DRAGON DIGEST
VOLUME 3, ISSUE 16 / APRIL 12, 2019
DESANA DAY OF GOOD DEEDS
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR D3 DAY!
D3 Day is May 21! We need 100 volunteers to help our DeSana Day of Good Deeds to be a success! Please use this link to sign up today. There will be two training times available for our volunteers - - -Monday, May 13 at 8am or Thursday, May 16 at 6pm. Set a great example for your student by signing up to serve with us on D3 Day!
IT'S ALMOST COOKIE TIME:
Please be on the lookout for the Cookie Sign-Up Genius which will come out in early May. Our goal for this year is 8,000 cookies, so warm up your ovens...we need bakers! (Store bought cookie will be accepted too).
APRIL FOOD DRIVE
We are collecting cereal (boxed or bagged) for our April Food Drive. All Food Drive donations will be sorted on D3 Day and given to The Place of Forsyth, Jesse's House, and Bald Ridge Lodge. Thanks again for helping to make D3 Day a success. The winning 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Dragon Time classes will get a candy party and the class will win the trophy for the month of April. So start sending in your cereal!
T-SHIRT DONATIONS STILL ACCEPTED
Thanks to everyone who turned in the t-shirt form and donation by the March 15th deadline! T-shirt sizes have been recorded and ordered. It is NOT too late to still turn in your donation. Checks should be made payable to DeSana Middle School or cash is fine too! Exact change of $5 is appreciated unless you choose to donate more which is very MUCH appreciated!
ACADEMICS
GEORGIA MILESTONES TESTING CONTINUES
Our first week of Georgia Milestones EOG testing with our 6th graders went VERY smoothly! Our student were positive and worked hard each day on their test, and their attendance was AWESOME!
We will pick back up with the EOG testing with our 7th graders on Tuesday, April 16th.
Please make sure your child is present and on time each morning, and has good night's sleep. along with a healthy breakfast. Also, remember that cell phones are not allowed in the testing environment, so students should leave their phones, smart watches, and other devices at home or in their lockers (on off).
Testing will typically last from 9:00am-1:00pm on test days so please do not plan for late check-ins or early check-outs during your child’s grade level testing times, if at all possible. Upcoming test days are as follows:
7th Grade:
· April 16 – ELA Section 1
· April 17 – ELA Sections 2 & 3
· April 18 – Math
8th Grade:
· April 22 – ELA Section 1
· April 23 – ELA Sections 2 & 3
· April 24 – SS
· April 25 – 8th Grade Math EOG
· April 26 – 8th Grade Sci EOG
· April 29 – Algebra I EOC
· May 6 – Physical Science EOC
If you would like more information about the EOG or EOC, please read the “Georgia Milestones Questions and Answers for Parents” document on the Georgia Department of Education website by clicking here.
For questions or concerns regarding test administration, please contact Mike Sloop, Assistant Principal at msloop@forsyth.k12.ga.us or 770-667-2591 Ext. 491507 or the Forsyth County Schools Assessment Division at 770-887-2461. Thank you for your cooperation and support during testing!
THREE DESANA STUDENTS GARNER TOP AWARDS AT STATE SCIENCE FAIR!
The 71st Georgia Science & Engineering Fair (GSEF) took place in Athens, Georgia, March 28-30, 2019. Three of our DeSana students did quite well and garnered several prestigious awards (See list below). A big CONGRATULATIONS to these winners!! We are so VERY proud of these students, for they have done excellent work!!
BROADCOM MASTERS NOMINEES
Druvitha L. Creating Biodegradable Plastics Using Common Chemicals
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
Sneha S. Creating Biodegradable Plastics Using Common Chemicals
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
Sedona Z. How Bioluminescent Organisms React to Varied Amounts of Light
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
NABT BIOLOGY & LIFE SCIENCE PROJECT AWARD - JUNIOR DIVISION
Sedona Z. How Bioluminescent Organisms React to Varied Amounts of Light
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
TELLUS' FUTURE SCIENCE STARS AWARD - ALTERNATE
Druvitha L. Creating Biodegradable Plastics Using Common Chemicals
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
Sneha S. Creating Biodegradable Plastics Using Common Chemicals
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
UGA MICROBIOLOGY DEPARTMENT AWARD JUNIOR DIVISION
Sedona Z. How Bioluminescent Organisms React to Varied Amounts of Light DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
WOMEN IN SCIENCE AT UGA AWARD - JUNIOR DIVISION
Sedona Z. How Bioluminescent Organisms React to Varied Amounts of Light
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
GSEF BEST IN CATEGORY MICROBIOLOGY JR DIV
Sedona Z. How Bioluminescent Organisms React to Varied Amounts of Light
DeSana Middle School - FORSYTH COUNTY
The Georgia Science and Engineering Fair is Georgia’s premier forum for students to showcase their original research, compete for awards, and interact with top-level professional scientists. The science fair system in Georgia serves not only to recognize students for their achievements, but also to prepare students to succeed and flourish in an increasingly complex and highly technical world by becoming problem solvers, critical thinkers, reflective learners, and more productive and influential members of their communities. GSEF is held annually in March/early April at the Classic Center in downtown Athens, Georgia.
13 1/2 WEEK PROGRESS REPORTS COMING YOUR WAY!
Mark your calendars now . . . Wednesday, April 24th is when DeSana students will receive their 13 ½ week Progress Reports to inform students and their parents how they are progressing in mastering the standards in their classes with just 4 ½ weeks left in this school year. While parents (and students, we hope!) may check their young Dragon’s grades daily/weekly via Parent Portal . . . and we highly encourage you to do so . . . we will be sending home with all 6th grade students a paper copy Progress Report for each core academic class --- Math, Language Arts, Science & Social Studies --- that tells their average thus far and how they have done on each formative and/or summative assessment. For 6th grade Connections and Enrichment classes, hard copy Progress Reports will be given only to those students with a present grade of 75% or below.
For our 7th and 8th grade students, only those students with a present grade of 75% or below in their core academic classes --- Math, Language Arts, Science, Social Studies & Spanish for eighth graders who take it --- will receive a hard copy Progress Report of their grades (both formative and summative assessments) to take home to share with their parents. Also, for 7th and 8th grade students’ Connections classes and Enrichment classes, hard copy Progress Reports will only be given to those students who have a present average of 75% or below.
At any time a parent may request a hard copy of their student’s grades by contacting the teacher directly. Should a family not have access to the internet to check their student’s grades on Parent Portal at Progress Report time, please do not hesitate to notify your young person’s teacher(s).
With only 4 ½ weeks left in this school year, we want all of our young Dragons to finish strong in their academic endeavors. I hope our parents and students will sit down together and check out his/her grades, and figure out if anything else needs to be done to make sure that each young Dragon finishes strong for this school year!
DRAGON ACADEMY FOR THE 2018-2019 SCHOOL YEAR - - - AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ADDITIONAL LEARNING & ASSESSMENT TIME FOR STUDENTS!
Dragon Academy is an opportunity we offer students throughout this year from 4:15-6:15 for completing, taking or re-taking formative and/or summative assessments (i.e. unit tests, projects, essays, quizzes. etc.). Dragon Academy happens at least two times a month --- on Fridays --- with teachers and an administrator supervising each session. It is a fantastic opportunity for students to drastically improve both their learning and their grades. Students are be invited by their teachers . . . or they may invite themselves . . . to attend Dragon Academy if they are missing work or need to re-take an assessment to show better mastery of the standards or complete a project. Although students have about two hours to complete their work, once they complete all that they came to accomplish, students are able to call their parent to come pick them up. Snacks and drinks are sold for a very reasonable cost so students may focus on their work, not on their gurgling stomachs! Any necessary school supplies are provided for students to use to complete their work, as needed.
Please mark your calendars now for these Dragon Academy dates for the rest of the school year:
· April 19 & 26
· May 3 & 10
THE ARTS
ADVANCED ART FOR 2019-2020
Attention 7th graders: Now is the time to apply for 8th grade advanced art for the 2019-20 school year. This class will be a semester long course offered both first and second semester. It is designed for students who have excelled in all aspects of the general connections art course and have demonstrated their interest and ability to meet the challenge of a more intensive art curriculum. For more information on how to apply please see Mrs. Petit in the connections hallway room 1240. Deadline to apply is May 3rd .
ART AND THE ELDERLY
8th grade advanced art students recently traveled to the Phoenix Assisted Living to teach watercolor to the residents. Students will return May 2nd for a collaborative art show.
FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
Congratulations to all students who had artwork displayed at the CFUMC Festival for the Arts. DeSana had 20 students represented among art from all over the county. A special congratulations to 8th graders Jacob A. and Aarohi S., who were awarded honorable mentions for their art!
ACTIVITIES
WAIVER NEEDED FOR 7TH GRADE AQUARIUM TRIP
Attention: New online Waiver form needed for 7th grade Field trip to the Aquarium.
The Georgia Aquarium has sent new waiver forms for the students who will be attending the field trip on May 3, to Zoo Atlanta with an overnight visit to the Georgia Aquarium. Please fill out at least 1 week prior to the trip. This will help the Aquarium locate your information at an expedited rate if the need should arise.
The link is: https://www.smartwaiver.com/w/5b3cc6f335e49/web/
You will use the Group Name: Desana Middle School
Thank you for all your time and support in this matter, if you should have any questions please contact Mrs. Jessica Strader at jstrader@forsyth.k12.ga.us
PARENT 411 - HELPFUL LINKS FOR YOU
OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
MANY THANKS TO OUR AMAZING BUSINESS PARTNERS!
*ALL AMERICAN SPECIALTIES
*BROWNS BRIDGE CHURCH
*CHICK-FIL-A @ THE COLLECTION
*DUNKIN DONUTS
*DR. HOM PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY & ALPHARETTA COMPREHENSIVE DENTISTRY
*GEORGIA ORTHODONTICS AND CHILDREN'S DENTISTRY
*HI FIVE SPORTS
*MARVEL SOCCER
*NORTH GEORGIA PROMOTIONS
*OMEGA LEARNING
*RBM OF ALPHARETTA
*RISPA
*VERTICAL CHURCH
Forsyth County Schools does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, or gender in employment decisions or educational programs and activities.