Anyone?? The library is hosting a SWEET fund-raiser! We are selling CANDY CANES for .25 each. All money collected will be used to purchase supplies for the library...notably digital books.
You now have access to DMS eBooks & audiobooks!
· Download the FREE eHub Reader app by Perma-Bound.
· Use the DMS library URL code 227346.
· Log in with your Atriuum username & password.
· Sign in and make selection. Checkout is one book for 2 weeks.
You may also access digital books on a desktop/laptop using a browser and have the option of early return.
THANK YOU VOLUNTEERS! We are grateful for your time, assistance, and dedication!
Have suggestions on how to make our media center better? Come and share your ideas!
Visit us in the DMS library to "check out" valuable resources available to you!
Classroom Spotlight
Our 7/8th grade science teacher Mrs. Bailey always has fun and engaging activities going on in her class. Here is a brief explanation of the Bottle Rocket lab that I was so fortunate to experience. "The Bottle Rocket lab tests Newton's 3rd law of motion which states that for every reaction there is an equal and opposite reaction. Students are tasked to be engineers and have to construct and design a pressure chamber rocket using a 2 liter bottle. We add about 70 to 80 PSI to launch the rockets outside. The rocket must remain intact after the launch for a complete successful mission. The students also compete on the most creative design that withstands the launch and discuss how the Newton's 1st and 2nd law can also be applied to this lab." Well said, Mrs. Bailey, and thank you for providing such an amazing learning opportunity for our DMS students!
7th Grade National Junior Honor Society Parent Informational Meeting
DMS will be holding a National Junior Honor Society parent informational meeting on December 5th at 6:00 p.m. in the school Library. Please enter the building through the door nearest the senior center.
This meeting will be for the parents and students of current 7th graders who wish to apply for membership. We will be covering the standards of evaluation, when students are eligible, membership obligations, grade requirements, process of acceptance, induction ceremony, meeting times, dues, and timeline for the application process. It is important that you attend the informational meeting if you are interested in joining NJHS; however, it is not mandatory.
If your student is interested in joining it is mandatory that they sign the online interest form. This online interest form will be found on the DMS home page and the NJHS webpage starting the morning of December 4th and ending December 8th at 3:30 p.m.
Students must provide their Madison City School’s Email address (username@madisoncity.k12.al.us). Students must complete the interest form by December 8th in order to be considered for membership. Please see our DMS NJHS website for more detailed information about the application process including a timeline of when things are due.
Again, this meeting is for parents and students of current 7th graders who are not already members.
If you have any questions please contact one of the NJHS advisor by phone or email.
Karly Beavers (256)837-3735 kdbeavers@madisoncity.k12.al.us Room 528
Sarah Kim (256)837-3735 sjkim@madisoncity.k12.al.us Room 512
Topic of the Month: Social Media Safety
Young people today have more access to technology and are more social media savvy than ever before. Over 80% of students use some form of social media, and they're sharing more information about themselves on social networks than they have in the past.
While growing up with technology has its benefits, it also poses new risks. Between cyber-bullying, oversharing, and giving in to peer pressure, a young person's misuse of a social network can turn into a serious problem.
For many parents, navigating their child's social media presence is not only worrisome, but also challenging. However, with the right approach, parents can set positive examples for their students and teach them how to use social media responsibly and respectfully.
Here are six tips to help you keep your kids safe on social media.
1. Educate yourself about social media.
It is recommended that parents take time to research and learn about the different social networks their children are using. Familiarizing yourself with popular social platforms will give you a better understanding of how each service works.
Here some popular social networks kids are actively using:
Snapchat
Vine
YouTube
Tumblr
2. Establish an age limit.
When deciding at what age you will allow your student(s) to use social media, keep in mind that most social networks require users to be 13 years old or older to create an account. The Children's Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA) prevents companies from collecting personal information about children under the age of 13 without their parents' permission.
3. Talk to your kids about the dangers and consequences of social media.
Most young people do not fully realize the consequences that come with using social media. They tend to underestimate how easily accessible their information is, and can forget that others are watching their online activity. By being proactive and talking to your children about the dangers of social media, they will more likely think twice before posting a photo or sharing personal information with others online.
4. Keep technology (computers, tablets, cell phones) in a common area of your home.
Keep your online devices in a centralized and open location in your house. This way, you can easily keep an eye on your student’s social media usage. Young people are less likely to engage in inappropriate behavior when they know their parents can look over their shoulder at any time.
5. Set guidelines or rules.
Establishing a set of guidelines or rules is a wonderful way to instill positive social media habits in your child. Set time limits for how long your student can spend on social media during the week.
6. Check your child's privacy settings regularly.
Be sure to check your student's privacy settings on each social network consistently. Social networks are constantly updating and changing their sites and apps, so you'll want to make sure your child's profile is as secure as possible.
Keep in mind, the key to keeping your student safe on social media is to properly supervise their activities and use of social media!
Source: http://mashable.com/2014/09/21/social-media-safety-kids/#reoJ4t48cgqP
DMS Newsletter Team
K. Stewart
J. Bailey
K. Beavers
L. Collins
F. Griffin
S. Humes
E. Lack
T. McMunn
K. Moody
Website: http://dms.madisoncity.k12.al.us/
Location: 1304 Hughes Rd, Madison, AL 35758, United States
Phone: (256) 837-3735
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/discoverymspanthers/
Twitter: @DMSpanthers1