Good Evening DHMS Families!
What a great first week of school! It has been amazing to see all of the students, both old and new! Each grade level has participated in their respective grade level assemblies, learned a little bit about their teachers and each other, and survived our first evacuation together! I am so proud of them! 💜💛
Next week we have FULL days of school, Tuesday - Friday, with a regular 3:10 PM dismissal.
Our first Home and School Meeting for the 24-25 school year will take place on Wednesday, September 4, 2024 at 7:00 PM in the Drexel Hill Middle School Library. I will also offer a virtual option to attend using Zoom. Please see the joining information below.
Jill Palladino is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.
Topic: DHMS Monthly Home and School Meeting (September)
Time: Sep 4, 2024 07:00 PM Eastern Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86250231197?pwd=cAFtrG8RDZiP6K1UVoIOO7P4PuMvig.1
Meeting ID: 862 5023 1197
Passcode: 423165
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Meeting ID: 862 5023 1197
Passcode: 423165
Find your local number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kdG31UJhK
Helpful Links to Bookmark:
- UDSD Family Handbook
- HAC Parent Handbook
- 24-25 UDSD Year at a Glance Calendar
- 24-25 Summary of Calendar
- DHMS Bell Schedules
- DHMS Family and Student Handbook
- UDSD Middle School Code of Character
- UDSD Online Learning Manual
- Upper Darby School District Website
- HAC Access Link
- DHMS FAQ and Contact Information
- HAC Support email - parentportal@upperdarbysd.org (Please use the email above if you are in need of support related to Home Access Center)
Dismissal and Arrival/Drop Off and Pick Up Reminders
- There is no student drop off allowed on State Road as it is a major safety concern.
- No cars will be allowed to enter the bus loop from 7:45 AM-9:00 AM.
- The bus loop will close at 2:45 PM and will re-open at 4:00 PM.
- All vehicle drop off and pick up will occur in the back teacher parking lot.
- Walkers need to be off campus as soon as possible.
- Once a student is out of the building they can not re-enter the building. If a student is a busser and leaves the building, they are not permitted to re-enter the building.
- Early Dismissals will not be honored past 2:50 PM. Please plan accordingly.
Cell Phones
As you know from our weekly messages this summer, there has been a change to Policy 237, Electronic Communication Devices. As we stated throughout the summer, we are asking all elementary and middle school students to prepare for these changes by practicing restraint as it pertains to cell phone use.
Last week, we asked you to not use your cell phones for five hours and this week, we are asking you to practice that restraint for six hours. We appreciate your time and effort with this change.
Schedule Overview for the 24-25 School Year
As presented and shared in the Spring of 2023, the UDSD Middle Schools have made changes to student rostering and the building schedule. Please review the presentation in its entirety linked HERE
A brief summary of the changes is listed below:
Each grade will consist of two heterogeneous Learning Communities per grade (named Purple and Gold)
An A/B day schedule has been established for electives, excluding full year electives, which means that students will rotate their electives every day.
DHMS will have an early dismissal every Thursday at 1:30 PM for teacher/staff planning time.
Time is included for professional development as outlined on the district calendar
Students will complete asynchronous work on non-professional development Thursday afternoons and will be required to answer an attendance question in their first period course. This attendance question will be collected through the use of a Google Form, which will be found on the Period 1 Schoology page. Parents will be communicated with if the attendance question is not completed for that day.
Detailed information about assigned asynchronous requirements will be provided from the grade level learning community teachers.
A complete outline for the year and when asynchronous work will be assigned can be found on our school website and linked here.
School Photos/Student ID Cards
First Week of School Lessons!
Please note that lessons during the first week of school will focus soley on relationship building, setting expectations, PBIS, mental health awareness, goal setting and building tours. Your student is being honest if they come home and say “we did not do Math yet”. We firmly believe that in order for students to learn and grow, they need to feel safe and loved. It is our goal during the first weeks of the school year for teachers and staff to get to know your student and vice versa! Students will walk through a lesson on the UDSD Middle School Code of Character, as well as possible consequences for violations to the UDSD Middle School Code of Character. Please note, a possible consequence for violations of the UDSD Middle School Code of Character could be an informal hearing with the Director of Secondary Education.
School Supplies
Crisis Go for Families
As part of the Upper Darby School District’s Emergency Preparedness Plan and the Emergency Communications Plan, CrisisGo allows parents to receive emergency school safety alerts from the school district and individual school buildings. District parents can download the CrisisGo app onto their mobile device and to create a free account. Parents will then need to subscribe to the school(s) of choice and to the District group.
Click on the link to learn how to subscribe: UDSD Parents - CrisisGo Subscription Flyer.
We encourage secondary school students to receive up-to-date communication about emergency notifications as well. Students can click on the link to learn how to subscribe: UDSD Students - CrisisGo Subscription Flyer
Please review with your children the safety terminology we will be using in our emergency communications: Lock-In, Lock-Out, Lockdown, Evacuation FAQ for Families. We will review these terms and the emergency preparedness plan with students throughout the school year.
Please note that the District will continue to communicate emergency lockdown alerts and updates through CrisisGo, ParentLink emails and social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram).
Let's Communicate
There are several ways to stay informed about what is happening at Drexel Hill Middle School and throughout the District.
Weekly “Wednesday” Electronic Folder (ParentLink) from the Principal
Weekly information, updates, resources will be shared via email. It is necessary to provide an accurate email address to stay informed. If there are any changes to your email, please update your information in Home Access Center (HAC) or by contacting the Drexel Hill Middle School Main Office if you need assistance. If your information is not up-to-date, you will miss out on important “happenings” and information. Please be sure to review, edit, and update this information at https://www.upperdarbysd.org/HAC
School Website and Calendar
Weekly updates, teachers’ webpages, principal’s webpage, and monthly school newsletters can be accessed from the school website.
Home Access Center
The Upper Darby School District will be using email as its primary means of communication with parents. Parents must ensure that the district has an accurate email address for your family in eSchool, our student information system. Parents can update or add email addresses by logging into the Home Access Center. The Home Access Center will also allow you to access your child’s grades, attendance, and other important information. The link to the Home Access Center can be found on the Upper Darby School District website at www.upperdarbysd.org. If you do not have an email address or access to email, please contact the office.
School Immunization Requirements
The following immunizations are required for all students in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for the 2024-2025 school year.
We have been sending out communications over the course of the summer reminding families of immunization requirements and alerting families who are not in compliance with updated immunization documentation. Your child's school must have written confirmation from your physician for each immunization. State law mandates that students not up to date on their immunizations are at risk of being excluded from school.
Grades K through 12:
- DPT (Diphtheria/Pertussis/Tetanus): Four (4) required, with one after age 4
- Polio: Four (4) required, with one on or after age 4 and at least 6 months after previous dose. If the third dose is given on or after age 4 and at least 6 months after the last dose, the fourth dose is not required.
- MMR (Measles/ Mumps/ Rubella): Two (2) required, with the first dose on or after age 1
- Hepatitis B: Three (3) required, must be properly spaced
- Varicella (chicken pox): Two (2) immunizations required, the first must be after age 1. Or a history of the disease.
In addition to immunizations listed above:
Grade 7 through 12:
- Tdap (Tetanus/Diphtheria/ Pertussis) - One dose required.
- MCV (Menactra – meningitis): one dose required.
- Grade 12: MCV (Menactra - meningitis) - Second dose required (if the first dose was given at age 16 or older, only one dose is required)
Please contact your health provider if you are unsure of whether or not your child has received the required vaccinations. We encourage you to complete this as soon as possible so you are not at risk from school exclusion. Additional information from PDE is available on the District’s website by clicking HERE. We will be asking you to let us know if your student has been Covid-19 vaccinated, has received the booster shot, and to provide us with the date of the vaccination and booster
Safe To Say
We feel that it is important to remind our parents and students of the Safe2Say Something program. The Upper Darby School District takes the safety and security of our staff and students very seriously and recognizes that the uncertainties and pressures that students and families have faced the uncertainty of a pandemic has clearly demonstrated that the mental health of students as a priority. The Safe2Say Something system teaches youth and adults how to recognize warning signs and signals, especially within social media, of individuals who may be a threat to themselves or others and say something, using our anonymous reporting system. Safe2Say Something is also a way to anonymously report unsafe, potentially harmful, dangerous, violent or criminal activities in any school in Pennsylvania.
For anyone who is feeling unsure or unsafe, please remember that there is help and it is okay to ask for help.
Find below videos and the District’s webpage outlining the Safe2Say Something PA Program:
UDSD Safe2Say Something Presentation 2021
https://pa02209738.schoolwires.net/Page/8021
If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Save The Date
AUGUST 2024
8/26/2024-8/29/2024: 11:50 AM Dismissal
8/30/2024: Schools/Offices Closed
SEPTEMBER 2024
9/02/2024: Schools/Offices Closed
9/05/2024: Early Dismissal @ 1:30 - ASYNCHRONOUS WORK REQUIRED
9/11/2024: Hero's Assembly @ 9:00 AM
9/12/2024: Early Dismissal @ 1:30 PM - NO ASYNCHRONOUS WORK REQUIRED
9/12/2024: Fall Open House Night @ 5:00 PM-7:00 PM
9/16-9/17/2024: MAP Testing All School: 2 HOUR LATE START SCHEDULE
9/18/2024: MAP Testing Makeup
9/19/2024: Early Dismissal @ 1:30 PM - ASYNCHRONOUS WORK REQUIRED
9/26/2024: Early Dismissal @ 1:30 PM - ASYNCHRONOUS WORK REQUIRED
9/27/2024: Royal’s Spirit Day
