Panther Press Volume 30
Excellence,Everywhere,Everyday
Happy Memorial Day Panther Nation!
We began the 2019-2020 academic year strong with many goals to accomplish, then we quickly pivoted from in-person classes to online instruction in March due to COVID-19.
During this time, our faculty and staff rallied valiantly to preserve the integrity and excellence of our campus, while also ensuring that our students continued to experience Duncanville High School’s caring community – even in a remote platform.
As we approach the conclusion of the school year on Thursday, I wanted to Thank You for your support throughout this challenging time. Our teachers and staff appreciate your assistance in working with your students as we pursued remote learning experiences.
Have a wonderful summer Panther families and we look forward to seeing you again soon!
Michael McDonald
Executive Principal
#WeAreDville
Congratulations to DHS own History Teacher, Mr. Alex Horton!
CBS 11 featured our DHS Choir virtual performance of "Stand By Me"
SUMMER SCHOOL REGISTRATION OPENS MAY 18 - JUNE 3, 2020
How does Summer School work?
Summer school classes are available Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. (morning session ) or from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. (afternoon session). Summer school dates are from June 3, 2020 to June 25, 2020. Summer school classes are online, self-paced and can be accessed at home any time beginning June 3rd.
- Credit Recovery - This free program allows students to successfully recover or gain academic credits. It is intended for students who passed all related state exams (or will receive a waiver in Summer 2020), but have not obtained credit for one or more semesters of the courses required for graduation.
- Acceleration High School Program - This on-line, tuition based program allows students to successfully gain academic credits outside of traditional summer school setting. This program is designed for students in grades 9-12 to receive the opportunity to accelerate their high school programs.
Who is eligible?
This is a great opportunity for those needing to recover lost credit or for those wanting to take advantage of opportunities to get ahead.
What are the Course Offerings for Credit Recovery and/or Credit Acceleration?
- English I, II, III, IV
- Biology, IPC, Chemistry, Physics, Aquatic Science, Environmental Science
- Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Math Models, Pre–Calculus
- World Geography, World History, U. S. History, Government, Economics
- Spanish I, II
How do I Register for Summer School?
**Please know that a pre-registration conference with a DHS Counselor is required prior to Registration**. This is to ensure that you are registering for the correct course.
Item Return: 9th -11th Grade Students
Tuesday May 26th and Thursday May 28th will be designated for 9th – 11th grade.
· Time: 8am – 12pm and 1pm – 4pm each day
· Students be informed to go to Parking Lot A (the main entrance parking lot) to drop off/pick up items
· The process will be completed via drive-thru. Students/parents are to remain in their vehicles.
Wednesday, May 27th – SENIORS ONLY!
· Time: 9am – 2pm
· This day will be drop off of items along with cap, gown, and other senior specific items.
· Seniors will also drop off Chromebooks (in the west/student parking lot) issued for Learning At Home. This process will be facilitated by our Technology department. Technology is NOT collecting Chromebooks issued for Learning At Home from 9th – 11th at this time.
· The process will be completed via drive-thru. Students/parents are to remain in their vehicles.
Duncanville High School Cap & Gown Distribution
The Class of 2020 will graduate Saturday, June 20, 2020 @ 8:00 pm at Globe Life Field.
The Duncanville High School Class of 2020 has shown their resilience and grit, finishing their high school career in the midst of a health pandemic. Superintendent Dr. Marc Smith, school administrators and the senior advisors knew it was important to keep safety in mind while creating a graduation ceremony as exceptional as our seniors. After deliberating and making adjustments based on safety guidelines provided by local and state officials, a final decision has been made.
The Class of 2020 will graduate Saturday, June 20 at Globe Life Field. Check out the video announcement by Dr. Smith.
I appreciate the patience you have all demonstrated during this time. We are incredibly proud of you and your accomplishments and look forward to celebrating your graduation with you in person.
DHS Graduation Information
UPDATE: A Note Regarding Grades and Assignment Submission
As of May 4, 2020, any assignments that have not been submitted via the Google Classroom or email submissions students will receive a ZERO in the Skyward Gradebook.
If your student has any zeros and/or missing work in Skyward, they will need to complete those assignments by Friday, May 22, 2020. We will not be accepting any late work past May 22nd. So please check your parent portal and help make sure your student has all of their work turned in prior to the end of the week.
I am including the grading guidelines chart here for your reference. We want every student to continue to engage in daily learning activities and submit their best work. Please review your child’s progress and communicate to your child’s teacher any questions or needs. We are here to support your student during this unprecedented time.
Please see the link below for our district's correspondence in relation to the Grading Policy.
Chromebook Collections for Seniors
Seniors, if you received a chrome book, it must be returned or you will not receive your cap and gown.
1. Location: DHS West 9th Grade Parking (see red arrow)
2. Dates: May 26 and 27
3. Times: 8a-12p, 1-3p, 4-8p (each day)
Skyward Update
If you need to update your email address or phone numbers, please know you can make those changes in Family Access.
Follow the steps below on how to make those changes in Family Access:
- Log into Family Access
- Click on My Account (top right corner)
- When the Account Settings screen opens, there is place for your email address and up to three phone numbers.
Please note – Each parent/guardian can enter one email address to receive communication via Skyward Message Center.
- Once changes are made, click Save.
If you're unable to log into Family Access, please try this additional options.
- Use the Forgot Your Password link from the Family Access login page
Need a Transcript or VOE? We are here to help!
If you are needing a Transcript for Scholarship Application or VOE, we are able to help you remotely via email! See directions below. Please allow 24 hour (business day) turn around on all requests.
Transcript for a Scholarship Application
- Email Marya Dancer, DHS Record Clerk @MDancer@duncanvilleisd.org
- Include full student name and ID number
VOE (Verification of Enrollment) for Driver's Permit/License
- 9th Grade, Email Brigitte Neal, Attendance Clerk @BNeal@duncanvilleisd.org
- 10th & 11th Grade, Email Anne Kimple, Attendance Clerk @ AKimple@duncanvilleisd.org
- 12th Grade, Email Elsa Gonzalez, Attendance Clerk, @ Elsgonzalez@duncanvilleisd.org
- Include full student name and ID number
DHS Library Still Open Online
Hi DHS Students!
We wanted to remind you that the library is still here to serve you virtually. We have a number of eBooks and audiobooks available through our Sora app so you can still check out books digitally! We also have a variety of online databases to help you with research, as well as individual codes to Open eBooks for authentic, safe online access to hundreds of popular books.
Miss chatting about books, anime, and more? We do too! Let’s meet virtually. Use the codes below to join our “clubs” via Google Classroom and check the stream often for updates. We are here to help with access to any of these resources. If you’re not able to find a book you’d like or if you need help finding resources for your research, please email us and we will be happy to help.
Anime Club Google Classroom code: pfqtri2.
Book Club Google Classroom code: kg44oi4
#WeAreDville
Mrs. Austin and Mrs. Garcia
DHS - Learning Online
Click here to directly access DHS learning online resource. For your convenience, individual grade levels have been provided below.
Remote Learning Tips
By now, you have already received work for various classes. It is really important, now more than ever to stay on top of your work. Here are a few tips to help you make your time meaningful and productive:
1. Try active study. This means asking yourself questions before, during, and after your studying. Questions such as, what do I already know about this topic, or while doing the work, what did I just read, can I paraphrase it, and then when you are done, what do I need to review before studying again.
2. Get a good night's sleep. It is really important to maintain a regular bedtime routine.
3. Study at the right time. This could be early morning or later in the day. You know yourself better than anyone, find the right time to do work.
4. Have a designated study area. This could be the kitchen table, or at a desk, if you have one. It is really important, though, to study away from the TV or other screens, such as your phone.
5. Eat properly. If you can, have snacks ready to go before you study.
6. Get chores out of the way. Many of your parents or guardians may have given you chores to do while you are at home. If this is the case, make sure they are done before studying.
7. Create a timetable. This is a fancy way of saying come up with a schedule. This means figure out how much time, and none is not an option, you need to spend on each subject. For instance, maybe you need to schedule more time for language arts, but not as much for social studies.
8. Set a timer. Your phone has one important use while you study, it has clock. If you know how, set a timer so you can keep track of your time spent on each subject.
Duncanville ISD family,
During this time when Duncanville ISD is closed due to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, we remain committed to taking care of children, in particular those who depend on meals served at school each day.
Beginning Monday, March 23, district nutrition services staff will distribute grab-and-go lunches to all school-age children.
The child does not need to be a student in the district. The child must be present to receive a meal and there is a limit of one meal per child. The lunches will be distributed through curbside pickup at the following schools.
Meal distribution will take place starting Monday, March 23 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. - Monday through Friday.
Fairmeadows Elementary School
101 E Fairmeadows Dr.
Duncanville, TX 75116
Merrifield Elementary School
102 E. Vinyard Rd.
Duncanville, TX 75137
Hyman Elementary School
8441 Fox Creek Trail
Dallas, TX 75249
Kennemer Middle School
7101 W Wheatland Rd.
Dallas, TX 75249
If you have questions about this program, email Director of Nutrition Services Donna Woodard-Thomas at dwoodardthomas@duncanvilleisd.org. Thank you.
STAAR TEST CANCELLED
What you Need to Know About Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19)
Stop the Spread of Germs
Michael McDonald
Location: 900 West Camp Wisdom Road, Duncanville, TX 75116, USA
Phone: 972-708-3700