Bobcat Bulletin

Hello Bobcats!

Happy New Year! I hope that everyone is having an AMAZING winter break and staying warm!

Just a reminder, students return on Wednesday, January 8th. We look forward to seeing everyone back, refreshed, renewed, and ready to tackle new challenges and celebrate more successes together!

Go Bobcats! 🐾💙

~Mrs. Ricks

Monday, January 6th: Teacher Workday... No School for Students

Tuesday, January 7th: Professional Learning Day for Teachers... No School for Students

Wednesday, January 8th: Second Semester Begins; Grade Level Assemblies

Thursday, January 9th: YES! Virtual 7th Grade Parent Preview Meeting @ 5:30 (bit.ly/YES_7th); YES! Virtual 8th Grade Parent Preview Meeting @ 7:00 (bit.ly/YES_8th_12th)

Friday, January 10th: Ripple Kindness School Assembly @10:30 (altered lunch schedule TBD); Spelling Bee @ 3:15

Saturday, January 11th: Girls Basketball A-Team Tournament

Looking ahead: Virtual PTO Meeting January 13th @ 6:00 p.m.; 8th Grade High School Course Selection Parent Meeting January 14th @ 6:00 p.m. DMS Cafe

It's that time!!! We will begin the course selection process for all secondary students this month, and we are trying something new to assist our 8th graders with the transition to high school. We have coordinated a tour of MHS and The MILE that is set to take place the morning of January 15th.

Please complete this parent permission form for your 8th grade student(s) by the end of the school day on January 14th so that he/she will be able to attend.

If you have any questions, please reach out to Counselor Jason Roberts at jason.roberts@midlothianisd.org.

'Tis the Season to offer us feedback! Please take a moment to complete our CKH Family Survey. Your feedback is valuable!

DMS wants to honor our educators who go above and beyond to provide students with an exceptional learning experience. Using this Google Form, please nominate a staff member who models and encourages the Capturing Kids Hearts (CKH) tenets of empathy, self-direction, teamwork, courage, perseverance, and integrity. Please take a moment to recognize anything big or small they've done to make a positive difference at DMS.

Here's this month's family newsletter. January's focus is "respect", giving honor and value to ourselves and to others. We encourage your family to use some of the conversation starters at the end of the newsletter as talking points during family dinners. Enjoy!

Yearbooks are on sale! Don't delay... order yours today!

6th Grade Opt Out Form

7th Grade Opt In Form

8th Grade Opt In Form

We realize that there have been bouts of COVID, strep throat, and a stomach bug going around. Please remind your kiddos to wash their hands frequently, drink plenty of water, and get plenty of rest in an effort to mitigate illnesses.

Just a few attendance reminders:

• Absence notes should be emailed to lisa.wood@midlothianisd.org within 24 hours of the absence.
• When you email the school, please include the student's first name, last name, and ID#. Student nicknames can cause confusion with attendance coding.
• If you feel that there is an error for a particular class period, please email the teacher directly first. For example, if your student was tardy and the teacher accidentally marked your student absent, please email the teacher so the teacher can submit an absence correction form.
• Please remember that we have approximately 1,000 students on campus, so it may take 1-2 business days for the update to show in Skyward. We appreciate your patience and understanding.

All Texas school districts are required by law to distribute information to parents and guardians about the safe storage of firearms. House Bill 3, Section 19 added Section 37.222 to the Texas Education Code, which requires the Texas School Safety Center, in collaboration with the Texas Department of Public Safety, to provide information and resources to school districts for the purpose of disseminating the information to parents. The Texas DPS launched a Keep ‘Em Safe Texas website that provides safety resources, materials, and tips for practicing safe gun storage to prevent accidents and keep children safe. Remember, a gun should be stored unloaded in a safe or locked container, with ammunition stored elsewhere. You can learn more and find additional resources from the Texas Department of Public Safety at https://safegunstoragetexas.com.

MISD prioritizes the safety and security of our staff and students. We ask our MISD visitors to help us in the effort to keep kids as safe as possible. MISD appreciates your patience as we follow these procedures. To learn more about campus security and visitor guidelines, visit https://bit.ly/3QqqQzl.

Website: https://dms.midlothianisd.org/
Location: Dieterich Middle School, 2881 Ledgestone Lane, Midlothian, TX 76065
Phone: (469) 856 - 5800

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dieterichMS/
Instagram: @dms.bobcats
X: @Principal_Ricks