The Merrill Minute
May 27, 2020
The Eighth Grade Slideshow
A Letter to the Eighth Grade Class
Greetings, Mustang Eighth Grade Students,
Congratulations! It is hard to believe that your time as a Mustang is coming to a close. The past three years have flown by, and we have thoroughly enjoyed serving you and your amazing classmates.
We first met many of you at your elementary schools during our feeder elementary visits. Mrs. Copic, Mr. Hammond, Mrs. Foshe, Mrs. Ovrom, and Mrs. Panek welcomed you as you anxiously sat in the library or cafeteria of your elementary school with looks of uncertainty and a little excitement. You asked Mr. Hammond if lockers were hard to open, if you would get to sit by your friends at lunch, and if you would get lost in the hallway – questions that seem trivial today, but felt like the weight of the world three years ago.
Fast forward to today, and you are still asking questions about what next year will look like as you transition to high school – Will you be in a building with lockers and teachers and textbooks as the pandemic continues to breed uncertainty? When will you get to hang out with your friends again? And in the fall, how will you navigate learning if we are away from a physical school building?
Additionally, you are asking questions that have the potential to continue to bend the moral arc towards justice in our community. You are engaging in debates about our economy, foreign and domestic policy, education, and environmental issues – all things that can make our civic life better. Each day you are acting and making decisions that truly move our world towards being a brighter place. This is what we are most proud of you for – your openness to having hard discussions and seeking out positive solutions that are good for democracy and the future of our world.
We believe it is a special privilege to teach middle school. Your voices and stories persuade us to listen intently, learn more, and do better. We urge you to continue to ask hard questions of values and ethics and debate these questions with both civility and respect. We encourage you to face your future with the courage and grace that you have developed as middle school students the past three years. We are proud of you and know that the future of our community is bright because of you. Congratulations, Merrill Eighth Grade Class of 2020!
Yours in “Once a Mustang, Always a Mustang”,
The Merrill Staff
The surveys continue...thank you for taking time out of your busy schedules to help us plan for '20-'21!
Parent/Family Survey - Return to Learn
Student Survey - Return to Learn
It is important for us to continue planning for several different scenarios for our upcoming fall semester. Regardless of whether we return to a virtual or in person setting, participation in the learning will be required. Please complete the survey below to help us identify what systems and supports you need in order to engage with the school community.
Merrill Locker Survey
School Supply Kits
Skip the stores and save a summer day! Why battle back-to-school shopping when you can easily purchase your child’s school supplies in a custom, prepackaged kit?
√ A convenient one-stop, one-click shopping experience
√ Save time by not driving from store to store
√ Quality brands which are designed to last the school year
√ Kits will be delivered before school starts
Order Online at www.shopttkits.com
Use Account #74016
Hurry! Sale ends June 21st
If you have any questions please contact: kevans72@yahoo.com
Box Tops
Your Life Iowa
If this uncertain time has left you feeling anxious or depressed, you’re not alone. The Iowa Department of Public Health is offering a resource you and your family can count on – Your Life Iowa.
Your Life Iowa is the statewide crisis line anyone can contact when struggling with suicidal thoughts, mental health, alcohol, drugs, or gambling. This service is free and confidential.
Call: (855) 581-8111
Text: (855) 895-8398
Chat: YourLifeIowa.org
National History Day - State Qualifier
Congratulations to Merrill eighth grade student, Angel Toluwalase, who was a state qualifier for the National History Day competition this year. Her research focused on Rosa Parks and the Montgomery Bus Boycott. We are proud of you, Angel!
Be Ready for the 20-21 School Year
Summer Canvas Access
Students and families are able to access Canvas courses/materials throughout the summer by following these simple directions.
New content will NOT be added throughout the summer as teachers will be prepping for our return in the fall.
As a reminder, Canvas courses/materials are optional at this time.
7th Grade Immunizations
Students entering 7th grade are required to have the Meningococcal vaccination, or waiver, to begin school in the fall.
Students also need a one-time dose of of the tetanus, diphtheria, acellular pertussis (Tdap) vaccine.
DMPS recommends making a vaccination appointment with a physician as soon as possible to avoid long wait times.
Unfortunately, if students do not have these vaccines, or a waiver, they will be sent home on the first day of school.
*This information is provided by the Iowa Department of Public Health and the Polk County Health Department.
Computers
If a computer falls out of working condition or is damaged, please let us know right away so that we can arrange to pick it up and get it fixed. Regardless of what learning looks like in the fall, it will be important for all computers to be in working order.
Please email technology questions to our office manager, Jane Schumann (jane.schumann@dmschools.org) or to our media specialist, Carrie Kent (carrie.kent@dmschools.org).
Thank you!
Return to Learn
DMPS families will be receiving a survey from our district office in the coming days to better understand the needs of each family should we find ourselves in a similar situation in the fall. Stay tuned for more information.
In the meantime, you can find guidance on the Return to Learn Plan from the Iowa Department of Education here.
DSM Tutor Connection
Looking for tutoring services for your child? The Greater Des Moines Partnership and Drake University have launched the DSM Tutor Connection to provide additional support for K-12 students. The service is a web-based platform designed to connect families seeking tutoring for their children with university students interested in providing these services. All of the tutoring will be conducted on-line and scheduled between tutors and interested families at a rate of $15 per hour. Click here for more information.
DMPS Call Center
Merrill will remain closed for both May and June. If you have questions about distance learning, technology, support services, or any school-related issue, you can now reach us via the DMPS Family Call Center at 515-242-8221.
The hours of operation for the month of May are:
* Monday-Wednesday-Friday: 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM
* Tuesday-Thursday: 9:00 AM to 7:00 PM
https://www.dmschools.org/familyre…/dmps-family-call-center/
Library Closed? No worries.
Follett, one of the vendors Merrill order books from, is offering free access to their eBooks through June 30th. They have over 1,000 titles in 10 different langagues. Mrs. Kent has already registered Merrill, so just follow the directions below to access this online library.
- Go to https://www.destinydiscover.com/
- In the Location box, it says “Any Location.” Do not change.
- In the School box, enter“Follett eLearning, McHenry, IL” and click Go!
- To log in, click on the “Log In” button at the top right of the screen.
Username: guest
Password: follett
DMPS/Merrill Resource Pages
Family Resources
*Childcare
*Domestic Violence / Victim Services
*English Language Learning Community
*Employment
*Financial Assistance
*Food Assistance
*Healthcare
*Housing/Homelessness
*Legal Aid
*Mental Health
DMPS@HOME
*Pk-8 subject workbooks
*General online learning resources
*Subject/Grade specific online learning resources
*Exceptional learner resources (Sped. and GT)
*Infinite Campus
Merrill Website
*Merrill Daily Update
*Contact information for Merrill staff
*Links to DMPS district resources
*Calendar
*Almost anything/everything you want to know about Merrill!
Ms. Schumann is updating the website daily. Check it out!
Contact Information
Email: merrill@dmschools.org
Website: https://merrill.dmschools.org/
Location: 5301 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: (515) 242-8448
Twitter: @MerrillMustangs