Folks,
The pace here at school continues to be a steady upward push as we head into May. With the end of the school year in sight, teachers and students alike are beginning to think about closures, transitions, and new beginnings. Here in the MS Office, we are hard at work, pulling together ways to bring closure to our various groupings: HomeBase advisories, classes, grade-levels and the Division as a whole. To that end: Thursday, June 7 will consist of several closure activities, one of which is our MS Field Day. The 8th grade Move Up Ceremony is at 7:00 pm that evening. All Middle School students will be dismissed at noon on Thursday, June 7. The school buses will make their normal afternoon runs at 3:45. If your child needs to stay on campus in the afternoon, we will provide supervised activities.
In March, HomeBase (HB) advisors had the opportunity to once again reflect with their advisees about their Spring Comments and then their Interim Grades (for grades 7 and 8). Students take time identifying and reflecting on their areas of strength and areas on which to focus, both academically and in regard to their student skills. This time between advisor and advisee truly allows the students to celebrate their growth over the course of the year and then to set goals for the remainder of the year. As students begin to look towards the end of the school year and beyond, advisors are getting ready to share course recommendations and placements in HomeBase in the coming weeks. Advisors will be guiding them on what electives are available and what offerings will help them to create a course load for a successful school year.
Our Student As Learner (SaL) Conversations will take place in mid-May. The focus of these conversations revolves around our SaL traits and the goal is for them to be student-led. For further details on the SaL traits please click here. While our 8th grade students take on more of this lead role than our 6th graders, we have found in the past that the students are comfortable sharing which traits they excel at and which ones they wish to continue working on. Having an awareness of how they participate, collaborate, engage, prepare and organize themselves, in addition to the other traits, allows our students to be the best learners they can be. HB advisors are able to discuss various projects, HB activities, participation in all of their classes and their comments in order to guide the conversations as needed. Be sure to ask your child to share with you what they enjoyed about these conversations!
This weekend brings to our beautiful D-E campus the annual All-School Spring Carnival and STEM Festival, on Sunday April 29 from 1-3 PM. Free admission, this event is co-sponsored by our Upper School student clubs and the D-E Parents’ Association and will be held rain or shine. Complimentary BBQ lunch, 20+ booths and activities areas, and fun for all ages. For details visit www.d-e.org/news.
Parents and guardians are also invited and encouraged to attend a special presentation on vaping, a very timely topic, on Thursday, May 31, at 7:00 PM in Hajjar Auditorium. This “VAPING: What’s in the Mist” event is sponsored by the D-E PA’s Parent Education Committee, and will be led by Timothy Shoemaker, a former DARE officer. D-E parents may bring guests with them. To learn more about the May 31 Vaping presentation and to RSVP please click here or go to pa.d-e.org. Questions may be directed by Email to pa@d-e.org.
Finally we eagerly anticipate the MS production of The Lion King, Jr.! Performing May 3 – May 5, the incredible staging and costuming work done by students, parents, and teachers/staff thus far (see photos above of a recent collaborative working weekend) – not to mention the hard work underway by all our cast and crew in rehearsals and lighting and set design preparation – is a testament to our mission of being a “community of learners.”
Hug your child(ren), and Go Bulldogs!
Kathy Christoph
MS Principal