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March/April Parent Newsletter
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A Message from the Principal
Dear Falcon Families,
Spring is in the air and so is the excitement that comes with this part of the school year. After this highly anticipated Spring Break, the rest of the school year will fly by. Our seniors will participate in many traditions and activities including Senior Breakfast, Senior Dinner, Senior Week, Senior picnic, and, of course, graduation. We are so proud of our graduates and make every effort to make sure they have a great end to their K-12 experience.
This month begins End of Course Testing. Please be aware of your student’s testing days and ensure they are present. Of course, we want students in class every day, but testing days are particularly important.
Please check your student’s grades regularly as we approach the end of the year. Students are working hard, but may need your support as we move into the busy last weeks of school.
In partnership with you,
Jeannie Hidalgo
Proud Principal
Dacula High School
Important Info about ParentVUE
GCPS transitioned parents from Parent Portal to ParentVUE on March 25. All parents will need to check their inboxes for an email from ParentSquare providing information and steps for resetting their password in order to set their account up!
Music In Our Schools Month
Dacula Droids
AP Art
DHS Theatre
ESPN High School Seminar
ESPN High School Seminar
Statistical Reasoning
12th British Literature
DHS Soccer Teacher Appreciation
Spanish
Students in Ms. Grajales' class recently completed a cultural project where they worked in groups researching, planning, cooking, and creating a food truck related to a Spanish-speaking country! They were then able to display their hard work and enjoy the food!
French Honor Society
Congratulations to these students for being inducted to French Honor Society this month!
AP Psych
AP Psych students participated in a Social Psychology "Tribes" Experiment. They traded shoes and built human pyramids. The experiment was to measure how giving a group a common goal can bring them together to overcome group bias and differences.
GCPS Tapestry
Environmental Club
Environmental Club is delighted to introduce a Clothes/Textile Recycling Container provided by Charity Recycling. This service, utilized by numerous schools across Gwinnett County, offers a convenient way for our community to donate unwanted clothes and textiles.
Located by the entrance of the football field parking lot, this recycling container provides a hassle-free solution for responsibly disposing of clothes and textiles. For every pound donated, Charity Recycling gives money back to our school, further supporting our initiatives!
Falcon 30
Prom 2024
Prom 2024
Ecology
Dr. Lewis' Ecology students collected cloud data for the GLOBE program which is an international science and education program that engages students and the public in data collection and the scientific process. For the past two years, all ecology students have had the opportunity to participate in this NASA sponsored program.
Teacher Appreciaion
March 29 we had a wonderful Appreciation Station full of snow cones and fun Spring Break-themed favors!
Game Development
Students in our Game Development class are working on a tank game pitting one tank against another in a challenging 2D environment. They have come up with some innovative aspects to increase strategy and are close to completing their game. Congrats to Dylan Brinkley and Nicholas Welch for their work.
Check out this important information from our Counseling Department!
Meeting Important Needs
If you or someone you know needs help with basic needs (including food, personal care items, clothing, shelter, utilities, etc.), there are resources available. Please click on the link below to find out more information. https://gwinnettcares.org/need-help/individual/housing/
Also, if you or a family that you know of is in need of a warming station, please visit https://www.gwinnettcounty.com/web/gwinnett/departments/communityservices/healthhumanservices/warmingstations for more information. The warming stations are for residents to receive temporary, overnight relief. Residents who visit the sites will be able to warm up, eat a meal, and get some rest. The warming stations will be available from 6:00 pm until 7:00 am at the locations listed on the website.
Need academic help for your student?
Please encourage your student to use tutor.com to access virtual tutors and virtual study skills coaching. If you want to know more about tutor.com, you can visit the following website. https://www.gcpsk12.org/students/tutorcom
Registered for ParentVue?
If you have not already done so, please register for ParentVue to check grades and attendance along with registering for Parent Square to communicate with teachers. If you want to know more about ParentVue and Parent Square, you can visit the following website.
Below you will find the Counseling Breakdown, which will help you know which counselor serves your student.
- 1st time 9th graders- Ms. Wise
- A - Ec- Ms. Grimes
- Ed - Le- Ms. Rieken
- Lf - Rn- Ms. Watson
- Ro - Z- Ms. Oglesby
College and Career
Seniors
Underclassmen
Underclassmen can apply to the Gwinnett Youth Commission between now and Friday, April 5, 2024! The Gwinnett Youth Commission is a year-long Gwinnett County Government outreach program designed to engage and educate high school students in local government and civic affairs to develop the next generation of leaders. Youth Commissioners serve as representatives to and for Gwinnett’s Board of Commissioners, department directors, and community leaders. In addition to serving in leadership positions and building relationships with local government leaders, Youth Commissioners have many opportunities to earn volunteer hours and qualify for service awards as they invest in themselves and their communities.
Interested students and their parents can visit www.gwinnettcounty.com/gyc to learn more about program and apply for the Gwinnett Youth Commission.
Character Dare: Quality Catch Up
This month's Character Dare is a Family challenge entitled "Quality Catch Up." We encourage you to invest 10 minutes each day this week right when everyone gets home to sit together and share about your day. Use intentional questions like "what was a high and low from today?"
Here's what's coming in the month of April...
April 1 - 5 - GCPS Spring Break
Have a safe and relaxing Spring Break! Students and staff return to learning on Monday, April 8. District offices will be closed on Friday, April 5. Note that GCPS does not offer meal service on student holidays.
April 1 - 5 - National Assistant Principals Week
April 1 - 5 is National Assistant Principals Week! We LOVE our Assistant Principals at DHS and want to express our gratitude for all that they do to support our teachers and encourage success for our students!
April 1 - Face-to-Face Summer School Registration Opens
If your student is in need of Summer School, Online Registration is open already and Face-to-Face registration opens on April 1. Dates, locations, cost, and available course information is all in the following link: https://www.gcpsk12.org/programs-and-services/summer-school
April 18 - 20 - Advanced Drama presents "She Kills Monsters"
DHS Theatre's Advanced Drama Class will present the play "She Kills Monsters" (*please note, this play has a PG-13 rating for adult language/themes and moments of violence on stage). Tickets can be purchased on GoFan.
April 8 - LA & MCL Performance Finals
If your student is enrolled in Language Arts and/or a World Languages class, they will take their performance final today if they haven't already!
April 9 - Science & Fine Arts Performance Finals
If your student is enrolled in Science and/or a Fine Arts class, they will take their performance final today if they haven't already!
April 10 - Social Studies & PE/Health Performance Finals
If your student is enrolled in a Social Studies and/or a PE/Health class, they will take their performance final today if they haven't already!
April 11 - Math & CTE Performance Finals
If your student is enrolled in a Math and/or a CTE class, they will take their performance final today if they haven't already!
April 12 - Diversity Day
Dacula High School's Diversity Day will take place on April 12 this year! We are so excited to celebrate the wide variety of cultures and nationalities represented at DHS!
April 15 - Deadline for Submitting Senior Letters
April 15 will be the deadline for submitting Senior Letters. See the Senior section below for more information about Senior Letters!
April 22 - 11th LA EOC
11th grade American Literature students will take their LA Milestone today!
April 23 - 11th LA EOC
11th grade American Literature students will take their LA Milestone today!
April 23 - DHS Student-Athlete Physical Event
Tuesday, April 23rd, student athletes will be able to get their physicals at the DHS Football Fieldhouse for $20!
- You must register to reserve a spot and students must be accompanied by a parent/guardian.
- Please bring a printed copy of the GHSA Physical Form with the medical history portion filled out (pages 1 & 2)
April 29 - Senior Dinner @ 5:30 pm
DHS' annual Senior Dinner will take place in the DHS Commons on April 29 from 5:30 - 7:30pm. We are excited to celebrate our seniors!
April 30 - US History EOC
US History students will take their US History Milestone today!
Important Information
Rising Juniors:
ALL Rising Juniors will need proof of receiving meningitis booster shot on or after 16th Birthday
All 11th grade students must provide an updated Georgia 3231 Immunization Form for the 24-25 school year, showing they've received a meningitis booster after their 16th birthday. The updated GA 3231 Form can be obtained from your student's physician or the local health department. Note that this booster is administered after their 16th birthday and the previous form expires at their 16th birthday. Meningitis is a serious bacterial illness that affects the brain and spinal cord. Georgia law requires students to be vaccinated against this disease unless they have a documented exemption. Please forward your student's updated GA 3231 Immunization form to the Registrar's office, or via e-mail to tammi.boswell@gcpsk12.org.
Residency:
ALL families that enrolled with a Residency Affidavit must renew prior to the 24-25 school year. The parent/guardian and person that the family lives with MUST visit the school in person with their photo IDs and the 2 required pieces of Proof of Residency. An updated affidavit will be completed and signed in front of a notary. This is a requirement for your student(s) to continue attending Dacula High School in the 24-25 school year. More details will follow about a Community Event to accomplish this new requirement.
Graduating Seniors:
Graduating seniors that plan to attend a Postsecondary Institution will need to request a FINAL, official transcript to the college they are attending. Student athletes will also need to request a Final, official transcript to the NCAA or NCIA. You'll see further information about this soon.
Enrollment:
If your student won't be attending Dacula High School in the 24-25 school year, the enrolling parent must come into the Registrar's office to sign a withdrawal form. Your student needs to return their Chromebook and charger after their last final exam. The Registrar's office will hold the withdrawal forms and postdate them to the last day of school, May 22.
Yearbooks
To order a yearbook for the 2023-2024 school year, visit YearbookOrderCenter.com and enter the school code 25024.
GCPS Book Mobile 5K- May 4, 2024
The GCPS Book Mobile is hosting a 5K fundraiser on May 4, 2024. In the "May the Fourth" spirit, the theme is Star Wars and costumes are encouraged. There will also be visits from some of your favorite Star Wars characters. The race begins at 8 AM at the J. Alvin Wilbanks Instructional Support Center. Runners 18 and under get a free book!!
Volleyball Skill Clinic for Middle School
DHS Volleyball will be hosting a skill clinic for rising 9th graders and middle schoolers who will be eligible to try out for the 2024-2025 volleyball season. Their goal through this skill clinic is to prepare athletes for tryouts. High School tryouts will be held May 6 – May 8, 2024. The cost is $75 - Check or cash only. April 15-18 will be for rising 6th-8th graders and April 22-25 will be for rising 9th graders.
Register using this link or the QR code on the flyer: https://forms.gle/dWkejbxZ9MYe4tXj7
Click on the flyer below for more information!
Upcoming SAT Dates (hosted at DHS)
Dacula High School will host the SAT on May 4 and June 1. Juniors should be sure to sign up for these test dates by April 19 (for the May 4 test) and May 16 (for the June 1 test).
DHS Cheerleading Mini Cheer Camp
Join Dacula HS Cheerleading on May 3 from 4:30-7:30pm as they host a one day camp for students in grades K-7 and spend a fun afternoon with DHS Cheerleaders learning some cheer basics and a short routine. Snacks and water will be provided. It's $25 to register (cash or check made out to DHS Falcon Cheer) will be accepted the day of the camp.
Save these dates for upcoming testing!
EOC Schedule - April 22 through May 2
- 4/22/24 - American Literature Section 1
- 4/23/24 - American Literature Section 2 & 3
- 4/29/24 - Biology Sections 1 & 2
- 4/30/24 - US History Sections 1 & 2
- 5/2/24 - Algebra 1 Sections 1 & 2
AP Testing - May 6 through May 17
- May 6, 2024
- Morning- US Government & Politics
- Afternoon- Chemistry
- May 7, 2024
- Morning- Human Geography
- Afternoon- Statistics
- May 8, 2024
- Morning- English Literature and Composition
- Afternoon- Comparative Government & Politics and Computer Science A
- May 9, 2024
- Morning- Environmental Science
- Afternoon- Psychology
- May 10, 2024
- Morning- US History
- Afternoon- Macroeconomics
- May 13, 2024
- Morning- Calculus AB and Calculus BC
- Afternoon- Precalculus
- May 14, 2024
- Morning- English Language and Composition
- Afternoon (12pm)- Physics C: Mechanics
- Afternoon (2pm)- Physics C: Electrictity & Magnetism
- May 15, 2024
- Morning- French Language & Culture and World History: Modern
- Afternoon- Computer Science Principles
- May 16, 2024
- Morning- Spanish Language & Culture
- Afternoon- Biology
- May 17, 2024
- Morning- Physics 1: Algebra-Based
Special Education Information
Special Education Administrator: Megan Callihan
Special Education Department Chair: Aubree’ Parent-Graupner
Please visit the DHS Special Education Website to complete the Parent Survey and for additional special education information: https://schools.gcpsk12.org/Domain/15603
Annual Parent Involvement Survey
The 2024 Annual Parent Involvement Survey for Georgia Families with Special Education Students is a part of Georgia's State Performance Plan. It aims to understand how well schools are engaging parents in their child's special education. The survey is important for gauging parent involvement and improving family-school partnerships, influencing local and state educational strategies. It's an online survey, available in English and Spanish from Jan 16 to May 31, 2024, and is anonymous and confidential. The survey includes questions about partnership with educators, understanding of rights, communication effectiveness, respect for cultural heritage, and support in education, with response options ranging from "Very Strongly Disagree" to "Very Strongly Agree". Parents are asked to distribute survey info through various school channels. For more details, please visit the provided link. Contact Dawn Albanese at dawn.albanese@gcpsk12.org or 678-301-7212 for any questions.
Please use this link to access the survey.
Rising Freshmen Families
Families of students who will be freshmen at DHS next year, check out this Special Education presentation from our Rising 9th Grade Parent Night if you missed it!
Important Dates for Seniors
Visit the Senior Page of the DHS Website for more information on each of these items!
March 25 - Begin picking up Memory Boards in room 5.237 (Kesler) or in the front office
- April 15 - Deadline for sending in Senior Letters
- April 25 - 5:30-7:30 PM - Memory Board Hanging Night
- April 29 - 5:30 - 7:30 PM - Senior Dinner here at DHS
- May 2 - 6:30 AM - 7:30 AM - Senior Breakfast here at DHS
- May 3 - 6th and 7th Periods - Senior Picnic
- May 5- 4 PM -Baccalaureate @ Dacula Methodist Church
- May 8- 6 PM - Senior Awards Night in the Main Gym
- May 23- 7:30 AM - Graduation Practice in the DHS Commons
- May 26 - 8:30 AM - Graduation at Gas South Arena
GRADUATION DATE - MAY 26
Seniors- your graduation date is here! We are excited to celebrate you on Sunday, May 26 at 8:30am!
Graduation Signs & Banners
It's almost graduation season! The school will be selling graduation signs again this year. Please complete the order form found on the senior page on the DHS website, in the front office, and attached to the MyPayments Plus link when you pay online. Payment will be accepted through MyPayments Plus and Check only, no cash will be accepted. The sooner your order is received the quicker it will be processed. The deadline for orders is May 10, 2024.
Baccalaureate - May 5, 2025
Baccalaureate for DHS seniors will take place on May 5, 2024 at Dacula Methodist Church at 4PM. This event is put on by DHS community partners! If you are interested, email Giselle Frey at harbins2305@yahoo.com.
Senior Letters- DEADLINE OF APRIL 15
Each year, we ask parents to collect letters of congratulations from friends and family that we organize into gift bags and give to your students at Senior Breakfast. Letters can either be mailed in or dropped off in the front office. It is important to follow the guidelines for the project or the letter will not be filed.
- All letters must be in INDIVIDUAL envelopes. Any envelope that you can slap a single, standard stamp on is a fine size. If you are collecting your own letters, please make sure to put each in its own envelope. Oversized letters or ones not in individual envelopes will not be filed.
- Letters can be mailed to the school. Please address them as:
Dacula High School
Senior Letter Project
123 Broad Street
Dacula, Ga 30019
**MAKE SURE TO PUT THE FULL STUDENT NAME in the lower left-hand corner so we know to whom the letter belongs, or we cannot file it.
- Letters may also be collected by you, put in individual envelopes, and brought to the front office.
- Do not include gift cards or checks in these letters. Please do not add glitter or confetti.
It is imperative that you begin collecting letters now. The post office does take time.
Graduation Announcements
It's time for Graduation Announcements, class of 2024! See the message below from Herff Jones regarding ordering your graduation announcements.
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CONGRATULATIONS DACULA CLASS OF 2024! Before you know it, you will be walking across the stage at graduation! Make sure everyone knows how hard you have worked to achieve one of the best moments of your life and announce your graduation with class.
Not only will your announcements have your official school crest, but they will also be personalized with your name in the text just like collegiate announcements. We created packages to make ordering even easier, but you can always add more to them, so no one is left out! Orders will ship directly to your house and you will receive tracking information once the order ships out. See the images in the post for an idea of what your announcements will look like. Click here to order. We are so proud of you and honored to celebrate this milestone with you! Congratulations, Class of 2024 Graduate!
Graduation Announcement QR Code
Graduation Announcement Packages
Scholastic Images
Scholastic Images will be at DHS during all lunches once a month to take cash and check orders for senior dues. The cost of cap and gown is included in senior dues. Senior dues are $160, but the price will increase on March 1. Dues may also be paid online on www.scholasticimagesinc.com. Senior dues are required to participate in all senior events, including the graduation ceremony.
Visit the DHS Senior Page on our school website for more information.
Final Transcripts for Graduating Seniors
Graduating seniors that plan to attend a Postsecondary Institution will need to request a FINAL, official transcript to the college they are attending. Student athletes will also need to request a Final, official transcript to the NCAA or NCIA. You'll see further information about this soon.
Teacher of the Month- Bailey Black, Special Education
Employee of the Month- Kelly Jones, Head Custodian
Congratulations to Danah Nembhard!
- She is a 3x county girls HJ champion - current meet record holder 3/2023 with a jump of 5'10"
- She is a 2x county girls TJ champion - set a new meet record 2024 with a jump of 40'-1.5
Congratulations to Michael Stewart!
Congratulations to Michael Stewart (SR), who is one of our 2024 Gwinnett County Track and Field Champions!
He out jumped the boys competition to a height of 6'6" and had three very impressive attempts at the height of 6'8."
GHP Finalists
We are thrilled to share the exciting news that Mark Ndoumna and Ernesta Agborsangaya have been chosen as finalists to proudly represent our school at the esteemed Governor's Honors program. Handpicked by their social studies teachers, Mark and Ernesta have demonstrated exceptional talent and dedication in their academic pursuits. This prestigious opportunity will allow them the opportunity to embark on a transformative four-week program at Georgia Southern University, where they will undoubtedly continue to excel and shine brightly. Please join us in congratulating Mark and Ernesta on this remarkable achievement and be sure to offer them your warmest wishes. Their success is a testament to their hard work and commitment, and we couldn't be prouder to have them represent our school.
LGPE Results - Chorus
Congratulations to DHS Chorus for the following results from LGPE:
- Blue Mixed: Straight superiors in Performance & Sight-Reading
- Treble: Straight superiors in Performance & Sight-Reading
- Gold Mixed: Superiors in Performance & Sight-Reading
- Gold: Straight Superiors in Performance & Sight-Reading
LGPE Results - Orchestra
Congratulations to DHS Orchestra for the following results from LGPE:
- Concert Orchestra- Straight Superiors
- Symphonic, Philharmonic, Chamber Orchestras- Superior, Excellent, Excellent on stage, Superior in Sight-Reading
LGPE Results - Band
Congratulations to DHS Band for the following results from LGPE:
- Symphonic Band- Straight Superiors
- Concert Band- Superiors on stage and an Excellent rating in Sight-Reading
On a Roll - March
On March 28 we celebrated 45 students for Being On A Roll in the Freshman Academy. These students are nominated by teachers for various reasons including being leaders of their classes, forward progression in grades, being kind and compassionate to other students, and overall making solid decisions to better their success here at DHS. We are so honored to continue to celebrate our wonderful freshman class.
Here is some of the things teachers had to say about these kids:
Brookelin has done so well adjusting to high school. She has a positive attitude, works well with her peers in class, and always wants to do her best. Good job Brookelin! - Ms. Penney
Ace is a great kid that does well in the classroom and also is a leader of his peers. He does a great job on the Football field and on the Lacrosse team. - Coach Stancil
Trey has been working hard in band class. He made it on the drumline next year and I am excited to see him grow as a musician. -Ms. Bong
Brian is an EXCELLENT student all around. He is one of my go to students for asking questions in class, assisting his classmates with their assignment once he is finished and is also respectful at all times. He shows a great example of what we look for in students that are on the right track! Keep up the good work Brian, it doesn't go unnoticed!- Ms. Wallace
Symeon has been really good about locking in this semester. He has been on task and has improved his grade tremendously compared to last semester. Super proud of him. - Mr. Peterson
Natalie is just consistently awesome. Aside from her artistic talent which is apparent and impressive, her work ethic really makes her stand out. She always goes above and beyond on our class projects, consistently choosing to extend the assignment above what is required. She uplifts her peers, helps them out, and keeps them laughing. She is awesome to have in class!!- Ms. Hall
2024 Atlanta High School Art Exhibition
Congratulations to Junior, Taylor Moore, for her art titled, "Nostalgia Puppet", selected for the 2024 Atlanta High School Art Exhibition held at the Atlanta Dogwood Festival April 12-14. This is a very competitive, prestigious art competition with over 800 works of art entered and less that 200 selected for the juried exhibition. Art chosen is based on skill, composition and creativity and is an honor to be chosen. Taylor's observational drawing of her hands creating a shadow puppet was done in Prismacolor pencils. Congratulations
Taylor!
Scholastic Art & Writing Competition
Congratulations to Senior, Hoshi Phang. Hoshi received Honorable Mention in the national Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. Scholastic Art & Writing Competition is the nation's longest-running, most prestigious art recognition program. Hoshi media for "The Diner" is Prismacolor pencils. Congratulations Hoshi!
Youth Art Month
March is Youth Art Month! We celebrate art education in schools and the importance it holds for all students. I am attaching more pics from Tapestry at the ISC and some from our current hallway 🤗
Youth Art Month Info: A national arts advocacy program, Youth Art Month was initiated in 1961 by the ACMI (Art and Creative Materials Institute.) The CAE, (Council for Art Education, Inc.) administers the program along with the sponsorship of NAEA (National Art Education Association).