Dumbarton Middle School 300 Dumbarton Road, Baltimore, MD 21212

410-887-3176 410-583-7020 fax

A National Blue Ribbon School of Excellence

Sue Harris, Principal December, 2014 Liz Heil, Assistant Principal

Cheryl Scott, Assistant Principal

Jenn Burch, Assistant Principal

From the Principal’s Desk…. I hope you and your family enjoyed Thanksgiving. We are certainly

grateful for the 492 parents/guardians who visited DMS during American

Education Week. We hope you noticed our new banners in the lobby

extolling the values that DMS students and teachers determined represent

our school. In addition, updated student SMART goals have been posted to

demonstrate our commitment to a growth mindset as the school year

progresses. Effectively educating students is truly dependent on having a

strong school-parent partnership. We appreciate the compliments and

feedback provided to us during American Education Week. Your support and

insight is crucial to the success of our school.

DMS in December is a busy place! Interim grade forms will

come home on 12/8/14 along with conference information.

The format of the interims has changed due to our new

grading program. Please visit BCPS One to access specific details on your

child’s academic progress. This is especially important as BCPS One verification codes expire on January 4, 2015 if not used. During the week of

12/8 we will hold our annual Book Fair. Parents are invited to purchase items

during the school day and on conference night (12/10) until 5:30 pm. For

those of you that are new to DMS, our concerts occur in January since

December is a very busy month for families.

Information on the Microsoft Office 365 Student Advantage Program will

be sent home with interims. This is a wonderful opportunity for our families.

BCPS has entered into an agreement that provides students and their family

members access to as many as five free copies of the Microsoft Office 365

suite for personal computers, tablets, iPads, iPhones, and Android devices.

The Microsoft Office 365 suite contains all of the most widely used Office

functions – Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher. Further information can

also be found on the BCPS website.

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Snow and ice already? This is a good time to review plans with your child as

to where he/she should go in case of early closings. DMS clubs and after

school care are always cancelled when BCPS closes due to inclement weather.

We appreciate that parents use the following resources to access

closing/delay information instead of calling our school since our two phone

lines can become quickly overwhelmed:

1. BCPS Web Home Page links to page displaying emergency

announcements

2. The Education Channel, Comcast Cable Channel 73 or Verizon Channel

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3. BCPS Telephone Information at 410-887-5555

4. Local radio and television stations

We also like to celebrate our talented youth! On Tuesday, 12/23/14 our

school will gather to watch the DMS Talent Show coordinated by Mr.

Ferenschak and Mr. Sievers. Each year we are amazed by the variety of

performances. This is a fun way to conclude our last day of 2014 together

as winter break begins at the end of the day. Thank you for continuing to

communicate with DMS staff regarding your child’s experiences and

progress at DMS. We certainly wish you and your family a safe, warm and

productive month of December!

Susan E. Harris

Susan E Harris Principal

Assistant Principal News

Youth Risk Behavior Survey

DMS was not selected to participate this year

Each year select BCPS schools are identified to participate in the Youth Risk

Behavior Survey. The Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) provides data on health-

risk behaviors among 9th–12th grade students in the United States, including

behaviors that contribute to injuries and violence; alcohol or other drug use;

tobacco use; sexual risk behaviors; unhealthy dietary behaviors; and physical

inactivity. YRBS also measures the prevalence of obesity and asthma among youth

and young adults. Dumbarton Middle School was not selected to participate in the

YRBS this year.

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Hand Sanitizers

To limit the transmission of germs, especially during the winter

months, hand sanitizer dispensers have been installed in

common areas such as the main office, the school counseling

office, and the cafeteria. Proper hand washing and the use of

hand sanitizer will help to reduce the spread of germs related

to cold and flu this winter.

P.E.R.P. Program The 8th grade team of teachers has begun recognizing students

exhibiting positive behavior through the Positively Engaged

Referral Program (PERP). 8th grade PERPS receive positive

office referrals and have Polaroid pictures taken and affixed to

“Wanted” Posters which are hung outside the main office.

PERPS are being recognized for everything from kindness and

generosity to leadership. Way to go, 8th grade PERPS!

For more information about the PERP program, contact Cheryl Scott, 8th grade

Assistant Principal

Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) Testing

Fall MAP scores were distributed to students last week, along with a parent

brochure from the BCPS Department of Research, Accountability, and Assessment

that describes the test and explains how the test results will be used. The winter

MAP testing window is from January 5-February 14, 2014. Parents are asked to

encourage students to do their very best on this computer based reading and math

test so student test scores will be an accurate reflection of student progress.

For more information about testing, contact Cheryl Scott, Assistant Principal in

charge of testing.

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Interpreters

Educating students is a team effort. Please note that interpreters are

available to enhance communication between non-English speaking parents

and school personnel. Mrs. Williams (jwiiliams9@bcps.org ) who is our ESOL

department chairperson will continue to access these services for you in addition

to Mrs. Burch, (jburch2@bcps.org) who is our bi-lingual assistant principal. We look

forward to hearing from you.

El programa de inglés para hablantes de otros idiomas (English for Speakers of

Other Languages, ESOL) ofrece servicios para ayudar a los estudiantes que

aprenden inglés y sus familias. Esos servicios incluyen: materiales del sistema

escolar importantes, coordinadores bilingües entre la escuela y la familia, y

intérpretes para conferencias. La señora Williams (jwilliams9@bcps.org) nuestra

maestra de ESOL y la señora Burch, (jburch2@bcps.org) nuestra asistente

principal bilingüe pueden ayudar coordinar estos servicios para usted.

BCPS NOW MOBILE APPLICATION NEWS AND NETWORK STATUS ALERTS

BCPS Now is a free mobile application and communication tool for employees,

parents, and students when inclement weather affects school

openings and closings. With the latest release of BCPS Now,

mobile device users (Android, iOS, and Windows phones) can

receive alerts of important BCPS news and events, as well as

alerts for any disruptions to the delivery of instructional online

resources.

New BCPS Now users can access BCPS Now from his/her mobile device by

visiting http://www.bcps.org/mobile to download the application from the

Google Play Store, Apple App Store, or Windows Store.

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Instilling a Growth Mindset:

SMART Goals

Dumbarton Middle School provides a culture of encouragement fostering continual student

growth with the belief that through effort, motivation and resilience, all students will improve

academically and achieve personal success.

Work harder, get smarter!

As part of Dumbarton Middle’s Mindsets initiative students have created new SMART goals for the second quarter. Even though it is the student that writes the goal, parents and teachers can help guide them along the way towards seeing it achieved.

What is a SMART Goal? A SMART goal is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. It is something students want to accomplish that they plan in a detailed and constructive way. Goals might be academic skills they want to work on such as studying, organization, or homework or they could be related to other activities important to them like sports, music, reading, or clubs. Both parents and teachers are encouraged to ask students their SMART goal for this quarter and use this table below to see if it meets the criteria used to create a solid SMART goal.

S - Specific Goals should be written and clearly defined showing what you are going to do- -almost like a checklist!

M - Measurable Ask yourself: “How will I know when it is accomplished?”

A - Achievable Is the goal possible and important at this point?

R - Realistic A goal must represent an objective toward which you are both willing and able to work.

T - Time Frame When will it be done? If you anchor it within a timeframe, (“by January 1st”), then you’ve set your mind to begin working on the goal.

Almost any goal can be turned into a SMART goal but children may also may need help and support from adults. Supporting SMART Goals at Home Here are some ways parents can help children with their goals.

1. Have your child write down the goal he or she wants to achieve and hang it somewhere he or she will see it regularly, like the refrigerator.

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2. Develop a plan with your child about how he or she is going to reach his or her goal. For example: schedule a specific time at night around dinner and free time for homework every day for the entire week.

3. Encourage your child to try again if they do not complete their goal and help your

child adjust his or her goals when they become too easy or difficult.

4. Show them how it’s done by also setting and writing down a SMART goal for yourself. This could boost their confidence and help you get something you’ve wanted done at the same time!

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Br-r-r-r is it cold!!! What a cold start to our winter season and hope this

isn’t a repeat of last winter with its extreme temperatures

and all that snow. Thanks to all our parents who make sure

our students come to school prepared to learn. Hearty

breakfasts and adequate rest go a long way in helping your

students stay engaged in everything that goes on at

Dumbarton each school day.

In looking ahead to preparing for next year, we

noticed that only 121 of our sixth grade students’ health files are updated with the

new changes out of our 355 total students. You may recall the new MSDE

immunization requirements that went into effect for all 7th graders going forward.

Parents, as you schedule your child for their healthcare visits, please remember to

request a copy of their current vaccination record which should include Meningitis

and TDaP (tetanus) in preparation for their 7th grade school year and send it in to

the school nurse.

Have an enjoyable and restful Winter Break. Treasure the days with your

remarkable children and pause to enjoy the magic of the season.

The Book Fair is Coming! When: 12/8/14 – 12/12/14

Where: Dumbarton’s Lobby

Hours: 8 a.m. till 3 p.m.

Students will visit with their

classes.

Don’t Miss the Family Event of Wednesday,

December 10th

from 3 p.m. till 5 p.m.!

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BCPS National Division

Dumbarton Lions Basketball

Thursday 12/11- Away

Dumbarton @ Woodlawn

Tuesday12/16- Away

Dumbarton @ Windsor Mill

Thursday 1/8 - Home

Loch Raven @ Dumbarton

Thursday 1/15 - Home

Arbutus @ Dumbarton

Thursday 1/22 - Away

Dumbarton @ Old Court

Tuesday 1/27- Home

Sudbrook @ Dumbarton

Thursday 1/29 - Away

Dumbarton @ Woodlawn HS

(Scholars K-8)

Thursday 2/12 - Away

Dumbarton @ Deer Park

Tuesday 2/17– Away

Dumbarton @ Pikesville

Thursday 2/19- Home

Southwest @ Dumbarton

Tuesday 2/24– Home

Franklin @ Dumbarton

FYI

Boys at 4pm/

Girls at 5pm:

Dec 11 Jan. 27

Jan 8 Feb 17

Jan 22 Feb 24

Girls at 4pm/

Boys at 5pm:

Dec 16 Feb 12

Jan 15 Feb 19

Jan 29

* Jan 29

Girls /5:30pm

Boys/ 6:30pm

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Shoebox Collection

For our December 11th meeting, the Kindness Club

is collecting:

Empty shoeboxes in good condition

Holiday wrapping paper

Scotch tape

Ribbons/Bows

Students will be filling these boxes with holiday

presents and wrapping them for underprivileged

elementary school students in Baltimore City.

Please donate any supplies to Ms. Sharbonda’s Room 210. Thanks!

Running Club Congratulations to the Dumbarton Running Club on a CHILLY

but successful race November 19th on our home turf. The temperatures were

cold but our runners were HOT! In the girls’ race, with 29 runners, Lady Lions Jackie S. placed 2nd, Lily W.

placed 4th, Maddie T. placed 5th & Emily S. placed 8th. There were also

very strong performances from Megan W., Avery G.,

Jackelyn K. & Natalie B.

The boys race had 59 runners. 8th grader Dominic

C. roared to the finish in 1st place, Drew C. took 4th

place, Ethan S. took 6th place & Miles K. finished in 8th

place. There were also very strong performances from Ethan McN., Cormac

M., Sam F., & Griffin M.-C.

Congratulations to ALL the runners who participated, your coaches are very

proud of you! We hope you thawed out quickly! Our next race is

Wednesday, December 3rd at Hereford Middle School.

Thanks to all of the parents & Towson High school runners who donated their

time to make our home race special!

RUN HARD, BE STRONG, THINK BIG, ROAR ON DUMBARTON LIONS!!

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DMS CHEER TEAM

On November 15, the DMS cheerleaders performed during the halftime

performance at the Navy game along with squads from all over the region. This

was a Towson Rec sponsored event. They did a great job and are very fortunate to

have this opportunity. Coach Meyer is very proud of the girls!

DMS SPIRIT DAY’S

Dumbarton will have a Spirit Day each month leading up to the SGA dance, which

will be March 20. Please encourage your student to participate. There will be signs

and morning announcements so that the students know how to dress. Each month,

those who dress accordingly will be counted, and the grade with the most

participants at the end will win.

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BCPS makes Microsoft Office 365 software available to all BCPS students and their families

Benefit supports school system’s 1:1 digital conversion program

TOWSON – Baltimore County Public Schools students and their family members

can now access free of charge up to five copies of the Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus

suite for their personal computers, tablets, iPads, iPhones, and Android devices – a

program that helps to support the BCPS 1:1 digital conversion initiative known as

S.T.A.T.

The benefit to BCPS students and families, which is worth up to $11 million

annually to the school community, is possible through Baltimore County’s

participation in the Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus Benefit program. The same access

also is available to all BCPS teachers and staff, an annual value to the school district

estimated at $1.6 million.

“Microsoft is invested in providing educators with a variety of tools and resources that

help them leverage technology to the fullest for the benefit of their students,” said

Margo Day, vice president of U.S. Education for Microsoft. “Office 365 provides

students and teachers with the collaboration opportunities necessary to learn and teach

in new ways. We’re pleased to see Dr. Dance and his team taking the steps to ensure the

students of Baltimore County Public Schools receive a 21st century education.”

The program, which is included in the Microsoft licensing agreement and costs

BCPS nothing, is offered through the school system at no cost to students, their

family members, and staff.

The Microsoft Office 365 ProPlus suite contains all of the most widely used Office

functions - Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher software tools. Proficiency with

the suite of applications is among the most commonly required skills among

employers both nationwide and internationally.

In addition, BCPS will be able to provide students and staff with unlimited free,

secure, and private storage of all documents and files. The online storage capabilities

may be used any time from any device.

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To access the Office 365 benefit, BCPS students and staff should go to

www.bcps.org/Office365 and log in using their full BCPS username (including

@bcps.org) and password. Students who do not know their BCPS usernames are asked

to contact their school’s technology liaison for assistance. On the Installation page, make

sure the language is set to “English (United States)” and then click install. Users should

not change the default option of the Office 365 32-bit version.

BCPS students and staff who encounter any problems installing the software, or who

would like instructions for installing Office 365 on Apple or mobile devices, should

click the “Troubleshoot Installation” link on the main installation page.

For November 2014

Ms. Sharbonda would like to congratulate the above students for

working especially hard in Algebra & Geometry.

Stelios A. Miguel I.

Max B. Bronwyn M.

Rukhma B. Caroline M.

Caroline C. Ben N.

Bryce E. Emma N.

Emily G. Sara O.

Caitlin R. Caroline R.

Tommy T.

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PTSA

Happy December!! We have had a very productive Fall at Dumbarton. The PTA has

already made plans to give grants to the following: The Kindness Club, the English

Department, the Art Department, and the Dumbarton Faculty Kindness Committee.

In addition, we are giving each grade funds to plan special events for each grade to

enjoy.

We also have two ideas for parents who wish to become more

involved. The first is a Mindset Book Club which meets on

December 8 from 5:30-6 p.m. in the conference room next to

the nurse's suite. You can join at any time and it is only a half

hour of your time!! Come check it out!!!

Also, there is a cool link on the BCPS website that has tons of information and

resources for parents, http://www.bcps.org/parents/ . Finally, there is a Parent

University that began last spring http://www.bcps.org/parentsu/ check it out!!

We truly appreciate all of our parent volunteers, input, comments, and support-

WOW, DMS is a stellar place to be!!

Wishing you and yours a wonderful and healthy holiday season,

Amy Kline PTSA President

At DMS, our pride is our future!

PTSA Contribution Update

Thank you!!! As of November 17, the DMS PTSA has collected donations totaling

nearly $14,000 from 240 families. Names of the students represented are listed

below. In addition, we had two anonymous contributions and two from DMS staff.

If you intended to participate, we would love to receive your contribution as we are

still about $1000 short of our budget for the year. Donations to the DMS PTSA

are tax deductible as charitable contributions, and they take the place of

fundraisers in our budget.

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Logan A.

Grace A. Andie A. Sam A. Stelios A. Nancy A. Jordi A. Maddie A. McKenzie A. Ella A. Caroline B. John B.

Amanda B. Max B. Reed B. Claire B. Natalie B. Michael B. Brendan B. Lukas B. Austin B. Roan B. Mark B. Shayna B.

Sophie B. Audrey B. Nate B. Henry B. Calvin B. Julia B. Aidan B.

Cole B. Laurel B. Sydney B. Luca C.

Evelyn C. Stephanie C. Jack C. Eamonn C. Sara C-M Brendan C. Isabella C. Aaron C.

Joy C.

Chloe C. Nathan C. Emerson C. Ellie C. Mason C. Ava C. Lucas C. Kasey C. Anna C. Dominic C. Keegan C.

Ian C. Alick D. Abigail D. Julia D. Hailey D. Neeley D. Brandon D. Nathan D. Emilia D-G Frances D-G Griffin D. Logan D.

Maria D. Maija D. Maxwell D. Philip D. Jackson D. Will D. Jamie D.

Simone D. Bryce E. Erik E. Grace E.

Matthew E. Andrew F. Alec F. Ari F. Laura F. Anna F. Samuel F. Ben F.

Oliver F.

Lucas F. Kenny F. Hanley F. Margo G. Jenny G. Julien G. William G. Aslynn G. Isabelle G. Maddie G. Maggie G.

Maura G. Sofia G. Maddie G. Robert H. Cary H. Julia H. Clarissa H. Grace H. Nina H. James H. Brynn H. Alex H.

Patrick H. Max H. Blake H. Vivian H. Cate H. Reilly H. Klara I.

Vincent I. Alexander I. Hunter I. Eden J.

Sophia J. Roland J. Landon J. Liam J. Alice K. Jackelyn K. Rebecca K. William K.

Miles K.

Lindsey K. Jacob K. Jack K. Graham K. Carter K. Cate K. Samuel L. Ethan L. Ellie L. Hannah L. Nathaniel L.

Johnathan L. Susannah L. Kate L. Paul L. Quinn L-B Christopher L. Lillian L. Matthew L. Caity M. Lucas M. Sean M.

Nathan M. Cameron M. Ben M. Owen M. Gustavo M-T Griffin M-C Daniel M. Neale M. Avery M. Kate M. Rasha'ard M.

Marlo M. Gabriel M. Luke M. Jemma M-B Jenna M. Nicholas M. Grace M. Mason M.

Willis M.

Elliott M. Claire M. Wes N-O Lara N. Luke N. Ian O. Emmett O-K Max O. Sara O. Finn P. Geoffrey P.

Cory P. Sam P. Kacy P. Tim P. Thomas P. Blythe P. Chloe P. Gus P. Coleman P. Kate P. Rachel P. Sarah P.

Sebastian Q. Patrick R. Ellie R. Noah R. Sam R. Lydia R. Rose R.

Marlena R. Harrison R. Ben R. Sydney R.

Colleen R. Sebastian R. Arden R. Aidan S. Caelinn S. Katie S. Ellie S. Jacob S.

Nicholas S.

Oora S. Fiona S. Ethan S. Peyton S. Ian S. Abigail S. Chloe S. Colin S. Henry S. Cole S. Gerilix S.

Alex S. Peter S. Sofie S. Emily S. Hope S. Aidan S. Maria S. Tyler T. Alex T. Sandy T. Brandon T. Clay T.

Sunil T. Joseph T. Austin T. Isabel U. Zachary U. Anna V. Tim V.

David V. Jordan V. Mason V. Katia V.

Rick W. Roc W. Megan W. Annie W. Naomi W. David W. Evan W. Oliver W.

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Sylvia W.

Erin W.

Caroline Y.

Heran Y.

Caroline Z.

Chloe Z.

Emma Z.

Donations Needed for the

Classrooms

Ah-choo! Flu and cold season is upon us. We are asking for

tissue donations for the classrooms. Please help out and

donate a box or two to your child’s first period teacher.

Get Moving from the

PE Department

As the cold weather approaches, sometimes we lose the

motivation to exercise. To spark your motivation, the PE

Department created a calendar of exercises everyone can do

indoors to help jump start your day, boost your energy after

dinner or provide active sessions to do during TV commercials.

Everyone is at different levels of fitness so match the

exercises to your comfort level. If unsure about an exercise, ask your child

to demonstrate since they should be familiar with most of them. We hope

this helps inspire your family to get moving and grooving during the month of

December! The exercise calendar is located on the next page.

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WINTER INDOOR EXERCISES

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Dear Parents and Students,

Don’t miss the opportunity to purchase this important

keepsake of the school year. The 2014-2015 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.

Sincerely,

Mrs. Bell~ Yearbook Adviser

Mrs. Denmyer-Prenger~ Yearbook Adviser

Order Now, before it is too late!

New Ordering Procedure This Year:

The ONLY Option : Order Online. Go to yearbooksonsale.com. Find Dumbarton Middle School to place

your order. JANUARY 25TH is the last day you can order a book with name stamping.

Book Price:

$ 23.00 +tax

EXTRAS: If you would like extras you can add them on the site.

We will close online ordering in April. Order now, don’t get left without a book.

*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 missed both days please make

sure that you see either Mrs. Bell or Mrs. Denmyer-Prenger.

Order your

Dumbarton

yearbook today!

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At DMS, Our pride is Our future!