Dumbarton Middle School · 2016. 2. 29. · Dumbarton Middle School 300 Dumbarton Road, Baltimore,...
Transcript of Dumbarton Middle School · 2016. 2. 29. · Dumbarton Middle School 300 Dumbarton Road, Baltimore,...
Dumbarton Middle School 300 Dumbarton Road, Baltimore, MD 21212
410-887-3176 BCPS Lighthouse School
A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence
Sue Harris, Principal March, 2016 Liz Heil, Assistant Principal
Cheryl Scott, Assistant Principal
Jennifer Burch, Assistant Principal
From the Principal’s Desk….
ast month brought us many snow interruptions and we are hopeful to have put that
behind us. Due to the snow days used, BCPS will examine the school calendar and in
conjunction with MSDE requirements make any adjustments that might be needed.
March 4th interims will come home and March 9th is now our conference afternoon although
conferences can be arranged at any convenient time for parents & staff.
We continue to celebrate the wide variety of talented DMS students. Thanks to our
DMS basketball teams for a super effort this season. They worked hard and represented
our school well as they competed against other BCPS schools. School play performances
took place on 2/25 and 2/26 and students did an outstanding job projecting their voices
and making their characters come to life! March brings the annual BCPS Music
assessments where our 8th graders will compete against other middle schools to earn high
honors. We are proud of all of our talented students at DMS.
Safety in our school parking lot and driveway requires your help! Please refrain from
driving into the school driveway, parking lot or the side road that leads toward the fields
when busses are entering/exiting. Cars crossing the bus loop have caused safety concerns
as has a line of cars forming near the gym area which can extend into the bus loop. Thank
you for working with us to ensure student and adult safety on our campus.
Parents of 8th graders: Please note BCPS policy requires that residency re-verification is
completed prior to students leaving DMS to ensure students retain their high-school
schedule. Further information will be coming home regarding this soon. In addition,
regardless of any BCPS calendar changes, the DMS 8th grade Farewell Assembly will take
place on the second to last day of school (currently on the morning of June 16th).
Parents of 6th graders: Some parents of current 6th graders will receive a letter
attached to their child’s interim reminding them that updated vaccinations are required by
MSDE and BCPS prior to their child entering grade 7. Please refer questions regarding
immunizations to our school nurse, Mrs. Miedusiewski at [email protected].
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The PTA Lion’s Den sponsored a very successful Black Light Dance and also our recent
Movie Night in February. Both events were well attended. These events provide a safe,
fun evening for students supervised by parent volunteers and DMS staff members. We
sincerely thank the PTA parents for donating their time to support these events.
Our PTA also sponsored a recent guest speaker, Mr. Vince DeVivo, from the U.S.
Attorney’s Community Outreach Office. He suggested the Netsmartz program as a
trusted resource for parents. Some suggestions from their website include:
Keep the computer in a high-traffic area of your home. Establish limits for which online sites children may visit and for how long. Internet technology can be mobile, so monitor cell phones, gaming devices, and laptops.
Surf the Internet with your children and let them show you what they like to do online. Know who is connecting with your children online and set rules for social networking, instant
messaging, e-mailing, online gaming, and using webcams. Start a discussion with your child What are your favorite things to do online?
What is personal information? Why should you keep it private? What could you do to be safer online? What would you do if anyone online asked to meet you face-to-face?
Besides me, who do you feel that you can talk to if you are in a scary or uncomfortable situation?
Officer Brown, our SRO (School Resource Officer) is also always available to answer
your questions. He can be reached by calling the school at 410-887-3176 or via email at
[email protected]. I am pleased to say that students often seek his advice when they
have concerns about their friend’s on-line behavior. This has enabled us to keep students
safe, keep parents informed and provide support/safety tips to all our students.
Spring break is right around the corner! It occurs March 25 – April 3 with school
reopening on Monday, April 4. Please reach out to your child’s teacher or school counselor
should you have concerns/questions. We want every student to experience a successful
spring at Dumbarton Middle School. It is truly a pleasure to interact with our hard
working, focused Dumbarton students each day and for some reason I become shorter this
time of year every spring!
Sincerely, Susan E Harris
Principal
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5TH
GRADE
PARENT
ORIENTATION
6:00 PM APRIL 13, 2016
DUMBARTON MIDDLE
SCHOOL
300 Dumbarton Road Baltimore, MD 21212
http://dumbartonms.bcps.org
410-887-3176
Questions? Contact Mrs.
Murphy, 6th grade counselor
Parents are invited to join
us to learn about the BIG
ROCKS of middle school:
Rigorous instructional
program
Middle School
philosophy
School within a school
supports
Meet staff members
Hear advice from
current 6th graders
Learn how to prepare
your child for the
transition
Lighthouse School
Benefits
General Device
use/distribution
information
Date to be determined: August Orientation for
Students
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6th Grade Peer Interactions Research has shown that it is common for bullying and other
antisocial behaviors to peak during the middle school years.
Middle school can be a tough time for kids who are navigating
peer relationships and as a result find themselves on the
receiving side of bad behavior. Arm your child with ideas on
how to deal with peer issues, who to turn to for help, and how to move forward
after an issue has been addressed. Brainstorming ideas about how to resolve
fictitious peer issues from television or books can be a great starting point.
Learning how to ignore, letting things roll off your back, finding the humor in
situations, and effectively responding to negative situations takes practice and
maturity. Students at DMS can seek assistance from any adult in the building.
When peer issues arise, students should ask for help from the school counselor or
assistant principal immediately so they can get help before making a potentially
poor decision. For questions or assistance with peer issues, please contact Cheryl
Scott, 6th grade assistant principal.
MAP Testing
Winter MAP testing will extend to March 4, with makeup days
running until March 8, 2016 due to school closures and delays
caused by inclement weather. Testing is being administered
through math and language arts classes. In order to prepare for testing, students
are encouraged to get a good night’s sleep prior to testing, eat a good breakfast
the morning of testing, and put forth their best effort. Students are also
encouraged to review their fall MAP test scores and set goals for continued
improvement in reading and math. The grade level with the most students
demonstrating progress on MAP testing will receive a reward. In addition, parents
will receive updated student results reports later this spring showing student
progress from Fall to Winter testing sessions.
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8th Grade Science MSA (Maryland School Assessment)
The science MSA testing window runs from March 2-April 1,
2016. Dumbarton Middle School 8th graders will take the online
assessment on March 10 and 11 or March 21 and 22, 2016,
depending on the science teacher they have this year. The test
is administered in four 30-minute sessions, which will require students to test for
two class periods per day over a two-day period. In order to prepare for testing,
students are encouraged to get a good night’s sleep prior to testing, eat a good
breakfast the morning of testing, and put forth their best effort.
Getting Involved
As 3rd quarter is in full swing this is an excellent time to sit with your child to
examine their progress thus far, and make a plan to ensure success. We want to we
encourage you to use BCPS One (bcpsone.bcps.org/) to stay informed about your
child’s performance. If you have not yet activated your account, or are having
difficulty, please contact, Mrs. Burch ([email protected]) for assistance. You can
reinforce your child’s academic progress by encouraging vocabulary development,
reviewing math facts, and engaging in other educational activities. BCPS Parent
University (www.bcps.org/parentu/) is a resource for staying active in your child’s
education.
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Wow, how quickly March has come
upon us! As we approach the spring
things certainly will be “warming
up” here in 8th grade, as not only are
we currently engaged in the MAP
tests, but we will be looking forward
to a host of really fun events through
the end of the year!
Key Highlights from February:
MAP Tests – 8th grade students have been participating in the MAP tests this month
and it will last until about March 8th. We all are proud of each child’s hard work and
commitment to improving as the year has progressed. Good luck!
Check out the flyer! – Last month we included a list of upcoming 8th grade events to
look forward to. One such event upcoming soon will be the “Grade 8 Commemorative
T-Shirt Sale.” We will be asking students to let their “creative juices flow” by coming
up with a design for the shirts. This can be in the form of a drawing or an electronic
creation. Then, our 8th grade students will vote on their favorite design for the shirts –
how exciting! Further details related to this contest will be forthcoming, so keep an
eye out for it!!
*If you have any questions, comments, and/or concerns regarding the events listed, please do not
hesitate to contact me via email ([email protected]) or phone (410-887-3176). ~ Jordan
Birnbaum, 8th Grade Level Coordinator
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ebruary has been filled with lots of snow days but that hasn’t stopped the 7th
grade from learning! In Mrs. Hummel’s AA Language Arts classes students
are examining the purpose of WWII speech while comparing the impact of
the text to the delivery of the speech. Hoops for Heart is coming in March as well
as the basketball tournament on March 22nd and 23rd!!! The March Madness
continues in PE with Ms. Morrison as her classes practice basketball and sport
stacking. Ms. Bishamber’s Health classes have been exploring learning preferences.
The Miracle Worker continues in Mrs. Collins’ Language Arts classes as students
are evaluating the use of cinematic techniques in two different versions of The
Miracle Worker in order to identify which version effectively portrays a specific
scene in the text. In Mrs. Melanson’s 7th grade GT science, students are finishing
up the Comparative Biology unit with 2 labs which include disease transmission and
bacteria cultures.
Congratulations to the recipients of SWAG for the month of
February:
Students Working to Achieve Greatness
Callie N
Eddie B
John F
Arielle C
Laine W
F
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From the 7th Grade Counselor
Students in middle school have begun to use the Naviance/Family
Connection program. This is a site that students will begin to use this
year and will continue to use through high school. It offers many
things including college and career information, college searches and
application, and tasks that the counselors assign to the students.
In the next few months, I will be emailing parents through this site
regarding opportunities this summer for academic programs and camps.
If you have changed your email since last school year, please email me
so that I may update it in the Naviance system. This way, you will be
advised of upcoming programs in a timely manner. If your child has
Business/Computer Science this semester, I will be visiting their
classes to work with them on the Family Connection program to
determine their abilities and interests and how this relates to career
selection. I look forward to working with your child!
Stephanie Campbell
For February 2016
Due to all of the crazy snow days,
Ms. Sharbonda would like to
congratulate ALL of my students for
their hard work and perseverance.
Despite numerous breaks in
instruction, they keep working
hard!!!
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BCPS Honor Roll Criteria for Middle School
1. The basis for eligibility is letter grades, "A"s and "B"s with a maximum of one "C".
That "C", however, must be balanced by at least one "A".
2. One or more "D", "E" will automatically exclude a student for the quarter.
3. Character traits or citizenship will not be a consideration for eligibility.
4. Eligibility is based entirely on academic achievement.
EMPTY BOWLS & Kindness Club
In February, the Kindness Club worked with Ms. Kathy Fick to paint bowls for the
“Empty Bowls” event in March (see below for more details). These bowls were
donated to this event to help raise money for St. Vincent de Paul of Baltimore. We
would like to give a special thanks to the PTA who sponsored this opportunity for
our students. Our students learned about the people in our community whose
“bowls” are not filled with the things that we enjoy: friends, family, a warm home,
hot meals. You can see the special care that our students took to paint beautiful
works of art for this event. Please consider attending “Empty Bowls” this year.
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National Junior Honor Society It is almost time to look your child’s grades to see if they will be eligible
for National Junior Honor Society. Any student who has maintained a
3.5 Grade Point Average in each of the last 6 quarters in middle school
may apply (7th and 8th graders). Eligible students then fill out an
application and then all of their teachers evaluate them on qualities
related to character, leadership, and citizenship. Mr. Conty, NJHS
Adviser, will start this process at the end of third quarter. Please email
[email protected] if you have any questions.
Volunteer Opportunities at Dumbarton!!!
If you are interested, please complete the volunteer application AND participate in the online training. http://www.bcps.org/community/volunteer_info/. You can also come to Dumbarton Middle to receive the training. Contact Liz Heil, Assistant Principal to schedule an appointment: [email protected] or 410-887-3176. Here's how you complete the online volunteer training:
1. Complete the BCPS application for Volunteer Services. (online) 2. Complete the online volunteer orientation. You will be provided with a
certificate once you have completed the training. 3. Submit the application AND the valid training certificate to the school in
which you intend to volunteer. Both documents MUST be on file prior to being able to volunteer or chaperone a
field trip.
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5 Tips for Successful Sixth Grade
Students (Top 5 ideas from 6th grade teachers)
Use your Agenda to write down homework, assignments, and projects!
Attend coach classes, lunch bunch help, and homework club if you need a
little extra help in class.
Remember to CHARGE your device every night!
Check BCPS One to stay up to date with all your assignments.
Take full advantage of Take Two days to complete missing work, redo
assignments and ask for extra help.
Great Things Happening in Sixth Grade
Reading: In Ms. Battista, Ms. Robidoux and Ms. Taylor’s Reading classes they are exploring evidence of science fiction characteristics in a variety of texts by Ray Bradbury. Language Arts: Mr. Adams’s grade 6 advanced academic class they will begin its mythology unit. In this unit, students will learn why myths remain relevant in today’s world, mythological allusions, and archetypal characters, symbols, and plot. As part of the unit, they’ll conduct an online mini-research project with Mrs. Wroy. In Ms. Elliott’s and Mrs. Hemling’s Language Arts classes, students are working on their Performance Based Assessment to finish up Unit II. For this PBA students are writing questions to ask Gary Paulsen and then adopting the persona of Gary Paulsen to answer the questions they generated. As the PBA concludes toward the beginning of March, students will begin Unit III by exploring community and culture as they are introduced to concepts surrounding their next novel of study, Esperanza Rising.
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Math:In Mrs. Hostetler’s class, small group instruction is being used where students are helping each other, 3 before me, and working together in teams to work toward success. This past Friday’s integer card game was also a great success. In Mr. Hegmann, Mr. Sievers and Mrs. Battista’s classes will be working on integer functions and order of operations. Mr. Siever’s grade 6 advanced classes will continue working through a unit on Geometry. In Mr. Griswold’s classes will be working on their percent unit and how to calculate sale tax and discounts. Science: In Mrs. Denmyer’s classes students are piloting the new sixth grade unit on Earth Systems and Space. Students are learning about how and why the Earth is constantly changing and where our place is in the universe. Students also will complete several mini STEM challenges on select Fridays. In Mr. Rowland’s classes students have been learning about circuits and really have enjoyed using the snap circuit kits.In Mrs. Melanson’s 6th grade GT Science students just finished a 2-day lab where they investigated the effects of air pressure. They used various materials, including a microwave, marshmallows, Ping-Pong balls, straws, balloons, cookies, water, and index cards. Students will be starting the Astronomy unit soon. In Mr. Griswold’s classes students are starting a new Unit on Space. Students will be learning about the solar system, galaxies, stars, and objects that are found in space. World Cultures: In Mrs. Manning’s 6th grade World Cultures classes we have been examining cultural elements of South Asia. We have been focusing on religions and arts of the region over the past few weeks. Additionally, we have been working on research in celebration of Black History Month. Students have done an awesome job creating Mount Rushmore 2.0 highlighting achievements of notable African Americans! In Mrs. Drouin classes students will be learning about Mahatma Gandhi and the way he used non-violent methods to create positive change in the world. In Mr. Bacon classes students are looking at Mahatma Gandhi and the effectiveness of non-violent methods in creating positive change in the world. Then, students will look at the present problems of the Indian nation before looking at Chinese geography and history.
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CENTRAL AREA EDUCATIONAL
ADVISORY COUNCIL MEETING WHAT? Dr. Russ Brown, Chief Accountability and Performance Management Officer, will discuss current and projected BCPS enrollments for the central area.
WHEN? Wednesday, March 16th, 2016 7pm - 9pm WHERE? George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology (in the cafeteria) 938 York Road, Baltimore MD 21204 WHO? All BCPS stakeholders are invited to attend. This includes parents, teachers, students, staff, and community members.
QUESTIONS? Contact Aimee Freeman Email: [email protected] Phone: 410-599-9738 =========================================================
March 10, 2016
How: sign-up for pictures during lunch shift
Where: Pictures taken in Room 109
When: 8:30-12:00 (picture time will be on pass given to students)
**Please bring your Picture Day price fliers with money** Please email or call Liz Heil, Assistant Principal with any questions or concerns:
[email protected] or 410-887-3176
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DUMBARTON MIDDLE SCHOOL PARENT CALENDAR March 2016 1 After-School Recital 3:15-4:30 PM
4 Interims go home (NEW DATE – due to snow storm)
4 Half-Day Professional Development: Schools Close 3 Hours Early
9 Conference afternoon (NEW DATE)
10 Spring Portrait Day
11 SGA Dance 7:00 PM
17 PTSA Executive Board Meeting: 6 PM
18 Radical Ropers: End of Season Performance
22 & 23 Hoops for Heart Event – during afternoon PE classes
24 Talent Show
24 Spring Break Begins at the End of the School Day
April 2016
4 Schools Reopen
8 Third Marking Period Ends – Schools Close 3 Hours Early for all Students
13 Grade 5 Parent Orientation 6:00 PM
15 PTSA Social Event 7:00PM
21 Report Cards go home and PTSA Executive Board Meeting: 6 PM
26 Primary Election- Schools Closed
May 2016
6 Grade 8 Dance sponsored by the PTA
13 Interims go home
16 Grade 6 Spring Concert 7:00 PM
18 Grade 7 Spring Concert 7:00 PM
19 PTSA Executive Board Meeting: 6 PM
20 Grade 8 Ship Trip in Baltimore Harbor
23 Grade 8 Spring Concert 7:00 PM
25 Honors Concert 7:00 PM
30 Memorial Day: Schools Closed
June 2016 1 National Junior Honor Society Induction Ceremony 7:00 PM
3 8th Grade trip to Towson High School
8 Eighth Grade Awards Evening (invitations will be provided for those receiving awards) 7 PM
*16 New Date: Farewell Assembly for Grade 8 Students: 9-10:30 am Schools Close 3 Hours Early for Elementary and Middle School Students
*17 Last Day of School: Schools Close 3 Hours Early *Note: Final days of school are subject to change based on BCPS decisions regarding snow days used/not use
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You still have time! BCPS Stakeholder
Survey extended a week Sunday, March 6 now last day to take online survey
TOWSON, MD. – Nearly 60,000 students, teachers, parents, administrators, and community stakeholders
have taken the 2016 Baltimore County Public Schools Stakeholder Survey, but the school system wants
to hear from even more stakeholders.
The online survey, available at https://bcps.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_eQm7Z37Wguu2eRT, has
been extended a week and will now conclude on Sunday, March 6.
In addition to English, this year’s survey is available for parents and community members in Amharic,
Arabic, Chinese, French, Gujarati, Korean, Nepali, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Urdu, Uzbek, Vietnamese,
and Yoruba. Students may take the survey in English, Chinese, or Spanish.
College and Career Readiness Committee
The College and Career Readiness Committee has begun its Career Speaker
Series! On February 4th, a group of 6th and 7th grade students welcomed
Neuroscientist Dr. Leigh as our first speaker. During the presentation students were
encouraged to become polymaths. Dr. Leigh described how his interests, from
middle school through hospital residency, helped him to develop the skillsets he
needed to conduct the important research that he does today. The questions that
our students posed demonstrated critical thinking and were evidence that Dr. Leigh
had their attention. Thank you Dr. Leigh! In March students will welcome a Professor
of Biology and an Actuary. Presentations will continue throughout the school year
and more volunteers are welcome. Please contact Mrs. Erin Murphy @
[email protected] if you are interested in joining the Career Speaker Series as a
volunteer speaker.
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Thank you to everyone who has volunteered!
Save the Date! Join us at our Hoops for Heart event. Our school is
proud to partner with the American Heart Association to help kids
with special hearts! Mark your calendars now for our upcoming
Basketball Tournament taking place on March 22nd and 23rd. It's a 3 on 3 within-
grade tournament. Our super 6th graders will have their tournament during period
7/8; our awesome 7th graders will have their tournament during period 9; and our
fabulous 8th graders will have their tournament during period 10. YOU can help
the American Heart Association by helping your child make a web page. Visit
heart.org/jump and click on "Students Sign Up" to get started. And remember...It
Takes Heart to be a Hero!
Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase this important keepsake of the school year. The 2015-
2016 DMS yearbook is in FULL COLOR and is packed full of the memories you never want to
forget. You can even have your child’s name imprinted on their yearbook cover.
Mrs. Denmyer-Prenger- Yearbook Adviser Mrs. Hemling- Yearbook Adviser
Ordering Procedure This Year:
The ONLY Option: Order Online. Go to yearbooksonsale.com find Dumbarton Middle School to place your order.
Book Price: $ 23.00 +tax
We will close online ordering in April. Order now, don’t get left without a book.
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*If you do not get your picture taken by Lifetouch on picture day or picture re-take day in the fall
then your picture will not be in the yearbook. If you miss both days please make sure that you see either Mrs. Denmyer-Prenger or Mrs. Hemling
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