May

May 6: Texas Roadhouse Fundraising

May 15: Orchestra Concert @ Central High School 7pm

May 16: Band Concert @ Central High School 6:30-7:30pm

May 17: School Dance (information to come)

May 24: 5th Grade Biztown

May 27: No School

May 29: Last Day of School (early dismissal @1:30)

Dear Diley Families,

I hope this message finds you well. The Ohio State Testing (OST) has been completed! Whoo Hoo!!! Students who were absent that did not get a chance to finish their test will be able to do so next week during make-ups. I would like to thank all of our families for getting the students to school on time so they could test. This was very beneficial and reduced the amount of students we would pull from class at a later time to make-up their test.

As we approach Teacher Appreciation Week (May 6-10), I wanted to extend my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for your ongoing support and partnership in your child's education journey. Our dedicated staff works tirelessly to shape and guide our students for a successful future, and your acknowledgment means the world to us. If you have a moment, please consider sending a quick note or email to express your appreciation for their hard work and dedication.

As the school year progresses and the excitement of summer grows, we've noticed a corresponding increase in student behavior every year. While we understand the anticipation, it's essential to remind our students to continue demonstrating kindness and respect towards others. There's still valuable learning and growth taking place in our classrooms, and maintaining focus and engagement remains crucial. Please reinforce at home the importance of staying attentive and refraining from cell phone use during school hours, including lunch and recess, to minimize disruptions and ensure a productive learning environment. We have implemented a lot of fun activities and events for the students to earn in the month of May. I would like to thank our Diley PTSO and all volunteers for supporting and funding our ideas to help make the end of the year special for the students.

Lastly, I want to remind you about the upcoming i-Ready diagnostic assessments. These assessments play a crucial role in gauging student progress and identifying areas for growth for future school years. Please encourage your child to approach these assessments with their best effort, as they provide valuable insights that guide our instructional practices.

Here are the dates for the upcoming i-Ready diagnostics:

• May 6th - 9th: Reading

• May 13th - 16th: Math

Again if you would like more information about i-Ready please visit https://i-readycentral.com/articles/engaging-families/ .

Thank you once again for your continued support and collaboration. Together, we can ensure a positive and productive end to the school year for all our students.

Warm regards,

Eric Koch

Principal

Diley Middle School

1- There are only 22 days of school left!

2- We have an early release the last day of school which will be 1:30.

3- Please make sure you have paid your school fees through infinite campus

Diley Families the PTSO is looking for volunteers for two upcoming events for our students. Please consider helping make these events memorable for the kids.

Monday May 13-Field Day/4th Quarter Incentive:

All students will experience field day during their designated recess time and if you student earned the PBIS incentive for the 4th quarter they will get extra time either before or after their recess. 6th grade incentive time is from 9:30-10:30AM, Lunch recess: 10:40-1:00PM and 5th grade incentive time is from 2PM-3PM.

https://shorturl.at/deoU0

Friday May 17-End of year dance

We are still looking for a few volunteers to help chaperone the Hawaiian themed dance.

https://shorturl.at/QSZ23

Also the PTSO has a board opening for the Treasurer position and volunteers to help plan restaurant nights, and supervise fundraisers for next year please reach out via email to dileyptso56@gmail.com if you are interested. We meet monthly the 1st Wednesday of each month.

We are sponsoring a Hawaiian Dance Party on Friday, May 17th. Permission slips will be sent home next week and we ask that you return them by May 11th. Please note that in order to attend the dance you can not have (starting on April 9th) any ISS or OSS consequences.

Welcome to the Counselor’s Corner! Every month, the middle school counselors will share a bulletin board with the following information: hot topic, theme, and family resources.

Click here to see May's Bulletin Board: https://rb.gy/l84wrt

Check out the amazing information supplied by our school counselor on our family resource board! You can find everything from student planners to food assistance to information on dealing with stress and anxiety. Check it out here: http://bit.ly/PLSDfamilyresources

Hello Diley Families,

Yesterday was a big day for the 5th graders of Diley Middle. They had the opportunity to try all the band instruments for Beginning Band. In the evening we followed up the day with a parent meeting to answer questions and discuss next steps for joining the beginning band classes at Diley. In this email I'll share the links and explain the next steps for getting an instrument and joining the correct class. As well as share the link for scheduling a make-up fitting or a retake if you wish to be present.

There are two basic steps that every parent must accomplish.

1. If your child knows the instrument they want to play then step one would be going to joinpickbands.com and filling out the google form after clicking the "join the Band" tab. This is the document that helps your student be in the correct team next year.

2. Obtain an instrument. This could be done in a variety of ways. Our recommended way is to click "get my instrument" at joinpickbands.com which sends you to Rettig music's rental page. We like this option the best because you are going to receive a quality instrument that comes with a maintenance plan for when your student accidently damages the instrument. (it will happen) I said this in the meeting last night, but I like saying it because it is humorous. Don't buy your instrument from the same place you buy your Toilet Paper!

If your child received a percussion paper please finish the second fitting before completing the above two steps.

If your child is not happy with their instrument selection or was absent yesterday there is a make-up fitting on May 11th at Pickerington North High school from 9am-12pm. Use the link below to schedule a time.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0445A8AB22AAFA7-29959198-pickerington#/

If you missed the meeting last night due to other conflicts but wish to view what was said, use the link to the recording of last night's parent meeting.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G5Ypi2mvmMQLyVgfVDv2M9xP0jF57CWQ/view?usp=sharing

As always, email any band director with band related questions!

Please feel free to email with any questions or concerns.

nathan_stowe@plsd.us - brass questions

matthew_hakes@plsd.us - woodwind questions

timothy_gorgas@plsd.us - percussion questions

paul_trapkus@plsd.us - orchestra questions

This aspect of the newsletter will provide parents and guardians with the building's PBIS initiatives and expectations. PBIS stands for Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports. Throughout the school year, PBIS messages and information will be shared here.

PBIS Challenge:

1. NO missing assignment in each class.

2. NO assigned ISS consequence

3. And NO OSS consequences

4TH QUARTER

For our 4th quarter our primary focus is on “Attitude of Gratitude”. Students will be actively engaged in lessons that focus on the importance of seeking the positives from every experience and being thankful for all that we have. Through this mindset, we learn that we can use the positives or the negatives of our lives as the foundation on which to build. Choose the positives, and we are on our way toward extraordinary success; choose the negatives, and we embark on path toward disappointment, resentment, and suffering. In lessons, we will guide students to focus on all the things they have, leaving no time to be distracted by what they don’t.

Our last quarter can be a fun quarter, but it can also be stressful too! Students will engage in the OST state tests and in our last diagnostic for iReady. It’s important to check in with your student during this time because they will have so many emotions as they complete these requirements. Some ideas to help your student during this time is having a good breakfast, limiting screen time, getting to bed on time, having their school supplies prepared (chromebook charged, headphones, etc.), and having daily talks about how they are feeling this week. Also, don’t forget to keep it positive, “You’re doing a great job. I know you tried your best.” Those few words can go a long way!

Our 4th quarter incentive will be an outdoor grade level recess with blow up bounce houses and etc.

Per the Ohio Department of Health, all students entering grade 7 must show proof of vaccination against tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap vaccine) and meningococcal disease (MCV4 vaccine). You may take the following letter with you to your doctor to use as documentation of these vaccinations, or you may submit an immunization report with the dates of both vaccinations. Please return this documentation as soon as possible to your child’s school nurse. If this is not provided during the grade 6 school year, you will need to send this information to the junior high that your child will attend prior to the beginning of the next school year. The middle school nurses will forward all immunization documentation received to the junior high nurses at the end of this year. Your student will not be able to start school until documentation of the required vaccines or a signed exemption form are on file.

Staying Connected, Staying Safe

As summer approaches and students enjoy their well-deserved break, we want to partner with you in ensuring their continued online safety. District-issued devices have monitoring software in place to help safeguard students from harmful content. While this monitoring software remains active throughout the summer, school staff will not be available to check student activity during this time.

Here's How We Can Work Together:

• Increased Parental Supervision: Just like with any personally-owned device, we encourage you to closely monitor your child's activity on their school device throughout the summer. Engage in open conversations about responsible online behavior and safe browsing habits.

• Content Filtering Remains Active: School-issued devices have filters in place to block inappropriate content, helping to create a safer online environment for students. These filters play a vital role, but it's important to remember that no filtering system is foolproof.

Additional Resources:

We have compiled a list of helpful resources to empower you in supporting your child's digital wellbeing:

• PLSD Tech Town Halls: Dive into our insightful technology town hall meetings on the PLSD Communications YouTube Channel YouTube: plsdcommunications. Gain valuable tips and strategies for promoting safe online habits for your child.

• Common Sense Media: Explore the extensive resources on Common Sense Media (https://www.commonsensemedia.org/). This website offers a wealth of age-appropriate content guides and practical advice tailored to your child's specific grade level.

Click on the attachment below to see upcoming Parent Educational Classe which are available.

Language Assistance Plan Please click on the links for more infromation.

1. Notice to LEP Parents of Free Language Assistance: (NOLA) poster, NOLA - for use

• Needs to be shared from each schools and classrooms

• Most frequently encountered languages - Spanish and Nepali

2. Eligibility for Assistance - parents or guardians could have a need in any language domain

3. No Special Verification Needed

4. Identification of Parents in Need of Language Assistance and Related Centralized Database

• Families that require language assistance have a Phone flag in IC

• New for 2023-2024 - language questions included in the annual enrollment for all families

5. Reports and Logs Regarding Services to LEP Parents

• The district will maintain a list of who needs language assistance

• The district will maintain reports of assistance provided

Contact information to our PLSD liaisons. See below:

There are a number of ways you can stay up to date on all things Diley.

Follow Diley on Twitter: https://twitter.com/DMS_Proud?s=20

Follow Principal Koch on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/mrerickoch?s=20

Follow our PTSO on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2085717574996931

Is social media not your thing? You can find all sorts of information on the Pickerington School District's website located at: https://www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/

Principal: Eric Koch

Assistant Principal: Amanda Stemm

Secretary: Heather Ferns

Office Assistant: Stacy Gallion

Counselor: Gina Neilson

Nurse: Rhonda Carmel

Health Assistant: Robin May

Email: heather_ferns@plsd.us
Website: https://www.pickerington.k12.oh.us/diley-middle-school/
Location: 750 Preston Trails Drive, Pickerington, OH, USA
Phone: 614-830-2900
Facebook: www.facebook.com/Diley-Middle-School-401947110003982
Twitter: @DMS_Proud