Hello, this is Kristen Faircloth, principal at Durant Road Middle School with your weekly message.

February 11 - 15 is Bus Driver Appreciation Week.  Every day, our bus drivers are responsible for getting our students to and from school safely.  Show your love for all they do during Love the Bus week.  We appreciate our bus drivers at DRMS!  

This week is the last week for the WAKE Up and Read Annual Book Drive!  From January 5 - February 15, WAKE Up and Read has been collecting new and gently used books for children ages birth -12.  The goal is to collect 110,000 books which will be enough to share at 13 schools, as well as community centers and child care facilities across Wake County.  Take a minute to clear your cluttered shelves of books your kids have outgrown or bring in favorites of your own so that we can help Wake County children grow up loving books.  Look for the collection bin in the DRMS Learning Commons.  

Monday, February 11, 2019 is our final basketball games of the season.  Our boys and girls basketball teams will play Pine Hollow Middle School at home starting at 4:00 PM.  8th grade basketball and cheerleaders will be recognized at the games on Monday.  8th grade girl basketball players will be announced prior to the start of 5th quarter for the girls game and 8th grade boy basketball players and cheerleaders will be announced prior to the start of 5th quarter for the boys game.  It will be a great night to celebrate our Dolphins.  

The "Adopt a Dolphin Valentine" sale will continue during lunch on Monday, February 11th and Tuesday, February 12th.  Along with Ms. Huber-Jones, our student council is selling dolphin-themed valentines for .25 cents each.  The valentines will be delivered on Thursday, February 14th.  All proceeds will go to the World Wildlife Foundation to adopt a dolphin.  Help us spread the love this week!  

Join us for a meeting of the WCPSS District 3 Board Advisory Council on Monday, February 11, 2019 starting at 6:00 PM at Wakefield High School.  Glenn Carozzo, Director of Student Assignment and Tim Simmons, Chief of Communications will give a presentation on enrollment projections for Wake County Schools.  

Tryouts for various sports and events are taking place this week.  First in Fitness tryouts for selected 6th graders will take place on Wednesday, February 13th from 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM.  Softball tryouts for interested 7th and 8th grade girls will take place on Wednesday, February 13th and Thursday, February 14th from 3:00 PM - 5:15 PM.  Boys soccer tryouts for interested 7th and 8th graders will take place on Wednesday, February 13th and Thursday, February 14th from 3:00 PM - 5:15 PM.  Track & Field tryouts will begin on Monday, February 18, 2019.  

Friday, February 15, 2019 is another College and Career Ready day at Durant Road Middle!  Everyone is encouraged to wear their college gear.  Seventh grade Dolphins will participate in Engineers Day.  Friday, February 15, 2019 is also an early release day for DRMS. Dolphins will be dismissed at 12:30 PM.  Please make sure plans are made for your child to dismiss early on Friday's early release day.  

Mark your calendars for the next DRMS Parent Academy / School Dance scheduled for Friday, March 1, 2019!  Parents will have an opportunity to attend a session on "Keeping Children Emotionally and Physically Safe" while the students dance the night away.  The Parent Academy / School Dance will take place from 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM on March 1st.  Dance tickets will go on sale this Wednesday, February 13, 2019 during lunch.  Be on the look out for more information about the event through newsletters, etc.  

The DRMS second annual SPLASH DASH Color Run is just around the corner!  Our goal is to raise $20,000 to help fund technology upgrades throughout our school.  We hope to obtain new laptops, install new monitors and support much needed school improvements.  Tracks 1 & 3 SPLASH DASH is scheduled for Tuesday, April 16, 2019 and Tracks 2 & 4 is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, 2019.  We need everyone's help to raise the funds to meet our goal for our children. 

Thank you for supporting DRMS,

Kristen J Faircloth

Principal