November Newsletter
Drexel HIll Middle Sc
Happy Thanksgiving to our DHMS Families! ๐ฆ
Drexel Hill Middle School
Principal: Jill Palladino
Assistant Principals: Jen Rosen, Ron Cole, Gretchen Cammiso, Pete Schiller
3001 State Road
Drexel Hill, PA 19026
(610) 853-4580
What's going on at DHMS?
Upcoming Events:
November 16- Early Dismissal Asynchronous Thursday
November 17- Marking Period 1 Report Cards available in HAC
November 20- 12:15 Dismissal, Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00-3:30
November 21- 12:15 Dismissal, Parent Teacher Conferences 1:00-3:30 & 5:00-8:00
November 22- 11:50 Dismissal
November 23- No School - Happy Thanksgiving!
November 24- No School
November 29- Marking Period 2 Interims available in HAC
November 30- Early Dismissal Asynchronous Thursday
December 7- Early Dismissal Asynchronous Thursday
December 9- Home and School Vendor Event
Winter Sports Updates!
Winter Sports Tryout Dates:
8th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- Tuesday, November 14 3:30 to 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 15 3:30 to 5:00 pm
7th grade Boys Basketball Tryouts
- Thursday, November 16 1:45 to 4:00 pm
- Friday, November 17 3:30 to 5:00 pm
8th grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
- Monday, November 27 3:30 to 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 29 3:30 to 5:00 pm
7th grade Girls Basketball Tryouts
- Tuesday, November 28 3:30 to 5:00 pm
- Thursday, November 30 1:45 to 4:00 pm
Drexel Hill Wrestling Practice
- Tuesday, November 14 3:30 to 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 15 3:30 to 5:00 pm
Drexel Hill Cheer/Step
- Tuesday, November 14 (Practice) 3:30 to 5:00 pm
- Wednesday, November 15 (Tryout) 3:30 to 5:00 pm
In order to participate in a winter sport, you must a winter FamilyID registration completed and approved.
The list of tryout dates is posted on the Drexel Hill Athletics Page.
Any questions email or see Mr. Coary in room 108.
Also, please be mindful of pick up times. Our coaches can not be expected to stay past pick up times. Most practices end by 5:00 PM. There is a late bus at 5:15 PM, but if your student has an away competition, they may get home later that 5:00 PM. The expectation is that someone is available to pick up our athletes at this time.
Get to Know the Teachers and Staff ๐ฃ
7th Grade Teacher Spotlight
This is Ms. Jevnick's 6th year in the Upper Darby School District! Ms. Jevnick started her UDSD career at the high school. After two years, she made the transition to Drexel Hill Middle School. Ms. Jevnick is an ELA teacher but she also teaches some of the technology elective courses! She received her bachelors degree from Neumann University and her masters degree from Wilkes University. Ms. Jevnick grew up in Delaware County and still currently resides here with her boyfriend and two basset hounds. Ms. Jevnick and her boyfriend enjoy working out and cooking together! Ms. Jevnick has a second job that is also one of her favorite hobbies, she is a make up artist!
If you need to get in contact with Ms. Jevnick, please email ojevnick@upperdarbysd.org!
8th Grade Teacher Spotlight
Meet Mr. Polinchak!
Mr. Polinchak is new to Upper Darby School District and Drexel Hill Middle School this year as one of our 8th grade science teachers. Prior to making the transition to UDSD, Mr. Polinchak has been working in education since 2010 and came to us from West Philadelphia. Mr. Polinchak earned his bachelors degree from Kutztown University and masters degree from Arcadia University. Mr. Polinchak and his family, which includes his wife and three children, enjoy rooting on their favorite teams, watching movies and going on nature walks. Mr. Polinchak thrives off of the "lightbulb" moments and looks forward to getting to know our students and contributing to their growth as students and people.
If you need to get in contact with Mr. Polinchak, please email apolinchak@upperdarbysd.org!
Related Arts Teacher Spotlight
Meet Ms. Barr!
Ms. Barr is an Upper Darby School District Alumni. She attended the Kindergarten Center, Aronimink, Drexel Hill and Upper Darby. Ms. Barr went to Ithaca College in New York, received her first teaching job and then returned back to Delco and has spent the last two years at DHMS as one of our music teachers! Ms. Barr is very involved in all things music in UDSD. She teaches in the Brad Schoener MusicMan camps over the summer and works with the woodwind sections and ukuleles. Ms. Barr and her fiance enjoy going on walks, playing with their niece and nephew, visiting with family and playing Nintendo Switch. She does not have any animal pets but she has plants - she has a mini herb garden that she is very proud of in her kitchen!
If you need to get in contact with Ms. Barr, please email cbarr@upperdarbysd.org!
๐ Student Highlights! ๐
Student of the Month
October Theme: Kindness
November's Student of the Month Theme is GRATITUDE!
Check out some of the things happening behind the doors of DHMS! ๐
Community Relations
Our personal behaviors reflect the pride we have in ourselves and the respect we have for those around us. Unfortunately, time and again, schools are asked to step in and intervene when student behaviors that occur outside of the school day are a poor reflection of our student body. If I could walk by everybodyโs side all the time, I would. In the meantime, there are some common standards of behavior that we teach in school and are expected within the community, especially as students visit the nearby businesses, including our friends in the Bond Shopping Center, Barclay Square, Garrett and Burmont Roads, and the Shops at 69th Street.
Please review the following expectations with your children:
Vaping/Smoking - This is prohibited inside of all shops and businesses.
Littering - Please take pride in your community and use a trash can.
Outside food and drink - Please do not enter a business with outside food and/or drinks.
Obscene language - Use kind words and do not use vulgar, curse, defamatory, threatening, abusive, or hateful words.
Unsafe Acts - Do not participate in any physical act that is unsafe, including fighting, slap-boxing, standing on furniture, or crowding in a small space. If the employee asks that you leave, please respect that directive.
Dress and attire - Do not enter a business with your face concealed. Sunglasses are appropriate outdoors but not indoors. Increasingly, businesses are prohibiting hoods on jackets or sweatshirts when worn indoors.
Lastly, sometimes itโs the crowding that feels the most unsafe. Children are often attracted to the center of action in an event. For example - If two children are arguing, there may be dozens of children who are watching, under the impression that they are not doing anything wrong other than watching someone elseโs poor behavior. These large crowds that form make it very difficult to separate good intentions from negative behaviors. Additionally, sometimes our more impulsive children join into negative behaviors when it seems normal within a larger group. As you speak with your child tonight, they may not be involved with vaping, littering, smoking, or cursing, and they may feel that these topics are irrelevant to their experience. However, please explain your expectations for what they should do to be a positive influence when and if they happen to be in a space where a large crowd is forming and the behaviors of others are starting to become negative. Some good suggestions include: choose an alternate route, report any unsafe acts, threats, or crimes to a responsible adult, find a new social activity.
If your child has seen something unsafe and wants to report it anonymously, they can always use the 24 hour anonymous tip line at Safe2Say - Safe2Say LINK. Police or school officials will receive these tips and respond appropriately to help us to improve our community!