Panther Parent Update

De Portola welcomes individuality by empowering and developing students’ communication, curiosity, and critical thinking skills through a growth mindset. We are Panthers! Rooooaaaarrrrrrrr!!

08/07 Office CLOSED for staff meeting

08/08 Panther Orientation 3:00-4:30

08/12 First day of school (FULL DAY)

08/15 MINIMUM DAY with a 1:00 Dismissal (EVERY THURSDAY)

09/03 DP Foundation Meeting 6:00pm

09/05 Back to School Night 5:00-7:00

We are looking forward to welcoming students on Thursday, August 8 for Panther Orientation. Please come at assigned time so we can manage lines.

3:00 6th graders

3:30 7th graders

4:00 8th graders

Students will enter at the west walk-in gate. There will be a line of tables to drop off all the completed information:

LCFF (white) - If your student's envelope has a red check on it, we need the LCFF form

Health Info (yellow) - Everyone must turn this in for our school nurse to review

Universal Form (white) - All students must sign for internet access

De Portola Foundation - The suggested donation is between $50 - $100. The DP Foundation funds field trips, classroom supplies, garden supplies, software programs and much more.The DP Foundation is very grateful for any contribution you can make.

• Check - please write first and last name of your student in the memo
• Cash - please write first and last name of your student on the envelope
• PayPal - De Portola Middle School Foundation

After all forms have been submitted, students will receive a tentative schedule with a map on the back. Students are welcome to pass by classrooms and say hello to teachers. We will not be having formal tours, but we promise have a lot of staff on campus to direct students. Parents are welcome to join. Kona Ice will be available for purchase. Students can purchase a reusable cup and use it for a reduced price every first Wednesday of the month when Kona Ice visits at lunch.

All students must return a completed packet on August 8 at DP Orientation in order to receive their student schedule.

PHYSICAL EDUCATION

• Please DO NOT mark your child's name on the PE clothes. The PE staff will complete this for them so that the names are consistent and legible.
• We are currently out of youth large shorts. Students who need youth large can wear other athletic shorts until the PE clothes arrive. Please note that shorts cannot have pockets.
  
• We DO NOT sell locks for PE Lockers. We highly recommend purchasing an old school Master Lock. They are the most durable. Please have your student practice their combination prior to the first week of school.
• Students will be expected to start dressing on Friday, August 16.
  

All teachers provide students with basic supplies: pencils, paper, notebooks, & folders. All sixth graders will receive a small student planner. Also, all sixth graders will receive new computers during the first week of school. Students must clear/clean their computer of all stickers and bring in their charger in order to receive their replacement device. We highly recommend a neoprene sleeve for extra computer protection.

If you cannot attend Panther Orientation, please don't worry. All sixth graders attend a Welcome Event during the first two hours on the first day of school. This includes an assembly with the counseling and admin team, a tour of the school, and an introduction to 6th grade staff.

Some students have found a loophole to view their preliminary schedules. We are still making changes this week and we are enrolling a lot of students (this is a good thing). We have had a lot of calls and requests for schedule changes. The only changes we can accommodate are students enrolled the wrong class. For example, they accidentally got enrolled in wrong grade level or they are missing an elective. Please email your child's counselor for any concerns you may have. Lindsey Hudson lhudson@sandi.net for students with last names A-L and Amy Ericson aericson@sandi.net for students with last names M-Z.

For the 2024-25 school year, De Portola Middle School will provide both BREAKFAST and LUNCH for all students. Breakfast will be served from 7:30 - 7:50 AM. Students just need to input their six digit student ID number and they are on their way to a delicious start to their day (cinnamon rolls are my personal favorite).

We will be reviewing all of our student policies with students during the first week of school. Here are some of the basics to get you started:

Dress Code:

Our expectation is that students understand the fine line between self-expression and being presentable. Please review some very basic rules about dress code.

• The bottom of the shirt must touch the top of the shorts/pants

• No hoods indoors

• Hats are at the discretion of each teacher

• No undergarments showing

• No slippers or blankets

• No clothing with foul language or adult behavior (drinking, smoking, etc).

Our school is a beautiful place for learning and we uphold the dress code for everyone who is on campus. We celebrate all styles as long as they adhere to the the above listed expectations.

Cell Phones:

Students cannot be on their phones between 8:00am-2:30pm. Phones will be confiscated and returned to students at the end of the day. Repeat offenders will result in phone calls home. Your child may ask any staff permission to text or call home. We value our instructional time and understand that middle schoolers are easily distracted by constant phone notifications.