Panther Parent Update

De Portola is a welcoming diverse learning community. We foster individuality by empowering and developing students’ communication, curiosity, and critical thinking skills through a growth mindset. We are Panthers! Rooooaaaarrrrrrrr!!

11/11 NO SCHOOL (Veterans Day)

11/12 - 11/15 You got Leafed Buckets! (Period 5)

11/12 - 11/13 Theatre Rehearsals

11/13 ASB Pink Out Day (Wear Pink)

11/13 Kona Ice (During Lunch)

11/13 SSC Meeting @ 2:45PM

11/14 Principals Institute (Site Hosted)

11/15 7th Grade Articulation (Weiner Hall)

11/18 DPMS Field Hockey Parent Meeting @ 5PM (Media Center)

11/19 - 11/20 Theatre Rehearsals

11/20 8th Grade Walk to Canyon Hills High School

11/21 Primetime Family Bingo Night (4PM Weiner Hall)

11/22 ADDITIONAL MINIMUM DAY

11/23 - 12/1 THANKSGIVING BREAK

Our 8th graders had a beautiful day attending Fleet Week. They got some some really cool hands on experiences and talked to some high ranking officers. A special thank you to Kelly Lowry, Associate Principal for organizing this trip. He definitely deserves a day off this weekend as Mr. Lowry served 10 years as an Officer in the Army Reserve and the California Army National Guard.

We are very grateful to all our active duty and retired military families for all they have sacrificed, including much time spent apart from loved ones to protect our country. Thank you.

A huge shoutout to Mr. White. He applied for a $5000 grant to replace some old and outdated 3D printers. Senator Toni Atkins and Chairmen Welch from the Barona Band of Mission Indians came to De Portola last Friday to present the award. They were very impressed with Mr. White's second period class and appreciated the time at our school.

Our site will be hosting Principals Institute this Thursday, November 14th. District staff will be on site from 6:00am until 4:00pm. We wanted all parents/guardians to be aware of this event due to school police being on site directing traffic from 7:00am to 8:00am. Please plan ahead in case of a delay during drop off.

If you would like to help out backstage and behind the scenes for the musical Willy Wonka Jr, come to a meeting on Tuesday, November 12th after school in room 706 until 3:15.

Kona Ice will join us at lunch this Wednesday, November 13th.

Small - $5

Medium - $6

Large - $7

Refillable - $8

Students can pay with cash. Kona Ice also accepts Apple Pay, so students will be permitted to use their phone at point of purchase. The sales from Kona Ice go directly to the PE Department for equipment.

Builders Club is in the middle of the food drive benefiting the San Diego Food Bank. Donations are made through students' first period class. The drive runs through Wednesday, November 20. There is also the option to donate virtually through this link:

https://sandiegofoodbank.donorsupport.co/-/NPBVLTQW?member=SSPVTZBC

The first period class with the most donations will win a prize.

De Portola Field Hockey will be hosting a player & parent meeting on Monday, November 18th at 5PM in the Media Center. Please see newly updated flyers for more information.

De Portola's Primetime Family Bingo Night will be held on Thursday, November 21st at 4PM in Weiner Hall. This event is open to all De Portola families.

Repeated information from previous weeks.

We are still missing approximately 350 Federal Impact Aid Survey's. Please read messaging below if you are not done so.

Hi Parents,

The Federal Impact Aid Survey is now available online to fill out. SDUSD receives approximately $10 million annually from the completion of these forms. Please log in to your PowerSchool Parent Portal account and complete the survey.

Below are the directions:

• Login at https://powerschool.sandi.net/
• Select Forms from the left-hand navigation menu, then select 2024-25 Impact Aid Survey.
• Follow the prompts and submit the form. Please be sure a confirmation appears before logging off.

Thank you in advance for your help in this matter.

The yearbook store is now open at www.yearbookforever.com! The yearbook is currently $55 and will go up to $60 in March, so get it for the cheaper price! When ordering, please choose your students' 1st period teacher from the drop-down menu labeled "Homeroom". Please email Ms. McIntosh at smcintosh@sandi.net with any questions.

Check out their newest ad here.

We installed a new vending machine on campus last week. The machine accepts cash, card, and Apple Pay. Students are only allowed to use the vending machine before and after school and during lunch. They are not allowed to make purchases during class time. Purchases made during instructional time will result in loss of item and lunch detention. The vending machine offers a variety of healthy snacks and drinks. All proceeds go directly to our ASB account used for school activities such as Chill on the Hill, Spirit Days, and Boo Buckets (class prizes).

School dismisses at 2:30. We only allow early release at 2:00pm or earlier. If you child has an appointment and needs to leave, please email Ms. Charisma at cjohnson7@sandi.net or leave her a message her at 619-605-4800 and press 3. She will send a pass and have your student waiting in the office at the expected departure time. This is not a perfect system, but we do our best to accommodate everyone. If your child has PE at your time of departure and you have not given us prior notice, it can take up to 20 minutes to locate your child, send them to locker room, and head up to office. Planning ahead makes this a very easy process.

Full day absences need to be reported to Charisma Johnson at cjohnson7@sandi.net. Please include your student's full name, DOB, reason for illness and the day or dates they are absent.

We do not accept food deliveries for students. Additionally, parents cannot drop off fast food for their student (Subway Included). If a student forgets their lunch, we offer free lunch every day. If a parent drops off a student's lunch bag, we will have the student come up to office at 12:00pm. If a parent brings lunch from Cotijas (or anywhere else), we ask that you stay and enjoy it with your student.

All sports practice throughout the year will be held on Mondays and Wednesdays from 2:45 - 4:30 with games on Saturdays. Students can only participate in one sport per season. Please review the Middle School Athletics page for more information. Also, email Mr. Steven at sfong@sandi.net for any questions.

Fall Sports: Basketball and Track & Field

Winter: Soccer and Volleyball

Spring: Flag Football, Cheer, and Wrestling

For the 2024-25 school year, De Portola Middle School will provide both BREAKFAST and LUNCH for all students. Breakfast will be served in the lunch arbor from 7:30 - 7:50 AM. Students just need to input their six digit student ID number and make their food selection.