Principal's Note - School Activities and Parking

For gym pick up/drop off parking, please use the staff parking lot on the west side of the building. The entry door alongside the Library (through the courtyard) is set to be open for after school programs.

Students who remain after school must be supervised by an adult; so if students have a late practice, they must go off campus to a safe and supervised place, (home, friend’s home with parent permission, etc.) and then return for their practice not earlier than 10 minutes prior to the start of practice.

On Wednesdays we provide a supervised area in the Cafeteria from 1:10 to the start of the first practice. Students who have late practice should not stay here as there is no supervision between the first and second practices. If game day falls on a Wednesday, athletes may remain supervised in the Cafeteria until their coach is ready for them. Spectators may not stay in the Cafeteria since they are not signed up for a sport and do not have supervision.

Some students choose to leave campus to walk to the store. We highly discourage this! We hope that students who choose to walk down to the Circle K have obtained permission from their parents/guardians. Please know the road to the store has no sidewalk in the lower area and the speed limit is at least 40mph, making it hard for cars to see as they round the corner. Drivers have reported that they often see kids in the road instead of off to the side in the gravel/weeds where the sidewalk should be. The student athletes who leave school instead of remaining in the Cafeteria on Wednesdays may not return to school and expect to get in; this is disruptive and makes it hard for our supervisors to keep track of kids.

The door by the Library is typically open in the mornings for those students coming to jazz band, intramurals and other morning activities.

For fall and spring sports, please utilize the lower parking lot (north of the track along 15th Avenue) when convenient. This provides additional parking. The Bus Loop will soon be gated off because athletic busses have had a hard time turning around when the Bus Loop is filled with parked cars. There is also a fire lane along the bus loop next to the school that is supposed to be kept clear of parked cars.

Unless students are coming to school early for an organized activity/meeting, they should not be here prior to 7:30 am when the doors are open to the general student body. We realize many are dropped off by parents/siblings on their way to work/school, but we are not set up to supervise prior to 7:30 and it is especially cold in the winter for students to be outside waiting to enter.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Steve Jones, Principal

December is a fun month to get involved with your student's activities at Desert Hills Middle School. PTO provides volunteers for the following events:

 December 16 - Holiday Social from 2:40 - 4:00 pm  December 19 - Jingle Bell Walk - still need a Chair for this fun event

Email Lisa Howell at [email protected] if you are interested in volunteering. She will then send you an email invitation for volunteer spot.

The Desert Hills staff wants to send a BIG SHOUT OUT THANK YOU to the PTO for providing an amazing Fiesta dinner for us during conferences. Thanks especially to Angie Barrillo for chairing this event, and Julie Diaz and Kim DeVere for making it a special and yummy dinner!! We truly appreciate our PTO.

Hawk Trot Winners - 2016

Grade Name Time 6th boys Canon Pearson 5:58 6th boys Braeden Staniszewski 6:09 6th boys Caden Blaser 6:26 th 6 girls Deverie Gutierrez 6:51 6th girls Ellie Conover 6:55 6th girls Victoria Martinez 7:08 7th boys Isaac Teeples 5:40 7th boys Kase Ostler 5:52 7th boys Grayson Wilcott 6:21 7th girls Raygan Jenkins 6:38 7th girls Nicole Ockey 6:39 7th girls Bethany Sorenson 7:10 8th boys Matt Metcalf 5:53 8th boys Isaac Edwards 6:02 8th boys Garrrett Munn 6:06 8th girls Charly Scherbarth 6:55 8th girls Marisa Memmott 6:55 8th girls Isabella Qunell 6:58

Words of the Month

Desert Hills is celebrating TWO words of the month for November- December! Our themes are Generosity and Gratitude. These character traits are being highlighted in classrooms and hallways. When staff members see our students demonstrating these, and other kind acts, we award them with a "Way to Go" ticket that is deposited in a bin by the Counselor's Offices. Every Friday we have a drawing for a prize from that bin.

One way that students can demonstrate both Generosity and Gratitude is by participating in the annual Canned Food Drive. The Leadership Class will be sponsoring a canned food drive to benefit the families in need during the holiday season. The drive will begin Thursday, December 1st and last until Friday, December 16th. The total goal for Desert Hills is 4,000 cans. That is just 5 cans per student!

There will be a competition between the 1st period classes at each grade level. The class per grade level with the highest average per student will receive a treat from the leadership class.

Bring cans down to the cafeteria during first period between 8:00- 8:15. Leadership students will be waiting to take them. So remember, bring in your cans today!!

Clubs & Activities

Drama Club Holiday Social Drama Club is in full swing at DHMS. We The annual Holiday Social will be on are headed to see the ACT play, “It’s a Friday, December 16th, 2:40 - 4:00 Wonderful Life” on December 8th with 31 pm in the Cafeteria. There will be Drama Club students and 3 parent dance music, basketball in the gym, chaperones attending. This trip will be and Christmas cartoons in a followed by a holiday celebration and the classroom. Food for sale will viewing of the movie by the same title at our next Drama Club meeting on include: cookies, pizza and pop, and Monday, December 12th from 2:40-4:45 cupcakes that will benefit our families pm in room 120. Signed parent in need. Wear holiday clothing! permission forms are required to attend Advance tickets are available on this meeting as the movie is pre- Wednesday through Friday, approved by Mr. Jones, but rated December 14-16 at lunch. Cost PG. Stop by Mrs. Kadinger’s room to pick up a form if you need one! Hope to is $3.00 with ASB, $5.00 without; see you at our next Drama Club $5.00 at the door (purchase outside of meeting! Life is full of drama….why not the office on Friday after school. join the club?

Reminders

 Natural Helpers will have a Box Tops Contest ending on January 6th. It will run in 1st period classes. Bring all of the BoxTops from your holiday baking to your 1st period teacher. Winning class gets donuts!

 Nurse's Notes: Let’s fight the flu together! Flu symptoms may include fever, headache, extreme tiredness, dry cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and muscle aches. Vomiting and diarrhea are also common. The best way to protect your family from new influenza strains is to get vaccinated each year. If your child displays flu symptoms please keep them home until they are fever free, without fever reducing medications, for 24 hours.

 LOST AND FOUND is in a bin located in the hallway headed out to recess. We have been reminding students to claim their lost property. On Friday December 9 all lost and found items will be DONATED!

Important Dates

December 1-16th December 15th Canned Food Drive 6:00 pm Holiday Band Concert - gym

December 5th December 16th Fundraiser Magic Show 7th period Boys vs. Teachers Basketball Game

December 7th 2:40-4:00 pm Holiday Social Celebration SLAM December 19 10:00-1:00 Jazz Band performs for Jingle Bell Walk Charbonneau Retirement Center 6:00 pm Choral Concert @ Kamiakin December 8th Auditorium 6:00 pm Orchestra Holiday Dessert Concert in the cafeteria December 20 Holiday Spirit Assembly December 14th 7:00 am Jazz Band Matinee - December 21 - January 3rd cafeteria No school - WINTER BREAK!

Desert Hills Middle School | 1701 S. Clodfelter Road, Kennewick, WA 99338