Dakota Minute

We are off to a great start to the school year! I want to take this opportunity to explain two of our focus areas as a building this year. The first focus area is increasing opportunities for students to re-take assessments and have points of confusion clarified during common study halls times. Each grade level has study halls during the same period so that students and teachers are able to connect during this time. The other change we are emphasizing is having cell phones put away during the school day. Students have done a great job with this and we appreciate the support we have from our DMMS families. Both of these focus areas have been chosen to help our students grow academically and socially.

Gratefully,

Principal Hyer

Cleaned out your garage recently? DMMS is looking for spare basketballs or soccerballs for recess. If you find any old ones that you no longer need, please reach out and let us know! We would gladly use them during our recess time!

Students should have brought home a hard copy of our PTA One and Done Fundraiser. If you have not seen a hard copy, please make sure to connect with your student/s.

HERE you will find a digital copy for your record.

Families of MAPS -

Thank you for your continued support and understanding as we work through the process of digitally sharing student performance data from the MCA Test(s). We are currently collaborating with our software company to get each student’s Individual Student Report loaded to Infinite Campus.

I wanted to inform you that we anticipate the student reports will be available later than usual within the state-determined communication window.

I will keep you updated as we work on this project.

• As a reminder, please use Door 1 to pick up and drop off your student during the school day. For example, if your student is arriving late or leaving early due to an appointment or an event please pick up at Door 1. Door 1 is locatated in our middle parking lot by the main office. This is where our new secure entrance is located.
• Please use Door 8 (the cafeteria side parking lot) for pick up and drop off before and after school.
• Door 20 (our pond side parking lot) is used for buses to pick up and drop off students.

We remind each other that DMMS is NO PLACE FOR HATE. Students learned strategies to interrupt someone who uses harmful language.

Construction will continue throughout the 2024-25 school year as work on the new pool progresses. Construction fences and concrete barriers (see attachment remain in place around the parent drop-off/pick-up area.

To help reduce congestion on Howard Drive and in the DMMS parking lot, we offer the following suggestions:

Student Pick-Up and Drop-Off Areas:

• School Lot: Please use both lanes and take turns merging near the pick-up/drop-off area.

• Crossview Church: Please enter the parking lot and find a parking space. DO NOT stop or park in the roundabout, as this may result in a ticket.

• Caswell North: Please find a place to park and wait for your student. Students may use the trail from campus to Caswell North.

Two hour early releases will take place on the following dates:

October 9th, 2024. November 13th, 2024. December 11th, 2024. January 8th, 2025. February 12th, 2025. March 12th, 2025. April 9th, 2025. May 14th, 2025.

There are no middle school practices on early release days. ALL DMMS student athletes should be picked up or use bus transportation home on these days.There is also no activity bus to Mankato West on Early release days. Student Athletes that participate at the high school level may have practices as normal but will have to provide their own transportation or contact their coach.

If you would like to order a West Football Jug shirt this year, orders will be online only and before the game.

The store will remain open through OCTOBER 1st.

Please use THIS LINK to order your West Football Jug Shirt.

Here is the assessment calendar for the 2024-2025 school year. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Please make sure to view the student calendar on our district website. This will have our early releases and no school days. In addition, the Google Calendar will have DMMS Specific information.

• October 10th- Kasota Trail-7th Grade Biz Town
• October 11th- Mahkato Trail-7th Grade Biz Town
  
• October 14th- NO SCHOOL
  
• October 17th & 18th- NO SCHOOL
  
• October 21st- PTA Meeting
• October 23rd- 8th Grade Vision Screening
• October 24th- Picture Retake Day
  
• October 25th- All School Dance
  
• November 11th- No School/Teacher PREP Day
• November 13th- Early Out
• November 18th- PTA Meeting
• November 21st- Fall Conferences
• November 25th- Fall Conferneces
• November 27th-29th- No School