Discovery Middle School
Newsletter - Back to School August 2021
Building a Foundation for Success!
Mrs. Amy Herrick
Grade 7
Mr. Brandon Larson
Grade 6
Dr. Amanda Quintus
Grade 8
Ben Jystad-Spar - Administrative Intern
Benjamin Jystad-Spar has been named the administrative intern for Discovery Middle School, which is an ESSER funded position for the District. He joined Fargo Public Schools in 2010 as a Title I math instructor at Jefferson Elementary School. He then served as a fourth grade teacher at Jefferson for five years and a fifth grade teacher at Eagles Elementary School for four years. He joined Discovery as a sixth grade science teacher in August 2020.
Jystad-Spar holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Elementary Education from Concordia College and a Master of Arts degree in Educational Leadership from Concordia University in St. Paul. He is set to finish his Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from MSUM in December 2021.
This Month's Newsletter Features the Following:
- Memo from Discovery Administration with Frequently Asked Questions
- 2021-22 School Year Information from Dr. Gandhi
- Athletics and Activities Update from Mr. Larson
- Nursing Nuggets featuring Nurse Amanda
- Counselor Corner
- SRO Corner with Officer Kjonaas
- Frequently Asked Questions for Back to School
- Upcoming Events
- August/September Letter Day Calendar
- Online Registration 2021-22
- Student Picture Day
- Meal Prices 2021-22
- Entry to Building - Raptor Visitor Management System Information
- Immunizations/Medications in School
- Parent Accommodations/Communications
- Yearbooks
- Who's Who at Discovery
- Liz's Closet
- Intervention Course Update (Math 180)
- New Tech Tool for All Students (Read&Write for Google)
- Dispute Resolution Policy
- FERPA Information
- Rights of Non-custodial Parents
- Attendance Reminder
- Lunchroom Supervisors Needed
Hello Discovery Families!
We are getting geared up for the 2021-22 school year. Thank you for your patience as we have worked out the particulars for back to school this year. This newsletter contains A LOT of information and can be a bit overwhelming but we are hoping it will serve as a resource for you as you prepare your child for back to school at Discovery. We are so excited to get the school year underway!
Frequently Asked Questions Document
- Click link here for access to document with questions/answers from Discovery Admin Team
2021-22 School Year Information
This message is to update you on the 2021-22 school year. At the August 10 Fargo Board of Education meeting, Board members approved implementing COVID-19 mitigation strategies recommended by Fargo Cass Public Health for the 2021-22 school year. These recommendations are due to the changing conditions in our community regarding COVID-19 and the impacts of the COVID-19 Delta variant. The recommendations include:
- Universal masking for all staff, students, and visitors to buildings, regardless of vaccination status or community transmission rates. Masks will be required inside all Fargo Public School buildings for the 2021-22 school year starting on Monday, August 16.
- Students and staff staying home when experiencing ill symptoms and getting tested for COVID-19.
- COVID-19 post-exposure guidelines of:
- Mask to mask exposure: exemption to quarantine
- Fully vaccinated contacts: if no symptoms, no quarantine but should monitor for symptoms.
- If one or both individuals are unmasked: 14-day quarantine. Contacts may release from quarantine after day 10 if no symptoms or after day 7 with a negative test collected on day 5 or later.
Additionally, masks are required for all riders and drivers on Fargo Public Schools (FPS) transportation, including school buses and activity buses due to a federal requirement.
This decision at our Board meeting will lead to additional information forthcoming from administrators on how these recommendations will be implemented in our schools. Please watch for information coming from the school district and your child’s school.
FPS continues to be grateful for your understanding, cooperation, and flexibility during these difficult times. During the Board discussion tonight, it was clearly evident that all of us are here to fulfill our mission of educating and empowering all students to succeed.
FPS will continue to work closely with Fargo Cass Public Health regarding COVID-19. If recommendations change, FPS will adapt and communicate accordingly.
Sincerely,
Rupak Gandhi, Ph.D.
Superintendent
Fargo Public Schools
415 4th St. N.
Fargo, ND 58102
P: 701-446-1005
F: 701-446-1226
Athletics and Activities Corner with Mr. Larson
Counseling Corner
Each month, our counseling department will have a featured column in the parent/family newsletter.
Our counselors are:
Mr. Sean Napton who serves students with last names A-D
701.446.3314
Mrs. Taylor Ferderer who serves students with last names E-J
701.446.3318
Mrs. Katie Harmelink who serves students with last names K-Q
701.446.3312
**Mrs. Harmelink is out of the office on maternity leave, returning to work September 20th. The additional 3 counselors will help to cover her caseload during the beginning of the school year. Please reach out to one of the counselors below based on your student’s last name.
Sean Napton (covering last names K-L) 446-3314 naptons@fargo.k12.nd.usTaylor Ferderer (covering last names M-N) 446-3318 ferdert@fargo.k12.nd.us
Joe Snowden (covering last names P-Q) 446-3313 snowdej@fargo.k12.nd.us
Mr. Joe Snowden who serves students with last names R-Z
701.446.3313
What do our counselors do?
Provide social-emotional, academic and career supports to all students.
This includes:-Individual and Group Counseling
-Guidance Lessons
-Testing
-Scheduling
-Transitions
-Collaboration with staff and families
-Advocate for students
Nursing Nuggets with Nurse Amanda
Hello! My name is Amanda Matzke and I am the school nurse at Discovery. I look forward to taking care of your student this year and will do everything I can to make it a fantastic year for them. I am here to facilitate any health needs your student has. I will be starting to review health cards shortly and reaching out to you if necessary. Please email me your students emergency care plan if they have one in place (they need a new one every year) I can certainly help get the forms to you and your students healthcare provider if needed. Please email me if there are any medications that you would like your student to have at school. We can also set up a time for medications to be dropped off.
My hours will be 8:15 a.m.-3:00 p.m. M-Th and 8:15 a.m.-2:15 p.m. on Fridays. Please let me know if there is anything else that I can do to help make this the best year for your student.
Email: djhnurse@fargo.k12.nd.us
Phone: 701.446.3319
How do I know if my child is up to date on immunizations?
Click here to see required vaccinations for the State of North Dakota.
SRO Corner with Officer Kjonaas
What does Officer Kjonaas do at Discovery?
Serves as an Informal Counselor
Law enforcement resource to Staff and Students
Educates students and staff on law enforcement topics.
Upcoming Events
August 19
- 6th Grade Eagle Camp - 10:00 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
August 23
- Student Picture Day - 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. - Auditorium
- EL Registration Help 9:00 a.m. -11:00 a.m. - TBD
- Back to School Open House
5:00-5:30 - 6th Grade
6:00-6:30 - 7th Grade
7:00-7:30 - 8th Grade
August 25
- First Day of Classes
September 6
- No School - Labor Day
ONLINE REGISTRATION 2021-22
Online registration for the 2021-22 school year continues to be open. All returning Fargo Public Schools families must log in to their Parent PowerSchool account to fill out their family information and complete the registration information for the coming school year PRIOR to when their child(ren) come to have their school picture taken on August 23rd.
Here are some of registration forms that you will complete online:
- Parent/Guardian Information Form – Enter your name, address, phone number, and email address on our school record form. If you have moved, you must verify that your new address is within the Discovery attendance area by providing a copy of your new lease or utilities bill to our registrar, Janna Callahan. Janna can be reached by phone at 701-446-3311, fax at 701-446-3411 or emailed at callahj@fargo.k12.nd.us .
- Student Information Form
- Yearly Student Health Information Sheet – This information will be shared with our school nurse, Amanda Matzke
- Parental/Guardian Release Forms – Media Release/Field Trip/Photographic Likeness Permission Form, FERPA, Online Account Permission Form
- Co-Curricular/Athletic Participation Verification – Parent/Guardian-Student Meeting, Concussion Verification Form, HIPAA Medical Release (If your student might participate in drama, music, speech, or a sport, please select “yes” when asked if they are going to participate in a co-curricular activity)
You can also choose to pay your child’s 2021-22 school fees online via credit card using SchoolPay, which is also accessed through your PowerSchool account. You may use SchoolPay at home to take care of the following fees:
- Davies Homecoming Tee-Shirt
- Deposit money in your student’s lunch account
- Pre-purchase a yearbook - $20.00
- Purchase a District Student Activity Pass - $30
- Go to the Non-Profit link on the left side to Join the Discovery PTA - $15
- Friends of Discovery
- Discovery Fall Activity Fee
NEW CREDIT CARD PROCESSING FEES
Beginning July 1, 2021 Fargo Public Schools implemented a $1.00 convenience fee on credit and debit card transactions, due to increasing processing costs. Payments made over $200 will incur a 3.99% processing fee for charges not related to student registration, food services, or student activities. This charge is collected through SchoolPay and used to offset processing costs. Read more about why this processing fee is being implemented here.
There are kiosks available at Discovery for families that don’t have a computer or access to the internet. Please call in advance for an appointment. If you need help getting logged onto your Parent PowerSchool account or need assistance with the registration papers, please call Discovery’s Main Office at 701-446-3300.
STUDENT PICTURE DAY: Monday, August 23rd
If you cannot attend picture day, you will be automatically be scheduled for make-up pictures on Tuesday, September 7th during 1st and 2nd period. Students will receive information the week before regarding their assigned make-up time.
Below is a schedule with dates and times by last names for Monday, August 23rd. To help prevent long lines, please try to stick to you assigned time, but if that is not possible, you may come anytime between 7:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You do not need to call ahead.
ENTRANCE TO THE BUILDING DURING SCHOOL HOURS
Fargo Public Schools is pleased to announce that we will begin using the Raptor Visitor Management System in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and staff. Part of keeping students and staff safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and the Raptor system will allow us to do so. The Raptor system will allow us to better screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools to provide us with a safe environment for our students and staff.
Upon entering the school building, visitors will be asked to present an ID, such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the Raptor system. Once entry into the building is approved, Raptor will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of their visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.
A video overview of our pilot and how the system works is available at: https://youtu.be/8qwHwTmp-80
AUGUST/SEPTEMBER LETTER DAY CALENDAR
Please see below for the August/September Letter Day Calendar or check out our Discovery website.
Our bell schedules and calendars are always posted on our Discovery website.
IMMUNIZATION UPDATE
This is a reminder that every student entering grade 7 is REQUIRED to receive a Tetanus/Diphtheria/Pertussis (Tdap) vaccine and Meningococcal vaccine. To receive optimum disease coverage and ensure school requirements are met prior to entering grade 7, it is recommended your student receive these two vaccinations once they turn 11 years of age. All students in 7th and 8th grade should have one dose of Tdap and Meningococcal recorded on their immunization record before the start of the 2021-22 school year. Please bring a copy of the updated immunization record to the school.
MEDICATION IN SCHOOL
If your student should need to take a prescription or non-prescription medication at school, Form AF6720-A must be filled out in it's entirety, signed by you and your doctor, and brought to the nurse. The medication bottle for school must be labeled , including student’s date of birth. If student will self-administer, in the case of an inhaler, please fill out form AF-6720-F. You should be able to get these forms off the FPS website under registration, or at your doctor’s office.
The Nurse's hours for 2021-22 will be posted on our website as they may change dependent on the Instructional Level of FPS. You can reach the nurse @ 701-446-3319 or by email: djhnurse@fargo.k12.nd.us.
Hope you’ve had a wonderful summer!
PARENT/FAMILY ACCOMODATIONS
Family support is so important for your child’s success at Discovery. If parents or other family members need accommodations to participate and attend any school function at Discovery, please contact the school office two to three business days prior to the event. Every effort will be made to meet your needs.
PARENTAL/FAMILY COMMUNICATION
Communicating with parents and families is always our goal at Discovery Middle School.
You may subscribe to Discovery’ Newsletter and Daily Announcements on our website by going to “Content E-Alerts” on Discovery’s website. Parents/guardians can sign up to receive alerts about new Daily Announcements, Newsletters, etc., for each school your students attend. E-Alerts are sent to users who have subscribed to a homepage or website section of interest. You will receive an email notification that content has been modified.
You may also want to add our school calendar to your personal calendar. This will help you stay informed about all the activities that are happening at Discovery.
Our school supply list, our student handbook, a link to PowerSchool, PTA information, and several other useful links are also available on our website.
YEARBOOKS
Yearbook orders will be taken online .The cost is $20.00. To ensure that your child will receive a yearbook at the end of the year, it must be ordered and paid for in advance. The deadline for ordering a yearbook is Friday, February 11, 2022.
WHO'S WHO? AT DISCOVERY
Principals “loop” with their classes. Students will have the same principal every year that they attend Discovery. Counselors will have the same students each year based on the first letter of their last name.
Administration
Grade 6 - Mr. Brandon Larson, Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator
Grade 7 – Mrs. Amy Herrick, Principal
Grade 8 - Dr. Amanda Quintus, Assistant Principal
All Grade Level Support-Mr. Ben Jystad-Spar, Administrative Intern
Counselors
A-D - Mr. Sean Napton
E-J - Mrs. Taylor Ferderer
K-Q - Mrs. Katie Harmelink
R-Z - Mr. Joe Snowden
Student Support Personnel
Mrs. Sue Winkelman, Admin. Assist.
Mrs. Lesley Meyer
Mrs. Shari Runde
Mrs. Janna Callahan, Student Services/Registrar
Mrs. Cathy Pauly, Attendance
School Resource Officer
Officer Nick Kjonaas
School Nurse
Ms. Amanda Matzke
Liz’s Closet
A Discreet, Free Resource for Discovery Students in Need
What: Discovery strives as a team to meet the needs of all students as part of our mission to build a foundation for success. Liz’s Closet, a free resource at Discovery, aligns with this mission by providing students in need with items such as clothing, hygiene products, non-perishable food items, etc.
At Discovery, we hope to provide developmentally appropriate support to students in need by offering a means to obtain basic food and hygiene products in a discreet manner. Students utilizing Liz’s Closet will have access to reusable bags, so items are less visible as students are leaving the building.
Where: Liz’s Closet will be located in Student Services. The room being used as “Liz’s Closet” will be accessible through a trusted adult in the building (teachers, counselors, administrators, paraprofessionals, designated staff).
Who: Any student in need of these items is welcome to take what he/she needs with the help of a trusted adult.
How: Although students are welcome to directly ask a trusted adult at Discovery to use Liz’s Closet, to maintain privacy as best as possible, a student can simply draw a star on a sheet of paper and bring it to a trusted adult. The adult will then instruct the student as to when he/she can go to Student Services to collect what is needed. If this adult does not have a time that works for him/her, the adult will notify the appropriate counselor or Student Services staff member to be expecting this student sometime within the school day. Once in Student Services, the student will be escorted to the closet and can take what is needed.
If you know of anyone who may need to utilize this resource, please do not hesitate to contact a Discovery counselor or administrator. Additionally, if you would like to donate shelf-stable food, school supplies, or hygiene products to Liz’s Closet, please contact Katie Harmelink (school counselor) at 446-3312.
Intervention Course Update (Math 180 is now Intro to Math)
Math 180 has now been re-named to Intro to Math (insert grade level).
Therefore, if your student is enrolled in this intervention course and once you receive your student's schedule, instead of "Math 180" you will see "Intro to Math" course.
For example, if you have an eighth grade student who is enrolled in this intervention course, it will read on the schedule as "Intro to Math 8" NOT "Math 180".
What will the curriculum "look like"?
- Intro to Math 6 curriculum will include curriculum such as, Number Worlds and iXL.
- Intro to Math 7 & Intro to Math 8 will continue to utilize Math 180 software/curriculum for this school year.
New Tech Tool for All Students (Read&Write for Google)
Read&Write is a literacy support tool that offers helps with everyday tasks like reading text aloud, understanding unfamiliar words, researching assignments and proofing written work. It is an application that will be uploaded automatically to all student's devices and is intended to be used across all content areas.
Click this link for the Read&Write site to learn more about the program from the developer.
Click this link for the main features of this tool that all students can access through their school issued device/computer.
DISPUTE RESOLUTION POLICY
Dispute Resolution Policy - Fargo Public Schools AP 5052/6052
Federal regulations require that each district adopt procedures for receiving and resolving disputes pertaining to Title programs.
If a parent, school personnel or any interested person wishes to file a complaint, the following process must be followed:
The written complaint must be sent via mail or e-mail to:
(Manager of Specific Title program)
Fargo Public Schools
415 North 4th Street
Fargo, ND 58102
Fargo Public Schools Title Managers
Title I Part A (Disadvantaged Students) Jan Anderson anderja@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title II Part A (Teacher Training/Recruitment) Robert Grosz groszr@fargo.k12.nd.us
Missy Eidsness eidsnem@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title III (English Language Acquisition) David Burkman burkmad@fargo.k12.nd.us
Title IX (Discrimination/Sexual Harassment) Brad Franklin franklb@fargo.k12.nd.us
Patty Cummings cumminp1@fargo.k12.nd.us
Section 504 (Students with Disabilities) David Burkman burkmad@fargo.k12.nd.us
Any complaint must include:
• The date;
• The name of the district, unit, or individual the complaint is against;
• The name, address, and telephone number of the person making the complaint;
• A detailed description of the complaint, including specific facts; and
• The signature of the person making the complaint.
When a complaint is filed, the appropriate Fargo Public Schools Title Manager will investigate and issue a written response within sixty (60) calendar days from the date the complaint is received.
Reconsideration
Once a response is received from Fargo Public Schools staff, the person making the complaint has the right to have their complaint reconsidered. The complainant may submit a reconsideration request in writing to the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction and the U.S. Department of Education.
State Superintendent
North Dakota Department of Public Instruction
600 E. Boulevard Avenue, Dept 201
Bismarck, ND 58404-0440
The Secretary of Education
U.S. Department of Education
555 New Jersey Avenue NW
Washington, D.C. 20208
7/2016
Revised 7/2017, 7/2018
FARGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS AFFIRMS THE FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS TO PRIVACY ACT (FERPA)
Privacy Rights:
The Fargo Public School District extends official notification of their commitment to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) which afford parents and students over 18 years of age (“eligible student”) certain rights with respect to the student’s education records.
- The right to inspect and review the student’s education records within 45 days of the day the District receives a request for access. Parents or eligible student should submit to the school principal (or appropriate school official) a written request that identifies the record(s) they wish to inspect. The principal will make arrangements for access and notify the parent or eligible student of the time and place where the records may be inspected.
- The right to request the amendment of the student’s education records that the parent or eligible student believes are inaccurate or misleading. Parents or eligible students may ask the school district to amend a record that they believe is inaccurate or misleading. They should write the school principal, clearly identify the part of the record they want changed, and specify why it is inaccurate or misleading. If the District decides not to amend the record as requested by the parent or eligible student, the district will notify the parent or eligible student of the decision and advise them of their right to a hearing regarding the request for amendment. Additional information regarding the hearing procedures will be provided to the parent or student when notified of the right to a hearing.
- The right to consent to disclosures of personally identifiable information contained in the student’s education records, except to the extent that FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. One exception which permits disclosure without consent is disclosure to school officials with legitimate educational interests. A school official is a person employed by the District as an administrator, supervisor, instructor, or support staff member (including health or medical staff, persons who sit on the Emergency Threat Response Team, and law enforcement unit personnel); a person serving on the School Board; a person or company with whom the District has contracted to perform a special task such as an attorney, auditor, medical consultant, or therapist); or a parent or student serving on an official committee, such as a disciplinary or grievance committee, or assisting another school official in performing his or her tasks including serving on the Emergency Threat Response Team. A school official has a legitimate educational interest if the official needs to review an education record in order to fulfill his or her professional responsibility. (The District may also disclose “directory” information such as a student’s name, address, telephone number, date of birth, honors and awards. If the parent does not want directory information released, they must contact the school where the student attends within two weeks.)
- The right to file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failures by the district to comply with the requirements of FERPA. The name and address of the office that administers FERPA is:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education,
400 Maryland Avenue S.W.,
Washington, D.C. 20202-4605
RIGHTS OF NONCUSTODIAL PARENTS
Fargo Public Schools - AP 6410
When parents of a student are separated, involved in divorce proceedings or are divorced, the building principal will respect the rights of custodial and noncustodial parents equally except when a court order exists concerning special restrictions. “Special restrictions” means such things as temporary restraining orders preventing or restricting custody, court orders concerning supervised custody and similar orders. It is the responsibility of the parent to provide the school principal with a copy of such a court order concerning special restrictions about students or student information.
Parent rights include access to student records and school mailings, attendance at parent/ teacher conferences and Individual Educational Program (IEP) meetings, and authority to request that a student is released early or are absent from school for a legitimate reason.
It is the responsibility of the noncustodial parent to inform the school office of his/her name, address and phone number if they wish to be consulted regarding their child or wish to be placed on the school’s mailing list.
Adopted 3/27/90
Reviewed 1/15/2003,1/2013
Revised 10/2013
Reviewed 10/2020
ATTENDANCE- REMINDER
If you are planning on picking up your student during the school day, please call the Attendance Office as early as possible so that we can get your student a pass and have them ready in the office.
Lunchroom Supervisors Needed
Discovery Middle School
Amanda Quintus, Assistant Principal
Brandon Larson, Assistant Principal/Activities Coordinator
Ben Jystad-Spar, Administrative Intern
Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/discovery
Location: 1717 40th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-3300