Happy Super Bowl Sunday Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, proud principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your February 13, 2022 Family Message.

We hope everyone is having a wonderful weekend.  What a beautiful Saturday we had!  I am sure I am speaking for all of us that we are all hoping for an early spring.  The month of February is full of opportunities to spread love and appreciation: Black History Month, Heart Healthy Month, Love the Bus Month, School Counselor Appreciation, and Valentine's Day to name a few.  We would like to congratulate Massiel Del Villar, school psychologist, for being nominated as school psychologist of the year and Orlander Bullock, school social worker,  for being named a finalist for the School Social Worker of the Year for WCPSS.  

The halfway point for Quarter 3 is fast approaching.  It is important to take some time to review your child's grades and progress towards the end of the week and reach out to their teacher(s) if you have any questions.  Please take a moment to review the Family Message and updates below.  As always, let us know if there is anything we can support you with.

DRMS Band:  Congratulations to a group of our band students who played the National Anthem at the Women's Duke Basketball game this past week.  The students did an amazing job and represented DRMS well.  Shout out to Ms. Casey Duryea, band director, for leading our students and providing great opportunities.  

8th Grade Families:  Mark your calendars for the DRMS 2022-2023 High School Registration & Transition Info Session, directly followed by:  Early College Planning Webinar for Middle School Parents.  This will be a virtual event - Tuesday, February 22, 2022 at 6:00 PM.  All 8^th grade students and families are encouraged to attend.  See flyer for more!

DRMS Athletics / Spring Sports Ticket To Play:  If you are interested in a spring sport (boys & girls track & field, softball, boys soccer) please complete this form no later than February 16. This form will let our athletic trainer, Mrs. Mauder, know that you are interested in trying out for a spring sport on February 22 and this will begin your ticket to play process. In order to receive your ticket to play, which will be in the form of a wristband, you must be academically eligible and have all of your athletic paperwork submitted through DragonFly. Mrs. Mauder will verify your eligibility and athletic paperwork. If you pass both of those requirements, you will be given a wristband to wear on the first day of tryouts. This wristband is your ticket to play and will prove to the coach that you are cleared to be on the field or track. No wristband = No tryout, no exceptions! This form and all paperwork must be submitted no later than February 16. Paperwork submitted late will delay your tryout start date. Wristbands will be distributed to in person students the week of February 14. Virtual academy students will receive their wristbands on the first day of tryouts from their coach. If you have any questions about DragonFly or the ticket to play process, please email Mrs. Mauder at tmauder@wcpss.net. We are looking forward to seeing our Dolphins play again this year!

DRMS Softball:  Unfortunately, we have not been unable to secure a girls softball coach for the 2022 spring season.  If you are interested in learning more and discussing possibly serving in this role, please reach out to any of our assistant principals.  

Wake Up and Read:  Wake Up and Read is an organization that collects books and returns those books to high-need WCPSS schools. A student in our community (Greg Lavallee, a former Dolphin and class of 2024) is collecting - with a goal of 2000 books. We have a box in the lobby to collect any books. Any contributions are greatly appreciated. This includes used books. Greg will be collecting up to February 28. 

Meal Benefits Application:  A HUGE thank you to the parents who have applied for meal benefits.  If you have not had an opportunity to do so, please take a minute to apply for meal benefits as soon as possible, and no later than mid February.  By submitting a qualifying application, families will also support Durant Road Middle School in qualifying for additional funds to support students and learning through additional teaching positions and materials! Also, the NC Department of Health & Human Services is collecting student free and reduced lunch and attendance data from WCPSS to determine any additional Pandemic Electronic Benefits (P-EBT) that will be issued in the coming months! By not applying for these meal benefits, you will miss the potential opportunity to receive direct P-EBT funds for your family!

Yes, meals will still be free for all students through June 2022, but we still need you to complete a meal benefits application so our school can be eligible for this extra education funding next school year. Also, this ensures your student is covered for the first few weeks of school next year. Information about applying for Meal Benefits can be found at www.wcpss.net/meals. Help our school continue to receive this funding by completing an application online at MySchoolApps.com. Paper applications can be requested by calling 919-588-3535.  

The quickest way to complete the meal benefits application is electronically through the link above.  However, we mailed hard copies of the application to assist those who prefer to complete it by hand. If you completed a hard copy of the Meal Benefits Application, please have your child turn it in to their homeroom teacher on Monday or this week! What's in it for you?  All students who return a completed meal benefits application to their homeroom teacher or submit documentation that a meal benefits application was completed online and emailed to Durantrdms@wcpss.net will be entered in a drawing for a variety of gift cards!!  Who doesn't love a gift card?  Raffles will take place February 14, 2022 and February 28, 2022.    

Thank you for supporting DRMS,

Kristen J Faircloth

Principal