Bobcat Bulletin

Hello Bobcats!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful weekend and enjoyed the Super Bowl!

Just a reminder that this is the last week of the 4th marking period. Please visit with your students regarding finishing the six weeks strong. Morning tutorials are at 8:00 a.m. Monday through Thursday if students are in need of additional assistance or need to redeem a test.

We had a great week last week! We wrapped up our benchmark testing, saw success on the basketball court, engaged in rigorous classroom activities, and connected with one another during Friday clubs.

Over the weekend, our Bobcats competed in the Destination Imagination competition at Waxahachie High School. Very Cutesy, Very DI-mure, did an amazing job! They won first place in the Improv competition and the Engineering competition and also earned the highest score for their Instant Challenge. The team is made up of Maycie Wilborn, Ava Behan, Taiwo Alumdun, Nora Harmonson, Casey Arriaga, and Julia Josselyn. They will advance to the State Competition on March 29th. Check out their picture below.

Our Bobcats also participated in the TMEA All-Region Choir Clinic and Concert on Saturday. What an honor! Kudos to Temperance Pate, Noomi Pate, Isabella Gonzalez, and Andrew Messer! Check out their video below.

Lots of great information to share! Make it a great week, and Go Bobcats! 🐾💙

~Mrs. Ricks

❤️Valentine's Spirit Week!❤️

Monday, February 10th: 🎂 Happy Birthday, Mr. Eguia!!!🎂; 8th Grade Parent Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria to discuss fundraising; PTO Meeting @ 6:30 p.m. in the Cafeteria; Boys Basketball vs. Finley (Home); Wear Comfy Clothes

Tuesday, February 11th: CEIC Meeting @ 5:00 p.m. in the Library; Cheer/Mascot Parent Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria; Tennis Match; Wear Bobcat Spirit Attire

Wednesday, February 12th: 🎂 Happy Birthday, Ms. Zuniga!!!🎂; 7th Grade YES! Program through Electives Classes; Wear Pink

Thursday, February 13th:🎂 Happy Birthday, Mrs. Hargrove-Williams!!!🎂; End of the 4th Marking Period; Cheer/Mascot Parent Meeting @ 6:00 p.m. in the Cafeteria; Wear All Things Valentine's (accessories & attire)

Friday, February 14th: PawPalooza Professional Development Day; No School for Students;

❤️Happy Valentine's Day❤️

Saturday, February 15th: District A-Team Basketball Tournament; School Resource Officer Day

Looking ahead: No School 2/17 (Presidents' Day Holiday); School Board Meeting 2/18

Attention Students: If you plan to attend this year's Sweetheart Dance, please send in your song requests by February 13th. Please provide the song title and artist. Requests can be submitted via QR codes located around the school. Every song will be edited to make sure that it is suitable for school use. Let's make this dance unforgettable with your favorite tunes!

Congratulations to Adelaide Newell and Claire Bullock! We recently had a district art show at the Admin building. During that time, our Fine Arts Director, Holly Thomas, and Superintendent, Dr. Belding, chose a few pieces to be featured during the luncheon for the city. Claire and Adelaide are so talented and were chosen to be featured! We are so proud of them and this accomplishment.

Dear 8th Grade Families,

As the spring semester is underway, and going rather quickly I must say, we are starting the process to prepare our Bobcats to become Panthers or Jaguars.

Your student should have already selected the courses they will be taking in their 9th grade year, now it’s time to create their Personalized Graduation Plan, or PGP, that will encompass all four years.

The requirements for graduation must include the following:

4 credits in English

4 credits in Math

4 credits in Social Studies

4 credits in Science

2 credits of the same World Language

1 credit of a Fine Art

1 credit of a PE

4 credits in an Endorsement Pathway

2+ credits of Electives

Linked is

· a blank PGP form for your student to start filling out with classes they will be taking

· a list of Endorsements with required classes outlined

Please take a moment to fill in the four-year plan in preparation for your student to meet with their counselor. Having the form filled out will allow time for questions you may have.

Starting in February, we will be holding individual meetings with each 8th grade student and parents. These meetings will be at assigned times in 15-minute increments to ensure that every student has an opportunity to talk with a counselor. We encourage parents to participate via the TEAMS meeting link that will be shared via email with the assigned date and time. If you cannot make the meeting or miss the meeting, we will still meet with your student, but we will not reschedule the meeting.

Sincerely,

Dieterich Middle School Counseling Team

Amy Perkins (Last Names A-K)

Jason Roberts (Last Names L-Z)

We are in need of a few parents to work the Concession Stand for the basketball games on Thursday, February 13th (District Tournament Begins). The Concession Stand will be open from 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m., so they are short shifts. If you are available, please reach out to Christina Pena at dieterichptotreasurer@gmail.com.

Athletic physical dates for the 2025-26 school year have been set. Physicals are required for all 7th-12th grade students involved in athletics, dance, cheer, ROTC, and the high school marching band. Incoming 6th graders are not required to have a physical.

Physical Dates:

• April 12th at Methodist Clinic Midlothian
• May 3rd at MHS Cafeteria

More information will be provided soon.

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.

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