Ranger Round Up!

November 1, 2021

Happy November Darby Families!

It is hard to believe that in just three short weeks we will be taking a week off for Thanksgiving Break. There will be no school November 22nd-26th. Darby Middle School has so much to be thankful for! Throughout the month of November we will be practicing gratitude with a variety of building-wide and classroom activities. I challenge your family to begin every morning identifying three things you are grateful for in your life. One of the best and easiest ways to turn a bad day around is to focus on gratitude. Research shows people who are grateful tend to be happier, healthier and more fulfilled. Being grateful can help people cope with stress and can even have a beneficial effect on heart rate. In tests, people who tried it each night for just one week were happier and less depressed one month, three months and six months later. It's worth a try!

Last week students enjoyed participating in club type sessions during third period SWAG time. Many students tried new games and activities for the first time which was fun to watch them learn! We also had some fantastic spirit wear for Red Ribbon Week. I am including a few pictures in this newsletter but there are many more on our Facebook page.

The Darby staff is grateful for our students! Thank you for sharing them with us!

Rangers Lead The Way!

Katie Kreimer Hall, Principal

On Thursday, October 28th Leadership Fort Smith participants visited Darby to get a tour of our new building renovations and learn about the history of our school. Leadership Fort Smith is a 10-month program that offers participants a backstage pass to the Fort Smith Region. The class focuses on strengths, challenges, needs, and overall community issues. The professional development sessions cover diverse topics such as healthcare, history, law, government, and education. We were honored to be a part of the K-12 education day for this group!

The cost is $15.00 and can be paid to Ms. Thomas (Room 222) or Ms. Rogers (323). Yearbooks will arrive in early May of 2022. If you would prefer to purchase on-line, please go to https://yearbookforever.com and enter Darby in the school name.

By the time they're teens, many kids think they have to be good looking or popular to be happy. They may suppress their own needs, wants, and talents, and stop pursuing their own goals. Discuss the ways real life differs from stereotypes in popular media. Help your teen develop a strong sense of personal identity by introducing a variety of activities and experiences and providing unconditional love.

Find more Daily Tips for Families on our Facebook page!

Please contact individual teachers if you have a question about a course grade. Teacher emails can be found on our school website. Teachers are always available for phone or in-person conferences. Parents can check student grades on a daily basis throughout the school year using Schoology. This is a great resource provided by our district! If you need help accessing your student's grades please call the office to speak with a counselor or principal.

Did You Know? Darby students and their family members are eligible to receive services from the School-Based Health Center (SBHC) located on the Darby Campus.

Learn more about the SBHC by viewing this brochure.

Brochure includes a list of services provided by the SBHC.

The SBHC invites you to take advantage of its convenient access to high-quality healthcare that exclusively serves and focuses on the wellness of staff, students and their families.

• Call 479-784-8131 to schedule an appointment.
  
• Located at 1420 North H Street
• SBHC Page on FSPS website

Here is the link to the Darby Middle School calendar so you can look ahead. This calendar is updated weekly and should reflect all events happening at our school.

https://www.fortsmithschools.org/domain/431#calendar8179/20210908/month

Changes were made on Friday, August 20, 2021, so please revisit this site to check for bus availability and route information.

http://bit.ly/FSPSBusRoute

Breakfast and Lunch are free to all students. Please see the link below for menus.

https://www.fortsmithschools.org/Page/293

*School Hours 8:00-3:15

*Phone Hours 7:15-4:30

*Front Office Hours 7:30-4:30

Email: kkreimer@fortsmithschools.org
Website: https://www.fortsmithschools.org/darby
Location: 616 North 14th Street, Fort Smith, AR, USA
Phone: 479-783-4159
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/darbyrangers