Duxbury Middle School

WEEKLY NEWS STRIVE FOR SUCCESS EVERY DAY IN A CARING, RESPECTFUL, LEARNING COMMUNITY

71 ALDEN STREET, DUXBURY MA 02332 PHONE: 781-934-7640 FAX: 781-934-6084

WEBSITE: WWW.DUXBURY.K12.MA.US

FEBRUARY 27, 2018

Important Dates

March 15

All Band Night

March 20

All Choral Night

March 21

All String Night

March 29

Yearbook Order

Deadline

March 30

Religious Holy Day

April 2

No School for Students

Prof. Dev. Day

April 16 – 20

Spring Break

Hello DMS Community,

Congratulations to this week’s

“Dragons of the Week”:

Avery Lloyd, Noah Eggers, Olivia Templeton,

Bridget Fallon, Georgia Berry and Brian Glennon

These Dragons have been recognized for positive

attitude, achievement, and effort in the classroom.

They display consistent academic excellence,

commitment and interest in school, class leadership,

and exemplary effort and behavior!

Great work!

8th Grade Promotion Date is Thursday, June 14th

Still time to donate the PTO and help support the 8th grade

promotion!!

Donate by clicking here:

https://www.duxbury.k12.ma.us/domain/135

DMS Yearbook Information The DMS 2017-2018 yearbook is now on sale through March 30th. The

yearbook is 80 color pages which include candid’s of 6th, 7th & 8th grade

students, headshots of students who got their school picture taken, and photos of

co-curricular and other school activities.

The cost of the yearbook is $25 if purchased online using link below or $30 cash

or check made out to DMS. The ordering envelopes were given out during iLab

on Wednesday, January 24th.

Visit Ybpay.lifetouch.com and use the DMS code: 2148718.

Please make sure to fill out the following fields:

1) Foil name - name you would like printed on the front cover in foil - included

with the price (if this field is not completed, we will use the name that is in

Aspen)

2) Grade

3) Homeroom (iLab)

***If you are ordering 2 or more yearbooks, please enter the first order. At the

end of the first order, you will have the option to order another yearbook.***

Please direct any questions regarding yearbooks and ordering to Mrs. Sullivan or

Mrs. Postler.

Thank you!

2018-2019 COURSE SELECTION PROCESS FOR CURRENT

STUDEENTS IN GRADES 6-8

It is that time of year when students will be registering for their courses for the

next school year!!

Teachers will be making course recommendations and students will use their

student portal login in Aspen to choose their courses for next year.

2018-2019 DMS COURSE SELECTION FOR CURRENT 6TH AND 7TH

GRADERS:

Guidance Counselors will be meeting with the 6th and 7th grade students to

discuss the course selection process in early March.

Course offerings will be available in the Duxbury Middle School Program of

Studies ,which can be found under the Department Tab on the DMS website.

Students make course selection on portal – March 26 - April 3 – Teachers

will make recommendation in portal prior to this date.

2018-2019 DHS COURSE SELECTION FOR 2018-2019 FOR 8TH

GRADERS GOING INTO 9TH GRADE:

UPCOMING COURSE SELECTION EVENTS:

DHS Course Selection Info night – March 1st in the Presentation Hall

Course offerings will be available in the DHS Program of Studies, which can be

found under the Guidance tab on the DHS website.

Other important dates to note: (ONLY for students entering grades 10-12)

AP applications available – February 15th

AP applications due – March 9th

Students make course selection on portal – March 26-April 3 – grade 8

April 4 – April 13 – grades 9-11

Format for March 1st Program of Studies/Course Selection Night in the

Presentation Hall for current 8th – 11th graders:

6pm - 6:30pm – Arrive and walk along the Main Hall to explore the various

electives that we have to offer. Students and teachers will be at tables and be

available to answer questions until 8:30pm.

6:30pm - 7:15pm – For parents of current 8th graders – a panel of staff

members will go through each department and how the curriculum looks for the

9th grade as well as provide a brief insight into the full high school

pathway. Once finished parents will be encouraged to go explore the classrooms

of specific departments to ask any further questions they may have.

7:30pm - 8pm – For parents of students in grades 9-11 – a brief overview of the

curriculum offerings will be provided. When finished parents will be

encouraged to go explore classrooms of specific departments to ask any further

questions they may have.

8pm - 830pm - AP information – Any parent with a student interested in

applying for an AP (students entering grades 10-12 are eligible) are strongly

encouraged to stay and hear an overview of AP courses. Specific questions

about specific AP courses should be directed to the subject supervisor who will

be in classrooms and available to answer questions.

What is Teacher Spotlight?

Brief “about me” spotlighting the wonderful teachers and work they are doing with our students at DMS. Look for a couple new teachers each week!

This week we are spotlighting Sue Harrington & Renee Pithie

Dear DMS Families,

Once again, DMS is participating in the Pennies for Patients fundraiser, which

benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Our school community service

group, Respect All People (RAP) is proudly running this great fundraiser, and we

can all use your help!

For the last two years, DMS has finished fourth in the state for fundraising. We

are hoping to once again finish in the top 5 this year. Last year we raised over

$6,500, which was a direct reflection of what an amazing and supportive

community we have here!

This fundraiser is run as a competition at DMS. The Leukemia & Lymphoma

Society have partnered with Olive Garden, and they offer a pasta lunch to the

homeroom in each school that collects the most money. It’s great motivation for

the students, and has been won by different homerooms for the last 5 years.

We have donation boxes set up in each homeroom, and students can bring their

money to their homeroom teacher’s box. We certainly accept more than just

pennies, so don’t let the name of the fundraiser fool you! However, one of the

easiest ways to donate is online. Below is the link for our DMS fundraising

page. Once you are there, in the lower left-hand corner you are able to search

homeroom teachers. Simply type in the last name of your child’s homeroom

teacher and you will be directed to their individual fundraising page. It is

important to do this so your child’s class gets the credit for the donation! Cash

and online donations will continue to be accepted through Friday, March 16th

(extended from our original end date).

http://events.lls.org/pages/ma/DuxburyMiddleSchool-2018

Thank you in advance for your help and support with this fundraiser. Our RAP

students and our DMS community are excited to be participating again, and we

look forward to another successful year! If you have any questions about this,

please feel free to contact us.

With Appreciation,

Stephanie Madden & Caitlan Sheehan

Attendance Reminder for Voluntary Absences

Voluntary Absence (i.e. family vacation etc.):

• The parent or student may request work to be completed during the period of

absence; one week’s notice must be given in order to allow ample time for the

preparation of assignments by the faculty. The Student must complete and return

the requested work to all teachers on the day he / she returns to school. This is

the responsibility of the student and the parent/guardian

• If work is not requested or assigned, the student must complete and return to all

teachers any work missed within a period of time equal to the absence (i.e. one

week absent, one week to complete the work). This is the responsibility of the

student and parent/guardian

Health Office News

Student Health Concerns:

This is a reminder to please contact the School Nurse directly by phone or email

when your child is absent from school due to an extended illness or injury. She

will contact your child’s teachers and make a plan for temporary accomodations

to help your student transition back to school.

Parents of students with strep, influenza or communicable diseases need to notify

the nurse so we can keep everyone in the building as healthy as possible,

including our medically fragile students.

If your child has had surgery, developed a new allergy, had a change in

medications, or sustained an injury such as a concussion, fracture or will be

using crutches at school, please reach out to her.

Changes in health status such medications, new allergies, new diagnoses need to

be noted in the health record and can be done so at this time. At this time, parents

cannot make changes to the electronic health record.

Thank you, Donna Doyle, RN

Phone # 781- 934-7640, ddoyle@duxbury.k12.ma.us

Per our Student/Parent Handbook:

“Since the attendance policy has been in effect, a need has been indicated for

more communication between parent/guardian and school around medical

issues. Even for students who have always enjoyed good health, adolescence is

often a time of new and/or long-term medical problems (i.e. asthma, bronchitis,

mononucleosis, strep throat, etc.). Please keep the school nurse informed of any

health problems that arise so that appropriate services can be provided and

teachers notified. The school nurse can then be a liaison for parents/guardians

throughout the year. If a student needs to be dismissed from physical education

class for one or two classes, a note from the parent or guardian should be

submitted to the nurse. Long-term exemptions from physical education require a

doctor’s note of explanation. When a student is excused for an extended period,

the physician’s note is brought to the school nurse and appropriate educational

adjustments are made. If a student is injured and is using crutches, he/she should

report to the school nurse. Parents or guardians should notify the school nurse

of all extended illnesses and injuries.”

Calling all 6th Grade Parents – please remember to submit updated physicals

and immunization records prior to 7th grade. Remember physicals are hard to

schedule in the summer, so do it now! Any physicals scheduled for over the

summer please drop off or send the paperwork to school ASAP.

Donna Doyle, RN

Calm Classroom Mindfulness Initiative

Throughout the rest of the year, mindfulness and coping skills groups will be

offered to each grade level, starting with the 7th grade, during ILab periods. The

groups will explore Calm Classroom (www.calmclassroom.com) mindfulness

techniques and positive coping strategies.

Calm Classroom is a mindfulness program that utilizes simple research-

based mindfulness techniques to help students and teachers develop self-

awareness, mental focus and inner calm. The program provides students and staff

the tools to effectively manage stress, regulate emotions and foster attitudes of

kindness towards themselves and others.

Calm Classroom is composed of Breathing, Stretching, Relaxation and

Focusing techniques. Each technique only takes three minutes to complete. We

are hoping, as a community, to implement Calm Classroom district-wide.

Breathing

Practicing breathing techniques is one of the best ways to relieve stress and

relax. Deep breathing increases the supply of oxygen to your brain, promoting a

state of calm.

Focus

We can improve our ability to focus by practicing paying attention to one thing

at a time.

Relaxation

Learning to relax your body is an important skill that will help you deal with

stress and improve your over-all wellbeing. Relaxation lowers stress levels in

the brain, leading to increased energy and motivation to learn.

Stretching

Stretching helps free our bodies of any tightness caused by stress. When we

stretch, fresh blood and oxygen are carried to our muscles. This restores energy

levels and helps us to relax.

Students can sign up through Schoology or express interest through their

guidance counselor. Space may be limited and on first come - first serve basis.

Amy Gubellini, Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker

C.O.A.S.T Program

Duxbury Middle/High Schools

781.934.7650 Office Ext. 4203, VM Ext. 9920

agubellini@duxbury.k12.ma.us

C.O.A.S.T Program information:

https://www.duxbury.k12.ma.us/domain/849

37th Annual

DUXBURY SPRINGANTIQUE SHOW

T o B e n e f i t

the Du x b u r y H i g h S c h o o l A t h l e t i c P r o g r a m

Saturday

M a r c h 1 7 t h , 2 0 1 81 0 : 0 0 a . m . - 5 : 0 0 p .m .

Sunday

M a r c h 1 8 t h , 2 0 1 81 1 : 0 0 a . m . - 4 : 0 0 p . m .

DUXBURY HIGH SCHOOL71 Alden Street, Duxbury, MA 02332

Appraiser Available (Sunday Only): $5 per item or $10 for 3 items

50 QUALITY DEALERSLunch ~ B ake Tabl e

Admission $7 per adult • with card $6 per adult • children 10 and under no charge

Sponsored by

www.duxburyboosters.org

State Theatre Competition Starts March 3 at Venues including Duxbury PAC Duxbury Theatre Troupe #355 Presents “The Importance of Being Earnest” as Entry in METG Preliminaries

Duxbury, MA (February 3, 2018)- Two young gents living in Victorian London have taken to

bending the truth in order to put some excitement into their lives. The first

gent “Worthing” has invented a brother, Earnest, whom he sees as an excuse

to leave his dull life behind to visit Gwendolyn. The second gent “Montcrieff”

decides to take the name Earnest when visiting Worthing’s young and

beautiful ward, but their deceptions are soon discovered. “The Importance of

Being Earnest” is a comedy by Oscar Wilde, his most enduring, popular play.

As Duxbury High School’s entry in the Massachusetts High School Festival,

the play will be one of 112 performed during the preliminary rounds that day

at 14 schools across the state. Eight plays will be hosted by Duxbury at the

town’s Performing Arts Center.

The Festival is the premier event of the Massachusetts Educational Theater Guild. Winners of

the preliminaries continue to semi-finals March 10th. Finals will be in Boston March 22-24. The

top two schools there will represent the state at the New England Drama Festival April 26-28th

at Guilford High School in Guilford, NH. Schools attending the preliminary round in Duxbury are

listed below. Tickets are $10 cash or check at the door and entitle the bearer to see any and all

plays that day. Once each play begins, anyone arriving must wait until the next play to enter the

auditorium.

What: Preliminary round of the METG Massachusetts High School Festival of Plays

Including Theatre Troupe #355’s production of “The Importance of Being Earnest”

When: 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.m. Saturday, March 3, 2017, with awards ceremony at 8:30 p.m.

9:00 Sturgis East-Hush Little Celia, Don’t Say a Word 1:00 Sturgis West-Detective Sketches 11:15 Notre Dame Academy-Lex Talionis 12:15 Brookline H.S.-TBA

2:00 Sharon H.S.-The Scheme of the Driftless Shifter 3:00 Cohasset H.S.-Twelve angry jurors 4:30 Dedham H.S.- Take Five 5:30 Duxbury H.S.- The Importance of Being Earnest

Where: Duxbury Performing Arts Center

71 Alden Street, Duxbury Directions:http://www.duxbury,k12.ma.us/Page/424

Tickets: $10.00 cash or check at door, no credit cards.

The student director of “The Importance of Being Earnest” is senior Molly Burgoyne working under the

guidance of faculty director Darin MacFarlane. The full cast list is available upon request.

Duxbury High School’s Troupe #355 is one of the few continually operational high school thespian troupe that is

chartered by the National Educational Theatre Association. Under the leadership of Darin MacFarlane and other

Duxbury Public Schools faculty and staff, the award-winning troupe performs five shows per year, with a one-act

competition in fall, the high school musical in winter, one drama and another selection of one-act plays in spring, as

well as its submission to the State Festival Competition.

Important Upcoming Dates:Registration - open NOW

February 28 - last day to register before late fees

March 17 (am) - Mandatory leveling day at the Duxplex

April 7 - Opening Day

April 23 - AA through Jr. Babe seasons begin

Note: register by February 28, 2018 to avoid a late fee. Any registrations

on or after March 1, 2018 will be assessed a late registration fee of

$50.

To Register log onto DuxburyYouthBaseball.com.

Life-long baseball memories

begin this Spring! Find out more

and register at

DuxburyYouthBaseball.com or

follow us on Facebook

2018 Registration for

Spring Baseball is

underway !!

Registration for 2018 Duxbury Youth Baseball Spring Season is now

open! To ensure proper planning for teams, we ask that you register as

early as possible and prior to March 1, 2018.

DUXBURY DRAGONS Drawstring Bags

Limited quantities available – get yours in the DMS Office now.

$10

Cash or checks payable to Duxbury Boys’ Soccer accepted.