Happy rainy Sunday Dolphins!  This is Kristen Faircloth, proud principal at Durant Road Middle School, with your February 27, 2022 Family Message.  

 

We had another fun-filled week that included spring sports tryouts, the continuation of celebrating Black History Month, and much more!  Each week brings a new adventure.  The WCPSS Board of Education voted this past week to move all schools to face-covering recommended starting Monday, March 7, 2022.  The WCPSS Board of Education also voted to move to face-covering optional for all athletic and extra-curricular activities starting February 28, 2022.  What does this mean for us at DRMS?  Starting Monday, March 7, face-coverings are recommended but not required for all students, staff, and visitors while on campus.  As of right now, face-coverings will continue to be required on transportation, including yellow school buses, vendor transportation, and athletic buses.  We recognize that everyone is at a different point with this decision.  As we have done all year, we will continue to support each other in this next step and transition in the pandemic.  Regardless of an individual's / family's decision regarding face-coverings, we will continue to be respectful of each other.  We will continue to share information as we learn more.  We also encourage you to stay up to date with the district's communication as it is shared.  

 

Please take a moment to review the updates in the Family Message below.  As always, don't hesitate to reach out with any needs you may have as we are here to serve you.  

 

Early College Acceptance:  Congratulations to 18 of our eighth-grade students who have applied and  been accepted to an Early College for the 2022-23 school year.  The Early Colleges include: Wake Early College of Information & Biotechnologies, Wake Early College of Human Sciences, Vernon Malone College & Career Academy, North Wake College & Career Academy, Wake STEM Early College.  

 

Cultural Arts:  We are excited to have Transit Vocal Band perform for our students as part of our Cultural Arts Performances on Wednesday, March 2, 2022.  Thank you to our PTA for their support and bringing in this artist for our students to experience and enjoy.  

 

Instructional Hours:  Punctuality at school and class is essential for a student’s academic success. Students who are late and/or tardy miss and disrupt instruction. A student is considered late if he/she is not in his/her assigned area at the designated time.  Students who arrive at school ,via carpool or walkers, after 8:15 AM should report to the front office with a note to sign in and get an admission slip. Late buses will be handled on a case-by-case basis depending on their time of arrival.

 

Distractions in School:  We are seeing more and more students bringing items to school that are causing distractions in their learning as well as the learning of others.  Please help us and encourage your child to keep items at home, such as toys, gadgets, etc.  I know we can all work together to create the best learning and teaching environment for everyone.  

 

DRMS Lunch:  All students have the option to bring a lunch to school or get a school lunch.  Door Dash is not permitted at DRMS for students.  

 

Single Subject Acceleration (SSA):  The SSA test request window is from April 18, 2022 - May 3, 2022.  Students meeting qualifying criteria can take advanced academic content in select mathematics or English Language Arts courses through Single Subject Acceleration (SSA).  If you are interested in having your child tested to skip grade level content, please contact Ms. Dunbar at edunbar@wcpss.net for more information.  The WCPSS SSA website outlines the windows when test requests can be made and when testing will occur. All applications are due by March 25, 2022. 

 

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.    

 

DRMS PTA News:

 

DRMS PTA is currently recruiting for the 2022-23 school year. As a small group of dedicated volunteers, we are always looking for people interested in supporting Durant Road Middle school students, staff, and the community. 

Please fill out the following form to let us know if you are interested in one of these board positions or committees.

 

Elected Positions

 

President (2-3 hours per month)

• Shall preside at all meetings of the general membership and the board of directors at which he/she may be present, and shall designate another officer to preside when he/she will not be present (in the absence of such designation, the board may elect any board member to preside at any meeting); 

• Shall coordinate the work of the officers, the board and the committees of this local PTA; 

• Shall perform such other duties as may be provided for by these bylaws or assigned to him/her by this local PTA 

Vice President of Communications (2-3 hours per month)

• Shall preside at meetings when the President is not available 

• Works to share information with the community through newsletter, social media and emails

Secretary (1-3 hours per month)

• Takes minutes at board and association meetings

• Handles PTA correspondence as directed by the president 

• Maintains and preserves PTA records and important documents to pass on at the end of the term

Treasurer (2-3 hours per month)

• Keep accurate and detailed financial records of budget, check requests and receipts/invoices, disbursements, funds received forms with deposit slips, monthly bank statements, reconciliations, and financial reports 

• Prepare and present annual budget

 Committees and other positions

 

We are looking for chairs for these committees for the 2022-23 school year. These positions are NOT elected positions and will be appointed through a vote by the PTA board.

• Advocacy

• Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee

• BAC Rep (Board Advisory Committee – District 3)

• Volunteers for special events (i.e.Staff appreciation, Day of Awesomeness)

  

Thank you for supporting DRMS,

Kristen J Faircloth

Principal