August 2018 Communique
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A publication of Desert Sky Middle School “Building a Community of Learners” 9850 E. Rankin Loop Dates to Remember August 2018 August 1 Girls’ Volleyball/Flag Football vs. VAHS @ CFMS - 3:45pm 1 Cross Country @ ES – 3:45pm Principal , Katie Dabney 2 Open House – 6: 00pm – 7:30pm E-mail: 2 WEB Disney Trip Parent Meeting – Room 515 – 5:30pm [email protected] 2 NY/DC Trip Parent Meeting – Room 302 – 5:00pm 3 Picture Day Assistant Principal, 3 WEB Mo vie Night – MPR – 3:00pm – 6:00pm Rebecca Marsh 6 Girls’ Volleyball vs. ES @ OVMS – 3:45pm E-mail: 6 Football vs. ES – home – 3:45pm [email protected] 6 Cross Country @ ES – 3:45pm 8 STEEP Screening School-wide Office: (520) 879-2702 9 Girls’ Volleyball @ OVMS – 3:45pm Fax: (520) 879 -2701 9 Football vs. OVMS – home – 3:45pm 9 Skate Night – Hosted by WEB – Skate Country - 6:00pm - 8:00pm Website: 13 Girls’ Volleyball @ CFMS – 3:45pm http://dsms.vail.k12.az.us 13 Football vs. CFMS – home – 3:45pm 13 Cross Country @ CFMS – 3:45pm Desert Sky Office Hours: 15 Early Dismissal @ 12:00pm - Teacher Inservice 7:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. 17 Progress Reports Mailed Home 20 Girls’ Volleyball @ RVMS – 3:45pm Site Council 20 Football vs. RVMS – home – 3:45pm 20 Cross Country @ RVMS – 3:45pm Jon Carlyon 22 Girls’ Volleyball vs. VAHS @ OVMS - 3:45pm (Parent/Community) 22 Flag Football @ VAHS – 3:45pm Chach Jackson 27 Cross Country @ home – 3:45pm (Parent/Community) 27 Girls’ Volleyball/Flag Football @ OVMS - 3:45pm 29 Writing Benchmark #1 Kiki Ngo 29 Early Dismissal @ 12:00pm - Teacher Inservice (Parent/Community ) September Karleene Talley 3 No School - Labor Day (Parent/Community) 4-14 Math and Reading Benchmark #1 5 Girls’ Volleyball/Flag Football @ RVMS - 3:45pm Rayna Kruszewski 8 Father / Daughter Dance (Support Staff) 10 Girls’ Volleyball vs. ES @ RVMS – 3:45pm Abby Jackson 10 Football vs. ES – home – 3:45pm (Certified Staff) 10 Cross Country @ RVMS – 3:45pm 12 Girls’ Volleyball/Flag Football @ CFMS - 3:45pm Melissa Thach 13 Parent/Teacher Conferences - Dismissal @ 12:00pm (Certified Staff) 14 Parent/Teacher Conferences - Dismissal @ 12:00pm 14 Report Cards Mailed Home 17-21 Science Benchmark #1 17-21 Spirit Week 17-19 Desert Valley League - Girls’ Volleyball/Flag Football Tournament 22 Cross Country Championships @ ES 24 Fall Break Begins - School Resumes on October 15 From the Principal.. Dear Desert Sky Families, I would like to take this opportunity to welcome our new Desert Sky families and welcome back our returning families. I look forward to getting to know each of you as we work together to continue the tradition of excellence at Desert Sky Middle School. With the start of a new academic year, it is important for our students to consider what their goals will be for the coming year. Setting personal goals helps individuals reach an objective. It also helps young people persist through challenges and demands personal effort. May I suggest you take this opportunity to discuss with your child their academic, attitude, and, behavioral goals for the 2018-2019 school year. Perhaps even write these goals down and place them somewhere in your home where they can be reviewed periodically. We at Desert Sky will do our best to keep you informed of school events and your child’s individual progress. Below are some ways you can stay informed and find out how your child is doing in school. • There is Internet access to your child’s grade and behavior for each class based on our Citizenship Rubric. This can be viewed on our PowerSchool website at ps.vail.k12.az.us/public/ • On a daily basis, you can check the PRIDE section of your child’s student agenda and find out if he or she turned in his/her required assignments, brought the required materials to class, and was on time to class. • Check out your child’s teachers’ Schoology homepage. Teachers update their homepage every Monday with important classroom information, assignments, and what students will be learning for the week. The link to teachers’ Schoology page can be accessed via your parent PowerSchool portal by clicking on the Schoology link on left side menu or at schoology.com or under the Parent Resources tab on the Desert Sky website found at http://dsms.vail.k12.az.us/ • Engage your child about his/her progress in school. • Call or email your child’s teacher. Our teachers strive to return voicemails and email within 24 hours Monday- Friday. • Attend Parent/Teacher Conferences. • Our teachers will contact you should an academic or behavioral concern arise. You’ll also be contacted with positive messages about your child throughout the year. Finally, I would like to invite you to our Open House on Thursday, August 2nd at 6:00 p.m. The evening will begin in your child’s classrooms. We will hold Site Council elections in the MPR at 6:30 p.m. Open House provides a great opportunity to meet your child’s teachers and continue to build the critical home/school partnership, which is the foundation to student success. The Food Truck Round-up will be at DSMS for Open House so come out and enjoy a great night! I hope to see you all there! In closing, we are committed to providing your child an excellent education at Desert Sky Middle School. I am looking forward to our partnership and to a wonderful school year! Sincerely, Katie Dabney Principal Desert Sky Assessment Calendar 2018-2019 August 1, 2018 March 4-8, 2019 6th STEEP MAZE Practice Benchmark #3: 7th/8th Science Social Studies Classes March 25-May 3, 2019 August 7, 2018 AzMERIT Testing STEEP CBM School-wide Screening AIMS Science (8th Grade Only) August 29, 2018 April 30, 2019 Benchmark #1: Writing STEEP CBM School-wide Screening September 4-14, 2018 May 6-10, 2019 Benchmark #1: Reading & Math Benchmark #3: 6th Science Benchmark #4: 7th Science September 10-14, 2018 Benchmark #1: Algebra & Geometry September 17-21, 2018 Benchmark #1: Science Writing, Reading, Math and Science Benchmarks are scheduled for the week. Exact dates and times November 7, 2018 are still to be determined. Specifics will be Benchmark #2: Writing communicated as the dates near. December 3-14, 2018 Please do not request time off during any of the Benchmark #2: Reading & Math dates listed. Please keep these dates in mind when planning appointments, etc. Thanks! December 3-7, 2018 Benchmark #2: Algebra & Geometry December 10-20, 2018 Benchmark #2: Science January 8, 2019 STEEP CBM School-wide Screening February 18- March 1, 2019 Benchmark #3: Reading & Math February 25- March 1, 2019 Benchmark #3: Algebra & Geometry revised 5/31/18 ***ALL DATES ARE TENTATIVE Desert Sky’s Anti-Bullying Program At Desert Sky, we understand that middle school can be a difficult time in your child’s life. Conflict and disagreements are a normal part of life and sometimes the most challenging part of growing up. Knowing the difference between a conflict and bullying is extremely important. Conflict is a disagreement or a difference of opinion or interest between equals. The persons involved in a conflict may disagree about a certain situation and emotions may run high. In a conflict, both sides have the power to influence the outcome. Bullying is defined as repeated, intentional, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived imbalance of power. A school’s learning environment is deeply affected when instances of bullying are allowed to continue without intervention and/or consequence. With this in mind, our staff continues to build upon its Anti-Bully Program. Desert Sky works hard to implement a program that is designed to promote skills and attitudes that increase a student’s social and school success. It helps to provide a foundation for creating a safe, respectful learning environment. The following topics will be covered in each grade level. For more information about our program, contact Rebecca Marsh, Assistant Principal, at 879-2715 or speak with your child’s teachers. 6th 7th Empathy and Communication Empathy and Communication Diversity Awareness Diversity Awareness Bullying Prevention Bullying Prevention Social Media and Use of Electronic Devices Social Media and Use of Electronic Devices Emotion Management Emotion Management Problem Solving Substance Abuse Prevention Substance Abuse Prevention 8th Empathy and Communication Diversity Awareness Bullying Prevention Social Media and Use of Electronic Devices Emotion Management Goal Setting Substance Abuse Prevention Welcome to the 2018-2019 school year. My name is Jennifer Wright, and I am the Student Services Coordinator (School Counselor) here at Desert Sky. This is my 17th year in the Vail District and 10th at Desert Sky. I am here to be a resource and offer support to students, parents, and families. I look forward to meeting new students, as well as reconnecting with our returning students. Middle school is a time of many changes for our students and I am here to support them and their families. I can be reached by e-mail at [email protected], or you can call me at 879-2706 Monday through Friday from 7:30-3:30. I look forward to working with you and your family. Desert Sky Middle School – 2018/2019 Certified Staff 6th Grade Team Science/Math Melissa Thach Lang. Arts/Social Studies Kryssie Beard 6th Grade Team Science/Math Michelle Jeffries Lang. Arts/Social Studies Sally Smith-Dryden 6th Grade Team Science/Math Carol Golembiewski Lang. Arts/Social Studies Rose Santos 6th Grade Team Science/Math Tammy Buchanan Lang. Arts/Social Studies Kristi Hill Team A Math Tanya Hoose 8th Grade Social Studies Amanda Galvan Science Brandon Sherwood Language