Happy Sunday Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, proud principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your December 12, 2021 Family Message.

 

We hope you and your family have enjoyed another beautiful weekend.  It is hard to believe we only have 8 days left of Quarter 2.  The last day for students is Wednesday, December 22, 2021.  Winter Break/Track Out will begin Thursday, December 23, 2021.  We are asking parents to work with their child to ensure their school work is caught up and there are no missing assignments prior to the winter break.  Don't hesitate to reach out to your child's teacher(s) if there are any questions.  It is important to us that your child puts forth their best effort and are successful.  

 

Please take some time to read through the Family Message below to ensure you are updated on what is happening at DRMS.  Don't hesitate to reach out with any needs as we are here to serve you.

 

Meal Benefits:  Parents, PLEASE take a minute to apply for meal benefits as soon as possible. For every student that turns in the free and reduced lunch application and qualifies, the school receives federal funds that benefit the student and teachers at the school. These funds provide additional teachers and staff for the school which means more services for students, especially students that are struggling in reading or math. These funds also are used for materials and supplies for students and teachers. These are valuable resources that teachers can use to improve student achievement. 

Yes, meals will still be free for all students this school year 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 2021-22 school year can be found at www.wcpss.net/meals. Help our school receive this funding by completing an application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications can be requested by calling 919-588-3535. 

 

Chorus Concert:  Please join us for our Winter Chorus Concert on Wednesday, December 15 starting at 7:00 PM.  We will hold a very brief general PTA session right before the Chorus Concert.  The PTA President will welcome and introduce herself.  The DRMS PTA will provide hot cocoa and/or apple cider in celebration after the concert.  We are excited to hear how hard our students have been working and hope to see you there!

 

Spirit Week:  It is hard to believe we only have 8 days of Quarter 2 and before track out!  The week of December 20th will be Spirit Week at DRMS. Please see more information about Spirit Week here.

• December 20 - Team Together Monday
• December 21 - Tree Topper Tuesday
• December 22 - Ugly Sweater Wednesday

 

Dismissal:  We need your help to ensure our daily dismissal runs smoothly:

• Early checkouts should take place prior to 2:45 PM.  Parents are unable to checkout their child after 2:45 PM.
• Carpool students should be picked up in the back of the school between 3:00 PM - 3:30 PM.  Our carpool runs very smooth and efficient with limited waiting.  All students should be picked up no later than 3:30 PM.
• Students should know how they are getting home every day.

 

DRMS Yearbook:  The 2021-2022 DRMS Yearbook is available for purchase now! 

 

Pricing information:

• October 1-November 15: $40.00
• November 16-January 31- $45.00 
• February 1-March 31: $50.00

 

Purchasing online is the way to go! You can purchase your student’s yearbook and accessories here: http://jostensyearbooks.com/?REF=A01095208

 

8th grade families, this is your student’s last year in middle school. Purchase a yearbook ad as a special send-off for your student! 

 

Pricing and Purchase Information:

• ½ page: $65
• ¼ page: $45
• ⅛ page: $25

To Purchase: https://www.jostens.com/apps/jcom/router.mvc?affiliateId=1542971

 

Upload pictures to the yearbook using this link: https://images.jostens.com/416224537

 

Contact Ms. Robertson at sdrobertson@wcpss.net for any further questions!

 

COVID Updates:  DRMS continues to follow district guidelines and prioritizes the health, safety, and well-being of our students.  To minimize the spread of COVID-19, the district adheres to all COVID-19 health measures required by the NC Department of Health and Human Services and consults with Wake County Public Health to determine what precautions are needed in our schools to keep our students, staff, and community healthy in a safe and welcoming environment. Here is what we are presently doing to try to keep our students and staff safe:

• Masks worn appropriately at all times while in the building unless eating. 
• All students facing in the same direction in the cafeteria.
• One Way traffic in our halls during class changes
• Additional hand sanitizer stations being provided.
• Frequent announcements reminding students of our guidelines

We appreciate our families support in reinforcing the importance of wearing masks appropriately, frequently washing hands or using hand sanitizer, and letting us know if a student has tested positive with Covid or feels ill.  Our students are doing a great job following these guidelines and your encouragement and support of the guidelines helps tremendously.

Check out the latest information from WCPSS here.

 

Thank you for supporting DRMS,

Kristen Faircloth

Principal