Back to School 2011-12

August 18, 2011

Dear Families and Students,

Welcome to the 2011-2012 school year and to the Day Middle School community! Day teachers and staff have once again been hard at work during the summer preparing for a fantastic year, and we are all looking forward to welcoming everyone on the first day of school. Day Middle School community members commit ourselves to core values and actions: Respect each other, Excel academically, Acquire the tools we need, and Love learning. We expect all students to be R.E.A.L. students, and the Day community of educators is dedicated to assisting students in meeting their behavioral and academic obligations.

Go Online! Get Informed!

This letter provides some of the information that you will need at the beginning of the school year. However, unlike in previous years when we have mailed home a large summer packet of information, we are asking all families to visit Day’s website where we hope you will find on the home page all of the information you will need to orient yourself to the new school year. There you will find a lot of information, including the following:

Great News about Exploratory Courses!

First, Latin is back!  So if you indicated on your Course Preference Sheet an interest in taking Latin at the 7th and 8th grade levels, then we will try our best to ensure you are enrolled in it. Second, in addition to the courses you already read about on those Preference Sheets (e.g. Chorus, Band, Yearbook, Art Beyond the Basics, Fitness for Life, Songwriting, etc.) we have brand new courses to offer. We need you to let us know if you have any interest in taking one (see list and course descriptions below). If you have interest, please contact Administrative Assistant Lori Gandolfo by August 29th, letting her know your child's name and what course(s) s/he has interest in. The August 29th deadline will give us enough time to adjust students' schedules to match their updated preferences.

Opening Day for All Students Is Right around the Corner!
Day One is Tuesday, September 6th (the day after Labor Day)
Tuesday Schedule, 8:05 a.m. – 1:50 p.m

On their first day, students are asked to report directly to their homeroom. This year, we will not post team rosters outside of the nurse's office windows. All students will receive their schedules in homeroom on their first day of school. Rest assured, when students arrive during the first few days of school, teams of teachers and staff will be in the hallways to help guide all students to their proper destinations. Please note that team assignments are the result of an intricate balancing process, and that we are absolutely not able to entertain any requests for changes. Thank you for your understanding.

Enjoy the final days of summer and get ready for an excellent year together!

Sincerely,

Brian Turner,
Principal
 

New Exploratory Courses!

If your child has any interest in one of these new offerings, please contact Administrative Assistant Lori Gandolfo by August 29th, letting her know your child's name and what course(s) s/he has interest in. We will use your notification, along with your child's original exploratory course preferences, to build a schedule that matches your child's interests as closely as possible. While scheduling is a challenge, we hope to meet each student's updated preferences.

6th Grade Dance or 7th Grade Dance
Both the 6th grade course and the 7th grade course will expose students to a variety of styles including jazz, tap, ballet, Broadway, and hip hop. There will be a focus on proper warm-up and stretching, organized rhythmic movement, spatial awareness, team building and dancing as exercise and part of a healthy lifestyle. Students will also have the opportunity to choose appropriate music as well as choreograph their own combinations in small groups. Whether beginner, novice, or expert, this class is designed to meet the needs of dancers of all levels of experience.

7th Grade Engineering and Woodworking
This course involves a variety of engineering type problem solving activities. Also included are woodworking activities. Students will have the opportunity to creatively design and build.

7th Grade or 8th Grade Spanish Skills Building
The 7th grade course and the 8th grade course will help students improve their Spanish skills through extra help sessions that are designed to ensure students successfully complete the work that will be assigned on a daily basis in their regular Spanish classes.

8th Grade Italian Conversation, Culture and Cooking
Expand your horizons as you see, hear and taste the culture of Italy. This enrichment opportunity will introduce you to what makes Italy truly unique, and all the time you will be improving your Italian.