DRMS' Principal Message

Hello Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your weekly family message.

Thursday, June 11, 2020 is the last day of school for the 2019-2020 year.  Final grades will be posted and available in PowerSchool on Thursday, June 4, 2020.  Please communicate with your teacher any questions or concerns.  As we move into the final two weeks of school, please continue to encourage your child to finish strong.  Teachers will continue to focus on essential material and provide students with exciting virtual activities.  Don't forget to continue to check the DRMS website for updated information.  Please carefully read the family message below with important information and procedures.  We thank you for your patience and collaboration as we navigate successfully closing out the 2019-2020 school year.  

Elective Olympics:  Our staff and students had a great time engaging in "Olympics Week" May 18 - May 22.  A huge shout out to the DRMS elective teachers for organizing a fun week of virtual activities.  Check out some of the fun that was had in the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zMHzyUw1l6Q

8th Grade Dolphins: DRMS 8th grade teachers and other staff members had a great time honoring our 8th graders with a special delivery on Friday, May 29, 2020!  Yard signs were delivered to our 8th grade Dolphins wishing them the best as they head into high school.  Please reach out to ensure we have a correct address if your 8th grader did not receive a yard sign.  

PowerSchool Access:  Student grades will be finalized and available for access on Thursday, June 4.  Any student and/or parent that is unsure how to access PowerSchool, please follow the directions below: 

Student PowerSchool Access Directions

Students can access grades and attendance through PowerSchool by following the steps below.  

• Logging into the WakeID portal
• Clicking the Home Base icon
• Entering your student ID number (lunch number)
• Clicking Go
• Clicking PowerSchool Student icon.

PDF of directions can be found here.

Parent and Student PowerSchool Access Directions

Due to Covid-19 school building closures, parent processes may be impacted. 

 PowerSchool Information(including Spanish directions) can be found at this site.

June 6th - Building Access / Closing Year Procedures:  It is difficult to believe we are at the end of another school year.  While this year has been unique in many ways, we are proud of the resiliency of our students and have been inspired by their growth and work.  As we move into these final weeks of remote learning, we will offer one final day for Durant Road Middle School to be open for students to retrieve/return and pick-up items.  

Saturday, June 6, 2020, will be a dedicated day for students to come in the building and retrieve all of their belongings, return school-owned materials and pick-up apparel, prizes and/or yearbooks.   

We ask anyone who plans to come on June 6, 2020 to adhere to these health and safety guidelines.  Our top priority is to ensure the safety of everyone.

• Anyone who plans to enter the school building is required to wear face coverings and it is recommended gloves are worn.  
• Families are asked to limit the size of their group.  A parent/guardian is encouraged to attend with their student from DRMS.
• In order to support social distancing guidelines, we will follow the schedule below.  Please ensure you arrive during your assigned window of time only.  Assigned times are alphabetical by student’s last name.
  • 1:30 - 2:30 - A through I
  • 2:30 - 3:30 - J through R
  • 3:30 - 4:30 - S through Z

On Saturday, June 6, 2020, there will be two designated areas for specific items.  Please note the directions for each.

• If your student requires any of these areas or procedures, please follow the directions below first:  
  • Please enter DRMS and park in the staff parking lot.  There will be a traffic director and signs to guide you.
  • Please plan to enter your student’s grade-level hallway.  Please note the sign of the appropriate grade-level on each wall.  In order to promote social distancing, only 10 people will be allowed in each grade level hallway at a time.
  • There will be a cart in each grade-level hallway for students to return EL books, library books and school-owned books.
  • Medication pick-up will take place in Student Services.
  • Any student needing to pick-up artwork from art class may do so in the Art Room.
  • Anyone needing to pick-up medication or retrieve items from PE lockers, will be asked to exit the school through the carpool doors and walk back to the staff parking lot.
  • Grade Level Lockers, PE Lockers, Returning Books, Medication Pick-up, Artwork Pick-up
• After your student has completed the above tasks in the designated areas, parents will proceed and drive to the bus loop for the following needs:  
  • Please enter the bus loop and stay in the line of cars.  
  • Tents will be designated for stops and needs. 
  • In order to promote the most efficient process with returning and delivering materials, we are asking everyone to remain in a single file carline through all “tents.”
  • Thank you for your patience during this process.
  • Returning of school-owned band instruments, pick-up of musical t-shirts, returning of chorus dresses, athletic uniform return, pick-up of athletic team pictures, prize pick-up from “Day of Awesomeness” and Yearbook pick-up

If you have any questions or concerns regarding details of the Saturday, June 6, 2020 building procedures, please reach out to your child’s grade-level administrator.

6th Grade - Destinie Hartman (dhartman@wcpss.net)

7th Grade - Jeff Kleiber (jkleiber@wcpss.net)

8th Grade - Dawn Edwards (dedwards@wcpss.net)

High School Athletics:  High school athletics may begin shortly (potentially as early as June 15...stay tuned to the news, High School OT, and your high school's athletics website) and you need to have the necessary paperwork in order to participate, just like you did for middle school athletics. One page you will need in order to participate is a physical exam completed by a doctor. Miss Cicco has this page on file at school if you previously tried out for a sport at Durant this past school year, and can return it to you if you do not already have a copy of it yourself. Copies can be picked up on June 6th at Durant at the athletics tent in the bus lot, or copies can be sent directly to your high school's athletic trainer. Miss Cicco will only return valid physicals (physicals completed from 03/01/2019 and beyond). A physical dated prior to 03/01/2019 will not be accepted by your high school and will not be returned to you. In order to receive your physical exam page and to learn more about the necessary paperwork requirements, please carefully read the information here in this Pre-Participation Packet Information Google Form. This form will close at midnight on June 3rd to allow Miss Cicco time to retrieve, copy, and prepare all necessary papers for your retrieval on June 6th. If you have any questions about your physical or high school athletics, please email Miss Cicco (tcicco@wcpss.net)

Celebrations:  As we make plans to close out the 2019-2020 school year, we are also making plans to celebrate our students.  Your staff is collaborating and organizing virtual celebrations for each team/grade level.  Virtual end of the year celebrations will include event pictures, DRMS awards, Student of the Year, and messages from various staff members.  Please save the following dates:

• 6th Grade - June 10, 2020 @ 9:20 AM
• 7th Grade - June 10, 2020 @ 8:30 AM
• 8th Grade - June 11, 2020 @ 9:20 AM

We look forward to celebrating a unique and successful school year as well as the hard work and perseverance of our students and their accomplishments.

Message from the PTA:  This week, the Wake County Public School System proposed moving Durant Road Middle School to a traditional calendar for the 2020-21 school year.  This proposal is due to a new state law changing next year’s school calendars due to COVID-19. Moving to traditional is a significant departure from the previously proposed calendar and would be a huge change for our school and our families. WCPSS has an online forum where parents can ask questions and express concerns.  Please click here to get to the forum and share your thoughts!

Thank you for supporting DRMS,

Kristen Faircloth

Principal

DRMS' Principal Message

Good afternoon Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your May 24, 2020 Family Message.

I hope you are having a restful and exciting Memorial Day weekend.  Please remember that Monday, May 25, 2020 is a holiday.  There will be no school and no assignments posted by DRMS staff.  We hope you enjoy the three day weekend!  As we move into the final few weeks of school, please continue to encourage your child to finish the year strong.  Teachers will continue to focus on essential material and provide students exciting virtual activities.  The next few weeks will also bring opportunities to close-out the 2019-20 school year at DRMS, including celebrating our students.  Please carefully read the Family Message below with important updates and procedures.  We thank you for your grace and patience as we navigate successfully closing out the school year during these unusual circumstances.  As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  

Memorial Day Week Schedule:  In observance of Memorial Day, there is no school on Monday, May 25, 2020.  Please review the schedules below for this week of Remote Learning.  

6th Grade

7th Grade

7th Graders in Math 1

8th Grade

June 6th - Building Access / Closing Year Procedures:  It is difficult to believe we are at the end of another school year.  While this year has been unique in many ways, we are proud of the resiliency of our students and have been inspired by their growth and work.  As we move into these final weeks of remote learning, we will offer one final day for Durant Road Middle School to be open for students to retrieve/return and pick-up items.  

Saturday, June 6, 2020, will be a dedicated day for students to come in the building and retrieve all of their belongings, return school-owned materials and pick-up apparel, prizes and/or yearbooks.   

We ask anyone who plans to come on June 6, 2020 to adhere to these health and safety guidelines.  Our top priority is to ensure the safety of everyone.

• Anyone who plans to enter the school building is required to wear face coverings and it is recommended gloves are worn.  
• Families are asked to limit the size of their group.  A parent/guardian is encouraged to attend with their student from DRMS.
• In order to support social distancing guidelines, we will follow the schedule below.  Please ensure you arrive during your assigned window of time only.  Assigned times are alphabetical by student’s last name.
  • 1:30 - 2:30 - A through I
  • 2:30 - 3:30 - J through R
  • 3:30 - 4:30 - S through Z

On Saturday, June 6, 2020, there will be two designated areas for specific items.  Please note the directions for each.

• If your student requires any of these areas or procedures, please follow the directions below first:  
  • Please enter DRMS and park in the staff parking lot.  There will be a traffic director and signs to guide you.
  • Please plan to enter your student’s grade-level hallway.  Please note the sign of the appropriate grade-level on each wall.  In order to promote social distancing, only 10 people will be allowed in each grade level hallway at a time.
  • There will be a cart in each grade-level hallway for students to return EL books, library books and school-owned books.
  • Medication pick-up will take place in Student Services.
  • Any student needing to pick-up artwork from art class may do so in the Art Room.
  • Anyone needing to pick-up medication or retrieve items from PE lockers, will be asked to exit the school through the carpool doors and walk back to the staff parking lot.
  • Grade Level Lockers, PE Lockers, Returning Books, Medication Pick-up, Artwork Pick-up
• After your student has completed the above tasks in the designated areas, parents will proceed and drive to the bus loop for the following needs:  
  • Please enter the bus loop and stay in the line of cars.  
  • Tents will be designated for stops and needs. 
  • In order to promote the most efficient process with returning and delivering materials, we are asking everyone to remain in a single file car line through all “tents.”
  • Thank you for your patience during this process.
  • Returning of school-owned band instruments, pick-up of musical t-shirts, returning of chorus dresses, athletic uniform return, pick-up of athletic team pictures, prize pick-up from “Day of Awesomeness” and Yearbook pick-up

If you have any questions or concerns regarding details of the Saturday, June 6, 2020 building procedures, please reach out to your child’s grade-level administrator.

6th Grade - Destinie Hartman (dhartman@wcpss.net)

7th Grade - Jeff Kleiber (jkleiber@wcpss.net)

8th Grade - Dawn Edwards (dedwards@wcpss.net)

Celebrations:  As we make plans to close out the 2019-2020 school year, we are also making plans to celebrate our students.  Your staff is collaborating and organizing virtual celebrations for each team/grade level.  Virtual end of the year celebrations will include event pictures, awards, Student of the Year, and messages from various staff members.  Please save the following dates:

• 6th Grade - June 10, 2020 @ 9:20 AM
• 7th Grade - June 10, 2020 @ 8:30 AM
• 8th Grade - June 11, 2020 @ 9:20 AM

We look forward to celebrating a unique and successful school year as well as the hard work and perseverance of our students and their accomplishments.

8th Grade Dolphins:  Recognizing our 8th grade students will be heading to high school in just a few months, we are working on a surprise to honor all of our 8th graders with a special "delivery" in the coming weeks!

8th Grade Author Visit:  All 8th grade dolphins are invited to attend a presentation with author Tommy Jenkins on Friday, June 5th from 10:00 AM -11:00 AM.  His graphic novel Drawing the Vote illustrates the history of voting in the United States from the establishment of the country to current day concerns.  Mr. Jenkins will share about his creative and research processes, and participating students will have the opportunity to ask him questions.  Students will get the link for the Google Meet from their social studies teacher.  

PTA Message:  We are happy to share that our spring fundraiser with Step It Up/Power of Purpose brought in more than $18,000 to benefit our school!  A huge thank-you to our students for all their hard work, and to all those who donated for their incredibly generous support. Unfortunately, the “Day of Awesomeness” was canceled because the school closed due to the COVID pandemic, but students who earned prizes for raising $60 or more will be able to pick them up at school on Saturday, June 6.  The PTA will have a tent in the bus loop for families to drive by and pick up students’ prizes, following appropriate social distancing guidelines.  See you next weekend! 

Reminder: Food distribution canceled on Memorial Day  In observance of Memorial Day, food distribution services will be canceled on Monday, May 25. Most weekend food service sites will still operate on a normal schedule Memorial Day Weekend. You can view a list of sites, dates, and times at wcpss.net/food.

Thank you for being a supportive member of the DRMS community,

Kristen Faircloth

Principal

DRMS' Principal Message

Hello Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your May 17, 2020 Family Message.

We hope you had a wonderful weekend and are preparing for the upcoming week of virtual learning.  We continue to be impressed by both our staff and students during these challenging times.  Their perseverance and willingness to engage in meaningful activities during COVID-19 is to be commended.  Just this past week we saw over 50 seventh grade students participate in a virtual field trip at the Carolina Tiger Rescue, an increase of sixth grade students participate in the 6th Grade Sync-Up, and our morning announcements by eighth grade students continue to brighten our days.  Please encourage your child to finish the year strong and engage in their daily learning as well as the extra activities whenever possible.  Don't forget to stay in close contact with your child's teachers, visit their websites, and the Durant Road Middle School website often.  As always, please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.  

DRMS Olympics Week:  This week the Elective Olympics will be taking place at Durant! The elective teachers have come together in the spirit of the Olympics to present a special week for you! Each day of the week a different elective team will have their Olympic themed lesson shared with all students. Monday is PE day, Tuesday is CTE day, Wednesday is Arts day, and Thursday is Spanish/ESL day. Students, all you need to do is log in to your electives' Google Classrooms/Canvas/Weebly like you normally would each day for lessons. Don't be alarmed if you see your band teacher posting a lesson from PE, or your Spanish teacher posting a lesson from CTE! You're in the right place and your teachers haven't gone crazy...yet! All elective teachers will be posting lessons from outside their discipline to ensure that you receive all 4 lessons. If you have any questions, please watch this screen cast, read this Olympic Week directions page, or ask one of your elective teachers. Have fun!!

DRMS Grading Updates:  This past week, WCPSS sent a message that outlined grading updates for the 3rd Quarter, 4th Quarter, and final grades.  You can find the full and summary guidelines in the following links.  Summary of Guidelines,  Full Guidelines  Final grades will be uploaded in PowerSchool by June 4, 2020.  Therefore, we are asking our Dolphins to do their best to have any work completed to improve their 3rd Quarter grade submitted by May 29, 2020.  If more time is needed, please communicate with your teacher.  Don't hesitate to reach-out with any questions or concerns.  

Remote Learning Parent Survey:  WCPSS would like for families to provide feedback on their students’ remote learning experience so far. This will be the first of two surveys designed to gather information that will be used to help us improve remote learning for students.  Please complete the survey by May 20: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/N985N68

Closing Year Procedures:  With school abruptly ending in the middle of March due to COVID-19, DRMS students and staff still need to conduct some end-of-the-year closing procedures.  You will receive more detailed information in the coming weeks, but please put Saturday, June 6, 2020 on your calendar for the event.   While we will be sharing the specifics with you soon, the event will include:  dropping-off items (school-owned materials) and picking-up items (from lockers, student art work, PTSA fundraiser prizes, yearbooks).  Additionally, we will adhere to all COVID-19 safety procedures during this process.  

Food Distribution Services:  In observance of Memorial Day, food distribution services will be canceled on Monday, May 25. Extra food will be distributed on Friday, May 22 for students and families for the holiday weekend. Most weekend food service sites will still operate on a normal schedule Memorial Day Weekend. Please make arrangements now to secure additional food for your family, if needed, on Memorial Day. You can view a list of sites, dates, and times at wcpss.net/food.

Thank you for being a part of the DRMS community,

Kristen Faircloth

Principal