DRMS' Principal Message
Happy Sunny Sunday Dolphins! This is Kristen Faircloth, proud principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your February 21, 2021 Family Message.
We hope you have had a restful and relaxing weekend while enjoying some time outdoors. We enjoyed seeing the Cohort 2-B students on campus last week and look forward to welcoming the Cohort 3-C students into the building this week starting Monday, February 22, 2021. As a reminder, our doors open at 7:35 AM, Core 1 instruction begins at 8:05 AM, and our dismissal starts at 3:05 PM. If this is your child's first time on campus (either as a new student to DRMS or as a new non-virtual academy student), don't worry! We have established processes to support your student and will have staff members present to assist with where to go, etc.
There is a lot going on at Durant Road Middle School over the next several weeks. Please take a moment to read the updates below to ensure you are kept up to date regarding your child's education. Some important items are the deadline to apply for the Meal Benefits Program, Picture Day(s), Interim Dates, DRMS Athletics beginning, Lunch & Learn, testing updates, and much more.
Please let us know if you have any immediate questions or concerns that need addressed. You can communicate with your grade level Assistant Principal or Counselor or call the DRMS front office at 919.870.4098. We are happy to help in any way possible. We are looking forward to welcoming students on campus this week.
Meal Benefits Application: Parents, please consider applying for meal benefits by February 26, 2021. Yes, meals will still be free for all students through June 2021 but we still need you to complete a meal benefits application so our school can be eligible for this extra funding next year. Information about applying for Meal Benefits for the 2020-21 school year can be found at www.wcpss.net/Page/1849 . Help our school receive this funding by completing an application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications can be requested by calling 919-588-3535.
Updated 2nd Semester Calendar: The WCPSS Board of Education voted to add three additional Asynchronous/Remote Learning Days. Please use this WCPSS 2nd Semester Single Track 4 Calendar to help guide your planning and student's schedule.
Quarter 3 Interims: Quarter 3 Interims are scheduled and available on Monday, February 22, 2021. Parents are encourage to read through Quarter 3 Interim Procedures for information on viewing their child's interim progress. Please reach out to your child's teacher(s) with any questions.
Athletics February 22-25: This week we start our fall sport skill sessions with our 3-C students and Virtual Academy students placed in with Cohort 3-C! Only those students who have received an email from Mrs. Mauder and completed all of their paperwork will be allowed to attend these skill sessions. On Monday, February 22, 2021 all students attending need to hand in the COVID-19 Pre-Participation Health Questionnaire to their coach or Mrs. Mauder. Virtual Academy students will have to arrive and stay in their cars for their health screening at the front of the school between 3:00 PM-3:20 PM. Cohort 3-C students will wait for Ms. Dunbar to announce their dismissal from class. All skill sessions will end at 4:30 PM. Please pick your student up in the bus parking lot no later than 4:45 PM. If you have any questions, please email Mrs. Mauder (tmauder@wcpss.net). Go Dolphins!
Lunch & Learn: We are pleased to share that the DRMS Student Services Team will be hosting virtual meetings (Lunch & Learn) for parents and caregivers twice a month. Our team will discuss topics related to supporting social & emotional wellness during remote learning and will also be open to provide support in areas you may need. Our next session is on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 12:00 PM. And the topic is “Social Media & Digital Safety.” The format will be a Google Meet. Please sign up using the following link: Lunch & Learn Parent/Caregiver Sign Up Form. A link for the google meet will be emailed to families who register. We hope you find this community engagement session informative!
Filter Internet Content: Content filtering for students using WCPSS provided Chromebooks will transition to a new internet content filter, Cisco Umbrella on Tuesday February 23, 2021. WCPSS will push the Cisco Umbrella extension to their WCPSS Chromebook and students do not need to do anything.
Why is content filtering changing?
- With the new content filter, students will have the same internet experience no matter where they access the internet. Currently, content filtering is different while connected at school locations versus home or other non-school locations.
- Additionally, students will only have to sign into their Chromebook once. Currently, students log into their Chromebook and then are prompted to sign in again to the zScaler content filter.
If you have any questions or issues, contact the Remote Learning Help Desk at StudentTechHelp.wcpss.net or 919-694-8100.
School Picture Day(s): Mark your calendars and bring those smiles for school picture day! Strawbridge Studios will be on campus on the following days to take your child's picture:
- February 25th - Cohort 3-C
- Cohort 3-C will receive order forms on Monday, February 22, 2021.
- March 4th - Cohort 1-A
- March 11th - Cohort 2-B
Virtual Academy students have the opportunity to sign up for an appointment on any of the three days. Virtual Academy students interested in having their picture taken on February 25, 2021 should sign-up using the following link: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050C4BAEAE2FA3FE3-100134. Virtual Academy students having their picture taken on Thursday, February 25, 2021 should come to the front door of the school and ring the doorbell and wait to be screened prior to entering the building for their picture.
Virtual Academy students interested in having their picture taken on March 4, 2021 should sign-up using the following link:
This link will allow parents to sign up to receive updates via email regarding their child's school portraits. These updates include promotions, additional deals and the ability to order more pictures at a later time. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.
Testing Updates: Please see various testing updates below. Not all updates apply to all children.
- iReady Testing: Select students will be participating in the iReady Reading Middle of the Year testing starting Monday, February 22, 2021. Teachers will be working closely with communicating with selected students. This assessment will provide teachers and parents with growth reports that will help guide instruction needs for students during the remainder of the year. If you have any questions regarding the iReady assessment, you may contact our iReady coordinator Ms. Erin Dunbar at edunbar@wcpss.net.
- ACCESS Testing: This is a friendly reminder that our English language learners will begin taking the annual ACCESS test this week. It is imperative that they bring their devices and chargers to school every day. If you have any questions regarding the ACCESS Testing, please contact Ms. Deborah McTernan at dmcternan@wcpss.net or Mr. Marty Vieira at mvieira@wcpss.net.
- End of Year Testing: As of right now, EOG testing will be completed during the last ten days of school (June 8th - June 21st). Additionally, all testing will be completed on campus. Please know that logistics or other specifics have yet to be determined. The plans could certainly change with district-wide decisions or requirements.
Students Return to Campus: We are excited to welcome Cohort 3-C to campus on Monday, February 22, 2021. All students should take time to review student/parent doc that contains health and safety processes and procedures that will be followed on campus. Health and safety processes and procedures were reviewed with students previously to ensure everyone is set up for success.
Accountability and Health Protocols Form: Students who are returning to campus must complete the Student Accountability and Health Protocols form. This document tells families that students must strictly follow our required health protocols when on our campus. It also includes possible consequences for non-compliance. If you have already submitted the acknowledgement form, you do not need to do it again.
Transportation Reminders: Bus riders are required to submit a one-time attestation form stating that they will abide by all health and safety protocols. Forms can be found at wcpss.net/busform. If you have already successfully submitted this form, you do not need to submit it again. We ask that students follow all safety guidelines, including wearing a face covering the entire time they are on the bus. Bus route information can be found at www.wcpss.net/routes.
DRMS Yearbook: Yearbook wants to make sure that we capture all the amazing moments this year! Our yearbooks will be delivered Fall 2021! This helps to ensure we can include all the events from this school year and capture what it has been like at DRMS during the COVID-19 Pandemic! Please reach out to Shelby Robertson (sdrobertson@wcpss.net) with any questions!
Please submit all pictures of track outs, in-person and remote learning, you and your best face masks, snow days, anything and everything to the yearbook! Use this link to submit: https://images.jostens.com/415464879
If your student is unable to attend school picture days, please send a portrait of your student to the yearbook and label the picture "(students name) portrait":
https://images.jostens.com/415464879
Purchase your ad for your 8th grader here: https://www.jostens.com/yearbooks/students-and-parents/yearbook-ads
The link to directly place an order for the yearbook is here: http://jostensyearbooks.com?ref=A01095208
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Sanderson High School Virtual Parent Night - Feb. 25th at 6 PM
- Enloe High School Virtual Curriculum Fair for Students/Families - Thursday, Feb. 25th at 6 PM
Youth Symposium: Our young people have faced unique and unexpected challenges this year - a pandemic, civil unrest, the fight for equity and justice, extended distance learning, loss of social opportunities, and loss of family in these unprecedented and uncertain times however they have pressed on and forward to develop new ways to cope, innovate, push boundaries and thrive. We salute our resilient, creative and UNSTOPPABLE youth!
Sigma Gamma Rho Sorority, Inc. presents an impactful, dynamic, National VIRTUAL Sigma Youth Symposium for 2021 aimed at uplifting and inspiring our “Unstoppable and Boundless” youth! Youth ages 8 – 18 and parents are invited and encouraged to attend this event on Saturday, March 13, 2021 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Parents are to register separate from their student as parents will be in view only mode.
Workshops on STEM, Health/Wellness, Social Justice, Money Matters and The Culture are planned with engaging PSAs, messages, and opportunities to win prizes throughout the day’s program. Youth ages 8 – 18, and parents will benefit greatly from an exciting time of engagement, learning, motivation, empowerment, entertainment, prizes and giveaways!
To participate in this historic and dynamic event, use the link below to register:
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/national-youth-symposium-registration-141050980279
When prompted on the registration page choose Northeastern Region and Beta Lambda Sigma Chapter
Registration ends on March 11, 2021.
If you have any questions about this event, contact us at youth_symposium@raleighsgrho.org or April Rhodes at 919-986-5302.
Message from the PTA: Our latest Staff Shout Out goes to our awesome 8th grade teachers Mrs. Desmarais (math) and Mrs. Myers (science)! You can view all our Shout Outs, or submit one of your own, by clicking here. The DRMS PTA is seeking board and committee members for the 2021-22 school year. If you are interested in being part of the PTA, please click here to indicate your areas of interest. Thank you as always for supporting DRMS!
Thank you for supporting DRMS,
Kristen J Faircloth
Principal
